Teens and the Perfect Valentine's Day Idea

Now that the stores have ripped down the plastic snowflakes, retired the waving Santa robot to the warehouse, and replaced those ever so charming ‘sliver bells’ with gigantic half naked babies, you start to get the feeling Valentine’s day is nearing at a rapid pace.

It’s the day teens cower at the thought of handing over a rose or a box of chocolates to their ‘crush’, the day that separates the mice from the men and the girls from the women. Gear up, because every year millions of Americans are just waiting for you to give them a Valentine’s Day gift they can sink their teeth into.

If you’re anything like me that supply of Christmas candy Ol’ Saint Nick dropped into your stocking is long gone, and by this wonderful turn of events we discover a holiday to replenish out stocks of sugar. Whether you are a chocolate hog or a fruity maniac nearly everyone can be delighted with ample helpings of candy!

If you’re not one of those people who enjoy eating half their body weight in sugar, there is hope for you too. Gift baskets! If you have ever had the pleasure of receiving one of these bad-boys you are truly blessed, someone obviously likes you because every new discovery you make while opening these fantastic gifts is like a bit Christmas, or if you’re a bit of a scrooge it is like an entire birthday party in a basket. Love can’t be measure in physical gifts right? It’s the thought that counts… “Those 6 month old dollar store sweet tarts had a lot of thought behind them!”

Yeah… right…

Whether or not you are seething at my opinions, laughing at me, or cursing Aunt Alexis for those sweet tarts, the truth is this, love should be behind every gift you give, Valentines of not. Before you drive off to the mall, credit card in hand, think about who you are giving the gift to. If you have a friend who can’t stand those sweet tarts don’t get them! Expired of not! The thing is, the thought does count, and if you are still reluctant to put aside your favorite sweet and get what Earl’s tummy rumbles for, you don’t deserve the sugar coated happiness that comes on this day!

In the end no amount of candy, Valentine’s Day gifts, of baskets full of happiness can amount to what this day is really about, love for your family, friends, neighbors, and maybe even your special someone.

A Valentine's Day Poem

It's is that time of the year again.  Christmas is over and it is a new year and so now it is time for love to be in the air.  Every year I want to do something special for my husband.  Of course there are always the old stand buys.  You know, the top five Valentines gift Ideas.  The first has to be candy.  Chocolate to be exact.  What man does not love that?  The cute little heart shaped boxes fill with enough sugar to please anyone's sweet tooth.  Second on my list would be Valentines underwear.  You see them in the store and you have to wonder how many men are walking around with little hearts all over their bottoms.  Third place has to go to a romantic movie date and if you can afford it the biggest bag of popcorn.  The romantic movie is really for you, but by adding the popcorn it makes it seem like it is all about him.  The fourth best Valentines gift would have to some kind of sports tickets.  And last but not least coming in at fifth would be a beautiful candle light dinner.  What man would not love that?  Well, don't forget to drop the kiddos off at grandmas or the romantic evening might not be the best idea.

Now all those ideas are great.  I mean after all they are my top five favorites.  But I use one of them every year, so this year I want to do something different.  You see, we are a little tight this year and so I am thinking it is time for something creative.  I have to admit that I am not all that poetic, but maybe writing a poem to express how I feel would be inexpensive and something we could share over the years to come.

So here is my first poetry try.  Maybe you can do a better job, but what is important is that it is something from the heart.  I mean after all isn't that what it is all about.  Happy Valentine's Day.
Valentine's Day reminds me
Of the feelings I have
Every time I think of you,
The warms feeling I have
At the sound of your voice
Valentine's Day reminds me
Of the love and comfort I get
From knowing
You are in my life.
Everything wonderful about Valentine's Day
Reminds me of you.
Happy Valentine's Day!

We Love To Give Gift Baskets Just For Fun!

I love to give gifts baskets.  There is no better feeling for me than giving someone a little something to make life a little brighter. I don’t mean giving a gift basket when you are expected to, at holiday times or birthday celebration. I mean just because.  No matter where we are in life the trials get harder and even everyday life can be difficult to manage.  So what better way to make life better for someone else than giving them a surprise just because gift basket.

I like most people am on a tight budget, but every time run to Wal-Mart or Target I make sure I hit the clearance isles. I look for those little fun things that could make a family or friends day better with a surprise gift basket made with love.

It doesn’t take much.  Candy is always fun gift basket filler, stationary, a little plant, new pencils and pens can all make a gift basket recipient feel loved and cared for.  I collect items for several months. Sometimes I really score and find a cool item or two at the dollar store. Alone it may seem just okay but put it together with a theme gift basket and WA LAH you have a wonderful creation.  Then I wait.   I watch for when I hear a friend having a hard day. 

I always keep a few baskets on hand. I can find them at garage sales and often they are like new and I always peruse the craft store as well.  I put together the basket and write a little note that lets them know I appreciate them. 

I love to send my daughter to the door, she rings the bell and we drive off quickly before anyone notices us.  Our record is 13 seconds!  Try and beat that.  I will never know what the reaction is of the people we gave the gift basket was.  But I do know one thing, the joy I had in making that basket makes me feel like I am the blessed one.  It also helps me forget my own problems and somehow puts life into perspective.

So the next time you get a chance, pause and think of how to bless someone else.  A gift basket is only one myriad of ways to make someone else’s day, and life that much better.

Gluten Free and How it Affected my Family

Growing up my sister and I always wanted kids.  We would get the winter Sears catalogue and pick out our husbands and kids.  It was so much fun dreaming as little girls about our future lives.  Time passed and we grew up. Now as adults there are moments we both would relish being little girls again.

We both still love kids.  I have 7 and she has 5.  She and her husband adopted their last child.  He is precious to all of us and maybe even loved in a more deep way because he came to our family in a unique manner. When she had him she received a baby gift basket from me. From the time he was little he had trouble digesting milk.  He was slow to grow.  Having had 4 other children my sister took this as normal.  But as he grew and had other behavior issues and digesting issues she knew something was wrong.  She tried giving him protein, taking him off of sugar; she tried everything that came to her own mind.  It wasn’t until she saw a specialist who diagnosed my sweet nephew with food allergies.  She told my sister their son was allergic to gluten.  Laura was relieved and bewildered at once.  Gluten-wasn’t it found in most everything?  How could her son eat anything?  How would they go to dinner or through the drive through after football practice and the gazillion other activities their family often has going on? 

They belong to a strong church family.  And word soon passed about their son’s food allergies.  It was only a day later that a huge gluten free gift basket arrived at her door.  It was like a breath of encouragement when she searched through the beautiful basket.  It was the beginning of a long journey to understanding what her sons needs were.  The best part is the behavioral change she saw in him.  Not only did he feel better but his skin was clearer and his teachers commented on his behavior.  I must say it is still an unknown daunting issue for me.  It is a whole new way to live and eat.  I am learning and listening to her and now another dear friend who is also gluten free.  Even our kids point out items in the store now that say “gluten free”.  I hope that one day I know enough to contribute to his health and give them my own gluten free gift baskets of love.