Cupid's Creations

As a kid, I remember the best part about Valentine's day was getting cards and giving cards to your friends. And of course.. picking out that very special one in the box for that very "special one". Then going home to read them all and see if your friends put as much effort as you did. It's so cute to see my little cupids getting just as excited. Well, except for that "special one". We haven't gotten there yet, and I'm TOTALLY okay with that. Momma doesn't like to share her cupids. All of their arrows are for me. Until otherwise stated. :)

My little cupids love showering others with their love. If I let them carry arrows, they would love shooting those too. They are all boy!! Loveable, adorable BOYs! They decided they had so much fun making valentines last year and wanted to create valentines for their class this year. Not a big deal except scrapbooking and card making do not make my creative juices flow. I had to think of something simple that wouldn't break the bank considering they had to make over 20 cards each. Who would've thought paper could be so expensive! We perused the internet for ideas, but never really found any. We went to the craft store and found some rubber stamps and the boys picked out some cardstock. We came home and went to work. It looked like a scrapbooking store had exploded in their rooms. Oh the fun they were having.

Little cupid putting his valentine's together

Big cupid rubberstamping

Signing party

Final product

The other cool thing about Valentine's Day I remember as a kid was the cool box you made to put all your valentines and candy in. Little cupid made his in class, but big cupid had to make his at home. Fortunately mommy had just bought some shoes. He thought and thought and finally came up with the idea to make a love robot. He made it all by himself with a little help for the head heart from mommy.

Now that all the valentine's crafts were done, it was time to start thinking about the food for the party. YUMM!!! Now THIS gets my creative juices flowing. I missed the sign up for little cupid's party, but I signed up for cupcakes for Big Cupid's party. We looked at the internet together to get ideas for cupcakes. Nothing caught his eye, until he saw chocolate covered strawberries. "Mom!!! That's what I want!!! A cupcake with white frosting and a chocolate covered strawberry on top!" He shot his loving arrow and **poof** mommy made the cupcakes he wanted. He has always had sophisticated taste. When he was three he wanted shrimp and ribs, not a happy meal. A year ago, he said, "Mom for my birthday can we go eat a filet mignon." LOL!! I love this kid! He knows good food!

The kids went nuts over these. They begged for seconds, of which there were none.



I can't leave out the best part of Valentine's Day when you are all grown up. That's being able to shower my special Valentine with lots of love. We had a great lunch. I do not like fighting the crowds for Valentine's dinner. After knowing each other for almost 12 years, I'm over it. Instead, I made his favorite dinner: enchiladas and spanish rice (homemade). We put the kids to bed. Enjoyed a movie and a delicious dessert:

It was a great day! I am very blessed to have adorable little cupids running around my house telling me each day how much they love their mommy. I am also very blessed to be married to my best friend. It is not always paradise, but it is reality. Not perfect, but definitely blessed. Where each of us falls short, the other compliments and strengthens. A true partnership. Blessed, created, and orchaestrated by God.

Day of Parties

Tis the season for shopping, baking, and of course... Christmas Parties!!!! While Christmas parties are great, having THREE in one day has officially worn me out. Especially when two of them involve 20 kids that have eaten 5 months of sugar allowance in about 10 minutes. Yes, I contributed to that sugar consumption with some help from my little elves.

If I am not crafting with fabric, I am using my next favorite medium: buttercream frosting made from scratch. This is the first year that both boys are in school together. Meaning, I have to juggle two Christmas parties. Fortunately the youngest elf's party started at 1:30pm and the oldest elf's party was at 2:30. I believe I make the cutest cakes and cupcakes (yes, that was prideful, because I do take pride in my sugar creations), so I signed up to bring cupcakes to BOTH of the boys' class parties. For those who are counting that is 48 cupcakes! After perusing the internet for the cutest ideas, I settled on melting snowmen. Something cute that the boys could help me with. They love getting into mommy's frosting and helping bake goodies. Actually, I think they wait to see how much of mommy's frosting is left over for them to steal so that the garbage can doesn't get the pleasure of consuming mommy's buttercream frosting.

Preparing for the challenge

My little elves helping at their "stations"

Oldest elf filling up cupcakes

Littlest elf giving it a try

Mommy and little elf attaching heads to cupcakes

Both elves admiring their work

Melted snowman

Melted snowman army

(They have no idea the battle of 40 kids they will enter)

My goodness this elf is soooo cute

My oldest elf. He's sooo handsome. What a little man.

So after I have prepared for and attended each class party. I whisk the boys home where I finish off the remaining cupcakes for my work party. There was NO WAY I was going to let those extras stay in the house! The snowmen that had escaped the vortex of kids, was about to meet..... the nurses!!! Not one snowman survived I am happy to report. I love my nurses I work with! They make my job enjoyable and so much easier. There is nothing like working with a great team.

My little elft, myself, and Gunilla

(She cracks me up!!! Watch out, between the two of us, you never know what will be said!)

Kylie, myself, Kara,and little Braylie

(Kylie lets me love on Braylie to get my baby fix. Kara is my craft partner in crime)

There are so many others of my partners in crime I did not get photo'd with! I truly love my girls I work with!

The best part of our party was our Secret Santa exchange and reveal. We have been giving and receiving small gifts all week.

I was secret santa for Aurora, one of our charge nurses.

(Oh the things I could say that would make you laugh so hard you pee in your pants)

My gift from my secret santa- oh the endless possibilities

(Absolutely my favorite part of the night)

So overall, today was busy, merry, and blessed. I am officially.... EXHAUSTED!

My elves are tucked away in their beds with visions of sugarplums in their heads. The clock will strike 6 tomorrow and I will dress in blue, to welcome the babies anew. Hand them to moms who's faces light up with joy, whether it is a girl or boy. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.