here's to play dough

 it's no secret that i am a creature that should have come with the warning:

 "caution...may go completely overboard on holidays or special occasions."

so...it's no surprise that 24 hours simply won't do when it comes to all things lovely for the day of love.

it's a good thing i get a whole month for christmas or we'd be in serious trouble.

our valentine's day celebrations ended up not fitting into just one day.

i blame the school.  it took most of the day to get those parties done with.  and by the time they got home...they were all sugared out before we ever even got to the chocolate covered strawberry and malt making.  don't worry.  we rallied.

annslee acts like she runs the place.

and if aiden's gonna dance...then step back...

because the party's just gettin' started.

by the looks of the table when the kids came in from school and chad came in from work...you would have though cupid had flown in and had his way with our entire house.

not so.  this was it.  i swear.

i think chase was the most excited about his valentine present.  he had been reminding me about them every day for the last 3 weeks.

and this one?  you know you've hit a home run when her eye's light up and she nearly starts crying because she is so happy.  she tears easily...and i love that.

sister friend is getting the hang of everything celebratory.

she got her very own play-dough.

aiden's new year's resolution was to "cook more with mom" and upon seeing the chocolate covered strawberry commercials that they play quite frequently on sprout...she informed me that this was happening.

and who am i to squash a good resolution?

and while that was happening...

so was this.

we valentined ourselves right out by 8:00 and had

"to be continued."

thank you kathy c. for the heart straws!  they made our malts taste 10 times better.  at least.

i have struggled lately to sit down and play.  i have lost balance and taken my eyes off the prize and instead chosen to focus more on the superfluous details that only i really care about.  and it is a choice.  i often act like it's not.  play dough was just what i needed to get back on track.

i love how aiden is just at that age where she watches me really closely and then copies whatever i am doing.  in this case...it was spelling out each other's names in play dough...but i'm aware that it doesn't stop there.  today...i reminded myself..."watch yourself...because she is."

and you can rest assured that the little one is watching and copying aiden just as closely.

here's to getting into their world more and allowing them in our's when it's appropriate...even when it makes things a little harder and takes a little longer.

here's to validating and helping her make good on her new year's resolutions and allowing her to cook with me.

and

here's to play dough.