29 Days of Love–Tangible Expressions

As promised, here are some tangible expressions of love you can show for February’s 29 Days of Love

• Write a love note a week to your spouse and hide them in places that will be a nice surprise
• Make a long list of affirmations for each of your children and read them together
• Bake a special treat and enjoy them together
• Make an ordinary week-night into an extraordinary night. Make a fancy dinner with special china and tablecloth and love notes at each place setting. Light candles. Put on some music. Include your children! Give them sparkling cider in real glasses.
• Make a large heart out of construction paper and list in sharpie pen all that you love about that family member. Hang this on their bedroom door so they can see it each day of the month
• Mail Valentines to each of your siblings, parents, grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins…on and on. To be extra special – hand make them. If you feel overwhelmed by this – just remember that the challenges are meant to be a sacrifice and to teach us how to extend more or ourselves. Doesn’t have to be flawless – it just need to be from the heart…let your kids help you to make them!
• Make a special breakfast, complete with heart garland, special napkins, and lots of cozy food. Make Oatmeal with cinnamon, apples, and cranberries (or Red Hots!)
• Learn how to say I love you in different languages and practice those around the house. Have fun with it!
• Do the chores your child or spouse normally does for a week, or even a day.
• Make up a little sign-up sheet offering times for “Free Backrubs” to your family members (five minutes each or whatever works for you!)
• Host a Movie Night, light a fire, get all your warmest blankets washed, fluffed, and on the couch – make a batch of cookies (hello, ready bake!) and whip up some Hot Chocolate with extra marshmallows. It helps if the movie has a message of love!
• Start your spouses car five minutes early (scrape the ice off the windshield) and put a hot travel mug of coffee or tea in the cup holder. Leave a love note on the steering wheel.
• Arrange a fabulous date night with your honey
• Arrange a fabulous date night with your sons or daughters Make up a Date Menu and let them pick their favorite items for the date. Kind of like “Choose your own Adventure!”
• Buy flowers for your children or spouse. Have them delivered to school or work. OR have them waiting when they get home.
• Make it a point to say to each member of your family “I’m proud of you”.
• Surprise your children or spouse with a homemade lunch at work or school
• Fill up your spouses car with gas, get the oil changed, get the car washed
• Clean your children’s rooms, leave nice clean sheets and blankets, add special touches you know they will love
• Make a scrapbook or photobook with pictures of you and your family members showing love or affection to each other. We have hundreds of pictures of kisses on the cheeks, kissing or hugging our kids, and affection. It’s a nice reminder of how much love you share.
• Have a game night – pull out the board games, Wii, cards, whatever you love –and have a great time. Be sure to have snacks, popcorn, and your inner child. Just sayin’.
• Commit to say I love you EACH DAY to every member of your house and for a nice touch, follow it up with a hug or kiss.  Mean it.  Say it and mean it and show it.  Capish?
• Serve your family breakfast in bed – be sure to put personal touches in there
• Don’t complain.  You heard me.  Let things slide and don’t complain about the trash, the toilet seat, the toothpaste in the sink, the socks on the floor, the {insert annoying and complain worthy issue here}.  Don’t complain.  Swallow the complaint and replace it with a positive encouragement. 
• Heart-shaped pancakes or cookies or even bacon (yes, bacon…mmmm)
• Give your loved ones space.  Just turn off the nag button and give them space.  It’s not the end of the world and you will, in fact, survive without getting those “items” off your chest
• Use your manners.  I know this sounds strange, but so often I come across people who have none.  Say please, thank you, pardon me, excuse me, and anything else you can think of to extend common courtesy to those you love.  Makes me nuts when I notice people who treat strangers nicer than their own family members. 
• Be a good listener.  If you’re children love to talk, talk, talk – arrange a time that you can sit and hear all about their days, their projects, their friends, and their life.  For your spouse, arrange a quiet time when you can listen about their day, their concerns, etc. and make eye contact.  Don’t be distracted and don’t cut it short.  This is the month to really make an effort to go the extra mile for them.
• Host a Family Dance – and truly have fun with it.  Make a playlist and take 30 minutes or longer to really let loose and have fun.  You will be amazed how happy this simple silly act will make you. 
• Wear perfume/cologne.  Many people stop doing this after marriage.  Not sure why.  Smell nice, look nice, etc. for your honey.  Make an effort.
• Host a couples party with wine and fondue or cheeses and chocolates.  Get lots of ideas for Wine & Cheese Here – HERE – and for a fabulous Fondue Party HERE - HERE and HERE.
• Host a slumber party for your kids and make kindness and love the focus – get ideas here and here!

There are SO MANY WAYS TO SHOW YOUR LOVE!  I’d love to hear your ideas – leave them in the comments!