Valentines Day This Year

We are having a great Valentines Day in spite of recent low-sleep nights and mild illness.  This holiday always sort of sneaks up on me and this year was no different.  After a trip to the pediatrician's and then to the pharmacy we joined J at school to watch him try to better his personal best of 40 consecutive jumps.  Jump Rope for Heart is such a fun, healthy fundraiser and it was fun to focus on feeling good for an hour this morning.  

In the middle of the day the maintenance guy delivered a new washing machine, and I can't think of anything more loving for my landlord to do.  

After school J spilled his valentines out onto the kitchen table so that we could read all the thoughtful notes that his classmates had written.  

I love that his teacher had encouraged her second-graders to write personal notes to each fellow classmate.  I had fun reading aloud what his classmates had written.

 This month we are focusing on using "sweet words" and writing love notes to each other.  I do not recommend having a big jar of candy on the counter, but it has been good positive reinforcement to correct some bad verbal habits.

This is how the art line looks today.  I've been collecting all the heart-shaped art that the twins have been creating along with other little valentines we've received from friends.  It might be my favorite (and let's face it, it's the only) decoration for this warm mid-winter holiday.

 Dan left me love notes around the house, but all I gifted him was a box of Hot Tamales for his suitcase while he is away for a couple of nights on business.  Heck, our first "real" date was on Valentines Day fourteen years ago, so we need to pull off a little more of a celebration, I think.  We'll let the love linger a little longer just for the fun of it.  


Tell me this:  what is your favorite tradition for this season of love?