Valentine's Day

I really wanted to make Valentine's Day special this year so I decided to try and make the day as special as possible. Since it was a Monday we started off the same way as usual; getting everyone up and to school and Cole and I off to work. Once we were all home Cole and I surprised the kids with some cool Valentine's Day gifts.... he had them go upstairs so that I could set up their gifts. Little did I know that while they were up stairs they were getting my gift together. They came downstairs carrying flowers, chocolate and a Starbucks gift card... I was so excited! We hadn't planned on doing gifts for each other but Cole told me that Tanner was adamant that they get something for me. He has such a big heart! The kids were excited to see their gifts on the kitchen table... Tanner got a Nerf basketball hoop and ball and Peyton got a huge coloring book and glitter glue! They were both ecstatic...Cole did such a great job picking out presents. The kids played with their new toys and went through all their school Valentines. After gifts I started putting together our Valentines Day dinner... roasted chicked and lemon pasta with salad and pink 7-Up to drink! Jessy and little P were able to join us for dinner... as it was cooking we rolled out sugar cookie dough and made heart shaped cookies with pink frosting! It was so fun to spend the evening together and celebrate our love for each other. One of the best parts of the day was reading the Valentine's day card that Tanner had made for Peyton at school. Not only had he spent a lot of time coloring it and used his best handwriting but the letter he wrote melted my heart:

Dear Peyton,

I love you with all my heart. You have sparkle eyes. You look like a princess with your blonde hair. When I hug you I feel so warm and safe. Even though we get in a lot of fights I still love you!

Love, Tanner

I absolutely loved reading this... I am so happy that he cares so much for his little sister and I hope that is how they always are. What a great day... filled with love!

Sick Sick Sick

The last two weeks have been a roller coaster at our house... it started out last Monday when Tanner started crying about not feeling well. I automatically assumed that Tanner was feeling fine but just didn't want to go to school... I pressured him to get ready and eat breakfast and we headed out the door. The entire way to preschool Tanner sat in the backseat and cried... I realized when I got to preschool that he really wasn't feeling well. I took Peyton in and had Tanner "pretend" that he went into his room so that Peyton wouldn't be upset. We left daycare and I called Grandma Jane to see if she would spend the day with her oldest grandson. Ofcourse she said yes and we met at Starbucks to make the exchange. I felt as though he was probably a little sick but more than than I thought he just didn't want to go to school. Well.... I was wrong. He ended up spiking a fever that day and was very lethargic.

About half way through the day my phone rang and I got a call from Discovery that Peyton had a fever and was complaining of not feeling well. Cole went and picked her up and took her home for some Tylenol and a long nap. By the time I got Tanner picked up from Grandma's and got home we had two really miserable kids. Daddy was able to stay home with them on Tuesday and half day Wednesday... I spent the other half of Wednesday with them and then Grandpa Frank and I split Thursday. Grandma Jane volunteered for Friday and spent the day with them again. It took the entire week for them to get better... break their fevers and get re-energized. We were on the mend.... WRONG! Saturday when I went to Glenwood Peyton got another fever with Grandma Jane... this had been a week of off and on low grade fevers....

Sunday morning I took her to docs on call and sure enough she had an ear infection and a very red throat. I felt so bad.... I should have never have waited as long as I did. A few prescriptions later and a few more days of rest and we are finally on the mend.... I THINK. Tanner still has a really nasty cough and I probably should take him in too....

On top of all this Cole and I both ended up fighting off the same thing. It has been a long and exhausting two weeks! However I am very thankful that colds are all we are fighting off.. I know that our trials and tribulations could be much more difficult than a cold.... so I will take those coldsand be happy!