Work in progress, plus my messy palette. Mess is good.

Bonus Valentine's pic: Sophie's braids yesterday. I can't take credit for the idea though: that's why God made Pinterest! (I am always pinning stuff, btw.)

You didn't think we'd let a Valentine's Day go by without the yearly adorable kids-on-the-couch picture, did you? Have some cuteness!


(2012)

And now let's have a trip in the wayback machine!


(2011)


(2010)


(2009)


(2008)


(2007)


(2006)


(2005)

....where all the Valentines are homemade. WHY? Because over the years, my kids have absorbed my mantra about using your talents, showing love by time and effort and creativity and so on... But OH how I wish sometimes we could just go the get-a-big-pack-from-Target-and-be-done-with-it route. At least they all said they had fun making them, and they were rather proud of their efforts. As they should be!

Below: Sophie's colorful owls, which later had small holes punched at the bottom so they were each holding a lollipop. Angela and Peter made spritz cookies (with minimal help from me, I did the actual pressing to save time but they've done it before) which then got wrapped and are now resting safely in the freezer 'till tomorrow.

What did one octopus say to the other on Valentine's Day?





(An early Valentine basket for Paul, made by weaving Danish hearts and going a little nuts with the embellishments. Hangable by the top two intertwined tentacles.)