Valentines Day Fun and some mom tips

I LOVE Valentine's Day and want to make sure that my boys know that even though it may seem like a silly holiday, they need to make sure they let the people in their lives know they are loved!  I found these adorable Valentine ideas from another blogger.  You take a sucker and cut out lips for girls and mustaches for boys.  Joey loved it because he said he looks like Daddy!  He still asks for it with all of his suckers!

We made a special pizza for supper on Saturday night.  I'm not the most creative but here's how it turned out...

Now for some fun mom tips.  I got this idea from a class that I took from the Kent District Library on Magical Math.  

Here's what my living room looked like at first.  I have been collecting boxes for the last couple of weeks and taping them up again to make them whole.  The kids then are allowed to build with them.  It's so fun to watch them try to figure out how to make the different shaped boxes go together.  Here's some pictures of the boys at work. Even Aaron loved this activity!

My last mom tip is for all the moms of boys!  I was getting so sick of wiping off the seat when I had to go to the bathroom thanks to a short little man who is too "big" to stand on the stool to go potty.  So I thought of a way to make him remember to lift up the seat.  

I put stickers on the lid of the toilet seat that Joey has to hide before he can go potty.  We told him that the aliens can't watch him go pee so he has to hide them.  He loves the idea and has lifted the seat every time!  Oh the wonderful power of stickers!

I don't know how you do it

I hear that phrase so many times when people ask me what I do.  Apparently I have a hard job. I can think of a hundred other jobs that are harder than at home daycare but that's not what this post is about.  I thought it would be fun to create a top ten list of how I do what I do!  So here it is...
Top Ten Reasons I can do Daycare
10) I get to wear sweats everyday
9) I can wake up 10 minutes before work and still be on time
8) My house gets messy quickly but I have lots of little helpers to clean
7) I get to do a craft everyday
6) Cuddles with my boys and the other kids too
5) I get to stay home with my kids
4) I have a big back yard (that I can't wait to get out into once the snow is a little less)
3) I have great kiddos that I'm blessed to take care of
2) I get to stay home with my kids, and still get paid!
1) I can only accomplish all of this by praying every morning for patience and joy.  Without asking God for his help throughout the day, I would not have good days.
The number one reason has been so helpful to me!  I am astonished every day when I don't get up early to pray and give the day to God how crappy my day can be.  God really does give what we ask even little things like patience and joy.  I'm so thankful that I have a God who listens to the little things.  And I'm thankful that I have the great job of taking care of his precious children.  Now you know!