How was your St. Valentine's Day?

Rubes cashed in on both George and Lulu's class Valentine's Day Parties! We all made our Valentines, Valentine boxes and Valentine's sugar cookies and hit the school-party circuit on Friday!

This year no one was sick for Valentine's Day! For George this was the 1st time since Kindergarten that he was able to be at school for the BIG class Valentine's exchange and party! The past three years he has had some random flu or fever... this year he made a Valentine's Box for a class contest and exchanged Valentine's with his friends.

Lu's class exchanged Valentine's, read Valentine's books and made ice cream sundaes! On Saturday evening, Valentine's were delivered to our door. Everyone in the family got a Valentine gift from their special Valentine, but it was Lulu's gift that had the whole family excited! Lulu's Valentine left for her a gift she has been wanting for months...
The Snuggie and a box of chocolates!

For Mom & Pops!

Today, talking to my mom on the phone, she wanted to know what Little Miss Ruby was doing right at that moment... so this is what Rubes was up to! At home, she is usually wearing little more than a bow and bracelet! Rue is a firecracker! She is constantly surprising all of us with her quirky, little self! The other day I was being stern with her about something she had done, and she replied, "You don't have to treat me like a criminal!" Later that night, I realized it was a D.W. line from an Arthur book! We all laughed so hard, she now says it everyday!

Oh and another thing... Today is my dad's 85th Birthday! Happy Birthday Pops!

Oh Thank Heaven For Turning Seven!

Lulu turned 7 this past week! Seven! Can you believe it? Our little Noodle Lu is now Seven! Our sweet, little chubby-cheeked beauty is now this amazing, intelligent, thoughtful, string-bean of a Lady! When Lu was a baby I used to sing (poorly) "Good Morning Beautiful" to her each day... I have always been overwhelmed by her beautiful little self! As she gets older, I have the privilege of seeing daily, her true beauty... her generous and loving personality! Lulu has grown into a truly amazing Lady!

We celebrated on Saturday with a Tea Party for Lui and 8 of her closest friends! Each little-lady came dressed in her party dress and brought her favorite doll. We first did hair, nails and make up and then retired to the dinning room for a light lunch and tea (pink lemonade)! All the ladies remembered to bring their manners and amazed me with their lady-like behavior! This was my favorite birthday party yet! It was so sweet and peaceful! George even got in on the action by serving the ladies crustless turkey and jam sandwiches on silver trays!

Dancing Queen!

Lulu had an Open House for her Tap/Jazz class tonight @ her dance studio. She and her darling friend Kate take classes twice a week together and Melis (Kate's mom) and I are able to carpool. It's so convenient and works out perfectly... except for one thing, I never get to see Lulu dance anymore! So tonight was such a treat! Lu is brilliant! She has talent and grace that come so naturally to her! She constantly amazes me with the things she is able to accomplish!

lulu and kate both turn 7 this week!

Now, of course, Ruby had to get in on the action! Lulu can't do anything without a little, very messy & loud, shadow! So Ruby dressed herself in her dance gear (notice the tights over the leotard?) , packed her ballet bag and could not be restrained from participating in the routine! And somehow she new most of it! Rubes took it very seriously and didn't hesitate for a second about getting up there in front of all the parents and onlookers! Lu, as usual, is such a great sport about her little sis! She is a way better BIG SIS than I ever was... sorry Sam! Rubes starts her own ballet class this month - she is ready to take on the WORLD!

Say It Ain't So!

Our annual pilgrimage to ol' SLC, and therefore our holiday celebrations, have officially come to an end! As usual, Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles, friends and of course, COUSINS were the highlight of our stay! The day we arrived, I turned all three kids l o o s e and didn't see them again until the morning of departure two weeks later... well not quite, but it always seems that way! There was plenty of snow, so we did a lot of playing and sleigh-riding.



Pops flew in on Christmas Eve just in time for dinner and Santa's traditional visit to Grandma Dee Dee's house! My kids are still amazed at how Dee and Santa have remained such close friends throughout the years! After singing a couple of carols, Old St. Nick was on his way and the Pajama Treasure Hunt began! Once the pj's were found, it was time for The Annual Cousin PJ Fashion Show (DJ'ed by my very own Richie)! Who knew our family has so many talented dancers! We ended the night with a reading of the Nativity by the talented director and playwright, Hampton and her crew!

Christmas morning was spent with the Morgan's enjoying our traditional Christmas Brunch and opening gifts! The highlight this year was the gift to George from Grandpa... a pocket knife that belonged to Grandpa's Grandpa, Trail Lewis and an old picture of Grandpa as a kid with his Grandpa Lewis using that very pocket-knife! I'm not sure if George realized how special this gift really is, but Rich cried his eyes out!

The rest of our holiday was spent catching up with friends and just relaxing with our families. Every year our trek home seems to get easier and more enjoyable... Thanks everyone for making room, jokes, food and time for us! We love you!

*A BIG THANKS to Aunt Sam and Uncle Eric for giving Ruby her ballet ensemble! It is now the preferred alternative to De' Chicken Dress we all grew to know and love over our holiday stay!

**FYI this was written by a 36 year old!

A Vegas "Snow Day"?!

It is Vegas and it is snowing! It has been over 6 years since I've been in my own home whilst it was snowing! And today... Snow! Sticking to the grass and the palms and the red tile roofs ... Snow! Here, it seems terribly out of place.

































Growing up in SLC, on the cozy snow days, my parents would bake. So because I'm a creature of habit, and it's snowy & cozy; I've been bakin' like crazy! I'm not brave enough to try my parent's traditional recipes like Head Cheese (Yuck!), Fruit Cake, Raisin Filled Cookies and English Toffee. Instead, we've made Peppermint Hot Fudge Cake, Gingerbread Men, Parmesan Rolls and Chocolate Birthday Cake (for George's Teacher). Licorice Carmel's are planned for tomorrow! So stop by... we always have plenty for friends!

Thanksgiving With The "Other Butlers"!

Thanksgiving 2002 in Portland, Oregon was our first Thanksgiving away from our family and on our own... and it stunk! The mashed potatoes were runny, the gravy lumpy, the stuffing was soaked from all of my over-attentive basting and it all ended after about 2 minutes! It wasn't at all like the Grand Feasts of my Mom & Dad's or Dee's! And to top it all off, we were lonely! We needed visitors for Thanksgiving from that day forward. So we placed a desperate call and struck a deal! Every year since, the "Other Butler's" have been our honored guests for Thanksgiving Weekend! Some years the Judd Family makes the trip and maybe one day my family will take a break from cooking and join us! The more the merrier! There is nothing better than a full table (or two!) for Thanksgiving Dinner!

This Thanksgiving weekend was so fun and relaxing! Thanks to Dee and Auntie Kim, dinners were cooked, kids were entertained, groceries were purchased, house was cleaned, gifts were acquired, teasing was hysterical and laughs were plenty! I wish Thanksgiving came twice a year!

Cousins Tag and Hampton are full time entertainment for my kids! I would wake up to Ruby being bathed, changed, dressed and in the midst of an art project every morning thanks to the combined efforts of Lu and Hampton! They are quite the team! Tag had a shadow named George all weekend... he was even cool enough to take George golfing for two days in a row! When I asked George on Sunday "What was your favorite part of the weekend?", he said he had 5:

1. Golfing with Tag
2. Bike ride with Tag
3. Video games with Tag
4. Golf store with Tag
5. Watching football with Tag

Thanks Dee Dee, Auntie Kimmie, Tag and Hampton for making our Thanksgiving memories edible and memorable!