February 4, 2011

February Giveaway . . .

Sorry for the delay.  A day at the doctor’s and a power outage are to blame. 

Do you love February as much as I do?  Valentine’s Day and my birthday within a week of each other, President’s Day, longer days, a short month, almost to Spring – it’s a good thing.

I feel like sharing some of the February love with some of the people I love {well, one person, unfortunately}. But it could be YOU!  If you’d like to win EVERYSINGLE THING IN THIS PHOTO, leave a comment telling me about the first time you said “I love you” {to someone other than your parents}.

{Click on the photo for closer detail}

Here’s what you could win:

1. A cute set of four cookie cutters, perfect for whipping up a batch of sugar cookies to surprise your little loved ones after school on Valentine’s Day.

2. A sweet red polka-dotted plate to put your cookies on.

3. A glittered heart garland.  I like to drape mine around a statue of George Washington during February.

4. A Valentine’s card handmade by the Queen herself.

5. Milk chocolate truffles, because nothing says I love you like chocolate.

6. A love banner handmade by yours truly.  Touches of pink and gold with vintage book pages make this one a keeper.

7. The most perfect Valentine’s tablecloth. EVER. When the Queen and I spotted this fabric on our last run to Ikea, we bought all that was left on the bolt.  It just might be my favorite Valentine’s décor on the planet Earth.

I’ll close this giveaway on MONDAY at 5 p.m. EST so I can pick a winner and mail some lovely loot to one lucky reader by Tuesday. Just think of it this way – you’re giving me a birthday present by entering this giveaway . . . I feel the need to make somebody’s day.

PS. I’d send the brownie if I hadn’t eaten it right after I took this picture. Sorry.

29 comments:

Apis Melliflora said...

First time I said "I love you" was surely to my mom and/or dad. But I don't remember saying it the first time. I just know my kids say that a lot to me, especially during the 3-5 age range. Kind of like breathing air, you just know you've been doing it all your life.

Cute Valentine's Day package. Feeling the love already!

Suzy J said...

I am sure the first time was to my parents. BUT the first time I said it to a boy was in the 4th grade! (WHAT?) I said it under my breath as he was walking away with his friends! His name was Russell!

I love the Valentine stuff and the trip down memory lane!

Jessie said...

It was a huge deal for me when I said it for the first time. Growing up, my parents rarely, if ever, said it to me. So, I felt really awkward and nervous saying it to Adam when we were starting to get serious. He had said it to me months before, but I wasn't sure it was true love til later. When my feelings solidified, I knew he was my first and only love.

Dan and Bec said...

The first time I said "I love you" was to my hubby! He was my first love.
Valentine decorations are sparse here, something I need to devote some time to. I love all your crafty decorations for holidays, you make it look easy!

TracyS. said...

gorgeous giveaway!
The first time I said it was to my hubby. He told me he loved me when we were dating and I was surprised. It made me stop and think. I love you was not common in my house as a kid and so I wasn't used to hearing it. I didn't want to say it casually. I went home and thought it over for a few days and waited until I was sure I meant it. Even though I knew he loved me, it still took courage to say those 3 sweet words for the first time.

Anonymous said...

Well, this is really silly but it was probably my Kitty Kat named Ishkabible. Hard to pronounce I know but she was a little dark stipped kitty and I really LOVED her. I'll take the tablecloth please. lv to u.

Anne said...

I told my now husband that I loved him for the first time in a hotel parking lot in Wilmington, DE. I wanted to tell him the whole weekend, but didn't want to say it first. Luckily, as we were saying goodbye (he was in training in GA at the time and I was in DC) he told me that he loved me, so I didn't have to go home without saying it!!

Tobi said...

I told my best friend Carrie that I loved her when I was 14. I told her that we would always be besty's. More than 18 years later I'm keeping true to my promise.

AshleyRae said...

this is too fun! I feel like Valentine's day is the pick-me up after Christmas that tides us all over until Spring gets here! :) happy weekend!

jd said...

I'm having a hard time answering this question :) To a man I truly love? -have I ever said it outloud? ...But to friends and children and other loved ones? All the time :)

Kasey said...

1st time I'm sure was to my parents. What a great giveaway.

Ronalin said...

