I’m a sucker for googly eyes. I don’t know what it is about them, but they make me smile; they always have. By the way, smiling is a great work-out for the face. I know this because when I married Jeff I smiled the entire night, and my face ached for two days.
If only I could burn fat smiling.
So, I was thinking about it being Valentine’s Day, and then I was thinking about all the previous Valentine’s posts I’ve written, and then I realized this year I didn’t have a Valentine’s post to share BECAUSE OUR CO-OP SACKED THE VALENTINE’S DAY PARTY!
I’d say that was unloving, but it was for a good reason–namely the woman in charge of planning it moved and no one else wanted to take on the additional responsibility of pulling it together last minute.
Without a party and card exchange, and because Emelie, at present, is the one-armed bandit, my kids decided they didn’t want to make Valentine’s Day cards this year. Instead, they made a plan to wait until February 15th and THEN visit Target for all the clearance chocolate.
Smart kids.
So, with nothing to blog for Valentine’s Day, I decided to take a trip down memory lane with you, but with one addition…
GOOGLY EYES!
Oh yes, you read correctly.
What’s Goin’ Down for V-Day (2009)
I remember this Valentine’s Day fondly. Instead of decorating the outside of his Valentine’s Day card box, Kenny made the interesting choice of creating a diorama of a “tornado touching down to wreak certain devastation somewhere between a church and a cross.”
Along with a few other mommas, I spent so much time preparing for the party itself, that I forgot my own kids’ Valentine’s cards.
After discovering Secret Agent Josephine’s FREE set of downloadable Valentine’s Day Cards online, I printed a few more copies and turned the adorable cards into a matching/memory game for the little ones who attended the party.
Love is in the Air (2010)
This was the year we prepared for Valentine’s Day for over a week. It was like a never-ending crafting party over here.
In addition, I added in a bit of a “unit study” that involved making a list of supplies, staying within a budget, utilizing coupons for greater savings, and sharing resources.
That was probably the most prolific the kids have ever been when it comes to making Valentine’s Day Cards.
Making Valentine’s Day Special (2011)
Continuing the tradition of making our own Valentine’s Day Cards, in 2011 we drove back to Hobby Lobby, and once again, each kid had a budget, coupons, and a list of people they planned to make cards for that year.
Strewn across the aisles with their baskets, paper and pens, adding totals and figuring discounts on certain sticker packs and scrapbook papers, the kids literally had a math lesson on the floor at the craft store.
Needless to say, everyone received a squirt of hand sanitizer when we loaded back into the Suburban.
Making Valentine’s Day Cards (2013)
We were abducted by aliens in 2012, and therefore, unable to make Valentine’s Day cards, but it appears we resurfaced in 2013 to make an even bigger mess than before.
We had a full house that year, including my cousin Olivia, who homeschooled with us throughout most of that year.
Our close friends, Cindy, Kaleb and Kolby joined us too, although the boys did so somewhat begrudgingly. Y’know how it is with some boys…crafting loses its pull.
This year (2014) they told their momma they didn’t want to make Valentine’s Day cards anymore, which is why I felt the need to “googly-eye” them on the internet. Yes, I just created my own verb.
One day, when the boys are being vetted for their first job, their future employer will find these photos and know they are two fine, creative boys.
heh heh
Valentine’s Day 2014 Googly-eye Monster Round-up!
Because one can NEVER have enough googly eyes OR monsters, I’ve curated a Valentine’s Day Round-up that includes both. Glorious, right?
1. Googly Eye Ring Monster Valentine’s Day Cards by Tutus and Tea Parties
2. Stamped Monster Valentine’s Bag Toppers by nichol magouirk
3.Valentine’s Box for Boys by HomeSpunThreads
4. Googly Eyes Heart Garland for Valentine’s Day by No. 2 Pencil
5. DIY Monster Cards by Pepper Design Blog
6. Paint Chip Monster Puppet by One Dog Woof
7. Monster Hugs! by My Make and Take Place
8.Hershey’s Kisses One-Eyes by Candy and Cake
9. I Only Have Eyes for You Printable Valentines by Persia Lou
Happy Valentine’s Day Y’all!
What are you doing for Valentine’s Day? Crafts? Candy? Both? GOOGLY EYES?!
Heather Sanders is a leading homeschooling journalist who inspires homeschooling families across the nation. Married to Jeff, Heather lives in the East Texas Piney Woods and homeschools her three children, Emelie, Meredith and Kenny.