Valentine's Day Fun

I love Valentine's Day!!!
Since I'm a big sap, it just gives me an excuse to do cute, corny things for all my loved ones!

 

Seriously though, it is really important to me that my family knows how much I love them on a regular basis! I want our kids to grow up in a happy, loving home where they know they are accepted and have support from both Dan and I. I also want my husband to know how much I appreciate him and that he makes my life so much fun and enjoyable. I honestly enjoy spending time with my family and making memories with them!

 

I found some great ideas on Pinterest (isn't that the BEST site for ideas) so this year was really exciting. I planned it all out, went and bought all the goodies, and then got to surprise each person in my family everyday!

Warning - Picture overload!!!

The first thing I started with was leaving Valentine's on the door of each person in my family. I made a sign that said, "14 Things I Love About My Family" and each day I would write on a heart something I love about that person and put it on their door. By Valentine's Day, they all had 14 hearts!

 They each got a Valentine every morning, as well.  I started on February 1st and continued thru February 14th. We even did a few little activities as it got closer to Valentine's Day.
Here is an overview of the Valentine's my Sweethearts got each day and the "punny" sayings that went with them:

 

February 1st -
Gift: Soda
Saying: Just "So-da" know I love you

 
 

February 2nd -
Gift: Starburst
Saying: I'm "bursting" with love for you

 

February 3rd -
Gift: Sprees
Saying: Oh how I love you, let me count the ways...1,2, "Spree"

 

February 4th -
Gift: Mints
Saying: We're "mint" to be

 

February 5th -
Gift: Gummy Bears (my family likes SOUR stuff...yuck!)
Saying: You're "beary" special

 

February 6th -
Gift: Sour Candies
Saying: Life would be "sour" without you
Activity - Made homemade Valentine's cards

 

Nehemiah's cards...I tried to make them "boy" colors:

Trinity's cards:

 

The inside of the cards:

 

  February 7th -

Gift: Fruit Snacks and Fruit ropes
Saying: I'm "fruity" for you
Activity - Made thumbprint bookmarks

One for Mimi and one for Daddy!

 

February 8th -
Gift: Suckers
Saying: I'm a "sucker" for you
(The kids went to spend a couple nights at my Mom's on this day)

 

February 9th -
Gift: Beef Jerky
Saying: I didn't want to be "jerky" so I got you something manly

 

February 10th -
Gift: Combos
Saying: We make a great "combo"
(Got the kids back today)

 

February 11th -
Gift: Sour Gummy Worms
Saying: I'm "hooked" on you
Activity - Made heart window clings (with friends)

We had some friends over for a play-date so we made our window clings together!

 

 

 

 

February 12th -

Gift: Smarties
Saying: I love you "Smartie" pants
Activity - Made Strawberry Shortcake Muffins - for my "stud muffin"

 

Recipe here:  Clean Eating Strawberry Shortcake Muffins

 

February 13th -
Gift: Hersey's Kisses
Saying: "Kisses" for my Valentine
Note: the kids went to spend the night with Grandma and Grandpa tonight. So what did Dan and I do? We had a nice steak dinner...then had an "active" date night. I went with him to his Krav Maga class (Israeli self-defense.) It was WAY out of my comfort zone but so fun beating each other up! I wish I would have taken some pictures...

Dan turned his dinner into a terrible tator:

 

February 14th -
Gift: Sweettarts
Saying: For my "Sweettart"
Activity - Made pipe cleaner hearts with pony beads craft
We also surprised my Mom and brought flowers and her favorite candy bar to her work.

 

Surprising Mimi:

Nehemiah squished her candy bar...sorry, Mom!

 

Here are the kids opening their Valentine's gift from Mimi:

 

 

Here they are making our heart pony bead project:

 

 

 

They kids and I also got homemade Valentine's cards from Daddy just like the ones we made him! It was so sweet! I loved seeing his BIG hand on a pink piece of paper!!! What a guy!!!

 

 

What fun things did you do for/with your family for Valentine's Day?



A Lesson in Money...

At what age should children start doing "chores" around the house and start earning an allowance?

 

Since Trinity is 4 now and can follow directions, Dan suggested that we start giving her little jobs to do so she can earn her own money. I thought it was a great idea so this past week we started doing "chores" together. Her jobs are to make her bed, help me unload the dishwasher, put her dishes in the sink when she's done eating, throw her dirty clothes in the hamper, help clean up messes (toys) and put her own laundry away. Naturally I have to help her do some of these things, but I can already tell that she WANTS to do it on her own.

As we started this new "chore" activity, I noticed that Nehemiah (who is only 2) wanted to help just as much as Trinity. He is so helpful! He can't do as much as she does, but he will do whatever I ask him to do. He has helped unload the dishwasher (he just puts things on the counter for me to put away), taken clothes out of the dryer and put them in the laundry basket, puts his dishes on the counter when he's done eating (he can't reach inside the sink), throw his dirty clothes in the hamper, cleaned up messes (toys) and put clothes from the washer into the dryer (I just take out little handfuls and hand it to him.) It is so neat seeing both my children WANT to help me! Come to think of it, it will be really nice once they have their jobs down and I don't have to help anymore...less for me to do! LOL! They both love to sweep and vacuum too! Yay!!!

 

So here we are with 2 kids earning money each week. They only make $1 per week but it brought up a new idea for me. I need to start teaching them how to manage money NOW! I want them to wise with their money and learn the proper way to spend and save!

 

 

Before Dan and I had kids, I was working full time. We weren't rich, but we lived very comfortably. If we wanted something, we would just go and buy it. Thankfully Dan knew enough to not charge things on the credit card! I had never had a credit card before and at one point early in our marriage, I suggested that we just start charging things. He told me we could charge things, but we would be paying if off in full each month. Smart guy!!! However, looking back...I wish that we would have SAVED money back then! We knew that I would stop working to become a stay-at-home Mom once we had children, why didn't we prepare for that better? (Well, we at least paid off our vehicles and bought our first house before they came so I can't say that we didn't prepare, but there was no "savings plan.")

