V-Day the Realistic Way

The reality: we have children who are little and Valentine's Day just isn't celebrated the stereotypical way. There will be a day in the future for wooing and fine dining and walks on the beach at sunset, but for now, we eat candy hearts, put up red decorations and stay at home...as a family.

However, my sweetheart knows how much I enjoy this holiday for its simple proclamation of love with small tokens of appreciation and adoration. I consider myself pretty low maintenance but I appreciate a true heartfelt thought.

One year he went a little over the top and bought me a teddy bear, shipped all the way from Vermont that cost him a kidney but he knew I would appreciate the grand gesture.

One of my favorite years was when I had given birth to Olivia four weeks prior and he was away at school. Ahead of time, he had made these posterboard hearts for the kids to wear. His mom was staying with us so she made sure they were all in costume before I saw his little gift.

So, here I am pregnant with my 5th, overcome by a giant sweet tooth on a daily basis and several days before, he saw a commercial for Shari's Berries on TV. He made the call and no matter the cost, had those chocolate-dipped strawberries shipped right to my door on that lovely day.

On the front of the box were some very important instructions...

...that I took to heart.

But someone found me and I shared an ice-cold look of death and one chocolate chip that had fallen off.

How can you resist this little face?

(the bow came from the outside of the box and is the perfect headband.)

After the hubs arrived home and we enjoyed a delightful carnivorous dinner, we all sat down to Heart Bingo.

And then ended the meal with a whopper of a peanut butter torte. It was so over-indulgent that I quickly drove most of it over to my skinny friend's house and dropped it off.
Those strawberries really made my year and here is where I tell you that I am ever so grateful for the man that I married. Over these past 6 months (since the announcement of this pregnancy) he has been my worst enemy and once we worked through all that he is now my biggest fan. There isn't a day that goes by that he isn't sympathetic to my leg pains, sore feet and headaches. He forces me to bed, out of the house or to sit down and follows them each with a foot rub.

(on our first date in August of 1999)

I am one lucky girl!