Valentine's Day Love For the Kids

I wrote in my previous blog post how we do not go all out on Valentine's Day in our house, but I am a sucker when it comes to my kids and showing them LOVE! I believe actions speak louder than words (for the most part) and so I do like to do a few special things for them on the actual day.

It does not have to be crazy and overwhelming for us Moms. Do NOT add extra stress onto your life making the perfectly heart shaped pancakes, cutting up all fruit and vegetables to be in the shape of hearts and/or decorating the house to look like cupid threw up. Now if you like to do these things and you have a little Martha Stewart in you waiting patiently for these holidays so you have an excuse to get creative; all the power to you.

Here are a few simple suggestions to show your kids some extra LOVE on V-day that won't leave you stressed out or break the bank.

Smoothie Love

Send the kids off to school with a little smoothie love. They will think you are the best Mom in the world because you let them have a strawberry milkshake for breakfast and you will feel like the best Mom in the world because you gave your kids a nutritious breakfast. Make a little extra for yourself because you deserve to feel like you are drinking a strawberry milkshake for breakfast too.

Ingredients

1 cup frozen strawberries/frozen berries
1/2 banana
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup vanilla almond milk (more if it is too thick)
1/2 tsp vanilla

Putting it all together

Blend in Vitamix/Blender until smooth.

Fruit and Brownie Kabobs

These fruit and brownie kabobs make the best after school snack or Valentine's Day dessert. Load the kabobs up with fresh fruit and give the kids a little treat with the brownie and marshmallow mixed in. Your kids will feel like they are the luckiest kids EVER!!

Ingredients

1 pint of fresh strawberries
1 bag of large marshmellows
1 box gluten free brownie mix
handful of chocolate wafers for melting
wooden skewers

Putting it all together

Cut wooden skewers into desired kabob length.
Make brownie mixture according to package directions. Bake in mini muffin tins until cake tester comes out clean. Let cool.
Wash and dry strawberries.
Assemble the kabobs onto the wooden skewers in any pattern you desire.
Melt the chocolate wafers in microwave on medium heat and drizzle over assembled kabobs.
Place in fridge for chocolate to cool and set before serving.

Heart Shaped Pizza

I have to admit...we never do homemade pizzas in our house. If we are having pizza we are ordering in. Pizza night is a break from the kitchen for me! Instead I found a great recipe from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs blog to share with all of you.

Photo Credit

Or, you can do like I may do and finger dial my local Boston Pizza and have a heart shaped pizza delivered right to my door. Sounds like cheating, but my kids will never know the difference, nor would they care!

Teddy Bear Hearts

Ok, one more because they are too cute not to share! These Teddy Bear Graham Cookies Holding Conversations by hello, Wonderful are the perfect treat for a school party or the kids lunches. OMG, they are just so stinkin' adorable I cannot wait to make them.