Red plates.....for love.

HaPpY VaLenTine'S DaY!

It's no secret that I appreciate small moments -

as a mom of a teenager and tween-ager, I am reminded

daily about just how fast time is passing.  However, one

of the many benefits of getting to this point in my parenthood

journey is to learn how the seemingly 'little' things I have 

done for and with my girls are appreciated and loved........

Let me explain.....

My teenager is in the midst of applying to Catholic high school -

it's a process, albeit a bit stressful and involving lots of paperwork and essays

and interviews.......  This past weekend we had the

'big' interview at her school of choice.  My teenager was

asked about family traditions.  The interviewer was really 

wanting to know about our religious traditions but my daughter 

talked about our RED PLATE tradition

{and I may have felt a lump in my throat}.

I thought it would be fun to share {again}.

Long before the days of Pinterest or blogs - early in my

days as a new mother, I read about creating easy, small family

traditions.  One of the suggestions was to award children's big

and small accomplishments with a red dinner plate.

I purchased a couple plastic red plates and have tried

my best to surprise my girls with their place set at dinner with a red

plate when they do well on a spelling test, lose a tooth,

win a soccer game, play a violin recital....you get the idea.

I share this, not to increase my chances for Mother of the Year

or make anyone feel inadequate.

I share this because while Pinterest and blogs are wonderful,

they can often lead us momma's to feel overwhelmed, 

especially around these holidays - like today.

I share this for all mothers of wee ones  and big ones - just beginning

or in the middle or this wonderful journey that often feels completely thankless,

draining and overwhelming.......

I have been guilty of overindulging my children 

with expensive gifts, inviting way too many

six years olds to a birthday party, insisting on a homemade

birthday cake that required me to stay up frosting into the 

wee hours of the night and planning 'perfect' vacations.....

among many other crazy things us momma's do.

{raise your hand if you were up late last night making homemade Valentine's}

This weekend, during a high school interview, I learned

how something as simple as a plastic red plate, could 

mean so much....

And how could I not use the red plates this morning?

The photos above were taken late last night 

{yes, I still have alot to learn}so

I apologize for the bad light.  

Oh, and those plates......they may just might show

up on someone's wedding day too....but I can't

think about that right now - high school looming 

next year is almost too much to handle right now.

May love find you today.......