Happy Valentines Day...then and now...

I hope Cammie doesn't mind, but I am stealing her idea and doing a look back on Valentines of years past. It has been fun to see how our family (and we) have changed over the many years of Valentines. This is the 13th Valentines that Rob and I have been together. On our first Valentines, we weren't yet officially engaged, although we called the temple the day after Valentines to schedule it. That year, we were at USU and totally in love. We both placed an ad in the Aggie newspaper with Valentines wishes. (Back then, Rob referred to me as his "HMC - High Maintenance Chick". I simply called him "Rod") Rob actually gave me a fake plastic gold ring that night which was just so romantic! :o)

A lot has changed since that first Valentines together at Utah State. Here's a few glimpses back...

2000

We lived in Boise and had our first child. Cayden was only 3 months old so he came along with us to the ward Valentines dance. (Yeah, we look HOT!)

2002

I LOVE this picture of me and my sweet little Cayden. This was the "calm before the storm" of the twins. I was 3 month away from giving birth to our twins and was on strict orders to relax and sit and be off my feet as much as possible. So Cayden and I spent a lot of time together hanging out in the recliner and snuggling. I cherish these times with him.

2003

This is Ashlee & McKell's first Valentines. Poor things were both sick. Rob brought them home a little Valentine's balloon. They were only 9 months old.

Same year - Cayden age 32004

This is a Family Home Evening lesson that we did for Valentines. They each had their own headband that they had made. Ashlee had just had her double eye surgery and was doing great. They were all so fun and happy.

This is the same year at Rob's brother's wedding.2006
This was Valentines in our new home in Utah. The girls were 3 and Cayden was 5. They had a great time decorating sugar cookies.

2007

2008

Making cookies...and quite a mess!

This year was Sadie's first Valentines. She was just 6 months old and as you can see, Daddy's little Valentine.
2009

Which brings us to this year. We had a great Valentines Day. We actually had my niece's birthday party here during the day. That evening, we went to Chilis as a family and then came home to Valentines surprises!

Rob is tough to buy for on Valentines because he doesn't like chocolate. But he LOVES cheesecake. He was a happy camper when he got his Valentines Cheesecake...and was nice enough to share with the rest of us.

Rob surprised me with flowers and a really sweet card. At the end, it had a little note asking me to "pick one" - a marquis cut or a round cut for my wedding ring. (I lost my original stone a few years ago on the beach in CA and haven't had a ring ever since. He has called a few jewelers and it looks like I may finally get a new ring!)

Our cute girls with their flowers from Daddy. Rob gives them flowers each year which I think is so sweet. Cayden loved helping him give them out.

Ashlee

Little Sadie with her first flowers from Daddy. (Last year she was still too young...probably would have just eaten them!)

Our handsome flower delivery men.
McKell
The whole crew with their Valentines "loot". They got Valentines stuffed animals from Mom and Dad as well as treats and Valentines from both sets of Grandparents, their cousins from Wyoming, and Aunt Jenny's family who lives in England.

It was another wonderful Valentines Day!