Valentine’s day

Yippee! It is finally here! Am I the only one who adores Valentine’s Day? Cheesy? I think not. The day is only lame if you allow yourself to get sucked into the overpriced flowers and mandatory dinner out at an overpriced restaurant. I guess I am focused on this day as a small beacon of hope in this world gone mad. In a time when not a lot makes sense, the true essence of Valentine’s Day does. Let your family know that they rock your world. Here are a few easy ideas to make the day memorable for you, your spouse and your children.
- Surprise your children and deliver breakfast to them IN BED. That’s right! My ten year-old daughter is in for a big surprise. Instead of the usual, “Good morning, it is time to get up and get ready for school” spiel and morning kiss, this year she will be having breakfast in her room! What could be better? (My three year old is probably a little too young to understand this concept, so he will be up helping me serve.)
- My husband will find a giant red heart with lip prints in the middle, all done in lipstick, on his bathroom mirror. I will also tuck a love note in his pant’s pocket for him to discover at work. Just a small flirtatious way to make him smile during the day.
- Trader Joe’s sells great fixing’s to make your own pizza- no real effort involved. Each year we shape the dough into a heart and dine on this simple meal so we have some extra family time together in the evening.
I like these ideas because they show a sweet sentiment to your family. Valentine’s Day truly is a day to tell those you love how you feel. Hope you take a few minutes to count your blessings…

Valentine’s Day, believe it or not, is just around the corner so it might be good to start planning ahead. Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite celebrations, so I have always tried to make it special for my children. Three fun ideas to try at home:

1. Have your children make Valentine cards this year instead of buying boxed cards. Paper lace hearts always work well as the base of the card, and they look beautiful once garnished with stickers. Make sure you have a card for EVERY child in the class, and don’t forget the teacher. Schools are starting to steer away from candy, so consider omitting it this year.

2. Plan a small Valentine’s Day Cookie Making Party. This has been a tradition in our home since our daughter was two. We invite 9 friends who are all asked to wear red, pink, purple or white. Each guest is also asked to donate one jar of his/her favorite sprinkles. About a week before the party my children and I bake about 100 different sized heart sugar cookies and stick them in the freezer On the day of the party our home is decorated with a zillion paper hearts, balloons, and streamers. When guests arrive they sit and decorate cookies until their hearts are content. Keep the day simple: no favors, no games, no gifts, no lunch, just a simple meal of cookies and milk- does it get any better than that? We also limit the time of the party to an hour, which is plenty of time to decorate, admire our creations, and eat. We write each child’s name on a paper plate so he/she can carry the extra cookies made home.

3. Make a handmade card for loved ones this year. I always stick a Valentine under their pillows so they find them on Valentine’s morning.

If you have any other creative ways to make Valentine’s Day fun, I would love to hear!

Happiness is brightly colored sugar sprinkles all over my kitchen table!