A couple weeks ago we took the kids to the costume exhibit at the Denver Art Museum.  I recommend seeing it if you can.  We all enjoyed it in different ways.  They didn't have much for kids - some buttons to press for noises or light sabers.  But they seemed to appreciate that they were seeing the real deal from the movies.  I discussed with Jack how different the Chewbacca costume was here compared to the one we met in Disney World.  Sam liked the full body costumes like Ewoks and Yoda and Darth Vader.  I was gaga over the extensive Queen Amidala collection.   Ben was recovering from the flu but still enjoyed himself enough to let me blather on about the use of raw silk versus linen on the Jedi robes.  And the pleats!  I couldn't stop gushing about the varied pleating on Padme's wardrobe.

This is a post for grandmothers.  It's a long, uncut video of Sam playing his own version of Chess/Checkers ("Check!") while Jack builds LEGO nearby.  I'm knitting socks behind the camera.

Oh baking, how I missed you!

I had to tidy up for the Oscar party tonight; a great time to snap pictures of my favorite place.

Untidy and poorly lit, but full of love.  This is the Saturday morning kitchen of my dreams.

Glamour shots of the kitchen still in progress.  For now we live here, and we love it.

FINALLY the house is done.  There's plenty of this and that for me to fiddle with, but the contractor work is DONE!  My kitchen is gorgeous.  I haven't finished putting things away and art on the wall, I'll share pictures later.  Oh yeah, my birthday was this week too.  I got mega sick on my birthday: the small cold I sported for a week already blossomed into a fever.  That was a bummer.  And the work isn't PERFECT.  There's lots of little things that bother me that I'll have to find solutions for myself, or accept and learn from my mistakes.  Even so, it's a million times better than my old kitchen.  When I'm feeling better I'll bust out some baking.  For now, I'm happy to have a load of dishes running and a sink near the fridge-near the dishes-near the counter-near the trash.

Jack gave me four valentines: a pink drawing of cats cradles, a paper heart filled with smaller cut out paper hearts, a "cootie catcher," and this -

"It's a toilet and a butt.  They are happy because they go together!" Then he exploded in giggles.  I gave my best stern-mom look, but was giggling inside too.

Ben gave me a lovely necklace and roses.  I have him a replacement Pebble watch.  There was chocolate for everyone.  With my limited kitchen, the only cooking we did was chocolate dipped strawberries.

I attended both kids' school parties.  Sam got to tag along to his brothers.  We ended the day with pizza: a tradition that goes back to our first Valentine's Day as a couple in Boulder in 2001.

We took the family to see Lego Batman this morning. Our friends the Arcands came too.  Leave it to the Alamo Drafthouse to make a real party out of a kids movie.

Someone parked their Bat-Monster Truck in front of the theater.  The kids all cycled through excitement and wariness when they found the Joker (a mannequin) had been strapped in the backseat.  A little too creepy for the younger ones.

Inside they had a set-up for photos.

Our screening was a special cereal party.  They provided an array of sugary breakfast cereals and milk at the front of the theater and we were welcome to help ourselves throughout the movie.  (Yeah, that's my giant bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  Delish.)

The movie itself was a ton of fun!  It dragged a bit at the end, but it's a short movie anyway.  The beginning was non-stop laughs.  Ben and I were totally cracking up.  Lots of jokes for adults, and the boys found it hilarious too.  I'm sure I'll see it many times more once it comes on home video.  Sure to be a regular favorite in our house, much like its predecessor ("Everything is awesome! . .  .").