A Very Fillmore Valentine's

 We had the most amazing Valentine's Day(s) this year!  We started with a new tradition that I absolutely LOVED and hope to continue and make a new family tradition.

Two weeks before Valentine's for my Family Home Evening lesson, we talked about Valentine's Day and how you can use it as a day to express your love for friends and family members.  I had Ashlyn cut out a huge stack of construction paper hearts and told the family that I would leave them on the counter for anyone who felt like writing a love note to a family member.  They could sign their names, or they could be anonymous... everyone chose to sign their names. 

We then delivered them by taping them onto our Art Wall.  It is a wall we have downstairs, where each child has his/her own picture frame.  Every month we create a craft project to decorate our Family Room.  We taped the love notes on or near each person's frame and mom and dad's love notes went on the side.

Some of the notes were funny, "Dear Ian, When will you come back from school.  I love you.  I like it when you wake me up in the morning.  I know that you got orange ice cream from Pango Mango and I love Kwazi on Octonauts.  Love Bronson"

And some were very sweet and thoughtful, "Tanner, I love the way you help me out when I am stuck.  Luv you, Ashlyn"

And some were downright tear jerkers, "Dear Mom, You are the best mom I could ever ask for.  You are always willing to help us to clean up our messes.  I just hope you don't do that a lot.  Love You, Tanner"

I wish I could post them all on here, but there were so many.  The kids looked forward each day to see if they had received a Valentine.

I also continued a tradition that I started last year.  Handmade Valentine's for each of my best friends/sisters/ sisters-in-law

I'm Not Lion, I Think You are Great!

Charlotte and Bronson also wanted to make some handmade Valentine's for their cousins.

Ian was challenged with making a Valentine's box for his class party this year.  This kid is SO independent that he came up with his own ideas immediately and didn't want any help from Zac or I to complete the project.  It is a football field in celebration of his favorite football team winning the Super Bowl... Go Broncos.

That is his proud face.  And Charlotte had her first ever Valentine party at school.  She even had a very festive sweater picked for the occasion and took her pink unicorn, Farkles, along for show and tell.

Ashlyn had her traditional heart hair-do for school.

Ashlyn and Tanner are now officially "too old" at school to have Valentine's parties.  But they still had fun exchanging treats and leftover Valentine's from brothers and sisters with their friends.

Sunday night on the official Valentine's Day, I planned a special meal for my lovies:

We set up the kitchen like a restaurant and had menu's from Cupid's Crazy Cafe.  

The menu items were in code and the kids had to choose several items for an appetizer, then main dish, and dessert.  the items came in funny mixed up orders.  Some kids got dessert first, and some got salad with no utensils and had to use their hands.  

Whitlee didn't see any problem with having no utensils as she usually just thinks they are table decorations anyways.

Zac and I were invited to a couple's party Friday night and had a great and hilarious time eating appetizers and playing minute to win it games with our spouses.

And then Sunday morning the boys surprised with with a balloon and some of my favorite candy.  Zac also surprised with with some rackets and racquetballs and took me on a date on President's Day to play racquetball.  We had SO much fun playing each other and teaching the kids to play racquetball.  What a great holiday!