Okay, enough about me let's talk about you! What is your favorite holiday? I'm going to take a wild guess and say if you're a mom you love St. Valentine's Day since it really is 'The Guiltless Holiday'. You just give love, lots of it, and you get to eat loads of heart shaped candy without filling any stockings, buying a lists of gifts, or mailing out Christmas cards (unless you are of the brilliant bunch who don't send Christmas cards and opt for the less hectic season of Valentine cards instead). I remember not being particularily fond of this day pre married life. I never had a boyfriend or even a date on this holiday, and I even remember watching "Pillow Talk", a Rock Hudson and Doris Day movie with my mom and dad one Valentine's evening while in high school and when it was over my parents kindly dismissed me to my room...I know pathetic.
However, I've taken the reins on this holiday and made it one of my very favorites, here is how. First, I let the kids decorate. I am pretty uptight about decorating and like to make everything as close to a photoshoot for Real Simple magazine as I possibly can but on this holiday I let the little cupids around here take the Valentine's box of decorations and run with it. This year's highlite, they filled up a vase with red hot candies and dumped half a container of red glitter around it and called it a 'center piece'. Second, Benny the Love Bug comes to visit the month of Feburary. He is a stuffed Valentine's Bug who is soft and cuddly. Like all critters he needs nourishment but this guy doesn't feed on food he feeds on Love. If you find Benny on your bed you've just been hit by the Love Bug and that means someone has secretly done a kind act for you and you must now be in charge of feeding Benny by doing a kind act for someone else. Unlike our fish, Sharky, Benny can be fed more than once a day;)! Third, everyone in the house knows that although we do alot of fun things as a family this day is really about mom and dad;). Yes, I jumped on the band wagon a few years ago and started doing the 14 Days of Valentine's for my Sweetheart. It has exploded on every blog and website so if you're looking for fun ideas and print outs you're in luck! I found mine on Pinterest. What makes it unique however is making it fun and personal!! The children love asking what day I'm on or what gift(s) I'm giving that day. And finally, the morning of Valentine's Day we lay out hearts (we use the same ones each year) leading the little Kings on a path that ends in our bedroom. We have a little treat for them from Brian and I. We enjoy a nice breakfast of heart shaped Peppermint Scones, red hot candy cider, and berries. Ahhh, and that my friends is why I LOVE Valentine's Day.
If you'd like the recipe for Peppermint Scones, or the cider, or even want to offer me some fun ideas of your own please don't hesitate to let me know!! Happy Lovin'!
With Love,
Nonnie
