Valentine's Day

Usually, Valentine's Day isn't a big deal in our family. We might do cards or candy or something, but not much. For some reason, this year is a bit different. Maybe in part because K is more in tune to holidays and loves whatever a holiday has to offer to make live a bit different for a day. Since we're homeschooling, I try to do more crafts and hands-on things. I'm not much of a crafter, though I can appreciate the artistic element. Anyway, this Valentine's Day has included a few crafts, decorations and made goods.

I found this decoration idea on Pinterest. You just cut a paper plate (I already had red plates leftover from Christmas, they suggested painting white ones) in a swirl, punch a hole in the top, run a piece of yarn from the punch down to the bottom and hang. I added a paper heart and the website suggested adding hearts, beads and anything else. I was too lazy for most of that. And K gave me a lot attitude about helping, so that drained most of the fun out of it!

This was another Pinterest idea-Pretzel Buttons. Super easy snack to make, with the exception of unwrapping all the Hershey's Hugs. The hard part was finding Hugs and Valentine colored M & M's the day before Valentine's (because I didn't have a chance to shop before then). But I did find it and made these for all my boys.

I also made these. Another Pinterest find. It sure works well for generating ideas! And, like the decoration, didn't cost me anything. 

This is the sweet idea James had for Valentines from the boys to me. They wrote on the outside of little metal mailboxes,

then made a bunch of hearts, lips and other things out of construction paper. They wrote sweet things and K told me they kissed the paper a lot before loading up the boxes. There were a few gumdrops mixed in as well; some real sugar to go with all their sweetness!

It's been a fun little Valentine's Day here. Now I'm wrangling three boys all day because I'm baby-sitting my nephew while my sister works the Valentine's Day rush at the florist. Good thing I got a little sweetness to start my day, because the rest of it will be crazy!