Happy Valentine's Day

So how are you all celebrating Valentine's Day this year? Not much in store for us because this tends to be a family day. Ella and I made sugar cookies and decorated them to put in with our homemade Valentine's Day cards for her class. Now before I sound all Martha Stewarty I have to let you know that although I did make the cookies myself we used Betty Crocker icing out of the tub and the homemade cards consisted of pieces of folded constructed paper covered with stickers, glitter and heart cut outs - all of which involved Ella basically going crazy with the glue stick. Matt thought I was crazy for doing homemade cards but at one point Ella said "this is sooo much fun!" - how can I deny her that fun? Next year with two kids in school, we'll probably take another approach - 32 cards might put me over the edge that I'm trying so hard to avoid!

For dinner I broke down and got a really expensive cut of meat (but still on sale) and I'm going to make Pioneer Woman's Roasted Beef Tenderloin. Yeah - I'm get excited everytime I look at the pictures. That will be accompanied by potatoes and vegetables and for dessert we're doing chocolate covered strawberries and pretzels - perhaps it will just end up being fondu! Nothing super creative, but it's fun to have a reason to splurge. I came very close to putting the pricey tenderloin back but I figured we needed to treat ourselves and I have already warned Matt not to look at the wrapper.

Big Mama (seriously, she is one my favorite bloggers) has a great post up about those 80's and 90's love songs that, in her words "make you want to couple skate everytime you hear them."

So of course it got me to thinking about the songs that I used to try and record off of the radio and the ones that I used to rewind over and over again trying to learn all the words.

I've created a Pandora station and I've been having so much fun listening that I'm starting to think about heading on over to iTunes to make a mixed tape, uh, I mean CD.

For me, Richard Marx immediately came to mind. I was able to play the first few chords of "Right Here Waiting" on my little Casio - what a song. I remember seeing Richard Marx at the Clearfield County Fair and just waiting for him to play it!

Total Eclipse of the Heart was one that I listened to over and over again and spent some time learning the words with a friend. We were stumped by the phrase "living in a powder keg and giving off sparks" for a long time. I'm still not totally confident we got it right!

Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi - take my hand we'll make I swear....take me back!

Groovy Kind of Love - Phil Collins - perfect slow dance song

Be With You - Mr. Big - this is a great one to sing along to

Desperado - The Eagles - why don't you let somebody love you...or just dance with you - definitely danced to that at some post football game dances. Also a friend sung it at a talent show and actually did a good job of it so it's up there with the favs.

Everything I do, I do it for You - Bryan Adams -

In general, Journey, Aerosmith (listening to right now - "I still miss you babe and I don't wanna miss a thing!"), Styx, REO Speedwagon, and I'm sure many more. I seem to have a hard time remembering until I start reading what other people are mentioning.

I'd love to hear what songs bring you back to your middle and high school days of love or just wannabee love. All of which makes us very thankful for our current love!