I'm no Cupid

but for what it's worth, I'm embracing my own version of Valentine's Day.

I feel like Valentine’s Day is divisive. Either you love it or hate it. I tend to fall into the latter category. I hate any holiday that feels performative. My anxiety inevitably makes me bungle up any elaborate plans.

Somewhere along the line my husband and I stopped celebrating the holiday with big romantic gestures. Our dinner reservations turned into a tradition of cooking eggplant or chicken parmesan at home. Instead of cooking from scratch tonight, I’m relying on a freezer version of our go-to “fancy” dinner.

We did end up going on an impromptu date (with a 1.5-year-old in tow) on Saturday night. My mother-in-law offered to watch my daughter so we were able to head downtown to our local independent bookstore. It was freezing and rainy outside and I thought for sure no one would be out. We finally found parking, picked out a stack of new books, and ate dinner at a Mediterranean spot. Once we put the baby in bed, we played A Little Wordy together. No one prepares you for how romance changes after kids. We’re still figuring it out but I feel really grateful for the small, spontaneous moments of connection.

Can I admit something? My daughter went to Pre-K today with store-bought Fun Dip with her name written in Sharpie on the bottom. No elaborate toys and printables this year. My son isn’t in school today so we skipped Valentine’s goodies altogether. And you know what? It’s OKAY. I’m still a great mom. Today, instead of showing my local Publix how much I love them by spending bookoodles of money on plastic crap that’s going to end up in a landfill anyways, I want to focus on showing my crew how much I love them through acts of service.

If you’re looking for some low-key (and very last-minute) ways to celebrate today, here are a few ideas:

• text a friend you’ve been neglecting and tell them why they mean so much to you

• bring your significant other their favorite snack home and have it waiting for when they walk in the door

• make a mocktail to go with your regular dinner to elevate the evening

• wear red and pink pajamas

• burn a floral-scented candle and watch your favorite Rom-Com on TV

• take a few extra moments for yourself and add a step to your skincare routine you don’t make time for daily

I wasn’t planning on a post today so thanks for sticking with me through the rambling. I appreciate you today and every day!

And if you were wondering…I’ll probably end the evening in bed with my fictional book boyfriend, Jamie from Outlander. (I’m flying through the 1st book, BTW!) Tell me who your favorite book boyfriend is in the comments!