Happy Valentine's Day

We started the day with balloons and breakfast.  Balloons are starting to become a Valentine tradition at our house. The children really enjoy them.  The balloons add just the right amount of fun and decoration, I think.

My love! Swooooon.

Fact: I'm not a fan of Valentine's Day.  I really despise all of the commercialism, and the actual commercials (with the "show someone that you reeeeeally love them, buy them...." ads), and find it kind of sad how grocery stores fill the front end of their stores with all the flowers, balloons, chocolates and red-themed, loved-themed items possible! And even more pathetic is how guys get the bad end of this deal, with advertisers 'chastising' the men to get their flowers and jewels to their women, or the guy is a 'loser.' Nice message for both the guy and the girl. Please! This is one holiday that could use some updating.

I don't mean to be a downer on a holiday!  We try to keep Valentine's light and fun, with the message being to appreciate the people in your life. 

Yesterday was a great end-of-school day (many days are not).  Bode actually told me that he wanted to stick around after school and play!  So that is what we did.  I unloaded Nico and Gianna from the car, and we all played outside.  It was a lot of fun to watch Bode interacting with his class.  He started out playing with two boys, climbing trees and rocks.  And then, he was in the middle of a group of girls - literally - they were playing this game called, "Who wants a hug?" I guess (?).  They all started singing, "Who wants a hug? Who needs a hug?" and then each girl (and boy) would join in the hug, until they were one giant group hug. It was very cute.  It was really interesting because the entire class stayed after school to play! It ended up being kind of like a big party. (Also, so funny how they can be in school together for hours and then all play together after school, at school!)

Speaking of, we made Valentine's for Bode's class last night. It was a last-minute deal. At the end of the play time yesterday, one of the moms reminded everyone that "we" were exchanging Valentines after school. This was news to me. Luckily, I had already run across a great idea on the internet that I had mentally bookmarked for another school year. I was able to assemble them pretty quickly.  I made them very simple (message) and hopefully, the kids will think they are fun. I want the kids in his class to know that we (I) appreciate how they've included Bode into their fold mid-year.  Bode's part was to sign his name.  He called it his "work," and when Gianna would say something about playing, he would say, "Not now, Gianna, I am doing my work" all business-like. It was a lot of work for him to concentrate and try to squeeze his letters (that he writes very large) into one small area. When he finally finished signing all 14, he sighed and said, "That was a lot of work!" So cute.

Happy day. And if this day makes you cringe, don't worry...it's almost over!
xo