The Happy Homeschool Mom: Homeschool Valentines Day Party

Our homeschool group had a Valentines Day Party planned for January 31st. A bit early, but it seemed to be a date that worked out the best. I had not told the children anything about it, because I usually do not for those kinds of things until the last minute in case something happens and we have to cancel. But, on Monday, I did tell the group leader that we were planning on coming and grabbed some valentines while I was in the store. The girls had stopped running fever on Sunday and although they and Christian still had runny noses, I thought they would certainly be better by Friday. Anthony had gone to the doctor on Monday and was on antibiotics for a bacterial infection and I knew he would be better by Friday, so I figured we would be good to go.

I told the older children about it earlier in the week because I wanted to check with the boys and see if they wanted to do Valentines or not (they didn't.) The rest of the children I told early Thursday morning. They were very excited and couldn't wait to get started on their boxes. I told them they had to use whatever supplies we had in the house and Anthony and Christian decided they wanted to make Pirate Ships. Lily wanted to make a dalmatian puppy, and for Emmie I thought we would just decorate a box with some hearts and glitter. I got them started on their boxes and started reading our morning read aloud when Emelia came in complaining that her ear hurt. She was not running fever but she said it hurt a lot. I gave her some Tylenol and put her on the couch with her favorite show on. By the afternoon she was worse and it was hurting more. She was even crying in her sleep. I tried to get her in to the doctor, but they were out of the office. They called me that evening though and I got her appointment set for Friday morning. She had never been to the doctor before. She will be three years old next month and has not seen a doctor since we were discharged from the hospital when she was born.

So, Friday morning I loaded all of the children up in the van and drove into town. I took the baby into the doctor's office and left the others in the van with Chelsea. My baby was pretty miserable and had not slept at all well the night before. She had an ear infection. We left the doctor's and ran two quick errands on the way to the party. I dropped the children off at the party with Chelsea to watch them (sometimes it is so nice to have an older child that can do these things!), and took Emelia and ran to the store and the pharmacy to get her medicine. Then I took her to Sonic because I promised her a coke when she had to take her medicine. We went back to the party and let the children finish the game of Bingo that was started.

The children had a great time at the party. We all pitched in for pizza and drinks so first they had lunch. They also played a cake walk game, bingo, and of course exchanged valentines.The big boys went outside to play football. There were 31 children signed up for the valentine exchange and several older children that chose not to participate in that, and I think that everyone except for Emmie that signed up came so it was a pretty good crowd. I asked Chelsea to take some pictures for me, and she did get a few.