Well, it’s the last week of month which means it’s time for all the end of the month link ups.
I’m linking up with Holly and Patty for Monthly Musings.
This month’s topic is how we show love.
1. What’s your love language?
My love language is definitely acts of service. I appreciate it so much when Travis does things for me…anything from making the bed if I don’t have time to running an errand for me or even doing bigger things like planning vacations.
I truly do appreciate it when he helps out in those ways and takes things off my plate. Just yesterday, he came home during lunch to help start dinner in the slow cooker.
2. Favorite love songs?
I like music, but I’m the worst with song titles. I still love the classic Someone Like You as it was our first dance at our wedding. I mostly listen to country music and love Chris Stapleton’s Joy of My Life.
3. Flowers, chocolate or something else?
I love (and appreciate!) flowers and a card….which is what I got for my birthday (along with a nice dinner out and cake, of course!)
4. Favorite romantic movie/rom com?
Oh…there are too many to count. My faves are While You Were Sleeping, Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, and Sweet Home Alabama.
In the past year, I’ve watched all of these with Hadley to show her some of my favorite movies. Just a couple of weekends ago, we watched Sweet Home Alabama. I’d forgotten how much I love that movie.
5. Favorite childhood Valentine’s Day memory?
Oh…I fondly remember class parties for Valetine’s Day, making our Valentine’s Day boxes and giving and receiving Valetines.
The kids had quite a few fun class parties, and I was glad to help out a time or two.
6. How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Our Valentine’s Day is typically pretty low-key. We give each other cards, and then I pick up a few things for the kids.
When the kids were younger, we always made a point to get a sitter to watch them and then we’d go out to eat the weekend before or after Valentine’s Day.
We still try to go out to dinner, but obviously we don’t need a sitter now.
7. Any love or romance traditions?
I truly love the tradition of receiving a card…and Trav writing bubble letters for my name is icing on the cake. haha
8. When do you feel most loved?
I’m sure I feel loved every day, but especially on my birthday and Mother’s Day. Facebook messages, texts, phone calls, and cards are always nice on my birthday. Mother’s Day means a lot to me too, and it’s nice that the kids take some time to show me some love. I really appreciate it.
9. Big night out or chill at home?
At this stage in life, if chilling at home is an option, that’s probably my choice. That being said, I like an early dinner or happy hour and then hanging out at home watching a game or movie.
10. Do you wear red/pink on Valentine’s Day?
I’m not big on either of those colors, but I love a seasonal/holiday sweatshirt. This one from Target was a fun find this Valentine’s Day season.
Well, after a somewhat consistent couple of weeks, this week was an odd one. We had no school Monday for Presidents’ Day, went to school on Tuesday, and then we had NTI days due to snow and cold temps Wednesday and Thursday. As I type this, my district said they’d make the call for today this morning. Besides the wacky school week, Hayden has had the flu! He’s doing better now, but he was pretty sick.
As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
Last Friday was Valentine’s Day.
The kids had practice after school, but when they got home, I had a couple of gifts for them. They both got a few odds and ends, but I bought Hayden a quarter zip from Good Good Golf, and Hadley’s main gift was one of these wristlets from Lululemon. They are all the rage with teen girls right now.
I got Trav a card and chocolates, and he gave me a card and some chocolate covered strawberries.
I had to go to Kroger for my prescription, so while I was there I got the kids some candy, their favorite drinks, and a couple of smaller items like Chapstick. I picked up some cupcakes for dessert.
Anyway, it was a low-key evening, but fun to celebrate a bit.
We really didn’t have much going on last weekend which was perfect timing because I was getting over a sinus infection.
A couple of months ago, we were out with friends at a new pizza place in town. We spotted the private room they had and asked about it. We looked ahead at the UK basketball schedule, and booked the room for last Saturday. The fire was going, there were a few TV’s, serve yourself soft drinks, and we had our own waitress. So, we ordered apps, pizza, and drinks throughout the night. For the room, you had to spend $500. We spent a bit more than that, but we divided it among eight families. So, it was just a fun way to get together and watch a basketball game.
On Monday, since we were off of school, and everyone was still healthy, the kids and I ran some errands and then stopped for lunch at Shake Shack. We were only out and about for a couple of hours, but it was nice doing something with them on a day off. As you know, we’ve had a ton of snow days, but we’re usually at home or Hadley will go to a friend’s house to do her school work. Anyway, it was just a nice afternoon.
