SPENDING a lot of time indoors. The weather this month was not favorable at all. If it wasn’t snowing, the temps were well below zero. There were quite a few school days that were either late or cancelled completely.
We found things to do inside – playing with kinetic sand, reading, watching movies and making homemade pizzas. It has been fun, but I’ll admit that we are more than ready for Spring to make it’s appearance!
CELEBRATING Valentine’s Day. We had a good time making up little Valentine’s boxes for the kid’s class parties. At home, we relaxed as a family, reading books and eating heart shaped food. It was a simple and intentional Valentine’s Day, that was really very refreshing.
We also celebrated {I}’s tenth birthday at home. It is hard to believe that he is already in double digits! This boy is one of the sweetest, kindest and well mannered kids you will ever meet. We love him so much!
FINISHING up basketball season. The last games are just a few days away. Both boys have been able to grow their skills quite a bit this year, and are grateful for their teammates and coach for a wonderful season.
When the weather did cooperate for a few days this month, the boys took their practice outdoors with Craig.
WELCOMING the year of the pig! Happy Chinese New Year from our two Asian sweeties! We went to their favorite Chinese restaurant in celebration, and of course they wanted to dress up in their ‘silks’. We are blessed by them, and are happy that we get to share in their cultural holidays!
This is just a glimpse at what our family has been up to. If you’d like a closer look, be sure to check out our weekly ‘mini vlogs’ on our YouTube channel ARROW HILL FAMILY. Be well everyone!
Kitchen cleaning can really be a chore. Though keeping the kitchen clean is something that is ongoing, a deep clean session is required every so often. This article provides a kitchen cleaning checklist, plus tips on how to get the job done well. Be sure to read until the end to see a video of my own personal kitchen cleaning and declutter!
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
If you plan to do a major kitchen cleaning in one day, be sure to get plenty of rest and to drink enough water during the process. It can be tiring work! Gather your favorite music, or download a few of your favorite podcasts to listen to. This really will help the time be more enjoyable! Be sure to think about what your ultimate goals are for your kitchen. If you want to cook more, every decision should be driven by that. If it is a calming space you’re after, keep that in mind while you work.
DECLUTTER THE DISHES/ CUPS AND COOKING ITEMS
In order to truly see how many of any given type of item you own, Marie Kondo suggests to lay them all out in one place. When it comes to dishes and cooking items, it is really easy to collect more than we actually need or use.
Think carefully about which items you use often. Are there small appliances or serving dishes that can do double duty? Which is the one coffee cup you tend to gravitate toward? Are the others in the cabinet really serving you well just sitting there taking up space? Trust that the items you decide to part with will likely be useful for someone else.
Once you have sorted through the items and begin to put things back, don’t automatically assume that the place it was before is the best option. Really think about where the items will be most useful.
RETHINK THE ‘EVERYTHING’ DRAWER
If you are like me, you have a drawer in your kitchen that is dedicated to cutlery – knives, forks and spoons. Then you have a drawer that is for everything else. I’m embarrassed to show you what mine looked like before my deep clean declutter. It was basically a tangled mess of serving spoons, spatulas and other random items. In my mind, I justified this scenario saying that at least everything was in one spot. However, because the drawer was so full, it was still overly difficult to find items when I needed them.
I emptied out the entire drawer and eliminated all of the items that we rarely used. I decided to place the most regularly used items in a large ceramic container I had purchased on sale a few months ago. Items were positioned standing up for easy accessibility. A few odd things, such as a potato masher and apple slicer, did not fit comfortably. They were given a spot in the cutlery drawer instead.
This solution looks nice and is functional!
SORT THROUGH THE PANTRY / FOOD STORAGE PLACES
Go through all the areas where food is stored. That may be in a large walk in pantry, or in simple cabinets and drawers. While kitchen cleaning, remove any expired canned or boxed goods. Remember that you can not donate expired items. Though it will seem like a waste to dump all of this food into the trashcan, it may serve as a good reminder to only purchase items that you can use quickly.
I will admit that our Lazy Susan cabinet, which holds most of our dry and canned goods, was filled with expired product. Most of these items had been gifted to us by someone who didn’t want to throw them out herself. We thought we might eat the food, but never did. And now, it has made it’s way to the trash anyway. Lesson learned.
TAKE CARE OF THE WORK HORSES
The appliances and sink are the work horses of the kitchen. They work hard so that, in some cases, you don’t have to. You can respect their help by cleaning them regularly.
