Happy Valentine's Day to You!

I love Valentine's Day! But it's not because of the romance part (I've had good romantic and some not good ones) I love it because as a little girl my mother made Valentine's Day EXTRA special! The day consisted of waking up to a decorated kitchen with hearts and balloons everywhere, darling festive cups, plates, napkins, and a card and/or a pink stuffed animal at each place setting. The meals were always pink. Dinner was traditionally pink milk, red jello, pink mash potatos, meat loaf shaped in a heart, as well as a heart shaped strawberry cake. But that wasn't the best part- several years when I was in school Mom would deliver a balloon or flowers to school (that made me feel special). And then there was the service she did for others on this day of love. For years she delivered about 30-70 heart shaped mylar balloons to ladies in the ward and community-just to brighten their day. (this year was no exception.) And Valentine's Day's cards were and still are a must- even if the person lives 1000 miles away. Because it's just a way to make some one feel loved. This year (like most years) My Mom, and her Mom, and my Mom's sister all sent us cards this year-including window stick ons-my kids were thrilled to get them! So now that I have my own children, Valentine's Day it's a big deal at our home-there's decorations on most walls and all sorts of festive goodies on the kitchen table. This morning I made heart shaped pancakes with strawberry syrup, and for dinner as tradition in my little family, we're going to have little Ceasars pizza cut into a heart shape (no heart shaped meat loaf for us- I can barley cook a cassrole :) My Mother worked hard to make holidays EXTRA special because she says that it's the holidays and the little things that make life exciting. On March 17th, St. Patrick's Day, I will be at my Mom's house, and yep you guessed it, there will be a green dinner, and of course green milk. :)