Poetry and Chocolate Cake

 Our Valentines' Day started off with our annual homeschool poetry recital and Valentine exchange. And I was in charge of it this year. We got out the door later than I wanted to, because I was feeding Rue, and we still had to stop at Macey's grocery store to pick up the balloons I wanted for table decorations. So we were late. But it all worked out. We set up the tables and the kids arranged their Valentine boxes all in a line so it would be easy to pass out Valentines without missing anyone's box. Our boxes were pretty low key this year. Aaron folded pieces of poster board into a box shape, and the kids decorated them. That was about as fancy as we were going to get this year, since we've all been sick the last couple of weeks. We did store bought Valentines too. Some years you just have to do what's the easiest and be ok with it.

The exchange went well, but my very favorite part of the activity was the poetry recital. Am I a dork or what? :) But I love it. I love that the kids get to memorize poetry, and I love that their motivation for doing so is because they get to recite it in front of their friends. And I love that my kids get to hear their friends reciting poetry. Some of the kids get really animated when they recite and it's awesome!

Both of my boys recited poems. It was fun to watch them pick which poem they wanted to do. Lincoln recited It's Raining Pigs and Noodles by Jack Prelutsky, and Ivan did Captain Hook by Shel Silverstein. They both did an excellent job. And this year, they pretty much memorized their poems all on their own. Occasionally I had to remind them to spend some time practicing their poems, but both boys pushed themselves and did what they needed to do to memorize without me having to do any of it. Awesome!

Adelia flat out refused to memorize a poem the entire time leading up to the day. Then, at the recital, at the very last second, she tugged on my sleeve and told me she was going to go up and say the ABCs. I told her that was fine. And she went up there, got the microphone, introduced herself and then kind of froze. She motioned for me to come up and help her, and then told me she wanted me to tell her the ABCs while she said them into the mic. She knows her ABCs, but whatever, so I helped her. And she was very proud of herself.

After the recital the grown-ups stood around and chatted, it was a beautiful sunny 65 degree February day, while the kids decorated sugar cookies and played on the playground. It was a great way to spend off Valentines Day morning, with lots of people that I love.

We came home and the boys went to play with a friend, so Adelia helped me in the kitchen while Ollie and Rue had naps. Del loves to help me in the kitchen. And when it's just me and her one on one I love to let her help. We were making our traditional Valentine's Day Black Forrest Cherry Cake, which is my favorite cake of all time, and is to die for. I only ever make it on Vday, because it's that good.

Del got in a few dances with her Daddy, while I fed Rue and we waited for the cakes to bake.

And here's a few shots of my other cute Valentines:

This kid loves his trains.

We had the adult session of stake conference tonight. And since we couldn't find a baby-sitter, Aaron gave me a pretty fantastic Valentines' Day gift...he let me go to stake conference by myself, while he stayed home and fed the kids, put them to bed, and cooked an amazing steak dinner for two, for us to eat together when I got home. That man is a keeper for sure!!

Stake Conference was fabulous. I was so glad I was there. It felt like every speaker had something to say specifically to me. We have some really amazing leadership in our stake, and some awesome people in general. I feel so blessed to be living here, and learning from everyone.

And it was perfect to come home to a quiet house, a lovely dinner, and a handsome husband. I enjoy so much the little bits of time like this where we are just the two of us (plus Rue tonight, but she was good) and we can talk and laugh and dream. It helps us to bond, and to face another day as a team. After nights like this I am convinced we could take over the world together if we wanted to. :)

I love you Aaron Swan. And I am so happy to be married to you. Thank you for the perfect Valentines Day, it might be the best one we've ever had together.