What I Did Not Do On Valentine's Day

1. I was sick with the flu AND tonsillitis last week. As in Monday afternoon through Sunday Night. I went back to school yesterday because 1) I was feeling better (finally!) and 2) we had our class Valentine's Party. Party days are always crazy (in a good way) but I can't in good conscience make a sub deal with that.

So. While in the abstract I knew yesterday was Valentine's Day, in the concrete world I had pretty much forgotten about it, what with being sick and all. Which means Isabella went skipping off to school with no valentines for her class. (Madeline, being in middle school, is now responsible for giving out valentines to whomever she chooses. I wash my hands of it.) This was Isabella's last year of the whole-class-valentine-thing and I blew it. I should feel guilty-ish, but I kinda-sorta don't.

2. Speaking of realizing it was Valentine's Day but not realizing that it's TODAY (or yesterday, as it were) James made plans to get a haircut after work. I forgot about these plans. With Beauty and the Beast stuff plus me being sick, I hadn't cooked a real meal in almost three weeks. Last night I was feeling well enough to throw together some Spaghetti and Meatballs and Caesar Salad for dinner. (I figured the sauce was red so that said "Happy Valentine's Day" enough).

I was getting kinda late (for us) and James still wasn't home. For a sit down dinner! That I cooked! On Valentine's Day!. So the girls and I ate without him. When he got home and I saw his lack of hair I remembered his plans. Oh well. A romantic dinner is such a cliche anyway.

3. Before I got sick, I bought the girls their Valentine's presents. We got them a rose charm to go on the Pandora bracelets they got for Christmas. (A rose because 1) roses are the International Flower of Lurve and 2) it's the Beauty and the Beast trademark symbol, and we wanted to get them something to remind them of this production.)

However, I get sick before I could order James *his* Valentine's present, namely, new long johns (The cold weather apparel.Not the delicious cream filled, chocolate filled pastry. Although he would have appreciated that as well.) But since he didn't get me anything either, we'll just say No Harm, No Foul.

And frankly, if Valentine's Day disappeared from the calendar I probably wouldn't miss it. You know those people who are all "Christmas is so commercial! Jesus is the reason for the season! Down with malls and Black Friday!!! Blah, blah, blah fishcakes!!"? That's how I feel about Valentine's Day. You're supposed to go all out on this one day out of the year to share your significant other how much you love them by spending money or doing something "special"? Please.

There's a well-known LDS blogger who I kinda-sorta keep up with who kept referring to the day as the "Lover's Holiday". *cue me rolling my eyes SO FAR BACK INTO MY HEAD THAT I'M AFRAID THEY MIGHT NOT COME BACK*. Sorry, well-known LDS blogger. This just smacks of trying way way WAY too hard, not to mention it's just obnoxious.

I'd keep on ranting, but it's time for me to go pick up some dinner for James and the girls. (They are rehearsing, he's building amazing sets.) Hopefully they'll know I love them, even if it's not February 14th.