Secret Cupid 2009

When I was young, my mom started a great tradition she called "Secret Cupids." The week before Valentines Day, we'd have a special family night during which we would all draw the name of a family member out of a hat. It was then our quest to surprise that person with a little hidden gift each day as his/her Secret Cupid

Since we were so little and didn't have money or a way to get to the store, my mom would buy a bunch of Valentines candy and little gifts, and she would set up a Cupid Store in her bedroom. We each got ten tickets, which we could use to "purchase" surprises for our secret friend.

Is my mom the cutest or what??

This tradition was a highlight of the year, as we would run home from school to search for our Cupid gift or to sneak a treat into the perfect spot for our person to find. Often, the surprises were not just candy but also acts of service--making the bed, picking up toys, etc. Although it was very, very easy to figure out who your Cupid was (there was only five of us in the family!), we still went to great pains to remain anonymous and undiscovered.

Ry and I have continued this tradition in our courtship and then our marriage--and although it's really not a mystery who my Secret Cupid is each year, I sure love getting little treats and gifts all week long!

Yesterday, I surprised Ryan with a special Valentines breakfast.

The yolk ran a little, but I still thought the heart-shaped eggs/toast was pretty cute!

Today, I made homemade bread for him--my first time ever. Although the loaf turned out to be shaped a little like a butt, it sure tasted DE-licious. (It is a super easy recipe if anyone wants it.)

I must say, Ryan's gifts to me thus far have been quite classy:

It started yesterday with a sappy love songs mix CD he downloaded from iTunes. I think he was a little embarassed when he realized that the playlist included such tasteful and refined favorites as "I'll Make Love to You" by Boyz 2 Men and "Let's Get it On" by Marvin Gaye. Nice, Ry...real romantic.

Today, he made me a rather clever candy-gram--although I think only in my family would Pepto-Bismol be considered a gift/treat. We love the stuff.

I have several funny surprises up my sleeve for Ry and am looking forward to a week of fun!