Valentine's Day Countdown Calendar!

I told you the other day that I LOVE Valentine's Day, right?!  It's over a month away still, but we're ready for it here already.  This year instead of trying to squish a ton of stuff into one day, we're spreading out the love over the weeks of February leading up to the 14th by doing a Valentine's Day Countdown Calendar!

This huge vintage chalkboard that I found from an adorable new little craft boutique {stitched.} was a bargain at just $22 and I'm loving it.  I already used it for our Christmas Countdown Calendar and it's all ready to go for the Day of Love now too.

 

I used "Chalk Ink" pens to write because I'm horrible at writing with real chalk.  Those pens are amazing!  

Then I just cut out some little hearts on my Silhouette and clipped them onto a piece of jute wrapped onto the chalkboard.  Some of the little hearts are flipping around so I taped them down {and they're still flipping around... oh well!}

Every day starting on February 1st and leading up to February 14th, each heart will have something written on the back- a fun activity, craft, special treat, love note, heart shaped meal... and more!

Here are the things I'm planning on for our 14 day Valentine's Day Countdown {The order of these activities will change around for sure because I'll probably write the next day's activity on the back of the heart the night before once I decide if that activity, craft, meal or whatever will actually work into our schedule for the next day...}

#1:  Enjoy Valentine's Day Chex Mix while listening to one of their favorite Valentine's Day books

 {photo via my xoxo board on Pinterest}

#2: Make Valentines to send in the mail to grandparents.  Here's what we made last year... I love looking at Luke's little Cupid foot.  We made one for Daddy too, and it's already hanging on our wall this year.

 

#3: Surprise someone special with flowers, like their teacher, classroom helper, or Mom :).  We're fortunate to have gorgeous pink and white flowers blooming in our front yard... not peonies like this, but still very pretty.

 

{photo via my pretty in pink board on Pinterest} 

#4: Surprise neighbors with a little treat... maybe something sweet like these cupcakes topped with heart shaped brownies that we made last year.

#5: We're going to make a hanging heart birdseed craft to hang from our trees.

 

{photo via my xoxo board on Pinterest}

#6:  A special little treat with a heart shaped chipboard mini book I'm making for them will be waiting in their mailboxes.

#7: A special dessert, like maybe these peanut butter blossoms with heart shaped Reese's on top like we made and loved last year.

#8: Decorate sugar cookies 

{using my very favorite sugar cookie recipe!}

#9: Make "Love Shacks" like these we made last year.  

{Look at that crazy sugar-filled smile!}

#10: Surprise the boys with a heart-shaped lunch, something like this adorable lunch...

{photo via my xoxo board on Pinterest}

#11: A special heart shaped breakfast on a weekend day before Valentine's Day {since the actual day is on a Tuesday and that's one of our early mornings here, there's no way we'd have time for a fun breakfast that day!}  I'm thinking the menu will have some goodies like this on it...

{these 3 breakfast photos with sources can be found on my xoxo board on Pinterest}

#12: Make Valentines together to hand out to classmates.  Here's what we made last year... we're still deciding on what to make this year!

 {idea from Seasonal Expressions}

{printable from How Does She?}

#13: You've Got Mail!  
Mailboxes will be filled with love notes from Mommy and Daddy, along with lots of little sweets.  I'll post a separate post about my piano decorations soon, including instructions to make your red heart burlap wreath... I'm in love with it!

#14:  It's Valentine's Day!!!  
This day will be filled with goodies and sweets, along with our annual quiet, romantic dinner for 5 {minus the quiet, romantic part!}  We also give the boys a gift, festively wrapped, each year on Valentine's Day.

{photo via my it's a wrap board on Pinterest}

Whew!!  I told you we love Valentine's Day around here, right?  EVERY morning already my boys are asking if there is something waiting for them in their mailboxes.  We're excited to get started here on February 1st!

I'm hoping by listing out our 14 activities here that I will be much better about actually doing them than I ended up doing with our Christmas Countdown... oops!  I'd love to see your ideas and decorations for Valentine's Day too.  Feel free to leave a comment with a link to your blog!  xoxo

I'm linking up to some of my favorite places!