I know it’s crazy the amount of snow days and NTI days we’ve had, but our winters aren’t usually this active. While I’m ready for spring, the snowfalls have been pretty and you never know what the next year might bring. We’ve had winters with only a couple inches of snow in the past.
Not a favorite but the NTI days saved me from using sick days to take care of Hayden. Also, the pediatrician’s office feels so odd at this age. Seeing the little kids compared to my teenage boy is bittersweet. We’ve gone to the same pediatrician the kids’ whole lives, and when he walked in to see Hayden, he said, “Well, who is this guy?” haha…I don’t think Hayden’s been there since last spring, so I’m sure he’s grown a bit.
Wednesday night Travis and Hadley went to the UK basketball game and had some great seats. I was receiving lots of texts and messages with people spotting them behind UK’s bench. haha
Last weekend, Hadley and I watched Sweet Home Alabama. That’s one of my favorite movies that I hadn’t seen in years, and it was on Hulu. Hadley really liked it.
Speaking of Reese Witherspoon, I also watched her new movie with Will Farrell, You’re Cordially Invited. One of my favorite comedians, Leanne Morgan is also in it. It’s a quirky and funny movie…but I’m glad it was included in my Prime membership, and I didn’t have to pay extra to watch it.
Favorite Meals:
I kept our dinners pretty simple including sheet pan nachos…
…and a new recipe I tried: Bubble Up Pizza Bake…I didn’t get a picture of it as I assembled it and Hadley baked it…but we all loved it. Per Hadley’s request, I actually might make it again next week and add sausage to the pepperoni.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Man, this is so true, but I also know that in less than two years, they can take themselves wherever they need to go!
How was your week? Ours was odd with a snow day on Tuesday. That meant that Wednesday felt like a Monday again! And, I’m still battling my cold which I think is now officially a sinus infection. I’m hoping this is the end of the sickness at my house!
As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week.
On Saturday, Hayden had his second indoor mile race of the season, and he ran a PR of 4:47.
While Hayden was running, Hadley was playing in a sand volleyball tournament with her friends.
Last Thursday, I (finally) put out a few Valentine’s Day decorations. My Valentine’s Day decor doesn’t really change from year to year, but this little heart vase and flowers were a cute addition to my kitchen island tray. The Hershey Kisses don’t last very long!
On Sunday, Hadley and about ten friends had a Galentine’s Day party. One of her friends hosted and was sweet to ask her to come.
They had lots of fun hanging out, having a few snacks and making their own floral bouquets.
Sunday evening, we went to my brother’s house for the Super Bowl. Obviously, the outcome wasn’t a favorite, but we’re lucky to say it’s a tradition to watch the Chiefs in the Super Bowl these past few years.
Win or lose, getting a cookie cake is a favorite tradition too.
All smiles…before the game! haha
My mom gave me this belated birthday card. My favorite ladies!
…and a belated birthday gift. She has this butter dish from Crate and Barrel. I thought it was neat and pretty, so she gave me one too!
Valentine’s Day Card:
The Valentine’s Day card for family continues. This is a fun tradition through the years.
Favorite Mom Meme:
This…#accurate
Favorite Teacher Memes:
As a teacher, I thought these next two graphics are very relatable for me.
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
I will always share these pics of my little Valentines…
How is your week going? We’ve had one day of school, a snow day, and then I’m not feeling well. I feel like I have a cold, but I’m hoping it’s nothing more.
I’m linking up with Joyce for her weekly Hodgepodge post.
This week’s questions are Super Bowl/Valentine’s Day themed which is fun.
1. Did you watch the Super Bowl? Did your team win? What’s your favorite game day snack for whatever sport is happening?
Well, we were cheering for our Chiefs, so of course we watched the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, that means we were disappointed in the outcome. While I wasn’t expecting the Chiefs to win…it was just one of those seasons where they scraped by, I didn’t think it would be such a blow out. It felt like everyone wanted us to lose, so I hate that that was the outcome.
We went to my brother’s house, per tradition. Our Super Bowl menu is always pizza, wings, and cookie cake. The cookie cake was still delish, even with the loss.
We really have been spoiled being able to watch so many Super Bowls with the Chiefs playing, win or lose. Hopefully, they’ll be back some time soon.
2. What’s your “superpower”?
I think multi-tasking is my superpower. Not sure you can be a teacher and a mom without being a good multi-tasker.
