My Valentines

I'm sure I've said this before, but I don't get super worked up about Valentine's Day. John and I don't really do much for it, but I do have fun getting a little something for the kiddos. And I also have fun trying to come up with cute ideas for class Valentines. Enter Pinterest. I'm not someone who just has fun surfing on Pinterest and pinning away randomly. The only times I get on there are when I need to plan a party/holiday, so just a handful of times a year {and if you follow me on there, I just pinned about a bazillion princess/ballet party ideas last night, so that was probably a tad annoying. Sorry.} Anyway, so of course I got on there for Vday ideas.

For Curran's class, I found a link for free printables that said "I need S'MORE friends like you" that you attached to a little bag of s'more ingredients. I decided to make homemade marshmallows in the shape of a heart to put in there. I found a couple of recipes for homemade marshmallows, but I chose this one because it didn't involve a candy thermometer {which I don't have} or pouring boiling hot gelatin slowly into a bowl. However, I found the directions for how to handle the marshmallows after they were done very lacking, so I used this recipe {which did involve thermometers and boiling goo} to help me figure out what to do with the great white blob afterwards.

But like I said, making the marshmallows was easy {dealing with them afterwards was no fun}. I was grossed out at first when I was mixing the gelatin because the smell took me back to my microbiology days. It smelled just like agar from a petri dish, was it basically is, I guess. Appetizing, huh? But once you add the vanilla, that laboratory smell almost totally went away. :)

The finished product:

Here are my tips if anyone should feel the need to try this for themselves:

*I poured the marshmallow mixture into one 9x13" glass pan lined with wax paper dusted in powdered sugar to prevent sticking.

*Next time I would use two pans because they were SUPER thick and I had to slice it into layers before cutting them out with the heart cookie cutters.

*Use a wet spatula to smooth the top of the marshmallow after pouring into the pan.

*After letting marshmallows sit at room temp for 4 hours, use a spatula coating in cooking spray to help peel them away from the wax paper before turning upside down onto wax paper for slicing.

*For my purposes {cutting out with cookie cutters}, I used a knife coated in cooking spray to slice the marshmallow slab into sections, that was once I pressed the cookie cutter in, I could just removed the scraps and leave the hearts on the wax paper.

*I would also plan to make them the same day you want to eat them, if possible.

Not that this picture gives you a good frame of reference, but they were pretty thick.

For teachers gifts, I made homemade cocoa mix, and I put one of the marshmallows in each jar.

I had envisioned some burlap on the top, but I couldn't get it to do right.

Here are the finished Valentines for C's class:

On the back of the tag it had the "To:  and  From: " spots as well as directions for making them in the microwave {not that anyone really needs those}.

{and notice the powdered sugar everywhere- ick}

For Sallie Cate's class, I copied my sister from last year and just did a baggie of yogurt melts and made tags to go on those.

We gave the girls their happies from us yesterday morning before school. Well actually I don't think SC saw her little hippo {below}, but C discovered her goodies and dug into the candy hearts before we left the house.

I had just gotten her that book and the plastic cup with some Reese's hearts in it, but John came home with the Peeps and the candy hearts.

I signed up to bring "kid-friendly snacks" for SC's class party, and forgot until late the night before, so I sent John to the store to get strawberries so I could copy what I saw on Pinterest. They didn't turn out super cute, but they were fine. 

{All I had to do for C's class was bring plates and napkins. I've done more than my share of Chick Fil A trays, so I was happy with that.}

I arranged my work schedule so I could go to their parties. We had fun!

Couldn't get a smile {and just ignore that cookie crumb}, but she was having fun.

And this little lady just squealed {extremely loudly} in delight throughout her entire party. And she also tried her first CFA chicken nugget. Besides the fact that she was still chewing on it when we got home, she seemed to like it!

Since we got home while it was still daylight {absolutely never happens during the fall/winter months}, we decided to go on a little stroll.

She was so tired that she spent most of the ride like this.

I had a great Valentine's Day just spending time with those I love most!