Valentine Intentions

I had a really good start on the Valentine Day Card exchange for school this year. Two weeks ago, I bribed Gavin into spending the whole day with us. Shopping then the park. We went right after school to Party City because we thought they would have the largest selection. (can’t have the girly ones that say..be mine..I think your special etc.) We went down the aisles and each boy chose their own. Hayden chose Spongebob with suckers, Caleb chose Spiderman with tattoos and Ian chose (third year running) Star Wars. I meant to pick up candy for Ian but somehow the boys found the other aisles too inviting, distracted, as boys are apt to do, by anything shiny. The trip ended up being every man for himself. Between saying “Stay near the cart not on it!” and “No, you can’t have that”, then changing my mind. (yes, Caleb..you with that pouty face! Who can say no to that?) I ended up forgetting the extra candy. It was a wonder we all made it back to the car in one piece. Gavin just kept repeating…Can we just go now???? The day was a great success and the bag of Valentines….stayed in the bag…. Well, its the night before the big celebration at school and I got off work at 9PM. My mom let the boys watch TV in bed so they were up. I started tearing open bags and boxes and signing their names. One by one they snuck out and volunteered to help. Again, who can say no? This is what memories are made of, right? We formed a rag tag assembly line and worked together like a dream team. There were just a few mishaps. The ink smeared a bit on a few cards, We didn’t see the slots for the tattoos until half were already sealed, and Ian…discovered there was no candy included in his card….We did manage to rustle up enough from the extras around here to make him very happy and Caleb is just going to pass out tattoos to the few who missed..

Backpacks are ready! Kids are in bed! At this moment, all is right with the world…until morning…when they say…I’m too tired.

sigh