Happy Valentines Day

This is a special day.  I know there are many that say it is simply a commercialized holiday made up by Hallmark and candy companies - but we can make of it what we want to - and I want to make it special.

Candy hearts

Boxes of candy for your sweetheart

Roses

Pretty presents

You may have all of those or none of those - and it still can be a special day.  Just one more day to remind us how fortunate we are to have sweetness and friends and family in our lives.  Another day to be happy and smile and make someone else happy.

My family is what makes me happiest

It started with just the two of us ( I was a Senior in High School - Don was a Sophomore in college, come to  Alaska for a summer job, when this was taken)

And then our first little Valentine

Then there were two

And then there were three - we would have had a dozen if possible (well 9 was our original plan)

They grew

And grew

And grew - what fun we had - the three kids with their Great Aunt Dorothy - she had just come back from Australia and brought them Koala purses and boomerangs

A little boy and the excitement of getting his first bike - we did have fun!  And he promptly rode the bike off a small cliff (That wasn't as much fun)  but survived to ride again. 

The sang us christmas carols when we lived far from town and no other carolers came out that way

We had fun Valentine's Days - and other fun days

 Graduations

And weddings - and then we were eight!

And then grandsons - and eventually we were 11 - as Don says - he finally has his full baseball team of 9!  Some taller than others - but 9 anyway!

Little boys with their Grampy - ready for a ducky  hike 

Little boys who love bridges

And make the most wonderful faces

Little boys in train outfits

And cousins - at a train show - this may be my favorite of all times photo I ever took

Little boys learning computers

And selling lemonade

Going on boat rides at the bird festival

And driving the bus 

Doing science projects.

Ben on the left,  watching as Jahn explains his science project 

 

Posing for school photos 

And cousins playing in the yard 

Ready to swim? Or holding your hair out of your face? 

Happy Boys

Happy Valentine's Day!