Valentine's Day

I can't deny it. I really do like Valentine's Day. Happy festive bright pink, red, and white hearts. It's cheerful just about the time that the winter days are becoming really old. Besides, a day to show those you love just that you simply love them - who can't like that?

I remember a time in those late teenage years and early 20s when Valentine's Day brought stress and expectations - sometimes fulfilled and sometimes not. But these days, there are no expectations. I don't expect anything from my husband. . .it's not a big, romantic day for us. Instead, it's transformed into a simple, but fun day of showing love to my husband and my kids.

Special touches can mean so much. We had heart shaped pancakes for breakfast. Then, I bought a special Valentine Day card for each of the kids, decorated a white lunchbag with their name on it, and put inside. . .wait for it. . .a Valentine Little Debbie treat. I know, not very special, right? Wrong. My kids get very few store bought treats, so a Valentine Little Debbie is a BIG deal. And, it makes the day very affordable for me, yet exciting for them. Perfect match.


I cut a heart shaped hole into the top of each child's bag and hung it on their chair at the table.

 Then, when the kids come home, I think I might even be more excited than they are to look at the Valentine's Day cards that they got at their party at school. We sorted through them all one by one.
We had made heart shaped Valentine cookies at home the weekend before Valentine's Day, but when Eliza came home with this cookie from a classmate, I thought, hmmm, I might have to try that for next year!


I definately want to try to make cookies like this next year! Eat 'N Park has nothing on me!

 For dinner, we always have heart shaped pepperoni bread - a tradition that I started before the kids were born. I also made brownies in a heart shaped pan, topped with heart sprinkles. I also go "all out" and get heart printed plates to eat dinner on!

Simple little touches, but hopefully, I am shaping Valentines Day in the right way in my children's minds. I want them to know that it is good to show love to your family and friends, it doesn't have to just be romantic love to enjoy Valentine's Day. I don't want them to be disappointed or heart broken on Valentines Day, just because their expectations aren't met. Keepin' it simple - sharing the love!

And, for an added bonus on Valentine's Day, we got to meet our new nephew, Jonah this weekend for the first time. We also got this picture of him in the onesie that we sent him inside his Valentine's Day card. Talk about sharing the love!