Happy Valentine's Day!

While I can't say that we're exactly gearing up for a super romantic Valentine's Day this year, I can say that we're definitely feeling the love a little more than we were last year. It just occurred to me this morning that last VD, we were still reeling from the news of Jeff's impending lay-off, and I was getting seriously fat and uncomfortable thanks to the Gabester. Alex, I'm sure, was mostly her chipper self. But in any case, we've got better vibes this year.

It's supposed to be a tropical heat wave of mid-40's proportions today, so I plan on taking the kids out to celebrate the thaw. My greatest temptation for today would be to show the garden my Valentine's love by shoveling off some snow so it melts faster, but I suppose snow is great insulation for when it gets below freezing again TOMORROW so I should probably just leave well enough alone. Not to mention that Gabe doesn't like it when I try to use garden tools with one hand and heave him around with the other. I speak from much experience, including a short time turning horse manure with a garden fork and a baby. Not a good idea.

I'm thinking it's almost time to start sifting through my old seeds, and perhaps finally planting some. Well, OK, I'll try and hold off for a few more weeks, and then I have to find a way to grow them all out of reach. Is it a sign of desperation that I'd take our dining room table and use it as a growing table at the back door? Probably. Clearly I should just buy a new table so we have a place to do googly-eyed crafts -and- a place to grow scarlet runner beans. Or whatever beans I have lurking in the magic box-o-seeds. Oh, yay! Malabar spinach and passion flowers, castor beans and alchemilla! Should be an interesting Spring if everyone plays along and grows for me.

And of course, speaking of growing, Gabe has been taking tentative steps. He's pretty convinced that crawling is faster, though, so I'm thinking he might just bide his time and go it the easy way for a bit longer. Well, I'm sort of half hoping that's what he'll do. And speaking of Gabe, that's a picture of him enjoying a romantic early Valentine's dinner. He had no steak, but sweet potatoes are always on his menu.