FEBRUARY

- February was a cold, icy, and busy month in Nova Scotia. We made a couple new traditions in our family this month. Miley and I started `girl club.` Saturday nights after the bath tub, I blow dry her hair, paint her finger nails, and we talk about everything girly!! :) Miley likes to make sure the boys know.. `no boys allowed in our club!` The boys don`t seem to mind since they have a club of their own. They play football and wrestle, and watch basketball all they want. ( With no girls allowed!)
After we are finished getting her ready, she likes to play Miss America while she walks her cat walk, holding her flowers, and waving to us. She especially likes it when we sing: `Here she comes, Miss America!` She is a crack up! And I love my special girl time with her.
Dad and the kids also started a new tradition of looking through the cookbook each week, and picking out a favorite treat for mom to make each week for the family. Something they have all looked forward to each week!

- At the beginning of the month we had a special valentine Family Home Evening. We wrote on colorful hearts our favorite things we love about each other, and then put them up on the wall, giving out home its own little `heart attack.` The kids loved being involved, and it was so sweet to hear the things they would come up with. `Dooey is the best little brother, and my best friend.`Daddy is Precious...` It was also very fun to be surrounded by love all month long.

- Justin fullfilled one of his North American Dental Student Requirements called Table Clinic. This was a in depth project that consumed a large amount of his time. The Dental Community in Nova Scotia came to take part in the reasearch as a Continual Education Credit. We were able to go to the dental school to support him the night he presented. He is glad to have the project behind him! As are we. :)

- I traveled on many stake assignments this month, grateful to have a GPS. And wondering how we ever lived a day in NS without one.

- Valentine`s day was anticipated around our place. Especially with the hearts up all month long. Every morning the kids would wake up, run down stairs, and ask if it was Valentine`s Day today! So, you can imagine the excitement when the morning finally came, and they were able to run downstairs to a table full of surprises! The kids both got life jackets, and candy. Justin and went out to dinner with hired and paid babysitters for the first time! :) We felt pretty darn official on this date... and a little old! ;) All girls 12 and older in NS are required to take a child minding course and certify before they are able to babysit. There was a YW in our ward who had just taken the course and was excited about her certification, so we hired her, and she brought her sister along for a little support since it was her first time. The kids had a blast! When we got home they asked the girls if they would sleep over at our house. And ever since our date, Miley keeps asking me to go out with daddy again so she can have a babysitter. :)

-Justin had spring break this week. Why it is in February, I might never understand, but we love the break none the less. During his time off we were able to spend a little one on one time with the kids. I took Scotlin for the afternoon while Miley spent some time with her dad. When I was out with Scotlin he saw a little girl about his sisters age, and yelled out to her `NO GIRLS ALLOWED IN OUR CLUB!` Poor girl didn`t have a clue what this little man was saying, but I thought it was pretty classic.

More to come...