Once Upon a Time....

...there was a girl named Cinderella (though many called her Alaina).  One night, she got all dressed up for a fancy party.  She had a beautiful white dress, long flowing hair, and two glass slippers.  She was ready for the night of her life.  All was going according to plan until one court jester (known to some as Levi) removed one of the glass slippers and threw it into a great lake (known as the bathtub), never to be found again (well, at least not for a few hours).  Cinderella was so sad. She wept and wept for her long lost glass slipper.  "My day is ruined!" she exclaimed! "How can I give the prince (Dad) his gift without my other glass slipper?"

The prince, who arrived on the scene later, opened his gift, presented by the one-slippered Cinderella.  And while he loved it, the girl was still sad.  So the prince was determined to find the slipper and make the girl happy once again. The Queen (that would be me :) said it was useless.  They had looked for hours and was convinced that the slipper was magically whisked off to some other princess.  It was not to be found in the palace.  And yet, the prince was determined to bring a smile to the princess's face.  He searched high and low.  Then, upon not finding anything, he inquired of the princess about the exact moment the slipper disappeared.  He learned that the princess was having her hair done by the palace hair dresser (that would be me again) and slipped the shoes off so she could stand on her magical pedestal (okay, a green stool from IKEA) and look into the shiny mirror. She also told the prince how one of the two court jesters had been looking fondly at her slippers and was in the vicinity at the time of the disappearance.  "Ah ha!  I've got it!" he exclaimed!  I've put the many clues together and I bet I know where the glass slipper will be found!   You say you were having your hair done...and that the jester was around...and you were near the lake...and the jester puts anything and everything into the lake...it must be there!"  So off the prince went to search for the slipper.  He was determined to drain the entire lake if need be.  But alas, when he arrived, the lake was drained, and there sitting at the bottom, with a sparkle on its toe, was the missing glass slipper.

Now my friends, I wish I could report that the return of the glass slipper put a smile back on the young princess's face.  But it was not to be so.  Through tears, in bed, piled high with her nine things (um, that would be her old blanket, her new blanket, her pillow, her little pink pillow, her big yellow pillow, her pink teddy bear, her Angelina Ballerina, her baby, and her baby bed) cried and cried.  "But I didn't get to give the prince his gift with BOTH glass slippers on!" 

At her wits end, the Queen came into the princess's chambers and spoke quietly to her.  "I have a plan," she said.  "Tomorrow, we will once again dress you in your beautiful gown, curl your long flowing blond hair, wrap up a NEW gift for the prince, put on BOTH glass slippers, and when the prince returns in the evening you can present your gift."  The young princess wiped her tears and said, "Okay."

THE END

*********

Nice story, huh?  Fun to read, NOT fun to live!  Oh my goodness...what a day!  Actually, most of the day was just fine.  Wonderful in fact.  And then Alaina had her princess shoe swiped by Levi who threw it (like everything else) into the bathtub and I listened to whining and crying for HOURS.  It was an evening like no other.  Oh well, in the end, the shoe was found, and we will wrap up another gift for dad and princess Alaina can give it to him.

So let me start over. We actually had quite a wonderful Valentine's Day.  Jason let me sleep in yesterday.  Caleb has been sick so for the first time since he was a few weeks old, he was in bed with us.  He didn't start out that way, but in the middle of the night woke up and was really hot, and we pulled him into bed with us. So, I was sleeping soundly with my little man while Jason and Alaina were enacting their plans.  When I finally woke up, they had prepared a wonderful little surprise for me.  I went into the bathroom and there was a beautiful peach rose (that smelled heavenly), candles everywhere, and a new Yankee tart burning (Rose).  There was a fresh towel on the side of the tub, a plate of peanut butter and chocolate hearts, my Bible and DAILY LIGHT, and Fernando Ortega's HYMNS OF WORSHIP playing in the MP3 docking station.  They had even tried to sneak out to the coffee shop to pick up my favorite vanilla chai but the line was super long and in the -3 degree weather Jason didn't think it would be a good idea to wait.  But it is definitely the thought that counted!  So, Jason kept the kids away and let me soak in a wonderful peaceful tub.  I really couldn't ask for anything better!

