Valentine's Day

I bought little red and white mailboxes this year for $1 each from Target and we each decorated them with our names. Our kids are finally entering the age where I get to do all of these fun things I have always imagined doing. We got to exchange valentines with each other for the two weeks before valentine's day. I have to admit; making valentines is kind of a guilty pleasure for me. I see them as a little piece of art and I can sort of insist that those around me join me in making art for a little while. I had valentine "equipment" out for about a week and a half straight. We made valentines as a family several times, once with cousin Dave. This picture below shows my sweet family "suffering" through the valentine's ordeal. :) (notice all the fake grins.) And I had friends over to make them some more. I had a great time and I cried over some of the sweetness my boys created. This one Eirik made for his dad is Luke Skywalker with a blue light saber..Paul went out of town for a week to the AOCD conference in New Orleans. We missed him a lot and Eirik came up with a very in depth plan about how we would welcome him home. We each made him a valentine to take with him when he left, and we each made him one to welcome him home. On the morning after he arrived home late the night before we executed his plan.
#1 Diet coke float with ice cream
#2 Muffin (I substituted scone)
#3 blueberries
#4 presents- (Eirik wrapped some of his favorite toys (and a bottle of Dad's deodorant which he calls Gatorade) in transformer wrapping paper)
#5 grapefruit- actually that was my idea
Joren practiced singing "I'm so glad when Daddy comes home for the whole week so he knew all the words when we sang to him." They were truly adorable waking him up early with all their overflowing love.
Here's Paul doing his best to be enthusiastic about getting his deodorant for a gift at 6:30 AM. :)I was in charge of the Preschool Valentine's day party for Eirik's class since I am the party mom at the coop. I always feel like these preschool parties are excessive, even though I plan them. There's always way too much sugar and the kids really don't expect anything and we probably overdo it. I still don't know where the line is.. but we went there.. again and probably crossed it .. again and had a nice time doing it. I made glitter wands to spread the love and hearts exploding in love (the pink cards with glitter everywhere) and heart shaped pbj's and heart shaped hot dogs skewered with speghetti noodles... anyway... it was over the top and totally silly but fun. Eirik sure has some cute girls in his class, but he wrote on the board when he got in the classroom "I love Kaitlin". (she's the one in the red velvet dress.) He told me the first day of class, "I think I'm in love." When Mrs. Tobias asked each kid who they thought of when they thought of love Kaitlin said, "Eirik". *WHAT* That's not supposed to be happening in preschool!


I have 4 pretty amazing boys to heart this Valentine's day but most of all I love my Dr. A. He is growing up to be one hunky specimen of a man. I feel like I have watched him grow up over the past few months. He is even getting silver hair at his temples. He is more dignified and sure and strong than ever. I have really wondered lately how I ever caught this guy. What a lucky girl I am.