“I will not be participating in the Pinterest Olympics on February 14th this year.

Good luck to all the glue gun gladiators out there.”

–Sarah F., my friend and the real MVP.

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow and I have tried to sit this one out. I’m not a Valentine’s Day Hater, honestly.   I’m barely recovered from Christmas and simply not ready for any holiday hoop-la.

The girls are foaming at the mouth in anticipation of stuffing their faces with conversation hearts,  chocolate kisses, and all manner of Cupid themed sugar love snacks.  The Valentine paraphernalia has been out in prominent display at most retailers since, December 27th (not joking), so my girls are pretty much at the frayed end of their ropes as they wait for another chance to get crafty and get candy.

In the past, I started making the girls Valentine goodies, with a little input and help from them of course, the girls and I figure out what kind of Valentine they’d like to hand out. Every year that they’ve handed out little homemade love notes, I’ve been compelled to make each subsequent year a little cuter, a little craftier.

I know, I’m an idiot.

Truly, Valentine’s Day has become the Craft Olympics, sponsored by Pinterest.

We did the photo with the lollipop one year.

We did a photo booth with Hershey kisses.

2014 saw us put together Swedish Fish with a request: “Will You ‘O-Fish-Ally’ Be My Valentine?”.

Two years ago, we did Kool Aid and Crazy Straws.

Last year two things changed: 1. M and C didn’t want to do the same thing. 2.  V wanted in on the craft-tastic action. So, I took to Pinterest and came up with three separate Valentine cards (*facepalm*)

Smartie Pants Valentine’s for C.

You Blow Me Away Valentine’s for M.

You’re All Write Valetine’s for V.

I’m even more tired just looking at these.

Which brings me to this year — I’m to doing it.  I’m not making Valentine’s day crafts for the girls or with the girls or having a hand in any form or fashion to spread love on the 14th.  I’m out like Obama.

And why? Why am I being such a hard-hearted Hannah?  That’s easy — a sista is tired. Yup, I said it.  I AM TIRED.

For the past handful of years,  I have done the most. While I do enjoy crafting and while I do enjoy the challenge, this year, I just don’t have the gas. There are no conversational candy hearts in my tank to power me through the cutting and pasting.  Add to that all of my crafting stuff is in various totes and boxes scattered around the third floor because OFFICE NOT FINISHED (sorry for yelling). There is’ not place to spread it out. Shoot,  I don’t know what I have. I don’t want to raid AC Moore only to find out now I have three glue guns, two FISKARs straight edge cutters, and enough glue dots to bring the total up to 105 Dalmatians.

What I decided to do instead was take the girls to Target and let them pick out whatever they liked to give to their friends.  I tried to sway them into valentines that had stickers, tattoos, or scratch pads.  In the end, because I don’t want to make everything a battle royal (but mainly because I’m tired), I let C get Airheads and V get lollipops.

M is middle school and evidently, exchanging valentine’s is passe.  Instead, there’s middle school dance the Friday before the 14th.  M was on the committee, and “Oh, by the way Mom, I have to bring refreshments, so can you make some cupcakes or brownies like on Pinterest?”

To which I replied, in my head, “Nah”.  Out loud, it went more like, “What else can you bring? Chips? Done.” Comes the night of the dance, and off M goes, in head to toe pink carrying bags of Doritos for the masses.

But back to the Valentine’s for the younger ones.  On one hand, I have mother’s guilt bubbling up for not doing the crafty card. I’m letting down the sweet-faced kiddos who like the punny, Valentine sentiment. Oh, who am I kidding? I’m feeling guilty for not doing it because I don’t want any Judgey McJudgerson (real or imagined, but mostly imagined) giving me side-eye.  Yes, I care what other people think! I admit it!  And yes, I know that I shouldn’t, but I can’t help it!

I.AM.STRESSING.OVER.VALENTINE’S.DAY.CARDS!

Why do I do this?

Oh wait. . .I’m Type A. I forgot.

And while I may have forgotten that, I have picked up a useful skill along the way.   I’m learning to identify what my limitations are. Saying yes to Valentine’s crafts is a limit. A hard limit.

This is me going rogue, people!  I’m stepping away from the glue gun! Store bought Valentine’s today, store bought Valentine’s tomorrow, store bought Valentine’s forever!!

Also published on Medium.