mama's HALF birthday

The day has always been a kinda funny one for me. It is my half birthday and I used to make everyone celebrate that instead of Valentine's Day. I even used to count down the days... I was very serious about the whole thing. Also, my grandmother, who I was especially close to, died on Valentine's Day. So really, the day has never been a romantic one for me. I do however, enjoy it as a kid day and a sort of special "we love each other" family day.

I was the first girl that Mike ever gave flowers to, so I really get a thrill when he gets them for me. I woke up this morning to a bouquet for me and one for each of the girls, along with stuffed animals for each of us. So cute! All this from the guy who even now thinks Valentine's Day is just a made up "Hallmark" holiday. He says this, but has been bringing us home Valentine treats for the last two weeks -- chocolate hearts on a stick, heat shaped cups, stuffed animals... He claims it is a *girl* holiday and tells DJ that boys shouldn't expect anything but they need to make a *big deal* about it just to make us happy. lol

I've always liked to help the kids to make their Valentine cards to pass out, I even have a craft box devoted to felt shaped hearts and red glitter glue. But now the big kids don't give them out anymore at school and Kelly's preschool doesn't do anything formal :( So instead, I took the idea from my sister-in-law and made crayon hearts with all the kids over the last weekend. We had so much fun peeling the paper off the crayons and they came out super cute! So cute, Mikey took a bite out of one and Grandpa came home and thought they were a baked treat -- got to warn him in time, but I will be saving the one that Mikey took a bite out of! Kelly just passed them out to friends as we were leaving her school, but she was super thrilled to be doing it.
DJ's school had a lunch time party, so he and I made these great peanut butter cookies for him to bring for his class. He was so excited about them, he left them by the front door! We had to bring them to him after dropping the girls off at their schools.
Mike took Mikey and I out to breakfast after dropping everyone else off at school and I (sort of) reciprocated by making dinner. I hardly EVER make dinner. I made spaghetti and meatballs, using the meatballs that Mike made the day before and he made the garlic bread (ha! ha! I had garlic bread -- to all of you that have had Mike's garlic bread) but it totally counts as me having made dinner!

All in all, a pretty mellow Valentine's Day. Can't wait until next year -- Kelly will be in Kindergarten and I will get to play in my Valentine craft box!