Valentine's Day is tricky. Eric and I (Eric especially) don't like to get caught up in too much commercialism surrounding holidays, yet I do like to do a little something fun for the kids.
This year I was going to be in Savannah with the girls on actual Valentine's Day so Eric and I planned a special dinner and little gifts for the girls a few nights before. We got the girls a card a little gift each. Evie got a new blanket and Maggie a new cloth diaper. We live in exciting times over here at the Buergler house. Seriously though, I have zero toleration for candy and trinkets. I made a simple cheese and meat fondue for family dinner. It was nutritious and entertainment all at once. Evie loved dipping her veggies in the cheese and Maggie had fun watching the action.
Evie has really loved coloring, using scissors, and using her stamp set so I capitalized on this. Instead of buying Valentine's for her class I helped her cut out hearts and write a message to each friend. After she finished her classmate's cards she asked to make Valentine's for her grandparents, cousins, and Maggie. It was fun dictating her little affirmations on to the valentines. This took us a full week but she was so motivated. I loved how proud she was to distribute the cards to her friends at school.
I was in charge of the preschool class Valentines Day Party (We all have to take a holiday). Parent party duties include providing a healthy snack, and playing two games. The other mom made heart shaped strawberries on a stick and I brought kettle corn made with a drop of red food coloring. For my game I made balloon ping pong with red paper plates taped on tongue depressors for the paddles. (The educator in me was proud of the team work, gross motor & eye-hand coordination lessons hidden in this). The kids thought this was hilarious. The teachers loved it so much they asked to keep the supplies for a rainy day.
After the school party was over, I threw the girlies in the car and we drove straight to Savannah to visit my brother, sister-in-law, and their kids. My mom was down there helping with the new baby. I was nervous traveling so far without Eric, but I was SO proud of how well the girls did on the 5 hour trip.
We arrived just in time for a little outside play time and dinner. Evie and cousin Zachary are non-stop when they're together.
Saturday morning I woke up early with Evie, Zach and Maggie while David, Paige and my mom slept in.
"Liz-a-bif, be quiet. MommyDaddyNanaBabyEllie are sleeeeeeeping"
I made the kids heart shaped pancakes and snuck out to the Pure Barre studio in Savannah. The kids played all day while I took Ellie's newborn pictures .
Nana helped the kids make Valentine's Day cookies. The two kids different personalities were very evident in their cookie decorating styles.
And then for dinner, David picked up some heart shaped pizzas from a local shop.
The plan was for us to stay through until late on Monday. I was going to help with some batch cooking to fill up their freezer. However, a potentially nasty snow storm was heading towards Atlanta and I didn't want to get stuck on the road. We decided to leave first thing Sunday morning to beat the snow. It ended up just raining but had it been snow we would have been screwed. While we missed out the extra day and a half of play time, I just couldn't risk the possibility of being stuck in rural Georgia with two little girls.
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