Happy Valentine’s Day 2013

I decided to give myself a treat this morning for breakfast, so I cut up this fresh pineapple for breakfast (don’t worry, I cut off more of those outside bumpies before I ate some).  It was so juicy and sweet and was a lot easier to cut up then I thought.  I don’t know why, but I’ve always felt intimidated by having to cut off all the outside and core of a pineapple.  But it wasn’t bad at all.

On the parenting CD’s I was listening to on the way to and from work, the instructor was talking about the 3 love languages (I know there’s a book out that says there are 5).  But on this CD it’s the love languages of 1) touch/affection, 2) verbal, 3) showing it through actions.  I’m not sure which of the 3 is my most predominant love language, and today I was watching Autumn closely to see what type of love language she mostly expresses.  I wasn’t able to determine which one she is, but I’ll have to pay more attention.  She was so excited to show us how she learned to bounce a basketball today.  So, we went outside so she could show us.  The basketballs were flat, so Papa showed her how to pump them up w/ air.

She did really good, and I love this blurry shot I got of the ball moving.  She needs to push down harder when she’s bouncing the ball so that it will bounce back up higher.  It keeps getting lower and lower until she’s hunching over to bounce it.

But, she was able to run and dribble at the same time after she practiced for a while.  I’m impressed that the ball never went into the pool, b/c I thought for sure it would at least once.  I LOVE this picture of her being so excited to show Papa & Mimi how well she' could do it and getting praise from them.  I’m so thankful for all the help & support they provide for both of us.  I’ve been telling Mom & Dad about some of the great things I’m learning from the parenting CD’s so that they can help reinforce those same things when we’re over at their house every night.

One of Mom & Dad’s neighbors brought over these cute Valentine’s cookies to thank Dad for always taking their garbage can & recycle bin up their long driveway to their house.  Sadly, these cookies weren’t as good as they looked.  But, I thought that was so nice & thoughtful of them to do.

I got these sweet homemade chocolate treats from Rufio in the mail for Valentine’s Day!  That was SO SWEET of her to think of me.  I just love her so much (and not just b/c she sent chocolates).

We didn’t have a special Valentine’s Day dinner tonight or anything like that.  But, that’s perfectly OK b/c we express our love to each other all the time through our words and actions.  Autumn went w/ Papa to deliver some chocolates to the families that he home teaches.  That’s so good for her to learn to be unselfish and serve others.  We came home and I got her to bed and was so happy to find this treat on my doorstep!  I serve w/ Shannon in Young Women’s and she so incredibly thoughtful.  I immediately thought of what Truvy says on Steel Magnolias, “I’ll have some sweet dreams w/ this under my pillow tonight!”

I hope everyone had a FABULOUS Valentine’s Day.  Even though I don’t have a boyfriend/husband/romantic Valentine, I am loved and blessed beyond compared to have the love of the best family ever.  I hope they know how much I love and appreciate all of them!