3. Will you do anything special on Valentine’s Day? If so, do share. Any thoughts on/about this particular holiday? Share a favorite verse or quote relating to love.
Trav and I will typically go out to dinner at some point. I always try to do some type of Valentine’s Day themed family dinner at home on the 14th if our schedules allow. Through the years, I’ve made heart shaped pizza, let everyone choose their favorite dinner item and had a hodgepodge dinner, and we’ve also had heart shaped nuggets and some sides.
Chicken nuggets are on the menu for Thursday or Friday this week.
I think it’s a fun holiday to celebrate, but also not one that should carry too much weight. Travis and I only exchange cards, and I buy the kids a thing or two for Valentine’s Day. I’ve tried to make it special for them through the years.
I also like putting out a few Valentine’s Day touches. I don’t put out a lot, but I only just decorated last weekend. The decorations mainly stay the same from year to year.
Hadley and friends had a Galentine’s Day party last weekend. They made bouquets….and this heart shaped pic of their creations is cute!
My Bible plan for this month has been this one…all about love.
4. Are you a fan of the rom-com genre? If so, what’s one of your favorites? If you’re not a movie go-er, then what about a book you love that features a great love story? How about a favorite love song?
I love a rom-com movie. You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, and While You Were Sleeping are always my “go to” rom-com movies.
I don’t read as many love/chick lit books as I used to. I read The Match last month and thought it was cute.
5. Let’s get creative…write an acrostic using the word L-O-V-E.
My answer to #5 is both fun and also give me a moment to stand on my soap box. From an education standpoint, AI is a problem. AI can also be used for good. At the start of this school year, it was the first time we, as teachers, had professional development on how to use AI. Honestly, it is pretty amazing. I can make a twenty question multiple choice quiz over Romeo and Juliet in about thirty seconds.
Of course, it’s also a curse while trying to get students to write. Just like with plagiarism, I can typically “catch” students who’ve used AI. I’m not perfect as I’m sure some kids have gotten away with it, but for me, I always ask students to cite our textbook with page numbers, so that helps.
So, in our Google waffle, we have “Gemini.” Starting Tuesday, our students will have “Gemini” in their Google waffle too. So, I guess we’re telling the kids it’s ok to use these resources. Of course, just like for teachers, students could benefit from these AI resources…but call me old school…I think they should have to learn to write a paper, provide text evidence, support a claim, cite the text, and write a concluding paragraph.
Hopping off my soap box to share my AI Gemini generated acrostic LOVE poem.
Luminous and bright, a guiding star,
Outpouring of warmth, near and far,
Valuable and precious, a treasure to hold,
Eternal and boundless, a story untold.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
I hadn’t really thought about it, but the current unit for my students is Crazy, Stupid Love with Romeo and Juliet as the main text. The essential question for this unit is “What is true love?” Perfect for February.
It’s been a minute since I’ve had to struggle through Shakespeare with some freshman, but it’s been fun to do so far. Obviously, Shakespeare isn’t everyone’s “cup of tea,” but we have lots of resources.
For Act 1, I read the “bridge text” with my general English 1 students. This is a shorted version with summaries of each scene before a bit of the Shakespeare text. The textbook provides this resource online, so I just print a class set of the act.
Another English teacher shared the PDFs of the graphic novel for Act 2, so we’re reading that this week.
My Advanced students are reading the No Fear version which has the original text on the left and then a modern English version on the right. As we read the No Fear text, we listen from the online textbook. I think this is a great way to tackle the text as we can hear the various characters’ voices…and we can listen on 1.25x speed! It’s worked out nicely so far.
Lastly, another colleague shared the link to the Orlando Bloom on Broadway Romeo and Juliet play. Again, if I had the students watch the play from beginning to end, I wouldn’t be able to hold their attention. So, I’ve used it sporadically. On Monday, we read Act 2 scenes 1 and 2, and then watched the play…Act 2, scene 2 which is the famous balcony scene…”O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” and…”Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.”
It’s always interesting to see what students think of Romeo and his impulsiveness with love…Juliet too! I always here, “Ms. White! He just thought he loved Rosaline,” and “Ugh! They’re only 14!” haha!
Hayden and Hadley are reading the play in their Adv. English 1 class too. It’s fun to see the play through their eyes too.
