Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! My has this day changed over the years. I thought minors just traded cards and candy. Cards and candy. Our two are only eleven and nine. So the youngest did do just that at school- he exchanged cards and candy with classmates. Our oldest is now in sixth grade and they don't do this anymore. Understandable. Well, no problem because we arrived home today to find a nice Fedex package in the mailbox... addressed to the two of them! Two Valentine's Day cards and inside were two credit card/gift cards for $50 each! WHAT! My parents sent them. Times have changed. Those same two grandparents, about three decades ago, gave me five minutes in a store to find a cheap box of Valentine cards to exchange with friends. Just cards. I had to scotch-tape my own candy to the cards. A few cards ended up with just tape on the front. The bus ride was long in elementary school back then and I needed energy. A few pieces of it. Back to the gifts. Just flabbergasted over the $50 they got. Valentine's Day should be just for lovers. I didn't know there were cards for children for Valentine's Day. Shaking my head at this. "Kids need holidays and gifts too! You all have Mother's and Father's Day," our youngest stated. "Kid's day is every single day," I responded. Then, I took the time to give one of my long lectures about how it was in my day. I did, throw in a few exaggerations: "I had to make my own cards and candy! And the envelopes!" Well, the youngest did offer to take me out with his new Visa gift card. "I can take you to Olive Garden!, he told me. "But just me and you Mama." I smiled. "But it can't go over $15," he warned. "At Olive Garden?" I questioned. "Soup and salad and those little entrances for just $12.95... I saw it on the commercial," he added. "What about the tip for the server?" I asked. "Well, can't you handle that Mama?" "I can't spend all my money." Olive Garden just happens to be his favorite restaurant too. I'd better take him quick. I heard him asking his sister, "You know how to use our cards to order stuff on Amazon.com?" That money is as good as spent.