with love from The Rice Ranch

I make no apologies for being the biggest kid on the planet when it comes to holidays- ESPECIALLY Valentine's Day. It's in my top three favorite holidays, right up there with Christmas and Easter. I looooooove Valentine's Day.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

^^^^^^ just had to throw those in there for emphasis.

I changed my blog banner today- did you notice ? I may or may not have spent one full hour designing it - cropping, pasting, fitting cupids and doily hearts and roses into a grid on picmonkey.com to form what I hope looks like a vintage Valentine with my girl in the corner of it. I think I texted seven people when I was finished, asking them to take a look at what I made... something tells me I should still be in a second grade classroom somewhere, waiting for my friends to open their handmade Valentines that I stayed up all night assembling. But alas, I am 45, and so instead, I funneled all of my creative and maybe over-excessive passion for this holiday into my blog banner. Please consider it my special Valentine to you. You're welcome.

I took pictures of the Lilybird on Wednesday night before church in her red dress and sweet Valentine's bow (from @jujubee_creations on Instagram, whom I'll be blogging about very soon!). These ended up being some of my very favoritest pictures of Lily ever, so I hope you don't mind if I go ahead and post all forty two billion of them. She is so darn cute, it's hard to narrow it down to just one or two ! But I'll try....

I did the same with Hayden today (minus a dress and bow) . I got his outfit on eBay a few months ago, and I have been beyond impatient for this holiday to get here so he could wear it. (If you remember seeing him wear it in pictures at Christmas time, please forget about it for this post, okay ?)

My Valentine's table is set tonight, and all that needs to be added is a big pile of pink heart pancakes and some orange juice. As per tradition, we will play That's Amore from the Babe soundtrack (the movie about the pig, in case you wondered) as the children come downstairs to see the candy-strewn table. Each child gets a sticky note under his or her chair, promising something fun - a trip to the dollar tree, or a pedicure by mama, or a date with dad... Each note is age appropriate, so there have been a few "good for one girlfriend of your dreams" post-it-notes in the past, for teenage sons. Let's just say that Cupid delivered on those, and now I am two sons less at the Valentine's table this year. Sob.

This post is just a little preview of what's to come. Tomorrow I'll take pics of the kids at the table, and of course the pink heart pancakes, and I'm sure I'll take a few of my Big Date... I promised my favorite and only grandson I would take him out for hot cocoa and cookies tomorrow, and I'll probably bring Lily along too. Stay tuned for part two of this post, which will include those photos and a video or two as well.

Before I post the rest of tonight's photos, I have to share the sweetest little love letter that just came into my inbox ...

Dear Lily,

Rumor has it that there are quite a few, more like quite a million, young men that would love to have you for a Valentine. SO, I actually told my mommy that I would even pose for a picture just for you if you would be my Valentine. I don't do pictures like you do. I am not too eager to be photographed. And I sort of like to turn my head the other way when my mama is telling me to say cheese. I know what I am doing; don't tell anybody. But I put my best pose forward for you my dear love. And your name is the only name I say other than mama and dada. I won't even say my siblings names. You have been on my heart since the first day I saw you on that computer screen when we were just babies. I get SO excited every time my mommy shows me your pictures and all those videos. My favorites are the ones when you are dancing. I could watch you dance all day and night long! You are one special young lady. You will forever have my heart! Would you be my Valentine? I included my picture putting my best pose forward. And I included a picture of my cute baby brother too hoping he will help me get a yes. I know you may have many young men coming for you, but you will be the only one I am asking. xoxo

Love,

Benji

Aren't they just TOO cute ??? Of course, Lily said yes ;)

Sammy is snoring loudly in the distance, and I am fading fast too ...so I will dump these photos and call it a night....