Family Bowl & Valentine's Day

Last week the kids made Valentines and printed off Valentine activity pages to send to our dear neighbor and friends that moved to England for a year or so (please be no more than a year like you promised!) I pulled out every paper craft supply I had and the kids got to work. I mailed them off the next day and I hope they got there in time.

We held our second annual Family Bowl last Sunday. We play six board or card games and the overall winner wins the trophy for the year and $5.

The tricky part is choosing 6 games that have clearly ranked results. Henry and I stared at the game closet and made a list of 12 games that would work (Yahtzee, yes. Clue, no.) Then James read off the list and we voted on any game we would be okay with playing, voting as many times as we wanted. The top six games became the tournament: Masterpiece, Wits and Wagers, Uno, Spoons, Quiddler, Wig Out. 

The winner of a game got six points going down to sixth place getting 1.

It took a long time but that's the fun of it. Everyone picked a food to eat while we played. Chicken wings, queso and chips, apples and caramel dip, lemon bars, frozen yogurt, green beans.

After each game the scores were tallied and the ranking announced. It was pretty close all night but James came out on top! (Sarah won last year)

Sarah had to work on Valentine's Day so we did our family dinner a few nights early. Red enchiladas, refried beans, toppings.

Fancy glasses and candles, of course. And the new wooden napkin rings I bought in a random grab bag at the thrift store.

And a candy box and a new book for the kiddos. The boxes I bought this year were so big I included a doughnut.

Actual Valentine's Day. James couldn't decide what he wanted to do for a Valentine box so he just reused the one he made last year because he loves it so much and it is incredibly cute.

It's Erica's last year making one so she wanted to do something good. She made a vending machine complete with mini soda can candy Henry kindly bought for her at the gas station.

It turned out so good! She was pretty discouraged while making it but once she started to put the hearts and details, it all came together and she liked it.

School was crazy that day. After the kindergarten's class party, I went over to Erica's class during her party. As room parent, it was my job to find 4 parent volunteers and everyone was telling me no except for 2 moms. I hate begging for volunteers. I told them we'd have to cancel but one mom wouldn't hear of it and personally called a few moms she knew and the party was back on. Well, then a surprise mom also showed up with an activity all set up so we ended up with 5. I have no idea why she just showed up. Sadly that made the rotations short and none of the kids finished making the craft in time. I felt so bad for that mom since she prepped so much beforehand. My time as room mom is over after this year (I've done it like 6 times). It is too stressful. 

Valentine night was kind of a wash. Sarah was at work, Henry at a friend's, Erica went to a friend's but James was sick with a fever so we only left him long enough to take Henry to Luke's and pick up some ice cream for us and a Gatorade for him at the grocery store.

Last night was Sarah's high school sweetheart dance, girls choice. Her friend Kyleigh picked her up then they went to get their dates and to the mall for a scavenger hunt.

While she was gone I finished setting the table for their dinner. I had been working all day cleaning, prepping food, borrowing supplies.

They came back about 7pm for dinner. Erica played waitress gathering menus and taking out plates from the kitchen for all three courses.

Kyleigh brought these cream puff swans and they are so cute. They were so loud and laughing the whole time so I think it was a success. It was stressful in the kitchen for Justin and I to make up custom plates with their choices but I think it was a fun way to do it.

From there they went to the dance then Aurora's house for a movie then home by midnight.