Valentine's 2016

As you already know I love holidays and special occasions.  I start planning well in advance how we will celebrate them. This year since Valentine's Day landed on a Sunday we started celebrating early.  I started the weekend off with a batch of heart cookies.  I baked them on Friday afternoon and we ate on them the whole weekend.  

some of our Valentine cookies

While I was making cookies David and Cruz drove into town to run some errands.  When they returned home they surprised me with an early present.  My birthday is next week so it was a combined gift for both occasions.

my Valentine/ birthday gift

riding bikes with my boys (my new favorite thing!)

I am not sure who has been more excited- me or the boys.  I have spent a lot of time on that bike since Friday afternoon.  It has been so much fun getting to ride with them and spend that time with them.

I had plans for us for Saturday morning but they quickly got changed when a backhoe showed up to do some work on the empty lot nearby.  When the boys heard it they immediately ran outside and spent the whole morning watching the guy work. 

Cruz, David, and a neighbor friend watching the backhoe move dirt and rocks

They took some dirt toys and played.  It ended up being a fun morning for them.

They have been begging for hair gel so we bought them some on Friday night while out buying team supplies.  David fixed both of their hair on Saturday morning.  Cruz thought it was the coolest thing ever.

Ben (with his wild hair) walking home from the dirt pile

Saturday night we had a date night.  That is rare for us these days.  A sweet missionary friend offered to watch the boys for us so we could go out to eat.  

Date night!!!  We don't look excited at all do we, ha.

The same friend recommended a seafood place to try so we took her advice.  We had fish and shrimp.  Here we are about to enjoy our meal.

Afterwards we drove across town to a local coffee shop for dessert and coffee.

Our ice cream crepe that we shared.  It was yummy!

This was my cappuccino.  The waiter had asked David where we were from.  He told them Mississippi and they tried to write in on my drink.  How fun!

They went around taking everyone's picture with a homemade Valentine frame they had. 

The boys with our friend Jessica.  She ended up taking them to the circus.  They loved that so it was a really fun night for all of us.

I did a fun breakfast for Valentine's morning.  We had chocolate chip heart shaped pancakes with heart shaped strawberries and whipped cream.  

Valentine's Day breakfast

David spent most of the day in the village of Nearar leading Bible study.  Then that evening we welcomed our next team.  In between we did squeeze in a family photo.  My holiday would not be complete without it.

our family on Valentine's Day 2016

It was a fun weekend!