Valentines Day is around the corner, so it is that time of year again to be romantic. Face it though, if you love the person you are with you really should be romantic more then once a year. Right now lets dispel the rumor that to make your partner happy on Valentines Day you have to go out and spend a ton of money. The truth is some of the best ways to say I love you are for free, because these are the things that come from the heart not from a store. Here are my tips for a Valentines Day full of love:

Make a card: Make a card from your own two hands instead of buying one. This takes time and energy on your part, and the words inside are from your mind and heart not from someone else. If you have trouble expressing your own feelings, copy a love poem down. Trust me my husband did this for me on one anniversary and I still cherish it to this day.

Notes: Leave a note in their car saying you love them, write it on the mirror in steam while they take a shower, send a letter in the mail, a text message or an email. Just say I love you, it will come as a complete surprise if this is out of the norm for you.

Music: While dating we go out and dance to music or there was a song at your wedding, any how there is songs out there that when you hear you smile and you think of the person you love. You are instantly taken back to the moment you danced to that song and how you felt in that moment.
Movies: Watch a romantic movie together, just the two of you cuddled up on the couch.

Backrub: Give a romantic back and foot rub with some nice lotion just because.

Create a romantic dinner for two: You do not have to go spend 100 dollars at an expensive restaurant you can do it at home. Make a reservation, set a time, if you have kids make it after they are in bed. Set a table with a nice table cloth, some candles and have slow music playing in the background. Serve a dinner that both of you enjoy, and then serve strawberries dipped in chocolate for dessert.

Try this recipe for a romantic meal (so easy someone who is not any good in a kitchen could figure it out).

Chicken Marsala (An old family recipe)
Ingredients:
½ box angel hair pasta
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
¼ tsp pepper
¾ tsp salt
¾ cup flour
4 tbsp butter or margarine
1 tbsp oil (olive oil is best)
1 cup thinly sliced Portobello mushrooms
1 clove garlic
6 tbsp dry Marsala wine (you can get this at most grocery stores if not try a liquor store)
2 tbsp of grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp of chicken stock

Directions: Boil water for pasta. Cut chicken breasts into 8 pieces; pound them about ¼ to ½ inches thick. Place them in a Ziploc bag with flour, salt and pepper and shake to coat well, shake off any excess.

In a hot skillet melt 3 tbsp of butter and fry the chicken about 5 minutes each side, until cooked through. Work in batches cooking 4 chicken at a time.

Arrange chicken in an oven safe dish, place in oven at about 275 degrees just to keep warm.
Angel hair pasta cooks very quickly, so at this point start cooking the pasta according to the directions on the box.

Add 2 tbsp of butter to the same skillet and add the garlic, do not let the garlic brown just cook until soft. Add the mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes. Remove just the mushrooms and arrange on top of the chicken, put the grated parmesan cheese on top of the chicken and mushrooms and place back in the oven.

In the skillet place the remaining 1 tbsp of butter, the marsala wine and the chicken stock, turn up to high to achieve a rapid boil and cook until the sauce is reduced by about half.

Place a portion of cooked angel hair pasta on a serving plate, top with the chicken and mushrooms and ladle wine sauce on top. Serve along with bread, and you have a perfect Valentines Day meal.

All of these are great ideas to have a romantic Valentines Day, which comes from the heart and does not require you to spend a lot of money. There are so many great ideas all you have to do, is sit down and remember why you love this person and find a way to express it.