The kids had a big Friday night! They went to the 7th grade dance. Hadley was counting down the days, and we were all shocked that Hayden contemplated going. 😆
I’m not sure what their school did before Covid, but last year there weren’t any dances/mixers. This year, the PTSA has done an awesome job organizing something for every grade level. They had a school wide mixer (dance/game night) one Saturday evening in January, then the 6th graders had a casual after school dance in early February. The 7th graders had the Valentine’s Day dance on Friday night, and then the 8th graders have a more “formal” dance in the spring.
It’s been so nice to see the kids and their friends have these opportunities.
Here they are all dressed up and ready to go.
One of the moms organized a pre-dance get together with appetizers for the kids at a local restaurant. The moms stayed as well, so that we could then get them to the dance. So, from 5:15-6:45, the kids hung out, ate, and we talked them in to a few photos before they headed to the dance from 7-9.
This really is such a great group of kids. I’ve said it before, but Hayden and Hadley have held on to their close elementary friendships and the new friends they made last year have been such an added bonus. We’ve enjoyed getting to know the parents too.
Hayden rode with friends, and I got to drop these lovely ladies off at school.
Hayden texted about a half hour in to the dance asking when it was over. 😂Some of my friends were chaperones and reported back that both kids were having fun. Hadley gave us all the details when she got home, and Hayden actually said he had a good time.
This was such a nice “rite of passage” for them, and I loved seeing every moment.
Go Chiefs!
On Saturday, my mom decorated Chiefs cookies with the kids. I was impressed.
Sunday night was game time.
I picked up some balloons and a cookie cake. We’d ordered pizza the two previous play off games, so we continued that tradition too. Everyone was up late for the big win! We were all so excited.
Valentine’s Day
I think the kids had a pretty good Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, I’ve been sick this week, so I wasn’t up to make a special breakfast. I did put out a couple of decorations once I got up…
After school, we gave them a few gifts.
I got the kids some candy and donuts. Then, they both got a new alarm clock/sound machine. They both have the same sound machine from when they were babies (seriously – their sound machines are now 13 years old!), and Hayden’s is kind of glitchy. I’m going to put Hadley’s old one in my suitcase, so we always have it on hand for travel. I’ve decided the kids need to start setting an alarm in the morning, so that combined with the sound machine was a good little gift that they “needed.”
A couple of months ago, I picked up a heart necklace for Hadley when Shay had her collaboration with Victoria Emerson.
For Hayden, I also got him this running calendar and Toughness by Jay Bilas. (*I may end up reading it too!) 😉
Then, for dinner, we had heart shaped chicken nuggets and mac and cheese. An easy and delicious dinner made us all happy.
The past couple of years, I’ve made a special weekend Valentine’s Day lunch, but with our already hectic weekend and then V-Day falling on a Tuesday, we made the most of it. Travis and I hope to go out to dinner this weekend.
Have a great Wednesday,
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I realized I never shared my Valentine’s Day decorations with you, but honestly, they are exactly the same as last year!
I change out the garden flag and door hanger…
….and then add in a few little touches in the living room and kitchen.
The XOXO banner is one I’ve used for a couple of years.
…and that’s about it! I will probably leave the outside things up the rest of February, but take down the inside stuff this weekend.
V-Day photo:
Well, we went from this:
…to this in the blink of an eye…
Every year, I take a pic of the kids and use it for a Valentine’s Day card for family. Most years, I use a snow day pic for the card, but other years, we seem to have more mild temps, so I have to take what I can get.
Here’s our card this year:
…and that’s about it. I bought donuts for the kids for breakfast this morning, and picked them up a couple of gifts and some candy. I’m sure they’ll feel the love 😉
Travis and I were supposed to go out to dinner on Saturday night for an early Valentine’s Day dinner, but I was under the weather. So, we’re hoping to try again this weekend. We’ll see.
Hello and Happy Monday! How was your weekend? I hope it was a good one. I’m sharing the details of what we were up to from basketball games, to my second vaccine, and Valentine’s Day in today’s Weekend Wrap Up.
Friday:
I got my second vaccine on Friday morning. The line was much longer than when I got my first dose. I think this was due to the fact that they had canceled vaccines due to weather on Thursday. So, there were scheduled and make up appointments on Friday. Also, now some people are getting their first dose while others are receiving their second dose. I still was there and home within in hour which was a win!
In the afternoon, I noticed our basketball goal…Brrrr!!!
Hadley went ice sledding on our street with one of her friends. I think the ice sledding on our street may have been a first! Sledding with snow has for sure happened in previous years, but I don’t know about sledding on ice.
They had lots of fun.
