All You Need Is Love

This is my favorite Valentine's Day Gift today

And this:

And this:

(Us at the I-Max today)

Everything else today - it's just gravy.  It's the icing on the cake.  Those three right there in that picture- those are what I love more than anything else.  Those are my reasons for today.

But if we're going to celebrate :)

You know me, I've got a thing for cute food.  And today practically gives me permission to live it up!  So we started off this morning with Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls (Kristi's note:  I'm only linking to that recipe because it provide inspiration.  I didn't use it really.  I came up with my own filling and made an icing (powdered sugar, strawberry sundae topping and vanilla creamer - ta da!) that they all claimed was the best part.  But as Meghan Trainor would said I'm "giving credit where it's due" for at least the inspiration on these!

After breakfast (and after getting ready to go to the Science Center) the kids discovered Cupid had visited one more time:

It was a Nutty Bar that said "I'm 'nutty' about you!"

 Then we opened some presents :)

This is what the kiddos got for Grant :)  He also go Pizza socks

And this is what I got :D  Exactly what I wanted!  (Seriously - Grant asked me the other day and this is what I said since my suffered a lid mishap.  I was a very delighted girl)

Then we headed off to the Science Center for a viewing of their new I-Max movie on Humpback Whales.  It was so cool!  (And narrated by Ewan McGregor - bonus!)  We had a really great time all together (even though it meant trekking out in the BITTER cold.  BRRRR!)  And made it home in time for a "hearty" lunch

I may have been having a lot of fun in the kitchen.  And for further 'credit' I was inspired by this idea.  Salami and cheese - my kids were "in love"

And cucumbers and homemade tortilla chips

And then a Healthy Banana Split

Yep, one hearty lunch :)

After lunch I ran a quick errand and was just getting back in time for the kids to notice the flag was up!

Dear Detectives,

Happy Valentine’s Day, my two favorite detectives!  I hope that Nita hasn’t stolen all your love and joy this week, sneaky lady!  I did hear that you have been receiving an additional visitor the past two weeks in addition to MOMG and Nita.  How lucky are you to have Cupid visit?  Hope that you’re feeling the love – you two deserve it!

I did get your email saying that you felt Nita was in New Hampshire.  I hope that you thank Miss Amber the next time you see her for the helpful hint that Flat Noah and Flat Mikayla had once been on the Cog Railway.  I want to remind you to use all the resources you have available to you from your research last year to track Nita.  I am sure that if you ask your Mom she will be happy to pull out your projects, the scrapbook or anything else you may have gathered on any state if you feel strongly that Nita may be there.  Trust what you’ve learned – that’s why we asked you to help us!

I dispatched the Swat Team to New Hampshire search there for Nita.  They took some time out to enjoy the great skiing, take a ride to the top of Mount Washington and went to Keene to check out the location where they assemble the massive wall of jack o’ lanterns every October.  In fact, they didn’t nab Nita, but found a puzzle in the Peterborough Library, tucked in a book of nursery rhymes, wedged between pages marking “Mary Had A Little Lamb”!  I’m entrusting it into your care for your future use.  With all the information we gathered we were able to alert New Hampshire authorities and the borders are safe!

Also, I am passing along some further information from MOMG Intelligence.  They first ask that you remove New Hampshire from our “States at Risk” wall.  You should move it to our “Suspect” wall next to the “Last Seen” header.   Secondly, they have asked me to enclose the next 20 states they feel are most at risk based on the information they have been gathering.  Thirdly, I am enclosing a ball of yarn.  We would like to use the giant map on the “Tracking Nita” wall to show Nita’s track from state to state, just as we have been doing.  We have a feeling that Nita will be laying low for a day or two and will need some time to regroup, but you should expect her or my Intelligence team to contact you again soon.

Enjoy the rest of your Valentine’s Day weekend, my dear Detectives.  And I hear that you’re off of school for a few days next week.  Plan on putting some extra time in Nita tracking – we’ll catch her yet!  Good work!

The Chief

She escaped again!  But we're still tracking her...

It was so chilly outside that it was the perfect chance to snuggle for some family nap time this afternoon, and then I got to work finishing up the dinner menu while Noah was nose deep in a book and the Bean and Grant worked on her"V" page for school this week.  I swear the girl has more homework than Noah...

Bacon Hearts ready for the oven

Strawberry Funfetti Pancakes anyone? (And yes, I really did cut all the strawberries into hearts)

How cute!

And maybe some heart hashbrowns?

The heart bacon made it out of the oven!

Dinner is served (those are red scrambled eggs with cheese on the side, by the way)

And because that wasn't quite enough, Cupid Floats!

Ah, my bucket full of love is full after my day with the trio and my cute food fix is set for at least a few weeks.  Maybe 'til St. Patrick's Day....  We asked the kiddos how they wanted to spend the rest of the day and the overwhelming vote was for the final Star Wars movie.  So we're currently cheering on Hans, Leia and Luke and winding own Valentine's Day.  It's been lovely!

Tomorrow (provided that we don't all turn into popsicles tonight - it's supposed to get down to -10 with a wind chill of -30) we're off to Scout Sunday in the morning and then I'm going to a Mother's Blessing for the wonderful Mama's To Be from MOPS :)  Should be a delightful Sunday. Hope that you and yours had a love-filled Valentine's Day however you chose to spend it!  More tomorrow, but until then....