Lilly's Chocolate Heart

Happy Valentines Day from heaven!

I made the above digital scrapbooking page with My Memories Suite software. It was fast and easy!  (My original post about the software is here.  If you're interested in learning more about the software or buying it for $10 off, click on the upper right button that says "My Memories" on this blog.)

We started our Valentine's Day off today by reading Kevin Henkes' book Lilly's Chocolate Heart.  This sweet, short book is a family favorite.  And of course we had to eat homemade chocolate hearts while reading it!  Yum - we're going to make this an annual tradition.

At Lilly's first hospitalization for a virus, the speech therapist there gave Lilly a swallow study, which she passed.  This sweet lady seemed quite taken with Lilly.  We saw her and worked with her again at Lilly's next hospitalization for a virus.  The therapist had a son Hunter's age at home.  She told me that at that time, his favorite book was Lilly's Chocolate Heart. And that every time she read it to him, she thought of our Lilly.  So of course I had to get a copy of the book.  Hunter was delighted with the story.  (Especially the page with the picture of a radiator heater.  Those of you who know him won't be surprised about that.)  And really, we all enjoy the story.

Next Hunter did some Valentine's math, where he estimated, counted, and sorted, and recounted hearts, and recorded it all on his worksheet:

Then Tabby joined us for a little Valentine's craft involving coffee filters, markers, and a water dropper.  (They love anything that involves the water droppers - I have a box of them that I used to use to give Lilly water to drink with.)

I got the ideas about the math work and craft project from No Time For Flash Cards.  (Great ideas for little ones, though even Tabby, who's 11, enjoys some of them.)  Another Valentine idea I took that we're having fun with are supper "conversation hearts."  I took foam shaped hearts and on one side wrote things like you see on the candy conversation hearts (like "too sweet", "too cute", "xoxoxo", etc.)  Then on the other side I wrote questions such as "Who is your favorite person in the Bible?" "What is your favorite time in history to learn about?" "What is your favorite season?" etc.  I hung them on a ribbon with clothespins and the kids get to take turns picking one for us to discuss at supper each night.  (I have a ribbon of hearts on the other side of the window too.)

Solomon loved being a part of all the activities, though he finally had enough.

"Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law." - Romans 13:8