Write a Letter a Day

In a box somewhere are all the letters I received from my husband while I was in college. In the summers, there were letters from friends. After graduation, more letters with different return addresses as friends moved around, embarking on the next stages of our lives.  All this was of course, way back then, pre-Facebook and texts, in the long-distance calls that charged by the minute era.  And even now with the instant gratification of a status update of your BFF's lunch, there's something special about getting an envelope in the real mailbox, with familiar handwriting, that isn't a bill.

I always say I'm going to get better at sending notes and cards, because it's actually something I like to do.  Every now and then, I'll see a card that makes me laugh or I think will make someone else laugh and I'll drop it in the mail. I'm really good at picking out belated-birthday cards.  I think thank you cards are especially sweet. I'm trying to be more intentional about it this year, just because. I did okay for January.

I read about a write-a-letter-a-day campaign for the month of February, tied to Valentine's Day or because the originators weren't convinced that anyone could make it much past 28 days, I'm not sure. I liked the idea of it, I've actually tried it before on my own. It is a commitment, as doing anything every day is, but it also becomes a little bit of fun.

You want to join me?  Take up that challenge - to write one letter or card in your own handwriting and mail it with a real 44-cents (or is it 45-cents now?) or Forever stamp in a real mailbox.  It's already the middle of the month, but it doesn't matter.  Even if you don't get everyday, you can get in a few.  Pick your favorite number and write that many letters by February 28.  Start today.

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What Your Valentine Really Wants

Every other day, and especially on Valentine's Day, you'll find an article or blog post telling you how to show your true love how much you care.  Yup, this is going to be one of them.  Sort of.

A few months ago, I saw one of those lists - how to show your kids you love them.  I read my kids the list.  Many of the things, they said "Please don't do that" and "How does that show that you love us? That's dumb."  I'm not going to tell you what was on the list, because maybe those things would be things your kids would enjoy.  Which brings me to my point.

Don't go by all those lists. You know your folks. Will your spouse really enjoy you showing up serenading them at their job?  Would your kids be tickled or embarrassed by you hanging a huge heart on the front of your house?  Do your kids enjoy finding corny notes stuck in their lunchboxes?  Only you know.  So make your own list. Or if you really want to know what to do - ask your people.

After reading off the published list of how to show my kids I love them, my 8-year old suggested that she offer me better suggestions. She polled her siblings and gave me a Top 11 list which I keep posted on my wall, in case I am at a loss for ideas.

Take the time today to ask your Valentine what they really need from you.  It'll be better than any list you'll find in a magazine article or blog post.

Celebrate your love today and everyday!

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5 Things Not to Do this Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day, like most holidays, takes on a new meaning once you have kids.  For the single or married without kids people, it’s about special dates and flowers and fancy restaurants. Maybe even an engagement proposal if you want to make it extra special.

But for married with children folks, it’s about cards and candies for classroom-counts of kids (even the one your kid doesn’t like and the one who bullies everyone on the playground) and teachers, a special something for the kids, and trying to squeeze in a minute in between running kids to their after-school activities to say “I love you” to the person with whom you’ve chosen to share your crazy and hectic life.

You’d think after so many years, I’d be better prepared for this day.  You would think that, if you didn’t know me too well.  But I am trying to handle things a bit better, because that is the point – to get better at this parenting thing, right?  So these are my things not to do this Valentine’s season.

Do not wait until February 12 to shop for Valentine’s cards or candy for the class.  There are many organized, on-top-of-things moms out there, and they leave the boring and/or weird cards and yucky candy behind.

Do not wait until February 13 to get all hyped up about the cute stuff on Pinterest and think that you can make 26 hand-painted, personalized gift boxes filled with home-made chocolates in time to catch the school bus in the morning.  If you are prone to DIY-crafting surges, start early. Click here to get started now.

Do not think you are going to get a reasonably priced dinner and a regular priced babysitter on February 14.  We know the dinner menus are cranked up and any market-savvy teen is charging a Valentine’s Day surcharge, too.  Instead, if you can swing it, meet hubby for a nice, relaxing lunch at that restaurant you can never get into for dinner. Go make your reservations now.

Do not forget to stick a corny love note in your kid’s lunchbox on February 14.  There’s some days where you can get away with this.  If you don’t make it too sappy, this is one of those days.  If they are very young, you can even plan to stop by for lunch.  If they are say, above 2^nd grade, do not even think about doing this.

Do not wake up on February 15 and realize that you forgot to send all those hand-made Valentine chocolates to school, missed lunch with hubby, and didn’t pack the kid’s lunch the day before.

Don’t wait til February 14 - tell someone you love them today!

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Happy [HEART] Day!

Valentine's Day.  Probably second only to New Year's Eve for over-the-moon expectations, crowded restaurants, and inflated dinner fares.  When you're young, single, or perhaps both, there's even the added pressure of who will be your Valentine?  If you are really young , and hopefully single, there's the panic that the mean kid in class won't give you a Valentine and will make a big deal out of it.  (Unless you are the mean kid and you look forward to leaving kids off your heart-candy list.) But now that I'm married and not so young, it takes on a different meaning - it's another day with it's own to-do list.

Oh, I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't love to get a big ole' box of chocolate and enjoy a nice glass of wine in a white table-clothed restaurant with a strolling violin player.  I'd also be lying to myself if I thought any of that was going to happen on the sentimental holiday of love.  But it all happening on February 14 isn't as  big a deal as my wedding anniversary, which is nowhere near a holiday with jacked up flower prices.

