An Early Valentines Day

"I've fallen in love many times, always with you." - Unknown

Happy Early Valentines Day!

Seeing as I'll be out of town for Valentines Day and didn't want to miss out on the tradition, I decided to celebrate it a little early.

Our celebration consisted of lots and lots of hearts, none of them too fancy.  I used only things I had on hand but the kids were impressed.  (note to self:  how little we have to do to please them!)  They were out for a bike ride with Joey and I hustled my little bustle to get things cooked and set up while they were away.  When they came back and saw candles on the table they made me feel like the mother of the year:)  (even though the candles were orange!)

We had Macaroni and Cheese baked in a heart dish:

Green salad with heart shaped cheese and strawberries, heart shaped Red Velvet Cake (my Mom's tradition) and paper hearts and roses sprinkled all over the table.

As you can see I put NO effort into my photography...lame!!

The heart shaped papers we used to write love notes to each other.  My favorite one:

To Georgie:

Even though you bug me, I love you

Isaac

It's begun.  I used to pride myself as a mother for having children that loved each other so much.  Just in the last two weeks that has totally gone to pot.  Isaac has decided that Georgie drives him crazy...suggestions on curing this oncoming habit?

xoxo

Happy Valentines Day!

On Sunday afternoon Joey asked Isaac who is Valentine was.  He said, "Mommy".  To which I replied, Yay for me!  Joey responded with a splendid idea.  "How bout Georgie be my Valentine and I'll be hers and we'll all make Valentines for eachother." (I didn't get jealous because Joey and I had celebrated the night before while the kids slept over at there Altus Grandmother, Ruth's house;)  The fact that Joey came up with this idea made my heart melt.  That alone was the perfect Valentines day gift for me!  I was so excited!  He and Isaac went into the front room, armed with paper, stamps, markers and a computer and went to work.  Georgie and I scrounged up our own supplies and began mapping out our own Valentine ideas for our handsome men.  After about 20 minutes of creating and several warnings from Isaac to "not peek" or "don't come in yet" we joined up together to swap Valentines.  Joey gave Georgie a kitty kat card that said "Be Mine" and you can see fairly clearly the one she made for Joey, complete with the spelling of "ValentiMes" since that is how she pronounces it.  Inside she wrote 5 things she loves about daddy and sealed it with a lipstick kiss.  Her 5 things were:

1. I love him

2.  He hugs me

3.  He kisses me

4.  He plays guitar for me

5.  He reads me stories

Isaac colored a picture of a dragon for my card.  It was breathing out yellow fire that said, "Be My Valentine."  He chose a fantastic color scheme and he was so proud of it!  I folded him a paper airplane and decorated it with some stamps and equations like, Isaac + Mom = Love etc.  I tell you that only because he got such a kick out of it.  It was such a fun little activity and it only took about half an hour.  I think we'll be making it a Valentine tradition until someone becomes too cool for it;)  HOpefully that NEVER happens!  I love doing fun family things like this ESPECIALLY when someone else comes up with the idea.  It seems to go over so much better when I'm not the one pushing it.  I don't know if it's because the pressure is not there for me or if things run better when they're done on a whim or what but I do love it!   Happy Valentines Day everyone!

XOXOXO

The Merbacks

p.s.  If you're wondering why my face is so chubby in that picture (and I'm sure you are because you are so completely aware of my pound gainage;)  and you don't already know why...I'll tell you...drum roll please...We're having baby #3 at the end of July!  Yippee!!  Woo Hoo!  And yes, we are very excited!