Vomit, Valentines and Chuckie Cheese

Due to Ethan's barfing lollapalooza Friday night and Saturday's all-day remodel that knows no holiday, we celebrated Valentine's on Sunday. It turns out Sunday is a perfect day for such a holiday with plenty of time to rest, be together and actually enjoy one another.Our Valentine's is pretty typical--sugar cookies, small notes, treats and gifts left on the doorstep, etc. We added a non-traditional gift this year. Our kids have been so neglected with the remodeling we felt it necessary to buy their love. We thought walkie talkies (or "hottie talkies" as Adelaide calls them) would keep them busy as they are left to entertain themselves. They haven't quite figured out the concept. Right now they hold the talkies to their ears like phones and simply yell at each other. Whatever.The only real disappointment was the horrible outcome of a much anticipated dessert. I had been holding on to a new recipe for macadamian nut custard for some time with the intention to make it for Randal and I as a kick-off to the "grown-up" portion of the evening. The dessert sounded very yummy and very sexy. It cooked up beautifully and the presentation was perfect in individual, red custard cups. We both took one bite and gagged. It was seriously gross. We made due with the manhandled sugar cookies and their mounds of sprinkles. So let that be a lesson--"tried and true" is best when setting the mood. (TMI!)

Different topic...

The kids and I joined some friends on a trip to Chuckie Cheese today. It's noteworthy given the hour-long drive to get there crossing the PA border and back again and the fact that it was my first time EVER to the Cheese. (For my kids too, but because I'm so much older it seems more significant that I have never been there.)
We had a great time. The kids played games to their hearts' content. Chuckie Cheese himself appeared. I would have a picture but he terrified Adelaide. A photo of a screaming child is a right I reserve soley for Santa Claus.

Activities like these are a a nice way to observe my children. When Ethan was younger and less able to do things himself, he still recognized that with a little help he could do some things much more easily and successfully. Not Adelaide! She wanted nothing to do with my help at any of the games. Here is a photo of her happily getting nothing accomplished at a bee game:
We would still be there with her futilely tossing skeeball after skeeball if I hadn't finally insisted on finishing the game. I fear the day she is a teenager.