To read the papers and to listen to the news...one would think the country is in terrible trouble.  You do not get that impression whey you travel the back roads and the small towns do care about their country and wish it well.  -Charles Kuralt, Journalist 1934-1977

a little letter.

This post is for all of you people out there (and I've met my fair share of them...in fact, for a little while, I was one of them) who think Valentine's Day is the lamest holiday on the planet.

This is an Open Letter To All Valentine's Day Haters:

I love you.

Maybe it's just the candy talking or maybe I overdosed on sour patch kids, white/pink/red m&ms, and carmel filled chocolate (I may have eaten that much candy yesterday...)...because even though it's not Valentine's Day I am going to proclaim my love for you.  I loved you yesterday and I'm saying it today, too.

Oh Dear Valentine's Day Hater,

You do realize that no one said that Valentine's Day is the only day that people are allowed to celebrate their love for each other, right?  People who celebrate Valentine's Day also say 'I love you' in many other ways on all the other days of the year, too.  And for all of you single and unattached people, no one said that Valentine's Day had to be a strictly romantic lovers holiday.

So instead of going with all of the cliched and stereotypical versions of Valentine's day we go with our own version around here.  We make it the holiday we want it to be and now I love Valentine's Day....

For all of you who think it's lame that someone is making you pick one day a year to show your love for your one true love:

1. Decide every Valentine's Day that you will use it as a reminder to give and show love to your one and only true love(s) everyday this coming year.

2. Celebrate more than just your significant other.  Create special memories for the significant people in your life...mom, dad, brother, sister, children, grandma, grandpa, etc.  In your world, change the definition for Valentine's Day. Do something for the people you love that you really wouldn't do the entire rest of the year.  For us, I let my kids eat candy for breakfast on Valentine's day.  And it's a big deal.  They look forward to it every year.  We get all of their favorite candy and cover our kitchen table in it. They get to eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

*A couple of other extra special things that we do:  I get up while the kids are still sleeping and with my ninja like stealth I make pumpkin heart shaped muffins (this is something I don't do the rest of the year...the getting up extra early part...). I set the table with all kinds of fun heart festive-ness and write them a love note (I do this everyday of the school year so I try to make it extra long) or some creative version of a love note (this year I got a heart box for each of them and wrote a bunch of little snippets on lots of different colored pieces of paper, each with a sweet thought about them, compliment, or bit of gratitude for them,etc.).

For those of you who think you can't celebrate Valentine's Day unless you have a significant other: 

Valentine's Day can be the day of the year that you decide to create a day of random acts of kindness or mindful acts of kindness for the people you love like your mom, dad, brother, sister, friend, grandma, grandpa, etc.  They will love your love...even on this forced, lame holiday. :)

Here are some specific ideas:

*choose a service project that you get involved in on every February 14th.

*write letters to thank significant people who shaped your world

*give a surprise visit to someone who doesn't get visitors (a person in a nursing home who has no family or friends that visits them)

*hand out notes of gratitude at work to those you appreciate

Valentine's Day can be whatever you want it to be.  There are no set rules as to how Valentine's Day has to be done...and if you think that there are set rules then it's time to break them...or you can just keep hating Valentine's day. :)

the end.

(steps off soap box)

(*gotta love that we are mixing holiday decor around here...the girls' birthday party decorations are still up, too!)

 I'll do it tomorrow.

It is 3:00 your kids are out of school its time for homework, dinner and extra activities - you are balancing this with all the other commitments we as parents have , but is there time for exercise?? You and your kids need exercise so get outside.. kids running around in the backyard is good exercise for you and them. Break the mindset that if your workout is not the traditional gym workout it does not count. Just move!

We adults often forget..exercise is suppose to be fun. The goal is to get your heart rate up for 30 minutes or more ...so laugh and be with your kids. Take care of yourself and be a inspiring role model.

My favorite suggestions:

play tag

run relay races(run frontwards, backwards, sideways, skip, leap - just keep moving)

toss the football or kick a soccerball

Take the excuses away - laugh and get fit! This Monday really move it!

Michelle is a certified personal trainer with over 15 years of experience. She helps individuals successfully optimize thier fitness potential through personalized programs that combine the latest exercise techniques, nutrition, diet analysis and coaching. Michelle comes to you with all of the equipment needed for your workouts, so making time for yourself around a busy schedule is easy.
email: mleonhardt@carolina.rr.com  phone: 704.277.3713

no excuses. LIFE.

funny faces.

I love it when kids get comfortable with the camera and all of the people around them so quickly and easily.  They want to accept people and that's a gift as adults that somehow falls more by the wayside than we'd like it to.  Our cynical, critical, judging side comes out and in a second we want to suck it all back in and wish it never came out.

This sweet boy was so much fun with all of his dramatic and silly and all over the place faces.  So glad I got to meet him!

Getting to hang out with kids who love to be themselves with all of their silliness, crazy funny faces, happy to be your friend nature, quiet looks and energy filled love and happiness...and even the emotional breakdowns mid photo shoot...is the fun part of what I get to do.

filled. LIFE.

model search.

We are currently looking for families who would be willing to model for upcoming photo shoots over the next few months.  You must live in the Charlotte area or within 25 miles of the city.  If you would like to be considered or know someone who would be a perfect family for this project please send a family picture and your/their contact information to:

davina at davinafear dot com

photo. LOVE.