Valentine's Day: Lessons learned

1. Try to get more sleep the night before (this must include the cooperation of Baby Osterhout who apparently didn't get the memo) so as to have the energy required when excited children wake up extra early expecting a fun-filled Valentine's Day. This way you can avoid your daughter asking you "Mom, are you happy on Valentine's Day?" You really want to be able to answer "yes" without lying!!

2. Maybe save the gifts for after school. Especially the candy. Especially for Jonas who has no self-control and ate an entire chocolate bar and part of some peeps while his distracted mother made heart shaped pancakes.


3. Ditch the strawberries. They are out of season and while looked cute on the pancakes, did nothing for the taste.


4. Continue to make sugar cookies - one of Clara's very favorite activities.


5. Go ahead and let them eat conversation hearts and watch TV after school.


6. Make heart shaped pizzas that Clara & Jonas are sure to love. But the red jello? Not necessary. Jonas gagged on it straight away (as Clara and her school mates would say) and nearly threw up and I realized I only made it because it was a red food...not because we particularly like it.

7. Bath bombs were the best gift! The kids loved their blue and green baths and it created a fun ending to a love filled day. Here they are holding up their bath gifts.


8. Valentine's Day at this point really is about the kids and it is so much fun to be able to create these memories for them. My sincere apologies to Devin who didn't get a thing. But not because I didn't buy him anything. The week before I had gone to a cute little chocolate shop and purchased some nice chocolates but remembered about them when I was in bed that night and was too tired to get out of bed, so he had a belated Valentine's day present. PATHETIC? Yes! But there is always next year to improve on!

And lastly, here is Clara reading Jonas his Valentine's Day card.