Our love was the SPARK for all of this...

WOW!! to think that Vinny and I started this roaring fire... Our kids are the greatest celebrators! and it does not take a "holiday" to start the celebrating!! My friend gave me a notepad with this quote on it- "Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves." ~James Matthew Barrie

So our lives have A LOT of sunshine! Here is Dom's Valentine's Day place setting, waiting for his excited exclamations in the morning! He said to me the night before: Mom are you going to get up really early and set up for Valentine's Day? Me: Yes. Dom: "Well you could set it up tonight so you don't have to get up so early." He is always thinking of others:)

Gianna with her Valentine's Day present

Heart Pancakes...they each got ONE heart shaped one since it took sooo much time to make those 2!!! After that-well the circle ones were FILLED with my love!

I tried to convince Dom to wear red, but since he had received this shirt as part of his present (bc it was cozy and he LOVES cozy) he wanted to wear it!

Once Bjorn and Kinz got here there was a spark of electricity in the air, a frenzy you can't contain...the excitement sent buzzing through the air! all for LOVE!

I love that Nick put this candy on top of the bottle!

The kids and I made cupcakes and I think the best part for them was licking the bowl and spoons and fingers and spatulas and just about anything that had chocolate on it!

Taking the first bite of her frosted cupcake

They LOVED frosting and sprinkling the cupcakes...we had it from head to toe!

And Love hit me SPLAT in the face!!!

I was gone this weekend to Olympia and when I walked in on Sunday night, there it was...LOVE, displayed across our table...all for me! "The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." Next to this quote would be the above picture...love me, he does. love me, he shows. Vinny chooses me, chooses us, each day with his words, his actions, and his choices. Our kids have the greatest examples of the words LOVE, COMPROMISE, FATHER, and HUSBAND in living color, in our home!

G was with me in Olympia, and so Vinny and the boys spent hours Sunday afternoon gathering my "favorites" and writing me letters....the letters are what will sit in my heart, take hold, and lift me on days when I am not feeling too perky:)

flowers, wine, heart shaped rocks, People magazine, letters filled up with loving words-all waiting for me on the table when I got home

One of the most special cards I have ever received was from Nick- if you have a 13 yr old boy you will know what a big deal this letter is---lengthy, filled with thoughful acknowledgments of noticings, when I didn't know he noticed, and cute drawings...THIS IS A BIG DEAL!! (and especially when I am the stepmom, not always the ideal spot to be in with parenting) I appreciate this more than he knows.

Mail Call!

We opened up our door yesterday and this is what was adorning our porch! Getting mail is sooo much fun! Gianna had to test her patience, since the package came before Dom got home from school...the wait was difficult, but worth it.

Who knew that a shoebox could HOLD THAT MUCH STUFF???? Grandma really packed it in for them...Valentine sweets, coloring books/notepads, stuffed animals, ping-pong balls, craft letters! (and for Nick, the teenager, money:))

Dom just LOVES this monkey around his neck! He wanted to take it to school, but I convinced him that we could take a picture and he could bring the pic!

What fun treats for the kids!

Happy Birthday Sweet Friend

OF COURSE Shelley brought a gift for each of the girls!! She is just sweet like that! Love the "love knot" bracelets!

Kimmie's birthday dinner at Dockside...we tried to keep it quiet and civilized, but well, you know the 6-Pack!

6-Pack + 1 this night! (a little consequence going on)

Shawn had to leave to chaperone the high school dance before we got a pic of the boys:( Signature pose tho!

Scrumptious dessert

We just can't stop cracking up...we always laugh about the fact that we would be just as happy riding around in the car, the 6 of us, telling stories, cracking ourselves up...we don't need anything fancy!

Happy birthday my friend who encompasses both fiesty-ness and humbleness, full of laughter and yet can empathize with you when you need it, looks with the eyes of a child at the wonders of life but speaks with the wisdom beyond her years! I love you! You inspire me to think beyond, be vulnerable, learn and grow each year, and celebrate...celebrate...celebrate!

Game Day...Let's Play!

What does Superbowl mean to me? Well, it's definitely not all about the game because truth be told, I don't really care who wins...I just love the festiveness, food, games, betting, loudness, togetherness...

Superbowl means all the dads and the boys play football games and challenges before and during the game...(the younger kids, aka "the littles" are off on their own having their own fun!)

It means lots of challenges and heckling

It means Dads give no mercy to the boys!

"just because you're little, doesn't mean I won't pound you!"

It means snuggling in

It means great food before, during and after the game!

...and PLAY we did!

Some things I love...

I love that my husband will always make sure that there are pictures of the two of us taken...not just the kids, the event, or friends. He values pictures of us.

Old, cute books in good colors, cool looking cameras from the old days, and fun art

These 3 honey-bunnies, oh and cute white pitchers:)

LAUGHING, I love laughter

black and white family pictures

light pouring through our back windows, even when our windows aren't perfectly clean...

that our kids collect heart shaped rocks for me because I am so intrigued with them, candlelight dinners by kid request, and a glass full of questions...they LOVE to ask and answer questions as we sit around the table

Bling, yes i love bling-not overdone, but enough to know it's there

XOXO

I was searching through my canisters of Scrabble letters for the letter X. I went through one canister with no luck, but it is a good thing I grab every box of Scrabble I can find at thrift stores and garage sales, because in my second canister I found the letter I needed! Of course it clung to the bottom of the jar, even though all of the letters came pouring out...stubborn X!

I found an early picture of Vinny and I from when we were dating and had an oversized button made at the fair! Not sure if we thought we would wear it or what. The XOXO looks perfect next to our button!

So young...