Valentine Love Notes

If you have a young family, like me, then you know the excitement that surrounds ALL holidays, both BIG and small. Valentine’s Day is no different in my house. The kids love to take time to create special valentines and to tell everyone that they are loved. I do, too. But sometimes a mom needs a little help (or motivation) to really make them feel special.

Over the years, I have seen many pins relating to special ways to tell your kids you love them. However, they just never worked for me. Last week, at the spur of the moment, I bought a mini-mailbox for $1 from Target. You can find them in the dollar bins near the front of the store. They were available in a few colors: white, pink, and silver. They even have a black chalkboard heart on the front and a cute red mailbox flag on the side that goes up and down. (I try to stay away from the dollar bins at Target, but that is a post for another day!) So, I splurged and spent the buck and my idea was born!

When I got home, I scoured Pinterest for pre-made and free printable’s that I could use with my mailbox. After a few misses, I found the perfect one! Check it out HERE!! These Valentine’s Themed lunchbox notes are super-cute, free, and just the right size! I also printed out a stack of other lunch notes. You can find them HERE.  I fell in love with this bloggers designs, be sure to check her out at the Chickabug blog.

After finding the printable notes, I felt like my ideas were coming together…. mailbox and notes. I got it! I would leave a little love note each night in the mailbox for my kids, husband, and other house guests or special visitors. Easy. That I could do! I printed all the notes and cut them out. I set them in a fancy candy dish from my great grandparents, along with hershey kisses (leftover from Christmas) in red and silver foil packages, and a variety of markers, pens, and other decorating supplies. I added a “Love Notes” label with leftover scrapbook paper. All in, this cost me $1 plus tax!  But, it has been worth more than that times 1,000,000!!!

Spending a few moments to write thoughtful and caring notes to my loved ones has been meaningful to me and to them. Each day they race downstairs to see if the mailbox flag is up. Then, they quickly open it and pass out notes to each other. Occasionally I’ll slip a hershey kiss in the mailbox for each of them, too. They carefully read my words to themselves and then say thank you with a big heartfelt grin. If I’m lucky they’ll write me one and slip it in the mailbox when I’m not looking. I just love finding and reading their notes, and I especially treasure the love notes from my husband!

After a few days of writing notes to each other, we needed a place to put them. We decided to line our doorway from the kitchen to our family room with them. We all walk through that doorway several times a day. Now, it’s filled with an extra-special type of love and kindness. Plus, whenever anyone is having a tough moment, they can just look to the door frame to feel loved and good about themselves. No matter how trying a day can be, with this addition the days start with a little magic and lots of LOVE!

Of course, you don’t have to take these steps to tell people you love them. For us, this was just a seed of an idea that was dormant for too long, but finally blossomed into a beautiful family bonding experience. I hope this is a tradition that has just begun for our family, and maybe it’s an idea you want to take on for the rest of the month. It doesn’t have to be something fancy, or extraordinary. Just tell the people you love that you care, by noticing something about them that makes you smile… and then tell them. Fill their hearts with kind and happy thoughts so that they can go spread joy around, and that will return to to you ten-fold.

Take a small idea and allow it to have a big impact. Share LOVE, right now. Don’t wait… life is short and tomorrow is not guaranteed. Love the people around you with all your might, hug them tight and kiss them goodnight if you are lucky enough to sleep under the same roof. Don’t think for a second that they don’t love you back. Even the hardest days and the toughest people are meant to challenge you. So, put on your gloves and SHOW UP to the fight. Stay in the ring, until the final bell dings. Don’t give-up on them. Share your true-self and love with those that matter, because YOU MATTER to them. Love unconditionally; without regret, remorse, or a hidden agenda.

We know that this “Love Notes” mailbox is a small gesture in our home, but we hope it’s something that makes our three kids and anyone else that visits us realize how special they are to us. Just like you, you are special to me. You matter to me. Thank you for following along with me on this crazy life. And now, I am off to write my favorite people their love notes!

~There are no happy accidents~

~Kim