Heart Elves

For as long as I can remember I've loved Valentines day. As a kid I loved making them for my friends, family, and secret crushes. My favorite were the one's where you made a poem using candy bars. And I also have a fondness for sugar cookies with pink frosting, so making them for people I love was just awesome. It was so fun for me to eat most of them. But the best part was the delivery. We always did it ever so sneakily by leaving them places where they would be found later or placing them quietly on a doorstep, knocking, then running like crazy to hide and watch as they discovered the yummy message. I loved this!

As I became older I didn't see why I couldn't continue to do this. Ok, I did outgrow the leaving them for secret crushes part. And I also saw no reason why this holiday should be limited to those who I was romantically involved with. My life was full of love even if I was technically "single" so why not share it with some candy bar messages and sugar cookies. Seriously. This holiday is too fun and too delicious to be depressed. And I also loved the thought of sharing love with those who may not be getting much if any. So for years I carried on my childhood tradition of delivering valentines to those I love and those who need to feel a little extra. Now it's fun for me to pass those traditions along to my boys.

Ty and I made some Lightning McQueen valentines for friends, family, and neighbors along with some pink sugar cookies and then set out to deliver them. As we snuck around in the dark leaving the goodies for people to find Ty whispered to me "Mom, are we being elves?" "Yes we are my sweetie", I replied, "we are Valentine elves." I think he got this from a Christmas special he loves and still watches called "Prep and Landing." It's a Disney show about how the elves prepare the way for Santa to deliver all the gifts on Christmas eve. He mostly loved that the elves wore night vision goggles and snuck around. I can see how he thought we were elves on that Valentine eve.

And thus a new tradition is born in the Cox family. The tradition of the Valentine elves. Next year I need to acquire some night vision goggles for our heart giving mission. So you never know when you might be visited by the Valentine elves, but know that if you are, there is a lot of love behind your special valentine. (And some people wearing night vision goggles hiding in the bushes. Do not be alarmed. They come in peace.)