Love you more than candy...
Last month Ben and I did some shopping during one of our dates. In the Hallmark store, I saw this little Valentine plate that says, "Love you more than candy." I knew I had to buy it since this phrase, "I love you more than..." has always been a joke in our family. I love these 4 more than candy. More than pizza. More than football. Well, that's not much of a comparison.
It felt good to start getting out my seasonal crafts. My kitchen hutch looked pretty cute with all the red accents.
When the kids and I were grocery shopping one day, I told them they could pick out one of these tulip bunches as their Valentine to me. Sometimes you have to drop a lot of hints to get a Valentine. Oh, they've made me happy and look so cheery on our kitchen table. I can plant the bulbs in my front flower bed when they die too. That's double the fun.
One afternoon Katie and I worked on our foamie Valentine tree. I found these foamie hearts and had fun making a garland for the fireplace. It turned out pretty sweet, even if some of the glitter ran a bit after being hung up. No, I will not re-do them.
Two of Katie's classmates were out for a walk and surprised her with a visit. They helped us with the project that day. I love having the kids' friends in our home.
I love these foamie crafts as much as the girls!
Crafty Katie
In February, I made so many treats. Too many, really. Some were with a purpose - class parties and a funeral lunch, but many were for us. I need to get the snacking under control. We had some new friends over for a FHE on Monday. They did such a great job with a clever "Wise Man built his house upon a rock" lesson and we made some heart-shaped cupcakes for treat. Have you all heard the trick about putting a marble between the paper and muffin tin? Yes, they look a bit like Pac Man initially, but with frosting and sprinkles on, they look like hearts. Fun little trick.
Our ward has participated in the Project Linus service opportunity by making some blankets to send to Haiti. It has been a great opportunity for me and the kids to work together on a project. Originally, I thought Katie and I would do most of the work. Guess who ended up being more excited about helping out? Yes, DANIEL! I was so proud of him. He pushed the pedal of my sewing machine, while I guided it. Having kids help with projects is often more work, but worth it, I remind myself. He also helped me tie the quilt when we were done. Trimming the connected threads was his favorite thing. When we were done, he said, "This is just beautiful!" I wouldn't go that far, since we'd just used extra fabric and batting we had on hand, but the quilts did turn out cute - enough.
Our ward has participated in the Project Linus service opportunity by making some blankets to send to Haiti. It has been a great opportunity for me and the kids to work together on a project. Originally, I thought Katie and I would do most of the work. Guess who ended up being more excited about helping out? Yes, DANIEL! I was so proud of him. He pushed the pedal of my sewing machine, while I guided it. Having kids help with projects is often more work, but worth it, I remind myself. He also helped me tie the quilt when we were done. Trimming the connected threads was his favorite thing. When we were done, he said, "This is just beautiful!" I wouldn't go that far, since we'd just used extra fabric and batting we had on hand, but the quilts did turn out cute - enough.
If you haven't heard about the Project Linus organization, I was impressed with their mission and activities. They accept various kinds of handmade blankets - fleece, crocheted, quilts, etc. A really neat way to teach kids about serving and helping those who have been through devastation too. As I worked on the lighthouse one, I thought about light and how it gives hope to those in darkness. We've all had dark times and I am strengthened by that imagery of light and lighthouses.
We had such a fun Valentines week this year. Katie and I worked on making handmade Valentines, too, to take over to the nearby nursing home. She has been finishing up her service hours to receive her Bronze Award with Girl Scouts. Making the cards was fun, but I was touched as we went to deliver them to the seniors in this care center. The initial visiting and sharing of our Valentines and chocolates in the dining room was mostly superficial and brief. We still had extra cards and asked the front desk if there were residents who could use a little 'pick me up.' We had some neat conversations with two elderly women who were so appreciative of our time. I got the sense that the gift of our time meant more than the cards and candy. It was a good experience for Katie and I enjoyed my Sunday afternoon too, listening to these seniors who were so lonely.
We had such a fun Valentines week this year. Katie and I worked on making handmade Valentines, too, to take over to the nearby nursing home. She has been finishing up her service hours to receive her Bronze Award with Girl Scouts. Making the cards was fun, but I was touched as we went to deliver them to the seniors in this care center. The initial visiting and sharing of our Valentines and chocolates in the dining room was mostly superficial and brief. We still had extra cards and asked the front desk if there were residents who could use a little 'pick me up.' We had some neat conversations with two elderly women who were so appreciative of our time. I got the sense that the gift of our time meant more than the cards and candy. It was a good experience for Katie and I enjoyed my Sunday afternoon too, listening to these seniors who were so lonely. Our last Valentines surprise was on a Sunday night when we heard the doorbell ring around 8:30 pm. Daniel jumped out of bed and all the kids ran to the door in excitement. Someone had heart-attacked our front door, showering it in hearts and darling doily Valentines on picks, stuck into the ground. There was a big basket with candy and brownies too. What a nice surprise.
