Valentine's Day: Baking Up Some Love.

I don't normally post about baking or cooking (especially not cooking), but I had a successful cookie experience today that is Valentine's Day-related, so thought I would share it here!
I saw a cute idea on Pinterest to replace the classic peanut butter blossom cookies with heart-shaped Dove chocolates and today we tried it.  They are cute and delicious. Success!
Around here I like to bake on Saturdays since we normally just hang out at home. I wanted to make something seasonal for Valentine's Day next week.  Click here for the peanut butter blossom recipe I prefer, or use your own.  The only difference here is to replace the traditional Hershey Kiss on top (after the cookies have baked) with a heart-shaped Dove chocolate. MMM. I may never go back to Hershey Kisses.

My original plan was to let the kids help unwrap the chocolates and roll the dough, but with runny noses all around, I decided to let them wait and only help taste-test this time.  Letting the kids help, watch, or simply enjoy the fruit of the Little Red Hen's labor in the kitchen is always a great and tasty way to spend time together.  

                      

Try them out if you get a chance!  These are great cookies to make for school, church, neighbors or friends. And don't forget to enjoy the words of wisdom found inside your Dove wrappers:

Valentine's Day Activity: Scavenger Hunt!

Here is a fun activity for your little loved ones to enjoy during this special season of love!  My kids always enjoy a scavenger hunt or a quick list of activities to complete.  These hunts work well individually, or put your little ones on a team if they need help reading or completing tasks.  
Feel free to make up your own list if you have objects in the house (ex. write a story based on this candy heart saying!) or print this if you want to keep things simple.

This is the perfect time of year to shower our kids with plenty of affection in the form of many hugs and kisses!  Remind your kids (as always!) that you love them, and don't forget to be specific.  

To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.  

~C.S. Lewis

**A Quick Reminder!**

We have two great giveaways going on right now.  

• The I SPY giveaway is open through February 2. If you have not commented yet--be sure to do it today!  These I Spy bags are adorable; be sure to check them out!

• Our 100th posts original painting giveaway will also be ending soon since we are very close to reaching 100 followers.  Check out all the details HERE!

Thanks again to all our faithful friends and followers and be sure to let us know if you have any Valentine's Day traditions or activities that have been a big hit with your kids!

Make A Memory: How I Met Your Mother!

If you are looking to start a new Valentine's Day tradition this year, here is a great idea!   Even though my kids are 6 and under, I know they will enjoy hearing the story of how my husband and I met.  We have never shared this story with our kids before; what better time of year to retell our own love story (with each other and with our kids!) than on Valentine's Day!
I know my little girl will particularly enjoy looking through our wedding album and watching our wedding video.  If you want a few ideas to jump start this fun Valentine's Day idea, here is a free printable for you to download!

This would also be another another great page to add to your child's "All About Me" book!

This is a simple way to spend time together as a family sharing stories and experiences that will help your kids begin to grasp what love is all about.  Have fun and if you have another suggestion or story about how this works out with your kids, please share it here!

Quick Lunch Love Notes: Valentine's Day Edition!

It's hard to believe, but Valentine's Day is less than a month away. Thankfully my kids are much too young to be frittering over the silliness that goes along with this Holiday, but whether it is February 14th or not, it is important to show my kids what LOVE is every day!


Several months ago I posted this idea about placing special love notes in your child's lunch.  I wanted to make a LOVE-focused printable as a way for us to share what love is with our kids leading up to a day when heart-shaped candy and flowers become symbols of love for us all.


Here are 20 printables for you to place in a lunch or on a pillow or beside a toothbrush as a reminder that Love never fails, and Love is kind.  These notes might open up a conversation about what love means to your child, what love means to  you, and most importantly who love is.  
For God so love the world.
God is love.

I hope everyone enjoys a special Valentine's Day this year, and may we show our kids what love is really all about!

And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

(1 Tim. 1:14)