Later that evening, our power went out for 2 hours. We had friends and family who lost power the day before for 12-24 hours, so two hours was manageable although it took a minute for Hayden to realize all the things that need electricity to run….like his Xbox!
Later that evening, the vaccine caught up with me, and I went to bed.
Saturday:
Saturday I was very sick all day. All day. I felt like I had the flu. I had aches, chills, and a low grade fever. I also had very little appetite. Of course, I’ve heard this could happen, but I also know many who had little to no reaction with the first or second vaccine. I was definitely down for the count all day.
Hayden had two basketball games that I missed, and Hadley played with a friend for most of the day, so I was able to rest and get Homer snuggles.
Sunday:
Thankfully, I woke up yesterday feeling so much better. I’ve heard that too..that once you hit 36-48 hours post-vaccine, you are back to feeling normal. I was still tired most of yesterday, but I felt pretty good and was able to carry on with a pretty normal day (and an afternoon nap!)
Sunday morning, we went to church, and then Travis began his quest to find salt for our driveway and sidewalk. We have more inclement weather on the way this week.
After a couple of tries, we got lucky and got two of the last few bags of ice at a Kroger on our way home. ,
Just call me “basic” while shopping at Kroger: ice, bread, milk, and eggs…(and a few other items thanks to the kids!)
When we got home, some of the neighbors helped each other out shoveling driveways as many still were ice covered from last week’s Wednesday-Thursday storm. And, now we are preparing for this:
Kyweathercenter.com
After lunch, and before baseball and dance, we gave the kids their Valentine’s Day gifts and candy.
Then, I prepped the table for our Valentine’s Day dinner.
The plates, napkins, straws, paper hearts, and name tags were all in my Valentine’s Day tub, so I had the table set in a matter of minutes.
Then, Hadley had dance and Hayden went to baseball. While Hadley was at dance, I treated myself to a pedicure before picking her up.
The kids decorated cookies for dessert, and we enjoyed homemade pizza for dinner. Cutting heart shaped pepperonis was way easier than making a heart shaped pizza. It still tastes good though…
Since we went to early church on Sunday, I wasn’t able to make a special Valentine’s Day breakfast. Since we have no school today, I’m going to make Bev’s Cinnamon Biscuit Bake for them this morning.
To end on a funny note, I saw this meme over the weekend and couldn’t help but laugh!
I’m definitely the “It’s already 10pm” person while Travis tends to be more “It’s only 10 pm” haha
I actually had to count on my fingers, but this was my 20th Valentine’s Day with Travis. I’m very blessed if I do say so myself!
Hello and happy Friday! Mother Nature stopped by Kentucky, and we woke up yesterday feeling like we were living in Arendelle. *Cue Elsa* “The cold never bothered me anyyyywayyy!” Well, we got more ice than snow and many people even lost power throughout the city. It looks like this may only be the beginning of some active winter weather over the next week.
Even with the cold and ice, I have plenty of favorites to share with you! Today, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites post.
Of course, our Chiefs losing the Super Bowl is definitely not a favorite, but…
our cute Chiefs fans,
delicious cookie cake, and…
festive cups were all favorites on Super Bowl Sunday.
It’s that time of the year where I’m burning the last of my winter Bath and Body Works candles. Peppermint, Gingerbread Cookie, and Winter are almost used up, so it was time for a few new candles to transition out of winter and into spring…
Butterscotch Toffee is perfect for February, and then Lavender Coconut and Eucalyptus Rain will be perfect for spring.
“Old-fashioned” stove top popcorn is a new favorite. Hadley had the idea last weekend to make popcorn in the Dutch oven, and it worked perfectly and popped so quickly! She made enough to feed an army!
Hadley is wrapping up Girl Scout cookie sales, and has sold a little over 500 boxes. About half of those were shipped, but we still had to sort and organize about 250 boxes for delivery! That’s how we spent some time yesterday. We all have a different favorite cookie, so the cookie temptation is real around here!
Watching Hayden play basketball is a favorite for sure! Most Saturdays are filled with two games. The time has flown by, and the season is almost over.
Free throw Boo!
One of my favorite traditions is sending family Valentine’s Day cards. They arrived just in time for me to mail them out to our loved ones.
front and back of card
The kids had a Valentine’s Day party at their school pod. Hayden kept his Valentines simple with Sour Patch Kids, but Hadley chose “You make life S’more fun” from the cute Valentine’s that Andrea created. I printed them at Walgreens, and then we used chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and GoldenGrahams to make the mix. We had fun putting these together.
