Red Pink Hearts Love

Happy Valentine's Day!
just a few days late

Oh, I do love this holiday.
It's simple.
It's fun.
It's an opportunity to let
the creativity flow red and pink
and heart-shaped..

Last week, the boys made Valentine's for all the kids in their classes.
Kyler started questioning the school system and class sizes
when he was on number 17, with 10 more to go.
But they both loved making these Valentine's
and that's what it's all about.
We cut out squares from cardstock
and mixed 2 parts white glue with 1 part water.
We spread the glue on the cardstock,
placed tissue paper squares,
and painted more glue on top.
I loved watching them experiment
with different ways to layer, pattern, and place the squares.
We put To:/From: stickers and a piece of candy on each Valentine.

We also made some Valentine's to send to grandparents.
After trying some different ideas,
we agreed on creating Valentine's wheels.
"Spin for your Valentine's message."
We cut circles and used a Valentine's shape and brad for the spinner.
Each circle had three messages you could land on.
The boys came up with and wrote each of these messages.
Each wheel was different.
They were things like "Be Mine, You are cute, Smooch, XOXO"

Kyler's Valentine's Day party was on Friday.

Kacin celebrated at school on Monday
and came home in all this cuteness.

Both of my boys enjoyed
heart shaped sandwiches and red applesauce for lunch.

I also gave each of my boys a Valentine's card and red silly putty.
It was so exciting to me
to hear Kacin reading his whole letter from me by himself.
(I love being part of the process of learning to read.)

Eric came home from work with flowers.
That sweet man.

And of course we celebrated this happy happy love day
with a Monday night FHE and party.
Kyler started the evening out with a lesson
about loving one another.
He was so proud of himself when he played
"Jesus Said Love Everyone" on the piano
for us to sing to.
His piano teacher (our friend) was there
and he was jumping around before she arrived
excited to show her that he could play the song from memory.
The rest of the evening was spent playing
Valentine's pictionary
Do You Love Your Neighbor?
and Pass the Parcel.
The challenges during Pass the Parcel
included
stacking candy hearts, reading love poems,
sipping sparkling cider through red vine straws,
dancing, delivering Valentine's while blindfolded,
and a race to dress in pink and red.

There were prizes for the winners,
well, really for everyone.
We made scratch tickets to pass out the prizes.
how? here and here

For munchies
we served heart-shaped cheese, crackers, candy hearts,
and our traditional candy bar cookies.

I'll say it again,

I do love this holiday.

It is just the best.