Making Valentines

Scarlett and Max worked hard on Valentine's Day cards and goody bags for their friends at school.  (Well, Scarlett worked hard making cards and goody bags and Max worked hard at sneaking as many Hershey's kisses as possible.)

In case you can't tell, he's got a mouthful of chocolate.

Goofy grin (that may also be concealing a mouthful of chocolate).

Scarlett made "special" Valentines (as opposed to just store-bought) for a few of her friends, including this one for William ("I like him because he's really funny").  That's a "W" for William, an "S" for Scarlett, and a sketch of William (obviously).

Ice Storm Take Two

We had a second ice storm this winter, leading Max to no longer believe that snow is real -- everything is ice according to him.  

Watching the sleet/rain/ice/snow/whatever it was come down.  

After we got dressed and headed outside, it was time for snow (ice?) angels!

Max's technique was more of a sideways scissor kick (it's a work in progress).

Trying to catch snow(ice?)flakes on their tongues.

Running down the driveway with Hudson.

Putting some finishing touches on their snowman.

Someone was NOT pleased when I announced it was time to go inside and eat lunch!

Chinese Lantern Festival

We decided to check out the Chinese Lantern festival, an annual event held at Fair Park.  It starts during the State Fair in the fall and extends through the Chinese New Year.  Below is the dragon boat, which sat in the middle of a lagoon.  The other structures and exhibits circled the lagoon.

BB, Chris, and the kids in front of a castle.

Chris moments before he was eaten by a very angry dinosaur.  (I don't know that dinosaurs have anything in particular to do with Chinese culture, but whatever.)

This was my favorite -- an amazing structure made entirely of Chinese porcelain spoons, cups, bowls, and plates.

There was a Chinese Zodiac display as well.  It's based on a twelve year cycle, with each year in the cycle relating to an animal sign.  Your animal is the year you were born.  Coincidentally (or not?) Chris (1974) and Scarlett (2010) are both tigers.  Max (2011) and I (1975) are both rabbits.  BB (1948) is a rat.  (Sorry, BB, both for revealing your birth year and for having to break the news to you that the rat is your Zodiac animal.)

The Tigers.

The Rabbits.

The Rat.

Scarlett refused to believe she was a tiger, insisting instead that both she and Max were bulls (how very stubborn and bull-like of you, Scarlett).

Max inspects a dragon dog.

Scarlett in a dinosaur egg with the dragon boat behind her.

Max's turn in the egg.

Cherry blossoms.

Panda bears.

Yucky Tacos Truck

The super-creative Peggy got Max a truly one-of-a-kind gift -- a Yucky Tacos truck complete with a customized sign/sticker that Peggy printed, trimmed, and stuck on the side of the truck.  This combines two recent phenomenons:  the rapid rise of food trucks in Dallas, and Max's inexplicable catchphrase, "yucky tacos."  (Click here to go back to the original Yucky Tacos post.)  If you look closely, the truck is actually selling hamburgers, hot dogs, and sodas -- not tacos.  But if you squint, the hot dogs sort of look like tacos.  So we'll roll with that.

Hey, there's a giant butterfly in our yard!

Scarlett had a fun surprise waiting for her in the yard on her birthday, and we got to keep it all the way through her party the following weekend.  

There was a bit of a miscommunication and the owner mistakenly came and picked up the butterfly a few days early (and before I had taken any pictures of it).  I panicked and was convinced it had been stolen in the night by a deranged butterfly bandit and that the sign company would never come to our neighborhood again.  Luckily, it magically reappeared a few hours later before I called the police to report a stolen giant glittery butterfly (I'm sure the cops would have dropped everything to get right to the bottom of that one).

How cute are these two??

Birthday Girl, brother, and the grandparents (minus poor Mimi who was home nursing a broken leg).