sweethearts on parade

saturday night we got decked out to go to the annual ValenTIMES party.

i got this dress from beck's shop specially for this night.

(by the way she's in labor right now!!! can't wait to hear the news!!!)

it wasn't until later that i noticed i had tiny bows everywhere: on my stockings, on my skirt, and on my sweater. what can i say, i really know how to go overboard. :)

my date looked quite dapper, i might add.

addie came along with us, in a red-light femme fatale get up.

i knew i'd get distracted at the party so we snapped these photos before we left home.

and distracted i was...

here's what greeted me as i walked in the door!

homemade goodies for the sweetest of the sweets!

and a bunch of cuties gathered round tasting cheese and wearing pretty clothes....

mmmmmm....dreamland.

....suzanne snuggles and carolann giggles. pure romance.

me and my fellow etsyer are automatic posers.

i have to admit, i felt so frisky in my poofy swirly cupcake of a dress!

sylvan had to go get his whiteboard and give emily a lesson.

they talked about cats, mostly our cats who have died (a very interesting subject for him) and he made her draw them and write their names. then he graded them with an elaborate point system. and smiley faces. for stormy he told her it was okay if she just wrote "storm" (being considerate.)

cute lesley in the best valentiney skirt.

(in front of her is my tray of homemade almond joys. they were sort of a flop, soooo sugary sweet it hurt. and the hugest mess; i don't recommend melting chocolate chips in a microwave and then trying to dip something in them EVER especially right before a party unless you want a raging PMS fest of annoyance. turns out that the sugary coconutty mess actually tasted pretty freaking good to a PMSing girl and i have polished off the grotesque amounts of remnants in two days flat. anywayssss.)

magic happens...

suzanne does a card trick for darin.

joey and the infamous tony windle....oh how i love boys in red for valentines day. 

stan and emily came up with something i think is genius:

toasting chocolates.

love, fun, shiny happy people!

we played "salad bowl" again. have you guys ever played it? it's like a 3-stage version of charades and i think it's totally addictive. we play with random words or phrases of any kind, any at all...which makes it super fun and weird and difficult and hilarious.

and that was our celebration.

i kinda love this new tradition of being totally social for valentines day and celebrating the love in a broader way!

it has been fun to read about everyone's versions of valentines day...i hope it kicks off a fun time of year full of activities and love.