FRIDGE
A fridge is likely the most overlooked appliance in the entire kitchen. It silently does it’s job, acting much like a storage cabinet. But, the fridge has a step up on the standard cupboard in that it keeps our food fresh. If it were to break down, we really would miss it’s function!
Fridges can benefit from a regular cleaning. Remove any sauces that are basically empty, throw out any questionable food, and wash the crisper drawers and shelves.
OVEN
The oven has to be one of the most dreaded items to clean in the entire house. It is large, grimy, and downright awkward to sanitize. That may be the reason why many of us put off the task until the grossness has gotten well out of control.
There are plenty of techniques people swear by when it comes to oven cleanliness. Bren, from the blog Bren Did, has a wonderful post that compares all of the homemade and natural oven cleaning methods. And she found a clear winner! One tip I have found to be helpful is to place aluminum foil on the bottom of the oven. It will catch splatters and spills, making cleaning up a lot faster!
MICROWAVE
If your microwave is set above your oven/stove, as ours is, it is likely to see it’s fair share of grease. A simple spray of white vinegar and a hot rag rinse can do wonders. Make sure to remove the turntable and give it a thorough washing as well.
DISHWASHER
I personally have very little experience with a dishwasher, since we don’t own one and don’t plan on installing one in the new house. However, I do know that even this little cleaning machine needs a good clean of it’s own on occasion. 101 Days of Organizing has a great post on how to keep your dishwasher running smoothly and grime free.
SINK
Give your sink a good scrub with a natural scouring product, such as baking soda. Spraying a stainless steel sink with vinegar and rubbing with a damp rag can help to remove any pesky water spots. Be sure to clean the faucet handles and nozzle with natural products.
CLEAN ALL THE FLAT SURFACES
Kitchens have likely the largest amount of surface area that needs cleaning. Where you can get by in a bedroom without needing to clean the walls for many years, for example, the same is not true for a kitchen. Look at each and every surface as an opportunity to really make the room shine.
FLOORS
If your kitchen has any area rugs, now is a good time to shake them out or throw them in the washing machine. Sweep the entire floor, then mop with warm soapy water.
COUNTERS
It is important to keep counters as clear as possible. After all, they are intended to be working space! By keeping them clear and clean, your kitchen will be more efficient, and look a lot less cluttered. This is one of the seven daily habits I believe to be most important for a tidy house, and a clear mind.
WALLS AND CABINET DOORS
When deep cleaning, be sure to spray down walls and cabinets doors. Pay special attention to the cabinets that are near the oven, as they are most likely to have grease build up.
Walls should be painted in a satin or semi gloss finish, to ensure a wipe-able surface and easy clean up.
Give the back splash extra care, checking grout lines for signs of mildew and wear.
CABINET INTERIORS + TOPS
While you are sorting through your dishware, remove everything from your cabinets and drawers and give them a quick wash. Add shelf and drawer liners for an easy clean surface. They come in many fun styles and are relatively inexpensive. This post from Salvaged Inspiration has great tips on how to fit the liners perfectly.
Don’t forget to clean on top of any cabinets that don’t reach the ceiling. This soffit space can collect plenty of dust, especially if you use it for decor display!
MY KITCHEN CLEANING VIDEO
I recently went through this exact same process with the kitchen in our rental home. And though it was an exhausting long day of hard work, the reward was worth the effort!
SAVE THESE KITCHEN CLEANING TIPS
Not ready to start your major kitchen cleaning and declutter yet? Save this checklist and tips for later!
In this post, I discuss important tips for a successful no spend month. Our family just finished one and, although there were some big challenges, it was a great learning experience.
I spent the month of January, along with my friend and fellow bloggerShannon Torrens, focusing on not buying anything new. It was a logical step to take, while we work on decluttering our rental house – in preparation for our big move. Later in this article, I will give an update on how our month went. First though, I want to encourage you if you are thinking of doing a no spend month for yourself.
TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL NO SPEND MONTH
Before you embark on your own no spend month, I recommend that you take into account the following tips.
CHART YOUR TYPICAL EXPENSES
Whether you budget or not, it is going to be important to have an idea about how much you spend in a typical month. This information will be especially helpful at the end of the month, to see how much you saved. Knowing that you are saving money might give you a boost of motivation.
In a future post, I will discuss how our family does budgeting using the free app Everydollar. Most of our budget categories don’t change, dollar wise, from month to month. The four categories that are the most variable for our family include: auto/gas, groceries, restaurant, and miscellaneous. Because of this, we chose to chart the expenses for these four categories before going into our no spend month – with the hope that we would see some savings.
