quite a week!

 This week was GREAT!!!  Reasons for it's greatness? 

1. Although Shawn had to leave on Sunday night, he got home one Tuesday night just in time for Mutual.  Then he was here for the rest of the week and doesn't even have to leave until tomorrow. It's sure been great to have him home!!

3. I had Pace cry himself to sleep two nights at the beginning of the week and ever since he has been sleeping until 4:30 in the morning!   I had it in my head that I wasn't supposed to let him cry himself to sleep until he was 8 mos. old, but one night my holding him wouldn't even make him happy.  Plus, he refused to sleep anywhere but in his carseat, so I decided to fix all of his sleeping problems in one night. He has been sitting up for a couple of weeks now and can entertain himself for fifteen minutes at a stretch while I get something done.  He has established a sleep pattern now and I can expect him to nap at certain times.  I love this stage! He will be six months old on the nineteenth.

Pace, 5 1/2 mos. old

2. The kids didn't have any school on Friday, and won't have any on Monday, either.  Two four- day weeks in a row!  For Valentine's Day (Friday) I got up and made heart-shaped pancakes covered with a raspberry sauce with whipped cream on top.  I had my niece Gracie here over night (Jodi's oldest) and at 10:00 all of my other nieces showed up to have the last dance practice for Suzette's wedding luncheon. When they finished that (after three hours!!!!)  I gave them all manicures to keep all the hype up about the wedding;)

Ainsley, Isabelle and Maddie dipping their hands in hot wax:

Abby:

Addie:

A finished product

My photographer failed to catch Ellie and Gracie and Kami in a picture:(
3. After my nieces all left-early afternoon- Shawn and I left on a Valentine's date. We drove up to Harriman State Park and went cross country skiing - we really love cross country skiing, and this place is so beautiful!  We only skied about four miles because we had to leave in time to get back and see Kami off on a Valentine's date that she had been asked on.  Her date brought a bouquet of roses that he presented her with when he picked her up.

4. A couple of times this week we drove to Shawn's parents in the evening to watch the Olympics.  I really, REALLY enjoy the Olympics! I only miss having TV when it's conference time and when it's the Olympics.  We kept the little boys out too late too many nights and Sunday I had to insist that they take a nice, long, nap. This made for a nice, quiet Sunday afternoon!! ( That should probably be under it's own bullet)

5.I had Parent Teacher Conferences which, thankfully, is something that can make for a great week around here:)  I'm grateful that my kids are such good students!

6. Lastly, but most exciting of all, is that Suzette got married on Saturday!!!!!  It was such a great day and an all day affair.  We didn't have to be to the temple wedding until 10:30, but I was working on having the kids all ready until then.  Shawn and I left them home until after the wedding and then had Kami drive everyone up to the temple for the pictures.

Kory and Suzette coming out of the temple:

We went straight from the temple to the luncheon.  They had a really great program afterwards, with some amazing songs by Kory's kids - one written by Phoebe to Suzette. Phoebe is 12 and the song had us all in tears it was so touching. Kory and Suzette also sang. The luncheon is also when Kami and all of the nieces performed the dance that they have been working on since January.  Suzette had requested for Kami to figure out some moves to a certain song and teach it to all the other girls. She wanted Kami to be in a wedding gown (symbolic of her:) and the nieces to be doing back-up dancing.  It was a big, often frustrating under-taking, (for the younger girls AND Kami) but Kami did a great job teaching and choreographing and everyone ended up doing such a fabulous job performing it that they all agreed that it was totally worth it!  Most important of all- Suzette LOVED it!!!

l-r: Phoebe, Gracie, Abby, Kami, Ainsley and Isabelle:

Marilyn sewed matching skirts for all of the nieces, many of whom aren't even in this dance (because they were too young or didn't live close enough to learn it)

l-r: Ellie, Maddie, Kami, Abby, Ainsley and Gracie:

I am going to try to get a video of this dance on here soon!

After the luncheon there were lots and lots of pictures, followed by the reception.  I have never seen such a steady stream of people!  

Kami and Caden and Ellie wanted some more excitement at the reception - I guess- so they decided that it would be great fun to decorated the bride and groom's car.  They snuck away to Walmart, along with their cousin Ellie, and got some supplies. Their Uncle Evan liked the plan as well, so he also went to Walmart and got some supplies:) What a fun uncle!

They're artistic - you've got to give them that!! They just love their Aunt and new Uncle so, SO much!!;)

They decorated both cars because they weren't sure which one they would be taking on their honeymoon:)

What a wonderful, exciting, EXHAUSTING day.