Day of Family Love

I have a large determination to get at least SOMETHING updated today.  Especially since I haven't been able to scrapbook for several weeks like I would really love to be doing.  I just wanted to share a few (several) pictures about our Valentine's Day around here.  Normally I don't decorate too much for holidays but for some reason I went crazy this year.

 

 The kitchen area is always the most decorated and it sure showed it this year with window stickers, and a few banners, plus a few new things too.

 

One night for FHE (family home evening) we talked about how we love each other and how the Savior wants us to love each other.  We all dressed up (except daddy) in our red pajamas and took pictures so that we could put them into this cute heart shape to remember that we love one another.  I really enjoyed looking at the pictures every day.

 

 I can not take all the credit for this very cute plaque.  I saw this thing on Pinterest where you have footprints go upwards.  On the site they were all the same size but I thought it would be fun to do each kids prints and make them smaller as they go up.  I also thought/found this cute quote would go great too.  I'll be honest but with how great it turned out I wanted to leave it up all year.

 

 It has been a tradition that for the kids very first Valentine's Day we make a plaque that has their footprints on it.  This was the best that I could come up for our little man James.  My mom was a big help in figuring out a word that would work.

 

Besides decorating a ton we also did a lot of crafts to celebrate the holiday.  We did a new craft each day until Valentine's Day.  At times I would feel overwhelmed doing this with a new baby but I also knew that the older two kids needed that special time.

 Big brother doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve but his face. Silly kid.

 

I am by no means a girly girl but for my daughter I try because she is.  One afternoon while the boys were still napping I painted her toe nails.  She was so thrilled and I was glad that I could make her day in a simple way.

My silly little love bugs.

 

 It still surprises me how much they have grown.  I do love getting a picture of them all together and I think doing so now really is something they should give metals of honor for.

 



One of my favorite traditions to do for the kids is to get them a book for their first Valentine's Day.  This book is pretty important because I try to find ones that have a nice serious to them so the kids can get them for other times too.

Even Hope and Faith got dressed up for the holiday.

 

 Such classy girls.

 

A new thing I tried this year, because I saw it on Pinterest and thought it was cute, was to put one heart/note each day on the kids doors about what I love about them.  This was a really good thing to do because it made me thing about how special they are.  It was a little hard to do for baby James but I found that I really enjoy the cute little things about him.

Sarah especially loved her door and would just look up at her hearts and enjoy them from either the hallway or playing in her room.

 I must admit these hearts really saved Seth some days.  Oh my goodness, he would be acting up and have to go to time out in his room and I would see these hearts as I went in and out.  Finally I made sure that when I put him in time out that I stop and read them to remember why I love that kid that would be driving me crazy!

 

Finally on Valentine's Day we get out our specially heart shaped plates and enjoy a meal together. 

 I didn't get to fancy with dinner for the kids because I was finally hitting that tired out point.

 

 Something just for fun that we did was get the kids a balloon to play with.  I guess I should be surprised when it had to go everywhere with them.

 

 Sarah thought it was dirty and made sure to clean it up nicely. 

 

The kids Valentine's pajamas.  They are so cute!

 

 Such a handsome men.

 

 I love his facial expressions.  Especially when you tell him it is time to go to bed.