Happy Valentine's Day! part II

Yesterday was another day FULL of candy and sugar at school (Halloween being right up there as well). One student told me he'd already had a box of candy with/for breakfast (and I lovingly tell you.... it showed!).

Let me actually go back one day. On Wednesday we helped a friend of Matt's from work load his belongings into a moving truck. He and his wife are moving on to a new job in TX where they'll be closer to his family. We were there from about 6:20-10:20. By the time we got home, I admit I was tired (which is sad, because they still had a 3 hour drive ahead of them to make it to her mom's house). Matt really wanted to see who made the top 24 for American Idol, so we watched that on Tivo. I was so tired, I didn't even write my kids' names on their Valentines. I know, I know... but I was tired!

So Thursday started with a bang. The kids were SO excited about the party at the end of the day. We made it through writing and reading, had a very short math period due to Jump Rope for Heart, and tried to squeeze (mostly successfully) our Valentine's party into 30 minutes before it was time for art. Whew! While my class was jumping rope and at lunch, I finished prepping Friday folders (I had to add missing assignment slips after I checked off homework) and finally signed their Valentines. :) We had a wonderful guest reader during the party while the kids enjoyed cupcakes, punch, brownies, carrots, cheese, M&Ms, pretzels, and some delicious strawberries.

These are the Valentines holders we made on Wednesday...aren't they cute? I got instructions from my team mate and plan to do them again next year! They're super easy. :)

After school I came home to let Sammy out, and then it was off to Trish and Rusty's. We met them through our small group, and they have sweet twin baby boys! Rusty is in residency, and I've been trying to go over to hang out and help Trish on Thursdays. The boys got shots yesterday, but they were doing so well! Rusty actually got to come home early, and they asked if Matt could come over for a Valentine's double dinner date. He thought it was a great idea, so he took orders from us and picked up Fazoli's on his way over. :) We really enjoyed their company and getting to talk and know them better. While the boys (the baby boys, not the husbands) were napping, Trish and I made Valentines for our husbands. Here's the front of the one I made for Matt. :)

I says MATT with other phrases around it. I picked "turbo" because Matt always says,
"Slow down there, turbo," when someone speeds by him on the road.

Trish also found some fun pink stuff for the table (and then she made pink lemonade for us to drink with dinner). I'm really thankful to have met them, and we even got the boys to sleep before dinner---and they STAYED asleep through dinner! Hooray for Taylor and Wesley! :)

When we got home, Matt and I exchanged Valentine's gifts. We don't always do something "big," but we each had an idea for each other this year, so we went for it. I got great tickets for tomorrow night for us to go see Cirque Extravaganza. Matt's been wanting to see a Cirque show for quite some time. With this show, it's coming right to our town and features performers from SEVERAL Cirque shows, so you get a taste of many of them (but I checked, not the yucky one thankfully)! He is really excited! :)

In addition to the SUPER Whoooo's Sleepy fabric Matt gave me earlier this week, Matt also gave this me.

It's a yellow sapphire surrounded by diamonds. Isn't it beautiful? I have to admit, Matt has great taste! :) I love how it's a nice, relatively simple shape but with the yellow sapphire to catch your eye. :) I can't wait to wear it tomorrow night when we got out to dinner and then to see the Cirque show!

As you can see, we had a really nice Valentine's Day full of fun surprises. :) We hope yours was filled with reminders not only of loved ones here, but of God's love most of all!