Crazy Cupid's Cafe

I've decided that my greatest talent is making things way harder than they need to be.  The night before Valentines Day, I was feeling everything but warm, fuzzy, 'lovey' feelings. Here's why:

 When I was a kid, I loved making friendship bracelets. A few months ago, I showed my kids this mad skill they didn't know I possessed. It kept them busy for an entire day. I had the brilliant idea of making bracelets for Valentines. I figured that making a few a day would be fun and totally do-able. That is, until my kids quit making a few a day. Of the 90 homemade Valentines here on this bench, we made 60 of them the night before!! Plus, I discovered that my badly needed circle punch was in a box buried deep in our storage unit... the very box I've needed about hundred times this last year. It made for a late evening. But aside from making me extremely grumpy, the bracelets were a hit and my kids felt awesome.

The next morning, I had slept off my grumpiness and was excited to get to work on our family's annual "Valentine's Dinner." I was planning on adding some fun new elements thanks to my new brain that thinks for me (Pinterest). A cool new dessert... a fun game... And this is what happened mid-dessert making.

If you think this was bad, you should have seen my shirt. 

Not feeling the love.

It was a stressful day. 

I was late. Behind. Hurrying. Clumsy.

But I somehow made it to this moment... seeing my family seated together around our table--my kids giddy to have Grandpa, candy, and candlelight--and somehow everything was perfect. 

And again, thanks to other talented women who put this stuff on the web for other non-talented women like me, I had this awesomely cute "Mystery Love Menu."

No one knew what they were ordering or the order in which it would come.

 Grandpa's first course made sense...

 But some people got dessert FIRST!

And others (Justin) got utensils for an appetizer!

It was a memorable Valentines Day for sure! 

But no matter how many days go perfectly or disasterly, in the end, things eventually work out because I somehow married the "BESTEST" Valentine ever. This guy...

 ... a man who manages to be the favorite parent to all of my children, a man who works himself to the bone for our family, and a man who is beautiful enough to be a vampire. (You may not understand this reference, but just know that it's the highest complement I can give and an inside joke!)

Happy Valentines 2013!