Belated- Valentine's clearance deals and a tip!

I love a good deal! Here's my tip. Be patient after the holiday (Easter is coming up) and you'll find good clearance to be used for the next year. Here's what I got on Valentine clearance.

$.20 Valentine's from Walmart! Puppies and kitties and Precious Moments

Valentine towels that I will use all year round!
I stashed them away in 2009 and have been using them when needed in 2010.

Our Valentine family date--Filling our kids love tanks!

Have you read the book The five Love languages by Dr. Gary Chapman? It's a must read for any marriage or engaged couple. I find it helpful when raising children too...what's their love language(s)? I think most kids just want their parents attention. The book talks about children love languages at the end. You can take the quiz right now and see what your language is. I am Quality time and my husband is acts of service (that's why I cook and try to clean a lot for him). I was raised with parents who worked hard to create family memories on a frugal budget. It is possible to not spend a fortune and have a blast with a big family. I am following my parent's lead and on the look out for free and/or frugal outings for our family of 5 going on 6.

So, for this Valentine's day we spend some quality FREE family time together and made lasting memories. Here's what we did and it was a blast.

A local city in Utah was hosting a Winterfest and offered lots of free stuff to do (I found out about it from our newspaper)....but we didn't attend any events until Saturday night. We had some house cleaning and priming the basement walls to finish up. We told the girls we were working like Cinderella and then we would go to the fancy "ball" that evening. I was going to be the fairy godmother and make them beautiful. I put sponge rollers in their hair the night before, let them choose their dresses, and they wore sticky earrings and lipstick to the "ball". They are at the right ages to get excited about something like this!The concert music was a Beatles tribute band named Imagine. They were great and a lot of fun to watch. We had a blast!
We danced and sang a long through the familiar Beatles songs. We sat on the floor and had great seats. After all my extended families motto is, "Spread out and get what you can." We are true "go getters"! My girls felt like true princesses and had the time of their life. I would encourage you to go above and beyond and fill your kids love tanks soon. It was really fun for us as parents too. Parenting is so much fun with many highs and lows but I love the highs don't you?!

They've got Valentine spirit how about you?

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! This is my neighbors home...they were heart attacked today. Man they are into the Valentine spirit. I wish I had energy to heart attack someone I love one day like this. Cute huh?

Funny pick up lines-Use them on your husband for fun.

I love to joke around and laugh and when my sister told me these "pick up" lines I laughed. I thought I would share with you to put some lightheartedness into your day (or upcoming Valentine's Day). Go ahead use a few on your husband or boyfriend around Valentine's Day. We all need some random laughs and weird looks from the men in our lives!

If you were a library book I’d check you out.

Are you a parking ticket because you have FINE written all over it.

Did you have a Campbells soup today? Because you’re looking Mmm Mmm good!

Grab your husband’s bum and say "Is this seat taken?"

If you were a booger I’d pick you!

If you were a new hamburger at McDonald’s you would be "McGorgeous".

I know cheesy but life gets too serious don't ya think?

Simple Valentine ideas for your hubby

Here are some ideas for wives to do for their husbands. Most of these could also work for kids -

His favorite candy bar under his pillow
Put a passionate love note in his wallet , lunch bag, day planner or brief case
Heart Attack: tiny paper hearts taped to his closet door, or closet floor
Heart Shaped Pizza for dinner
Make his favorite sandwich and surprise him at work
A big lipstick heart drawn on the mirror
A red or pink balloon tied to his car door handle
A coupon for a back or foot rub
A heart shaped soap for his shower or sink
Breakfast in bed
Cook his favorite dinner; serve it by candle light; and if possible, have it with just the two of you
A hand-made valentine card expressing your love
Candy kisses sprinkled on his side of the bed or in his car
Make him his favorite dessert or cookies
A love note tucked in his church shirt pocket (Valentine's day is on a Sunday)
Fill his car with red and pink balloons while it's at work
A kiss imprint on his car window
Wash his car for him, or do another of his regular around the house chores for him
Offer him an entire day to do just as he wishes
A picture of you in a cute frame for his desk or night stand
From the Idea Door

Valentine Ideas Part 3-Easy & cheap Valentine party hat!

This is an easy and pretty self explanatory after school Valentine craft hat. Or make it at the class party. Happy upcoming V-day! Are you room mom? I need and want to see your ideas. Please leave me a comment!!!

Valentine Ideas Part 2-Butterfly pixie stick Valentine for school!

This is a fun Butterfly Valentine to make with a pixie stick and a pipe cleaner. May be not for 25 students but great for a preschool class size. :0)

Valentine Ideas Part 1- Quick paper Valentine for teachers!

Here's a cute simple Valentine idea.

I "woof" you Grandma and Grandpa or Ms. ______!

Valentine recap

Our yummy family dinner at home.

My wonderful husband made:

Crab legs (followed instructions in the red and white Better Homes and Garden cookbook) served with a side bowl of melted butter and lemon juice.

New York Steak cooked on the George Foreman grill

Baked potato with butter, sour cream and dried chives

Our summer garden corn from our freezer-YUM!

Rhodes rolls with raspberry butter (see below)

and of course Coke Zero

Raspberry butter (courtesy of Laura at Real Mom's Kitchen blog) http://realmomkitchen.blogspot.com/search/label/breads

The kids and I made Valentine's Chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

Here's my tip- I used my leftover Christmas Nestle chocolate chips (purchased at 50% off on December 26th) for the red in these cookies. I will use the green ones for St. Patrick's Day. The chips don't expire till October 2009! My daughter had fun seperating them for me.

I love Children's art work!

Heart stamped Valentine paper sack, Pixie Stick butterfly Valentine


"I woof you" dog Valentine and a paper plate heart crown.

Happy Valentine's Day! A master bedroom heart wreath.

My mom made us this wreath as a newlywed gift. She used the garland, toile, ribbon, and grapevines from my spring wedding decorations. It still hangs in my master bedroom.

Happy Love Day, everyone.