Tradition-a-holic

My name is Anita...and I am a traditionaholic.

It says somewhere in my personal rule book that I must have at least one tradition for each holiday (and preferably MORE than one). Valentine's Day is no exception.

The kids each have a little metal mail box that gets filled with surprises while they are sleeping. This starts the first day of February and goes until the 14th. But the best Valentine's Day tradition is the poem/present hunt I make for Mike. The kids help me hide clues that we make with fancy paper and I write a poem that leads him to each clue. It is so much fun!

Here's this years poem (you can read last years here--I think last years was better):

Remember when we were oh so young and didn’t have a care?
We’d lay on the couch all day long or play some solitaire.
Those were the days before we knew
We’d be a family—me and you.

It’s hard to remember way back then, before we said our “I Dos”
So here’s a poem about those days…pay attention, or you’ll miss the clues.

Our first meeting was a nice one, when you walked into the room
We had no idea from that short talk an eternal love would bloom
I wore a boyish thing that day, but you didn’t seem to mind
I bought you one for Christmas and inside a clue you’ll find

You took me to a volleyball game, I should have known then
I’d miss you every minute until I was with you again
You sang me a song, a song that you made
Now find the next clue on the instrument you played

We took a big trip just after we met
Together for days—you weren’t sick of me yet
The clue’s in the book that showed us the way
To Mykalee’s house—our own “getaway”

You moved from the Colony, which we thought was quite sad
Your “stuff” had to spend a while in my single girl’s pad
The next clue is hidden where you spent hours and hours
Writing code to graduate so the world could be ours

We played mini golf, went to a movie or two
We even went swimming when the sky was blue
We once went to the waterslides my tattoo was so cute
Find the clue in the place I keep my newest swimming suit

Lagoon was a blast, when you won me that prize
Summer was gone—boy time sure flies
You started graduate school and you’ll find your clue
By the diploma you got (although I know you earned TWO)

By the time I started classes that year long ago
I had a ring on my finger that I’d never let go
Your clue’s in the fridge and you better know why
It’s on what you gave me that almost made me cry

We promised that day to be husband and wife
And I couldn’t believe this was actually real life
I’ve hidden a clue on a picture of where
We’d get married and make the perfect pair

Being engaged wasn’t as fun as I thought it would be
Really it was all about spending too much money
You did buy my bouquet even though it was too much
The clue’s on its picture—the finishing touch

We finally got married and became a family
So now you have three little ones to bounce on your knee
Your final clue is in their room but it’s not your present yet
You’ll have to wait until our date to see what you’ll get…
(get your mind out of the gutter--completely innocent I swear)

I love you more today than before we said “I do”
I know the way I act isn’t always a great clue
But I do know you love me and I hope you know it’s true
We were meant to be together—a family—ME and YOU!