Happy Valentine's Day!

The girls woke-up to a special Valentine's Bear, some socks, a candy and a balloon scepter and crown. The bears are special because Kade actually gave them to me in our first years of marriage and our girls have liked them so much that they each got one to keep for their own. I am keeping the white bear for my own, which is the bear Kade used to officially propose to me with (That fun story is at the end of this blog submission). We will use the bears every year to help decorate for Valentine's Day. (Kari is above with her's.)

Kya
Kiera
Kari has chipmunk cheeks with the chocolate already in her mouth. They look so cute with their crowns and scepters. They went around waving the scepters like magic wands and singing "bibidy bobity boo" from Cinderella.
"Cheese", says Kiera. She is also trying to get her chocolate in her mouth before mom and dad hide it until they have had brunch.
Here is a special table set for Kari and Kya to eat at for our Valentine's Brunch.
We didn't get any pictures with people in it at the table for our Valentine's Brunch, but we did get the table. We had a Valentine's Day Brunch with Grandma and Grandpa Cheesman, Uncle Kyler and Aunt Hillary, Grandma Beth, Aunt Karla, Uncle Clint, and all of us. We had pink waffles and special Cheesman Reuinion Syrup (it is soooo goood!), pink milk, scrambled eggs and ham, and delicious fruit. We loved having everyone over and it was such a fun Valentine's Day for us!

*Cheesman Reunion Syrup:
-1 cup butter
-1 cup heavy whipping cream
-1 cup sugar
- a splash of vanilla extract
Mix all together in a sauce pan and stir until it boils. Let it boil for 1 minute and serve warm over the pancakes or waffles. You don't need to butter your pancakes or waffles with this syrup.

*My Sweet Valentine's Memories of the Past:

I remember growing up with homemade valentine cards, I especially liked making the snowflake heart ones. My parents had a tradition of leaving us a valentine card and some simple little trinket like a little cheap bracelet or styrophome hang glider by our beds for us to wake up to on Valentine's morning and we LOVED IT!!! The card would always be a cheesy and very endearing original poem from my dad and they were specific for us individually (I still have some of them and I cherish having them). Mom would dye the milk and pancake batter pink for our special "hot" Valentine’s Day breakfast (hot breakfast was a treat because it was usually cold cereal). Even more exciting than our own Valentines was to see what dad had done for mom. Every year we would wake-up and see what he had put on the kitchen table for mom, usually a spread of all her favorite little things. A bottle of Pink Catawaba (white and red grape juice mixed together) that they would share together alone later that night, shrimp and shrimp cotail sauce, her favorite crackers and cream cheese spread, nectarines, blueberry filled pastries, and almond Roca are the things are remember most commonly. Dad would top it off with a small bouquet of roses and an extra special homemade card for mom with an extra special original poem just for her (I don't remember being allowed to read those ones). I remember mom's reaction every year and knowing how much they loved each other! There is a picture of when I was one year old and my dad is holding me while he is standing by his Valentine's display at the kitchen table. He is wearing a white tux shirt and pants. The ruffles of the tux shirt had a powder blue edge. Growing up I always thought that shirt was the oddest shirt, but I'm sure she found it very romantic. I still know that my parents love each other a lot and they are a great example to me of how to treat your spouse.

One of my favorite Valentine's memories with Kade was our first. We knew we were going to get married, but the ring hadn't come yet so it wasn't completely official, but I didn't care I was just ecstatic that I was actually going to get to marry HIM! I would be in Logan on Valentine's Day so I left all the supplies for a great 'heart attack" with my mom and sister and they decorated Kade's room for me. I was so excited to have it be a surprise for him. I included a framed picture of us together and his favorite candies. The weekend before Valentines Kade and I were to meet in Salt Lake at Kade's aunt's home to spend some time together. I raced down to Salt Lake after classes on Friday, I was SOOO excited to see him! He had gotten there first and when I went to put my bag in the room I was staying in - it had burning candles, a big white bear with a valentine’s heart on it and it was holding a single white rose. There were also chocolates scattered all over. Kade (and his aunt lingered in the hallway) followed me in the room. I was definitely surprised! He motioned for me to check out the bear and the rose. After I did he asked me to really look at how beautiful the rose was. I did and it was beautiful, I commented on it and just wanted to go hug and kiss him. He was rather insistent that I continue to inspect the rose. I did and it was beautiful. He told me to smell it. I did and it was lovely. I still just wanted to kiss him, but he wanted me to smell the rose again and then again. I was obviously missing something and unaware that I was missing something because he asked me to look into the rose to see how beautiful it was as I smelled it - ahhhh! To my surprise I saw my very beautiful and nearly transparent ring in the rose! It was new white gold and really did blend into the rose petals. I was kind of shocked because I hadn't thought about an actual formal proposal. I took the ring out and Kade got down on one knee and officially proposed. (Kade's aunt is in the hallway crying and so excited because she knew what was going on.) Of course I said 'Yes' and then I finally got to hug and kiss him. It was such a sweet surprise because I really didn't expect it. I still have that white bear and I will keep it because it is mine from my sweet first real Valentines with my hubby.
I hope you all had a great Valentine's Day!