Our Love Tree

It's no secret that I love holidays! I enjoy coming up with special, Christ-centered, family fun traditions to go along with the holidays. Something that will last... that my kids will look back on and have fond memories of. What about Valentine's Day? It's not the most manly holiday and I have a house full of boys. But the meaning of Valentine's Day- true love and especially God's LOVE.   I want my boys to know it, desire it, and live in it!

So how are we celebrating? I made a love tree. I found a branch in the backyard, painted it, and decorated it with hearts. At night we do a little devotion about God's love and write an attribute of HIS love on the back of a heart.  As we talk about love, Andrew also tells us something he loves and we write it on a heart too.

 This month as a family, we are memorizing John 15:12 "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."

Andrew's favorite activity is the felt Valentine cookies. He gets so excited about doing them! Every night he says, "Daddy, these aren't real cookies... you can't eat them. They are love cookies. They say that Mommy loves us." Last night Andrew made us laugh. He opened Mark's cookie for him and handed it to me to read. As I was reading Mark's blessing he said, "No Mommy, that says (pointing to the words) Daddy loves playing the guitar with Andy." : ) Yes, Andrew LOVES his guitar!

We are planning on making these Valentine's Creamy Jigglers and a big heart shaped brownie trimmed with white icing and Valentine colored M & M's. I would love for you to share any ideas you have!