we ♥ pie...

there really is no better way to end three full days of working a craft booth, running to meetings and grand openings
then to be able to sit down together as a family and enjoy a dinner out, right?

almost sounds relaxing...
but not when your part of this family and you are filming their first ever tv commercial.
Ok, the local cable network isn't exactly the same as being national, but still pretty stinking cool!


not to mention it was the first time brian and i have ever sat down together and eaten in yoder's at a table, while it was open....
seriously, in ten years we have never done that before... EVER!

i guess it's only natural that brian (and his little clan) are the first thing to come to mind when you think of
"yoder's amish village"... and yes, they are a "village" now!


doing GREAT things, all in gods timing!

can you believe that? one week...

one week left...
can you believe that?
one week...

it's going to be so weird around here without levi.
i know that both of them were in "school" last year but,
3 days a week for 3 hours is nothing when you compare it to 5 days a week 6 and 1/2 hours a day!
crazy thought!

so this leaves us this week of cramming in some fun things mixed with the absolute of bedtime.
8pm.

on another "one week" thought...
alivia is going to be 3 in one week!
can you believe that?
one week...

life is just flying by quicker then i can keep track of it!

anyway,
we took the kids to jungle gardens today.
had a pleasant outdoor lunch and then strolled around looking at turtles, petting snakes and feeding flamingos.
if you haven't noticed...
my kids really love activities that involve animals,
they get that from their daddy.

a fun "last monday"
cause levi starts school in ONE WEEK...

can you believe that?
one week...

spring has sprung!

phew...
what a weekend!

there is nothing like going to the county fair to show you what.... well, lets just say interesting people live right in your city. yikes!

i am so not your typical fair type of gal, thank heavens! in fact i pretty much despise the start of spring because i know it is coming to town! i don't think i had ever gone to one prior to moving to florida. well, in less you count the IX centers indoor amusement park... was that our fair? i'm not even sure.

anyhow, this fair despising girl was guilted into going to it not only once but TWICE this weekend.
and now that it's all said and done...
well, i still despise it. but i made the best of the situation, and managed to walk away with some pretty great memories.



yesterday morning my s- i-l kim called me up and asked if we could get together with the kiddos. i'm not entirely sure how it happened but somehow we ended up at the fair. several hours later we walked out hot and sweaty with only farmers burn as our souvenirs!
seriously, poor little nataley... red as a fresh steamed lobster!
which brians grandma would be happy to know that i put herb of oil on it and it actually seemed to work. so maybe she has officially made me a believer!


and then today.
i knew it was coming, brian talked about going all week. but the good news is my husband looses interest in amusement parks rather quickly so we never stay for very long.
in the back of my head when our family of five entered gate 4 i was thinking... "i am here with brian...
we won't stay too long shannon, suck it up!".
but then it happened. somewhere in my snotty light walking so as not to bump or touch anything way i found myself smiling with small bits of laughter here and there. and before i knew it i was actually having fun!

fearless alivia loved all the rides. timed levi took a while to warm up to them.
and all of a sudden brian and i were jumping from ride to ride half fighting about who would get to go on with them for the bigger ones, and watched in amazement while they smiled and laughed on the ones they could do themselves. we indulged in all the yummy nasty carni food... which i'm sure we will all be paying for in the next couple days. time flew, and then before we knew it it was getting dark.
yes, brian and shannon...
the couple that never stays to "get our moneys worth" had been at the fair for nearly 6 hours!


we left with just enough time to watch the shuttle shoot up into space as we drove home. and stopped in an empty parking lot to get a better view.

the kids we filthy...
and i still am, which makes for the greatest showers!


so while i may be the girl that despises the fair...
tonight i'm thinking,
"it does only come to town once a year!".

