LOVE...that's what it's all about!

We had a great Valentine's Day!  The kids get excited every year because our tradition is to make sugar cookies.  We usually make them a few days before Valentine's Day because I always help at the Floral Shop, where my mom works, the day before and the day of Valentine's Day.  We made our cookies on Sunday afternoon.

My niece, Taylie, wanted to spend the night at our house last Friday.  She loves Uncle Brett and wanted to go to "Brett's house".  Her parents were hesitant because she doesn't sleep through the night and her older sister was staying at their other aunt's house.  Taylie was sad and so I told her she could come out Sunday after church and help us decorate sugar cookies and have nachos.  She loved putting the icing and sprinkles on with Malorie's help.

I gave all of the kids their own little bowl of icing and some cookies.  It was funny to watch them decorate one and then the knife would find its way to their mouth to lick off the icing...then on to the next cookie!  haha!  Good thing we didn't share any cookies outside our two families because of all of the "double dippers" this year! 

When we were kids, our parents would always leave us a cute little Valentine treat on our kitchen table with a "love note" from our parents.   I have kept that tradition and Brett and I leave a little Valentine treat for our kids to find after school.  I have a friend that gives each of her kids a gift card each Christmas to a restaurant for a "date" with mom and dad by themselves.  We have incorporated that idea into our Valentine's gift...a date of some sort with Dad and Mom and they can use it any time during that year.  Last year we gave them all a "gift card" to Pizza Pie Cafe.  This year we decided to do a date night to the Paramount-movie of their choice, and they can redeem it anytime during the year.  I just type up the "giftcard-date" and then when they redeem it we actually pay for it when we go.  The kids have loved it!  We have loved the one-on-one time with each of our kids.

Brett and I don't spend a lot on Valentine's day for each other.  We usually get each other a little something and then go to dinner on the weekend.  My MOST FAVORITE THING from Brett is my Valentine's Day poem.  He has written me one every year since we were dating (well, he might have missed a couple, but for the most part he has done it EVERY year!)  I LOVE THEM!!!!  He writes a different one every year!  He is a super poem writer and they mean the WORLD to me!!!!  I tell him that's all I want for Valentine's every year!  Some can be read by others, some can't!  Hahaha!  They are a treasure to me!  I have everyone he has ever written and all of our other "love notes"!  I really need to put them all in a book!  You all know how good of a writer he is from our little "hot tub" experience last December!  Haha! 
Hope you all had a great Valentine's Day!  It is fun to remember the ones you LOVE and do something a little extra special for them on that day!  Have a great day!