I Heart You!

For Valentine's Day, home made sentiments are best.

I remember all through my school years, Valentine's preparations always included pink, red, purple and white construction paper, glue, and those old metal safety scissors. Do you remember making "mailboxes" for your class Valentine party? Sometimes they were a decorated shoe box or an over-sized envelope. Hearts, hearts, and more hearts. I couldn't get enough of it, even as a school teacher...I LOVED all the trappings of the grade school Valentine's experience! (I think it's because I had and continue to have a "thing" for school supplies.)

In more recent years, I've been in the card isle looking for commercial sentiments that would accurately express my feelings for my loved ones. (Comedian Kevin James' routine about shopping for a greeting card would be an accurate portrayal.) I don't know...I've bought Valentine's cards before, but none can really say what I want them to. Actually, some cards say extra stuff that I wouldn't really ever say...a bunch of extra blah blah blah lovey dovey blah, blah, blah. That's why I like to tap into those elementary school construction paper-cutting days of yore and make my Valentines. I think they're more personal and can be as simple or ornate as I want.

I remember for the first Valentine's Day after Aron and I got married, I made him a huge candy heart card that was pretty cute. I think he still has it in the top drawer of his dresser. This year, I made Valentines for my kiddos. I love my "treasures" so much and I hope my home-made hearts remind them of how special I think they are all year long.