Simple Celebrations.

We had a super sweet and simple little Valentine's celebration this past week.  More and more I am loving the smaller holidays - the ones that come with so many fewer expectations than the big ones that come with so much expected prep and hooplah.

Making Valentines.  Thor and Superheroes for boys and girls alike.  

I love Valentine's Day.

I know it gets a cheesy, bad rap; and I know that some people - couples and singles alike - hate it.  But, I for one, am a lover of this day.  And I love how just a few simple things can turn an ordinary day into something that's super special.

This was our first Valentine's Day sharing a house with friends.  It also happened to be a snow day for Silas, so that just added a fun, special bonus for everyone.  Kind of last minute, actually, the Mama's and the Daddy's decided to make a super big breakfast to share with everyone.  Actually, the Daddy's made it while Shandy and I sat and drank coffee.  They said they planned it this way all along.  Hmnnn.  I threw a red tablecloth on the table with some candy hearts for garnish, and we all sat down together for a feast of pancakes, eggs, and bacon.

Later that morning, we had our own little tea party with cupcakes to decorate, and Shandy and I each made a special dessert for our men.  Hers turned out awesome.  Mine was a flop.  Of epic proportions.

She made a cranberry apple pie.  Complete with hearts stenciled on the top crust.
I made a chocolate zucchini cake.  Complete with half of it staying stuck in the pan.

Nailed it.

Food.
It's the way to all of my boyzies' hearts.

We were supposed to go to a Valentine's Day Home school party that one of my oldest and coolest friend's always throws each year.  The snow was cause for a reschedule, but a couple of us Mama's decided to brave the roads, anyway,  for at least a few hours of afternoon fun together.

Tea party prep.  Decorate your own cupcakes.

And again.  It was just sweet and simple.  They all played outside together.  We all watched an episode of Duck Dynasty.  (We had to introduce some of the older boys to this wonder of entertainment).  The Mamas visited, we played games and ate popcorn, and the the little boys ran around shooting everyone with dart guns.

It was fabulous.

Spur of the moment, we stole Wendy's boy home to spend the night with us.  We surprised them with Chinese food for supper, and they had the happiest time together filling their faces and then camping out together in the boys' bedroom talking until all hours of the night.  Kev actually got up to go to the bathroom at 2:30 in the morning and found Kaden and Micah sitting up on Kaden's bed talking all things Lord of the Rings.  Oh my goodness.

Simple fun.
Sweet little memories.
Such a special Valentines Day with some of the people that we love the most.

And then!
Kevy asked his Mama if she would watch all four kids (all four!) for the entire day on Saturday so that he could whisk me away for several hours just to "be" together.  No huge agenda... but rarely do we ever have an entire day from like 9:00 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening together - just the two of us.

Oh man.  It was so nice.  It was the longest I've ever been away from London so far in her little life, but Grammy said she never once cried, and the boys had a super special day just getting to be loved on by their Grampy and their Grammy.  They watched movies, did puzzles, did crafts, and filled their little tummies up all the live long day with fun Grammy food.  The day was really a gift to them, as well.  I have always believed that Grandparents play a role in our children's lives that we can't play.  I think it's so important and so necessary - especially if the relationship is healthy and the grandparents are awesome role models - for kids to be around this older generation.  There is so much they can learn, and there are so many sweet life lessons to be gleaned.

Thai chicken salad.  Oh. Baby.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Kevy and I just took our time meandering our way down through Belfast and Camden and beyond.  We are really all about the food.  And the conversation.  So, all of this silence was amazing.  And a little bit deafening.  We finished like a million conversations.  It was awesome.  And we literally hit three of our most favorite little coffee haunts.  Three.  That's right.  And I feel no shame.  We each got coffee and we split this amazing bisquit-ey thing at one.  We had lunch at another.  And we had coffee and split a muffin for dessert at another one.  I was in coffee shop/eye candy heaven.  I love all of the sweet little displays of yummy foodies all set out all around the counters.  It makes me super happy.

And then, we checked out two different Good Wills because we are both desperate for some clothes, but we would rather spend our money on nice coffee than expensive clothes.  He scored four or five nice shirts, a cool hoodie, and some pants.  I scored running sneaks for Kaden, a pair of jeans and two sets of running leggings/wind pants for me.  And aside from trying on clothes - which I despise - my purchases of awesomeness made me super happy as well.

Story Time:

Right before we headed home, Kev was going to run into a store really quick to grab something.  I pretended I was running my fingers through his hair, when I was really sticking a $7.99 price tag sticker on his forehead from one of our purchases.  I would totally have gotten away with it too, if I could just keep a poker face.  Plus, he decided to glance in his rearview mirror right before hopping out of the car, so I was busted.  This time.  There was a yardsale one time, a few years ago however, where I stuck a "Kick Me" sign on his back without him knowing and he walked around our yard for the entire morning wearing it.

It was awesome.
I take inordinate amounts of pleasure in laughing at my husband.  He is a great source of delight to me.
Plus, I love him a lot too...so I shall keep him.

Such a professional strawberry salesman...

It was a great weekend.
Love tanks filled all around.
Sweet, simple pleasures...

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." ~ Annie Dillard