Valentine's Day... sort of

Last year when Evan was in second grade his "Valentine box" won first place in their class contest. This year there was no contest but that didn't stop Evan from his big ideas.... first he wanted to make his Valentine box look like an airplane or a car but as the day got closer and closer and we still had not gotten around to making it... he finally decided, the day before, that he wanted to make a football field Valentine box! It sounded less time consuming but I was still sort of hoping that he'd go for the "decorated paper bag option" that most of his other classmates (with loser parents) :) would be making! I know, I know.... awful of me! But for crying out loud... I am pregnant and cranky!!!!! So I called in the troops (Glen) because pregnant or not...no son of mine is going to show up to school on Valentine's day with a lousy paper bag to keep his Valentines in!! Sorry about that loser parent comment. I guess there might be kids out there who don't really care what kind of Valentine box they have....but I was a kid once too and I remember how good it felt to sit with my dad creating awesome projects that everyone in school admired... Now I know that it's not good to be PROUD but there is not much more important than having some self esteem and by darn if making the coolest Valentine day box is going to help my Evan somehow, someday

then THAT we will do....

Evan and Eli heading off to school for their class Valentine celebrations...

I had been looking forward to Valentine's day for awhile not just for the extra LOVE :) but because BOTH of my sisters were coming into town with their families!! Sara's kids (from L.A.) had a week off of school for "winter break" and Julie's husband (from N. Y.) had a week off of his residency. It is not very often that we are ALL together! We usually don't see their husbands much so it was a big deal to have everyone here. Julie and Ruby (her baby) came a little early and stayed a bit later than the others and it was so GREAT to have some extra time with her! Everyone was due to arrive on Valentine's day... talk about LOVE!! it was perfect!

The boys were having their celebration at school and Julie and I decided to host a little Valentine celebration of our own with some of our long lost cousins :) We planned a little luncheon where we ate shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches, fresh fruit, poppy seed green salad, chips, and we drank festive raspberry, lime sprite. Dessert was to die for... fluffy, moist, sweet and tart raspberry cake- YUM! The food was delicious, the company was even better!!

After lunch, the kids played, the girls chatted and we ended with cookie decorating for the kids

Gabe LOVED it...

Ruby was totally concentrating on the placement of each decoration, so cute!

me and Gabe make a good team... my favorite part is the cookie, his is the frosting! Too bad that once he's licked off all the frosting, I'm too grossed out to eat the cookie! Guess team work is not the best way when it comes to cookie eating!

a look at his hard work... mmmmmm!

I should clarify...When I wrote that we planned lunch with some of our long lost cousins I was sort of joking. It's just that we don't get to see them as often as we'd all like! We have a "special" connection with these "Merrill girls" They belong to my aunt Kathy who is my dad's twin sister! There are five sisters.... Keri Jean, Tera, Miranda, Toni, and Katie (and two brothers, who's wives Becky and Stacy... we love) Our families just click! I have never met more loving, funny, talented, sweet, cute, perfect girls...and you'd think at least one of them would not fit the mold... maybe even the sister-in-laws...but NO, they are ALL that way and aren't we lucky that they're family?! We sure think so and boy do we love em' ! Here's a little group shot of just some of us. a few live out of state, some were out of town, others were busy etc....(see what I mean about not getting to see each other!) We had a great time as always and are looking forward to our next cousin get together!!

me, mom and Julie on the left, my aunt Kathy front and center,
then Toni, Edie and cute Katie in front

When the boys got home from school... they sorted their loot, read all their Valentine cards from classmates and that was just the beginning of a weekend full of sugar highs! and yes, that is a manilla envelope behind Eli that was holding his Valentines... there was not an option to make a box... does it make me a loser parent that I love his teacher for it... hmmmm? :)

My adorable little Romeo's