I have a confession, I’m not really a fan of Valentine’s Day. In grade school, I was always passed over and didn’t get as many Valentines. In high school, I was never sent flowers or found myself the object of anyone’s affections. And I’ve never been in a relationship with someone who showered me in grand romantic gestures. I could really skip the “holiday” all together.
But I work in the wedding industry and the floral industry, which means that this day is the day where romance and florals collide in the most vigurously passionate way. I have to seek to find acceptance in the traditions of this day, even if that means I’m in it merely for the love of flowers.
However, after almost 7 years of marriage and 2 kids later, one comes to realize the true meaning of love. It’s isn’t always about the lustful notions that February 14th so often advertises. It’s a deeper, more content understanding of what home, family and devotion is really about.
As a work from home mom, it would be really easy to skip over the day all together. My girls would be none the wiser and the tempation is great. But sometimes I do try to be cute and in my own way show them some extra love on this day. In the same way, it needs to be shown our significant others, so I decided to start the day with a little Pinterest inspired treat. It’s not a huge gesture, but I’m a believer in the little things that can make the biggest impact. It’s all in the details and the little ways to show that we care.
So yesterday, I started making this little treat, homemade pop tarts. I thought it would be fun and I’d make them in cute heart shapes. It was only after I started making them that I realized that my heart shaped cookie cutter is only the size of a silver dollar, so I had to skip to plan B. And for the record, square ones taste just as good.
My husband has a big day of errands and traveling ahead of him, so it was the perfect hand-held breakfast for a man on the run and the girls love anything with sprinkles.
I used this recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction for the filling and used her step by step tutorial. However, I didn’t have any shortening in the house, so I substituted this pie crust from Allrecipes (I had to double the recipe) and it turned out amazing. I made a total of 13 tarts, filling half of them with the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture and the rest with my huband’s homemade raspberry jam. For the ones with jam, I simply ommited the cinnamon from the glaze for the top. This breakfast was a winner and I think I get a gold star, at least for the morning.
This just added a little sweetest to my Tuesday morning. Even if you’re not celebrating today, I hope you find someone to share a some love with this week. I think the world could use a little.
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.”
– 1 John 4:17
