[M.D. Holloway]

Isabo et al: I am going to make this tough. My wife is an amazing women. She grew up on a large farm in a small town in Iowa. She is very "careful" with money. She will only buy things for herself after the needs of the house and kids are met and then they are typically well thought out. She likes nice things but also wants to save for a few big ticket items that are a bit off in the future. She really should be a CFO some place.

She doesn't collect anything and is not into fancy stuff per se - scarfs are out, enamal boxes- she has a few and complains that they are in the way but doesn't want to store them becuase of sentimental value. She is a very picky eater and not a real artist in the kitchen - pot roasts and quasadillas are her specialties.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by adrian jaye
[B]From past experience:

DO's
1> dont forget to say I love you at least a gazillion times - WE SAY THIS TO EACH OTHER ALL THE TIME ANYWAY
2> cards - I ACTUALLY HAVE MADE HER CARDS, THAT GOES OVER WELL BUT IT ISN'T UNIQUE ANYMORE
3> candy - NOPE - KIDS WOULD END UP EATING IT (we don't want that!)
4> roses - SHES NOTE A BIG FLOWER FAN, SHE LIKES THEM BUT HER PRATICLE SIDE WINS MORE THEN NOT. I HAVE PICKED HER WILD FLOWERS AND GIVEN THEM TO HER FOR NO REAL REASON OTHER THAN I LOVE HER AND THAT HAS PROVIDED VERY VERY INTERESTING PHYSICAL GYMNASTICS - DON'T WANT TO DILUTE THAT ACE IN THE HOLE SO TO SPEAK!
5> little love notes hidden around the house - DONE WEEKLY ANYWAY, I ALSO WRITE HER POEMS AND LOVE LETTERS, THEY GET THE JOB DONE FOR SURE!
6> make her breakfast/ bring her a cup of tea in bed, on a tray with a flower - SHE DOESN'T REALLY EAT BREAKFAST AND HOTS HOT BEVERAGES. EATING IN BED IS A PET PEEVE OF HERS, NOT A BIG FAN OF IT
7> candlit dinner either at a really nice romantic restaurant - WE DO THAT FROM TIME TO TIME AND WE ALWAYS END UP WONDERING ABOUT THE KIDS, WE START MISSING THEM.
8> OR make her a nice dinner at home - i DO 50% OF THE COOKING NOW, WOULD MIND 100%, THING IS, SHE DOES'NT PLACE A WHOLE LOT OF VALUE ON A GREAT MEAL.
9> do something spontanious and romantic - OK, THAT S PRETTY OPEN ENDED. SHE WILL EXPERIEMENT FROM TIME TO TIME BUT SHE HAS NEVER REALLY BEEN INTO ANY OF THE ROMANCE STUFF. SHE WILL TELL YOU, I AM FAR MORE ROMANTIC THEN SHE IS.
10> give her your credit card and say "spend it all honey" - NOPE, SHE IS REALLY AGAINST DEBT AND DOESN'T LIKE CCs AT ALL

So, all in all, I would say that this V day will be like the last few - I will get the kids to handmake a card, maybe get them to a neighbors to play for a few hours and let her have time for herself to take a nap or watch a game on the tube. She is a huge football fan, NASCAR and getting to be a big NCAA hoops fan. I may even burn her a few Tim McGraw CDs - she loves him.