Hallmark Valentine's Day Disapproval ;) and My Secret to Staying Calm!

I truly despise feeling like I need to do something because someone else thinks it should be done.  That being said, Valentine's is just another holiday that we love to do the "untraditional"!  (*uncontrollable snickering*)

Don't get me wrong, I love to be loved...but not just for one day.  I'm selfish like that.  I hope that our family and friends will always be surrounded by love!  We are truly blessed for the ones who have come and gone and the ones who choose to stick around. 

Here is what we chose to share together this year for Valentine's:

To begin with, the children are so much like their mother...after we get past January we get our green thumb and spring fever...we can't wait to be surrounded by life!  While on an outing to pick up parts, the kids and I browsed happily through the plant section of a local hardware store...I instantly asked them to pick out one that they would love dearly and remember to love it as much as we loved them.  Here is what they picked...

Polka Dot Plant

Cyclamen Plant

Aren't they just stunning!  Oh they are as beautiful as my children!   Well, not quite...see...they are pretty darn adorable if I may say so myself!

Daddy works nights and he didn't get home until 6:30 am on Valentine's so I woke up extra early to make him some homemade whole grain  pancakes (we doubled the recipe and used half old fashioned oats and half millet) in our blender.  Once cooked I used a heart shaped cookie cutter and cut out these adorable little pancakes...

Since the kids were still asleep we were able to share a little candlelit dinner/breakfast before he went to bed.  I sure am lucky to have such a wonderful man.

Okay, then I got back to work and made a few more batches for when the kids woke up....we also added some of these cute cutouts...that were left from the circle of hearts!

I can't even begin to tell you how good these were drizzled with vegan butter and agave...YUMM!  Needless to say breakfast was a hit! 

As a surprise for daddy, we cleaned out his truck while he was sleeping, shoveled the driveway and front porch,

...then after warming up to some hot cocoa, we made a Valentine's sign,

Soon grandma and grandpa would be over for lunch. The kids helped me cut potatoes for cheesy potatoes that we ate together with steak, and brussel sprouts...and for dessert soy milk tapioca pudding...sorry...no photo...it was too good.  It all disappeared rather quickly!

After lunch we all visited while the guys watched the Daytona 500.  Boy, talk about a long race and alot of red flags!  We had some friends that went down to Florida to go see that race...I felt bad for them...50 degree weather and the longest race on record.  But, it had to be better than a white snowy Valentine's!  :)

Then, daddy got out his toy...and lets just say it brings out the best in us!  Go get it Killer (our 5lb dog).  hehehhee!

and then I heard a crash...and here is what was left...*sigh*

A beautiful pot that was given to my by my mother on Mother's day and what was left of my Jade plant...the plant was salvaged.

Daddy felt pretty horrible about that one.  He later stated how amazed he was that through the years I've  always been able to "keep my cool" (HA!  Boy do I have him fooled!)...If I can handle him backing my truck up over a fire hydrant after only dating a few weeks I can handle anything! :) I love my familly and all our imperfections! Honey, to answer your question about how I "keep my cool" it usually involves chanting the following....

Grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.

I love you honey, with all my heart, and to all our dear friends and family who have touched our lives throughout the years...we love you and you are forever weaved into our hearts!

(Happily married 5 years this Feb. 18)

Jes