PTA Founders Day

My husband at the second grade Donuts with Dad event.

For most of their school-age lives our children have been enrolled in private school.  Consequently, I've only recently become a member of the PTA but I have been very involved in similar organizations at the kids' schools, The Parents Club and Parent Teacher Fellowship. They are organizations with a similar mission and goals and I know all too well the importance of the work of parent volunteers.  They enhance every aspect of school and student life.  They help make schools great places,  serve the kids and grow community.  

So, hats off to all the PTA volunteers that make and have made Grandparents Day, Donuts with Dad, Open House, Field Day, Teacher Appreciation Week and countless other events and activities special for all our kids and a special thanks today to the founders of the PTA. 

St. Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

More than 140 million Valentine's Day cards will be sent and received today.   Count me among the enthusiastic senders (and, hopefully recipients). 

When my children were younger I loved having them create their own cards -- I'm more practical these days and am happy when they can settle upon a store bought type that they actually feel reflects their personalities.  

In our house I have a "clothes line for cards" (for lack of a better term) that hangs in our kitchen window.  

The card line, after my son's recent birthday

The card line has these great suction feet that allow me to put it up anywhere, but the kitchen window allows for maximum family enjoyment.

Just prior to a family member's birthday, the card line appears with photos from previous years' celebrations.  Then, Birthday cards are pinned there during and following those special occasions.  

But during Love Week, the line is reserved just for declarations of devotion, from grandparents, extended family and one another.  It's a happy reminder of our attachment to others in the world.  

I purchased my "card line" at the Hallmark store eons ago but recently found a similar item (except it's vertical) via another blog.  Alternately, you could make one yourself.  Here are the directions.  

I think it's  safe to say that our card line is a very own banner of love.  

Conversation Hearts

What the hollow chocolate rabbit is to Easter, the conversation heart, sometimes called the sweetheart, is to Valentine's Day.   They are ubiquitous (and how often can you use that word?) and the quintessential Valentine's candy. 

I am not a conversation heart connoisseur, but I have it on good authority that the Necco conversation heart is the best, less powdery and just the right amount of sweet.  I must admit, I wish they tasted a bit more like their candy cousin, and my childhood favorite, the Necco Wafer (makes the best gingerbread house roof, ever!).

Still, I've been known to consume just a few of the 8 billion lovely sugar confections, with their irresistible catchphrases, that are produced each year. That 's why I was delighted to find the individual-size packages, in addition to the boxes, on the drugstore aisle.  

 Let's hear it for portion control!  

I also found this cute item -

That comes with all of this -

And makes 24 of these -

Of course, if you're not into candy or crafts, you can always use them to decorate!

More Love Week Fun

As Love Week continues, I thought I’d share a few more things I'm doing to make our celebration special:

These are our table centerpieces.

We’re using these placements.

We might eat these -

Hooray for Dunkin Donuts!

We'll definitely have these (little treats for my children and a few extra for teachers and some friends) -

This cute basket was a gift from a friend years ago.  I love it. 

 
I'm contemplating making these (from the same creative website as the treat above) -- check it out.  

I have a few other ideas up my sleeve.  But the week will assuredly be filled with small reminders of our giant (though not always perfect) love for each other. 

It's Honest Abe's Birthday!

Love Potion

Because my husband and I met on the 11th of February, we've always celebrated that day more than Valentine's Day.  Dinner reservations are more easily made and flowers are not quite so expensive (as they are just a few days later).


Still, I've always loved Valentine's Day -- replete with hearts, cupids, red and pink.  What's a girl not to love? Consequently, for years I agreed to be the Valentine's Party mom for my children's classrooms, providing the snacks and drinks. I looked forward to creating one of my (and crowd pleasing) favorites -  Love Potion, using dry ice.  

This punch bowl is not pink, but some reason (can you say Love Week?) it photographed that way!

I use this big plastic punch bowl I purchased inexpensively at a party store (I never attempted Love Potion in  a glass punch bowl.  I don't own one and toting this one to class parties was much simpler).  

Early on I made fancy multi-ingredient punches.  But after two or three parties, I realized pink lemonade works just as well because the dry ice gets all the attention any way.


Here are some easy to follow instructions for using dry ice and a container in a container.  You can also Google it for additional ideas.  I put my dry ice in a (new) knee high stocking so that I don't have to worry about the kids swallowing any small pieces.  I also create tiny, tiny holes in the stocking so it doesn't float.    Don't forget to use heavy duty gloves for this task -- they are key to the safe handling of the dry ice. 

This is always a HUGE hit with the kids. They are used to seeing a bubbling cauldron at Halloween but a Love Potion at Valentine's Day -- now that's a surprise. 

It's (Almost) Love Week!

In two days (yes, oddly, it will be a Friday) my family will mark the beginning of a 7 day celebration at our house. 


It's Love Week.  

As the About Me portion of my blog says, the week of February 11th through the 17th is our family's own 7-day celebration.   


It begins with the anniversary of the day my husband and I met (February 11th),  which was an unseasonably warm winter day in Washington, D.C. Halfway through the week is the all important St. Valentine’s Day.  Our celebration week culminates with the anniversary of our engagement  (February 17th in Williamsburg, Virginia), the year after we met.


So every day, for the next 7, we'll try to do something sweet or kind (sweeter and kinder, than usual, I mean), but not elaborate, for each other.  I especially enjoy leaving small tokens for my children each day of the week and sending my husband a card or two to his office.

Perhaps, like us, you'll invent your own day to celebrate. Or you'll decide that some things, like L-O-V-E, deserve not just a day, but a whole week of celebrating.