First Guest Post on These are the Days {Valentine’s}

Hello all!  I am going to try something new this year and see how it goes.  OBVIOUSLY,  I could use a little help on the blogging front these days.  My lack of blogging is no secret to anyone who knows me or has been a blog reader of mine for awhile.  I just can’t seem to get my act together!  I have thought about letting it go all together but that doesn’t feel right.  I really love to blog and enjoy the outlet when I can make it sync with the rest of my life.  I would like to share all of the many things we are doing as a family and my feelings and thoughts on life but I find myself getting thrown into the next event before I can fully collect my thoughts (or pictures for that matter) from the previous event.  Because of this, one thing I have finally learned as a mother is to totally live in the moment!!  I believe that living in the moment is just as important as journaling!  It is all about balance.  Why does balance have to be such a hard thing???  I intend to work on balancing the two this year. 

I have had many e-mails in my inbox regarding guest posting or giveaways and other related things, but I have continually turned them away.  It was never the right time for me or felt right.  Recently, when Jen contacted me with the idea to guest post I felt inspired and excited!  Like this was the push I needed to keep going.  I think it will be fun to periodically share others ideas and knowledge on These are the Days.  After all, we learn and get inspired from each other. 

Jen Lopez enjoys writing about all of the topics I love – photography, parenting, crafting etc.  She is trying to get back into the habit of writing regularly and building up her portfolio.  Jen is also working on starting her own blog!  She had the idea to post about Valentine’s, which was perfect!  It was already on my mind and she had some great thoughts and ideas to share…

 

Chocolate, Flowers and Dinner – Oh No! A Guide to Valentine’s Day Gift Giving

The holidays are over, the stress of shopping has waned and you are back to a regular routine schedule. You look at the calendar and there it is. Valentine’s Day has snuck up on you and is now tapping you on the shoulder. As a veteran of the marriage game you know that a heart shaped box of chocolates is not going to get the same reception it might have gotten a few years ago. Dinner out on that night is placing yourselves in a room with a stressed out wait staff and eye gazing younger couples. The savvy pair like you has survived the V Day invasion and learned that the best presents are not wrapped in red cellophane or come with a little envelope of Flora Life. Honesty and openness now prevail and the day can be planned and celebrated more creatively, in a fashion from which the two of you will benefit and enjoy.

Giving a gift to each other that says I know how you feel and what would do you well, is the best gift and is enjoyed by both of you.

• Great Indulgences – A spa day for couples will make you feel healthy, relaxed and restored as individuals and as a couple. A small box of four truffles from a world class chocolatier offers decadence for a perfect finish to a perfect day. You can purchase gift cards on Spa Finder, which also provides information and reviews on over 20,000 spas nationwide. Just remember, not all spas accept Spa Finder gift certificates, so do your research and find the perfect spa for you and your spouse.

• Get Out of Town – There is always a romantic Bed and Breakfast a short drive from anywhere unless you live in the desert. Two nights away from the kids, the phone, the boss and anything else that kills your mood, will do you both a world of wonder.

• Show and No Tell – A couple tickets to a play or concert that you have been wanting to see and a room at a fine hotel is a pleasant detour off mundane street. No need to drive home that night.

• Twilight Cruise – Treat yourselves to a cruise on a nearby lake, river, bay or on the ocean. If there is a decent size body of water nearby, there is bound to be a twilight cruise that offers dinner and dancing. Cloud9Living offers many dinner cruises across the country. They offer great discounts for exciting experiences. This is a great site to help get new ideas for other important holidays and events.

No Valentines Day is complete without a card. They are so much a part of the holiday that they are simply called Valentines. There is no longer a need to stand at the card rack and read the words of strangers to decide who wrote what you felt. Treat is an online personal greeting card company where you can personally portray what you feel in a beautiful, well designed Valentine’s Day card. They will even mail it for you. This service is available for less than what you would spend at the card store for a mass produced version. Give a personalized card and plan a romantic time by thinking out of the box. The heart shaped box that is. You can also never rule out the little blue box with white ribbon however. Sorry guys, but Tiffany’s never becomes passé.

 

Thank you Jen!!  I love your ideas and how the focus was on you and your hubby.  Sometimes Valentine’s can get lost in finding the perfect gift for our children.  It is a holiday for you and the love of your life and doesn’t need to be another holiday to stress over.  It is a  good excuse to spend some quality time with your man and enjoy each other's company.  It doesn’t even need to be on that exact day, since we all know how crowded restaurants are that night.  Maybe a nice candle light dinner and movie at home (take out dinner from your favorite restaurant if you don’t feel like cooking) and then wait for your hot date the following weekend or even the weekend before Valentine’s.  Either way it can be something to be excited about and look forward to! 

As for the kids…I am keeping it very simple this year.  I will make them an easy dinner of their choice, even if it’s pizza, hot dogs or mac & cheese, but make it special by letting them have their own candle light dinner.   A basket similar to this will be on their table for dessert (they LOVE rootbeer floats).

Link: Thirty Handmade Days

Lastly, I will have a balloon tied to each one of their chairs with with slips of paper inside.  They will have to pop their balloons to find out what their dad and I love about them. Then it is off to bed so mom and dad can have our “in house” date night until the weekend rolls around!  Easy peasy!

Happy early Valentine’s everyone!

If you are interested in guest posting please e-mail me.  krysta_casey@yahoo.com