{Cupid's Mailbox}

   Anyone who knows me well can tell you, nothing makes me more giddy than creating new traditions with my little family. My kids are all young (5, 2 and 9 months) and as crazy as these ages are, I already miss them being small. I hate how fast they grow. I never want to take for granted the short time I have them at home. The best way I can see to enjoy these years is to fill them with as many memories as we can so that when they are grown we can relive them by reminiscing and remembering together.
  So, of course I was on the hunt for a fun way to celebrate the month of February. One thing I knew I wanted was for each of my kids to have a personalized Mailbox/Pouch.

   I loved this one from Pottery Barn Kids but didn't want to pay $19 a piece 

So I thought these little mailboxes from The Anderson Crew were a darling alternative 

I went straight to the dollar section at Target and snagged two. At first I thought that I would decorate them all cute myself. I thought it would be cute to modge podge scrapbook paper and/or fabric onto them. I also thought about jazzing them up with vinyl. All of which I still think would be darling! But, this time I decided my kids would have the most fun being able decorate their own mailbox. So that's what we did. I ran to Walmart and got a pack of stickers for each kid and then let them decorate their own. Here is what we ended up with.

 

Not quite the look I had in mind when I started out, but they were so proud of their work. They had a ball, and are so excited to start using them! I explained to them that they can use these mailboxes to leave messages or little gifts to each other to show them how much they love each other. This is right up my daughters alley. She is always drawing someone a picture or creating little gifts to give. My son on the other hand could use some help in the thinking of others department! So, hopefully this helps. 

   I also decided on 14 little sayings for simple gifts, and I plan to leave them each a small gift each day until Valentines day. I got all my gift ideas from C.R.A.F.T

Here are the ones I'm going with

1st:     A ball- you make my heart BOUNCE

2nd:   Candy- i think you're SWEET

3rd:    Orange- ORANGE you glad we are valentines

4th:    Glow stick- you make my heart GLOW

5th:    Bandaids- i'm STUCK on you

6th:    Popcorn- my heart POPS for you

7th:    Zoo Animal- i'm WILD about you

8th:    Kool Aid- i think you're KOOL

9th:    Apple- you're the APPLE of my eye

10th:  Gummy Bears- you are BEARy sweet

11th:  Shovel- i DIG you

12th:  Cracker Jacks- you CRACK me up

13th:  Peeps- you are one of my favorite PEEPS

14th:  Pencil- you're just WRITE for me

As I've been thinking more about it, I have come up with 2 ways to do it. You could have the gifts be from you OR you could have them be from Cupid. Tell your kids that Cupid comes to bring love and gifts, and to watch and see how well you show love to those around you. Either way would be fun! I think I'm just going to have them be from Mommy and Daddy. I don't think it ever hurts to express extra love to your kids. Hope you all have a fun Valentine season.

Junkie Sheri