Love Gives: Valentine's Day 2015

Valentine's day is  a little cheesy, as we all know, we should be loving people everyday. One day out of the year shouldn't be "the day" to do thoughtful acts as it just creates expectations. Those expectations lead to let downs but it is still fun to surprise others or send some love, right? 

Leighton was busy last week making Valentine Cards for family. She signed, sealed, and delivered (to the mail box) all on her own. 

She was also busy crafting at school. Below is a Valentine wreath that we hung on our door. 

The girls and I also enjoyed getting Valentines in the mail from sweet family members too. Mom had given the girls "mail boxes" to hang on their chairs so they happily put all the cards they received in there….(aren't they cute? I think she got them from Pottery Barn)

Mimi and Big sent money for the girls to take us out for dessert, so we did just that at The Sweet Side in Wallingford Friday night.

And used Aunt and Unc's heart and lips cookie cutters to make festive toast with jelly this morning…

Wes and Leighton surprised Sadie and I with delicious festive Top Pot donuts when they ran to the store to get roses for the ladies at Columbia Lutheran Home. 

And Wes got me a small something, even though we had agreed on no gifts. Im glad he bought it though because it supports ladies rescued from sex trafficking in Nashville. The ladies there started a business that teaches them skills, builds their resume, provides income, and gives hope. It was a product made by Thistle Farms. We saw their story on the documentary, "A Path Appears", as we were astonished that sex trafficking was happening so close to where we grew up. Shop their stuff (I think the paper products are cool) and as always remember to gift well :) Thanks Wes. I thought it was cool that their products were stocked in a fair trade store here in Seattle. If you are in Ballard (neighboring neighborhood), Shop at Fair Trade Winds, local friends. 

 

The girls also help us make love an action not a feeling by handing out roses to our friends at Columbia Lutheran Home. Leighton quietly said "Happy Valentine's Day" and gave out 12 roses to 11 ladies and 1 man, Mr Bill. Sadie paraded around waving and saying hi, bye, and a version of "happy valentines day". 

Activities they enjoy at CLH nursing home: running in open spaces, getting trapped by Ms Ann, looking at the fish and swinging from Ms Ann's wheelchair bar.

 Wes and I also got a babysitter for an afternoon "day-date". Love the daytime date for all the reason I have previously mentioned HERE. We kept it local and decided to play tourist in our own city at Pike Place Market. First time there without visitors in town or kids in tow. But there were a ton of other people there as it felt like spring today, sun shining/upper 50s, not to mention it was a saturday and a holiday!

Leighton took our picture before we left. She accidentally hit a black and white filter but at least our heads weren't cut off. Artsy? 

 A little playing outside on this nice day with my little loves.