The night before Valentine’s Day, Valentine’s Day Eve respectively, Laylee went on and on about how awesome the holiday was going to be and how she could not WAIT until tomorrow.
“Uuuuhhhhh….. yeah. It’s gonna be so awesome,” I replied.
My plan for the day was to say, “Happy Valentine’s Day!” and give her a big hug, then go about my business. After putting the kids to bed I got a call from my friend Nancy about something unrelated to Valentine’s Day and mentioned that I was in deep doggy droppings because I didn’t have the energy or creativity to pull off an even remotely awesome Valentine’s for the kids.
She may argue with me on how I quote her here but she said something along the lines of, “Dude! All you have to do to be the best mom ever on Valentine’s Day is make pink pancakes in the shape of hearts. Bam! Best mom ever. Oh, and St. Patrick’s Day is coming up so buy lucky charms for breakfast and dye the milk green. Bam! Best mom ever.”
I took her advice to heart and it worked. The kids thought it was the most special amazing Valentine’s Day ever. Although I must admit I one-upped the Nanster by cutting out red paper hearts, writing shmoopish messages on them and taping them to pieces of candy for the kids.
Today when the green milk emerged from the fridge and SUGAR CEREAL was pulled from the cupboard, my kids’ heads mildly exploded. Laylee was 100% sure that Leprechauns were to blame for the violated milk, which Laylee and Magoo then slurped with a fervor, that can only be induced by alleged magic.
You know, you still have time to follow Nancy’s advice and be the best mom ever today. No one ever said that sugar cereal and milk that looks like it came from a diseased cow don’t make a perfectly acceptable dinner.
I made green eggs for breakfast and green mac and cheese for lunch. So easy, and the kids were thrilled!
I love the idea of doing all this for kids, but the thought of green food makes me so sick to my tummy! ARGH….what to do next year when my kid will be old enough to have fun with this kind of stuff?
Dang it. We just finished our hot dog dinner. Yours is the most realistic holiday idea I’ve seen all day. The rest make me feel like a loser. 🙂 Maybe next year …
I KNOW. I was reading what everyone else was doing and thinking, “When did this become a major holiday?” I thought if I did anything, it was above and beyond. Not anymore. But I refuse to escalate.
How very cool! I wish I had read this earlier!
Your friend Nancy must ROCK!!!
P.S. A friend told me a way to make it even cooler for next year….before pouring your cereal into the bowl, put drops of green food coloring at the bottom of the bowl, then add the cereal, then when you pour in your white milk, it will amazingly turn GREEN! Bam–Best Mom Ever! (Haven’t tried it yet, but I’m seriously taking it into consideration for next year!)
I totally did nothing and then Mike came home and was all giddy with “I have got the best thing for the kids ever!” He bought gold coins, tossed them around upstairs and told the kids the leprechauns had come. Bean didn’t even mind the fact that she couldn’t eat them because of the peanut allergy.
It’s still amazing to me, how the simplest gestures on our part often result in the greatest happiness on theirs. Long live Holiday Magic and Joy!
Woah Nancy – that food coloring in the bottom of the bowl idea is brilliant! 🙂
hooee, I’ve never been good at holidays. But, I did go take some of my college kids out to lunch at a nice Mexican restaurant. Does that count? 🙂
Yes ma’am.
EEWW? Green milk? Sounds horrid! Its a mazing though how differently children eat when their food is presented in an interesting manner. Normal boiled veggies are far too boring to eat, but present them as a face (green bean hair, cucumber eyes, brocolli nose and baby carrot mouth) and its “Oh mummy you are the best ever!!!”