For the past 16 years, I’ve known two things I’m doing for sure every February.
One is elaborate, punny homemade valentines for my kids’ classmates. I don’t look down my nose at boxed valentines by any means, but I have had so much fun (and spent so much time and money) making my own. Over the years, I’ve done:
- Mini-whoopie cushions tied with red-and-white string to cards that say, “Whoopie! It’s Valentine’s Day!”
- Cello bags with red and pink bubble gum and a Hershey’s kiss with tags that say, “Blow me a kiss, valentine!”
- Sunglasses with a card reading, “Valentine, you make the world brighter!”
- Mini flashlights with stickers that say, “You light up my life, valentine!”
For a few years, I did these just for one kid. Then, for many years, I did them for both kids. In seventh grade, Rowan said she didn’t want anything cutesy, just a bag of candy to hand out, and I was back to doing them for only one kid again. Last year, Georgia and I compromised on custom stickers that said, “My mom made me hand these out” attached to Rice Krispy Treats. This year, her own seventh grade year, she has eschewed even that with a firm hand.
“Just a bag of candy to hand out, please, Mom.”
And just like that, I’m done with that part of my life.
The other thing I always knew I was doing was making my “famous” King Cake Cupcakes for the school pre-Mardi Gras break bake sale.
I made them on a whim back in 2009 for Rowan’s day care – I had purple, green, and gold food dye leftover from another Carnival-themed baking project and I had an abundance of King Cake babies from general excessive King Cake consumption, so I just whipped up a batch of tri-color cupcakes, piped on a swirl of cinnamon-cream cheese frosting, and topped each one with a King Cake baby.
They were so wildly popular that I’ve been making them ever since. I have had my share of professional achievements and personal accolades over the years, but somehow nothing ever filled me with quite as much pride as watching my cupcakes be the hot item at the grade-school bake sale.
But Georgia’s school doesn’t allow homemade treats due to allergy and food safety reasons (which I totally get!), and so the batch I make for Rowan’s Speech & Debate tournament bake sale this year – her senior year – will likely be the last hurrah for my signature baked good.
And just like that, I’m done with that part of my life.
I guess I’m not really sure what comes next, y’all. Of course, I will find other things to take up my time and money. I will read more books; I will take more baths; I will go on more dates with my husband; I’ve already joined a local aid group that cooks weekly meals for those in need. But on a larger scale, as I’m stepping back from my role as Pinterest Mom, which was such a huge part of my identity, I’m struggling with who exactly I am now and how I can take what these valentines and cupcakes represented – love and dedication and even creativity – and broaden it into other areas of my life.
It’s not the easiest transition, but I know it’s a natural part of life. And I know that my kids know that my love and dedication is still there, ready to be tapped in whatever form they want.
I will never be done with that part of my life, ever.
But I wonder if, maybe, just for this year, I could make elaborate, punny homemade valentines and maybe some pet-friendly cupcakes for my dogs and all of their neighborhood dog friends?
