Happy Presidalentine's Day!

This is so good.

For a lover of love and Presidential geek such as myself, I don't think it gets much better than Valentine's Day falling on President's Day Weekend. I'm in heaven. And though three day weekends aren't quite as special as they used to be since I started working from home, I still plan to snuggle with my sweetie on Saturday and pay homage to George and Abe (and all the others!) on Monday. Want to combine the two?! Well thank goodness for THIS.

Also, have you seen this commercial?! Obviously as soon as I saw it I was like "I MUST LEARN THAT SONG!" and so off to the world wide web I went to find it. 

Success.

Wishing you a wonderful Valentine's Day filled with love and a Monday fit for a President (whatever that means!) xox

Will you be my Valentine?

I love love!!

In case you've been trapped under a wintery weather mix (or many feet of snow as I've heard our friends up in Boston are!) I'm here to remind you that Valentine's Day is right around the corner, this Saturday, February 14th. Now I don't subscribe to the overly commercial glorification of this "hallmark holiday", but I absolutely love love and I think any day that asks us to pause and appreciate the people we love is a day worth honoring. So here to help you forgo the sappy cards and do better than a box of red chocolate (though don't get me wrong, chocolate is good!) are some merry meri tips for the loviest holiday of them all!

Sometimes the best way to say I love you is with a cheesetastic homemade card! Thankfully I've got a bunch of amazing, adorable and easy DIY valentine ideas for you right HERE (seriously punny:)

* Merry Meri Tip: Valentine's Day means major markups at the florist and crowded restaurants with boring price fixe menus. Send your sweetie flowers in advance of the big day (they'll be just as appreciated on Thurs or Fri!) and since Valentine's Day falls on a weekend, consider a lovers brunch or lunch date to avoid the dinner crowds. Plan the day and then see where the night takes you:)

Want to be "that mom" who rocks your preschooler's Valentine's Day celebration harder than anyone else? How about these adorable "main squeeze" valentines?
Pin it HERE, Full tutorial HERE.
For more candy free valentine options, click HERE.

If you're looking to get crafty with your kiddo, I love this heart-inspired "Bee Mine" craft.

Pin it HERE, Full tutorial HERE.
Another cute kiddo craft idea from favorite blogger Naomi HERE.

Perhaps an adult themed craft is more what you had in mind!?
Amazingly easy step by step instructions for transforming the toy "bang" gun into a "bang me" gun (and where to get the gun) HERE.

* Merry Meri Tip: You don't have to spend a lot or go out to have a romantical night with your babe. Consider cooking together (order your first box of Blue Apron!?) or host your own semi-potluck where each of you is responsible for preparing a dish and you surprise one another with the final results! Set the dinner table with candles and the nice dishes (or at least don't eat at the coffee table (like we always do!)) and enjoy.

If you ask me, sentimental is always the way to go on Valentine's Day and nothing is more romantic than a hand written note. This year, consider getting old fashioned on your sweetie (or friend or beloved family member) and write them a note (or a bunch, like the pic above) telling them just how much you care.

And though Dr. H and I don't usually do big gifts for this holiday, that certainly doesn't mean gifts aren't lovely (right ladies!)? For some more awesome gift inspiration visit HERE (all under $40!); HERE (for him and her); HERE (the most adorable options); HERE (for ma high rollers); HERE (for him); HERE (edible, wearable and quirky), HERE (insanely easy and perfect for friends/coworkers)

Plus, some super cute cards (better than Hallmark!) HERE. Also, check out Urban Outfitters, they've got some serious greeting card game lately and though a bit overpriced, I think having a crude, sarcastic, sexy card is worth the extra $1!

* Merry Meri Tip: No significant other? No sweat!! One of my best Valentine's Days ever was a Gal-entine's Day (thanks Leslie Knope!) with my girlfriends in college. We held a "Secret St. Valentine" gift swap of gag gifts, played "pin the manhood on the man" and wore every share of red, pink and hearts that we owned. It was a BLAST. Love is love people, so spend your holiday with people you love!!

Valentines-ing.

Fact.

Hello my loves and happy sunny, snowy Tuesday to you! With the countdown at 10 days to go, I thought I'd share a bit more Valentine's cheer from around the web. (To check out last week's love-a-licious post, click HERE.) Are you ready to share some love with all the special people in your life!?

These online Valentine's Day cards from Paperless Post are adorably witty and perfect for the favorite foodie in your life (plus an ecard is ridiculously easy to send!) Click HERE for the full page of seasonal options from my favorite online card creators!

* Click HERE for fifteen awesome, unique gifts (from pet portraits to personal chefs and family crests!) *

Another simple and sugar free way to ensure that your kiddo is giving out the best valentine's in his/her class (or maybe as a teacher-to-student valentine!?) These "Of all the fish in the sea, I'm glad you're in my school" goldfish goody bags are too cute for words and who doesn't love goldfish!? Click HERE to pin it, HERE for the original post.