You know when you are dating someone and you don't have to work hard to make it the most wonderful, exciting, happy time of your life? Well, that was my experience as I was dating my husband. We had been dating for over a month before he kissed me. Then, just a month later, we were sitting in his car with our Zuka juice in the middle of the Smith Field house parking lot. Almost before I understood that he had told me that he loved me, I heard myself say I love you too. It wasn't rushed, it wasn't even planned, it was as natural and easy for the both of us just as our relationship had been. It was one of the most happy moments in my life.

Levi and Becca Darrington said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Levi and Becca Darrington said...

Levi and Becca Darrington said...
I have to admit that the first time I said I love you to somebody, it wasn't my husband... but today, I would so much rather reminisce about the first time I said I love you to my dear sweet Levi!
We were driving in the car, talking about the subject of marriage, doing the whole role play of "if we were to get married"... Then I said, " why would you want to marry me?" He was kind of taken a back, cause he wasn't expecting that from me at all. (by the way he had never said I love you to anyone before) Needless to say, he got a little nervous, which I found so adorable! It took him a little bit to finally get the right words out. I remember exactly how he said it, "the reason I would want to marry you is because... I love you". It was such a sweet moment, and of course I got all teary-eyed and said I love you back!

( I am no Samantha Lee when it comes to writing so you'll have to excuse the grammer!:))

Alicia said...

The first time I said I love you was to a "boyfriend" in the 8th grade. We had been "dating" through letters. It was his birthday and I wrote him a huge long I love you letter. I was so excited to give it to him, and he was so excited to recieve it. It was the only way we communicated. I broke up with him a week later.
I don't have a single valentines decoration. How sad is that!

Angela Rands said...

Ok, here it goes. I feel in love with my manager at work. It was love at first sight, and only later I discovered he was my new manager so it wasn't my fault. I knew he didn't want to get envolved with anyone at work so I did my best to put myself in his pathway; at and away from work. (He likes to refer to this five month period as my "stocking" period) Anyway, after alining all my classes with his and my work schedule I descretly suggested we carpool together. At last I could no longer hind behind smiles and hair tossing and had to come clean. I bore my sole (I know, bad idea) and afterwards he very kindly said, and I quote "I'm so flattered but...." Argg. I did my best to pick myself up and dust myself off, I mean I still had to see him at work. I thought I could avoid carpooling but two days after I told him how I felt his car broke down so I was left to cart this wonderful man around whom I knew I would marry but just wanted to be my friend. One very magical week later, he broke. One very fun month later we found ourselves snuggled up under the stars at Lake Powell where he looked at me and said, "You know I always liked you, but I know now that I love you". I giggled, (I know immature but I was 19) and said "I love you more". Two weeks later we were engaged. That was 19 years ago and I smile everytime I think about it.

The Queen Vee said...

How fun to read everyone's comments and stories, I'm really enjoying it. I'm not sharing my first I Love You story because I honestly can't remember it and i don't need to be included in the giveaway.

Bells said...

Growing up we said "I love you" all the time to each other, sisters, parents and grandparents. It was much harder for me to ever say it to a boy though. I have had some seriously love sick moments in my life, but I was never able to say I love you. I would try it out in my head, but never be able to say it. When I was in my whirlwind relationship with my hubby-to-be though, that finally changed. We were having an emotionally charged conversation that almost turned into an argument when all of the sudden out of the blue he said, well do you want to marry me or not? That was his proposal! I was a little stunned, but I said, I do love you! And that was the first time I said it and I've said it every day since.

Aiketa said...

I don't remember exactly the moment I said "I love you" for the first time to a boy, but I remember the first time a boy said those words to me.
It was my last year at high school that I was dating a boy. After a few months (probably) he said "I love you". I liked it, but at the same time was "hard" because I wasn't sure of my own feelings and wasn't able to say those words to him. Weeks later, I felt I was ready and absolutely knew that I did love him so I said "I love you" to him. It was great.


Samantha, you and your mom are incredibly gifted. The best things on that giveaway are the banner and card.

liz said...

Pretty sure it was my husband. In a ratty BYU apartment. Provo in the winter -- so romantic.

christy said...

