All Week Swoony

I am a straight-up sucker for Valentine's Day.

I think it started back in the 4th grade when my Mom and Dad helped me make a cassette tape Valentine's box out of an instant oatmeal box and some tin foil.

I'm sure you can only imagine how it ruled the school.

At least in my mind.

If I had thought it all through, I would have crafted a pretend Petra tape, too.

That would have sealed it.

In more recent years, I've taken to celebrating in different ways, but the point is - I still celebrate.

I give myself a backstage pass to Swoonyville for the entire week.

I talk about it with my kids. We make a few heartish messes.

We celebrate our love for each other and any other darn person, place or thing we please.

Adding to this year's excitement, we have a snowstorm brewing and no plans to go anywhere all day tomorrow. We'll do our sweatpants-wearing thang. I'll make a pot of soup. Calvin and Ruby will play their favorite variety of pretend - "Honey"*, and it will never be more timely.

Old Man Winter - you've got some nerve doing this again. Lucky for you, we'll be too covered in frosting and sprinkles to pay you any mind.


*Calvin is John and Ruby is Grace. They usually have numerous children and complicated jobs involving varying skill sets. They pack up bags and haul them to and fro and they only, only refer to one another as "Honey". Or sometimes, "Hon".

**For more on the wreath, click here.