Collaboration

Dash drew a shark.

I cut it out & glued it onto a clothespin.

And added a bloody human hand.

Dash is having a different sort of childhood than I did.

Lucky in Love

Since our very first Valentine's Day together (holy shit, thirteen years ago), Josh and I  have celebrated with pizza and a movie in our jammies at home. (We've since added a See's Candy portion to the celebration. Because nuts and chews.)

But that doesn't mean we don't take a moment to acknowledge how truly, truly lucky we are. This Valentine's story was waiting for me last night when I got home from work. I'll probably stop weeping over it eventually, but it won't be anytime soon.

We also like to do a little something special for the other people we're lucky to have in our lives. I made this strawberry jam with Meyer lemon juice & zest for Dash's teacher, Mrs. McCoy. Dash made the label.

And the tag. We like a pun in the Engel house.

Here are Dash's school Valentines. I printed them out onto card stock (blank arms can be found here, courtesy of the generous & talented April of  Secondsister) and added a lolly and a fun temporary tattoo.

Hope your Valentine's Day is filled with love (and chocolate), too!

Grocery List

Dash has made a contribution.

Ollie's Valentine

It's very, very loving-hands-at-home, but I've wanted to do something like this for Oliver since the day he was born. I finally got it together in time for his second Valentine's Day.

Coast to coast

That is all.

Passing Notes

Dash made us a couple of pre-Valentines Valentines. Except he put the wrong names on them. Obviously Josh is a better coach & I am a better soer (sewer). Also, they're from Dash and his friends. His friends being Cuddles & Puss. Because Jesus Christ the kid is fucking adorable.

This card came home with Dash the other day. How sweet! She drew him a snowman!

Then you flip it over and boom. Though I think Lainey's gonna have to work it out with Dash's fiancee.

In our house we call cleaning the litter boxes "scooping the dooks" because we're adults. This weekend Dash assisted and took some notes. The tally marks were for each step completed, per box.

Hoopth

It's basketball season in the Engel house.

Coach

On the court

Team mates