Valentine’s Day in our home has a long history of being, honestly, just bad.
Let’s just say expectations don’t ever live up.
I grew up with a mom and gramma who would make amazing Valentine’s dinners with pink tablecloths, balloons, candy, you name it.
It was magical.
I still remember it and wish I could go back.
So, I tried to recreate it every year for my children.
Then Feb. 14 had a few rough years.
Think newborn baby, double ear infections, stomach flu, husband lost his job and snow storm of epic proportions.
All of a sudden, we as a family started to dread Feb. 14.
Any time anyone around us would bring up that date, in hushed tones we would mumble . . . OhhhhFebruary14thAarghGruugleGrummbleBaddBaddMemoriesMakeItStop.
Last February, I was a part of a blogging project that required me to write a post every single day.
And honestly?
It was therapeutic.
It got me through the shortest but most painful month of the year, in my head.
And it forced me to appreciate Valentine’s Day once again.
I even made a special heart-shaped pasta dinner for the family!
I bought a box of candy!
And I made the cutest Valentine love project for my girls.
I can’t take the credit, I found it on Pinterest but of course, the pin led to nowhere.
Just know that I am not at all creative enough to come up with this all by myself.
This is all you do:
- Get construction paper
- Get a marker
- Get scissors
- Cut out some hearts.
- Write what you love about your kids on said hearts.
- Tape to their bedroom doors.
Last year the hubs and I did this the night before Valentine’s Day while they were sleeping.
It was SO much fun.
Secretly and quietly taping these hearts to their doors!
But this year I decided to do it at the beginning of February.
For many reasons but the main one is that they loved seeing these last year so much that they kept them up until they started ripping and falling off.
Think July.
Which makes me think that I should do this year round.
Because who doesn’t like to hear how amazing they are.
Oh sure, I tell them how amazing they are, but not in this kind of detail such as “I love to make brownies with you” or “I love that you still want to hang out with me.”
If I said any of those things to my teenager in person, she would give me the “look.”
Those with teenagers will know what I am talking about.
Though I know that secretly she loves it.
Which made me think some more . . . and that’s a lot of thinking for me . . .
Why can’t we do this for the adults in our life?
I am not talking about sneaking into your loved ones’ homes and pasting construction paper hearts to their bedroom doors.
Because that would be creepy . . . and a little awesome all at the same time.
I am talking about writing something you love about some random friends on their Facebook wall.
Or sending a text to a loved one about how much you love their homemade alfredo pasta.
Or writing an old-fashioned letter (remember those??) to your Great Auntie who loves mail and tell her how much you loved going to her house when you were little.
Yes!
This Valentine’s Day, how about you tape a heart to somebody’s door?
And bring me brownies.
