We had such a fun time hosting or first Valentine's Day Party this year for some of our homeschool friends!
No celebration of {love} is complete without recognizing the most amazing love of all. I love Valentine's Day because it helps our family reflect not on our cultures idea of love, but of the unselfish and perfect love with which Christ loves us.
{1 John 4:19}
{LOVE Scripture Wreath}
These were so fun and turned out so pretty...
We used a white paper plate as the base for the wreath. First, we cut out the round middle section of the plate. Separately, we glued the colored/glittered hearts to the paper lace hearts, then stapled them around the paper plate. Then we added these precious scripture cards that focused on {love}. And last but not least, we cut red ribbon, folded it over and taped it to the back with clear duck tape so they can be hung in the house for a future Valentine's Day or year round!
Finished product! They did such a good job.
{Minute to Win It}
Next we played a couple of games I made up a few days before. What kid can resist marshmallow's...especially getting to throw them. First we played the marshmallow toss. We divided into three teams and each team had one minute to get as many of their marshmallow's in the bucket as they could. To give all the kiddos a chance in the one minute, each kiddo got to throw five marshmallow's then run to the back of the line to let the next person go!
I don't have a picture of it, but our second marshmallow game was the "Stuff and Run" game! Each kid grabbed a marshmallow out of their bowl, stuffed it under their chin, ran to the bucket and tried to drop it in the bucket without touching it. I loved this! Some of the marshmallow's got sticky, so seeing them wiggle and shake to get it off was hilarious! So fun, friends!
{YUMMIES}
What's a good party without some great snacks? A big thanks to all the Mom's that brought some yummies! Below are the sugar cookies I made with homemade buttercream icing. Both recipes are ridiculously easy. I've been making these for years with lots of smiles from our boys {and Dad, too!}
Here's the recipe:
Buttercream Icing:
1 lb. Confectioners Sugar {about half a regular sized bag}
1/4 lb. Soft Butter {one stick}
1/8 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
3-4 T Milk
* I like to use all organic ingredients*
Sugar Cookies:
1 C Sugar
1 C Butter
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 Egg
2 1/3 Cup Flour
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
Preheat oven to 375. Beat butter and sugar on low speed. Stir in vanilla and egg. Mix. Stir in flour and baking soda. Bake for 9-11 minutes.
Some of our fellow homeschool friends enjoying all the yummies!
All the yummies...
{Love One Another}
Next we gathered in the living room to pass our all of our Valentine's to our friends. I loved seeing all of the bags and boxes our friends made...so precious!
Isaiah and Elijah's Boxes--Red Lego and Monster Box!
{Borax Crystal Hearts}
I found this next activity on Pinterest {of course} and it's just the coolest! Here's the link for how to make them...
This is a MUST do, friends! And you can do any shape to fit any theme or activity {crosses for Easter, Shepherd's staff or star for Christmas...ideas are endless!}
1 Corinthians 13: 4-13
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
