Wednesday, February 07, 2007

WFMW- ALL OUT Valentine's Day

This week’s Works For Me Wednesday (WFMW) has a Valentine’s Theme. Shannon over at Rocks in my Dryer, who hosts WFMW has created a themed WFMW for the first Wednesday of each month. Go check out other participant’s ideas! Or go link some of your own ideas to her page.

What are some ideas for making this day special for my sweetie or kids? We like to go ALL OUT. So, you can skim this post for the things most relevant to you or that you’re most interested in. It’s a lengthy post.

First of all, since I am a frugal person, I do NOT believe in spending loads of money on Valentine-specific cards, candy, or flowers. Cards will likely be homemade—if not purchased on sale after Valentine’s Day last year. If I want to give candy, it will probably be red candy like Red Vines or Twizzlers or candy I’ve decorated to look Valentine-ish. And if my hubby were to get me flowers, I would hope he’d get me a dozen daisies or pink carnations. I would be horrified if he spent $50 plus on a dozen red roses like everyone else that forgot to think in advance. But he wouldn’t. He’s much more thoughtful than that.

BEFORE the big day:

For Kids: We have each child’s name on their wall in wood capital letters (so they can recognize the spelling of their name long before kindergarten age). They are painted with the change of holidays. Just a few days ago I painted them red, light pink, dark pink, and white.

Atmosphere: About a week before Valentine’s Day the kids and I (okay mostly me) cut out construction paper hearts in red and pink and varying sizes and hang them from thread taped to the entryway ceiling.

For my hubby: Prepare Nestle Treasure’s or Hershey’s Nuggets with address labels stamped with Valentine’s stamps like swirls or hearts in pink or red stamp pad colors and wrapped around. Make little treat boxes with love notes on them and a candy or two inside. Stash these in places like Danny’s alert bag, his car he drives to work, his lunch, and on his pillow.

VALENTINE’S DAY:

Getting dressed: On Valentine’s Day everything is red or pink. Boys wear red (except Danny because the Air Force prefers him in his green flight suit), and girls wear red or pink. Even I dress up because it just thrills the kids when Mommy wears red lipstick or a fancy red scarf in her hair!

Treasure hunt: I got this idea from my dear friend Christine (who now lives far, far away in Montana—and Happy 2nd Birthday to her baby Andrew!).

When the kids come downstairs in the morning they will find a clue to start their treasure hunt. Since Pookie can only read minimally and G and Bun can’t read yet, the clues are little pictures drawn on post-it notes with the word underneath. The first post-it clue may be a picture of the couch (with “couch” written underneath), on the couch the post-it note clue will have a picture of the laundry basket, they’ll run downstairs to the laundry basket to find the next clue which is the dishwasher, and then from there they will be led to the changing table, etc. We like to lead them around to many different clues before leading them back to their surprise. The kids love the hunt about as much as the surprise at the end. They don’t get to open their surprise until after breakfast though.

This year’s surprise: Valentine pencils and erasers, stickers, and one fun-size bag of M&M’s or a red Pez from the Mommy-Store all in a little plastic Valentine goody bag. Everything of course was purchased way cheap at after-holiday sales.

Craft-time: I purchased red plastic tablecloths at Wal-Mart after Christmas for 75% off. We will probably finger paint with Pumpkin Spice pudding (because I think it is awful tasting and have some packages leftover from Thanksgiving) all over the tablecloth for our art/craft activity for preschool.

A candle-light Breakfast: There will be pink milk (strawberry milk or just red food dye in milk) for breakfast with heart-shaped pancakes that we will attempt to dye pink that may end up peachy-looking. There will be love notes to the children and hubby written on little hearts scattered all over the table telling them why I think they’re special and why I love them. And of course the traditional pink frosted cinnamon rolls.

A picnic Lunch (on the floor in the dining room on a red plastic tablecloth): Peanut Butter and raspberry jam sandwiches (seedless so we don’t have toddler meltdowns) cut into hearts with a cookie-cutter (if I can find it) or a butter knife. And cherry Craisins on the side with pink milk again.

Nap: Pink pillow cases for naptime and the promise that if all three of them sleep a good two-hour nap they can help make Valentine popcorn when they wake up.

Snack: Valentine Popcorn (Jello popcorn or marshmallow Jello popcorn shaped into hearts).

