Valentine's Day 2017

 This year we celebrated Valentine's Day for an entire week. We started the week off at our church's Valentine's Day banquet.

 Makayla was our waitress for the second year in a row. She did another great job!

 We had a fun time that night and laughed until our faces hurt. It was an evening of great company and sweet fellowship.

 The youth kids put on a play for our entertainment.

 On the actual day of Valentine's, James was traveling for work so the kids and I just did a few special things.

 They had gifts from James and I to open.

 Yes, even Blaze.

all decked out in their new snuggies

 That night we had cupid floats for dessert.

 On Friday of that week, David and I attended James Henry's party at school.

putting on chapstick, he loves it

pin the kiss on the teacher

 I took the kids to Sonic and for haircuts after school that day.

 That weekend was a three day holiday and James and I actually spent Saturday and Sunday nights completely alone and kid free. It was nice to eat out, sleep and pretty much relax and do what we wanted and spend that time together. On Sunday when we picked the kids up we took them to lunch at CiCi's and to the movies to see Lego Batman. The entire weekend was extremely enjoyable.

DNOW gathering 2017

Earlier this year James and I were the host home for our youth group's disciple now gathering. We hosted 10 teenagers plus had our other four kiddos in the house. It was crazy fun. 

We basically fed them snacks and drinks plus breakfast on Saturday morning and they slept all over our house in sleeping bags. James drove them around all weekend in the church bus and it stayed parked in our driveway at night, I kinda liked seeing it there. 

 Every evening our pastor came over and did some bible study time with them.

 On Saturday they spent the afternoon at WT, swimming, bowling and playing basketball. They had worship sessions throughout the weekend as well. I loved seeing these kids bond, talk about their lives and struggles and grow their relationships with our Lord. It was a huge blessing to have a house full of crazy kids for that weekend.

Makayla is 15!

 I can't believe our sweet, beautiful, brilliant only daughter turned 15 this year! We had a great time celebrating. The morning of her birthday she woke up and opened her presents from us and from my mom.

 Roland came and picked her up for their traditional birthday breakfast at Makayla's favorite place, Waffle House. This picture is apparently proof of what happens when you tell the nice staff there that it is your birthday! Makayla has an amazing spirit and took it like a champ even though she got a whip cream pie to the face.

 When she got back home, she had a few more presents to open.

 Instead of a party this year, she chose to take two friends out for the day. So my mom and I drove the girls to lunch at Freddy's and then we went and saw the movie Sing.

 That evening we had Panda Express for dinner (her choice) and celebrated her with a cookie cake.

Stephanie also took her to lunch the next day at Chipotle and they did a little shopping.

I can't say enough good things about Makayla's birthday. She chose two of the sweetest girls to spend the day with. We love them and their families. Makayla is not only juggling high school work but she is juggling college biology and theater as well and doing it with all A & B's! She cares deeply for everyone and is completely grounded in her faith.
The morning of her birthday we watched old home videos we recently had converted to DVD. I can look back and say she truly changed mine and James' lives. She is such a blessing.

Ringing in 2017

 We rang in 2017 like we always do, at home eating appetizers and playing games. Roland even joined us for a bit that evening.

 Our new game this year was Guesstures and our funniest moment was bought to you by our James Henry. He picked his card and did the craziest dance we had ever seen and none of us could guess what he was doing. When we asked him what was on his card, he said he was being a "Dork Knob" what his card said was, "doorknob". I am laughing about it as I am typing this out.

 We drank our sparkling cider and counted down with New York and called it a night!

 We spent the first morning of the new year, right where we should have, in church.

Over Christmas break, we had a dinner with our friends from Detroit and the team that went up there last summer from our church. It was a great night of fellowship.

 My mom came right after the New Year and played in her very first snow!

 David stayed out the longest, he loved having his daddy build him a snowman.

 The kids had snow ice cream to finish the day.

 James and I enjoyed our first day date of 2017, we saw Rogue One and purchased a new washer and dryer. It was an expensive date but I sure love my new washer and dryer. It was an overdue purchase.

 James Henry started taking fencing classes in January with Christopher. He is so cute in all his gear!

 Some of us have found plenty of mischief in the New Year.

 We took a little road trip to Lubbock where Makayla and her school choir, Vista Vocals sang the national anthem for a Texas Tech basketball game.

 It was Star Wars day at that game!

2017 found us off and running but blessed.