Oh, Valentine's...and a short monologue.

I like blogging for three reasons:
1)It's a journal of my family. My life.
2)It's a more personal way to keep updated on friends and family...well, more personal than a facebook status. You're able to read what's happening right from the horses' mouth (here's a two part question, where did that ridiculous saying come from and am I even saying it right?)
Lastly:
3)People, mostly women, have turned blogging into a livelihood. There's creative genius' online and I get to browse their blogs and better myself (become more awesome). Getting ideas and sharing them again with someone else has practically turned into a hobby. As a bonus, I like to be able to admire and support women with ideas and ambitions.
My life story p.o.v. on this is, I actually used to pride myself on not being crafty and not having well honed domestic skills but I have had a turnaround in the many moons since then. The phrase, 'necessity is the mother of invention', comes into play and it kind of took off from there. It’s rewarding to make life fun and fulfilling with what you have to work with. Don’t get me wrong, if anyone wants to share some millions I wouldn’t turn it down but as for now, this is a way for me to look at the glass half full instead of half empty. I can create what I need instead of being sad about not being able to buy it. I can make a food item I’m craving. I mean hello, store bought muffins are nasty and oily. Frankly, most of the things I make, or can make, I like better anyway. So there cruel world!

This post relates more to item #3 on my list. I pretty much want to show off.
We did a couple of fun things in honor of the day of love so consider this idea sharing. The pay if forward of blogging. Ah, sweet.

This is what I started out with for Porter's Valentines to hand out at school. Wait for it, it gets AWESOME!

Ta-Da! Trick of the eyes! It looks like he's holding a 3D sucker and guess what? It's real, no illusion!

25 Valentines later.

Buttermilk syrup. It was good. Like really good.

Red Velvet Heart Pancakes. Yet again, really good.

Chocolate dipped fortune cookies prepared for a punny result.

The goods inside the Chinese food box.

Almost there.

Hah! 'I am so fortunate to have you for a teacher!' Punny and sweet. This was for Porter's kindergarten teacher for Valentines. Porter often expresses his wishes for Mrs. Havens to come over for a play date. Teachers mean the world to kids.

Grady's Grand 2nd Birthday

Grady, like his predecessor brother before him, loves Frosty the Snowman. When I sing it, Grady gets diggy wit'it and starts bobbing his head to the beat of 'thumpety, thump, thump, look at frosty go'. I figured a snowman themed party was where it's at for my winter baby.

I am aware this tablecloth looks nasty but it was a disposable paper one and we had just had a pancake breakfast on it. I didn't think how it would contaminate my picture so! The main focus should really be on his tiny, cute lips, attempting to blow out two candles, which as it turns out, I blew out for him.

Pancake and sausage breakfast. Ooh la la

How incredibly genius is this?! That's rhetorical. It was not my genius however, but I have to say, I did alter it a bit...so though the doughnut head was not my own idea, the felt body was. It was a Neilson milkshake drink (they're nasty by the way, but I figure kids would like it because it's sugary. I don't have great faith in their palates yet. And I mean, I couldn't just buy plain milk, this is a party, who doesn't expect a supply of fun, sweet goodness. Forget the veggie platter.).

Craft. Grady was not interested but it was fun anyway.


Grady is excitedly opening this present from his Aunt and Uncle that was here since Christmas. There was a lot of anticipation behind him finally being able to open it.

This was the take home treat. We like to thank those that party hard with us.