{Valentine's Day // 2021}

 Valentine's Day looked a lot different this year...and for once I am not talking about Covid! It just happened to fall right around the time Texas was expecting the biggest snow/winter storm we have had in years. It was also different because it was just Mase and me at home. Nate had to go into work the night before (and sleep over) to prepare the plant for the storm (more on that later). 

{Valentine's Day 2020}

We had a pretty low-key Valentine's Day this year. I worked, Mason went to school, and Nate worked around the house during the day. We had to take the Jeep to Best Buy that morning to get a sound system put in (Happy Valentine's Day to me!!) so it was a waiting game all evening, waiting for it to be done.

{#14daysoflovephoto2018 // IG Photo Challenge}

For the first half of the month of February I joined the ladies of Caffeinated Moments in hosting a fun love themed Instagram Photo Challenge. While the month started out rough for me due to health issues, I joined in when I could. More often than not, I posted each day way late and even skipped a picture. But? I almost completed it. All but the last picture. I missed it on Valentine's Day and didn't want to post a "Valentine" picture way after the fact. I think it's okay, though, because everyone knows who my forever Valetine's are. Here's a look at the pictures I posted for #14daysoflovephoto2018...

{TBB Asks // Love edition}

I love these TBB asks posts and prompts! This month is all about love. While we don't really celebrate Valentine's (too commercial of a holiday) around here,  we do celebrate love. And, I do love the month of February. So, here are my answer's to the TBB Asks Love Edition...

{Tuesday Talk // FREE Valentine Fonts}

You all know I have a mad love for free fonts! It's so fun to use them in graphics for the blog. My favorite types of fonts are cursive, handwritten and calligraphy fonts. Today I wanted to share some pretty and free fonts that could be used for Valentine's Day.

{Wine Bottle Label for Teacher // DIY}

A few months ago I was scrolling through Facebook and saw a wine bottle with a label that said, "Our child is probably the reason you drink, so enjoy this bottle on us" and I laughed so hard. I knew that it was perfect for Mason's teacher. I was going to wait and give it to her at the end of the year...but then decided to do it for Valentine's Day! Wine and Chocolates just scream Valentine's Day to me.

I searched Etsy for a printable {or one that could be mailed} label, but I didn't find anything that I absolutely loved. I wanted something that was more of my style, so I made my own using PicMonkey!

This is how I did it...

Supplies:
Computer / PicMonkey
Sticker paper {I used Avery #3383} / printer
Scissors
A bottle of wine

I read that most wine labels are around 4x5 inches so I used that as my guide. I went into PicMonkey and chose "Design" and then custom size. I made the size 1200 x 1500 pixels.


The first thing I did was add a border to the label. PicMonkey has a few you can choose from.


Then I started adding the text portion of my label. I used the fonts Indy Pimp and In Screaming Color. Both are free downloads.



Next I clicked on the butterfly {Overlays} to add a heart by our name.



While still in the Overlays tab of PicMonkey click on "Your Own" to find the picture you want to add to the label.



Next, just save it to your computer and print. I printed it at a 4x6 size and trimmed it how I needed it. Once you have it cut out you take the backing off and stick it to the wine. I used my favorite wine Stella Rosa's Stella Rosso. It's a semi-sweet red and so delicious! Definitely my go to.


That's it! Easy peasy!

We gave it to Mason's teacher on the day of our Valentine party. I put it at the bottom of her gift bag and told her she could open everything but the bottom thing. She knew exactly. But, she wanted to see so she took it to a little nook in her room and looked at it in private. She loved it!

Have you ever made anything like this?

{Weekend Wrap-up & Catch-up}

Man oh man oh man! I am just now starting to feel a little human again. I was hit with an awful stomach bug early Monday morning! And it hit hard. I don't get sick that often, but when I do, I tend to do it BIG! I'm still feeling a little puny today, but on the mend. And for that, Praise Jesus!! Now I am a Lysol and sanitizing fool....trying to not let my boys catch that nasty thing!

However, we had an amazing weekend!! I had Friday off for Mason's Valentine's party at school. I dropped him off and then ran a few errands. I found a new nail place that I absolutely love and will continue to go to. Then it was time for the party. We brought stuff for the kids to make "Sweetheart Sundaes". They loved it! I also made them goodie bags with all kinds of Valentine's themed things in it, Kool-aid juices that said "Have a Kool Valentine's Day", cookies, a fun little heart craft and a few other things. The party went really well and we got to bring our boy home a 45 minutes early!! Also, I will be sharing a very cute and fun DIY gift tomorrow. :) It was part of his teacher's gift from us.


After the party we had to take Nate's truck to get an oil change. It was a little busy, so the boys went to the field behind the oil change place and played a little soccer. Then they came in and Mason caught up on the local news.


He kills me with his little legs crossed!! While at the oil change place I told Nate that I really wanted Mellow Mushroom for supper. We invited his parents and brother and it was a date! We love that place. Although this time we had to wait forever, but we think there was either a mix-up with our waiter or the kitchen. It was still delicious and worth the wait. After supper we went to Kohl's for a little shopping. I scored Mason 4 pairs of shorts that he can wear to school and they were half off! I was so excited and probably should have grabbed more.

