Sure it sounds creepy but I promise it’s not that creepy. After a conversation with my husband that started with him saying “Do we celebrate that holiday?” and ended with “I’m not giving in to some made-up, ridiculous holiday based on me spending money for nothing.” This only proves that he totally forgot about Valentine’s Day and has nothing for me because he loves to spend money on absolutely nothing. Trust me. The first time we went bowling with our two 4 year-olds he bought the “party package” for $50 that included two hours of bowling and a large pizza. Two hours with twin toddlers their first time bowling and with a game room right behind our lane? We struggled through 40 minutes of getting them to focus and not run in front of other people hurling balls. Money well spent. I digress…
Instead of recognizing all the people I know and love in my life, I started thinking about all the people I don’t know but I love nonetheless. For instance, all the headband makers of the world, the UPS and FedEx delivery men and even the baggers at the grocery store who don’t give my kids nasty looks when they’re jumping in and out of the cart they’re trying to fill! Basically, all those who make my life a little easier, without knowing it. My heart goes to you!
1. The geniuses who created the televisions in my SUV. Before my kids started to drive me absolutely insane in the car, I thought I would never let them watch TV in it. The car I had when they were born didn’t have one and I frowned upon not talking to your kids in the car. Well, the moment they started talking I bought a car with a TV and headphones! The brilliance behind this is that they can watch Scooby Doo until their ears bleed and I can listen to Howard Stern without them ever hearing the word “vagina” even once. Brilliant!
2. Tech wick inventors. Remember when you used to wear cotton to workout in? I would get hypothermic in the middle of a 10 miler. Now? The tech wick slurps up sweat and directs it away from your body like it’s their job…because it actually is. Brilliant!
3. Coffee Makers. This goes without saying but…that’s kind of my point. To every god and goddess at Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks; to every genius who works for Keurig and whatever band of merry angels who make k-cups – I love each and every one of you.
I pity the fool who doesn’t drink coffee!
4. Mary Lorriane Elder. College roommate, skier extraordinaire and proper southern lady. The woman who introduced me to cat head biscuits, sweet tea and Ms. Firebird. Happy Birthday – I love you more then my luggage.
Happy Birthday Valentine Girl!
5. Wax and Aestheticians. I have a love/hate relationship with hot wax. I’m not talking about the use of wax in a sexy way but it a way where it rips all the unwanted hair out of my body in a very harsh and cruel way. And in some very sensitive areas. It’s a necessary evil and my aesthetician deserves an extra special Valentine for dealing with all my whining!
Torture tools.
6. Brittany Bitch. Just cause I think she really needs it, don’t you?
And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for, the announcement of the TrailHeads HEADBAND WINNER!
I need a TrailHeads headband!
STEPHANIE from So, I’ve Been Thinking…
Stephanie lamented that she cannot find a headband that “stays put” and she follows TrailHeads around social media like a cute little puppy. This is a winning combination!
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
Who would you send a Valentine to that you don’t know? What are you doing for the holiday? What did you get or give?
Congrats to Stephanie on winning the headband. And if it makes you feel better I got a card for my husband and he tells me that he didn’t get me one, because he truly is not a fan of cards. But he did get me a Pandora charm, but I picked it out, because he is clueless on this front, lol! Happy Valentine’s Day Allie 🙂
It really doesn’t bother me. Valentine’s Day is not big in my book either but I did get HIM a gift “from the boys.”
Definitely the writers of Rio and Wreck It Ralph. Those two movies keep my two occupied at the drop of a dime. Also, the inventor of playpens 🙂
Bowling with kids?! No thanks. I don’t think I could do it!!! But his heart was in the right place 🙂 happy birthday to your girlfriend and congrats Stephanie!!
YES to the movies! I actually love those two myself and my boys go nuts at the beginning of Rio when the drums play and they sing “all the birds of a feather…” OMG, it’s hilarious. And Wreck It Ralph makes me cry every time. I love that “bad” guy 🙂
Thanks Nellie!
Haha, currently I want to give Valentine’s to the creators of Sesame Street!
Yes! That was a savior of mine too!!
Yay for Stephanie! She’s going to love her new TrailHeads gear. I’ve got a lovefest going on at my place right now (as you know!), but right now I’m not feeling very warm and fuzzy about the decision to close local schools (and therefore daycare) for the third day in a row! Which means I’m feeling particularly amorous towards PBS Kids!!
YEAH for TV when there’s no school. I got lucky and the boys went to school today – woohooo!!! Hang in there mama…
You are so right about those grocery store clerks and baggers who tolerate whining or meltdowns… love your creative list! Have a great weekend!
Thanks Laura! I make sure they know how much I appreciate it too 🙂
I want to give a Valentine to my kids school. THANK YOU for being open no matter what. Mama needs to ride now! 🙂
Agreed!!! My boys went to school today too but I had to run on a treadmill…but I’ll take it! Happy riding 🙂
I want to give a valentine to mother nature. Maybe if she got some love she would make all the snow go away! I got an Astrology reading and tonight we are watching House of Cards and having pizza 🙂
Good one Tara! Sounds like a great night – enjoy it 🙂
Bwahahahahahahaha!! My husband loves to spend money on absolutely nothing, too!! I wonder if they are related!
I love all of your Valentine shout outs. You are so right. There are so many out there who deserve a little Valentine’s love! Happy birthday to your friend Mary. She sounds like a keeper! (My mom’s birthday is today, too!)
Congratulations to Stephanie!! I love her!! YAY!!!!!! So happy when good things happen to good people!!
Happy Valentine’s Day to you, Allie!! MWAH! –Lisa
We should probably never let our husbands hang out together…unless they’re going to take all the kids!
Happy Birthday to your mama!!!