  

Anyway, I want to teach my kids how money works. You work and EARN what you have. You buy only what you can afford. You help others when you can help. You honor God and give Him a portion of what He's blessed you with.

This lead to an interesting conversation with Trinity! I asked her if she knew what tithing was. She said no. I explained that God blesses us with money so it is our duty as a follower of His to give back to Him. I told her that 10% is what the Bible tells us to give and then asked if she would be willing to give .10c for the offering on Sunday. She said, "I guess so!"
I was so happy she didn't yell out "NO!" :)

As I "paid" the kids, I explained that on Sunday they were going to tithe their .10c. They seemed excited about it.

As the opportunity presents itself, I want to go into detail a little more about how we can give to God in numerous different ways. Financially is the main one people think of, but we can give of our gifts, talents, time, service, friendships, encouragement,  etc. God just wants us to be a cheerful giver! (2 Corinthians 9:6-8)

The rest of their money is going in a piggy-bank so they can save up for something they want. This is their "fun" money. They LOVE going down the toy aisles at the store and show us everything they want. Once they get enough saved up, it may be fun to go on a little shopping trip just for them!

We also started a savings account for both of them when they were born. They get $10 a month deposited in it and then any additional money they get (from birthdays, Christmas, or other special occasions) also goes in there. There are days that they both have more money than Daddy and I do! LOL! We decided to save this for them now so we could bless them with it later. I'm not sure if it'll be a down payment for a house, or to pay for college, or what we'll do with it exactly, but my family helped me growing up and I want to do the same for my kids. They deserve the best start they can get and the proper  knowledge of how to provide for themselves.

What do you do to teach your kids about money and how to save?

Christmas Traditions 2012

Dan and I feel it's really important to stress the real reason we celebrate Christmas to our children each year. (We are in the minority, but our kids know Santa isn't real.) Christmas is about JESUS at our house! Last year, we started the Edible Nativity Scene tradition! It was great, but this year we added extra activities and projects to it...

I got an idea off Pinterest to wrap up a book for the kids to unwrap each day and then read it together. I decided to also have them unwrap a piece of our Nativity Scene and then read in the Bible how that piece played into Jesus' birth (aka the Christmas story.) They had to set up the pieces as we read the story each day. It was a fun way to get the true story in their heads. 

My goal was to have a gift from the Nativity Scene to open everyday, a devotion that tied into that piece, a book to read, and an activity to do.

 

Here is an overview of what we did each day:

 

Day 7-

Piece(s) Opened - Mary and Joseph

Devotion - Luke 1:26-27 & also read the beginning of the story in the kid's Bible. We discussed that Mary was Jesus' mother.

Book - Christmas Is Finally Here

Activity - Make Christmas goodies while listening to Christmas music (25 Favorite Christmas Songs.)

(Note: both of the kids were just getting over the stomach flu so we did not make goodies.)

 

Day 6 -

Piece Opened - Angel

Devotion -  Luke 1:28-35 and read that part out of the kid's Bible. We discussed how the angel appeared to Mary in this passage.

Book - Christmas Stable

Activity - We built our own Christmas Stable (it went along with the book...very cool & I highly recommend it) & also watched The Little Drummer Boy DVD 

Day 5 -

Piece Opened - Donkey

Devotion -  Luke 2:1-6 and read that part of the story in the kid's Bible. We discussed how Mary & Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem so they could be counted.

Book - The Legend of the Candy Cane

Activity - Made Shepherd's Staff snacks while listening to Christmas music (It Happened One Night.)



 

Day 4 -

Piece(s) Opened - Sheep & other Animals

Devotion - Luke 2:8-18 and read that part of the story in the kid's Bible. We discussed how the angel appeared to the shepherds to tell them that Jesus was born.

Book - The Story of Christmas
(The kids ate the shepherd staff snack that we made last night while I read.)

Activity - Made Sheep out of cotton balls & watched the Really Wolly: The Gift of Christmas DVD...the main characters are sheep.
(Note: I came down with the stomach flu this day so my Mom came to help me with the kids while Dan had to work. Thanks for doing the sheep project with them Mom...and taking care of me!)

Day 3 -

Piece(s) Opened - Stable

Devotion - Luke 2:7 and reviewed the story in the kid's Bible. We discussed how there was no room in the inn so they had to stay in the stable with the animals.

Book - From A Stable So Small

Activity - Edible Nativity Scene while listening to Christmas music (Third Day Offerings.)
(Note: I was just starting to feel better but we decided to wait until the following day to our Edible Nativity Scene.)

Day 2 -

Piece(s) Opened - 3 Wise Men

Devotion - Matthew 2:2 and reviewed the story in the kid's Bible. We discussed how the 3 Wise Men followed the star & didn't return to King Herrod.

Book - The Christmas Story

Activity - Christmas movie with hot chocolate (Max Lucado's Punchinello and the Most Marvelous Gift.) We also made our Edible Nativity Scene that we didn't do yesterday.

 

 

 

This is Daddy making the kid's hot chocolate!

 Day 1 -

Piece Opened - Baby Jesus

Devotion -  Luke 2:6-7 and read the whole story in the kid's Bible

Book - One Special Night - Pop-up Book

Activity - Tortilla Wrap snacks - Baby Jesus & listen to Christmas music (Christmas Treasures.)

 



 

These little projects were so much fun and we all got the real Christmas story in our heads! I will plan to do these projects, or something with the same idea, next year and for MANY years to come!