Over the years, one tradition I have found to be an investment in my children’s moral character, is serving them by making a special valentine.
Here is one of Rawl’s first valentines.
I like to make the valentine something that is easy to glue into their journal.
Baby Hazel Anne, my little lamb.
Last year, I made Rawl a valentine he could play with. The art was not original, I copied it from one of my lds family home evening packets which has been a resource to me after all these years. (We made one for us and about 8 other women and traded them.) I am sure the armor of God originates out of some LDS activity book. I learned from my sister Eirene, that a fat roll of wide clear tape comes in handy for home laminating.
The investment in character I referred to, occurs when I see the children making valentines for each other. Last year, Hazel made Rawl an ax out of cardboard and electrician’s tape. It was so adorable. I do wish I could find the picture but maybe I only thought I took it. It was precious though.
(Picture it…an ax made by a 4 year old girl.)
And this morning, Rawl went down stairs and made on his own accord, 3 valentines.
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Last year, I memorized this poem for my husband. That was a little anti-climatic, so this year, I think we’ll just enjoy a special home made treat: crumbrulee. Have you had any ‘dud’ gifts that you gave before? It was my friend Amy M. that first inspired me in husband valentine service. She always asked what I was doing and got my creative juices flowing.
Riley’s most unforgetable gift to me, was a valentine’s hunt. One clue was not just in the cloth diaper pail, but 4 diapers down. It was a lot of fun, but leave it to Riley to go a bit too far with grossing me out. However I will always treasure those little clues, and that hunt.
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We eat heart pancakes and berries for breakfast on Valentines, and this year I think it would be fun to do crepes for dinner, since Riley is usually gone for breakfast. It is my aunt Julie that first inspired me with traditions like these, and this one evolved by doing it once and the kids remembered the next year and wanted to do it again. It, from one year, was officially a tradition!
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What are your Valentine’s day traditions? Any flops you want to tell about? Happy Valentines from farm-girl, the engineer and 5 ducklings, to you!
I like this idea.
One thing at a time for me though.
I need to get over the fact that I don’t really like this holiday first I guess.
Tomorrow I’m going to get the kids something, which will be a first for me, and go from there…………..
Melissa,
I can totally see what you mean about this commercialized day!
But good for you for starting somewhere with it; I wish I could say I dropped three days to knit my son a water bottle insulator. 
Have a great day!
Happy Valentine’s Day, Emily! I LOVE your new picture at the top of your blog. You are all so gorgeous! It’s like a picture straight from a vintage magazine or something. I wish I could get my girls’ hair to curl like that.
I love your tradition of making your children each a Valentine. I want to do that next year. This year, I made Cory one and had the kids each write in it (although Sophie was the only one to really write in it. She signed everyone else’s name for them, for some reason.)
We keep V. Day pretty low-key around here. My husband usually surprises me with chocolates (yay!) and this is our second year in a row to make yummy Valentine’s cupcakes. The kids also made valentines for their neighborhood friends.
Hope you guys enjoy those crepes tonight. Yum! And I LOVE creme brulee. I haven’t made it in years, though.
What a happy thought to imagine Rawl making valentine’s on his own, and little Hazel making an ax for her brother! I’m so happy you have added Aunt Julie’s breakfast tradition and what a great idea to make it dinner so Dad can enjoy, too! I love that you memorized that immortal poem– very impressive! I think it was a great idea. And I love that you’ve posted that delightful picture of you and the girls, too! Lots of love! As you well remember, I didn’t pull off making extravegant Valentines every year, but am grateful for the times we did–so many creative juices flowed in those days! My greatest reward is seeing how wonderfully you have taken my small beginning and made it better every year– you go, girl!