Valentine's Day Recap!

Another non scrappy post, but that's ok.
We had a nice day yesterday.
Evan and Mike had work all day of course, and this year Erin had preschool in the morning. (so much fun that she came home from school calling her Valentine box, her "box of love". And it was full to the brim!)

Valentine's Day has significantly changed for me in the past several years. It's no longer so much about romance, but family.
Don't get me wrong. It's not like I don't believe in romance. I do. But personally I don't really need to devote a day to it. :)
And Mike and I actually celebrated on this past Saturday when we were able to have a date night with the kids at my parents. We have actually had several date nights this year already which is nice. As the kids get older, it gets easier to put that time aside! I'd rather have date nights than one day a year (lol)

Anyway, for Valentine's Day we do a family party in the evening when everyone is home together. I decorate the dining room, we have a special dinner and dessert, and exchange a few Valentine's.
And I was pleasantly surprised at the "valentine's" Mike picked out for each of us this year.
Books!
What you may say? How are books good for Valentine's Day?
Well if you know my husband, you know he is not a reader. He just doesn't like to read unless it's something "useful".
But the rest of us are. We love to read. Evan more and more so as he becomes more comfortable with it.
And I have been a book addict since I learned to read many, many, many years ago ;)

For me:

I never told him I wanted to read this book. But he knows how much I love her and love Glee. Great choice, no? :) I always find it kind of hard to buy books for others without some kind of clue.

For Evan:

Somehow this book came up in conversation, and I realized Evan really didn't know who Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn were. So Mike picked it up at the book store and they are going to read it together. What could be better than reading a book together? And I should know after reading all of the Harry Potter books with E.

And for Erin:

Mike knows how much she loves Strawberry Shortcake and how much she loves her dance class. Perfect :)

A dad who knows what his family loves. Something that isn't about him. Could you ask for anything more? Especially on Valentine's Day :)

Me on the other hand. I bought Mike this:

We have been wanting to see this for a while. Pretty happy to say that I am three for three in the surprise department for gifts lately. Mike is really hard to surprise with gifts and he is so good at surprising me! But so far, his birthday in December, I got him Radiohead tickets. He didn't see it coming and loves Radiohead. Christmas - an ipad. And now - this movie. Grant it, the movie is small compared to concert tickets and fun technology, but it is just being able to surprise him with something he wants!

So Valentine's Day was fun! But hardly any photos. For some reason, I just wasn't into "capturing the moments" this year. The only real photos I took were

Erin marble painting while I tried to finish up cookie dough, and...

the kids opening up a little gift from their Mimi. Their own flashlights which they loved. She knows them so well :)
Otherwise, it was a pretty photo less, stress free, Valentine's Day.
How about you?