Valentine's Day 2021

 We had a LOVEly Valentine's weekend at our house! This was the one and only year that THREE of our kids would be at a youth retreat for the weekend. Valentine's Day was on Sunday this year. The kids came back home at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday night. So we made the best of it, getting to cook delicious food together and having fun.

My Valentine... 💖

Our delicious homemade dinner of cast-iron seared steak, balsamic sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts, and bread. We also had yummy wine... it was SO good!

On Saturday, we went downtown for breakfast to one of our favorite cafes. Then we walked around, had coffee and shopped a little. There is a HUGE antique store downtown that we like. It is just pure entertainment. I bought three books. We did some cleaning and hung out at home the rest of the day. 

In the evening, we decided to paint. I had some canvases that I bought on sale at Target (under $2.00 each!). I looked on Pinterest and copied mine from a painting that I found there. It was nice to use a different, creative outlet, and we were pleased with the results.

Our completed pieces together...

This one is mine...

This one is not mine...

The kids had a great time but we really enjoyed watching shows and hanging out just the two of us. It was a stay-cation of sorts! We also really loved the quiet! After the kids came home, it was a whirlwind of activity for a solid hour until they went to bed! 

Then on Sunday, we had church, of course. My hubby bought me a long-sleeve, super comfy, red dress to wear with leggings. I wore that to church, and sang on praise team that day too. It was a lovely day! After church, he made pancakes with red hearts in them.They were super cute!

Can you see the pancakes in the background?

I sure love this guy!

Heart-shaped pancakes were fun. His mom frequently made fun things like this for them on holidays. I think we may have green pancakes next month! 💚

What did you do for Valentine's Day this year? Was there anything new or different? I'd love to hear all about it!

Matthew 22:37
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

Exodus 34:6

And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness...

Deuteronomy 30:16
For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

New wood burning crafts!

 I am in a "Buy Nothing" Facebook group, and sometimes people post a "little ask" or "big ask," where you can ask for things you would like for free. I asked for calligraphy pens (which I got and love!) and for a wood burning kit. Wood burning is a craft that I have been interested in trying for many years. I like the look of it and just wanted to try it out. My older brother had a wood burning kit when we were younger, and he made some Christmas ornaments with it, which hung on our tree for many years.

A woman in my area gave me a wood burning kit, which was barely used. I just had to go and pick it up! I went to Hobby Lobby and bought some birch and bamboo wood pieces. I grabbed a chunk of wood from our wood pile and tried out the wood burner. It is a little like etching, but I liked it! After researching on Pinterest and trying it out, I was ready for my first project... a dishwasher magnet!

I had seen this design on Pinterest and decided to imitate it. It is not perfect, but I like how it turned out. I figured out that making lines are way easier than making corners or curves. I tried different tips on the wood burner, and made a few minor mistakes... oh well!

I decided that my next project would be these little signs for my kids' bedroom doors. My oldest daughter said that she wanted one too, so her roommates' friends would know which room was hers! It was a fun and simple craft where I traced the pencil outline with the burner tool.

Here you can see my tool and some completed projects. Since it was close to Valentine's Day, I made this little "Be Mine" ornament for our home. It was another Pinterest imitation. I painted the hearts red with acrylic paint. I have been enjoying this new craft a lot, and still have a lot to learn. I appreciate the generosity of strangers! 

Have you been learning any new crafts this winter? I love having something new and different to try out! I'd love to hear about your crafting or hobbies too!

Genesis 22: 1-18 Abraham Tested

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.

2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

8 Abraham answered, “God himself will providethe lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”  “Here I am,” he replied.

12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the skyand as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

Valentine's day 2018

We had a different Valentine's party this year. In the past year at our church, we've had several homeschool families move or leave our church. When I began counting the group of kids, I realized that they are growing up too! I decided to have the party at my home this year, which is easier than at our church, which is much bigger and a place we needed to reserve in advance. We had four families come to the party (including mine). It was fun to let the kids play outside and upstairs while the moms talked. Mallory also showed off the chickens, of course. It was a fun time with lunch, sharing Valentines and playing a quick game! I didn't get too many pictures, but here are a few...

