Valentine's Day 2013

Can you believe this was our SIXTH Valentine's Day together?  Sometimes we marvel at how it seems like we just met and how it feels like we've been together for so long at the same time somehow.

(Of course, three kids in five years, a wedding, the loss of our fathers as well as several others, a Master's Degree, and expansion at Butler Disposal has kept us pretty busy...)

I told Todd the work in the kitchen was a great Valentine and I didn't need anything else.  But the kids and I had some work to do that day.  Here's Abbey hard at work on decorating her Madagascar card for Daddy.  She was so focused and slightly annoyed when I tried to take her photo.

What I love is how their personalities show. Abbey grabbed the heart stickers and went nuts. Adam took the matching character stickers and placed one on the appropriate matching animal. Both were proud of their work for Daddy.

 Adam and I made Valentine's for his class party, which was the following day.  I was impressed with how much thought he put into who got what design.  I honestly didn't know that he had paid that much attention to all his classmates.  We worked together to write their names and his name, too on each.

Adam (and I) made Daddy cupcakes.  He picked everything out, pulled them out of the pan and frosted and sprinkled.  He was pretty excited to give them to his Dad (and eat them!). 

 Daddy got home early and the boys dug in!

 Abbey got up and went right into her chair (she does that when she's hungry) and got some Valentine's  love from her Daddy.

 Melts my heart :)

 Yeah, Abbey liked the cupcakes, too.  Had to cut them all off!  I made stuffed shells for dinner and Abbey ate more than us :)

 Todd gave me one of the best cards I ever got....it was like it was written for us :)

Valentine's Day is a romantic day, but here, it's become a family day, too.  To teach the kids to feel love and show it.  I think we're on the right track.