Back when we were first married we ( o.k. I’ll admit it was probably me…) thought we/I had to spend a lot of money on Valentines Day to make it fun. But raising a family will teach you many things including, how to be frugal, what is most important, and changes what your “idea” of fun is.
Many years ago my husband started what has become my childrens favorite holiday tradition. I had just had a baby, and was not really in the mood to fight the crowds with a new baby and eat out for Valentines Day. My husband offered to make us dinner at home. He made chicken marsala. It was awesome! He also used a tablecloth (something we don’t do at our house!) had sparkling cider, candles, and table decorations. We invited the kids to eat with us. We turned all the lights down low and a new tradition was born. Every year we repeat the same thing and every year it is the nicest evening of the year. I can’t even begin to tell you how much the kids love it. We let them drink out of wine glasses and use the nice “china”. It really doesn’t cost anything more than a normal dinner but the excitement on the kids faces always brings me to tears.
It is so simple to start new traditions like this, that make memories for the entire family for our lifetimes, I would so much rather spend it with my husband and kids than figting the crowds. Don’t get me wrong, I like to eat out at a nice restruant as much as anyone else, but I love this day 1,000 times more.
This is Paul’s night, he does it all. He was thrilled about me taking pictures, I can tell you that 🙂
He decorated with streamers, candles and fake rose petals. This was last year’s dinner.
We had sautéed asparagus, and mushrooms. Corn on the cob and garlic bread.
The HUGE surprise 2011??
Steak and Lobster?!
Oh my goodness! It was amazing!
He can grill anything and make it wonderful, but tonight the steak was out of this world, and for those who ate the Lobster said it was awesome! I tried a little. I have a few kids who LOVE seafood and they had some. He only got a few so we could all sample.
My Mom and Dad came by for dinner, they heard Paul was grilling 🙂
The treat for dessert?
Chocolate covered strawberries!
They were as big as this little boy’s hands!
What do you do for Valentines day?
Part comedian, part Dad, part athlete. He will boss around your children while they play ball.
Just as angelic as she looks, this girl could easily raise a Village by herself, and all the children would grow up to be President.
Self proclaimed, she would be a webkinz dog. Because, "they're cute, and puppies are too. And they're sweet and they always get along with other puppies."
This mini-Martha Stewart can handle ANY craft you send her way. She isn't all bows and rainbows, she's got karate kid moves!
Not "Pick-Me-Up" like caffeine, she wants you to pick her up! AND NOW!
Anything that can be destroyed WILL be destroyed!
Practically Perfect in Every Way for now! Nicknamed "The Panda" she is rolly polly and lives by the motto, "the little one, is KING!"
The resident Labradoodle, Miller got his name because Mom won and got to name the baby! Need something chewed up? He'll take care of it. Especially if it's expensive..
I hate fighting the crowds for Valentine’s Day dinners, too. This year I’ve made lasagna at the request of my boys. We have to do Valentine’s Day Dinner tonight because we have Cub Scouts tomorrow, but it’s all good! I agree with you – the best traditions are the ones we make ourselves!
We do mac n cheese. Not a special recipe, the blue box, Kraft kind. Our first Valentine’s Day together, my husband was in another state at college and the only thing he could make in his dorm was mac n cheese and ramon noodles. So we chose to make it together on the phone, we also made our own cards, and bought no gifts. Ever since then, we eat mac n cheese every valentine’s day and the kids love it. (we do buy cards now, just b/c with tball, gymnastics etc, it is harder to make one and faster to buy it.) But these are memories we cherish. We would never remember from year to year where we ate but we will never forget Mac N Cheese on Valentine’s Day!
That is the sweetest memory in the entire world and it made my nose get all tingly…. I hope ya’ll have many, many more mac and cheese Valentines!
I love doing things like this! Like you say, it doesn’t really have anything to do with money. My husband and I always have a special dinner with our boys, too, and I love it! I’m making pink pancakes and bacon for all of my guys in the morning, and my husband is doing steak and lobster tails ($6.99 at Kroger!) for dinner. Then it’s back to cereal and spaghetti!
I have 4 boys ages 9,7, 19 mos and 4 1/2 mos so dinner out is totally out of the budget! we save that for our anniversary! I always pack the kids lunch with a valentine napkin and a “kiss” (hershey’s of course!) I have used cookie cutters in the past to cut their sandwiches into hearts but this year as they are a bit older I skipped that…for breakfast they will have hot cocoa with valentines Marshmallow’s……for dinner we are having heart shaped steak (no joke! our butcher does it!) redskins and a salad….faygo redpop will be our beverage…and dessert homemade chocolate dipped strawberries…YUM! at this time we go around the table and tell each other one thing that makes us love them this valentines day …… as far as gifts I didn’t do as good on my candy deals ( as we have all been sick off and on for 2 weeks!) they older 3 will get the M & M’s deal from Walmart ( I used the $1 off 2 so $2 for 4 or .50 each not too bad) the hubby gets Reeses PB hearts (.99) and the baby got a balloon from the dollar store which I tied to his swing (1.00) sorry if this post is scattered I am still flu-ish….:-( Happy Valentine’s Day!!!
Oh Happy Valentines Day to your family!! You sound a lot like us!!!
Well since me and my hubby can never find a babysitter on valentines we get a heart shaped pizza from papa murphys for the kids and a larger adult pizza for us. Then we stay in and have pizza and a movie and we exchange valentines. Then a day or two after valentines me and the hubby finally get a babysitter and have a lil romantic dinner.
We hate going out too. I’m going to do the sweetheart steak.Its cut like a heart. I think I will do the table cloth also.Very cute. 🙂
We do exactly the same things…make a yummy dinner, drink cider out of “fancy” cups, and light candles! The kids wish it was valentines every day!
Every year I cook and if the weather permits(cold enough) we enjoy our dinner by the fireplace. We’ve been married over 40 years but we still love the romatic dinner. This year will be rib eye steaks topped with grilled shrimp, green bean almondine and baked potaotes. Heart shapped Strawberry caked with chocolate ganache icing.