Valentines

I love our Valentines traditions. We eat the traditional steak and potatoes meal by candlelight with everyone. (This is the only time every year that I will buy steak.) Ray gives everyone a heart box of chocolate. He wants the girls to be treated with love all the time and it's good for them to have a tangible picture of it on a special occasion. How he treats them now is giving them a standard to expect from their future husbands.

We often draw names to give gifts to our Valentine. It's fun to see the thoughtfulness put into each gift. Rachel actually touched our dog to make a painting for Mary. (If you know Rachel, she doesn't like dogs, at all.)

This was by far the easiest "special dessert" we've ever had. I bought a Sara Lee pound cake and sliced it. Abigail used cookie cutters to make hearts and the word Love to place on a plate around fruit. Then we dipped it in melted chocolate.

Valentine Fun

...and yes, she does wear this dress every day.  This Pinterest project is so easy a three year old can do it.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lay out a single layer of pretzels.

Painstakingly unwrap lots of Hershey kisses and put them on top of the pretzels.

 Put the pan in the oven for about 3-5 minutes, just until the kisses are hot but not loosing their shape. I did that for her, she isn't that tall.

Separate a bag full of M & M's, using only the red ones.

While the kisses are warm, press the M & M's down into the kisses.

Cool in the fridge to set the kisses hard again. 

They turned out cute, but if you used the Hershey hugs and Valentine colored M & M's they would look more like Valentines.

Margin is...

• frozen waffles for breakfast instead of homemade muffins. Because let's face it, it takes longer to dress baby dolls than a two year old, especially when your two year old is helping.
• not vacuuming the house for a few weeks while I spend extra time at my oldest daughter's new home, helping her get set up to her own new house.
• leaving dishes in the sink when your two year old says, "let's snuggle mommy."

I stopped right in the middle of cooking supper and let Abigail brush my hair.

• being content with the same old hairstyle instead of taking the time to get it cut.
• putting up the Valentine's decorations, even though the Snow Village is still out.
• skipping the blog for more days than I had planned.
• a tea party before you go to Kroger.
• skipping homeschool for the morning to go to breakfast with girls that grow up too fast.
• deciding that a sleep over at the cousins' house is more important than a school day (this time).

I know that I am still over scheduling and making wrong decisions about time, but I also know my heart is beginning to follow what I know is right. I must stop over scheduling my family! I have to leave room for rest, creativity and growth. (And snuggling!)

Valentine's Celebration

Every year at Valentine's, Ray cooks a special meal for the family and I get to decorate the table. The girls are learning from their dad how to be treated on a date and he has set the standard high.

I'm afraid Abigail didn't fully appreciate all the time and effort that went into the meal because she discovered the joys of animal cookies.

Lydia and I got to do some special cooking for the occasion.

Everyone gets as many squeezes as they can form Abigail and as often as they can.

Valentine's Day

Does it make a person sound more spiritual if they say, "Oh, I don't celebrate Valentine's Day - I tell my wife I love her every day," especially if they say it in a condescending tone of voice?

There are plenty of examples of celebrations in Scripture. There were many festivals - festival of booths, Harvest celebrations, David dancing before the Lord when the ark was returned to Israel, etc. It seems that it's okay to celebrate life in special ways. Today, why not say I love you in a more flowery tone with sweet aromas? (Think Song of Solomon.)

The only two examples of birthday parties in the Bible ended very badly, but that doesn't mean we aren't without excuse to celebrate life and big events. It doesn't mean you have to, only that it's okay.

This Mother's Day, try making sure your mom knows that you are grateful that she chose life. On Father's Day, be glad that your father raised you the way He did. I know there could be a lot of baggage there, but God has you where you are for a reason. Learn from it. Be grateful. Be grateful at New Year's that the calendar is still turning for you. Prepare for Resurrection Sunday ahead of time so that your family understands its implications. Glory in the colors of Spring, Summer and Fall. Be thankful for the quietness of Winter mornings.

This morning there is a bird chirping outside my window. He may not be telling the love of his life Happy Valentine's Day, but he is certainly bringing praise to His Creator. And no one can deny he is celebrating life today. So put on your pink and tell someone that you love them in an especially sweet way.

Have a Great Day

This week has been crazy! I went to my mom's and my mother-in-law's house and got back just in time to meet Hannah and Sarah at the doctor's office. I didn't get to talk to the doctor much because I was late, but he did tell me that Sarah is worn out. Her body is just broken down and having trouble adjusting to the schedule she's keeping. So now, she has strep throat and could possibly be having an allergic reaction to the antibiotic. Do you think that she is taking a break from basketball and school to let her body rest and recover? Absolutely not! I'm trying to keep her and everything she touches disinfected and pushing fluids and no chores.

