Because Valentines Day fell on a Sunday this year, we did most of our celebrating on Saturday the 13th. What did we do? We decided there was no better way to celebrate love, then spend the time uniting families in the temple. Attending the temple is an all day affair. We packed breakfast and lunch, grabbed a few movies, and planned to stop somewhere on the way home for dinner.
We accidently left our EZ pass in the car, so it took a little longer than usual since we had to stop and pay cash at all the toll booths. It's a good thing I had the 30.00 in cash I needed to get through them all. Despite that we made good time and pulled up to the temple 3.25 hours after we left home. Even though it is a long 13 hour day, the kids love going to the temple. It makes it a little easier with all the new kid friendly updates the visitor's center has finished. It's also nice that they finally opened the stake center next door for families to use to feed their children, and give them a break from the visitor's center.
Although I am really excited for the Philadelphia temple to be open this fall (it's 2 hours closer and only 4.00 in tolls :)), I will miss the beauty and majesty of the DC temple. It will always be a place that holds so many dear memories in my heart.
On the way home, we stopped at TGI Fridays. We were lucky to score a table in the corner . It gave us a bit more seclusion to everyone else.
Not sure why Eliza's face is so funny here, but she did have a good time.
We discovered that Hazel loves Penne noodles with red sauce. She ate 3/4 of Zabien's dinner. She even decided to be extra helpful and clear her plate from the table. She ended up throwing her plate on the floor when she was finished. At least it only broke into 4 equal pieces. We would have been out the door before the plate incident if our server hadn't brought us the wrong check. I'm pretty sure I didn't order $50.00 worth of alcohol. When we finally got our check and plate issue sorted out, we put on one more video and finished the drive home.
Fortunately, Bruce's early morning meetings were cancelled so he got to help me get everyone ready for church the next morning. He gave us these awesome valentines.
I didn't take a picture of the kids' valentines before they dug into them, but I think they were especially excited about their valentines.
Zabien got an plush Olaf doll and fleece throw. Hazel got a plush Belle doll and fleece throw. Eliza got a Frozen fleece throw and a Pocahontas Barbie doll. Smiles and excitement all around.
Two days after Valentines, Bruce brought me home these lovely flowers. I really was surprised (because he never brings me flowers). When he told me how he acquired them, I was quite proud and laughed out loud. Outside the classroom where he teaches senior seminar, there was a box of flowers labeled "please discard." He picked through the best ones, and put them in his plastic water bottle and presented them to me when he got home. Now that is love.....carefully selected the best of the discarded flowers. :)
The following weekend, we hired a babysitter (for only the 3rd time), and attended the stake adult social. Bruce put what he learned in 5th grade to work and created this little origami hat complete with a pirate face. He even won this candied apple as a consolation prize for his efforts.
We danced the night away. I nearly fell over laughing when, to my surprise, Bruce took the lyrics to the song "I will survive" literally and laid on the ground to the words: "Do you think I'd crumble; did you think I'd lay down and die?" It brought even more attention to everyone when to the words, "I will survive", I pretended to do CPR. Although we were both laughing hysterically, it caused quite the commotion amongst our surrounding dance partners who thought I had pushed him over. Later we were complimented on our mad dancing skills, and told that we danced as if we were the only ones on the dance floor. We had a great time, made even better when we heard the all the kids (even Hazel) went to bed without a problem and were sound asleep when we got home. Happy Valentines Day Mr. Bruce - thanks for being my eternal Valentine.
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