LOVE at the Farm

 Remember how in Valentine's Days of yore, I put together baskets of goodies, made bookmarks for the Grandparents, arranged travel plans for Zoey the Elf to visit, created hand-made goody bags for each child's classmates, cooked an elaborate heart-shaped candle-lit meal, and spent the day smothering each child within an inch of their lives? 

 Well this year, I warned them the night before not to expect any of that so they wouldn't be disappointed when they awoke to   n o t h i n g.

I'm just tired, guys.

And I wasn't feelin it this year.

But I did make heart-shaped pancakes that night, so that's gotta count for something.

 But somehow, I couldn't let the day go by without our annual Valentine's Day Photoshoot.

We packed this circus up and headed out to one of our favorite spots - the farm.

For some reason, the farm makes my kids come alive.

Even the baby.

They just get there and we take a deep breath and it feels like home.

(Which is good for our upcoming move to Idaho, I suppose.)

 So, in true Valentine's fashion, here's what I LOVE about each one of them.

bAiLeY jAne

I love that Bailey is so kooky.  That's the best word to describe her.  She's just a little fireball of weirdness. 

She loves putting on a show for the family, but becomes painfully shy around strangers or while having new experiences.  Some days she won't make eye contact with anyone and other days she's waving hi to old men at the store and crawling into random men's laps at church.

She gives hugs and kisses whenever the opportunity presents itself, but also has a stubborn streak that would stop a train in it's tracks.

She is spunky and unpredictable, and we LOVE this little kook.

cAmErOn JoHn

The best description of Cameron is that he is one-of-a-kind.  He knows what he wants and he is not afraid to go after it. He says the most hilarious things and keeps us all rolling when he's in the mood to.  He currently has a huge crush on a girl at school and always refers to her as "Sophia - ya know, the one I'm going to marry."  He eats less than a newborn baby hummingbird and somehow survives on fruit snacks and Oreos (despite our best efforts + most terrifying threatenings.)  He is feisty and fun and fantastic and we LOVE him to death.

AuBrEy LyN

The best way I can think of to describe Aubrey is that she's vibrant.  She's just so dynamic.  And bright.  And extraordinary.  She is talented, but sooo humble.  She is wild, but sooo kind.  She is spontaneous, but sooo grounded.

She basically just leaves a little trail of happiness behind her everywhere she goes, and is sooo LOVED.

 BrOoKlYn NiCoLe

 Brooklyn is a treasure.  She is the most dependable and upright kid.  She loves taking on responsibility and easily manages more than her fair share of it.  She is a natural born leader and is admired for her ability to reach out to others and include everyone.  She laughs harder than anyone and is a joy to have around.  She has big future plans that include a career as a rock star + a themed restaurant owner (she has already drawn up floor plans) + a mom + maybe a teacher "if there's time left-over."  We absolutely LOVE her.

Happy Valentine's Day.