A Very Burton Valentine

Happy Valentines Day one and All!

Valentines Day is one of my absolute favorite days of the year and it always has been. When I was a wee lass I regretted heavily that my birthday was not a few days earlier so I could claim the day as mine.

Valentines Day is fantastic in every stage of life don't you think? Who didn't love their big Valentine exchanges in Elementary School? Or getting love notes from their secret admirers in Jr. High? When Corey and I were engaged he gave me black socks sprinkled with rose petals and baby's breath (true story) and I knew then I was headed for the romance of a lifetime.

Corey and I have both really enjoyed the "married-with-kids," brand of Valentines Day too.

Here's how our day has been so far:

My mom used to make homemade Valentines and cute treat bags which would be sitting by our breakfast on Valentines Day morning.

I loved this tradition. What a perfect way to start the day!

Every year I think about it but for some reason this was the first year that I did it for my own little family. Last night Corey and I made and put up festive hearts to hang over our kitchen table, and I made my special Valentines for Corey and the darlings. They were to be the centerpiece for breakfast and we had it all ready for when the boys woke up. I loved doing something that was so like my mom-- except I did cups instead of bags. It still counts right?

It was so fun for Corey and I to do. We genuinely love making things for the boys, and it's such a fun thing to do together. We were excited to see their reactions in the morning to the surprises, and thankfully they didn't dissapoint. I think they liked it as much as we hoped they would.

Other notes about the collage: Cindy gave me those plates. I love them! Not all the hanging hearts had words but the ones that did said: "I love you and you love me," "We are a happy family," (we like to sing that song) "C+A," and then each of us had a heart with our name on it.

Yesterday Gram had her little boys over for some love-day festivities. They made Valentines and watched some Scooby Doo. She also sent them home with adorable Valentine buckets complete with stickers and goodies. She gave them cards too but I made them wait until this morning to open them. My Valentines were supposed to be opened after breakfast but the boys just couldn't wait! I didn't mind. I was glad that they liked them. On each of the Valentines I wrote 3 things that I love about them. Maybe I'll post the three things on another day.

After opening Valentines we ate our breakfast and Daddy even woke up to join us!

Since the boys got some treats from both Gram and Me in their Valentines I decided not to do any kind of Valentine Dessert today. Plus the boys were not the only ones to be given treats. That same wonderful Gram may have satisfied my sugar cookie cravings in her Valentine to me. (Cindy: I'm half way through them already... are you completely ashamed of me?!?)

So instead of making treats we did a festive and completely healthy breakfast (yep even the strawberry sauce was healthy) as our fun food of the day. It was met with good reviews from all. I was so pleased.

Do you do love sandwiches in your family? If not you should start. Garaunteed laugh every time. It's the best when all 4 of us get in on it!

Since coming home from church we have eaten dinner and are now just hanging around, eating our treats and enjoying being a family. Alaster has been pure comedy this evening, and Jack hasn't been exactly "boring," either. I don't remember the last time Corey has laughed so much in one night. It's been simply marvelous.

And our plans for the evening you ask? Well... Corey and I are going to snuggle on the couch and watch Cassablanca. We've never seen it, although we have always wanted to, and we thought Valentines would be a nice day to finally do it.

So that's it for now! Hope you had a Lovey-Dovey Valentines Day too!