Saturday Nate had to do responsible homeowner stuff like installing a new septic pump and a new toilet in one of our bathrooms. His dad helped him with the septic tank so Mason and I ran to town for a little shopping. And he was so, so, so good so I took him to buy a new toy. And since he went shopping with me for a new purse it was only fair that I played superheroes and soccer with him.


That evening Mason has his very first sleepover with his cousin Tanner. And I didn't take one single picture! What the what?! I did catch the sunset and cows in a couple of pictures though...


Sunday was church, grocery shopping and then we visited with Nate's family for a bit. Then it was home to get ready for the week.

How was your weekend?

{2016 Blogger Valentine Exchange}

Mason and I joined some of our best blog friends for a kid Valentine swap! For over two weeks straight Mason received mail and got so excited with each new piece. We have some very creative and crafty friends. I let Mason open each Valentine as he received them, but then I made him put them in his Valentine Box {mean Mom!}. I wanted to take a picture of Mason with his Valentine's once he received them all. He didn't ever complain. He would just ask me, "can I have some of my Valentine's now?" Actually, he says "Valentime's" and it's too dang cute to correct him just yet.

All of Mason's Valentines...

 

Mason and I decided on these adorable Dino-Mite Valentines to send to our friends.

Supplies needed:
Mini Dinosaurs {ordered ours from Amazon}
Free Printable {here}
Cardstock & Printer
Twine or Washi tape
Exacto knife

I thought I could use a hole punch to make the holes to thread the twine through, but that didn't work. The hole punch wouldn't reach far enough into the center of the card where I wanted my dinosaurs, so I had to make my own holes with an exacto knife. All I did was lay the dinosaur on the card and then marked where I needed my holes, punched them with the knife and then tied the dinosaurs on. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, they were easy...but very time consuming!! And they're not very kid-helping friendly. It was worth it though, they were pretty adorable.

PS - if you plan on mailing these you will need to take them into the post office to get postage. Even though they feel like they weigh nothing and you could just slap a stamp on them, you can't. The dinosaur creates a bulge in the envelope and they will not go through the machines and thus requires more postage. It cost about $.98 cents to mail one of these cards. For some families that had two kids I put two in a bubble envelope and those were about $2.50 to mail.


Below are all of the bloggers in the swap! Be sure to visit all of their links for creative Valentine's Day ideas!!

Tawnya, Scarlett, & Bodhi @ All of Life's Little Adventures

Jen & Hattie @ And Hattie Makes Three

Ashley, Waverly, & Avalon @ Being Brickner

Jess & Abbie @ Being Mrs. Beer

Elizabeth & Mason @ Chasin' Mason

Liz & Jude @ Ellie and Addie

Crystal & Mason @ Hall Around Texas

Desiree, Marcus, & Julia @ Macke Monologues

Natalie & Blair @ Nat Your Average Girl

Sara, Mac, & Mim @ Running From the Law

Jess, Cameron, & Louise @ Scott Family of Maine

Jessica, Cameron, & Emerson @ Secrets of a Stay at Home Mom

Sarah, Brantley, & Holden @ Seeing All Sides

Karli, Kaye, & Sawyer @ September Farm

Chrissy & Elin @ Simple Joys Blog

Courtney & Aria | Sweet Turtle Soup

Meghan & Noah @ The Adventure Starts Here

Stephanie & Connor | Wife Mommy Me

Whitney, Kinsey, & Brielana @ Work It Mommy

{Shark Valentine Box Kit}

I was shopping at Target the other day {I know, surprise surprise!} and found this cute Shark Valentine Box Kit. I grabbed it and knew it would be a fun craft for Mason and I to do together. He is going to be getting a lot of Valentines in the mail soon and now we have the perfect place to put them!

The kit cost $5 dollars and came with everything you need to make it. No other supplies are needed! You simply put the box together, add the fins, and all of the teeth and eyes are stickers so you just attach those and you are done. It took us about ten minutes to complete this box. And that's mainly because it was tedious taking all of the paper backing off the stickers {some were double sided}.



Mason loved the craft and loves the box. He's obsessed with sharks so this was perfect for him! And now he's ready for Valentine's!!

If you don't want to buy this kit Pinterest {my Valentine's Day board here} has so many other adorable DIY box ideas. Like these..

Twenty five plus creative Valentine Boxes {I love the Alligator and the Lego boxes!!}

Mini Trash Bin Valentine Box {How clever is this?!}

Owl Valentine Box {so adorable}

And I have absolutely no need for a Valentine's Day box, but I adore this Happy Camper Valentine Box. I really want to make this!!

{Valentine's // Target Dollar Spot Kits}

Earlier I shared our Love is in the Air Valentines, but I also wanted to share these adorable Target Dollar Spot Valentine Kits that I found! Our Target had these two as well as another kit with Fox stickers. I had trouble finding any that were totally boy, but found some that could work. I will be tying these to the Valentine goodie bags I am making for Mason's class.



I will give the heart bracelet Valentines to the girls in Mason's class and the heart yoyo Valentines to the boys. Each kit comes with enough supplies to make 16 Valentine's and they cost $3.00 a box. A total steal for something so cute!