Sweet Valentines...

Despite the fact that Valentine's Day is not my favorite (or even one of my top 5) holidays, I love celebrating it with the kids.  I loved listening to Ty squeal this morning when he saw Airheads sitting on his chair in his room (although, when I asked him if there was anything else, he said, "Umm, just some new clothes or something").  And then Kennedy asked who gave them the Airheads and shirts, like the Tooth Fairy or Easter Bunny or if there was a Valentines Day Fairy.  To which, I told her, nope, just Dad and me.  What a novel thought. ;)

I also love celebrating Valentine's Day when the kids are in school, but still little.  Like "give valentines to everyone in your class or noone at all" little.  I loved seeing my kids' backpacks stuffed with their ziploc bags of Valentines taped together with tattoos and candy sitting against the door. And I loved watching the school bustle with kids toting Valentine decorated and filled bags overflowing with the very valentines that were once in my kids' bags. But, I'm thinking my favorite moment was watching various kids, who probably don't have very many friends on most given days, tightly hold onto their boxes/bags full of valentines with little grins, while I waited for the girls in the pick up line after school today. Yeah, nothing beats Valentine's day, elementary school style.

But, the school kids weren't the only one who got valentines today. :)

My first valentine was watching Ty give his first oral presentation about "Trees".

Here is his sculpture... of a tree.

Here he's about to read his report on trees.

Yeah, he brought down the house. ;)

My second valentine was watching Gwen and Ty make dinner...

together.

Like, any good chef, they made sure their delicacies were up to par.

"Boss" and "Little Chef"

 They even did the dishes.

Icing on the cake. ;)

And I even got a few valentines of a more traditional sort.

Like this one.

I can't imagine how much time it took Tito to place those 2 flowers. ;)

This is what Gwen handed me this morning,

as she explained that she was a little short on time.

 Unlike Kennedy, who pilfered my card drawer, for a makeshift valentine card.

And this is her heartfelt, misspelled message. ;)

 However, for the record, Kennedy did not give us $20, but rather $2. 

But when she heard that I gave Gwen her money back, Kennedy took her money and ran.  

(And I needed something to represent her financial donation. ;)

Tonight Kennedy asked me if I liked being a mom.  I told her that yes I like being a mom, but what I actually love, is that I'm their mom. Because quite frankly, it's too much work to do for just anybody (this last phrase I just said in my head, by the way). ;)  But the perks make all the effort (ie. run to one Walmart, than Target, then Michael's, then another Walmart, then back to the original Walmart, make frames out of sticker foam sheets, pick up photos for Ty's party, design candy heart sorting sheets, etc) more than worth it.

Because, on any given day, you may receive a card like this, from a certain child who shall remain nameless, who continues to raid my card drawer. ;)  And really, can one ever get too many sympathy cards?

Ben and my favorite Valentines.

Ty: 2, Gwen: 5, Kennedy: 3

Kennedy: 6, Gwen: this close to 9, Ty: 5

My, how they've matured.

Or so we think. ;)

Happy Valentine's Day!