Celebrating LOVE!

Jack came home yesterday from school (with a ridiculous amount of treats and cards in his Valentine decorated box from his party) telling us that Valentine's Day is about celebrating love! It is also apparently about lots of Valentine cards and treats! I recently read a very funny blog about "over" doing holidays.  I am guilty of this (not quite as over the top as some... but we do enjoy traditions!) Valentine's took a lot of preparations this year. Both school parties required Valentine's for all classmates, a small gift, a decorated box and treats for the actual party.  Jack addressed all of his Valentine's for his friends and signed his name on each one! I am so proud of him and LOVED that he did this! However, I am not sure he "enjoyed" this little tradition as much as I did. Well.... to be honest I dont think either of us enjoyed it.  It took three different sessions and lots of bargaining to get him to do it all. There were LOTS of them and it was a lot of work! He was very proud of himself when he was done and loved showing Daddy all the hard work he did! We also have a tradition of having a "festive" breakfast for dinner on Valentine's day. Jack has been talking about his pink milk and grits since January! I could not disappoint! So.....after a long day at work, I ran in the door, finished getting one dinner ready and running it over to a friend that just had a baby, then I was rushing to finish our "perfect" and "festive" meal! Lucy was screaming at her high chair (She is INTENSE about eating!) and I was promising that it would just be "one more minute!!!" We finally sat down and it was worth it! We all ate every bit of our dinner and even had seconds! It was so yummy! We took the kids up to get ready for bed and were ready to settle into a nice little night just the two of us.  A bottle of wine and searching for a fun movie! Doesnt it sound nice?! Steven poured the wine and ran to take a quick shower. Did he find his wife smiling and patiently waiting for him to start a movie and drink our wine? NOPE! He found me half asleep and already apologizing for not being able to stay awake. I was asleep before 9pm and passed off my glass of wine to Steven (If you know me...I dont usually leave wine in a glass!) Romantic, huh? Real?? Yes!

It takes a lot of work to raise two kids, maintain a healthy marriage, exercise, cook dinner, go to work and get it "ALL" done in between.  It takes a LOT of work to fit in a few extra things too...decorations, traditions, sewing, photos, etc. And there are times that it all seems a little much.  Does it really matter if it's not all perfect and not always all done? It doesnt....as long as the most important thing remains the four of us and our time together..... WITH THAT SAID...... Jack ran into school this morning and started yelling at Lucy's teacher, "You know what?! You know what we had for dinner last night??!! PINK MILK AND PINK GRITS AND HEART SHAPED PANCAKES!!!!! THAT IS SO GREAT!!!"
And so..... it was all worth it! And I guess it is time to start the Easter decorations!

There is a LOT of love in this house and we had a good time celebrating it! The real, the great and the ugly!

Here are a few pictures of our fun times!

Sweet Lucy! Mommy made my Valentine's dress! (you know...the extras!)

Lucy opening a Valentine card!

Jack opening a Valentine card

Mommy and Jack making Valentine's cookies!

Excited about his fun dinner!

Valentine's Breakfast for Dinner!

Typical Lucy face

What? Do I have something on my face?

Sweet babies!!

Brotherly love?!

Mimi and her babies before church!

Love those babies!