Valentine's Day Bonanza!

Before having Keira, I wasn't too interested in Valentine's Day. Basically, it just seems like a commercial holiday (to buy lots of candy & other unnecessary "stuff"). However, now that Keira is here, my perspective has changed! There are so many cute & fun things to do with holiday themes, so this year we did a lot to celebrate Valentine's Day!

To start off our Valentine's extravaganza, we had a session of Friend School where the theme was love/Valentine's Day!

Keira and Ella had a great time exploring the mailboxes before FS even started!

Keira loves to sing the intro circle time songs!

Attentive little students

(we missed Ethan that day)

Always gotta dress the weather frog!

Who is more excited to identify Keira's nametag?!

Elmo book about Valentine's Day:

Pass the instruments song:

The mama bear loves her baby

Feeling the soft bears

Learning about Valentine cards that go into the mailbox

Cutting out play-doh hearts!

Wow, so many fun things are in the rice bin!

First, you color on the coffee filter with markers...

Then you spray it with water to watch the colors run!

Mailing the Valentines!

Snack time!

Look closely to see the heart-shaped sandwiches and cheese!

Decorating salt dough hearts

Hard at work!

Good job, Ella!

Cameron did an awesome job with the dot stampers!

So careful with the sponge painting!

Using tissue paper to make a stained-glass heart

Friend School was so much fun!

The day before Valentine's Day was Monday, which is the day we have our playgroup. All our friends came over to our big park for a Valentine's Day party!

That's Jack attached to the leash!

Poor guy had to stay tied up the whole time, but some of the kids enjoyed petting him & Keira did a good job "protecting" him from getting too roughed up (but I think she was actually the one roughing him up!)!

Snack time!

Keira and her buddies

Cheesy smile for the camera!

Big girls on the swings!

Craft time!

The kiddos got to decorate paper bags to collect their Valentines in!

Hard at work!

Keira is excited about all her Valentine's loot!

Of course, she wanted to dig right in to the snacks!

Hey, Ella, have you seen these Pringles sticks?!

They're awesome!

The kiddos enjoying their special treats!

How we were able to round up this many toddlers for a group picture is beyond me!

We love our playgroup friends!!

The next day (Tuesday), was Valentine's Day!

We started the morning with our tradition of heart-shaped pancakes!

Yummy!

Mom, can I dig in already?!

After Daddy woke up (he has been pulling MANY late nights to finish his Master's project), it was time to exchange Valentines!

What could it be?!

A new copy of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom!

Technically, this wasn't going to be a Valentine's gift, but we included it anyway (her old copy was a paperback and it quickly got mangled when she was a baby).

Heart-shaped necklaces!

A Minnie Mouse chapstick!

She loves to use mine, so when she saw this, she kept saying, "My own, my own!"

Giving Daddy his Valentines!

I love you, Daddy!

After the Valentine's exchange at home, we had to run out the door to preschool!

Look at that hot pink glarch (glue+starch)!

It is so fun to play with!

Painting with cotton balls!

Building a big tower!

Fancy jewels in the sensory table

Walking on clouds (aka cotton balls)

She LOVED this!

Decorating her heart crown

Silly girl!

Counting cotton balls

Making cotton ball creations, based on the book "It Looked Like Spilt Milk"

So creative!

Snack time with her pals!

Waiting so patiently!

Such big kids!

After preschool, we were invited to Briana's house for a Valentine's Day lunch!

On our walk to the door, we came across these beautiful flowers!

Heart-shaped pizza?!

Yes, please!

Silly girl having lunch with her friends

Heart-shaped cookies for dessert

The girls in their Valentine's attire

Thank you, Briana, for having us over for lunch and a fun play time!

We had a great time!

Later that night, we ate a special Valentine's dessert!

My mom bought me heart-shaped cake pans for Christmas, so I got to put them to good use!

Keira giving Jack his Valentine!

I think he likes it!

Devouring the yummy cake!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. If you're wondering what the red mark is on Keira's chin in all these pictures, it's a scrape she got from going down the slide on her belly and bumping her chin on the cement. Ouch!