A favorite from the kids’ week was the party at the pod! They came home with lots of goodies.
I bought this sweet little pot of roses at Trader Joe’s, and it’s now a favorite Valentine’s Day touch in our house.
Not that .3 inches of ice is necessarily a favorite, but it is pretty to look at, and BONUS!— Travis was home with us yesterday. He doesn’t take many snow days, so it was nice to have him home…and have someone else in charge of lunch duty 😉
backyard with icicles and droopy branches
Yesterday, we used the recipe on the side of the box to make Golden Graham No Bake S’mores. I think we have a new favorite dessert! So easy and so delish. Hadley did most of this on her own!
Travis and I were supposed to go to dinner last night for Valentine’s Day, but like most restaurants, reservations were canceled. Maybe we can find a time to go out to dinner in the next couple of weeks?
Another favorite is that we’re looking forward to a three day weekend with no school on Monday!
Favorite Mom Meme:
I feel this deeply, y’all!
Weekly Recap:
Here are my posts from the week in case you missed one:
One more favorite from the week: This morning I’m going to get my second dose of the vaccine! Vaccine appointments were canceled yesterday, so I’m hoping appointments stay scheduled for today!
Thanks so much for reading. I hope you have a great weekend and a wonderful Valentine’s Day!
Hello! Today, I’m sharing with you the Valentine’s Day decorations I put up over the weekend. To be honest, I use the same few things each year, so I guess this post probably isn’t too different than what I shared last year!
I’ve mentioned before that I typically buy the kids a few things for Valentine’s Day to make the day special, so I’m sharing those today too!
Decorations:
I love a garden flag, and change our front yard flag pretty often! I’ve had this cute heart flag for years. My favorite decoration of all is my heart door hanger that I purchased from Etsy years ago!
Inside, Hadley helped me hang this XOXO banner on the kitchen mantle. Last year, I found this wooden love “sign” at Home Goods or TJ Maxx, and it fits perfectly on the mantle between some of my favorite pictures.
I try to keep the little pink dish on our island tray filled with Hershey Kisses, but they don’t typically last too long! We seem to have the same problem with the conversation hearts in the other pink dish on the kitchen counter. The wooden heart sign was painted by one of my friends, and it’s the perfect touch for that corner of the kitchen.
I guess we all heart the Valentine’s Day candy at our house!
The white ceramic heart fits in perfectly on our front hall table…
and the XOXO on the coffee table rounds out my Valentine’s Day decor.
Gifts:
Gifts for both…
For gifts this year, both kids (and Travis!) will receive a box of chocolate hearts from me. I’m also getting cookies from a local baker/cookie decorator (@1smartcookieky on Instagram) that the kids can decorate on Valentine’s Day!
Also, I love to shop small when I can, and Etsy always has the cutest items! Years ago, I got the kids each a personalized pillowcase with their names. I honestly think I bought them eight(ish) years ago when they transitioned to their “big boy/girl” beds. They’ve used those pillowcases off and on ever since, so I figured it was the perfect time to purchased them news ones.
On Etsy, I found this one for Hadley and this one for Hayden.
I love the whimsy of the one I picked out for Hadley and the simplicity of the one I picked out for Hayden. There are many varieties and options for pillowcases in these shops, but I settled on the ones pictured below.
I always purchase a book for them. When they were younger, they were always Valentine’s Day/love themed books. As they have gotten older, I just choose one I think they will enjoy reading.
For Hayden, I know he’ll love The Ickabog by J.K. Rowling as he has been loving the Harry Potter series. Hadley just finished up the first book of The Vanderbeekers series, so I got her the second one in hopes that she will keep on reading!
I also always purchase a game to add to our collection, and I’ve heard that Bananagrams is fun. Hopefully, it will provide some family fun!
Gift for Hayden…
Hayden loves golf! He plays on the golf course. He plays in the yard. And…he plays in the house! I thought this automatic putting practice hole would be perfect for him. He will love that it returns the ball right back to you…once you make it in the hole! 😉
Gift for Hadley…
I’ve been following MelandMae on Instagram, and I’ve made a few purchases from their Etsy shop! I thought these leather circle stud earrings in blush would be perfect for Hadley because Sis loves a good monogram!
You may be wondering about Travis…😂. Well, I’ve mentioned before that we try to just go out to dinner at some point before or after Valentine’s Day. We always exchange cards as well which is all I need.
