Sometimes I'd like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine and injustice when He could do something about it. But I'm afraid God might ask me the same question.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Love Day

So love day falls smack in the middle of our no spend month but all is lovey dovey and well over here.  We actually "celebrated" last night since everyone was home and Collin didn't have to work.  I made everybody's favorite spaghetti ( I love it cause its so darn easy :) ) ! And the kids and I had made some yummy cupcakes with candy cane hearts.  I still haven't replaced the chairs that I sold on craigslist so the littles had to sit up at the counter but I tried to make it look all nice and festive.  I also poured them all grape juice in fancy wine glasses,,but a few minutes later I realized that was probably a really bad Mommy idea because one of my kiddos was so excited they were drinking wine and kept talking about it all through dinner that it kinda made my skin crawl.. I won't be doing that again. 

 Then my sweet hubby valentine woke me up this morning and surprised me by telling me that he had taken the day off just to hang with me!!! Since only our littlest and most mellow baby is home on Monday mornings it was a real treat to be able to spend the morning together!  Plus he did my laundry for me today (since I always do laundry on Mondays)  Yeah..I'm a happy girl, and feeling super loved today. 

Now for the debbie downer part of love day....so since when did kids get so fancy schmancy with the valentine card giving?  I used to think it was amazing if there was a piece of candy stuck to a random card... but today 4 little kids each came home with a huge bag full of awesomeness... some of the loot included...  mixed cd's, gift bags the size of a small puppy, professionally made cards with said  childs professional photo and personal message embossed inside, hand made stamped and filled gift boxes with baked goods. You get the picture.   

Seriously, come on, seriously, is valentines day becoming that commercial?  I refuse to buy in...to that extreme at least.  We get the sad little To: & From: fill your name  and tape a piece of candy to it kinda a cards and we are sticking to it.  That is my stand on that, just in case you were wondering...  But you know what it kinda makes me think...  Sometimes I feel like I can never do enough.. My house can't be clean enough or stylish enough.  My kids aren't in enough sports and they don't play the violin. I wear yoga pants with no intention of working out. I made mac and cheese straight outta the box for lunch the other day.  and please what ever you do don't open any one of my 15 junk drawers around the house.    All these things are a source of Mommy guilt for me, but for some reason, I see these over the top valentines and I wonder if those people were just trying to keep up, or "one" up, and it makes me feel free from guilt.  I don't want to play that game.    
Or maybe I am just being too cynical and they were just enjoying a fun little project with their kids... maybe I'm just a grump...maybe I just need some sunshine and I will get over myself...

Anywhoo...  Happy Love Day. Hope you all are feeling surrounded by love today! I'm gonna go have a dance party with the kiddos to this new awesome mix cd one of the kids got at school today :) and then probably swipe it for my mini-van...such a hypocrite :) 

Loves

15 comments:

Myra said...

HERE! HERE!!!!!!If it makes you feel better we didn't even go to the store...we printed our Valentines off the computer and colored them at home outselves! I'm not buying in either! By the way, we just got home 2 weeks ago with Will...remember we submitted out LOI's 2 weeks apart!! I bet that's hard for you to believe huh?? :)

Robin said...

Totally agree with the card thing! Happy Valentine's Day!

Blessings,
Robin

groovy mama said...

Ha those moms don't have a house full of kiddos- that is what i am thinking! oh well you made a good night of LOVE with your sweet little cupcake ands chocolate!...it is more then i did!.....my sister has them spoiled w candy, so why should i when she is nuts with spending!
Really it is just a marketing money scheme!
anyway, happy heart day!
donna ;0)

Merrill said...

Right there with you. The things that came home with my daughter today. Over done, for sure!

Stephanie said...

Amen! :)
Enjoy the rest of your Valentine's Day free from guilt! :)

Kristi said...

If it makes you feel any better, we didn't even get around to buying the "to/from" valentines this year. (Of course none of my kiddos are even in preschool...)
But the best valentines are made out of construction paper and LOTS of glue, and the best mamas have junk drawers overflowing and are never quite caught up with the laundry. Why you ask?
Because we are spending our moments loving on the littles in our lives...

