Valentines Trip

 For Valentines Day weekend we went to visit my grandparents in St. George. It was a very special trip because the girls got to spend a lot of one on one time with my grandparents. They got one on one time and to do simple things like play games and take a walk. Shortly after this trip, my grandmother went downhill and had to go live in a nursing home. We have seen her since but this trip was a very special one. I have great memories of spending time with my great grandparents and I love seeing my girls get that same experience.

 Red Fish got to visit my Aunt Kandi at the credit union she works at.

 We had our traditional Valentines day "love dinner" with my grandparents this year.  The girls and I had fun decorating and making all of the food.

Red Fish has started wearing little reading glasses. She has perfect vision but the eye doctor said that she was straining her eyes and the glasses help her to relax her eyes when she is reading, playing the piano etc. We will see how they work out.

 Playing games

Hiking while the grandparents nap.

Valentines

Red Fish has been a Valentine factory lately.

 Red Fish sewed little Valentine hearts for most of her extended family.

 These were Red Fish's Valentines for her two teachers (French and English)

 Her Valentines Day box that Red Fish made for school.

Valentines for school

Gymnastics

The girls have been taking a few gymnastics lessons. Red Fish is turning cartwheels all over the house. New Fish is loving the bars and the beam.

Service Project

 We've started doing a few service projects. I'm trying to find things that the girls can lead and really embrace. My friend Lovely L and I felt like Valentines was the perfect time for a service project. We made dozens of Valentines with Lovely L and her beautiful little kids and then we went to a local nursing homes and played music for the residents. Then we went room to room visiting them and delivering valentines. Some of these people never get visitors so it was really touching to see how they reacted to having these kids come visit. My girls are sometimes a little slow to warm up to people and can be very shy at first even though they have such a strong personalities. Visiting so many strangers and having them compliment Red Fish's hair and want to talk to her was a hard thing for her to do. New Fish put on her brave face and channeled her inner strength and ability to make friends everywhere she goes. We talked ahead of time that some of the people we would be visiting might not be coherent, some might look or smell or act funny and that it was okay to look at people as long as you look them in the eye and smile. We talked about the fact that the biggest service we would be doing would be to smile and be kind. It really made me proud to see the girls rise to the occasion and really show love for these people. They have such a tender hearts and really feels things deeply.

New Pictures

These were taken as a belated Christmas present for all of the grandparents. All six grandkids together!

Valentine Print Making

 I will never tire of seeing my girls create. We broke out the print making supplies today and worked on some Valentines. New Fish completely amazes me with her capability and expression.

Red Fish- carving her own stamps to start making Valentines.  Seriously- is she beautiful or what?