Valentine's Day

OK, I'm going to cheat a little because I think what I said last year sums up how we view Valentine's Day the best:

"I enjoy Valentine's Day.  What's there not love?!  Flowers, chocolates, wine, sappy cards, surrounded by my loves.  It's all good.  For some reason, some people get hung up on the idea that it's a 'halmark' holiday and a card industry should not dictate when or how you show your love for someone.  'you should show your love everyday'  they say.  Well of course you should show your love every day!  But let's face it; in this busy life we all get sidetracked, right.  There's the day to day grind of going off to work, shuttling kids around, running errands, housekeeping, play dates, soccer, swim, Army stuff......yeah so showing the love can sometimes take the back burner.  So if the calendar people and Hallmark want to mark an official 'stop what you're doing and show your love' day.....I'm OK with that!

When it comes to Valentine's Day, we don't really think too far out of the box here.  There's one thing about Garrett and I; we've never been ones for extravagant gifts.  I mean, there have been in the 8+ years of marriage but they're the exception not the rule, you know.  We show our love by doing kind things for one another.  By voicing our appreciation.  By putting the other first.  And by just spending quality TIME together.  That last one we take pretty seriously!  Since having kiddos Valentine's Day has been a family affair."

I've never been one to decorate for all the holidays ~ just Christmas and maybe a little for Thanksgiving.  But this year I thought, what the heck, let's just cheese it up for all it's worth!  The kiddos have been sick for about a week now and are finally on the mend, so I figured we could all use some fun decorations.    

When Kayla got home from school she said 'wow mom, you did a good job!' 

I saw the cutest idea floating around on Pinterest for a simple card that was just perfect for the kiddos to give to daddy.

It's becoming our tradition around here to have two dinners on Valentine's Day.  First for the kiddos, something fun and easy ~ this year they had Barilotti pasta with chicken sausage and fresh roasted green beans.  While they were eating Garrett came home from work {and after stopping at the store for supplies for our dinner} and treated them with a special dessert: a huge chocolate covered strawberry!

While the kiddos were getting their last bit of energy out before their early bedtime, Garrett and I nibbled on our appetizer of a variety of fancy cheeses and crackers.  Then it was off to bed for them and go time for us!  This year Garrett wanted to do a surf and turf dinner; filet's and fresh {like swimming in the tank} lobster.  It was our first time preparing fresh lobster and it turned out great!   

Add in our favorite wine, Travaglini-Gattinara, and a couple elegant bakery desserts and the night was pretty awesome!

........

well, after reading over what I just wrote it all sounded a bit pretentious didn't it?!  Here's a idea of how it all really went down:

me: children, dinner's ready

them: awww i don't want to eat!

me: get your booties in here and enjoy the beautiful table i made for you!

them: arghhhh!

K: mmmmm this is good!

me: Gavin eat your green beans

K: i don't think i like them, they're too hard

me: they're just al dente, that's what you have teeth for

K: what's al dente?

me: it's italian for....crunchy, Gavin chew your food

K: oooooo, so it's supposed to be like that!  mmmm, they're good!

me: gavin PUT THAT FOOD IN YOUR TUMMY

Gav: this room is butiful mom!

me: thanks baby!

K: daddy's home!!!! 

them: HI DAD!

K: look at all the decorations, dad!

Gar: wow look at this room!  did you do all this Kayla?

K: yes! {chin down, puppy dog eyes up}

me: what?!

Gav: this strawberwe is sooooooo goood!

me: clear your plates, go play!

Gar: mmmmm these cheeses are delicious!

me: i know, yum!

them: can we have cheese too?!?!

us: no, you just had dinner, this is special for mommy and daddy

them: arghhhh! ....maybe just a cracker?

us: NO

Gar: ok kiddos, shower time! bed time!

them: awwww we're not sleeeeeeepyyyyy.....honk shooo snore....

me: so those lobsters in the fridge are ... still .... alive .... ?

G: yep

me: are they going to scream when we put them in the steam basket???

G: ahhhhh, don't know

me: ooooooooh, they're seriously making a funny noise!!! {running out of the kitchen}

G: DON'T WORRY I'M SURE THEY'RE DEAD BY NOW!

us:  cheers! that dinner was the bomb-diggity!! I'm so full, I'm gonna pass out on the couch!