Our Valentine fun!

This year I wanted to do a countdown to Valentine's Day.  We each decorated mail boxes that I got at Target in the dollar bins.  I fixed little notes and small prizes for both of my boys beginning February 1.  When the flag was up, you knew you had a prize waiting. 

I knew Caleb would love this and have fun with it.  He was really excited about it, and it was so fun to see how he wanted to get involved in giving us little surprises in our mailbox too. 

Before we started this I warned him that the prizes weren't going to be big things (like Lego sets or big toys!).  I didn't want him to be disappointed the first day!  He really enjoyed it and looked forward to it.  On the way to school on the 15th, he said he forgot to check his mail box.  I told him the countdown was over!!

The "mail" included ideas I made up or saw on Pinterest.  Here are some of the ones we had: 

1.  conversation hearts game--The mail was a note and a box of conversation hearts.  I wrote on the note that they would have a game after supper with their box of hearts.  Then I made up various challenges for them...like how tall can you stack the hearts in 30 seconds or who can sort their hearts the fastest.

2.  I love you books--For my husband I made an "ABCs of our Love" book (idea from Pinterest).  I loved how it turned out and how it really does tell the story of us!  On the same day I had a book also for Caleb that was "7 1/2 reasons I love you."  I thought 7 1/2 would be fitting because it was the mailbox prize for the 12th and he was going to be exactly 7 1/2 years old that day! 

3.  Valentine craft--I found all different sets in the Dollar Bins at Target.  I chose some little pom pom critters for Caleb to make.

4.  Family fun Friday--After school Caleb and I cut out heart shaped cookies.  Then after supper we all three decorated them with frosting and sprinkles. 

5.  Coupons--Caleb really got into this.  He would write coupons for us almost every day!  One of mine was a coupon for him cooking supper for me.  Another one was folding laundry.  He gave me coupons to exchange for pictures he'd made for me too.  He gave one to Daddy to take out the trash.  We gave Caleb some too.  Daddy gave him one for watching an extra episode of "Dick Van Dyke" together (they like to do this in the evenings after bath). 

My husband gave me some fun mailbox surprises too.  The first day there was a note that said when I found another yellow stickie to follow the directions on it.  When I got in the car to take Caleb to school, the note said to play the CD in the stereo.  He had downloaded a song ("No Doubt About It") for me.  I was smiling all day; it totally surprised me and was so sweet!  He gave me other things he knew I liked in my mailbox like Bit O Honeys, note pads, Valentine socks, and candles.  He gave me some coupons too for a date night, back rub, and fixing me supper.. 

I believe our Valentine countdown will be a new tradition for us! We all had fun with it.
I fixed my boys a Valentine supper on Monday night because Tuesday  morning my husband had to leave for an out of town meeting.  Originally the meeting was going to be all week so I was very thankful it got shortened and he was just gone two nights.  And also thankful that I got to see him on Valentine's morning.  :) 

On Valentine's Day I helped pass out "Val-o-grams" at Caleb's school.  It was a PTO fundraiser.  Caleb got this little frog balloon and a kiss on the one we ordered for him. 



The balloon kept moving when I was trying to take a picture!

Then in the afternoon I helped with his class party.  We had ice cream sundaes, which the kids loved!  After school Caleb went to his art lesson and then we went to eat at Whataburger.  It surprised me he chose that! 

Thursday my husband got home, and I had another surprise for him!  I had ordered a "My Husband Rocks" tshirt from Union 28.

I had it on when he got home, and he was so surprised.  Caleb wanted to make a welcome home poster, and then when he saw my shirt he wanted to pin his sign on his shirt.  (I told him they have "My Dad Rocks" shirts too so he wants to get one of those!)   

Have a day of blessings!