Valentine's Day 2011

It has been our tradition for about 9 years now (since we couldn't afford a babysitter) to spend Valentine's Day as a family. We get Chinese takeout and eat at home by candlelight. The kids love this tradition, and talk about it for weeks before hand and after. We have loved it so much, that some of our extended family has taken on this tradition for themselves. I wanted to get a little fancier this year, I bought new candle sticks and holders. I was going to pull out a table cloth and wanted to get flowers to put on the table, but that didn't happen. Maybe next year I will be better at planning and that will happen. Oh well, we had fun anyway.

Not the best pictures. There were all being silly.

Boys and Dirt

The weather has been beautiful here lately. I think we got up to about 80 degrees here yesterday. They boys love to go out and dig in the dirt in our backyard. In fact, Jack cried most of the day yesterday because I wouldn't let him out there. Finally when Carter came home and he had someone to go out with him I let him go out. They were in heaven.

Carter found this and said it reminded him of Wall-E.

Our tiny slide. And yes, that is our Christmas tree in the background. Steve is never home to help out around here, and that is as far as I could get it. I'm just glad it finally got out of the house. The boys like to hit it and watch the needles fall off.

Reagan Cuts Her Hair

In all of her 13 years, Reagan has never cut her hair, more than just a trim. She always swore that she never would cut it. But, about a month ago, she decided maybe it wouldn't be so bad to cut some off. It was really starting to get in the way during cheer. In stunting for cheer she has one of the other girls sit on her shoulders, and the girl was always sitting on her hair and pulling it. She finally decided to cut off enough to send into "Locks of Love". She did some research and asked Aunt Cara to cut it for her. It ended up being about 13 inches cut off. She has the thickest hair, and it took Cara quite a while to cut through that ponytail.

She is liking her new hairdo, and I'm sure when summer gets here, she will like it even more.

Before

Getting ready to cut.

Here is the pony tail they cut off.

The finished do.

Holding the ponytail up to where it got cut off.

She had me curl it the next day for school.

Walker, Jack , and Carter reading a book at Grandma's house.

Walker Turns 10

Walker with his wonderful donut breakfast.

Steve the pyromaniac, lighting the candles.
You can tell by that look in his eyes, that he has lit a few fires in his past.

Walker with his presents.

Messy Jack after eating chocolate cake.

Beals Reunion

The day after Christmas, we were lucky enough to have most of my family come into town for a family reunion. It was so much fun to see everyone. We played at my grandma's house, visited, went for hay rides, and had a few bon fires. It was so much fun to see everyone, I really wish we lived closer to each other.

Going for a hay ride with all the cousins.

Jack.
Reagan got a hold of the camera and followed Jack around taking pictures of him. She took about 100 of them, and most of them are of his back. Thank goodness for digital cameras, I think I would have been upset if she had taken that many and had to develop all of them. A few pictures turned out really good, this is one of them.



My parents and most of their grand kids. One of my sisters wasn't able to make it, so her boys are missing.

Jack and Reagan picking oranges.

Emmy and Carter posing for pictures.

Walker is so strong. Look at him (pretend to) bend this post.

Cowboy Carter

Jack, Reagan, and baby Eli, their new baby cousin. This is the first time we got to see him.