SET THE RULES
It is unlikely that anyone’s ‘no spend month’ actually means not spending a single cent. That would be basically impossible. Rent needs to be paid, utilities have to be kept up to date. And, of course, you and your family are going to need to eat. The great news is that you can make up your own rules for a no spend month.
Our rules were pretty simple. You can read about them in this post. Essentially, our main goal was to bring nothing NEW into our home. That meant that we were free to spend money on food and restaurants, if we chose. It also meant that consumable items, such as shampoo and toilet paper, could be purchased.
START WITH AN OPEN MIND
Knowing that you COULD be purchasing something, yet holding back, can be a difficult thing to do. For that reason, I recommend that you think about this month as a learning experience above anything else. An experience that will help you understand your buying patterns.
If you start the month simply thinking about all the restrictions that lay ahead, you may find yourself more frustrated than you need to be.
Likewise, it is important to note that things won’t go perfectly as planned. If unexpected purchases arise that you simply can’t avoid, or if you slip up and buy something that you weren’t supposed to, don’t despair. Know that one false move shouldn’t derail the entire plan. In those instances, be prepared to pick yourself up and start again. This is where having an accountability partner is key. They can help you stay on the path to success. Shannon was mine, and it was great to take on the challenge together.
OUR NO SPEND MONTH
As I mentioned earlier, during the month of January, our family worked hard to not spend any money – specifically on any new THING. There were a few hiccups along the way, but ultimately we learned a lot of useful information about our spending habits.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Starting this challenge on the first of January seemed to be a logical choice. With Christmas over, we knew that our expenses would probably be down. In addition, the start of the new year gave us an extra boost of motivation.
Unfortunately, the month of January also brought with it severely cold weather to Minnesota, where we live. And it just so happens that only two days into the challenge, the battery in one of our vans was found dead when we went to start it. Ironically, two weeks later our other van’s battery also needed replacing. In total, we ended up spending over three hundred dollars on replacements.
Though it wasn’t fun dealing with those unexpected expenses, the batteries were indeed necessary. And delaying the purchase of them was not an option.
I also had a minor purchase slip up. A friend of mine started selling handmade watercolor paintings, and I purchased one for the girl’s bedroom. It wasn’t until after I sent her the money that I remembered that this would be considered a breech of the rules. Thankfully, she was kind and told me she would hold onto the art piece until the challenge was over – as not to add an extra item to the house.
WHAT WENT RIGHT
From the start of the month, we kept a record of any item that was a potential purchase. It was our intent that we would keep the list, to make the purchases in February. Interestingly though, quite a few of those items ended up getting crossed out. We either realized we didn’t actually need them, or found something similar that could be used in it’s place!
We were very careful to stay out of the stores. I actually think that is one of the biggest keys to success during a no spend month. I typically have a habit of going into one of the big box stores for one of two consumable products, and then becoming distracted. Suddenly, I find myself leaving the store with quite a few unnecessary items. During the month of January, I am happy to report that I did not enter Target a single time – and Walmart only once!
Even the kids got in on the action. They had received gift cards from family at Christmas. While normally they would be begging us to take them to the stores, this time they were much more patient. They recognized that we were holding off on making purchases and figured they could too.
In fact, when the month was up we went into the stores to do a little window shopping. Only one of our five kids ended up making a purchase. The rest decided to save the money for something they really want. It made us happy to know that the no spend month was a great learning experience for them as well.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If you have read this far you may be asking yourself one question. How much money did you save? Because we tracked all of our expenses, I am able to break that all down for you!
Essentially, we were looking at our four most variable categories: auto, groceries, restaurants, and miscellaneous. Here are the details on how the month of January compared to an average of the three previous months (December, November and October).
AUTO
As mentioned earlier, this budget item was most affected. Those two car batteries were large ticket items we definitely weren’t looking at spending money on.
Auto budget average over past 3 months: $202. Amount spent in auto budget during January: $468
That means that we overspent in this category by about $266. A bummer, yes. But like I mentioned, they were necessary purchases. The good news is that the batteries are high quality, and should last for quite a while.
GROCERIES
Our grocery amount stayed pretty consistent throughout the no spend month. One thing I did try to do was use up pantry items and canned goods. In the end, we were ahead in this category only slightly.
Grocery budget average over past 3 months: $815. Amount spent on groceries during January: $790.
A tiny savings of $25 in this category.
