The designer suggested we have a Valentine’s lunch while the kiddos are in school and since he needs to referee a game this evening.  It was delightful: Caprese salad, Caesar salad & a Margarita pizza with eggplant and artichoke all from Cafe Galleria in Midway…we do love that place.  And now they are starting to make/use their own cheese…even better.

We stopped by the house to talk with Paul after I ordered a door from Matt at ProBuild(the last door… hallelujah!).  Paul was having an “everything is over budget” day.  We are just having an “past-move-in-deadline” month.  🙂  The insulation is about done, the indoor gas line and dryer vent go in tomorrow.  Hopefully Wendy will pass off a few items so the dry-wall guys can finally start, they’ve been waiting 4 weeks now I think.  And those soffits…they are really quite infamous at this point…as no one wants to do them I suppose :).

Last night we picked up a very large (6’x3′) mirror last night from Pilot Dan in Park City last night.  (thanks Dan!)  I can’t wait to see what it becomes…we also found a prep table last week, which will be our kitchen island.  The salvage stuff has definitely been a highlight for the designer and I…to see what we can make with the least as possible…how far we can take materials.  Hopefully it will speed up the process in many ways too.

The explorer, participated in his first Valentine’s Dance…or first dance, for that matter.  He was charmed that he danced with 2 girls.  Two girls!  First, Fallon, and then she moved on to David, so then I danced with Madeleine.  Next time I will just dance with Madeleine.  He might have a crush.  🙂  Their class dressed up, had salon-hair done, wore boutonnieres and corsages, and he came home happy as a clam with a kleenex box full of super creative Valentines.  (I was just happy to complete the 64 handmade construction-paper Valentines this year)

The dancer missed her field trip (cause I forgot to send her booster), after the tears, she confessed that she’d had a wonderful time staying back at class with Devyn (the TA) and 5 other students…playing house and eating some of their candy (that they’d not been allowed to eat…understandably so).  Thankfully, I believe with all that is going on, that I was finally able to “let it go” and realize that she’d still had a wonderful day.  Yesterday, she was one of 4 in her ski group that had taken the rollercoaster (a black trail).  The other dozen kiddos were pretty disappointed.  It was a good lesson for both of us that sometimes in life we really do miss out on things…and that it can still be okay.

The builder ran along the rollercoaster for the first time a couple weeks ago and we were impressed & absolutely floored.  Now the dancer wants me to go with her tomorrow…the builder doesn’t think I can do it (he may be right) but I’m going to try…better skate classic tomorrow to make sure (less slick).

So our little skiers are really blossoming and it is so fun to go and be a part of their journey.  The explorer is keeping up and doing hills on his own (finally)…he’s graduated to using poles.  (the dancer still doesn’t use them…probably better for her strength though).   The new independence has given him the needed push to keep up with the big kids.

Reesa joined us yesterday and we had a blast…as always.  She’s off to Vegas this weekend and we can’t wait to have her back to ski hopefully again next week.  The treat this weekend is Sara (my cute cuz) tending the kiddos at BYU (bowling, etc) while the designer and I attend ward temple night.  Thank you Sara!

Oh for one more funny explorer moment: In the car lately they all ask to listen to “church” or “quiet” music when they are tired, etc.  The other night we were coming home, and he did not want church music (the other 2 did though, so he was out of luck).  He protested and a few moments later we could hear him singing loud and clear (he just couldn’t help himself).  Then he went back to protesting…didn’t want to lose his focus.

How was your Love Day/Love week?  Sending lots of love to each of you from the cold and sunny Rocky Mountains! xo ~ katrina