The Responsible Woman: What's red and white and takes a lot of heart?

I had to share the totally cute Valentine's hairdos that I gave my girls. I wish I could take credit, but I found the directions on http://www.cutegirlshairstyles.com/.

Danielle had her first Valentine's party at her preschool, and we thought it would be fun to make heart cookies for all her friends as well as a large heart to decorate for each family member. I always like projects that everyone gets into.

The first Valentine's Day that I knew Nathan, I made him heart shaped cookies with pink frosting, and this year I was feeling nostalgic to carry on that tradition.

Last year we were apart on Valentine's Day. He was alone in Klamath Falls, and I was with the kids at a BYU traveling dance concert called All About Love that was good to distract me, but still made me miss him.

This year it was so nice to be settled and able to make cookies and have him come home for the evening and join us.

It was also nice to make the house as messy as I wanted to and not worry about cleaning it to show potential buyers.

I prefer soft sugar cookies, though my mom is partial to the crunchy version, because that is what her mother made her. Somehow it skipped my generation. My kids are all unified with me that the soft ones are the best.

Of course the most important part of the sugar cookie is not the cookie itself, but the frosting, preferably homemade.

I think Danielle ingested more frosting than cookies, and that's saying a lot, because she ate plenty of cookies.

Who can resist an almost 4-year old though.

We ended up with enough cookies for her class and some to spare.

For our date, we traveled to Ashland, where Brandon was having a basketball game. We had dinner at the most delicious restaurant. I will eat there from now on whenever I make the hour-long drive. It was hand made pasta with roasted organic vegetables and so delicious. I had the butternut squash and walnut ravioli topped with basil cream sauce. It was hands down the best meal I've had since Atlantic Fish in Boston.

After dinner we watched the second half of Brandon's game. He has gotten increasingly better this season, and I am proud of how hard he has worked. Considering we just moved here this year, he has a bunch of great friends and fits right into the team.

His coach was full of positives, saying that he has one of the best shots on Varsity and JV and that he is a great player.

Danielle has been to a fair share of his games this year, but she really doesn't enjoy basketball as much as her ponies.

Brandon had 100% shooting for free-throws this season. We were especially impressed when he was fouled attempting a 3-pointer and made 3 free throws in a row!