RESTAURANTS
Because we have a large family, we tend not to eat out very often. It is just too expensive. One meal out can be over one hundred dollars easily. That being said, we do enjoy the occasional treat night out and do keep a line item in our budget for restaurant expenses.
Restaurant budget average over past 3 months: $146. Amount spent on restaurant food in January: $130
Another tiny savings of $16.
MISCELLANEOUS
This is the meat and potatoes portion of this challenge. Where the other categories do not typically involve ITEMS to purchase, this category has a lot of wiggle room. The miscellaneous budget includes toiletries, clothing, kid field trips, and a whole slew of other things. It is the category that has the most grey area, and the budget item that gets the most abuse each month if we aren’t careful. It is easy to overspend in miscellaneous.
I was happy to see that making more intentional purchases really made a difference in this category during our no spend month.
Miscellaneous budget average over past 3 months: $890. Amount spent on miscellaneous items in January: $330.
That is a HUGE savings of $560!
With all the categories added together, we ended up saving $335 during January, simply be being more mindful of our purchases. In our household, that is a big chunk of change!
GOING FORWARD
We had friends who wondered if taking on a no spend month would simply result in a spending binge directly afterwards. In effect, erasing any progress that was made.
At fifteen days post challenge, I have definitely seen a more relaxed feeling around spending. However, our resolve to be more intentional is still going strong. We were never looking at this experiment as being a one and done event. Rather, we felt that the no spend month could be a jump start to a life long habit. As with any new habit, it will take a while to figure out what works best for us.
We will continue to keep a list of potential purchases, and waiting a few days or even a few weeks before committing to them. I also plan to be careful about sticking to the shopping list when entering those big box stores!
PIN THESE NO SPEND MONTH TIPS
If trying out a no spend month is something you are interested in, be sure to save these tips! I definitely encourage you to give it a try!
Ever wonder what it might look like to have three boys share a bedroom? In this post I give a quick tour of our minimalist shared boys bedroom. I also discuss some of the reasons why are not concerned that the three boys will continue to share a bedroom in our new home.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full disclosure here
When we first moved into the rental farmhouse, we checked out all three of the available bedrooms to see where the boys would fit best. No room had enough floor space for three beds, and so we knew that we would be bunking them. The room they ended up with is the only one that had the ceiling height to accommodate the bunks.
MINIMALIST SHARED BOYS BEDROOM
Bedrooms, in our home, are considered calming and relaxing spaces. Because of this, we are careful not to fill them with too many things. Having an uncluttered space, we believe, helps our children to settle their minds when it is time for sleeping. While our family is on a journey to become more minimal, the bedrooms are possibly the only spaces that don’t need a lot of decluttering. They have always been kept that way.
THE BEDS
Two of our boys share the bunk beds. Our youngest son sleeps on the bottom bed, and our middle son sleeps on the top. I think that bunk beds are great for younger, smaller kids. To be honest though, they aren’t as comfortable for our boys now that they are heavier and taller. And, I’ll admit that bunk beds are a bit of a pain to make up in the morning. For these reasons, we are all very much looking forward to all the beds being on the floor at the new house.
Our oldest son’s bed is actually positioned in the room’s closet. When we first moved into the rental house, I spotted the closet and thought it would make a perfect little ‘sleeping nook’. You can see the location of the closet/ sleeping nook in the photo below. Because we re-purposed the closet, the boys clothes are instead stored in a small built-in cabinet, in the bathroom.
It has been great for him, as the oldest, to have his own space that has a bit more privacy. For a more in depth look at his space, and how we have it decorated, please read this post.
STORAGE
We think it is very important, especially in a shared bedroom space, for each child to have a spot that is all their own. Because of this, we gave each boy a place to store their own personal belongings.
Our youngest son has this little side table next to his bed. It is half of a vintage vanity that my husband’s grandmother owned. Someday, we hope to refinish or paint this piece – but for now we are loving the patina! It keeps his football cards, special craft projects and photos safely tucked away.
Our middle son has a a shelf at the head of his bed, which holds two small baskets. He is a lover of stuffed animals, which he keeps in one. The other is filled with books and mementos.
‘LITTLE ROOM’ STORAGE
In his little side room, our oldest son also has plenty of storage. Because his space is larger and more private, he has more storage than the other two boys. The side table next to his bed is the other half of the vintage vanity. On it, he keeps a lamp and an alarm clock, as well as his new five year journal. If you are a parent of teens or preteens, I would definitely recommend this Q&A journal. It is filled with great, thought provoking questions. Through the five years, it will be very interesting to see how his answers change as he ages. They make one for moms that I am considering purchasing for myself!
