Love, Love, Love....

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!  Some people get so stressed about Valentine's Day.  There really shouldn't be so much pressure to show your love on one day.  EVERY day is a good day to show or tell people how much you love them.  Tomorrow is never promised to any of us so really, what are we waiting for?

Love can mean so many things, as I told my third graders yesterday (Who wrinkled up their faces at having to write about who they wanted to be their Valentine!).  ANYONE can be your Valentine!  (So stop stressing if you don't have a "significant other"!)  I gave Valentines to my students, co-workers, kids, husband, and (later today) to my best friend and her family.  And each "Valentine" looked a little different.  Some were containers of strawberry shortcake fudge, some were red velvet cinnamon rolls and some were pig cupcakes!!

There are lots of small ways to show love to others.  Do an act of kindness for someone.  How friendly are you when you go out?  Do you smile at people or say hi?  When you see someone with an outfit you love, do you ever bother to give them a compliment?

Last year Team Holmes started a "Handfuls on Purpose" board (see "Unexpected Gifts" post on Jan 14 for more on that).

This is a place for us to put down something we wanted to do for someone else.  Maybe something we heard them say they needed or thought they would want.  Any act of kindness that came to someone in the family would go here.  Some of them are bigger things, but many are not.  We take heart shaped post it notes and put the "gift" on it.  Once, we 'fulfill' the gift, we move the heart to the back of the board so we can remember what we have done.  I find that we tend to think of things but then never act on them. Writing these ideas down helps us remember to 'make it happen'.  There is no joy like showing love to others.

I think the best way to show love is just spending time together.  Color with your kids today, help your husband with his project (or at least keep him company), make dinner for friends.

Looking for an idea on how to spend time with your kids today?  I found this really sweet book called "Will You Be My Valenswine" by Teresa Bateman.

It is about a little pig who can't find a Valentine until he realizes his mom is his Valentine.  I read this book to my daughter's 3rd grade class.  After the story, I told them I wanted to be their Valenswine and gave them each these adorable (super easy to make!) cupcakes!  Go to your local library and check out this book and make some cupcakes! What a really fun way to share some time with your kiddos on Valentine's Day!

All you need is:

• cake mix
• pink frosting (buy strawberry like I did or tint some vanilla)
• marshmallows
• chocolate chips
• mini chocolate chips
• strawberry wafer cookies

To make...bake your cupcakes and let cool.  Ice with pink icing.  Cut a marshmallow in half .

Add two miniature chocolate chips for the nose.

Add chocolate chips (upside down) for eyes.

Cut the pink wafers at an angle (you are making little triangles) and add for ears.

Now...how easy was that?  And how ADORABLE are these?!

One more thing.  Whether making pig cupcakes or just watching a movie ... when you spend time together, actually BE there. Not on the phone, not checking social media.  Many years ago, when I was pregnant with my first daughter (who is now 11), something happened that I have never forgotten.  We were in San Diego on vacation and waiting in line to get on a brunch cruise. There was a family of four in front of us, with two young girls. The mom's phone rang in her purse and the mom did not react at all.  One little girl looked at her and said, "Mommy, your phone is ringing. Aren't you going to answer it?"  The mom simply said, "No."  The little girl looked confused for a minute and finally said, "Why not?" and the mom said, "All the important people are here." Now I know I was pregnant then (I got very emotional!) but whenever I think of that moment, I still tear up.  I remember thinking, "Please let me be a mom like that."  A powerful lesson from a random stranger that has stayed with me for 12 years and will for the rest of my life.

I gotta go.  I have lots of important people waiting patiently for me!

All You Need is Love!
K