Three Things + 1 : Lots of Love (and giveaways)

"Valentine's Day is for people you looooove" my boys have said since they were 2 and 4 years old. I get them special presents and a candy treat, we take fun pictures hugging each other, and just spend the day celebrating our looooove. :)

We do little cards and a couple little gifts for the kids. I think it would be fun this year to make some cookies or chocolates for the kids, I always remember my mom doing that for us.

I like to make a little book for my husband which containts photos of us and our kids... bake something sinful and delicious... and of course a homemade card. xox

Valentine's Day is my favorite. I usually haul myself out of bed early to make the girls a special breakfast with some little treats at their place settings...a stuffie, or some cute pencils or whatever catches my eye!
I'm hoping this year to also sent Valentine's to some of my girlfriends who really bless my life!
Amazing giveaway!
tammy t

Dear Ali,
I could come up with several things but I have to be honest I do nothing special on valentines day. When I was not married I send my friend (now for almost 15 years husband) a valentines card. But since we are married nothing! And that's from both sides.
But I would love to win some of your stuff, perhaps I can make my husband a nice surprise with one of these things ;)
***
But I am also curious how you are and how your pregnancy is going? When are you due for delivery. My sister just gave birth on the 5th of jan. to a precious girl - Franca - it is their 4th!
Blessing for you and your family,
Inge

For Valentine's, we celebrate by going out to dinner just the two of us, although usu its not on the actual day. The actual day, we make a special dinner for the whole family.

We celebrate together as a family. I usually make valentine's for my family and friends. This year I am planning a little valentine craft for my son and I to do together. And always a little baking!

With my guy, there isn't anything I can buy him that he can't buy for himself, so it's handmade all the way -- last year I made him a cool Valentine's felt mini book inspired by the one you made, Ali, and always a home cooked meal because that's how I show people (and my guy especially) how much I love them -- through good food.

Wow, what great giveaways! My husband isn't fond of Valentine's Day. He says it's a manufactured "Hallmark" holiday. Despite that, I always have fun making hand stamped valentines with the kids for their classmates, and on the actual day, the kids and I make a heart-shaped cake and decorate it with fun pink and red sprinkles. Just a little treat (that my mom used to do for me and my brothers as kids!).

ever since my kids were little we've had the tradition of making "fun-do" or fondue for dinner and dessert! we make a cheese fondue with apples, cooked sausage and bread and then a chocolate fondue with fruit and homemade pound cake. it got tougher to do once the kids were school aged and i went back to work & school, but it just wouldn't be valentine's with out it!

My husband and I have never really celebrated Valentine's Day. I feel strongly that the holiday has become a cop-out for a lot of people. Instead of telling those most important in their lives how much they love and appreciate them all year, they try and cram it in one day.
With that being said, I do send a Valentine to my "adopted children" because they so enjoy getting mail. However, I try to do little RAK's throughout the year to those who mean so much to me.

We celebrated twenty years ago by getting married! Now each year we take a mini winter holiday to the mountains for a cabin get away. Though this year for the milestone 20 we are celebrating at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville. A retreat to remind us not to take each other for granted and to be ever present in our lives. ~Monda

Growing up, my dad always gave his daughters gifts & my mom gave her son a gift of Valentine's day. I think this year, I want to carry on this tradition & give a Valentine to my son. As a teacher, I also get to celebrate with my preschool class & I enjoy the little party & Valentine exchange that we do every year. :)

My son's birthday is on the 13th, and my husband's birthday and our anniversary are just a couple of weeks later, so Valentine's day usually takes a backseat. I usually get the kids some candy, and some years we have a Valentine's banquet at our church. It's usually a nice dinner and the youth serve as waitstaff and earn quite a bit in tips! Last year, we played the "Trulywed Game"-changed the name as there aren't any newlyweds in our church-and that was lots of fun.

This year i will try to bake cupcakes for work and will enjoy a nice meal at home with my sweetheart Stephane, probably "raclette"! Enjoy your day and thanks for sharing all your precious finds!

To celebrate valentine's day the girls and I make cookies, homemade valentenes and a special dinner for Daddy. When he comes home we have the table all decorated and the girls love to dress up in their princess dresses. take care michelle

For us, Valentine's Day comes twice a year (its a cross-cultural marriage) so we have two opportunities to enjoy each other for the evening: no son, lovely meal, great wine and a long walk somewhere quiet.

My little guy is still a bit small for celebrations, but my husband and I generally have a "living room picnic." This has often been fondue or cheese and fruit or something else we love, but always chocolate too. It is quiet and intimate without the crowds of the restaurants and still works perfectly with a little one.

I decorate the living room with heart shape banners & other fun stuff. My husband will bring our favorite dessert from our favorite joint & we just usually have a nice intimate dinner followed with dessert.

We don't have a tradition started with this, but when my hubby and I were first dating and poor as can be, we would celebrate V-Day with a lunch at McDonald's. We'd read the comic section of the paper together as we chowed down on our french fries.
This year for our son, who is 18 months old, I think I will give him strawberry milk (pink!) in his sippy cup and maybe we'll make some heart cookies together.
Hubby and I will try to plan a date night the night before (cause I have an all-day scrapbook club on V day!) and just try to have an uneventful dinner out, to reconnect. But maybe not at McDonald's. ; )

I always send the kids to school with a special Valentine napkin and a little love note written on it. I pack a themed lunch too, heart shaped sandwhich, red items, etc.

Hello Ali, Valentines is my favorite holiday. I always make heart shaped pancakes for the kids. Even the one in high school who has to be at school at 6:55am!I also buy each of my kids a cute book about love or giving. This year I got my teenager 'The Gift of Nothing'. So appropriate for a teenager :) A couple of years ago my husband and I started a new tradition of writing a love note to eachother. I just love it. Have a great day!

My husband & I would go out to eat at our favorite restaurant is we could afford to and if not than we fixed our favorite meal at home (ribeye's & bake potato's). But, this year is our first Valentine's Day with our little boy so we've decided to make it a family celebration instead of just a mommy & daddy one. We're going to have lunch all together because daddy has to work on Valentine's night. Then mommy & baby will spend some quality time together!

for Valentine's day, we usually do a special supper at home.just me, dh, and our 2 DD and the girls help pick it out...a little extra hugs and kisses never hurts that day either!!!

It's usually a very quiet evening for us, but DH annd I try to carve out time to sit together, have a glass of wine and just enjoy being with each other. Sounds simple, I know, but with two jobs, two kids, two pets and a household to manage - it really is a celebration.
Rinda