valentines day is literally just around the corner.
i like to treat valentines day as a way to celebrate all the people i love--not just my husband, but all my little people as well.
i can remember walking out one valentines day morning and my mom had gotten me my favorite candy bar---8 of them to be exact, and tied them all up in this cute ribbon. i felt loved.
it was such a small gesture, but it meant a lot, and obviously, 20 years later, i'm still remembering it.
a few years ago (when we only had 4 kids) i made these valentines mailboxes...we used them to stick love notes in, not just on valentines day, but for the month of february.
the mailboxes were from the target dollar section---has anyone seen them again this year? i haven't looked recently.
the bottom is a candlestick holder, that i found at the goodwill and spray painted. i gorilla glued the mailboxes to the candlestick holders...then put a scrap booking letter on the mailbox.
voila!
a really fun and simple way to show your family that they are loved.
---
and our family really needs to do some showing of the love...it's been looking a lot like this lately:
you may think that looks nice, but they are actually being punished.
they are "huggin' it out"...cause they were being mean to one another. i made them hug until the timer went off.
they loved every minute of it.
obviously.
Those faces speak volumes!
ReplyDeleteLOVE this idea! Both the mailboxes and "huggin' it out" :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome punishment! :)
ReplyDeleteI did find the mailboxes in the dollar spot and grabbed one for my girl this year! Such a cute idea!
so they are there? so glad!
Deletei bought some earlier in January at Target! I forgot about your addition of the candlestick holder though... must now search Goodwill! :)
DeleteLove the mailboxes, Emily!And I love "hugging it out!" That is a great punishment...kind of like in Rachel Jancovic's book Loving the Little Years where she talks about being a "picky chicken" or something like that (chickens who picked the feathers off of each other...and then are left bleeding). When her kiddos are acting meanly towards one another they have to think of a compliment to give that person....instead of 'picking out a feather' with meanness, they 'put one back' with a compliment.
ReplyDeleteI think I am stealing your mailbox idea...I have one of those same ones!
I stole your idea last year...and my Esther was asking the other day if we are doing the mailboxes again. I told her we will see...I actually have been already thinking about what to fill them with. Thanks for helping me make the memories :)
ReplyDeleteHaha...That is a brilliant punishment.
ReplyDeleteSuch a sweet idea to give love notes to each other throughout the month. I'll have to keep my eye out for those mailboxes.
LOL! have you seen the t-shirts that say, something like, "the getting along t-shirt"?
ReplyDeletejust a big old daddy t-shirt that you put BOTH KIDS IN AT THE SAME TIME over their head until they are
getting along LOL!
tara
What a great idea, I love it. And I love the idea of hugging it out as well!
ReplyDeletei was just at target and they had them in the dollar spot! those are so cute!!
ReplyDeleteOh man...why have I never thought of huggin' it out for fighting! that's awesome! I'm sure I'll be using this in about 5 minutes because something is brewing...
ReplyDeleteYes! Valentine's Day is not only for lovers.
ReplyDeleteeypolapol.tumblr.com
awesome! and yes I saw the little mailboxes at target again this year
ReplyDeletehaha ohh that is the best idea for a time out ever!! love it!
ReplyDeletewhat a great idea for time out! Love the mailbox idea, I can't wait to have Target here in Canada...
ReplyDeleteThat's SO funny! Way to go Momma! {and I'm dying to find those mailboxes!!!}
ReplyDeletebest.idea.ever.
ReplyDelete:)
Love the hugging it out.
ReplyDeletehug it out. you are my hero!
ReplyDeletethat.is.brilliant
ReplyDeleteyes the mailboxes are there again this year and I thought of you because of this project. love it!
ReplyDeletealso hugging it is genius.
ReplyDeletethose mailboxes are adorable! and the "hugging-it-out" is a great idea. ;)
ReplyDeletexo
purposelyathome.blogspot.com
Perfect! I'm definitely making mailboxes for our little fam-bam.
ReplyDeleteWow that is amazing punishment! I love it!!
ReplyDeleteI'm with everyone else - the hugging it out is going to start happening here.
ReplyDeleteHey! I did these same boxes (copied you...and gave you credit, of course ;)) and, I saw them at Target last year, but I haven't seen them this year. I did see some REALLY cute cardboard mailboxes at Hobby Lobby that you can decorate. They are a little bigger than these, but I thought they super cute and almost got a couple. :) I LOVE the hugging it out. I saw this on your instagram feed and I made my two kids do it the other day when they were being mean to each other. ha ha!
ReplyDeleteahaha!!! Makin' those poor kids hug it out...LOVE IT!!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, at first I thought, oh her kids are always so nice!!! they hug like that?? all the time?? then i read your last remarks about making them hug it out while in time out. we have four boys (7 and 5 year old triplets)...Im gonna try this! i can just imagine it!! ha!! it is adorable. love it.
ReplyDeleteI have seen them this year at my target
ReplyDeleteThis is such a cute idea!! And I love that "hugging it out" picture. My mother made my brother and I do that when we would fight. Happy to report it only happened a few times, and it turned us into huggers. :)
ReplyDeletehugging it out!!! I love this:)
ReplyDeleteLOVE the hugging idea! I'm sure at some point the fighting turns into laughter being that close. xo
ReplyDeleteI love the hugging idea also. I make my kids sit on the couch, holding hands and say nice things or things they love about each other (learned this from one of my high school teachers). They are just as thrilled about it as your kids are. : )
ReplyDeleteI love the mailboxes!! So awesome- and the hugging it out pic is awesome!
ReplyDeleteI have seen the mailboxes at the dollar spot here, but they were picked over.
ReplyDeleteI made some for my kids that I wrapped with scrapbook paper & added heart
stickers on. I like the monogram so if I have a couple mailboxes leftover I think I
will make a couple for my kids. Been needing a reason to do some thrift store shopping
& this is it :) thanks!!
1) what an awesome idea for the mailboxes. I love it. Totally going to steal this idea :)
ReplyDelete2) hugging it out. what a classic photo you can share with them once they are in highschool or graduated! :) My mom would do the same thing when the sis and I were younger.
Hahahaha. I Love the look on your girl's face! She is not a happy camper. I will be using the "huggin' it out" technique in the future for sure. =)
ReplyDeleteI love the mailboxes and am inspired to do the same this February!
Thanks for sharing!
I love the hugging technique! Thanks for the idea!
ReplyDeleteditto here...i found the mailboxes at my local Target, though being in Nashville doesn't help you out :0)
ReplyDeleteI grabbed some of those BEAUTIFUL seafoam pants for my Sweet Pea too :0) LOVE THEM!!
what a clever idea! and the hugging punishment is awesome. such a smart momma....!
ReplyDeleteI saw the mailboxes and immediately thought of you :)
ReplyDeleteLove the hug it out technique.. So funny!
ReplyDeleteThe mailboxes are so sweet too!
Liz
www.gimmesomestyleblog.com