All you need is a heart shaped cookie cutter and some fruit to pull off this healthy and seasonally sweet treat! (And I love that you get the watermelon heart cutouts and can fill the heat-shaped holes with smaller fruit like berries!) Can anyone say Valentine's brunch!? Pin it HERE.

Like what you see!? Click HERE for 10 awesome Valentine's Day ideas from the crazy crafty and always inspiriting Jordan over at Oh Happy Day.

Love is in the air...

With February just around the corner (thank GOODNESS, I don't know how much longer I can survive these winter temps, we need to get a move on here!) I couldn't resist the urge to start sharing some inspiration of the lovey, dovey, Valentines variety. As I've mentioned before, (HERE, HERE, or HERE!) I love love and I believe that Valentine's Day is 100% NOT only for romantic love, but love of friends, family and your partner. So in celebration of loving love, over the next few weeks I will be sharing all sorts of Valentine's inspiration, from the adorable way your kid can have the best cards at school, to the easiest ways to incorporate hearts into everything about February 14th. Happy loving:)

So easy and charming, these pomegranate ice cubes require only 3 supplies (seeds, chocolate or ice molds and water) and 1 step! Sippin on something "lovely" has never been so simple. Pin it HERE, full directions HERE.

Want your kid to be the coolest in his/her class!? Well then these "wild about you" Valentines should do the trick! Admittedly a bit pricier than something you'd buy at CVS, a trip to the dollar store or Target should produce inexpensive toy animals and then all you need to do is attach them to a paper square with your "wild" message and a signature (or even easier, slip the card and animal into small clear cellophane bags like THESE and tie them shut with a red ribbon!) Pin it HERE, more inspiration HERE and HERE.

Adorable to look at, easy to make and tasty to eat - my perfect sweet treat combination! I think the only difficult thing about preparing these chocolate dipped pretzels will be selecting which seasonal sprinkle you want to use (hearts? red and pink traditional sprinkles!?) Pin it HERE, step by step HERE.

Hey Dr. H..!

The best thing about having a blog, is that you can use it as one big love letter to your husband if you want to, and I want to... because my husband is the best. On Valentine's Day and everyday, love you Dr. H.

And this one is for the ladies...

To all my readers, my family and my incredible friends - may your day be filled with reminders that you are wonderful and you are loved. Happy Valentine's Day. xox, m

Loving goodies.

Filled with love.

Even though Valentine's Day shouldn't be all about gifts, gifts sure are lovely aren't they!? And what better way to show someone you love how much you appreciate them than by sending a surprise goody their way!? Here are some great gift ideas for you and all the Valentines in your life. Happy (last minute!) shopping!

Love in Bloom.

Gentlemen, in my opinion you can do no wrong with flowers. Skip the 1-800-Flowers generic bouquets by searching Google for a local florist and I don't think there's anything wrong with having them arrive tomorrow to avoid the holiday markup and delivery crunch (they'll still be lovely on February 14th!) If you're in NYC, Sprout has a stunning collection of pre-designed bouquets at a very reasonable price point. Pre-order now!!

Dr. H and I received Pablo Neruda's collection of love poems as a wedding gift from a very thoughtful friend (who's also an English teacher!) and I think it would also make a beautiful Valentine's Day gift. Inscribe your own note in the front cover (maybe wrap with these adorable Anthropologie heart earrings!?) and let the woo'ing commence!

Dudes may not be into sentimental gifts the same way the ladies are, but that doesn't mean you can't have a little fun with them! If your guy won't enjoy more standard gifts like nice cuff links, a new golf club or sports team apparel, consider this awesome hot dog roller (with bun warmer!), a box 'o deliciousness from the infamous Peter Luger's or perhaps a set of these hysterical Jack Spade "Stop Talking" cards (Dr. H, would you like to put in a request!?) 

Plan a date night somewhere unexpected.

Never been kissed at the top of the Empire State Building? Always wanted to ride through Central Park in a horse drawn carriage? Dying to see the Knicks in action!? Whatever the activity, think of something you and your Valentine love and do it together. Silence your cell phones and enjoy a few hours of old fashioned quality time for two.

And if you need more inspiration, here are a few great gift lists from around the web:

* Via CupofJo

* Via Anthropologie

* Via Peppermintbliss

* And a few more ideas for the dudes via ThePostGame.

Will you be my valentine!?

Love-ly.

Hooray!! Valentine's Day is almost here!! As a girl obsessed with hearts, fresh flowers, date nights, special friends and my wonderful beyond imagination hubby, you know I'm ready to get down with cupid. Despite the overly commercial nature of Valentine's Day and Hallmark's emphasis on romance, I look at v-day as a chance to celebrate all the wonderful relationships in my life and to remind all the people I love, just how much they rock. To kick off our lovey week, here's a roundup of fabulous goodies for all the valentine's in  your life.

Heart Attack

If you put it in the mail first thing tomorrow, your "heart attack" should arrive just in time. Or maybe you need to leave it on your love's doorstep! Whoever the recipient, full inspiration for this adorable idea HERE.

