I do this every year...

I will confess up front that I am not a huge fan of Valentine's Day. Don't get me wrong, I'll celebrate it. But I just don't get why I'm supposed to feel so special to get flowers, chocolate, dinner out, whatever, on the same day when everyone else is also getting it. To me, those kinds of things mean so much more when done on an ordinary day for no other reason than that he was thinking of me and wanted to.

So, with that out there...every year, since C started school, they do the little Valentine's parties and card exchanges. C has been in school now for 4 years. By now, you'd think that I would remember this and buy the cards, right? Wrong. I never remember. Even when I'm reminded right beforehand, I still don't remember. I do my grocery shopping on Friday mornings after I drop C & J off at school. C reminded me as they were getting out of the car that I needed to get cards. Naturally, by the time I got to the store, I had forgotten. I find tomatoes and carrots to be more important, I guess.

So, now, today I have to take the boys to the store, get cards, and THEN come home and do homework and address all these cards. Now, fortunately, both of them are writing and able to read, so they can do the cards with little to no help or supervision from me. But, still...it's daunting. Between the two of them, there's about 40-45 cards to be addressed. My hand already hurts at the thought of all the writing they are going to be doing.

I also have to get them some kind of snacks to take in for the party. They'd like me to bake something. And with the new stand mixer I got for Christmas, it's tempting. But I'd have to bake soooo much (again, remember, enough for 40-45 people..well, kids). And I love my mixer and I love to bake, but that's just an awful lot of work to do for kids who may or may not eat whatever I make anyway. Plus, the school seems to change its policy almost daily on whether treats have to be prepackaged and unopened or not.

So, since I said that I'm not a big fan of Valentine's Day, you're probably wondering if I have plans for it. Well...yes, I do. Sort of. Not so much because of the day itself, but just because it so happens that D is hoping to be home for it. He's putting in for his home time today, and hoping to be home Friday. I'm not going to mention my plans, simply because he does have access to this, and I want to surprise him.

We're also hoping to take the boys to the zoo while he's home. They have no idea yet. I just felt this sudden urge to do something, to get out of the house and go somewhere as a family. And what better time to do that than when D is home? The boys have never been to the zoo. They've been to Silver Springs, and they've been to a local petting farm. But never the zoo. I'm actually quite excited, and definitely planning to take my camera. They both absolutely adore animals, and I'm so excited to see how they're going to react to seeing animals that up until now, they've only seen on TV. Granted, it won't be in their natural environments, but hey, I can't afford a trip to Africa or Egypt or wherever right now.