Blank Slate

 Two years ago, after we moved up here, I started a big to-do on Valentines Day. No one in our family lives close enough to invite over for dinner and a babysitter isn't in our budget, so the dinner was born out of a desire to make it a special evening for the kids and for ourselves. I love this holiday because there are few strings attached. No endless amounts of gifts to buy for others, food to cook, celebrations to attend, weekend-long visitations with family and friends. Not that these things are bad, but after Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's, we are burnt out. It is a small holiday. You can make of it what you will. A blank slate.

Our traditional dinner is spaghetti with cottage cheese (if you have never combined the two, you are missing out), garlic cream cheese bread, salad and strawberry shortcake. I like it because it is quick and easy and everyone will eat it willingly without crying.

Here are some photos of our evening. It was worth all the time and effort when Lillie sat down to supper and sighed "It is so beautiful Mommy. Like a fairyland." Ah, to have the eyes of a child again.

Fairy Chains

Love Notes

Valentine holder we made at Lowe's.

 We tried on the sticky mustache Lillie received at her school party. (Please avert your eyes from Ian's mouth. I tried to get a photo with his mouth shut but he couldn't contain himself when he had the 'stache on.)

 David is wonderfully cute here.

Waiting not so patiently till they can open their valentines.