I was so proud of the short one for working so heard and personally making each of the twenty-five she needed for school. she worked all afternoon on Sunday. We had friends coming in and out of our crafternoon making V-day cards along with us. She loved making them and kept coming up with more names of people she should give them to. After we took a break to play outside for a while in the beautiful weather we came back in to the task of the short one having to sign each valentine. she started with enthusiasm and after about 5 cards the excitement left and the dread came. I told her we would go three by three. Signing three, taking a break to do something else and then starting the process again until we made it through. We then set them all out and she selected which card would be given to which child in her class or which teacher and I would write that name on the envelope and stuff the card. On Valentine’s day morning, she was so proud of her cards she couldn’t wait to get to school to share. I handed her bag filled with one of a kind designs and I left. At the end of the day when I picked her up she had a large back filled with things. I was so surprised by this. What happened to the Valentines Day “card”? This bag was filled with stickers, toys, candy pencils, erasers, plastic jewelry and so on.

Junior Valentines has turned into Halloween with a giant trick-or-treat bag coming home. I just don”t know how I feel about this. I think as a make I just want to see kids sitting down and writing out love notes either hand made or store bought works but attaching all this other stuff is making me feel far to much pressure. I am going to have to really think about it. I say this as I am deciding whether or not to have favor backs at the birthday that is around the corner.  I guess I can just say . . . . . stay tuned.