L - O - V - E

Ok, if the sappy love stuff makes you gag read no further. Maybe its the shoe boxes we used to decorate in elementary school and hand out valentines that sparked my love for Valentine's Day. Or maybe it's because this seems to be the time of year that I get to eat as many conversational hearts and cinnamon bears as I want. More likely it's because four years ago on the day before Valentine's Day, the 13th, Justin proposed to me and now there's that added excitement that goes with the BIG 14. Whatever the reason, and however silly people think I am I LOVE VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!!!!!!

(Here's the proposal)

Justin and I trade off every year who gets to plan V-day. Here's a picture of the very first Valentine's Day we celebrated together. Look at that long hair!

This year Justin was in charge and he pulled out all the stops. It will be a hard act to follow next year. We started celebrating on Saturday by going to a really beautiful restaurant downtown by the Capitol.

But let's back up to earlier that week before the twinkle lights, candles and roses when Justin was holding my hair LITERALLY all night while my head was in the toilet. Justin caught a 12 hour bug which he passed to me and mutated into a 48 hour DEATH bug. I honestly don't know that I've ever been that violently sick for that long. Justin stayed home from work two days taking care of me and Camden. By Saturday morning my head had stopped spinning, my body didn't hurt and I wasn't curled up around the toilet but I was still exhausted so I slept most of the day. When I woke up that afternoon I sat up and saw these little beauties by our bed....

It was such a fun date! Then came the REAL Valentine's Day. Remember what I said about how much I loved getting valentines in the decorated shoe boxes back in elementary school? Justin remembered too. Not only did he make this box, it was full of candy and valentines from my two favorite boys. Thanks for such a great Valentine's Day honey! I guess I should start planning now!

Ready. Set. Catch up!!!!!!!!

Here we go.... We've been going to Justin's basketball games. Which turned out to be an hour of me pulling Camden back into the stands and off the court.

A couple of hockey games. Camden's favorite sport at the time being. He wakes up saying hockey, he goes to sleep saying hockey, and pretty much talks about it non-stop.Got in touch with our inner white trash and went to a Monster Truck Rally! Which was a little louder than we remembered even with ear plugs (oh Justin and I have been before). We got to go in the "pit" before the Rally and get up close with all the trucks and motorcycles.

Lunch downtown after the Rally at Rosa Mexicano... mi favorito! Where Camden so creatively turned the tortilla basket into a hat.Went to a Frostival and had a blast with our good friends Matthew and Jessica.What's a party without a little dancing?! These boys had a blast, and truth be told Jess and I had just as much fun as they did.Camden has recently become quite the little chef. He loves to help me cook. (Takes twice as long, makes more than double the mess, but it makes him happy)Camden was introduced to the wonderful world of Chucky Cheese at his little girlfriend's birthday party. He was in heaven and I have a feeling we'll be going back often. He was pretty happy about the cake too. After he finnished his slice and noticed Annabelle had left to play he finnished off hers as well. Nice.And most recently we went to COLORADO!!! My cute grandpa got married. That's right, 86 and tied the knot. Go gramps! Oh how I miss my family!!!!! Enough said. This is the most recent addition to our family, number 27 on the nieces and nephews count, Mia. Don't be fooled by this not so happy look. That dark stain on his shirt, that's chocolate milk from earlier that day. Then I got out of the car to run into Walmart for all of 5 minutes to come back and see Camden with fries in one hand and a chocolate doughnut in the other. To say my mom and sister spoil him is an understatement. He kept yelling "mmmmm, chocooooolate!". I got to go snowboarding with my family! I was in heaven. Did I mention that it was on a real mountain with real snow that took longer than two minutes to get down the run?! Aww heaven.
Another highlight in CO was being there for my adorable niece's baptism. It was really special and I'm so glad we were there for it.I'd just like to end by saying (for anyone who is still with me) I have NEVER gotten a normal picture with my brothers just smiling... ever. This was the best of ten. How do they know without looking or talking who's turn it is to make a dumb face?!