Heart-Shaped Pizza

Since Adel and I have vowed never to go out on Valentine's day again (we don't like crowds!), we have been spending Feb 14 with our kids, celebrating family love and God's love as well as romantic love.  Now, I have found out that Papa Johns makes a heart-shaped pizza for Valentine's day, and my life will never be the same.

And of course, the annual viewing of The Princess Bride.

Creative Dating

If you are on a budget, a Dave Ramsey fan, or just don't want to fight the crowds on Valentine's Day, below are some cheap date creative dating, ideas.  Let's be realistic, these creative dating ideas will only work after the kids are in bed.  Music and lighting don't hurt either.

·        Create a romantic picnic in your bedroom.  Spread a clean blanket or sheet on top of the bed as a “table cloth,” and enjoy your favorite take out.

·        Plan a movie night.  Rent, borrow, or use one you own.  Get popcorn, your favorite candies and sodas, and snuggle on the couch.

·        Plan a game night.  There are many board games designed for four or more players that can be creatively adapted for two players. And who else can you play trivia with while snuggled up in bed?

·        Watch your old home videos or look through your photo albums together.  Make it fun by playing your old tunes too.

·        Create a spa in your home.  Play serene music while you pamper each other with massage.  Light candles and make the atmosphere romantic and relaxing. 

·        Create a puzzle or mystery for each other to solve.  You can buy a dollar store puzzle, assemble it, and then write a message on the back for each other to discover while assembling the puzzle.  You can also make your own puzzle with a good piece of cardboard.

·        Cook a fancy dinner together, something you’ve never tried before.  Share a bottle of wine while you cook.

God is Love

I'm not the only momma who's brilliant.  My friend Shannon is brilliant too.  (She wouldn't want me saying that, but it's true so I'm saying it anyway.)

This Valentine's day, Shannon invited the kids and I to join her for a Valentine's breakfast.

Before the kids ate, Shannon talked to them about the source of love.  She asked how we have the ability to love other people.  Where does that ability come from?  And she reminded them of how God loved us even while we were still His enemies (Romans 5:8).  Then she encouraged them to seek the love of Jesus first before any other love, that Jesus could be their first Valentine.  After a prayer of thanks, they ate a yummy breakfast.

And then each child received a small bunch of flowers with a little tag reminding them of God's love (1 John 4:19).

What a great way to start Valentine's day off right.  Brilliant.

Valentine's School Box

My kid is a genius.  No, really.

In 2nd grade this year, Isaac was assigned to decorate his own Valentine's box, to receive all his Valentine's on the big day.  He came up with the idea for this Valentine's monster and did all the decorating himself (I did the wrapping).

His first idea was to make a monster, which I, of course, thought was genius.  But, I added that it must be a Valentine's monster.

His design was partly inspired by the iPhone/iPad app, "The Creeps," one of my all-time favorites because it's battling, but it's cute.

 (There is a hole in the "neck" so the Valentine's drop from the mouth down into the belly of the monster.)

Love that crazy-creative kid!

Valentine's Fun: Creative

This is the third year in a row that we've played our "For the Love" Valentine's game.

Making the Game:
1.  Simple Step: Take a cube-shaped box .  On each side of the cube, write one of the following instructions: 1. Give a hug, 2. Give a kiss, 3. Tickle, 4. Give a Valentine, 5. Say "I love you!", 6. Say "You're special because ______."  
     Get Creative: If you can find pictures or clip art to go with it, that would be good to help pre-readers.  

This year I used a kleenex box from the recycling bin that I stuffed with newspaper and covered in printouts with the 6 Instructions.  

 If you plan to use an oblong cube like a kleenex box, I recommend putting Instruction #5 and #6 on the top and bottom ends because they will get landed on less frequently than the regular sides (and the action-oriented instructions are more fun than the word-oriented ones).

2.  Simple Step: Make a stack of cards. Each card should say the name of a family member. 
     Get Creative: Or, better for pre-readers, each card can have a picture of a family member.

This year Abby helped me cut out the list of names I printed on cardstock for our cards.

I recommend putting double the number of the kids names as grown up names as the kids have more fun the more their names gets picked.

 3.  Simple Step: Get cookies, individually wrapped candies or conversation hearts.
     Get Creative:  Or have the kids help make a pile of Valentine hearts.

This year we pulled a bunch of treats out of the pantry.

Playing the Game:
Take turns rolling the dice and picking a card.  The dice will tell you what to do.  The card will tell you who to do it to.  (If you pick your own card, just pick again.)  For example, you may "Give a hug" to Daddy or "Tickle" little sister.  You may even have to "Give a Valentine" (the ones you made or the candies or cookies you bought) to Mommy.  Little kids will not think this is at all cheesy.  They will LOVE it.  Super simple family fun.  No one loses and even babies can play.  The game ends when the kids lose interest or you can't stand the love anymore.

Pictures from this year:

A hug from Daddy.

The chance to tickle big brother.

He waited a long time to get this "Valentine" from Mommy.

A silly hug from brother.

Enjoying her "Valentine" from Daddy.

(Before she got excited and sat on it!)

My favorite quotes from the game this year:

Isaac: "Daddy is special because he works really hard."

Abby (after tickling Mommy): "I always wanted to tickle a grownup!!!"

Abby: "Mommy is special because she cooks a lot."

If you like the idea of this game, but not the prep, check here for a no-prep version.

Valentine's Fun: Simple

I made our family-tradition Valentine's game even easier to play this year...seriously took me 30 seconds to scratch the game out on a piece of scrap paper:

Roll the first die to see what to do.  

Roll the second die to tell you who to do it to.

Hugs...

 And kisses...

"Isaac, I like when you play Lego-Barbie with me."

"I like Daddy because of his neat castles."

The kids picked out little gifts for each other at the dollar store to give when they rolled a 4.

And the best part of all...tickles.

Cuties.