As a family with kids, here's how we celebrate Valentine's Day.

• On the Saturday before the big day, the kids remind me there's a party at school and they need, all totaled, about 100 cards, lollipops, conversation hearts, and chocolates.
• Despite this reminder, I will get the surplus of red and pink doo-dads on the 12th, whatever day that is.  I will also be inspired by great ideas on Pinterest and be confident that I can get them done in time.
• We will spend the next 2 days frantically cutting out hearts and gluing stuff to them, making cute gift bags, and witty gift tags.  Even if I try to be lazy and buy the pre-packaged cute lollipops stuck on a card, just fill in your friends' names cards that could be done on the ride to school, my kids will still insist that they need more pizzazz!  My kitchen will be covered in pink and red scraps of construction paper.
• Valentine's Day also usually falls somewhere near Girl Scout cookie pick-up day, so while the heart workshop is going on in the kitchen, I'm counting and distributing 1200 boxes of cookies in the dining room. 
• Even though the kids will get almost as much candy as they do for Halloween in school, I will still pack a Valentine treat in their luncboxes because, hey, mom loves them, too.
• Enjoy Valentine's lunch with hubby - If hubby's schedule works out, we might get a nice Valentine's lunch.  It's so much less crowded than dinner and we don't have to negotiate a babysitter on a school night.
• Order dinner in for the family - something other than pizza (it is a holiday, after all) and save the work of cooking.  Although, it's really the clean-up that I don't like, but Valentine's on paper plates is just so not-fancy.  But at least we can drink that bottle of wine that would've been ridiculous at lunch.
• Try to control the consumption of candy.  The kids will attempt to eat all of the candy hearts, gummy hearts, chocolate hearts, marshmallow hearts, and cookie hearts that they acquired in school.  They will be bouncing off the walls and ceilings until way past their bedtimes.  Luckily, we don't have to drive home.  Pass the chocolate and the next bottle of wine.

Happy Valentine's Day!  Hug somebody you love!

How it all began...

He took a seat closer to the back than the front of the room.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

His eyes widened in surprise and he turned around to see if there was anyone behind him.  He pointed to himself as if to ask “are you talking to me?”

“Yeah, you.  Do you need something?”

“Nah.  I’m just here to get my sister when you’re done.”

With that, she turned back to the group and continued their rehearsal.  A few minutes later she turned back to him, holding out a script.

“Could you make yourself useful and read this for me?”

“Nah, I’m good right here.”

She stood, looking annoyed.  “Look, the guy who’s supposed to read this isn’t here.  Can you just read it?”

He pulled himself out of the pew, walked up to her, and took the papers from her.

“Why don’t you have any shoes on?” He asked, glancing down at her feet.

“I’m comfortable.”  She wiggled her toes in her socks.

“But we’re in a church.”

“I’m still comfortable.”

He shook his head.  “Where are you – what page are you on?  What am I reading?”

She pointed to the lines in the Black History play that she wanted him to read.  “Right there.”

“Okay, I’m ready.”

She turned back to the group.  “Alright folks, get back in your places.  Here we go.”

And they lived happily ever after.

Weekend Project - Sweets & Cards

What am I doing this weekend?  In addition to the regularly scheduled basketball games and church, we also have middle school registration (yes, already! and by "already" I mean that I can't believe B is old enough to go to middle school and isn't it only February?) and I have sorority meeting.  And somewhere in between I'll be doing what any mom worth her coffee will be doing - clearing off her kitchen/craft table for Valentine's Day!

We have three official class parties, one student-inspired lunchtime celebration, and Girl Scouts meetings (can't forget the Girl Scouts).  That adds up to about...100 Valentine's Cards?  Maybe not quite that much, but it feels like it.  I'm pulling out all the pink, red, and white paper; heart punches, stickers, and stamps; red and pink markers; glittery sticky stuff; and glue sticks.  The kids can take it from there, making sure they have enough cards for everyone on their list.

Valentine card making supplies

To go along with cards, I always like to make some special sweet treat.  For the Girl Scouts, we'll probably have the traditional s'mores, they'd be really cute with some pink marshmallows (any ideas where to find some?).  And for my family, I'll bake a cake - it's not really a secret because its red and their favorite, but let's pretend they'll be surprised.  The cupcake version will go to one of the class parties.  Next, something for the teachers and any other special folks.

While wondering around in blog-space, I happened to come across a sweet recipe for peanut chocolate clusters at Our Delightful Home.  And since I've never met a recipe I didn't tweak, I substituted almonds for the peanuts and added caramel sauce, the kind you use on ice cream sundaes, to the mix.  A few cooking notes here.  Whether using chocolate chips or squares, it only takes about a minute to melt in the microwave and it will not be smooth and liquid-y when taken out; mix a little to get it from its melt-y stage to smooth.  Since the caramel is saucy, it takes longer than it seems like it should for the candies to harden.  Its a messy, quick, hot process so be careful and work fast.

Almond Caramel Clusters

Ingredients: chocolate chips or squares, almonds, caramel sauce

Pour almonds into foil pan.

Melt chocolate in microwave.  Heat caramel sauce if needed, to make it easy to pour.

Pour caramel and melted chocolate over nuts.  Using rubber spatula, mix all together.

Scoop portions into mini-cupcake liners.

Let cool.  Enjoy!