Hello Friends and Fans, Happy Valentines Day! It's a fantastically magical amazing day full of love, and hugs, and kisses, and chocolate, and massages, and dinners out, and dress up, and lots of other delightful things! (And if you are still wondering, yes I made up the word fantastically, I do those things from time to time).
Valentines Day symbolizes many things and memories, especially if you are a romantic sap like me. Yep, one weakness is I fall into the swooning mode watching romance movies! As a matter of fact, just tonight I finished watching "Something Borrowed" with Kate Hudson and Ginnifer Goodwin. I have now moved onto "Somethings Gotta Give", with two of my all time favorite actors: Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton. Shoot I was melting earlier watching Rachel Ray, when she had a few of her guests tell their love stories. Boy it sounds like I watch alot of TV doesn't it?? That's what happens when your little Valentines have gone to bed and your big Valentine is working....
As a young child, I used to look forward to making the cute envelopes, well they were more like pouches, to exchange cards and candy with friends. They were pink, red, lacey, sparkly...All of the things I love! Like T, I made many a Valentine cards in my day to share with friends...but I haven't had our son partake in this family tradition. I am hoping that our daughter might enjoy this craft and it will be something we can do together. I did go and purchase cards and treats for our son to autograph for his friends, but things have really changed since we were students in elementary school.
About a week ago, we received a note from our sons teacher indicating that last Friday was going to be "Friendship Day" and to send a package of Skittles for a project they would be completing. You could also bring a treat to share with the class if you chose. In this same note, the parents were asked to help their children create a mailbox for their Valentines Day party today. To begin with, as soon as I dropped our son off at school last Friday, my mini sidekick (our daughter) and I ran to Raleys and purchased 2 boxes of cookies to share with his class. I had decided not to get a cart just for 2 boxes of cookies, so I was balancing our daughter on one hip and trying to carry the slippery, plastic bakery boxes on the other. Typical for me, an overachiever of sorts. Nothing like a "Can-do" attitude right? Needless to say my confidence got in the way and I should've gotten a cart. I managed to make it up to the register with both boxes in tact, only to have the top one slide right off at the feet of the Checker and break into a gazillion pieces. Luckily they were really nice about it and brought up a 2nd box free of charge. With my store-bought cookies in hand (also a request from the schools these days, store bought treats only please), we raced back to the school to drop them off. We get to the school and take the cookies to class, where I can hear the children in some sort of an assembly while walking by, and their classroom is empty. I leave a note for the teacher letting him know who brought the treats in for the party, and we then proceed with our day.
It comes time to pick up our son and his teacher is outside as a crossing guard in the parking lot. I ask him if he had gotten the cookies, and he says "Yes, but those are for the party Tuesday. The Skittles were for today." I immediately respond that I don't think the cookies will be all that fresh after a three day weekend, and he says they will be fine. Now I am sure they are fine, by all means they probably are chock full of those lovely things called preservatives, but this brings me to another school-parent issue that has changed. I mentioned above that the school now requires you to bring a store bought treat if you are going to share with the class. I have mixed feelings about this. We all ate home made cookies, cakes, cupcakes and we are still alive and kicking. But on the other hand, it kind of freaks me out that some people don't keep a clean house or kitchen so maybe store bought isn't so bad?
So Friendship Day has passed, and we have our Valetines mailbox ready to make it's debut at school. Our son sits down to write out his cards this past weekend. I suddenly realize that there was no class roster to address the V-Day cards too. Instead, I instruct our son to write his cards and candy simply with his name in the "from" box and he is off the hook. While talking to another parent with children his age, it was interesting to find out that their take on the names not being sent home for individual Valentines. Their opinion was without names, it would take less time distributing them. In this case, I suppose that is the purpose of us crafting our own mailbox at home as well? Taking less class time for things like holidays. I guess this isn't such a bad thing, at least our children are still celebrating these fun times and making their own childhood memories. But if we are already evolved this far since we were in school, I wonder how things will be when we have grandchildren? I'm not ready to go there yet, I'm just saying...
Now don't label me as a Valentines Day Grinch, or a "hater" of sorts! The above are just a few things I have noticed since becoming a parent myself that have changed with V-Day at school. I started our day out on a happy go lucky and a positive note. I want to pass on as many new traditions and good memories as possible to our son and daughter. They awoke this morning to my own version of Conversation Heart Pancakes. Each pancake was cut out in a heart shape, with an "I Love You" message on each individual cake. While our son was at school, I made sure both childrens V-Day cards and treats from us were signed and on the dining room table for after school. I baked a batch of Red Velvet cookies, complete with sprinkles on top. I shared V-Day decorated plates full of these cookies to our friends/neighbors. I spread the cheer whenever possible.
Valentines Day is one of my favorite holidays. I know many will say it is superficial and a "Hallmark Holiday", and maybe it is. But I look at it as a reminder, and one more day in the year to tell your loved ones how you feel, Let them know they are special to you. This cannot be said enough. In closing, I hope that your day was full of affection and love, and whatever good things make you feel the warm and fuzzies inside! I was able to spend most of the day with my two little Valentines and I was able to speak with my big Valentine as well. I reached out to a few friends and family members and of course T. I hope that you were able to do the same...Have a good night!
Embrace Your Sparkle,
B
V- Valentine
A- Affectionate
L- Love
E- Eating Chocolates
N- Nestle
T- Tenderness
I- Infatuation
N- Naked
E-Enchantment
S- Sweetheart
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