As I always do, I gave the boys a choice this year between making Valentines or buying them. They all chose “make” (I think we all understand that this means: I find the design or concept, they approve, I do the making part and they sign their names). I think we’re all comfortable with this relationship ;)

I wanted to think of something kind of special for each of their personalities. I found this laffy-taffy with jokes idea on line for Aiden who fancies himself the class clown and LOVES nothing more than to make people laugh. The woman who originally posted the idea was WAY more ambitions than I. Hers were all packaged in adorable hand-make paper boxes which Brian expressly forbid me from making. I’m getting pretty lazy people! I even skipped the cricut cutting this year (p.s. the cricut will be hence forth known as the Zing because I got a new cutter that works with my computer software for Christmas – yeah me!)

I created a two-sided, business-card-style design in Microsoft Word complete with a rainbow (a very masculine one) for my rainbow-loving boy. There were 4 total jokes

• Knock, knock! who’s there? Frank! Frank who? Frank you for being my friend!
• Q: What did the chocolate syrup say to the ice cream? A: I’m sweet on you!
• Q: What did the boy Octopus say to the girl Octopus? (this one’s my favorite by the way!) A: I want to hold your hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand!
• Q: What do you call a small Valentine? A: A Valen-tiny!

I think two of those were from the idea I saw, but I researched more kid-friendly jokes that would fit on my cards…too bad I only remember the 4 I used ;)

 

Logan is my cool, sometimes-doesn’t-participate-in-silly-stuff-because-it-might-make-people-laugh-at-you kid (so opposite from Aiden!) I thought these subtle Valentines were good for him! Again, I found an idea on line and modified it with my own little creation – a similar, double-folded label that we printed, cut, signed and stapled on to packs of Pop Rocks.   

And for Brady…the same Valentine’s he took to preschool last year (and when I say same, I mean the VERY SAME ONES). Last year, I wasn’t fully aware of the “no candy” rule in preschool. These felt fortune cookies were previously filled with Hershey kisses (which I checked and cleared on all the allergies in his classroom). However, despite my pleas of food safety, I got a call literally minutes after I dropped these off with both Aiden and Brady that I needed to come take them away. I was pretty upset.

Annnnyway, new preschool, same rule (MUCH more clearly communicated this year!), same Valentine’s, different…non-food treats inside. Last year the “fortunes” said “you will get a kiss on Valentine’s Day” to go with the Hershey Kisses. This year, they say “hope you have a ball on Valentine’s Day”. This, Brady informed me, makes no sense. He didn’t catch on even after I explained the play on words. Oh well…I’m sure the parents will get it. ya??

I’m off to set up the breakfast area with buckets of candy and other fun stuff. I’m changing the screen savers on the boys’ minis to be Valentine’s-related and bought them all a new Valentine’s book for their Scholastic e-book aps. Oh the gift giving of the technology-filled-age we live in :) Logan is also getting a little soccer trainer thing you strap on your waist and Brady is getting a little car he wanted. Aiden is getting an, “IOU a small thing because I couldn’t think of a small thing you wanted” I think I’ll be making heart-shaped pancakes so I might go mix up the batter ahead of time as well!

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!