Valentine's Day and More

We had a fun Valentine's Day and hope you all did too. I know some people think Valentine's Day is silly--that everyday should be a special day with that special someone.  True, true.  But I love Valentine's Day!  It gives me a reason to yet again, to do something special with loved ones.  Also, family traditions don't start and end with the holidays.  I think there are many fun traditions families can and should have throughout the year.  Anyway...

Before I get to Valentine stuff, here are a few pictures.  I braided the girls' hair a few weeks ago for church.  In the morning I un-braided it.  So cute!




Clark took some pictures of his Lego creations, so I thought I would share.


I love how Clark has depicted movement with these Lego figures.  Very impressed!








Clark's Christmas present.  It wasn't what he asked for, but we got a great deal on it and he loves it!


And yes, Haley is still taking pictures!


So the weekend before Valentine's Day we went up to Lois' and had a babysitting-swap weekend.  Or should I say Lois babysat our kids a TON while we watched her's a little bit. Remember back in September when Lee and I (yes, even I forgot too!) forgot our anniversary?  Lee happened to win a gift card that exact same day for Ruby Tuesdays. There happened to be one right around the corner from Lois.  The food was awesome!


The next morning we left yet again and went to the temple.  Afterwards we drove into DC to visit my first room-roommate from Ricks College. (Six of us shared an apartment, and Kim and I were in the same bedroom.) We've chatted about getting together since we live pretty close to each other, but now that Lee works Saturdays I didn't see that happening any time soon.  So we stopped by her work and had a fun, but quick visit.  It was so great seeing you Kim!  We hadn't seen each other for 12 years!


Oh and while we were at Lois' we watched Dining with the Dean on their Roku and Jeff made these amazing brownies with chocolate mousse, with homemade vanilla ice cream on the side. Oh so good!  And the show was pretty fun too! Jeff is quite the mousse maker!

Growing up my dad gave us kids Valentines.  Sometime in the evening the door bell would ring and at the doorstep were Valentines--a nice card with a treat for each of us.  The handwriting in the card gave my dad away, but I loved that tradition just the same. At Easter time we don't give our kids Easter baskets from the Easter Bunny.  And really, I bet they have no clue who the Easter Bunny is!  I thought it would be fun to have the kids find their Valentines--just as most people have to find their Easter basket. Lee made them Valentine cards and I pulled out the red-wrapped Halloween candy that's been in my freezer for a few months.  (Thanks for the idea Lena!) He hid them along with a Valentine from my parents.  My mom and dad send all of us individual Valentines each year and I LOVE that too!

Here are the kids searching around....Elden is somewhere....


Monday night for FHE treat I made heart-shaped sugar cookies.  After the kids were in bed I rolled and baked off the rest of them to give to the ladies at work and two other families.  I kept the cookies in the oven because I didn't want the kids picking at them.  I thought a couple of times about the unwise choice of using the oven because I have stored non-oven items in the oven before and forgot and turned the oven on.  But after I thought this I reminded myself that I wouldn't be using the oven and all would be well.  I took the cookies to ladies at Lee's work in the morning.  I had two bags left to deliver.  Well of course, last night I made homemade french fries and turned the oven on to 450. It wasn't till the oven was fully heated that I realized I left the cookies in there and of course on top of a NON-oven cookie tray! The cookies were already in bags.  Thankfully, only two cookies didn't make the cut (I ate them--I know, how noble of me!). I repackaged the other ones.  I just hope they didn't think the cookie amount was too odd.  I was going to give two per person, but one person at each household now would only have one.


Yesterday morning I took Lee's office key and after dropping off Clark and Cal at school, Elden and I walked to his office and I dropped off some goodies there.  He was surprised to find them on his desk! Lee surprised me with a Lego box, complete with a riddle/puzzle to announce a date he planned for me last night.


I babysat for some friends last night (can you believe, she was my next door neighbor at Ricks and she has twins and now they live by me and we're in the same ward!  So crazy!). Okay, so I really didn't babysit. I just sat in house while the kids slept! When I got home Lee and I had lava cakes and played Skip-Bo!


Clark made this for me all on his own. So cute!  Cal made me a heart too out of Legos, but Elden dissembled it right before its photo shoot. 


I know there is more to post than this, but with no pictures as a memory jogger, I'll post whatever it is later.  I did finish the Hunger Games; I might write more about this later too.  I have some family coming in this weekend and I am SO excited!  I also have a Relief Society Activity on Saturday. All should go well, but I am sure there will be a sigh of relief on my part when it's done--and I am not even doing that much! Maybe it's the fact that I am somewhat/sort of in charge of it.  Well, there will be lots of pictures that I will be posting from this coming weekend!  Stay tuned!