Hooray for love

I love Valentine's Day!

Not the whole greeting cards, dinner reservations, and $40 long stemmed red roses thing...

...but the gluey, thick sparkled, home-made valentines, the sticky-sweet cookies and cupcakes, and the simpleness of love.

When I was little I used to look forward to decorating those old shoe boxes with butcher paper and stickers. Every year my mom had some new creative idea for making those boxes look delicious...and every year I couldn't wait to come home and dump my haul of little card-stock Valentines all over the kitchen floor and giggle with my sisters while slurping bright red heart shaped suckers, you know the kind with the white writing that melts off after one lick?

I remember racing to the breakfast table on Valentine's Day to see what treat my dad had left his "Valentines".

One year it was a giant candy kiss...I was in such awe of it's size I refused to eat it....I think it's still in my parent's basement.

As a teacher I loved planning for Valentine's Day activities. By the time the bell rang at 3 I had a class full of exhausted, candy stuffed kids, and a desk full of gifts. It was like a second Christmas!!

I loved each little hug and "I love you Miss Berg" that I got!

As a mom I've started to look forward to Valentine's Day as a day full of surprises.

This year I planned on waking up early and making the boys their favorite breakfast using my many heart shaped cooking accessories. =)

Their heart biscuits came out HUUUUUUGE!

I'm still not really sure how they got so big this time...but they were fun to eat!

Ezra couldn't really wrap his head (or hands) around the size....

...but Talin was in biscuit heaven. =)

Throughout the day I found secret love notes nestled into little corners of the house...

...I got so excited when I saw each one!

Ezra gave me a surprise when he woke up from nap time saying he was sick and "threw up".

WHAT?

Oh No!

I bundled him on the couch with his "frow up bucket" and let him watch his favorite Word World episode.

Mid-way through the show I brought out some hummus and crackers to snack on and Ezra perked right up!

Hmmmm....I have a feeling his "sickness" stemmed from a desire to have some afternoon movie time.

HA!

Once Talin got home, we trekked out to pick up our favorite pizza (at the Papa Murphy's two cities away!!) root beer (A&W) and cookies from the bakery.

Our happy present table was waiting for us to get home.

Ezra was so excited to open his little Valentine treat!

As soon as he saw his new Thomas boat tub toy he wanted to strip off his clothes and jump right in the bath!

Daddy got a silver monogramed tie clip....

...and Mommy got this beautiful peacock feather locket!

A locket!!

Does this man know me or what?! =)

After we finally got Ezra to bed, Talin and I looked at each other and laughed at how tired we were.

That's right...we were fast asleep by 10!

HA!

As I drifted off to sleep I couldn't help thinking what a wonderful way to spend my Valentine's night...

...with my boys.

My two favorite Valentines. =)