Valentine's Day 2017

We had some prep work to do for Valentine's Day this year, and I was determined to be prepared early! I succeeded! We started making play dough, giving gifts, and getting organized at the beginning of the month! 

I did learn that while making home-made play dough, gel food coloring doesn't work as well! My hands were painfully pink for a couple days!

LJ also needed a homemade/ decorated Valentine's Day box for his class vday exchange. I showed him several ideas on Pinterest, and Pikachu was immediately and unwaveringly his choice!! So I bought a yellow plastic table cloth, construction paper, and tape, and we made it happen!!! He loved it and was so excited! 

Valentine's to other people: 

The kid's teachers each got a bag at the beginning of February so they could enjoy Vday socks, dish towels, and other holiday items before the day! 

Ellie celebrated Vday at school on Monday the 13th (since she does't go to school on Tuesdays!). She and Evan both passed out these little bags with a few small treats! 

 For LJ's class, we made homemade Play dough and attached heart shaped cookie cutters. I always made big batches for his class to play with during the Valentine's Day Party! 

 And all the other school staff members and specials teachers got these small Valentine's! 

We didn't really get much for the kids this year, but I did want a small something for when they woke up! So each one had a pile with a stuffed emoji and another little treat or 2! Ellie got slippers like mine (which she has been requesting!), boys got Cowboy decal stickers, their chocolates from Gigi and Capi were out, and I got them each a play dough pack with a roller (they have been so into play dough since we have made so much of it lately!!). 

As the homeroom parent for LJ's class, I was in charge of the entire party! The only parents allowed were my co-home room parents and one other mom! Together, we got everything set up and each ran a station during the party!  

The class is back from recess and ready for a party!!! They were all so excited! 

We had for stations set up for the kids to rotate around during the hour long party. 

Craft Station: kids got to make 2 quick, fun crafts- a pinwheel and a fortune teller!

 LJ's turn at the craft station!! 

 Play dough station! This was a huge hit! 

 VDay Card-making Station:   To prepare for the craft station, another home room mom and I each went to get pictures of every kid standing in front of the door we decorated. We had to go on different days because some kids were absent some days! But we ended up getting a great picture of all but one student! 

  

Then on party day, we had all the material set out for the kids to make someone (their parents!) a special Valentine! 

The finished product- a foam heart with their picture on it! So cute! 

 Conversation hearts game! This was the station I lead! 

A quick activity for the kids to do between stations! They LOVED this!! There were 84 kisses in the jar, and there was a tie for the win with multiple guesses of 100! LJ guessed 72 and was (after the tie) 3rd place (someone guessed 73 to get 2nd). 

And if they finished all stations early (like LJ!), they got to go to the reading corner and read! 

Snack time!! 

 

 

 After they ate, they got to get their Vday boxes and go through their treats!! 

I got the kids to sign a card for their teacher, and we got her a plant from the class! 

LJ said he had a GREAT time! Happy boy! And he gets to ride home in mom's car- always very exciting!! 

 

I LOVE being able to be the homeroom mom and participate in his class as much as I do. Such a privilege, honor and treat!!! 

 LJ and I stopped on the way home to pick up a special dinner... a Papa Murphy's heart-shaped pizza!! This may be our new tradition! So fun, yummy, and inexpensive!!! 

 

Evan was excited to look through all his Valentine's from school- he waited for us to get home to do it!!

 Then we got a yummy surprise from Gigi- chocolate covered strawberries and cake pops (precious little lady bugs) delivered from Shari's Berries! 

How cute are these bug cake pops!!! 

Yummy!!!! 

And at the very end of the night, our sweet friend left this special treat on our door... cookies and icing and sprinkles to decorate them with! Kids were already asleep when I found them, but looks like the Valentine's Day fun will continue!!! 

Ellie slept through the arrival of all the treats, but she got to open her card from Grandad and Queenie and her big present of Gigi the next morning. 

 And we found some sweet Valentine's cards from our kids!

LJ made us one and a cute 'Love Bug' for Evan! How sweet!

And here are Evan's from School... 

 Also, one morning before Valentine's Day, I came into the kitchen in the morning and found LJ at the bar working away. I asked him what he was up to, and he said he was doing Valentine's for his cousins! What a sweet little guy!! He did one to Kate and Lauren and one for Eagle Jr and Locke.