Guest Post: You are "sew" loved! (DIY Valentines)

Valentine's Day is coming up! And I'm excited to share the valentines we made this year. The details (including the printables!) are on a guest post over at Sweet Little Peanut--a charming blog filled with all sorts of lovely things for you mamas and your little peanuts too. You can make these "You are 'sew' loved!" valentines with your kids at home, at school, at a Valentine's party, or the like! Brooks loved sewing, or "loop-de-looping" as he would say, and I hope you and your little peanuts do too. xo  

If you want to see our Valentines from the last few years:

2011: "Blowing Kisses Your Way!"

2012: Picture Puzzle Valentine

2013: XO Heart Photo Hanging

Valentine's Shoot with Sweet Memory Garden Photography

Angie of Sweet Memory Garden Photography is such a talented and sweet woman! She photographed our wedding almost 6 years ago, and I love that she was able to capture some sweet moments of Brooks and I together for Valentine's Day coming up. :) Some of them made me smile, some made me melt...and some (at the end of the post) made me laugh! She was so great to work with! Fun, flexible, patient, and quick--all needed when photographing kids, especially an energetic and stubborn one like Brooks. ;) She's having Valentine's Mini Sessions at her charming studio this Saturday! Book your spot by email (angie@sweetmemorygarden.com) or phone (801-910-9488)! xoxo

And because the ones below made Adam and I laugh so hard....ahahaha!
Can't resist some crazy outtakes. ;)

Heart-shaped everything

Sending hugs and kisses in the mail, eating chocolates and sugar cookies after every meal, getting ding-dong-ditched, writing love notes, being more than okay with heart-shaped everything, and doing all of that in the name showing love and appreciation for family and friends...yea, we're fans of Valentine's Day. xoxo

6/52

{ Excited about an extra sweet Valentine's Day Eve delivery from Daddy! }

{ That little sweetheart melts me into a puddle }

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Love at first sight...

My number one, my better half, my very best friend, my forever love is Adam. It didn't take long after we met that I found myself falling head over heels for him...but it was my children that made me a believer in love at first sight. The first time I held Brooks, and two years later little Ava, was beyond incredible. Their tiny bodies and big spirits took my breath away. In each of those moments my heart made room for another person that I would do anything and everything for. Without doing or saying a thing, they stole my heart and gave me a glimpse at just how much my Heavenly Father loves me.  Thinking about it puts butterflies in my stomach and tears in my eyes. The night of March 14th, 2010 and the morning of March 21st, 2012 changed my life and heart forever. With every kiss good night and, "Sweet dreams little one," I have found that I love Brooks and Ava more than the night before. Sure we have our difficult and crazy moments...but easy or hard, I'm grateful I get to spend my days with those two littles. My children make me a better person. I am so blessed to call them mine, and that they call me "Mama." 

They'll always be my little Valentines.

DIY Valentine Garland

Christmas came down and was put away in record time this year due to our tree tuckering out...so to cheer me us up after saying goodbye to the glow of the white lights in our living room, I made and hung a little garland to get us in the mood for the next holiday. I love me some love.  

I scored the red doily hearts at my local grocery store near the hot cocoa and tea. :) But my friend shared her beautiful white Valentine's mantel here and said Hobby Lobby has darling little white ones too. You could also make the garland with hearts cut from paper and get the same, festive feel. 

Just please tell me someone thought of Brian McKnight when you saw Step 4...

I couldn't resist. ;)

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I'm sharing this over at Whipperberry! Go see what others are sharing, there's all sorts of good stuff, promise. :)

purple lilies, heart-shaped pizza, and a lover's tent

Last night I opened the door to purple lilies (my favorite color) and chocolates on our front porch...then Adam popped out from around the corner with the cutest school-boy-grin...you can bet he got a kiss that made his head spin <3

While my big Valentine and I made a heart-shaped BBQ chicken pizza (thanks for the idea Nicole!) and "BTS" cake together, my little Valentine enjoyed Mama's chocolates (aka, taking tiny bites out of almost every single one...which I didn't mind. I do the same thing).

We enjoyed our festive dinner with the glow of candle light...for about 2 seconds until Brooks blew them out ;)

Our little guy went off to sweet dream land, and we headed down stairs. I surprised Adam with a little tent of love over the couch...perfect for snuggling in, eating our huge pieces of cake, and watching a movie.

It was a very good night.

Then again, every night that my forever sweetheart comes home to us is pretty darn good in my book.

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Spiritual Health:

Read "Guardians of the Hearth" (February's Visiting Teaching Message)

"...bring up your children in light and truth." - D&C 93:40