Dinner: Bavarian Weiner Bake will be dinner since it is pink and white without having to add food dye. (And the kids love it!) And it will be served with cranberry juice set on a red tablecloth with red & white placemats (which are really my Christmas placemats turned upside-down to the gingham side). We’ll probably also have stuffed mushrooms—since I’m craving them and not a single person in our family dislikes them.

Dessert: Pink stuff of course. (Strawberry Jello, cottage cheese, crushed pineapple, cool whip mixed together)

An ALL-OUT Valentine’s Day works for me!

28 comments:

Crafty P said...

Good idea on the twizzlers, my hubby loves those and chocolate covered cherries. I have a week to be prepared.

thanks for the reminder on fFN, I can never remember that word!

Blessings!

An Ordinary Mom said...

I love all these ideas about how to make the day special for the entire family. Thank you so much for sharing!

Heather @ Marine Corps Nomads said...

Great ideas. Sounds like lots of fun!

Rae said...

You have tons of great ideas listed! I especially like the treasure hunt & the one of wrapping the chocolate in homemade labels. Awesome, thanks for sharing. Happy Valentine's Day!

Anonymous said...

Incredible Nikki! I loved reading all of the ideas. What great fun for everyone.

Unknown said...

Great ideas! I love that painted letter thing in the rooms.

Anonymous said...

Hey you've got a lot of info and suggestions for Valentines Day...and it was quite interesting to go through it...well hey for some more resources for Valentines Day do drop by my blog sometime and check out all that i've posted there!!

Anonymous said...

What great ideas! Thanks!

feywriter said...

Holidays sound like so much at your place! I hope I can create memorable traditions for my family.

Overwhelmed! said...

Can I come to your house for Valentine's Day? It sounds like loads of fun! :)

Thanks for stopping by to take a peek at my WFMW Valentine’s Day advice & ideas post. I sure appreciate it!

Kristi said...

Nikki- what a fun Mom you are!!

I love that you paint the letters in their name a different color for each holiday- cute idea!!!

Thanks also for the tip about a candlelight breakfast. I was trying to figure out how to swing our Valentine dinner since Troy has to go to YM's that night.

Anonymous said...

You are so creative! (and so popular! 11 comments already wow ;)

Someone Beautiful said...

You are one cool mom!! :) Thanks for sharing the fun!! I LOVE scavenger hunts, and I am going to do that with the pictures for my littles! Thank you for sharing the fun. :)

Qtpies7 said...

Your house sounds like so much fun! What a great mom! I think I may snag some of these ideas, if I ever get a working vehicle between now and V-day.

Leslie said...

You ARE a fun mom! I'm going to use some of your ideas to spice up our valentines day. We're not very exciting around here on holidays and I want to be more fun for the kids.

MommyOz said...

Oh Wow....Next year, when i have a little more energy...I may attempt some of the fun things you have listed. wow. my kids would have a ball at your house!!!

thanks for visiting my blog:)

www.organizedwannabe.blogspot.com

My Trendy Tykes said...

Sounds like so much fun!!

Linda

Anonymous said...

Wow, you really do go all out! Sounds like fun!

Amber said...

Wow! Now THAT's a list! You sure have put a lot of thought an effort into it. It sounds great - I'm sure it'll be a great success!

Paula said...

Wow, what a fabulous list! I will definitely adapt a few of these suggestions for our family.

Blessings,
Mrs. C

weavermom said...

Great ideas - I will probably steal some. :) Also, I LOVE the "kiddy kwips" section!

Jane said...

My mom used to do the red meal and I still remember it so clearly. It IS the little things that we remember! Love is in the details!

gurrbonzo said...

I.
CANNOT.
BELIEVE YOU.

you are incredible.

lizbit said...

sounds like you'll be having a great Valentines! almost makes me feel sad about basically ignoring said holiday . . . maybe I'll wear something red (though that's not real unusual, here at the U). Have tons of fun!

The Estrogen Files said...

What a TON of great ideas! Thanks so much - we're frugal as can be with 4 kids on 1 salary.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting on my blog.

I am really impressed with the love and thought that you have put into all you do. Anyone can "spend" and buy the usual but you have been so creative and thoughtful in your approach.

What a fun time for your kids and hubby.
Susan
http://penlesswriter.blogspot.com

Amy said...

Wow. What a great holiday! I'm not sure I'm ready for that much celebrating at my house. :)

I love the kids' names on the wall, though. I think we may try that, too.

Smockity Frocks said...

Thanks for all these wonderful ideas. I have selected a few and we are all enjoying them. (I don't have the energy to do them all!)