The Sharp Family said...

Ohhh do I suffer from the guilt. There are certain blogs that read that just REALLY get me down!! LOL Blogs of perfect families with perfect kids doing perfect things... you get the picture. And then I look at my tiny house that is ALWAYS a wreck, my couch that looks like it has been through a war... I mean really. I just "ground" myself from reading them for a while until I get my attitude in check. Seriously. It's not just you!! XOXOXO <3

Gretchen said...

Hi Amy!

Happy V Day to all of you!

Off topic, I was checking for your last adoption timeline and it is not on your blog. Can you tell me how it went for you. I'm just curious as to what the wait is this time around. Thanks!

Amy said...

thanks all, what is it with us mama's and the mommy guilt...we just need to stop..i am the worst at it though... ahh Gretchen.. I never posted my time line to our sweet boy because it was insane, and no one should use it as a reference point. I will tell you miracles happened for me to bring my boy home in 3 months...from loi to gotcha..and i hadn't even started my dossier..crazy i tell ya!

Jen Barbee said...

Amen and amen! We do the to/from little cards too - actually this year Mia made her own - spelled valentine wrong on every single one - and I sent them right on in anyways. Don't let the mommy guilt get you down. It is just "the enemy" trying to steal, kill, and destroy your JOY. He does that to me quite often too!

Heather said...

What a blessed gal you are! Your hubby stayed home AND did laundry?! But yes, I do agree with you on the Valentine issue. I do see it getting ridiculous and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one! I have junk drawers... and *gasp* clutter, not to mention the constant -in-the-process laundry situation. I've (kind-of) come to accept it is not a sign of being a bad mother. It's a sign of being a busy mother that understands the priorities:) My children are happy, loved, clean, fed and cuddled every night! When they're grown (maybe) I will have time for the *perfect* house;)

chksngr said...

K, I'm one of the make-it moms...but its MY hobby and my big boy likes to participate...I don't do anything all THAT fancy, but we do some fun stuff...We did make adorable robot valentines this year with little Hershey bars attached...but at the last minute, i got overridden...he wanted store-bought to/from valentines with lollipops...and I gave in. I can use the robots for something else fun later on. I think for me the key is: is my kid into helping me make these fancy things...if he is, we go for it. But if he isn't, we go for something simple.

A Cup of Cold Water said...

hi!
i second what the person who posted before me said :). i love paper crafts and so while mine are too little to do much themselves, i LOVE the chance to make something! on the flip side, when it comes time for a potluck dinner or my turn to bring snacks to school... we do things that are super easy and usually prepared by someone else (like pepperidge farm!). i am NOT a cook. driven by a little mommy guilt, i tried to be creative in the kitchen cooking and baking but it was more stress than it was fun and what i made never looked like the recipe picture! we all have our personal strengths that play into our many roles as mother and so i now say, i will shine where i naturally shine and do my best without stress in the places that i don't. no worries, girlie! you SHINE as a mother of many and that is something that can't be fabricated! it's God-given and God-blessed! it is something i pray God will nuture in me as i would love it if He gave me the thumbs up to bring another home. but until He does, i've got my paper crafts! :) enjoy your day! :)
erika

Mandie said...

Totally understand the mommy guilt. I am constantly trying to figure out how those that look like they have it all perfected do it. My kids are happy so that should be all the matters unstead of trying to look like I have all together, at least that is what I am telling myself!

Hive for the Home said...

I attended the valentines party for my sons class...mind you I was 10min. late and illegally parked, but it was EXACTLY the same thing. My son got a professionally printed calling card from one of his classmates for valentines!?! What tha....what? All I could think about was the bathroom floor assembly line we had going the night before....he would address them and I taped the fun dip...in a mad rush to get finished so we wouldn't miss a re-run episode of Bear Grylls. I started to feel guilty when I walked in the room and all of the parents had sent huge balloon bouquets to their punkins........Forget all that noise!!! I would rather sit in the floor and tape fun dip till I can't feel my booty..as long as I am getting time with my kiddos. You ARE supermom!!