We don't normally make a big deal outta V-day, but this year DH will be outta town on a laborious biz trip, , and I want to do something spectacular for him ( within monetary reason ;-)
We have been married 31 years, have survived ( mostly ;-) 6 special needs kids, decades of traumas and up & downs, and are still crazy for each other. We are far from rich, hafta still live on a budget, so does that help any? :-)
I am willing to go up to $30 for a cool token for Prince Charming.
Any ideas? I am just so brain fried at this point but would love to make V'Day special for my knight in shining armor.
TIA,
MZ

Oh my gosh, I have no idea. But I hope someone else has a fabulous idea for you!

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Raising my baby RIGHT!!!!!!

All the cool babies are wearing cloth!

What about packing his bag with little love notes and small treats including some valentines boxers or a small bottle of wine and glass or something like that? Maybe call him up on the road for some phone sex? teehee.. Another option is to work with the hotel/motel to have something sent to his room.

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

where is he staying out of town? If in a hotel, you could arrange FTD for box of heart candy to be delivered to the hotel for him on VDay.

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Eileen

**Some people are like Slinky's, not really good for anything, but you can't help laugh when you see one tumble down the stairs**

We usually don't make a big deal of V-Day, either, but my Dh is out of town this week, too. Have you ever tried Shari's Berries? They are unbelievably good! My DH (and our whole family) loves them: Gourmet Dipped Strawberries, Chocolate, Unforgettable Gifts--Shari’s Berries® There is some stuff on there for $30. It is very expensive, but very good. You could either have them delivered to his room, or have it delivered the day he gets home and share them.

Usually I like to go out on V-Day, but this year I was thinking about planning a nice dinner at home. He will have been eating out all week and he always wants to eat at home after a trip, so I thought Friday night we'd have a nice dinner, though I haven't decided on the menu yet. I'm thinking steak & wine, maybe.

Whatever you decide, enjoy!

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

My DH travels alot for work. We've never been huge with presents for each other on holidays, but when he is going to be out of town on a sentimental holoiday I always do a little "care package" for him. I try to plan ahead & leave it in his truck the night before he leaves so he finds it in there when he unpacks at the job site, but I've had to send it before too (I just pack it in a flat rate priority box to save on shipping). What I do is make a package of "goodies" that I know he loves & that I don't usually buy on a reg basis. For my dh it usually includes things like twizzlers, combos, reese's pb cups, chocolate covered pretzels. I include a card or handwritten note.

JessieProud Mom to Kyle(16), Garrett(13), and Emily(9)

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I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width as well. - Diane Ackerman

My DH is not traveling but we usually don't make a big fuss. This year I am making heart-shaped sugar cookies. I've already purchased a chinese-take-out-style valentine box from a craft store (ac moore) for $1 and will fill it with the cookies. Thought I would put it in his backpack that he takes to work with some notes in his car.

(I also making the same box and cookies for my DS. For my DD who is away at college, I painted some wooden heart on a stand that I also got at a craft store for $1. And sending some gummie hearts and flowers that I got from Dollar Tree. I got the cutest cards from the dollar aisle at Target to pack with all of them)

Being creative and thoughtful doesn't require money. Time, yes. And I always think these things are more appreciated because they show you truly care.

Maybe notes tucked into his shirt pockets, some cutout hearts placed in his luggage, you could even have a card sent to the hotel where he is staying with a lovely note inside. Some would see this as goofy, but I have been married for 32 years and we still think this is cool.

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I just remembered something I did several years ago. I bought a card and enclosed a paper that I had written all the wonderful things that I love about DH inside it. I stuck it in his briefcase and he found it later. He called me after he'd read it because he really loved it.

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

DH and I never celebrate Valentines day on the actual day. Its always cheaper to do it the weekend before or after. If you do it after you can stock up on clearance decorations and gifts. We either go out or a get a really nice steak. Steaks are easy to fix and always a treat. You could surprise him with a decorated house and a nice dinner when he gets back.

I like the notes in his suitcase idea. YOu could also get a digital picture frame and load pictures of you on it so he can open that on his trip.

How about a pizza delivered to his hotel room??? And, you can ask that they write something on the box like "you big stud" or "I LOVE YOU" something like that. I wouldn't go too hot and heavy on the sex stuff....don't want him getting all hot and bothered and not having you to share that with......kwim???

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

Okay, cuz dh already travels frequently, I know all about the love notes and lil treats deal ;-)
I'd love to send him a pizza at his hotel, but we're middle aged and he's cutting waaaay back on his carbs for weight loss. At our age, and having been married for more than 30 years, I know enough to realize a pizza could be viewed as sabotage from a hormonally challenged menopausal maniac of a wife ;-)
Thanks for all your ideas, folks. He leaves in a few hours and I *still* haven't figured out what to do for him for V-Day.
And this is a guy who *always* outpresents me, even when he brings me airport prezzies. I just wish that once, before I take a dirt nap, I could give him a gift, *any* gift for any occasion, that wows him the way his gifts have always wowed moi-self.
MZ

It's hard trying to come up with that perfect thing that shows them just how we feel about them, I have struggled with what to send DH in Iraq.....We did the care package and cards, but I wanted to do something more, but had to toe a line, of what could possibly embarass him, depress him, or cheer him up a little......hard to do....

Maybe just plan a special night once he is back home, Valentine's day can be anyday you want it to be!

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"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O

This is probably too late....but what about a special pillowcase that smells/feels like home? If you were really handy, embroidered or fabric paint with a message.... mabear74 - something like that might work for DH in Iraq - but I'm betting that you already thought of that!!!

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

Thanks for the idea CJ, I send him pillowcases from home, but I was just thinking after reading your post that I can personalize the inside of his pillowcase, so he wouldn't have to worry about anybody else seeing it, Dh likes to keep anything personal, private......

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"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O