A floating shelf near his bed showcases his love of aviation, with a collection of airplane books and models.
He also has a small desk and shelf on the other side of the space. The desk holds a few Legos and drawing/writing supplies. The shelf has fabric bins that store airplane figurines, football gear, and other miscellaneous items. As we continue our decluttering and simplifying, we are aware that his need for the desk and shelf are not likely a priority. He rarely uses either.
His bed has built-in storage underneath also. Primarily, the drawers are used to house our collection of VHS kid’s movies. Old technology, I know. But the boys do have a TV/VCR combo in their room that they use on occasion.
ACCESSORIES/ DECOR
This TV was given to me as a Christmas present nearly 25 years ago. It has sort of become a novelty at this point. I’m not really sure what will happen to it or the VHS collection when we move. The truth is, we don’t use either often enough to justify keeping them – but our middle son in particular seems to be very fond of it.
The nightlight is a little Christmas village fire station that we purchased when my husband first joined the fire department. It gives off just enough glow for our youngest to feel comfortable in the room. I’m not sure it will hold a place at the new house either, except maybe as a Christmas decoration.
Their room has a small bookcase in the corner which holds almost all of our family’s collection of children’s books – including our vintage golden books. The bottom three shelves are books that we own, and the top shelf is where we keep the books we pick up at the library.
There are a couple places the boys can sit while reading their books. The reclining chair is a comfortable choice, as is the blue and white striped ‘pouf’. Though it was originally filled with Styrofoam beads, it began to sag through time. We eventually removed all of the beads and now use it as a place to store the boy’s sleeping bags. This has been a very useful and functional storage option for us. This product is similar, and is designed to store stuffed animals. Genius!
You might notice that the wood flooring in the room is painted. When we first moved into the rental, all of the upstairs flooring was covered in wall to wall carpet. It was very old and dusty, and thankfully we were able to talk our landlords into letting us tear it out. Because we didn’t want to put the time and money into refinishing the floors, we decided to instead apply a chocolate brown colored porch paint. In the four years we have lived in the house, we have been very happy with how the painted floors have held up. Only a few areas, where furniture has scraped, are showing wear.
A vintage globe serves as the only real decor item in the main room. It sits atop a closed off laundry chute. Red curtains add a bit of color to the room, and also block the light quite well when it is time for sleeping.
Our minimalist shared boys bedroom is quit simple and efficient, and is a great space for our sons to relax and settle into sleep at the end of a busy day.
MINIMALIST SHARED BOYS BEDROOM DESIGN
Our boys will once again be sharing a bedroom at Arrow Hill Cottage. We aren’t concerned about this, for a variety of reasons.
One, our sons have always shared a room. It is what they are used to and what they actually prefer. They enjoy knowing that their brothers are nearby at night.
The second reason we aren’t concerned is because they will each have their own little space within the larger room itself. Because they are approaching their teen years, I was very careful to design the room in such a way that they will each have a sleeping nook. This will give them a bit more privacy, and also allow them to add their own personal touches.
Lastly, we actually believe that sharing a room is a good life lesson for kids. Learning to compromise at times and to cope with each other regardless of differences is very important. Better for them to learn these things now than when they are sharing with a college roommate or spouse!
Visit this post for more details about the design for the boy’s bedroom at the new house.
MINIMALIST SHARED BOYS BEDROOM VIDEO TOUR
I hope you enjoyed the photos of our minimalist shared boys bedroom. It is always easier for me to understand the layout of a room by seeing the space in person though, and so I created this video tour as well. Enjoy!
ADDITIONAL MINIMALIST SHARED BOYS BEDROOMS
Check out these bonus inspiring simple space ideas!
This post discusses tips on how to create an intentional family Valentine’s Day, including the ideas we plan to implement for our own holiday, making it a simple time that we can connect as a family.
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. And this year, we are looking at things a little differently. We are in the final days of completing a spend free month challenge. A challenge that has been wonderful, and difficult, all at the same time. We have learned a lot as a family, and grown in our abilities to be more intentional about our spending as well as our time.
And so, as we continue our commitment to simple and minimal living, I have thought a lot about what it might mean by way of holiday celebrations.
