Valentines: {Family Life Project 52}

Its the Family Life Project 52!

Valentines is our theme this week.

 And now I’m going to divulge one of my great personal weaknesses.

I’m not festive.

Like, if there was a scale-o-meter for how much effort I put into holidays I probably wouldn’t make the chart.  I didn’t even put up a Christmas tree this past year.  I don’t typically decorate for any holiday.  This in no way means that I don’t love to celebrate when someone else does all the work!  All those fun and cute ideas spread around internet land for Valentines are so wonderful and part of me really wishes that I would put more effort into doing something of the sort, but I didn’t.

Yesterday I started trying to “stage” some Valentine themed photography at our house for today’s post. But then the reality check reminded me that I don’t do this for my blog. I do this for my family. And that just plain wasn’t how our family Valentines week had truly been.

We’re striving for authenticity.

Do you really want to know how we celebrated Valentines?

I went on a family adventure with Buzzy to the Deseret Industries thrift store with the intent of getting Ben a gift. Yes. I went thrifting. I spent $2 on a used copy of the  Johnny Lingo DVD for Ben and then hopped in the car to go home. I felt major guilty at that point, so I did actually go and buy a specialty pastry at a sweet shop close by to share as a surprise after our very boring dinner of cauliflower and spaghetti.

But guess what? Celebration doesn’t have to be big or pinterest worthy.

I really appreciated Davina’s post this week on last minute Valentine ideas that were of the kind that even I could pull off.  In fact, they’re so simple I could do them everyday and make everyday special.

Simple gestures of love, don’t require packages, bows, or money.  Sometimes its just a matter of spending time together, unplugging for five minutes, and giving someone your entire attention.

And since I’m the type that actually has to work on those simple “easy” things too (another weakness divulsion), that’s what my personal life lesson is for the week. Tomorrow I’ll share one of the moments we had “Indulging in Enjoyment”.  For now, I hope you’ll find your own moment of joyful indulgence to engage in that may not have happened without making it a priority.

Now go visit Rhonda (my accountability partner in this project), because if anyone knows how to be uber creative and festive, its her!

See the entire family life project HERE.

Next weeks theme: Family Time

4 Responses

  1. It’s not just me! Oh I feel so much better. It gets worse as I get older. All these holidays get sneaky and catch me unprepared. I tried to fake that dinner was Valentine themed, “you know… I heard olives are an aphrodisiac.”

    Hope you enjoyed your Doves, yum o yum!

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