 Trading and opening Valentines...

 The kids had a great time together with their friends!

 On Valentine's evening, we ate a delicious, home-cooked lasagna, tried to watch a kid's Valentine movie, (couldn't see the whole thing) and then we watched the Olympics on TV. It was nice to have an evening at home together! (Rebekah and her boyfriend went out). I love my family and my sweet hubby! The necklace that I'm wearing below is from him!

What did you do for Valentine's Day this year? I'd love to hear about it!

1 John 4:7-8
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Valentine's day party 2017

We had our Valentine's Day party last week at our church. We had to have it early, since Tuesdays are very busy for most of us, that is our homeschool co-op day. Also, there was an event at the church on the weekend, so we couldn't have it Friday. We gathered for our lunch potluck, games and traded Valentines. There were a few middle school boys there, but they didn't trade Valentines. It was lots of fun! The moms enjoyed time to chat too.

 Kids playing our alphabet bingo game...

 Playing our gross motor game, where the kids had to do whatever their construction paper heart said,  including jump like a frog, hop on one foot, fly like a butterfly, sing the ABCs, etc, It was fun to see them do it, and the big kids help the little kids.

 We played it another way, where it was like musical chairs, but there were no chairs, only hearts. Here is my daughter crawling like a worm, and hoping to not get stepped on!

 After lunch, they traded their Valentines. I loved seeing and hearing them read their cards to each other.

 These three are great buddies, into Avengers, Superheroes and all the cool stuff!

 Here is one of Bethany's Valentines, which is actually a lunch box note, but she cracked up at them! So PUNny! I love her sense of humor. She wrote all of her own cards this year, and deliberated a little bit on who got which one. She is growing up!

What do your kids do for Valentine's Day? 

Deuteronomy 6:5
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Psalm 100:5
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

1 Corinthians 13: 6-7
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Kindergarten: Valentine's week

This week in homeschool kindergarten, we had a loving week celebrating Valentine's day! We talked about love, read 1 Corinthians 13, we sorted and counted conversation hearts, made a Five Little Valentines book, traced hearts, made heart puzzles, made a snow bunny, heart paper chains, a Valentine jug, wrote Valentines, discussed mail and the post office, and more! We enjoyed reading our Valentine books too.

 Our snow bunny that we made with hearts, as a silhouette. We discussed silhouettes, and snow bunnies, or snowshoe hares too.

 Bethany making my simple heart-shaped puzzles...

 Our heart garland on our leftover Christmas tree that we left up for the lights! We found this idea on Pinterest!

 Sorting conversation hearts, while eating one...

 Bethany and her rainbow pattern...

With friends playing conversation heart bingo at our homeschool Valentines party.

It was another enjoyable week! Q week won't be Quite as special next week!


1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

1 John 4 :7-12
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Soninto the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Valentine's day party 2015

We had a delightful time this past Friday as we celebrated our Valentine's Day party with homeschool friends from church! We played conversation heart bingo, traded valentines, ate lunch and dessert, and played an active game too. We loved being together and seeing the friendships we have too! We're so thankful to have nice friends and homeschool families in our church!

Playing conversation heart bingo...

 The BOYS table...

 Sweet cousins and friends!

 Trading valentines into bags and boxes...

 Reading valentine cards and notes...

 And playing an active game before we left...

 What a fun time! My girls have enjoyed rereading their valentines all weekend! (and eating the candy too!)



1 Corinthians 13 (all)

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Wordless Wednesday: Valentine's Day party 2013

(Well, almost wordless!)

We had our 4th annual Valentine's Day party at our church with fellow homeschoolers this past week. We had a great time playing together, (love when the kids organize their own games!), played Conversation Heart Bingo, ate a yummy lunch and traded Valentines. The kids had lots of fun being together, and had plenty of sweets. I think a great time was had by all!

 Bethany checking out the food before lunch...

 Playing Bingo...

 Reading Valentines from friends...

Reading Valentines...

Sweet friends!

Thanks to my daughter Rebekah for taking the pictures!


John 13:34-35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

1 John 4:7
[ God’s Love and Ours ] Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.