A Day I LOVE

I really do LOVE Valentines Day. I know its cheesy and cliche, but I love a day dedicated to showing my family they are special to me. Plus, I love to cook, so our Valentines Day always is full of delicious food. That being said, I HATE making Valentines boxes for my kids for school. Just a pain. But here is what we came up with at the last minute, thanks to the internet and my sister Jackie. Her Cole made a similar one.


The boys thought they were awesome, and that is all that matters to me.


These where the Valentines they chose to make after I gave them several options to choose from. They were of course from Pinterest (my best friend).


We always buy the kids a little something and leave it on the porch and run. Remember when we used to do that to all our neighbors when we were little? I just loved that part of Valentines Day. Sad its almost extinct.


The boys got flats of Gatorade from Costco, they are obsessed with it these days. They also got some chocolate, because lets be honest, Valentines Day isn't Valentines Day with out a couple pounds of chocolate.


Court got this little heart ring, some chocolate and a shirt. Look closely in the pink candies and you will see the little ring. It is just her style, dainty and classic. I may or may not have stolen it to wear already.




Our littlest valentine got a Minne Mouse movie and some pink M&M's and she was in heaven!!



I did lots and lots of this. I made sugar cookies, peanut butter cookies, and three different kinds of cupcakes with pink frosting for all of our friends.


I did not get any pictures of the very best part of the day. Each year I make a fun Chinese dinner complete with red take out boxes, chop sticks, balloons and lots of other decor. On the menu this year: Sweet and Sour chicken, sesame noodles and fried rice....It was SO good! It is everyone's favorite part of the holiday.


This is another one of our favorite traditions. I buy a large box of chocolates and each day the kids can have one if they write a love note to someone in our family. I didn't think that this would be very motivating, especially to our older kids, but it totally was. I love reading the notes every day, and so do the kids. They got so creative this year.





One of Coopers notes: "Dad you knock my sock off! Mom you knock my other sock off!" Cute kid. It was another successful month of love at the Cluff house. Now we are holding our breath for spring!

He Shoots, He Scores!

Basketball has been a major consumer of our time lately. Bowen is playing city league with Carter as his coach, and Jackson is playing competition league with Carter as his coach. Needless to say, Carter has been busy coaching a few days a week and I have been busy cheering (and wrestling Gwennie). Here are a few of the highlights. Bowen first:


Believe it or not one of MY kids is the tallest on his team....you heard me, Bowen is the center on his team, and he is much bigger than most of the boys his age. He really caught on this year and was amazing in the middle having 22 rebounds in one game!


Here he is going for a lay-up and getting the basket and the foul.





Carter is a wonderful coach. He is VERY patient, a necessary quality when coaching this age.

Now for "The Beasts" (as Jackson has humbly nicknamed himself) highlights:


Now THIS guy, on the other hand, is the SHORTEST on the team. BUT he is fast, aggressive, and relentless! He has improved so much over the last few years. He practices and practices and practices, every day he shoots hoops outside, rain or cold, dark or light. We are praying with all our might for a growth spurt.


He is great little ball handler. His passes are incredible and he always has tons of assists and steals.

He even tries to humble himself to take some coaching advice from his old man. He TRIES.


Carter has coached this group for a long time now. All of the parents LOVE him as a coach. This little team just finished their season with NO losses! They are so incredible together. Not one of them is selfish. They pass and make each other look good. They are teachable, and not to mention very talented.

This is their rendition of the "Tebow." Teenage boys for ya.




Here is the whole crew, a bunch of great kids. It has been a BLAST watching my boys play sports this year. They make me one proud mama.