Valentines Day!

What a happy day, Valentine's day was, in our home. Filled with lots and lots of love. So if you're fishing for the Valentine history in the Matthews home, you've come to the right place. Ben and I dated for two years before we were hitched. All two of those Valentines Days were beyond perfect. Ben would go above and beyond. Take me to the fanciest restaurants in Honolulu, and shower me with gifts of delicious perfume and beautiful clothes (Ben has amazing style). All of this is just Ben. When he does something he does it right. He does it with grace, with style, and with perfection. (I firmly believe, that anything Ben puts his mind to, he will do succeed without flaw. He never ceases to amaze me!)

This photo was taken on our way to the Restaurant on our 2nd Valentine's Day together.  (We ate near that boat on the bottom right hand corner. Dreamlike.)

So we get married on December 11. It was the most perfect wedding I could ever dream of. We spent the month of January doing everything together. . . the beautiful beginnings of the happiest days of my life (somehow it just keeps getting better!). February rolled around and Ben began his first job. The week leading up to V-Day I kept dropping sly hints about the holiday of love, but never really voicing it out. Most of my readers are girls. . . you know the drill, and boys, I'm sure you're vaguely aware of the drill as well, if not, well, you should. Anyways, Valentine's Day came. There was a huge snow storm that day and I locked my keys in our only car. Ben had to hitch a ride home with one of his co-workers, and then he spent about two hours in the freezing cold trying to open the car door. When it was all said and done, we ate a mediocre meal at home, and I had a pity party over our "disappointing" Valentine's Day.
Well, Ben totally spoiled me that weekend, bringing home flowers, taking me to a cooking class, and buying me some of my most favorite dishes to this day for our new home. Plus we had Canberra girl. Who was simply adorable.

I mean honestly, who could have a bad Valentine's Day with this adorable little puppy at home?!

Since this Valentine's Day Ben has continued to pull off wonderful Valentine's days. But I think that first one completely destroyed his confidence. So his new philosophy is "Anniversary is about us, Valentine's is about Rivers." And that's exactly how this Valentine's Day was. All about our little boy. And what a happy, happy day it was.

Grandma and Grandpa Matthews sent Rivs his very own Valentine package, full of stickers, crayons, a coloring book, a bear, a doggy box filled with cookies and an adorable Elmo card.

So we drew them a THANK YOU card! Thank you Grandma Julie and Grandpa Bob!!!! (sorry, I didn't mail the Thank you card, it was pretty big to say the least! But copy the picture for your desktop background and every time you get on the computer you'll feel little Rivs love!) 

Lately Rivs is loving crayons. . . and not to eat anymore! He's actually loving the potential the little sticks of color have! Here he is utilizing his stickers and showing off his crayons.

All pooped out!

And was coloring a thank you card for Grandma and Grandpa enough? No way, Rivs is officially an artist now. So, it was time to make dad his very first homemade by Rivs Valentine Card.

All the stickers Rivs did all by himself. He was loving life! 

Rivs Valentine present from his mommy and daddy. 

Daddy and Rivs went out to the store, and when they came home a Valentines gift with a candle light dinner was waiting for them. Rivers absolutely loved the candlelight dinner. I think he ate more because he kept snacking on his peas while he stared at the candlelight flickering across the table from him .

Okay, these watermelon slices, are the essence of nostalgia for me. Growing up, whenever my Grandma and Grandpa would come visit they would bring us each a box of watermelon slices. Because it was from Grandma and Grandpa, those watermelon slices were like gold to me. I cherished each bite and saved them for weeks, because one I loved them, but mostly because they were from Grandma and Grandpa (I can't save sweets for anything. That goes to show you how precious they are to me.) One day I was at patsy chocolate shop and I saw my watermelon slices! I was so excited about this discovery. So now, they are my gift to my little boy. A very special treat for a very special boy. 

Rivs also got . . . play dough! Immediately, daddy and Rivs started creating toys with his new dough. To put it simply, Rivs was in Heaven. The two of them pretended like they were were wearing  sunglasses and pretty soon the glass turned to spy holes, and then, they became walkie-talkies, and then they turned to cell phones. They played with that play dough, for at least a half hour. Rivers was so into it and full of laughs and smiles.

And here they are my two Valentines! The two most amazing boys ever! I love my Valentines! 

And for the record, this was the most perfect Valentine's Day I could ever imagine!