Sweets for your sweeties
VALENTINE’S DAY is next week and here are some ideas to make your Valentine’s Day a little more fun and a lot less expensive, according to www.LivingOnADime.com.
Take two pieces of construction paper and cut a big heart out of each one. Staple or glue the edges together and write your Valentine’s name and a note on the outside and fill with candy.
Serve everything red for the day. Serve red Jell-O, red pudding, red apples, toast with strawberry jelly, tomato soup, red applesauce, red Kool-Aid, strawberry milk or red frosted cookies. Use powdered food coloring from the cake store to get the deepest shade of red. Leave sticks of red gum in your Valentine’s Day cards. Make heart-shaped Valentine cookies. Cut the kids (or hubby’s) sandwiches with a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make a heart sandwich. Add a few Valentine chocolates and put notes in red with big hearts on their napkins.
Make red heart-shaped cupcakes. Make cupcakes as usual, but place a marble down the side of the muffin tin between the muffin tin and each cupcake cup. This will make heart-shaped cupcakes.
Make a treasure hunt for your spouse. Start by mailing or e-mailing the first clue. Then leave clues all over the house, yard, car, or the office telling your spouse where to look for the next one. End the hunt by having a picnic on your living room floor. Use some candles, lay a soft blanket on the floor, put on some soft music and have a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. White Christmas lights add additional romantic lighting. Use your imagination and have fun; the simple things are the ones people remember.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day after the official day is over. Everything is half off.
Mail a love letter to your hubby’s work.
Use lipstick to make hearts and love notes on the rear view mirror, car windows, bathroom mirror or windows of the house. Leave a kiss on his napkin for lunch or dinner.
Buy a package of the cheap Valentine cards. Leave a message on each one and hide them all over the house or the office for your honey. She will get to enjoy the gift for months if you hide them well. Make a bunch of hearts out of construction paper with a love note on each one. Paste them all over the front door or car before your hubby and kids come home from school or work.
Classes, lectures and such
Have a difficult child or want to prevent future problems? For parents of children ages 2 to 10, the Incredible Years Parenting Program can help. The workshop will be held Tuesday, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Sacred Heart Providence Center, 101 W. Eighth Ave. There is no charge. For more information, call 389-2930.
Valentine’s Day at the Library with stories, songs, crafts and cookies takes place this week at various locations throughout Spokane. This event is free and open to the public, no reservations required. Thursday: 4 p.m. at Shadle Park Library, 2111 W. Wellesley Ave.; Friday: 3:45 p.m. at Hillyard Library, 4003 N. Cook St.; 4 p.m. at East Side Library, 524 S. Stone St.; 4 p.m. at Indian Trail Library, 4909 W. Barnes Road; 11 a.m. at Downtown Library, 906 W. Main Ave.; and 11 a.m. at South Hill Library, 3324 S. Perry St. For more information, call 444-5307.
Spokane Park and Recreation Department’s Seventh Annual Barbie Party, for ages 4 to 7, will be held Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. at the Southside Senior Activity and Community Center. The event will have a pink salon, DJ dance party, pink party favors, a Barbie doll style show and more. For information, call 625-6200.