Valentine's Day 2013

Valentine's Day began with heart-shaped pancakes. I kind of cheated and used a cookie cutter to cut out the hearts after I made them. But it was still something different. While eating breakfast we watched the Phineas and Ferb episode where they created the "Love Boat" for Baljeet and his old friend who was now a "girl". Should have remembered the one where they sang "Itchy Itchy Goo"!

This was a very Pinterest Valentine's this year! I found this idea on the site Not Consumed. The author was writing about making a more meaningful Valentine's Day. She wrote out sixteen statements from Scripture on hearts that would help her children feel God's love for them. I originally had planned to go over them with the kids, but decided instead to read through and discuss 1 Corinthians 13. But I made a garland of sorts and hung it in the dining room where we had dinner. Later I am going to put them up on the mirror in the kids' bathroom where they will see them daily. These are good reminders for all of us on those tough days where we feel we don't measure up.

We began our school day by reading and discussing 1 Corinthians 13. I had printed up a free echart from Rose Publishing that defined each of the words and phrases in verses 4-8. We talked about practical ways we could show these traits. I saw another blog that talked about writing out 1 Corinthians 13 and leaving blanks in the place of "love". When someone shows that trait, you write their name in the space. Might try this one too! Then I had the kids write out these verses inside a heart on lined paper. Then we glued them to construction paper.

Then we jumped into a Valentine Unit Study I found while searching the internet. I've since "liked" her Facebook page "In "All You Do" and am following her boards on Pinterest. This unit study included a brief history of St. Valentine as well as the history of some of the symbols of Valentine's Day. There was a sheet with vocabulary words to define, a short True/False comprehension check based on what we read as well as a space to make up as many words as you could from "Valentine's Day". The pack also included a dot-to-dot, a math worksheet to color in based on the answers, a crossword and a word scramble. It was great to do something different today for a break from our usual curriculum.

This was another Pinterest idea I had found. I cut out the hearts from various colored scrapbook paper using my Creative Memories heart punch. (My thumbs were sore by the time I was done!) The tree pattern came from the DLTK site I have used many, many times over the years. Not the same as the original idea, but they still turned out neat (I think).

This was another Pinterest idea. It came from the website thehybridchick.com. It isn't connecting tonight for some reason, but you can see if you can find it on your own if you're interested. We used construction paper, which made it easy to wrinkle the paper. I also haven't invested in Glue Dots, so we ended up stapling the paper together. The creator said twelve hearts would make an oval shape, while eight would make a circle. We went with rainbow colors and a circle. I think it's a cute idea.

We ate dinner in the dining room with linen tablecloth, candles, and my Grandma Davis' red dishes. I made Tangy Pork Chop Stuffing Bake for D and I and let the kids pick what they wanted. They opted for dinosaurs and mac 'n cheese. I also made crescent rolls - the kids requested cinnamon and sugar on theirs. We listened to John Tesh's CD "In the Key of Love" during dinner. Josh asked why we were listening to that kind of music. He said it made him feel bored! Once we started sharing about our day, we didn't even notice the music anymore.

Dennis had stopped at Costco to pick up our favorite chocolate bundt cake. They were out; so he got the monster chocolate cake! This is so rich. We needed to cut a thin slice and then cut that slice in half! It was yummy and a nice way for Ellie to wash away the taste of her antibiotics. (We will be teaching her how to swallow pills so she doesn't have to drink that yucky white stuff ever again! Poor girl!)

This is how we all felt after eating the cake!

Dennis brought me some roses and cards for all of us. The kids and I had made cards for one another yesterday. Josh especially was very anxious to share his. On the Not Consumed blog, the author had also shared a poem that she was going to write in her kids' cards. I wrote it out on two hearts addressed to each of the kids. I always want them to know that they are God's creation and that He has a special plan for each of their lives.

This is the poem I shared with the kids:

Your are God's masterpiece-

started in His heart, formed by His hands, 

and offered as a gift to the world.

Much more than a work in progress. . . 

you're His good work.

What He started in you

will gloriously unfold for a lifetime

and be completed in heaven.

He sees beauty in you

because you're made in His image

and redeemed by His love.

It's true.

God says you are. . . 

created, chosen, cherished, celebrated

His forever.

by Holly Gerth

Josh said that Valentine's Day was made up of cards and mushy red and pink stuff (or something like that). I couldn't help but think of the picture going around Facebook about grossing out your kids by kissing. He's at that stage. I hope he feels that way for a long time!

Anyway, life is simple these days and that's okay by me. Expensive gifts are nice, but they don't last. The way we love and serve each other everyday is what really matters. I hope our kids will remember these simple times with fondness. Loving God and loving others is what really matters in this life and for eternity. Happy Valentine's Day!