Perfect Love Day

I've always loved Valentine's Day.  I love it even more now, especially since I get to spend it with these two Valentine's of mine. 

(This is one of the best pictures of these two.  Seriously makes my heart skip a bit I love them so much!)

Since our Anniversary is the following week, we've turned Valentine's Day more into a family celebration of love rather than just about the two of us.  It's perfect because the following week it is much easier to get a dinner reservation!  

I started planning Valentine's Day out in January.  I had so many ideas, while not all of them happened, the ones that did were absolutely perfect.  I was so happy, excited, filled with pure JOY! that I literally couldn't even hold still or stop smiling the whole time.  

Jason had to work on Valentine's Day but he had the day before off so as our special Vday activity we headed up to Midway to explore the Ice Castles.  Ashton loved them.  They were amazing to look at and so fun to walk through.  We went on a warmer day so things were getting pretty melty.  Ashton loved picking up ice chunks and throwing them or trying to catch water drops in his mouth (until it landed in his eye and that was the end of that).  Unfortunately it ended up raining on us so we didn't spend as much time there as I think we would have otherwise.  

The next stop was Dairy Keen.  Ashton is absolutely obsessed with trains.  It is the first thing he wants to play with in the morning and when we ask him what he is going to dream about at night it is always trains.  Needless to say I thought this was the perfect place for him, "home of the train".  It was even better than I remembered it.  It had the big train that goes around the ceiling that he was mesmerized with the whole time and it also had train pictures and model train decorations all around that he loved pointing out to us.  There was even a big train table with tons of trains and tracks that he could play with.  He left the restaurant in tears because he never would have left otherwise.  

On Valentine's Day we had a yummy family breakfast of cinnamon rolls.  We were all about making presents this year.  I made Ashton an alphabet book with pictures of him doing different activities ("A is for Ashton, B is for Bike" etc.)   Ashton and I gave Dad some presents/arts and crafts cards we had made with some treats.  

Jason had hidden love notes all through out the house so while he was at work he would text me a hint to find each one.  I loved this because it made the entire day special.  He also made me a dozen red duct tape roses.  A few years ago I got pretty upset with him for getting me waaaaaay to expensive flowers.  I couldn't stop smiling over these handmade roses that will last me much much longer than real flowers.  I love that Jason is thoughtful enough to look up how to make something like this and then spend all that time making something just for me.

  

Merry Valiversary

Last February Jason attended an INS (International Neuropsychological Society) Conference in Canada.  I was bummed he was leaving me with a little two and half month old, and that he was going to be gone over Valentine's Day, but I wasn't that jealous that he was going to Canada.  

This year however the conference was in Hawaii, so we took full advantage and decided to combine Christmas+Valentine's+Anniversary for a nice vacation for just us two.  It was much needed and came at the perfect time.  We spent four days just the two of us.  We didn't event turn the TV on once while we were there, which really meant a lot to me.   

Day One was mostly traveling.  We stayed at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, on Hawaii Island, which is where the Conference was being held.  This place was amazing.  It is so big that it has a tram and boats that takes you from one end to the other.  We still walked most everywhere I wanted to enjoy the sunshine as much as possible.  It is located right on the ocean and the views were incredible, no matter which way you looked. 

It was also filled with so many different kinds of birds and other natural wildlife. 

We spent most the day exploring everything and then met up with Jason's friend, and mentor, Brock for dinner. 

Day Two was the day Jason was presenting at the conference so while he got all dressed up and headed out to be smart,

 I dressed down and spent the morning reading and relaxing here.  I read a whole book and half this trip.  Can't remember the last time I was able to have enough time to myself to just read like that.  

Jason joined me that afternoon for some pool time and snorkeling . The resort has a big ocean fed lagoon in the middle of it.  I had heard that you can often see sea turtles in the lagoon and was determined that we would see one.  We ended up seeing so many, this was the first time I had ever seen one in the wild, another thing checked off my bucket list. 

 Since the lagoon is directly connected to the ocean there were all sorts of incredible fish that I had never seen snorkeling before.  That night we found an empty hot tub and just relaxed together.

Day Three I made Jason take me to breakfast at Lagoon Spoon.  They have the most genius breakfast menu.  You pick two cereals and two toppings, and milk.  I went with Cookie Crisp, Frosted Flakes, Gumi Bears, and Skittles, don't worry I used Skim Milk.  Jason had granola and fruit (still love you and your healthy cereal choices)

We spent the morning whale watching from our breakfast table.  That afternoon we went with some of Jason's friends and drove to Hapuna Beach and went boogie boarding and played in the ocean.  That night we met up with more people and drove up Mauna Kea, to go star gazing.   

Day Four we spent breakfast whale watching again.  It was migration season for humpback whales and we couldn't even keep count of how many we saw.  

We went snorkeling one more time and this time we got up close and personal with the sea turtles.  I thought one was going to kiss me it came so close, instead it ate a leaf right in front of my face.  We realized they would eat the leaves right out of our hands.  

Jason said he thought this was the best part of the trip.  

We hit up the water slide and hot tub and swam through the different waterfalls that run into the pools before we had to go pack up.  We had to check out of the hotel at noon but didn't need to leave for the airport until 5:30 so we left our bags and took a trolly to some shops to get Ashton a present.  We had some time to kill when we got back so we sat and watched the dolphins.  Oh ya did I mention the resort had dolphins?  This was another daily thing for me.  I could watch them forever.  

There was a mom with a five month old baby, this made me miss Ashton the most watching how the little baby just followed the mommy around the whole time.  Our flight home was delayed and miserable.  While the trip was too short and over too quickly I was sure excited to see my little Ashton baby.  Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Beckstrand for taking such great care of him for us. 

January 4th, 2008...

The date Jason got tricked into taking me to the Mandarin on our first date.  I may or may not have faked car problems, to get him to see me, but in the end we ended up at the Mandarin together.  

February 11th, 2012... Jason took me back to the Mandarin for the first time to celebrate an early Valentines and Anniversary, our "Valiversary".   

Jason was in Montreal the week of Valentines Day to a Neuroscience Conference for school... ya he is kinda smart.  

However, I was not thrilled about the idea of being left at home for the week with an 11 week old baby.  This was only the second time we have been a part from each other for an extended period of time too.  But he more than made up for it. Everyday he was gone I got an e-mail with a poem/riddle that led me to a present he had hidden someplace in the house.  Candy. Gift Cards. Flowers. and the last day was a Kindle Fire.   

It gave me something to look forward to everyday.  Jason is always so thoughtful and I love him for that.

Plus I still had a pretty cute Vantines date.  

We celebrated our 3rd Anniversary on the 21st.  I've been following the "traditional yearly gifts" 1st year- paper (airplane tickets) 2nd year- cotton (new shirt) 3rd year- leather.  I had a hard time figuring out what I wanted to do for this but I found these handmade leather tags on Etsy that made the perfect gift.  Oh and a steak dinner, cause steak is the inside of leather.  

Love you Jase! Thanks for creating another perfect Valiversary.

As Always

He nailed it...

Perfect Valentines.  Again.  Thanks baby.

Tulips

I love Tulips.

I love Tulips at work.

I love Tulips at work from my Husband.

I love Tulips at work from my Husband for Valentines Day.