At 10:30 Jason had to go into work so I decided to take the kids out for a bit.  We (as in me and the three kids)  RARELY go out.  First, it really isn't all that much fun getting three kids in and out of car seats. Second, the only place to go is half an hour away (we live in a town of less than 3000 people!). Third, none of us are that fond of the cold.  But, since I have found myself going a little stir crazy I decided that we should get out of the house.  I let Alaina choose where to go to lunch and surprisingly, she chose McDonald's.  She always chooses Fazoli's (not that I mind).  Actually, though, it was kind of nice to go somewhere else for a change.  We used to go to McDonald's all the time in Malaysia. It is REALLY cheap there so it was a fast and easy lunch.  I often got a sandwich from the NANDO'S next door.  Anyway, we went to McDonald's.  Their chicken selects are actually really good!  It was FREEZING in the restaurant though!  We all ate with our coats on listening to the crazy manager YELL to his team about how great they were doing and how they were keeping their times down.  All of the people in the seating area kept looking around at each other with a look of, "This guy is totally crazy...doesn't he realize people are trying to talk and eat in peace here??"  The kids got Happy Meals (which they didn't finish) and I even let Levi snack on his first french fry.

After McDonald's we headed to the Mall.  We enjoyed the warmth there and walked around a lot, enjoying the toy stores and the cookie stall :)  I found it amusing to look at the men sheepishly looking in windows and probably thinking, "Oh crap! It is Valentine's day and I haven't gotten the wife/girlfriend anything yet and I am going to be in sooo much trouble."  Then, without fail, they wandered out of the Hallmark store and/or Victoria's Secret with satisfied and proud grin on their face.

We picked up Jason's gift at Sears (a new screwdriver set -- hey, not romantic in the eyes of ladies, but I have learned that to really love my husband means giving him things he really wants rather than sentimental things that *I* like) and then looked around at a few stores for a new outfit for me to wear to dinner.  I knew that Jason was making dinner for me after the kiddos went to bed (sooo thankful for 7:30 bedtimes in this house!) and I wanted something new.  I never shop for myself anymore.  It was funny to see the things the kids picked out.  If Alaina had her way I would have been wearing a big poofy green prom dress!  This is when she decided that she was going to get dressed up and have a fancy dinner of her own.  She didn't quite understand the concept of us having a special dinner worthy of new clothes without her.  She had big plans...she was going to get dressed up in her "fancy dress" (her flower girl dress from my sister's wedding) and wear her glass slippers and I was supposed to make her and Caleb a special dinner.

I finally settled on a new shirt with a gorgeous Asian print in a cut I have never worn. We then picked up a matching necklace and headed home. When we got back I  started to work on Alaina's Valentine's for her class.  I was making brownie balls and putting them in those little snack sized ziplock bags. I grabbed SP's Treat bag toppers since I had NO time to do anything myself.  However, I can never let well enough alone and had to add a few things to them which is not easy since they are flattened files.  Anyway, I got those all done and ready to print.  I then picked up the house some and started to get ready.  I got dressed and did my hair and then worked on Alaina's hair.  Then, the glass slipper incident.  When Alaina finished with her hair she started looking all over for her other shoe.  I spent probably 45 minutes looking for it all the while listening to her cry.  Once it got to the point where I HAD to stop looking and make dinner for the kids I came up with plan.  "Alaina, you know what?  You are JUST like Cinderella!  She lost one of her glass slippers too! She had two and then one came off and it was lost!  So see, you are the same.  Isn't that AMAZING?"  Yea, that was a no-go. She didn't buy it. Through tears she explained to me how the prince came and tried the slipper on Cinderella's stepsisters and it didn't fit them but it did fit her.

At that point I just had to let her cry and get food for the boys.  We were half an hour away from Jason getting home and the house was a mess and the kids hadn't eaten. I had bought a little steak (yes, we are one big O BLOOD TYPE family) but by this point Caleb was beyond hungry and was bringing me hotdogs from the fridge.  So,  hot dog for Caleb (once he gets an idea about something there is no use trying to change it) and a steak for Alaina. 

