You know - Valentine’s Day was always one of those days growing up that I either spent sleepless night anticipating - or I spent the day only wanting to be crying in bed. I didn’t consistently have boyfriends growing up, so most of the years it was spent in the last condition.
I do remember one Boyfriend-Free Valentine’s Day that turned out pretty awesome. I think it was my Junior year in high school and I ended up getting two bouquets of roses delivered to me at school. (I went to a very small school where that was allowed.) It turned out one was from my brother - because he was an awesome brother (still is) and knew it would make me smile - and the other was from a SECRET ADMIRER. Those are the best flowers to get when you’re single, because the hope that grows from that action is intoxicating. I ended up dating the guy who gave them to me for a short while, but we just weren’t a match. I was more a match with the feeling than with the guy.
Once I became a Mom - Valentine’s Day became much more about my kid(s). Making cupcakes or cards for daycare parties, or just using the day as an excuse to give them candy and a small gift. I know many hate it for it’s commercial origins, but I am all for any day that motivates me to be kind and sweet to those I love. Take a break from nagging and bitching and maybe give a few extra hugs and make a few special desserts. There’s nothing wrong with that. If I were perfect, I wouldn’t need a day to inspire me to do those things. But I’m far from perfect. And I need to be reminded that even though the dirty dishes annoyed the shit out of me this morning, and I’m sick of finding socks underneath the coffee table, and why, why, why are the cordless phones all in LilZ’s room? - Today is the day to just make sure my family knows how much I love them.
Tomorrow - I’ll nag them about the phones, dishes, and socks. And possibly the next day as well.
You are a much much better person than I. I hate Valentines Day. I am 32 and have been single and alone for 32 of Valentines Day’s. Reminds me of how alone I am. But your right….sharing it with your family is the best way.
I will use you as inspiration not to be bitterly single this valentine’s day
I kid, I kid. We all do need little reminders, though, regardless of their origins, to remind us to be kind to our loved ones. Good call, Zoot 
happy valentine’s day, zoots!
Happy Valentine’s Day! We actually surprised each other with our gifts earlier this week, because we suck at waiting until holidays — but also because it’s not important WHEN you get a gift or flowers, just the thought behind the gift or flowers.
I am making a special effort today to get out of work early and get to my daughter’s school party, and to make a nice dinner.
And my daughter and I are making a special dessert, too. I’ll have to remember not to nag when she makes a mess in the kitchen!
The husb and I were never big celbrators of V-day, but when Girl! came along, we got into more - paritally out of a need for a forced date night (my how kids change EVERYTHING). Last year I gave him a framed picture of her and a card and this year, with tons of help from mommy, she made him her very first valentine. And for fun today we’re goign to decorate cookies with pink icing, edible glitter and pink sprinkles! I know she misses out on a lot by being an only child, and not being in a daycare program or even a regualr playgroup, so I want to give her lots of fun experieices, too. Plus? It totally reminds me of V-day back in grade school…so much fun, again!
Happy V Day! … and when you find a solution to the sock problem, please pass it along: or else, our eldest son may not survive until St. Patty’s Day!
Any day that has you making cupcakes…is a good day!
I’m having a single-girl Valentine’s Day. I’m cool with it. I might even buy myself a big box of candy. (Tomorrow, when everything’s half-priced.)
Awww…I look forward to doing the Valentines and cupcakes with Bear when he gets bigger. Last year he was still in the NICU on Valentines Day so this year I am just happy to have him home.
That’s precisely what I am doing for Valentine’s day, too.
Happy Valentine’s Day, Zoots.
I have a nagging suspicion that you have a very good point, here - Happy Valentine’s Day!
I have very seriously considered replacing every phone in our house with a corded version - very short corded versions. I assume this is some kind of cosmic revenge for my teenage youth spent on a phone with a cord strung down the and through rooms.
I hear ya! We all need to be reminded here and there
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and the rest of the Zoots!
It was Valentines Day yesterday in NZ, but Happy Valentines Day anyway!!! We went out to dinner (at a place only one step up from fast food ’cause we forgot to book…hehe) and I gave him an Iron Maiden DVD, but I haven’t received a present yet as he hasn’t had time to go shopping…but I just got cupcakes out of the oven just before I wrote this! Nothing to do with Valentines Day though, but a family friend’s bithday, and the cupcakes have edible pink glitter too so exciting
That is such a sweet and great way to look at things. I was always boyfriend-less growing up, and I used to never get ANYTHING for Valentine’s Day unless it was from family. And even that didn’t get delivered to school! I always felt like such a freak when (it seemed like) all the other gilrs got cards and flowers and those stupid ‘heart-a-grams’ during class.