Valentine's Day ~ the good and the bad

Valentine's Day does not rank high on my list of favorite holidays.  In fact, if you asked me to list only my favorite holidays, it wouldn't make the cut at all.  It's not that I hate it or think it is stupid or anything like that.  Really, I don't think much of anything about it at all.  The reason for that can probably be summed up pretty quickly:

1. Valentine's Day was not a big deal in our house growing up.  Sure, my parents always did a little something for us - usually a little heart shaped box of candy that I was always excited to get.  I don't really remember them making a big deal out of it as far as giving to one another.  I vaguely remember boxes of candy???  It was a holiday.  We recognized it simply and moved on.
2. Until I started dating Justin when I was 18, I never had a "boyfriend" on Valentine's Day.  Seriously, I always managed to break up with them before the "Big Day" or not start dating them until after. 
3. Justin isn't into Valentine's Day, so we just have never really done anything.  Because it's not a huge deal to me, it has never bothered me that we don't celebrate.  Though he did start bringing me home chocolate covered strawberries on the day a couple of years ago and that seems to be a sticking tradition...

Then I had a children.  When Logan was three and half (old enough to start to "get it"), I started trying to do a little something for the boys (Gavin was only six months the first year).  That was the year the holiday landed on a weekend, so I tried to make a special dinner and each boy received a stuffed animal (pillow pet for Logan, teething animal for Gavin).  And, it's stayed simple like that since then (to be honest, I can't remember what I did for the boys last year...I'd have to go look it up in a photo album...).

This year I had bigger plans for Valentine's Day...and they pretty much all fell through due to a complete lack of time (we have been soooo busy lately!).  I had plans for the boys to help me make cute, home-made valentines for their day care and school friends.  In the end we got a couple of boxes from the store:  Jack the Neverland Pirates for Gavin and Angry Birds for Logan.  We then threw them together right before bedtime Monday night (Logan was supposed to have his at school ASAP).  I would like to say it was fun and enjoyable, but really, I was tired and stressed and snapped at my boys one too many times...  In the end though, we got through it.  I was able to relax, and we had a good rhythm going when it was all said and done.  And the boys did have fun.

As for this year's "little" Valentine's Day gift?  We bought the boys a power-wheel.  In my defense, I bought it from my friend Erin whose girls had outgrown it, so its not like I went completely crazy.  The boys actually got it almost an entire week early, too, because I mean, how do you hide a power-wheel?  They're big! 

Unfortunetly, the weather hasn't been cooperating so they haven't been able to drive it around since the day they got it.  Can't wait for better weather and more outside fun!

This also means that I didn't have anything to give the boys on the actual holiday.  I didn't want to get them any other gifts, because c'mon!  They got a power-wheel!  They didn't need anything else!  I also didn't want to get them any goodies because I knew they would get plenty from their day care/school parties.  Despite all these logical reasons, I was still feeling guilty about not having anything for them that day...until my mom called the day before to let me know there was a package from her and Dad on the way.... 

Problem solved!

When we got home this afternoon, they had a big old box to open full of Valentine's Day goodies!

The rest of the evening was pretty much business as usual, which for a Thursday night means FUN!  On Thursday's I meet with my Bible study group at the church and the boys come a long and play while we meet.  Their Mimi is a part of the group, and lately she's been bringing them each a treat.  Valentine's Day was no exception!  They each got a little heart shaped box of candy that they got to eat after they finished off their Happy Meals (another treat for the evening).

Justin got home early that night (9:00, and yes, that's early for a Thursday night), and he came baring my favorite gift:  Godiva chocolate covered strawberries!  I ended the evening snacking on deliciousness and cuddling on the couch.

So, Valentine's Day may not make my list of favorite holidays, it may even annoy me sometimes (a.k.a. making valentines for school this year annoyed me), but in the end, as always, it turned out to be a pretty great day.  I'm always thankful to get to spend quality time with the people I love best - that's always worth celebrating!