Valentines 2015

This may have been one of my favorite Valentines ever.  Seriously.  Holidays with kids are the best.  Valentines used to be meh to me, too much hype, too much pressure.  We figured out a long time ago that we would rather go out to eat a weekend or two before/after to avoid the crowds and the crazyness.  That's when I bought all my heart dishes etc on clearance at Target and we've been enjoying them since.

Anyway, here's what we did to celebrate this year: 

The weekend before Valentines my mom was in town and wanted to do a slumber party with all the kids at our house.  So we took advantage and went to have dinner at The Melting Pot.  One of our personal favs as far as restaurants go.  We ate way too much and ended up skipping out on going to a movie.  My brother and his wife Ashlee also ended up at Melting Pot for their dinner and so we hung out with them for a couple of hours instead.  Then we got to go home and sleep all night knowing my mom was upstairs and would take care of Quinton/girls for us.  WOO! 

Friday the 13th was Natalia's Valentines party at school.  Thanks to Pinterest the heart hair was a huge hit.  Lydia wanted to match sister so I put a little heat in her hair too,

I love that I get to volunteer in her class and help out for parties.  It's so fun to see all the kids and get to know each of them.  This time I was in charge of the craft and we made little heart book worms (should have gotten a picture of it, but hey it's another Pinterest hit so I can't take the credit ha ha)  Anyway, then they got to exchange Valentines.  They were adamant against candy at her school so it was tricky trying to come up with something that wasn't candy.  Again, to Pinterest I went and found the cute little Sip Sip Hooray it's Valentines Day printable, and attached them to little red heart crazy straws.  We were 1 of 3 who did the same thing ha ha ha.  The other kiddo had the same printable but different straws and the third kiddo had the same straw but a different printout.  Oh well. =) 

Friday night Charlie went to dinner and a movie with some friends so it was just me and the kiddos.  Usually I would make heart pancakes for breakfast on Valentines day but, we have swim lessons bright and early on Saturday mornings.  Knowing we probably wouldn't have time for them in the morning I suggested we have them for dinner that night instead.  The girls were of course totally on board with that idea.  We'll just claim that chocolate chips are part of the main food groups for now.  Quinton even LOVED the pancakes and I couldn't feed the bits to him fast enough.  He would squawk at me for being too slow. 

We haven't exchanged Valentines gifts in years, seriously, I can't remember the last time we did anything.  Charlie had been eyeing a new Seahawks sweatshirt for a bit and I was online one day checking them out thinking I'd just order it for his birthday next month.  Next thing I know I find one I love too.  So I order both and we just said hey this can be our gifts to each other ha ha ha.  

And my set up that night after they had gone to bed.  I made them those fleece tie blankets this year instead of matching jammies.  I found the I Love You to the Moon and Back baggies in the dollar section at the fabric store and just had to grab three.  While at the craft store I found cute socks for the girls to go in those baggies and then at Walmart got Quinton some cute Valentines jammies to go in his.  The ponies are just because that seems to be what the girls are really into right now and I love that they play so well together with them. Everything else on the table is what I've had in my rubbermaid tote for around sixish years now.  =)
I know I'm crazy and extreme, and some people think I'm totally ridiculous for taking this as far as I do every year.  But, at this point I don't care anymore. I love doing it for them and I love their reactions. 

The blankets were a huge hit, and there's mister Q in his awesome jammies!

This year we did a "I Love You Because" window and filled out hearts with reasons we loved each other.  Natalia, really loved doing it but always needed help writing them out.  I think next year when she can do it on her own she'll really fill them out.  Lydia still didn't quite grasp the concept of it and so when we asked her she would give us the funniest answers.  Next year will be awesome.  I saved them all so we can read through them next year too.

So after lunch it was such a beautiful day out I suggested a bike ride to the park.  

My view! 

Lydia is still learning to pedal so Charlie just walked with her to help her along. 

It was Quinton's first time in the little booster seat on my bike and he LOVED it.  He wasn't such a fan of the helmet but for the most part left it on. 

The kids stayed in jammies all day long, so yeah we were at the park in PJ's ha ha ha

His first time swinging and he LOVED it.  I got awesome video of him laughing, but as soon as I turned it off he let out the best giggles.  

For dinner we ordered heart shaped pizza from Idaho Pizza Company.  The girls thought that was pretty awesome.  (I totally slacked on heart shaped food this year, but hey I can't do it all right ha ha) Quinton loved the little bits of pizza I gave him as well.  

Anyway, it was a simple day but seriously the best day.  We had so much fun time together.  Charlie also had that Monday off of work, Natalia had it off of school.  So we stayed super busy all weekend long.