What Valentines day means to me...

Over the years Valentines day has meant many different things. As a teenager it was about BOYS and hoping that someone would send me something. As a young adult... same.... :-) Once I was married though it was about pleasing my spouse and making him feel special. After having children it started to change for me, but not completely until I came across a status update on facebook that got me thinking.

A friend posted how she hated the holiday and another friend of mine posted that Valentines day meant something different to her. Here's her response "Well, I'm 33 and don't think I've been single on Valentine's Day since 6th grade or so...but I can count on one hand the amount of times I received flowers from a guy who was not my dad. My dad always sent me flowers, from about the age of 13 through college. So I guess I've never viewed this day the way most do. I think my mom even sent me something once. I know I can't understand your feelings, but I'm just not a hater of the day. I like to use it to show my kids love and teach them how to love others, too. They send cards to grandparents, aunts/uncles. Tell someone you love them...even if it's your best friend and not some guy!"

Now my parents did not do this as I was growing up and I'm ok with that, but it did make me want to make sure that for my family that I made Valentines day mean something other than just a romantic love day. So even though since our kids were little we have always gotten something for them (even though until this year I didn't really get why) this year I was completely into it. I made a pink heart shaped cake with strawberry icing, we got them each a little gift, nothing extravagent, just a new t-shirt for each of them, and we just made it a really happy day. I'm hoping as they grow older that if they find themselves single on Valentines Day they won't hate the holiday but also choose to make it a day to show a little extra love to those in their lives :-) And if you are out there and do hate the holiday.. it's ok :-) :-)

It helped also that this was Anna's First Valentines day!!! She was born Feb 27th so she just missed it last year :-)


Here are some pictures from that day with their school things and at home.