Happy Valentine’s Day to you Lisa – xoxoxo
Congrats Stephanie! Very jealous! The hubby and I are keeping it simple and buying some food to make at home. No gifts given or received as of right now. I love your list and I can’t think of anyone that I don’t know to send love out to.
I love the simple night you have planned! Pretty much the same here with a gift for dad from the kids – wink, wink. Have a great night!
Yay for Stephanie!! She is going to love it! My husband and I are not very romantic so I think I am just going to make a nice dinner and call it a day. My Valentine’s love is going out today to my blog friends, where I have some major catching up to do! It’s going to be a comment love kind of day and weekend. Have a wonderful day Allie!
Sounds great Michelle! I hope you can get some love in for your snowshoes – the sun is finally out!!
I had convinced myself I had won! Darnit! Happy Valentine’s Day. Now I want to go bowling 🙂
Darn it! I really need to do 2 or 3 winners. I want everyone to win!
Bowling is so fun. I had forgotten how much fun it is. I hope you get a chance to go!
clever idea ! happy valentines day! 🙂
I try! Thanks Jenn 🙂
Yes, I want to marry the guy who invented wicking clothing–cotton was brutal! And we have the TV in the van for long trips…definitely saved the peace more than once on 8-hr. car rides!
It was probably a woman! Thanks Amanda. Happy love day 🙂
Haha, love the “It’s Britany B#*ch 🙂 Our holiday is on hold because of the major snow storm we just had. My FIL was in town and supposed to leave but his flight got cancelled…so now it’s not quite the romantic evening I had planned…oh well…every day should be Valentine’s Day!!
Oh no! That’s awful…I’m so sorry. I hate when the snow cancels plans! You’re right though, everyday should be filled with love 🙂
Right now I’d like to give Valentines to a whole lot of College Admissions personnel. Some for letting my older son in, others because I’m holding my breath waiting for their responses concerning my younger son’s applications. I’m thinking maybe I should bake them something too?
Oh, AND the coffee makers!
If you bake, they will get in! Brining a side of coffee can’t hurt either 🙂
Yay for Stephanie!!
Speaking of coffee makers, my friends own a fantastic coffee chain in CT. Bean & Leaf. Oh, my. We go get it fresh at the Coventry Farmer’s Market every summer. And our other friends roast the coffee for them. The amount of travel/work that goes into good quality coffee? It’s impressive. Have a cup there. Tell them I sent ya.
I’d like to bake cookies for everyone, personally.
We don’t have one near us but we ALWAYS go to the Coventry Farmer’s Market! The boys love it. Can’t wait to meet you all there this summer… In the meantime, I’ll have to find a Bean & Leaf – sounds divine!!
Ooh! You go there?! Let’s definitely meet there. We go a few times and our friends are the iced coffee people at the Bean & Leaf booth, near the front. Across from cookies and brownies. Definitely name-drop my name! They’re very close with my husband and we knew them in San Francisco.
That is way too cool. I can’t wait for it to be farmers market time again! Seems like it’s soooo far off…
Haha you never cease to make me laugh!! I love this post! The car with movie and headphones is genius. I always feel incredibly mortified and apologetic when I have to go for a wax. So I’m totally with you on that one! And, tech wick is the bomb!
So glad you can relate…and laugh! I know you’re having a fantastic Valentine’s Day in the sunshine!! Enjoy every moment!
Oh – I can’t tell you how many times the TV/movies in the car saved my sanity!!
I would give a Valentine to all of those who have to be out in the cold to keep us safer – people who plow and sand and all of those other jobs – I wine enough about the cold and snow that it’s obvious how much I hate it and couldn’t do the job myself.
And we are perfectly happy staying in (all 4 of us) and having pizza, champagne (just me) and watching the Olympics.
Yes, yes and YES! I love my snowplow guy. I always go out there and see if he wants water or a beer (for later of course!) and he and his crew usually show up really late at night so we can get out of our driveway in the morning.
We had a great time sitting by a fire, drinking wine and watching Noelle Pikus-Pace take silver in skeleton. I love that woman!!
This is sweet! I’m always inverting letters and numbers. At first glance,I thought you were S/O the television creators of Law & Order SVU! I seriously need help! If you’d of seen my initial excitement at the commonality then my let down at TVs in car (no offense kiddos), lol! I know this post was in another direction but I had to mention. With all the bad weather, I’ve been SVU marathoning my back out on USA :)!
OMG you are TOO funny!! I do love a good crime drama my friend but I’m more into The Following then Law & Order but I absolutely would watch!! Ha ha ha! Hope you had a great Valentine’s Day!
I love this post! I have a love hate relationship with the holiday every year. I think more of my friends break up before or after the holiday because of all the pressure that people put into it. The BF and I are on the same page we don’t feel the need to over do it. This year we did change things up a bit but I made it clear I don’t expect next year to be the same so I think that’s important to lay out…no hurt feelings haha. I hope you had a happy valentines day!
Setting expectations is key! We had a great night and I hope you did too 🙂
I LOVE Steph! I am so glad she’s the winner! And I love my aesthetician too! Can TV’s in cars! Coffee makers, tech gear, and I’m guessing I’d love your college room mate too!
You SO would Ilene!! Thank you and I hope you had a great Valentine’s Day!
That’s awfully sweet of you to hand out the love to all the people who make your life easier!
Congratulations, Stephanie!
I try, Alison! Ha ha – hope you had a great day…
Love who you selected for Valentine’s! I never was big on Valentine’s – but after kids, I decided that i wanted to do as much “training to be thoughtful” as possible while they are young. So every occasion in our house gets celebrated now – maybe not with big gifts, but with thoughtful notes, letters and acts of kindness. It actually is kind of nice….
I love that Leah! What a great way to teach your kids (and yourself) that it’s not all about ONE day.