Merry Val-mas!

Further revealing my juvenile TV viewing I will confess I used to watch the O.C. when it was on.  Teen show but cute and I enjoyed it.  One of the characters was jewish and created his own family celebration called "Chrismakuh."  The show ran for a couple of years and they always expanded on the theme of the created holiday each year.  It was kind of neat.

Yesterday we sort of did that as K's side of the family were finally available to visit, we were healthy, the roads were clear and the planets were all in alignment.  This was their Christmas visit folks!  And the thing is, it is fun to get together whenever it happens.

This is Elisabeth opening up her Tonka truck.  Yep, that sweet little darlin' in her sweet little dress

is all about construction equipment these days.  She can't wait for park weather to get to show this off.

Rob and KC are all about sports team gear and both got Patriots hoodies.  This is a great pic of Rob.  The one I took of KC with his I messed up the lighting and he is so back lit that you can't see his face at all. However, he was equally happy.  KC also got a very cool ant farm and I forget what else the kids got.  I think in many ways they had more fun than if the event had happened closer to December or in early January.  It was a mid-winter lift to get some new toys and gear and hang out with family that they love and don't see as often as we would like.  We had a great lunch together and mid afternoon they were on their way.  .   .   then it was time for the kids to relax a bit and for me to get the Valentines Day party together.

Due to having done the holiday gather with the family I wanted it low key but fun. We have always had a valentine party at our house and I knew the kids would feel gypped if we didn't.

So I made these little valentine butterflies.  I found the template on line and i forget who I should credit for that but it is soooo cute and cool.  K had gotten valentine pencils and those became the butterflies bodies.  Then also on line I had seen that you could make valentine hearts out of left over candy canes and I did one of those for everyone.  Super simple, just warm them in the oven to 250 degrees (resting in the heart shape) and they fuse lightly together.  We had valentines for each other, so many that the valentine mail box could barely close,  and I had bought a small candy treat for each person.  That and english muffin pizzas  completed the party.  It was fun and just special enough.  No one was over the edge hyped, just all feeling the love, so to speak.