a happy ♥ day

in our relationship brian and i have never really been big valentines day kinda people. we have always much preferred sweetest day. mostly because no one here in florida knows what that day is, so it makes it feel a little more special between us. we actually got married on sweetest day for that reason.
with that being said. my valentine worked all day. and while he was the first to hold my heart, he now shares pieces of it with the three beautiful babies he gave me. so valentines day has become the day we thank our kiddies for their love... and what better way to show them my love for them then to spend the day doing what they love to do..... kitchen fun!


that's right! we spent nearly the entire day in our home sweet home of a kitchen. first, we made up sugar cookies and decorated them. then i thought it would be fun to finally use that pizza recipe that my good ole friend sara gave me so long ago. levi was oh so very excited to make his own pizza. he was shocked and amazed that there would be no need for the pizza man to bring us one. he quietly waited the hour and a half it took for the dough to rise, running to check on it nearly every five minutes. and although theirs looked nothing like a circle they thoroughly enjoyed every bite of it!

we ended the day of love with a chocolate fondu extravaganza! strawberries, pineapple, raspberries and all. this was honestly one of the most fun things i have ever done with the kids. both were just tickled to be dipping their fruit plate in hot melted chocolate. i highly recommend doing this as a fun filled night... if you can handle the mess.




at the end of the night when the kids were fast asleep brian and i did share a small special moment. and while this may seem no where near the typical romantic gift it was nothing but romantic in my eyes!
for months now i have been talking about wanting a freezer in our garage. my hopes and dreams, to make meatballs, doughs, soups and more in advance and be able to simple defrost... ahh yes what a dream!
my husband silently heard my complaining! and while some men brought flowers and candy home for their sweeties... my husband brought home a giant, shiny and pretty new freezer! now that's love!
and if you may be wondering....
i made brian a shadow box frame with all the stuff he holds near and dear to his heart from his grandpa levi (our levi's name sake).
~his belt buckle with the letter L on it.
~the tape measure that grandpa had scripted his name onto.
~ a small stone he had always carried around in his pocket. he would rub it in there and actually made a finger print marking on it.

there is love in this home,
there is love in this home!

*********************************************************

we went to the circus tonight. it's funny cause i always get a little choked up when i'm experiencing things through the eyes of my children. their amazement amazes me!
and we had a simply fabulous time.... well, up until levi puked all over brian that is!

emrich family movie night

brians great aunt died about a month ago and today was a memorial service for her.  even though fevers in our home have started to return to normal, snotty noses are still keeping us locked up.  we thought it best that brian go while i stayed home with the kids.  they have pretty much been cooped up in this house all week (excluding last nights chinese dinner) so i thought i would try and make being at home as non boring as i could for them.  while talking last night brian and i came up with the idea of making tonight the first ever EMRICH FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT! 

From the moment they woke up all day long i kept their excitement high as i talked about my great anticipation of what the night would hold.  by mid day levi could hardly wait, he kept asking when would it be dark outside. while brian was gone i thought it would be fun to get them involved in baking a "special dessert" for the evening.  they LOVE to bake! anytime i start to do anything in the kitchen they are right behind pulling chairs so they can get involved in all the action.  we pulled all the ingredients out and made our family favorite ooey gooey bars... boy are they yummy.... i'm stealing a bite this very second! :)

brian got home just in time for real fun to begin. the pizza came, and the kids enjoyed there mini cokes... something they rarely get.  after dinner brian gave quick baths while i made bags of popcorn.... FINALLY!!! movie night was here!!!!

we turned out all the lights, sat down with popcorn in hands and began watching the opening credits.  within five minutes brian heard a faint sound coming from levis way, and we glanced over to see him snoring!  poor kid, was so excited all day and fell asleep before it even really started. note to self.... give naps on movie night!  alivia of course, was awake the whole movie but was bouncing from place to place  rarely pausing to catch a scene.  brian and i joked about what a "great" idea movie night was.  but by the end of the night we came to the conclusion that even though the night might not have turned out the way we thought it would it was still a lot h fun.... and thus, emrich family movie night was born. :)