Pretty sure mine was to a high school boyfriend I dated for a long time (which I will highly encourage my girls NOT to do in high school). He was a sweet boy that helped me through my parents' divorce and was a good friend. There are people in our lives that we're not meant to be with forever but can still help make us who we are meant to become.

Heather L. said...

Wow, I would love to win!!! What a perfect giveaway!

The first time I said I love you was definitely NOT love LOL - but I told my boyfriend in 9th grade that I loved him. Gosh, I was obsessed with that boy!

Emily said...

Cute stuff. I could especially use the chocolate right at this moment!

Sadie said...

The first time I said I love you was to a boy that I thought I just loved loved loved and yet I was so very young! Now looking back, I know it wasn't love for sure but like. So glad we have time to grow up and mature and learn from silly choices.

McCleary Ways said...

I was dead set on going on a mission and even had my call and my 'best friend' from high school was just getting home from his mission!! Out parents thought it would be a perfect union but I thought it would be like kissing/marrying my brother....YUCK!!! So after a few 'hangouts'and maybe a few 'makeouts' (it wasn't like my brother after all thank goodness, not that I've tried) we started to get serious!! My mission call was was definintaly making a statement in this new found relationship, and the fact that he was home from his mission a few weeks, (I know enter Mormon joke here) was stressing me out!! We had the dreaded DTR....and during the 'Defining The Relationship' I told him he may want to date around he hadn't even been to school yet and there are some hot girls in UT. He replied by saying true and CA and AZ. (OUCH)!! But then he proceeded to tell me he was falling in love we me......GASP!! What was my reply......and I quote, 'I know that's the problem!!!" Seriously Emilee??!! It was fantastic, hilarious, messed up, and totally our style!! Ya gotta love LOVE!!!

Audrey Carlson said...

I grew up in a family where I love you was said a lot. I'm sure I said it to the boy in kindergarten that I rode the bus with. I'm also sure that I said it to my 8th grade boyfriend...this is the same one I broke up with right before Valentines day because I didn't know what to give him...then we got back together after the holiday. Whew!

I think saying I love you is very important. There are so many kinds of love. I know I loved my cousins a lot...still do. We use to have pretend weddings with refreshments when we would all get together.

Recently I've really come to appreciate it from a friend. The first time she said it to me it kind of caught me off guard...you know like when you accidentally say it to someone when you're getting off the phone. But over the years she always tells me she loves me when I part her house from a visit and I return the words. I know she is saying she loves me because she appreciates my friendship. I know it may seem strange to tell a friend that you love them but I think it can be as important to let those wonderful friends know you love them just like you would your husband or children.

Love comes in many forms.

Burton's blog said...

The first time I said I love you was really lame I'm sure, because I don't even remember it and sure I didn't mean it. I can tell you about the first time I said it with real, profound meaning. When I told my Bishop that I was getting married he asked me lots of questions about our realtionship and then ended with this profound question I have come back to may times since. "Is he the kind of man that you would like your sons to become?" I said yes and new without a doubt that I meant it. I went home to find him waiting for me. I gave him the biggest, longest, hug and told him that I loved him and would love him forever. I always have been so greatful to have such a strong confirmation that I had found the man of my dreams. Now I really feel like I have to go call him and tell him to hurry home!

Erin Keethler said...

Wow, the first time I said those words....hmmm...could it be that I don't remember? However, I DO remember the first time I said them to my husband. We had been dating for about 5 months and getting more serious each day. The more time that went by, the more insecure I started to feel because he hadn't said those words either. Finally on one sunny day in May his company was hosting a tent at a popular horse race here in VA and I just couldn't stand the suspense anymore so I got my brave on, went up to him (mind you, I'd been drinking most of the afternoon) and flat out asked him if he loved me. Like a true deer caught in the headlights, his eyes got REALLY big and slightly afraid looking but he did tell me that yes he did. In true girl in love fashion, I had to wait a minute or two before I told him I loved him too. Ten years later we still say it.

chelsea said...

I'm with Audrey. We say I love you a whole lot growing up. Having a lot of family far away, we would talk on the phone a lot. Which is probably the reason I think it's so important to say I love you before getting off the phone with someone I love.
I think the first time I said I love you to someone was probably in elementary school...of course not really meaning it. I remember all the girls would run around chasing the boys and kissing them on the shoulder. Kinda funny.