I can’t say that Valentine’s Day has always been one that we have most anticipated. Like most people, I believe, this time of year we are still a bit tired from all the hustle and bustle of back to back Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. Sure, in the past, we have sent the token candy filled valentines to school friends. We have purchased a few fresh flowers. But that is about it. And I have to admit that even those simple acts have felt more like an obligation than anything else.
A MORE INTENTIONAL IDEA
This year though, we are looking at Valentine’s Day in a whole new light. While advertisers would have us believe that our kids won’t enjoy the day without a ton of sweets, or a giant stuffed teddy bear. And that our spouse will be upset without new jewelry and chocolates. We are challenging those notions. Instead, we are preparing for a holiday that has us connecting and enjoying each other’s company.
The following tips and ideas are what we plan to implement in order to make this a simple and intentional family Valentine’s Day.
INTENTIONAL FAMILY VALENTINE’S DAY
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full disclosure here
DECORATION IDEAS
Decorations have a way of setting the mood of a space. Kids especially enjoy the change of scenery and will pick up on the fact that something special is about to happen. There is definitely no need to go overboard in this department, however.
In fact, I would suggest that you don’t spend any money. Instead, look around your house to find items that might be useful. Red, pink, and white are the classic Valentine’s Day colors – but other accents can work great as well. You might be surprised at the things you find that work perfectly as decor!
I have a few large plastic apothecary jars that I have used for birthday parties in the past. Filling them with red ball ornaments from my Christmas decor stash really brought them to life! A red fabric pillow case was used to anchor the centerpiece to the table.
I also love to find holiday appropriate books to decorate with. You may have a few favorites around the home that you can pull out and use in a display. If not, I suggest visiting your local library. Ours had a wonderful selection of titles with beautiful covers.
Since we don’t have a fireplace in our rental home, the restored cabinet in our dining room served as a makeshift mantle. The books look so cheery sitting on top.
Having a few fun activities on hand to do together as a family is a great idea. Think about the ages of your children when determining what is appropriate.
FOR YOUNGER KIDS
My two young daughters saw me decorating with books and immediately began asking if I would read them the stories. Of course, reading to children is a great activity to build imagination and vocabulary skills. The bonus is that by sitting down to read, you can get in some extra cuddles!
Other fun activities for younger kids may include blowing bubbles for them to run through, playing tic tac toe, or working on coloring pages together.
FOR OLDER KIDS
Older children may enjoy something a bit more advanced, such as a craft project. Keep costs down by looking through your personal stash of supplies instead of running to the store. Lay all of the items out on the table and let your kid’s creativity run wild!
Most important of all, be sure to sit down with them while they create. Just having you there with them makes it that much more fun for kids. They will enjoy your company, and you are sure to have a lot of fun too!
Some children may be required to make Valentine’s Day boxes for school. This is another fun project that you can help with. Check out these creative box ideas:
If you really get into the groove, consider also helping the kids make handmade cards to gift their classmates. They are so much more fun than the standard store bought variety. Making them candy free would surely please the other parents as well. The following printable valentines are candy free and oh so cute:
There are many fun ways to enjoy activities together on an intentional family Valentine’s Day. If the weather is warm enough, plan a walk or a trip to the park. Volunteer to hold and care for animals at your local Humane Society, or work together to create a delicious four course meal!
FOOD IDEAS
They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I’m convinced the sentiment also applies to children. Ours, at least, can’t resist a snack.
For Valentine’s Day, consider cutting food items with a heart shaped cookie cutter. Experiment with different foods. Toast, sandwiches, and even fruit can easily be given this fun shape. Dying foods with natural colors is also a fun idea.
I have found that another easy way to make a snack more special is to serve it in a different way. Try placing the simple snack on the ‘good china’ for example, or letting the kids drink from glass jars with straws. These fancy containers have a way of making the eating experience more fun.
These other fun Valentine’s Day snacks are healthy and interesting eats for kids:
Of course, the most important aspect of an intentional family Valentine’s Day is letting everyone know how much you love and care for them.
Offer up plenty of hugs and cuddles. Older children and spouses will appreciate finding small notes of love. Writing on cut out paper hearts adds a special touch and is sure to put a smile on the face of the receiver.
Sitting together as a family and discussing what you love about one another can also be a fun activity.
One of the best ways to show love is by giving your family your time. By simplifying the holiday so that it isn’t such a huge burden, you are allowing yourself more freedom to be fully present.
OTHER INTENTIONAL VALENTINE’S DAY IDEAS
These blog posts have additional tips on how to create an intentional family Valentine’s Day. Be sure to check them out!
