Nineteen years later....

So, I recently resurrected these silk tulips from the basement and arranged them into a basket on our dining table.  Not too exciting, right?  BUT these are special tulips!  They are some of the very tulips from the displays we had at our wedding.  Say what you will about silk plants, but at the time I couldn't fathom spending hundreds of dollars on flowers and NOT being able to keep them.  So, silk red tulips for our wedding it was......nineteen and a half years ago.

A few days ago, I caught Noah (of COURSE it was Noah, isn't it always?!) messing around with my tulips.  At first I was going to gripe at him to leave them alone, but then I saw his cute little (albeit mischievous) face poking through and it occurred to me....hey, here we are, Mark and I almost twenty years later together, and here's what we have to show for it (in addition to the amazingly long-lasting tulips, that is)...

A Noah!

And a Connor (who obviously doesn't think this is very exciting)!

And a Shelby!

Life has turned out pretty good for our little Ritchie family.  :)

Happy Easy-Way-Out Valentines Day!!

I swore this year would be different, that I'd be THAT perfect Mom who does the homemade cute Valentines and adds little cute candies surprises (I'm looking at you, Mindy D).  I even Pinned a whole bunch of super-cute ideas on Pinterest - I was SERIOUS this year.

And then, yup, about 7 or 8 days before Valentines Day, I took the easy way out and just ordered them again online.  Choose template, upload photo, press "Order" and viola - instant Valentines (well, with 3-5 days shipping time).  Four minutes tops.

But at least I DID update my blog background to Valentines!  I'll take the small victories where I can get 'em.  And really, these Valentines cards DID turn out pretty cute, right, even if they don't have candies on them?

To be honest, what turned the tide in favor of online printed cards versus making cute homemade ones was that I saw this one in an email from PearTree Greetings (love them!) and HAD to get it for Noah - I've referenced a couple times here on my blog how Noah fantasizes about being King Noah of all the Noahs of the world.  It was too perfect, I had to order it NOW.  And that was the slippery slope - one Valentine ordered, sheesh, I should just do them all online, shouldn't I?  My cute homemade super-special Valentines Day 2012 slipped away....

Connor was dismayed to hear that in fourth grade, you still have to do Valentines cards.  I finally got him to grumpily agree to this one:

 

Shelby wanted unicorn Valentines.  Of course.  She wants EVERYTHING in unicorns.  Every day, all day long.  Her favorite white unicorn stuffed animal is named "Magical Fairy."  Connor and Noah are STILL concerned about her Halloween plans this year (it's her turn to pick our family theme) and wanting us all to be unicorns.  But hey, if the princess deems it must be so, it must be so.  Well, except for Valentines - Queen Mommy decreed that Princess Shelby must have these cute little flower Valentines this year.

 

Oh, and all those other cute Pinterest ideas I have pinned for Valentines Day?  Let's just leave it at the fact that I still have my January star wreath on my door.  No Valentines spirit anywhere to be seen.  I didn't order matching Valentines shirts or pajamas for the kids this year.  We're probably not even going to have cute pepperoni heart pizza or cinnamon rolls (unless Carrabbas serves them).  And I'm secretly hoping the kids forget about our family tradition of our living room Valentines Day slumber party.  Yup, I'm definitely losing out on Mommy of the Year 2012 so far.

Oh wait, I just remembered - I DID order a custom pillow-cover for Valentines Day this year!  See, I haven't lost my Valentines spirit just yet!  But, you ask (or rather, my Mom asks), is it on a pillow yet?  Well, NO, but MAYBE I can get it on one by February 14. 

Oh well, let's see if I can do better with my Easter Pinterest board!!