We enjoy Valentines Day a lot around here. There are things that we do every year. Each year the kids make or fill out their valentines for school. Some years we have bought them. Other years we made them and taped suckers to them. We have been simple and creative. I like simple. Mostly because after about 5 homemade cards the kids are about done. But it's fun. This year the kids did a total of 75 valentines for their teachers and classmates. With bigger classroom sizes and all four in school the number went up from last year. I think last year we were less than 30.
Valentines is one of my favorite holidays. I enjoy being married and in love with my husband. I am still madly in love. I rarely have to remind myself why I fell so hard for him so many years ago, because I have that feeling daily for him. I anxiously wait for him to get home each day from work or hunting just as I did when we were dating waiting for that moment when we got to hang out again.
I have four children. I love the tradition of taking something to their school. Usually I time it when they are out of class and leave it on their desk or have it delivered to their class. We have done a balloon most years. It's cheap. We hit up the Dollar Tree. They had a nice variety this year. So the kids each got a balloon tied to a box of candy. Years before we have split up a bouquet of flowers, Dollar Tree vases, with a balloon tied to it. I usually add my niece and Steph and I split the costs. We can get all the kids something for less than $10. Always. It's fun and they love getting a surprise. I know I did as a kid. It didn't always happen and it wasn't like we were spoiled, but my parents did fun cheap little things like that all the time. One of those things I really remember. So I want that for my kids. Simple memories. Not about big gifts, trips, spending a ton of money, but about the little things that help them feel special.
We make homemade pizza a lot. At least once a month. The kids always get their own piece of dough to shape however they want. They get sauce, cheese, pepperoni, olives and or pineapple. They are excited every tome to check on the pizza while it's cooking and even more excited to eat it. They usually choose how they want it cut too. How fun is it to bite into a big slice of pizza? SO much fun. I helped them shape the dough this time in honor of the love holiday. We made heart shaped pizzas again. They decorated. Here are their personal creations.
Kaelyn's with smiley faces on each pepperoni
Maddy's pepperoni smiley face.
Brooke's. She always puts olives on for "decoration" then picks them off after her pizza is cooked.
Lili's classic pepperoni and olives. Such a masterpiece.
Steph and my pizza. YUM!!!
Tj's pizza covered in ranch. I now know to punch a hole in the ranch container. Lesson learned.
(I learn one every day with this little guy!) He needed help with his pizza, wasn't so interested in making it and ate almost all his olives off before it made it into the oven.
Tj's first valentine's for his first year in school. He picked this box of G-Force cards out at the Dollar Tree. Cheap and they came with glow in the dark stickers. And no he didn't get the concept and really didn't care too much about it. But it was fun and maybe someday he will get the fun in valentine's.
Ron had to drive for the basketball games at school this year so my sister and nieces came over for dinner. It was fun to have them around. Madelyn and Lili had basketball practice and I got the other kids to bed. Maddy then got home and went to bed. I watched tv and relaxed. I ended up not feeling so great and still battling something today. But it was fun. Ron didn't get home till about 1:30 am. I am so glad that our families kept the kids Saturday afternoon/evening so Ron and I could go out for valentines. Apps and a movie. I loved it. We are starting to get out once a month. It's worth every penny and I think it keeps your marriage tip tops and gives you a much needed parental breather.
Hope that you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day.
What did you each do for your special valentines or what did your valentine do for you?
2 comments:
I had plans to make a special dessert, but ended up being sick. So I sat in my pj's and Darin fed the kids and heated up some food for me and then we watched a couple videos. Not how I planned it, but still a fun day.
Rob and I actually went out Friday night alone for the first time since October!! We went to a new restaurant on the outskirts of downtown...highly recommend it. Can't think of the name now. The Heinz girls babysat and cleaned the whole house...love those girls. It was really fun yesterday b/c it was my first time doing the "school party thing"--making treats for Hailey's class and helping her fill out her cards. Hailey also made us a Valentine present on her own and surprised us in the morning...was so precious.
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