Schmalentines Day!

Yesterday when I picked the kids up from school, I reminded them that the next day would be Valentine's Day.  Coen said "Oh no! I never finished making my cards!  Remember that blog post? When my kids made it through the making of one to three valentines before they lost interest.  Luckily I had purchased (yes, purchased) a box of Phineaus and Ferb cards for Coen for such an event.  And I took a very cute picture of Lucy and put pretty paper behind several copies for her to take to class. 
See?

And so Coen wrote all his classmate's names on his cards and Lucy wrote her name on the backs of all her cards and I was happy and satisfied with a job well done.  Then Tad came downstairs and reported that Lucy needed to bring a treat to school tomorrow.
Me: What?
Tad: She said Ms. Pat said that everyone needs to bring a treat.
Me: No!  She is bringing her cards and pencils for everyone. I already told her that!
Then I stomped away in a cloud of inexplicable ire, muttering under my breath and cursing Valentines, until I realized how funny that was.  I walked back into the kitchen.
Me: Sorry I got so mad.
Tad: (With a smirk on his face?)  This is why Valentines is a crock.  But you had to see Lucy. I tucked her in and kissed her goodnight and just as I was leaving, she looked at me, tears in her eyes and said, "But Daddy, Ms. Pat said we have to bring a treat tomorrow."  What could I say?
Me: Oh, she worked you over!
Tad: That may well be, but I'll take them to the store in the morning to get treats on the way to school.

I knew I was just mad because I had worked so hard on their valentines and thought about it so long and made sure they had something for weeks and weeks leading up to it.  And then the day before, Tad waltzes in and proclaims that they'll all stop at the store tomorrow for treats.

I gotta remember this next year.  At any rate, the children are off to school with heart-shaped pizza slices and heart-shaped jello jigglers.  (Yeah, I'm still a sap).  As they drove away, Tad rolled down his window and said in his most theatrical of voices "The Heart-est felt of Valentines to you, my love!". And I shouted back "And the same to you, my darling!"  They drove away and I'm sure any neighbors out shovelling would have thought we were the sweetest, not knowing the sarcasm with which these sentiments were shouted. 

Happy SCHMValentines!  Here are my three favorite designs.  Enjoy. And Valentines Schmalentines to you!

This was my original idea.  It was first done one lined notebook paper with crayon at the table in 1998 with good friends.

Meat grinder! Hee hee.

This is another of my originals, inspired, of course, by the Exorcist girl.

Whether you love this day and will be the recipient or giver of flowers and chocolates, or you despise this day, and all its consumerist fan fare, or you're somewhere in the middle, have a wonderful one no matter what.