And while everyone is celebrating Valentine's Day tomorrow our family will be watching Sarah push her body even more on the basketball court. Her team is in the playoffs and should be going to state next week.

In the mean time, a friend posted this link that I found interesting. I don't know her or anything about her but this post was worth a read. It was about praying for your family on Valentines Day.

Valentine's Pictures

Here are some pictures of our Valentine's family night.

A note to Sarah from her secret Valentine.

My sweet baby got too tired for pictures.

Hannah gave her secret a beta fish. He named him "Fluffy Charlie"?

The meal was steak, baked potatoes, salad, steamed veggies, rolls, and sparkling cider.

Lydia designed and made a delicious chocolate cake for dessert.

A Secret Valentine

This is in the middle of Grand Central Station, aka the dining room, so it's not too difficult to drop something in every once in a while.

Every year we draw names with each other to see who will be our secret Valentine. We used to make big bags to hang on our chairs but we changed that up this year. (Mainly because we've outgrown the kitchen table when everyone is seated together.) So I bought little plastic heart shaped bowls for us to put secret treasure in for each person. We have some really creative gift givers who make poems and draw pictures, and we have some who leave a dollar or two. Little pieces of candy are fun too. Some gift givers forget to give throughout the few weeks ahead of Valentine's Day so they have to make up for it by giving something a little better when we reveal. It's fun to see who each one has and to see how they show love to the others in our home.

Happy Valentines Day

... to the man who danced his way into my heart over 23 years ago, and is still dancing with me. I love you!

Valentine's Day

In the morning we'll be having our family Valentine's party. The girls will reveal who their Secret Admirer has been for the past two weeks. They drew names among themselves and make giant envelopes for their chairs at the table. (They made the envelopes out of a roll of painter paper that is heavy duty and stapled the sides and bottom, then decorated them with markers.)
I made them candy sundaes to nibble on throught out the day. The dishes are some we have had for a long time and pull out to use for all kinds of things like candle holders, snack stands, vases, and sometimes even glasses. They are filled with candy and marshmallows, topped with a kiss and have a pencil straw.
The highlight of the day is Ray's traditional gift of heart shaped boxes of candy. He cooked them a special dinner last weekend since some of them won't be able to be home on Valentine's night. The girls will exchange their cards that they have made for each other and I'm sure their will a lot of laughs at the sillies.

In a house of girls there are a lot ideas about parties and celebrations. Lydia, 4, was just making plans for a very elaborate Pooh party she wants to have on a Tuesday and invite all her best friends and have bubble gum and balloons, and ... you get the idea. After all, the Israelites were always having feasts of something. Today we kicked off the Valentine's Season by getting out decorations and making cards. Now, we don't decorate the whole house like we do for Christmas, but there is a garland of pink fluffy hearts hanging in the kitchen doorway. This year the girls had the great idea of having secret sisters. They decorated giant envelopes and hung them on the back of their chair at the table waiting for their secret sister to drop in surprises. I get to help the youngest and there are already some pretty sweet secrets happening. The girls are busy creating cards and poems to give. (Rachel is particularly known for some - er - interesting poems.) Every year at the "season of romance," Ray is slowly teaching them what to expect from their husbands. He writes them poetry, brings them candy hearts and makes them a special meal. We are praying that the girls will have godly husbands who will love them the way God would. I know that doesn't always mean candy and candlelight dinners, but it means that they will be thoughtful to show then their love.

Our Valentine

Tradition reigned again this Valentine's Day. Every year since Ray and I have known each other, we have celebrated Valentine's Day the same way with very little variation. Ray cooks a special meal of steak and baked potatoes, I decorate the table with red and pink, we light candles and have soft music. Since we've had children we include them even if we can't always have our dinner on the fourteenth of February. (There was the year he and his friend David went to a men's conference, but we won't mention that again.) Rachel says that when she gets married she isn't going to share Valentine's Day with her kids. I just tell her to bring them to me. I want our children to learn what real love is.
As my earthly defender, protector, provider and comforter Ray sets the example for the the girls of what a good husband looks like. On birthdays and other special occasions he takes each daughter out on a date. And on Valentine's he gives chocolate and writes poems for them. Our prayer is that the girls will see what true love is and how love behaves every day. Our world gives ungodly examples of what love looks like. We as parents need to model the right way and point it out to our children. Every once in a while we will see a little evidence that something is sinking in. The girls always hand make cards for their sisters, Ray and me. The cards are so creative and fun and this year several cards even included poems. My favorite was the card I received with a certificate to clean out the turtle tank for me. I think someone is learning the gift of service to others and how it acts.