We are so grateful for our Lone Cone Community. It’s a way for us to connect as parents to share ideas, thoughts, and support each other. We’ve all had to make changes this past year and look for ways to adjust to the world around us – with Valentine’s Day bringing its own set of challenges. Our Ambassador Kelly, has truly inspired us these past few months with her creative approach to all of this change. She’s opened her own small shop and is spreading beautiful messages of love and kindness. So we’re taking a moment to celebrate her – and all the other parents out there just doing our best. Read on for her inspiring take on Valentine’s Day this year and be sure to check out her shop @wildmaedesign out on Instagram

and Etsy!

I wasn’t totally shocked when I got the email from my daughter’s school outlining all the rules and requirements for valentines this year. No treats, no trinkets, no individual names and must be in the school one week prior to their party so they can sit and “quarantine.” I totally get it. No judgement there, but the disappointment is real. Her first official year of school and she doesn’t get to experience what I have fondly remembered as one of the best days of the year! So many special memories of printing out the class list, writing my friends name and feeling extra excited to give my teacher the biggest valentine from the box. The good news is, if 2020 taught us anything, it’s that being flexible is our new go to. We’ve had to get creative in our house, finding ways to still celebrate these occasions in a different way.

There is this saying, from Mother Teresa, “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” It has always resonated with me and during these times, I’ve found it to be even more true. We’ve had to make memories from things that used to just pass us by without notice. Games and puzzles that sit in the playroom that normally collect dust are now sprawled across the living room floor. We now know the best ways to make forts using our furniture and we’ve figured out how to go to the beach on our tv screensaver in the dead of winter without having to leave the house.

So when I read the email, I knew we had to find a way to make our own memories for valentine’s day. We started with making valentines special. We turned on music, decorated our space with pink party decor, laid out all our materials and had heart shaped waffles as a snack. We practiced drawing hearts, adding arrows and scallops and learning how to write the letters BFF. We used all kinds of stuff, buttons, rock candy, play erasers, and crayons to come up with funny little cards. We laughed a lot, made a huge mess, but had a great time.

My girls are still pretty little, but they love to walk down the street and drop mail in our neighbor’s mailboxes, so now we have all our creations in a special box, ready to take down the street as Valentine’s day gets closer. It may not be their classmates, but it’s something. As parents, our kids are watching our every move. In a time of disappointment, they are watching to see how we react. In these moments that feel disheartening, it is our reaction that will impact these kids the greatest. In a bummer situation, we found a way to make it really special. I have had a lot mo

re Valentines Days before this one and I think the “year we couldn’t do valentines” is by far my favorite to date. While it was far from world changing, that

time at home with my family, making the best of a situation, teaches my kids resilience and the ability to rise above. If quarantine has taught me anything, it’s to make simple things special. Make every day an occasion.

Told you, she's amazing 😊 Check out Kelly’s Valentine’s kits, and sweet tees on Etsy, and be sure to grab a free download of her “Go home and Love your Family” art print! We LOVE her tees paired with our Matte Red Rain boot!