Want to make a homemade card instead of spending forever in the greeting card aisle at CVS? How about "King of my Heart", "Queen of my Heart"? or maybe "Perfect Match"? More homemade holiday inspiration HERE.

A smashing good time!

There are lots of sweet treat ideas out there for Valentine's Day, but my favorite is this "smash cake" from You Are My Fave. Waayyyy easier to make than I would have guessed, this adorable dessert could be a perfect surprise for the chocolate lover in your life!

"You're the only fish in the sea for me!"

Holy cow cute! Whether you're sending your kiddie to school with Valentines for the class or want to make your co-workers think you're the craftiest colleague on the planet, these printables are for you! Available for purchase on Etsy HERE, you just purchase and print the template, then cut and package these fantastic fishies at home.

Hump Day Distractions

If you own a dog, you get it:)

1) It's f'ing freezing outside; 2) This is my first 5-day work week in a while; and 3) I'm in the middle of a good book that I really wish I could just curl up with and keep reading. Hump day like whoa... let's distract ourselves:)

* Simple and glamorous (like them).

* Humans are capable of amazing things (worth watching all the way through:)
* A really interesting article about our brains and why they make high school so damn challenging.

* The easiest way to "have" a lion for a pet.
* I'm an ENFJ. What are you? 

* Definitely the coolest Valentine's Day cards I've ever seen.

* It's freezing here so THIS obviously needs to get made and put in my belly. ASAP.

* I dare you not to smile.

* These people are my heroes. Way too much time on their hands, but heroes nonetheless.

Hump Day Distractions

Invented by a genius. Obviously.

Here we are, at the hump. This week the hump feels huge for me... knee surgery recovery is full steam ahead (and going well!) and it's tiring. Despite all those days on the couch, I'm ready for a weekend. Hump it out with me...

* Ladies... did you forget your man on Valentine's Day? Maybe THIS will make up for it?

* The Grammy's happened. (Wow girl.) The Oscar's are coming... If you are a fancy pants mcgee, you should throw an Oscar party like THIS one (via Snippet & Ink). I can also recommend from experience pizza, good wine and a dry erase board with you and your friends' nominee guesses. Get the full list of nominee's HERE

* This is some pretty hysterical home decor (also likely to horrify your grandparents) (via Cup of Jo and The Daily Muse)

* I need more colorful bookshelves in my life.

* I want a dog and I want it to be able to do THIS.

Update! I tested out the "sock bun" from last hump day and learned a few things: (1) Do not expect this to go well the first time; it's likely going to take more than one test-run; (2) Use a spray bottle for the water like the video says. For some reason I thought splashing from the sink would be a good substitute. It wasn't; (3) Don't use a dress sock. I think it wasn't "plush" enough. I saw signs of a great hair trick in my efforts girls, but we're not there just yet. I will report back next week on attempt number 2.

Valens Part Deux

Our day to celebrate love has arrived and the timing is perfect. My husband, the awesome Dr. H, has been the superhero of my recent bum-knee recovery and is more generally, the love of my life.  Given our shared passion for music and my complete inability to adequately express my unwavering love for this incredible man, I thought I'd leave it to the experts:

* Man, oh man, you’re my best friend, I scream it to the nothingness, there ain’t nothin’ that I need... home is wherever I’m with you * 'cause I love you more than I could ever promise and you take me the way I am * I'd gladly lose me to find you, I'd gladly give up all I've got, I'd call that a bargain, the best I ever had * how much do I love you? I'll tell you no lie, how deep is the ocean how high is the sky? * it had to be you * where you are, that's where I wanna be...  you're everything to me * so please, grow old along with me, the best is yet to be * and in the end I know that we'll find, love so beautiful and divine, we'll be lovers for a lifetime, and I'll stay with you *

Happy Valentine's day to my love, my merry readers and all those you love.

Valens.

Fact – I LOVE love. Hearts, romantic gestures, smiles which have a meaning far greater than just happiness... love is my favorite emotion because it wraps so many other wonderful feelings up into it. In honor of February (“love month” as one of my fellow bloggers (iheartthisblog, check her OUT!) calls it) I would like to dedicate today’s post to something I love. This post is dedicated to friendship; specifically, my very bestest girlfriends and the incredibly special friendship we share.

“My girls” are the definition of unwavering love. For 15 years (did you know girls could get along with one another for that long!?) across continents and colleges, through relationships and tragedies, we have managed to forge a bond that is truly unique. We are, at times, the definition of cheesy, but the love we share is exactly what love is supposed to be – unconditional, joyful and completely fulfilling. Who in your life fills you with love? Though February tends to emphasize love between romantic partners, the name "Valentine", is derived from valens (4 years of latin and 5 seconds on Wikipedia) which means “worthy, strong, powerful”. What I have with my girls is the very essence of valens. May the love you share with friends, parents, children and siblings fill you up this month and every day thereafter.

Image via Pinterest