Valentines week and the destructo-boy.

We worked on valentines this week - it was fun, and it's not even valentines day yet.  Monday night for Family home evening activity we all went to Target (my favorite store) to pick out the afformentioned valentines.  Andrew picked sports with stickers after much heming and hawing. Rachel immediately picked out Barbie one with tatoos, even though given the chance to have tinkerbell or princesses - does this mean she's growing too fast?  She doesn't even have a Barbie yet, although she's been talking about them lately.  Eric also immediately picked out Spiderman.  I will say the selection was not that great - probably that we are too close to the actual holiday - you know if I started shopping for valentines right before christmas I would probably have had a great selection - the way the stores put out the next holiday stuff BEFORE the previous one is even over.... (don't get me started)  Anyway.  We came home and put the kids to bed, Jeff and I were watching some show on t.v. (Castle I think.) and fell asleep.  Next thing I know I'm waking up hearing noises, so I go to check.  I find Eric sitting on his bed WITH his opened valentines - lovingly looking at them. (I think he was a 'little' excited about them.) Then I look over at Andrew's bed (where Andrew is sound asleep) and see Andrew's opened valentines very lovingly laid out on his bed.  I look at Eric and ask him if he opened all the valentines.  "yes, mommy."  Oh dear - Rachel's are also laid out on her bed.  How do you be mad when he has so carefully and lovingly tried to help and is so excited?!  Destructoboy strikes again!  (I guess I need to post about the rest of his adventures lately )
Well tuesday Rachel spent the whole day almost sitting and writing her name on all her valentines and coloring the hearts in.  Andrew did the same, although he was done in less than an hour.  I sat and peeled all our old broken crayons so that we could make valentines crayon hearts to give with our valentines. http://www.howdoesshe.com/2010/02/valentines-card-idea-with-crayons/ is where we got the idea - I love to look at craft blogs.  They turned out so cute and the kids had a ball picking the colors and watching them cool and seeing how they turned out. 
Friday was finally valentines parties at school. Both Andrew and Rachel had so much fun taking their valentines in and getting a bag full in return.  Eric had to take his with him too, so we dropped a one off at one of his friends so he wouldn't feel left out.  Then to top off all this valentine excitement, when we got the mail Friday there was a valentine from Grandma and a package from Aunt Shari.! 
- on a side note with all this creativity going on, my house has gone to pot, so I told the kids that before they could open the package, we had a little cleaning to do (I call it leverage! - and they work so much more willingly.)
The anticipation from them was great too - and of course the package didn't disappoint - Shari always sends such fun stuff - Thanks Shari !  I wish I had pictures of them opening in, but didn't have camera set up yet -
Yes - for my valentine, from myself and Jeff I bought a new camera - So watch for pictures soon! :)  Well Happy Valentines day to all my friends and family! Love you!