Jason got home, the kids finished eating, I was totally frazzled, and Alaina wanted to give Jason his gift even without her other slipper.  Some gifts opened, some playing with dad, and then the hunt for the slipper began again since she just couldn't get control of her emotions.  She is RARELY like this but last night, it was really bad.  Thankfully, sleuth Jason figured the mystery out and Alaina had both slippers.  You would THINK that the episode would be over.  It was not to be.  She was in bed, still crying, as we are trying to get OUR dinner made and the table set.  Finally, I went in there and came up with the plan to get all dressed up again tonight and wrap up a new gifts (luckily we made craft stick picture frames the other day during craft time that we haven't showed dad) and then she can give the gift to dad with both her glass slippers on.  Finally, she seemed pleased.  I then told her she really needed to go to sleep because she had school tomorrow and they were having a Valentine's party and all her friends would be bringing her Valentine's.  "Really?" she asked with a huge smile on her face.  "Even Joe?" (real name removed to protect the innocent) because he is not my friend. "Yes, dear, even Joe, and maybe you should give him a chance."  Then she inquired multiple times about Darien who is her little preschool crush ("I like him a lot even though he is the crying boy"  LOL!)

Finally around 8:30 Jason and I sat down to a nice steak dinner.  He talked and just enjoyed each other.  Then he made me another bath and we just sat and talked for hours.  It was so wonderful.  I even saw him grin at me in way I haven't seen since we were dating.  It was sooo sweet.  We talked about anything and everything.  And we talked a lot about how happy we are.  We don't have much.  We live in a small apartment and we live on next to nothing and yet we are exceedingly happy.  We have our days and our moments, sure, but all in all we are so in love and our little family fulfills our dreams.  I wouldn't trade what we have as a family for all the money in the world.  It is totally priceless.

***

So, that about wraps up my Valentine's Day.  It was perfection (other than the shoe incident). If Valentine's Day is  a day to celebrate love then we accomplished that.  We love each other.  We love our kiddos. And I love my life.

***

Here are few pictures from the last few days:

Finally able to let all three kiddos take a bath together :) They love it!

And the two cutest bath buddies EVER:

My poor sweet sick Caleb who fell asleep in my arms sitting on the couch the other day.

The SWEETEST thing ever...Alaina made this Valentine to give to Levi from her and Caleb.  Totally her idea!

The one-shoed princess getting preparing dad's gift

Valentine's for her classmates:

****

That's it for today (was it long enough for you! LOL!)  Thank you all so much for your sweet comments about the template set yesterday!  I am so glad you like them!  If you haven't grabbed them, do it soon, because later today I will pull the links and then the pack will go into my shoppe.

Today I am hoping to have a fairly laid-back day.  Caleb is still sick with a fever, a low-gauge case of the measles spotted (no pun intended) this morning (he just had the vaccine last week and my light skinned blond headed kids react REALLY bad to the vaccine and break out in spots...freaked me out with Alaina!).  I plan to lots of snuggling and cuddling with him, and just laying low.  Maybe I will even get to scrap later.  Then tonight is a GREY'S night.  I think with the temperature at a ridiculous -2 with a windchill of -17 we will all be staying in today.  Jason is even being sweet and not making me pick up Alaina from school -- he will bring her home and then go back.  Love that man!

Have a FANTASTIC day and I'll "see" you tomorrow!

Comments

[Joy]

Love that you love your life. It's so nice to hear of people who seem genuinely content with their life. Looks like you and your hubby are really blessed in your relationship.

[Shabby Miss Jenn]

What a nice dinner! OMG Looove those pictures!!!!

[HaleyW]

I have to say, that story is absolutely adorable! And you are right - those moments are funny to hear about (or read about) but NOT so much fun to live through! Having two princesses of my own, the drama runs deep around our house! haha And the bath sounds absolutely exquisite! Loved the pics - 'A' looks adorable in her princess dress!

Have a great 'day after' valentine's! On my way to pick up my youngest from Mother's Day Out!! Which just means... Mother's Day at Work! hahaha

[Julie]

Such a precious story today! That really should be published somewhere, it's so cute! I'm glad to hear that the prince was able to help find Cinderella's slipper!

Just found your blog today, and your designs and writing is so great! I'll be a regular visitor here!

[Erika]

Sounds like lots and lots going on with you guys these days, hahah! Love your bath, sounds woooonderful! Talk to you soon!