Happy Valentines Day!

Last week my sister posted pictures of her girls pouring over their valentines, and I was reminded of how much I love this holiday. I haven't ever really felt the need to get into the whole jewelry-fancy-dinner part of this day (though I wouldn't turn it down!), but mostly I just love the memories I have of a childhood filled with valentines days that were crafty and thoughtful.

A few favorite memories: Growing up, my mom would make an entire red supper with spaghetti, red jello, and food coloring in our milk to turn it pink. She decorated the table with a red table cloth, lit all sorts of candles and had small gifts for each of us. During my elementary years I would work so hard decorating the shoe box that would become my valentine mailbox at school. I loved either making or picking out my valentines and writing each kids name. One year I got DuckTales valentines that included stickers for me to decorate each DuckTales scene with before I gave them away. I loved those valentines! I also have good memories of the school valentines party and decorating my heart sugar cookie with pink frosting and sprinkles.

So after I saw Annika's post I decided it is time for me to take over these traditions for my own family. Naturally I enlisted my son and we got to work making his first valentines. I had wanted to make 20 valentines, but at 13 my little helper had enough and we had to cut 7 recipients from the list! So, if you think you should have gotten a valentine from Ivar, please count this post as good enough. I'm not into forced crafting with kids...

I hope you're Valentine's day is filled with love and a frosted sugar cookie.

learning how to share

Ivar gets his turn during the day. Toonces gets to enjoy the play gym at night.

smash journal

My friend Rene told me about this video on stacyjulian's blog. It's a new product, and I would imagine the person who thought of this smash journal and pen/glue stick is going to make a lot of money. It's not really that complicated or revolutionary of a product, but it seems so novel in this video! And so fun.

Enjoy. It got my creative juices flowing today.

squeeky clean

Ivar loves to take baths as much as I do. Though he is more fond of sucking wet towels while taking his baths than I am. I like bath time at our house because it is such a family affair. Bath time means all three of us are huddled closely together at the end of the day. And I think it will stay that way for a while because I am afraid to give Ivar a bath without Rory nearby to help with the wet-baby-into-dry-towel transfer. That's a tricky, wiggly, slippery maneuver. So until I find my third and forth arms, each night around 7 you can find the three of us splashing together in our kitchen sink.

part of this complete breakfast

I've got a recipe to share with you this morning. It's my grandma's oatmeal. She has completely changed the way I look at oatmeal and now I eat it every single morning. For real. I haven't missed a morning since the bowl she made for me in Mesa.

It's because this isn't really oatmeal. It's like hot granola cereal when she's done with it, and it is so divine. And it keeps me full easily until lunchtime.

Grandma's Oatmeal: (single serving)
Place 3/4 cup water, a few dried cherries, a small handful of raisins,
and a dash of salt in a sauce pan and bring to boil.

In the meantime crumble a few black walnuts in the bottom of the
bowl you'll eat your oatmeal in. Cut 6-7 grapes in half. Add those to the bowl.

Stir in 1/3 cup quick oats to the boiling water. Turn down heat
and stir occasionally until the water is absorbed.

Spoon oatmeal onto walnuts and grapes.
Dab on some butter and sprinkle on brown sugar.

THIS IS DELICIOUS. I use Steel Cut Oats because I once heard dr. oz say they're really good for you. And I don't really use that much butter or brown sugar. There is so much other stuff going on in this oatmeal that these two aren't quite as necessary as they are in a typical bowl of oatmeal.

The grapes are crazy good. You know how oatmeal usually sort of coats your mouth with mush? The grapes sort of cut through that because they're so juicy. I would have never thought of putting grapes in oatmeal, but Grandma did and now we know.

So enjoy. It's a fantastic, cozy way to enjoy a hot breakfast in the cold of winter.