valentine's day. part 1

oh yes, there are PARTS to this day!
people. i don't know WHO i am anymore. i used to despise this holiday. and now it has become one of the FUNNEST!

i think, maybe, it's because it's so simple.
we are just focused on LOVE.
God's love towards us. our love towards each other.
and it's so FUN to have kids and such simple things just make their DAY!

last year i threw them a party after school. our school had all these new rules and there were to be no parties and NO food and...SADNESS!

so, i threw them a party. just because i loved them. it was so fun.

this year, we have new administration at the school. so, parties and food are back on.
but i loved OUR party so much, they are going to have 2 parties!!!!

we've been baking and decorating for it for 2 days. because that's what i do when i do parties for OTHER people. and i want my kids to feel ohsospecial. and isn't it fun to look forward to something??

everyone packs their own lunch (except lincoln) every day of the year. there are a handful of days that i do it for them. this is one of them :-)

bailey's hair today :-)

so, we got to start our morning. at 8 am. at the dentist! whoo-hoo! 5 kids got their teeth cleaned...and NO cavities! our dentist is AWESOME. we were out of there at 9 am on.the.dot. amazing! it took me longer to drive all over town to take the kids to all their respective schools late!

we had a special lunch at home, too! and sat in the "party room"!

yes, i know this day isn't ALL about the kids...pat and i don't really do valentine's days gifts or anything. but i did surprise him by putting a sweet song on his ipod LATE in the night so that he would have it when he went to workout this morning. and then learned this morning that he doesn't listen to his ipod these days :/ oh, well! i look forward to spending the evening with him tonight. him by my side is all i need.

ha!

ok. time for valentine's day. part 2.