Also, Homer is a big fan of the holiday 😆 He will tolerate a scarf for a few minutes…and I bet he will get an extra treat or two on February 14th!
I shared a few more thoughts about Valentine’s Day in last week’s Monthly Musings link up. Check it out if you’d like!
We still have snow on the ground here! I hope everyone is staying safe and warm!
Hello! Today, I’m linking up with Patty and Holly for their Monthly Musings series.
This month’s topic is Valentines/Love.
Let me just say that I like Valentine’s Day, but it’s certainly not a holiday that I feel deserves the hype that it gets. It’s a commercialized holiday, and I feel that you should show the ones you love your love all 365 days of the year.
Of course, I’ve been blessed to have had the same Valentine for almost 20 years, but I guess I didn’t start making a big deal about V Day until I had kids. Now, it’s an extra day where I focus on them, make them a good breakfast, and buy them a few gifts.
Showing Love/Love Language:
I think I show my love by writing notes. I also love receiving notes, so I guess I assume others like them too. I also love cooking and baking for others to show my love as well.
Now, as far as the five love languages go, I think my language must be “Acts of Service,” because I love nothing more than someone else unloading the dishwasher or making the bed. 😂
Valentine’s Day Traditions:
As far as traditions are concerned, Travis and I usually find a time sometime around Valentine’s Day to go out to dinner. That’s typically our gift to one another because we often don’t have time to go out when it’s just the two of us.
Since I love receiving cards, that’s a part of the deal too. A card is all I need.
Once the kids were old enough to understand Valentine’s Day, I started making them a nice breakfast on February 14th and buying them a few things, so that’s one of our traditions.
Ever since the kids were little, I’ve ordered Valentine’s Day cards from Shutterfly to send to family.
This post reminds me that I need to order our 2021 card!
Here’s last year’s card:
{front}
{back}
Valentine’s Day Memory:
I don’t have any memories that stick out to me. I do remember loving Valentine’s Day parties in elementary school. It was always fun to make our Valentine’s Day card boxes, give cards to classmates, and enjoy tons of candy and cupcakes!
The kids love their Valentine’s Day parties as well. I know some of the excitement wanes as they get into the upper elementary grades, but I still hate that they are missing out on their last Valentine’s Day party of elementary school.
For laughs, here are the boxes they made last year:
Hadley loves details, and Hayden takes a simpler approach!
Through the years, Travis has upped his card game, and always writes my name in bubble letters. 😆
Valentine’s Day Treat:
The past few years, I’ve ordered cookies from local small businesses for the kids and Travis to share.
Valentine’s Day Fashion:
Well, since they were little, I’ve had Hayden and Hadley wear some kind of heart or red/white clothing for their Valentine’s Day parties.
Here are a couple pics from years past!
{2011}
{2015}
{2016}
I’ve already shared this in pervious posts, but Hadley loves her new Valentine’s Day sweatshirt that I got her this year from MelandMae on Etsy.
Valentine’s Day: Love, Like, or Hard Pass?
I like Valentine’s Day. I enjoy creating a special day for the kids and for Travis.
Romantic Song:
Someone Like You was our wedding song, and it holds a special place in my heart.
Dine out, Carry out or Cook?
Like I said before, Travis and I usually go out to dinner around Valentine’s Day.
Last year, Valentine’s Day was on a Friday, so I actually made dinner at home for everyone. I used a few of our house decorations to make a cute centerpiece, and I ordered paper hearts, plates, napkins, and straws from Amazon.
I also ordered the cardstock hearts, and I wrote each person’s name on one as a place card.
**I kept the extra plates, napkins, straws, hearts, and place cards in a tub, so I can use them again this year.
Pink or Red?
I think I’m more of a pink girl…or rose gold!
Flowers or Chocolate?
Both?! haha I do love flowers and the little boxes of chocolate are just perfect to satisfy my sweet tooth!
So, those are my thoughts on Valentine’s Day! I’m glad it falls on a weekend again this year. Maybe we’ll have a special Valentine’s Day brunch!!
Here are the topics Patty and Holly have thought of for Monthly Musings 2021.
Weekly Recap:
This has been a doozy of a week. I’ve been pretty tired and busy with school and the kids’ activities. So, I think I’m going to take tomorrow off from blogging.
Here are my posts from this week in case you missed one:
showmeandsweettea.com 