Valentine's Day - My Three Loves

I **love** Miss S's serious expression as she peels off the backing on a foam heart. And, Mr. C? How cute is he?!

After being single throughout most of high school and a good chunk of college, I haven't placed much significance on Valentine's Day. In fact, I've enjoyed dinner out more than once with a group of friends for an anti-Valentine's day gathering.

In some respects, I'm too practical for Valentine's Day. I'd rather get a bouquet of sunflowers (or wildflowers!!) on a random day than overpriced roses on February 14th. Karl and I don't get each other anything (one of the reasons we're right for one another). As we woke up for work, we whispered "Happy Valentine's Day" to each other.

I love how carefully she placed the sticker and hearts.

This year the holiday took on a new significance. I was excited for Miss S about experiencing the fun of valentines (especially at her age when the holiday has a relative simplicity and innocence). 

I'm not sure who had more fun making the valentines.

I cut out hearts from construction paper (she chose the colors). I pulled out some foam heart stickers that I've had for a few years and glitter that's been in my craft box at least since I moved here in 2007. After the stickers and hearts were carefully placed, I helped squeeze the glue while Miss S guided my hand. I taught her to sprinkle glitter (or dump, depending on the person holding the glitter) on the glue, how to tilt the heart so the glitter would stick to the full design, and then how to shake the heart to get rid of the excess glitter.

A valentine for one of Miss S's teachers.

Besides helping to reposition a few stickers, Miss S decorated them by herself. I loved the finished product!

At one point, I was cutting out more hearts for Miss S when she said, "Look at me, mama!" I looked up just as she sprinkled glitter on her head.

We are **still** finding random specks of glitter on our faces, on the floor, on the table...it's a little bit like beach sand. A little goes a long way! Or as Karl described it as, "Obnoxious, persistent, and omnipresent."

After looking through her valentines and opening those sent by grandparents and great aunts, I wanted to capture a few pictures of the kiddos in their cute Valentine's outfits. I had a hard time keeping Mr. C in one place but managed to get a few cute photos. As Miss S is going through a phase of not smiling for the camera, the only smile I could get was while her daddy was spinning her around.

Don't you just love that expression on Miss S's face? 

To all of you reading this blog, whether you are family, friends, or have stumbled upon it and we haven't met, I wish you a pure love that saturates every day, not just one day a year. Like the love on Miss S's face after spinning around. That kind of love.