Our Valentine's Day 2011 {Sunday Snapshot}

I have been hesitant to share what Dave did for me for Valentine's day for a few reasons.  The biggest reason is that while it was an extremely grand and romantic gesture to me...to us, y'all probably won't get it.  Which is fine. I decided that does not matter.  I want my kiddos to read this one day (and their spouses) and remember what a thoughtful and romantic Dad they had!

So we do not buy our kids things except on holidays for the most part. Our kids generally get gifts on their birthday and Christmas.  They get an Easter basket too.  Sometimes they each get a little something on Valentine's morning and they were so excited this year.

You might remember how Kate was coveting a beautiful box of chocolates?  I posted about it here. She talked about those chocolate boxes every single day for a month!  So, of course, that was her little surprise.  As you can see, she was delighted!   The only problem is that we re-discovered that as much as Kate LOVES chocolate, it makes her CRAZY.  Seriously, every single time she eats chocolate she has an emotional breakdown (which she is not prone to when not eating chocolate).  So, mostly she has admired the box and the chocolates and we change the subject when she asks to eat them.  She has had  a 1/2 of chocolate here and there. She loves the pretty box.

So excited!

Harry got a small hex bug maze.  He was thrilled.

Will got a nerf gun and was also thrilled.  Just little tokens to show some love.

We got the boys off to school.  Took a few photos with Kate and then took her to school...

(my friend Lori made this cute flower and ribbon belt:)

Dave took a vacation day on Valentine's day but he did not tell me where we were going. We grabbed a quick breakfast and took off heading out of the city and into the country.  This is where I need to give a little background.  Last September, you might remember that we went to Roundtop.  Roundtop is an enormous antique/decorative/designer outdoor show.  It happens twice a year in Texas and people come from all over for it.  Well, we went and wandered into this big tent.  Honestly, I remember going in there because it was so darned HOT and this tent had air conditioning and free margaritas.  Anyway, they were selling luxury bedding.  Specifically, they sell these Hungarian goose down feather pillows.  So, we cooled of and they propped us all up in these beds and pillows.  They adored Kate (and Will too). Harry was at a sleepover.

{these are with my point and shoot from back in September}

They want you to get in the beds.  They insist on it.  And we know why.  It feels like absolute HEAVEN.  Dave and I both have bad necks and backs.  Dave has had back surgery and I spend a lot of time and money at the chiropractor.  We felt like we were floating in these pillows.  We wanted them badly.  But they were out of our price range and we were not planning on buying them.  The "system" calls for 3-4 of the pillows in order to give the correct support. And they are odd sizes too so you need to purchase the shams as well.

We went back home and looked up these pillows on line.  We were sold.  We wanted them but we knew it was not something that was going to happen anytime soon (if ever). Every night when we got into bed, we would fluff our company store pillows and sigh and say, "Ahhh...Hungarian goose down" and laugh.  It became our little private joke.  We talked about them all the time.  "Hungarian goose down" became our private joke.

Well, there is a little store out in the town of Roundtop that sells these pillows.  They are normally closed on Mondays and they were closed on Valentine's Day.  But Dave called and told them our story and that he took the day off and wanted to surprise his wife with one or two of these pillows to start the system.  The manager generously offered to open the store just for us.

Some photos of the European Luxury Linen shop

They also carry beautiful antique linens

So, my sweet husband bought me three enormous Hungarian goose down pillows and shams for Valentine's Day! I feel so special that he planned this all and had them open the store for us. Dave knows that this is a frivolous but romantic purchase and he hopes it will help my neck which is so bad from the car accidents. I love that my husband really thought about something that I would never buy for myself and that he wanted to make me happy.  I am so blessed.  He is the BEST husband.

Trying out the various pillows in the "system"

And I feel really bad because we don't usually give each other gifts for Valentine's day (we usually do a  special dinner).  I made him a card/love letter. I even put a doily and glitter on it.  But I did not buy him something.  And I feel bad about that.  We are trying to spend less money so I thought I was being fiscally responsible.  Which to my husband is actually very romantic:)


**I know there are always more photos of Kate.  There is a reason for that.  My boys literally roll their eyes and the sight of my camera.  They do not like me taking their photos right now.  Kate hams it up for the camera.