February things

Happy Valentine’s week! Here are a few of my favorite Valentine things, both from now and Februarys past…

❤️ Sweet Valentines…

I’ve done the kind you buy in a box at the store and the kind you print off of Pinterest for free (and this year I am going the easiest-possible route and just bought Lik-M-Aid fun dips the kids can write their classmates’ names on), but my favorite are the homemade variety.

These photo Valentine ones…

I did those several years in a row. It was personalized and not too time-consuming. Just found a cute picture I’d already taken, added text and sometimes a border to it (on my computer through Picasa then, but now you can do it on your phone), and sent them to CVS to be printed. I punched holes through the photo to tie the candy on with a string. We’ve done M&M packets, lollipops and gummies. You can read more here or here. They are a favorite to give and receive.

❤️ Fun decorations…

Several years ago, I made our felt Valentine heart garland. (Check out the simple tutorial here.)

In this house, we don’t have a fireplace, so the garland hangs across our dining room window.

As far as other decorations go, we keep it pretty simple, bringing out a small box a couple of weeks after we put up all the boxes of Christmas decor.

We have little heart rugs in the kitchen, and I cover our laundry room door with heart-themed artwork. This one piece has proven to be a favorite with our puppy, and I’ve had to re-glue those conversation hearts on a few times.

I hung photo garlands my mom sent the kids a couple of years ago across their bathroom mirrors. I just tied loops and hooked them on the sides of the light fixture.

On the dining table, Hannah put dollar store heart picks in a crystal vase. I added a linen hemstitch runner and our pink Georgia plates (I posted about those here) go perfect with all the pink and red. And, she draped string heart lights from Target over picture frames on either side of our TV.

She loves decorating as much as I do.

❤️ Festive kids clothes, obviously…

❤️ And, of course, Valentine gifts and surprises…

Along with the card and a box of chocolate, the past several years, we’ve given Hannah and Joseph a special book. These are the keep-forever kind of books. We write inside the cover and read and re-read these together. Here are some we have given them:

Yep, a few of those are tearjerkers. Or, if you are like me, they can make you all out cry and want to cling to your growing-too-fast babies. I love a good children’s book, so if you have any suggestions for our collection, let me know!

I also love the kind of surprises that come by mail. Like the greeting cards from grandparents, care packages, and these custom M&Ms my mom sent us:

A great (and yummy) gift idea!

❤️ Traditions

Our new favorite February tradition is the Daddy/Daughter Valentine’s dance. It is a huge affair in our town and consists of 4 different dances over a weekend. Joe takes Hannah to the first one Friday night and then out to dinner at the place of her choosing. She and I plan what she’s going to wear and how we are going to do her hair. He buys her a wrist corsage and picks her up at the front door. They pose for photos and momma’s heart completely melts as they drive away, both so excited.

Then, I take Joseph on a date to a place of his choosing…the last two years it’s been Mellow Mushroom.

We also celebrate the anniversary of Hannah’s baptism. Joe baptized her on Sunday, February 14, 2010. (Yes, I blogged way back then.)

That has been the most significant Valentine’s Day for us and one we love to remember each year during this month of love.

It may be an over-commercialized holiday (yes, it definitely is), but I do like this Valentine’s time, especially now with kids. While we celebrate love and each other, and make a point of showing that love in our house year-round, it’s fun to have sweet traditions and make the memories.

And eat chocolate. Am I right?

I asked Hannah why she loved Valentine’s Day and she said, “Because you give off extra hugs and kisses.” I love that. Not hugs and kisses, extra hugs and kisses.

Happy Valentine’s Day…now, go and give those extra hugs and kisses.

❤️