Valentine's Day

The kids both had fun class parties at school to celebrate Valentine's Day! My 2nd grade co-room mom and I did "Minute to Win It" games for Avery's class. That weekend the seniors at the kids' school baby-sat as a fundraiser, so Daniel and I went out on a date!

Sunday was actual Valentine's Day, so we went out for brunch at Urban Rio, one of our favorite places, after church. Then I made a nice dinner for my three Valentines, using recipes I got from my cooking class in California last year (pan-seared stuffed chicken breasts in mushroom marsala sauce, roasted heart-shaped potatoes, salad and bread, and chocolate mousse with berries for dessert)!

Family Fun

We took the kids out of school early one Friday and made it over to Fort Worth for the stock show and rodeo! A couple of Daniel's co-workers from FW were there that we got to meet. We loved watching the bonco busting, bull riding, and barrel racing! Yee haw!

Avery and Daniel went to a Father Daughter dance and had a great time! Aidan and I had a fun dinner date of our own and then saw a movie!

Can't forget this family member!

Tracey's Wedding

My cousin Tracey married her sweetheart Jeff this past weekend and it was so fun! Avery got to skip school on Friday and go with us to the bridal luncheon, then we went and got pedicures with Grammy and Aunt Kelly!

The rehearsal dinner that night was at Ozona's in the very same room Daniel and I had our wedding after-party almost 15 years ago! So fun! The kids got to see Tyler, Clara, and Gwen and all the Jolly cousins presented Tracey with our great-grandmother Mama Jewel's "beautiful" heirloom painting! It was given to me at my wedding and we've passed it to each cousin getting married as a running joke.

The wedding was beautiful and fun! Avery was a dancing machine. We sent the kids home with Papi around 10 but I think she could have lasted until midnight. Congratulations Tracey and Jeff!!!

Jumping Right Into 2016!

2016 is off to a busy and fun start! Aidan is in the middle of his basketball season and his team is doing great, despite being a newly-formed team playing against existing ones. I also get to enjoy some one-on-one Pei Wei time with him while Avery is at cheer practice! And he gives plenty of love to his pal Griffin.

Avery is loving cheer! We have also kicked off Cookie Season and she's already sold more than her goal! We went around our new block and also our old one (Aidan loved playing with our old neighbors while Avery and I went door-to-door) and it also really helped that my cousin got married in Dallas last weekend...almost half our boxes went to hungry family members!!

When my mom came in for the wedding, she was the surprise Mystery Reader for Avery's class! She did the same thing when Aidan was in 2nd grade and the kids are always excited to see her. She had props and had the kids participate, so it was anything but boring!