February 2026: The Perfect Calendar, the Brutal Cold, and the Tiny Clay Heart That Made It All Worth It

A perfect February, frozen pipes, clay earrings, and a whole lot of gratitude

Have you looked at a calendar this month?

No, seriously. Go look. February 2026 is one of those rare months where the calendar looks like someone designed it on purpose. It starts on a Sunday, ends on a Saturday, and every single day of the week appears exactly four times. A perfect rectangle. No spillover. No awkward gaps. Just four clean weeks of organized bliss.

The internet is calling it a "Perfect February," and the last time this happened was 2015. The next one won't come around until 2037. So yeah, soak it in. This is the most visually satisfying calendar page you'll see for over a decade.

And honestly? As a parent navigating this chaotic, beautiful, exhausting life—I'll take any bit of perfection I can get, even if it's just a calendar.

Happy Valentine's Day (From the Craft Table)

Valentine's Day landed on a Saturday this year, which meant we actually had time to do something with it instead of rushing through the usual weeknight scramble. And my little guy? He had a vision.

"Dad, I want to make earrings for Mom. Out of clay."

Now, I've done my share of DIY projects with this kid. We've built towers that immediately collapsed, painted things that looked nothing like the picture, and created "art" that required a solid 30 seconds of squinting before you could identify the subject. But clay earrings? This was new territory.

So we dove in. Air-dry clay, some toothpicks for detail work, a couple of earring hooks from the craft store. The kitchen table looked like a pottery studio had exploded within about four minutes. There was clay in places clay should never be. But man, the focus on that kid's face... tongue sticking out, carefully shaping tiny hearts and little rainbowthat was the whole Valentine's right there.

Quick DIY Tip:

If you want to try clay earrings with your kid, air-dry clay is the easiest option, no kiln, no oven drama. Let them dry overnight, paint them with acrylic, seal with a clear coat, and attach earring hooks with a little super glue (parent's job, obviously). Imperfections are the whole point. That's what makes them theirs.

Were they perfect? Absolutely not. One heart was definitely more of a blob. But when he handed that little gift box to his mom on Valentine's morning? The look on her face. The look on his face. That's the stuff that matters. Not the expensive dinner reservation. Not the flowers that die in a week. A kid who wanted to make something with his hands for someone he loves.

She wore them, by the way. All day. Even to the grocery store. Mom flex.

Can We Talk About This Winter?

Okay, I need to vent for a second. This winter has been relentless.

If you're in the NJ/NY area, you already know. January hit us with a massive snowstorm... some areas in northern New Jersey saw up to 17 inches. Then February rolled in and said, "Hold my hot cocoa," bringing a surge of brutally cold air, biting winds, and the kind of temperatures that made your face hurt just walking to the car. We're talking wind chills dipping below zero, frozen pipes, and the Hudson River literally icing over along Manhattan's shore. Arctic air parked over the region for days.

And it just kept coming. More snow this past weekend, another 1 to 3 in on top of everything already on the ground. Presidents' Day weekend and we're still shoveling.

As a parent, winter like this changes everything. The morning routine adds 15 minutes just for layering up a kid who will immediately complain that they're "too hot" once they're in the car. You're constantly checking school closing alerts. The boots, the gloves, the jackets... and somehow one glove always goes missing. Always.

But here's the thing about kids and snow: they don't see a frozen inconvenience. They see a playground. And watching my son's face light up when the park is covered in fresh powder? That almost "almost" makes the post snow, dirty snow worth it.

Snowboarding Lessons and the Instructors Who Deserve a Medal

With all this snow, at least one thing has been going right: snowboarding lessons.

I've been taking my kid for lessons this winter, and I want to take a moment to talk about the instructors. Because honestly? These people deserve so much more credit than they get.

Think about it. You're standing on a freezing mountain. You've got a group of kids who are cold, distracted, and falling every 30 seconds. Some are crying. Some are eating snow. One kid definitely has to pee but won't admit it. And you, the instructor, have to somehow keep them engaged, safe, motivated, and actually learning something, all while maintaining the patience of a saint and the energy of someone who's had way more coffee than is medically advisable.

I've watched these instructors get down on one knee in the snow to talk to a frustrated kid at eye level. I've seen them celebrate the tiniest victories... a three-sec glide without falling—like it was an Olympic moment. I've watched them pick kids up off the ground for the twentieth time with the same encouraging smile they had the first time.

A Shoutout to All the Kids' Instructors Out There:

Snowboarding, skiing, swimming, soccer, gymnastics—anyone who teaches kids an activity knows that the real skill isn't the sport. It's patience. It's meeting a child exactly where they are and making them feel like they can do something they've never done before. That's a gift. Thank you.

Patience with kids is hard. I know this because I'm a parent, and even with my own kid... the kid I love more than anything on this planet, I sometimes lose my cool when the snow boot goes on the wrong foot for the third time. These instructors do it with other people's kids, in freezing temperatures, for hours. And they do it with joy.

My son went from gripping my arm and refusing to move on the first day to actually linking turns and laughing his way down the bunny slope. That transformation didn't happen because of anything I did. It happened because an instructor met him where he was, didn't rush him, and made the whole experience feel like play instead of pressure.

So if you've got a kid in any kind of lesson, take a second to thank the instructor. A genuine "you're amazing with him" goes a long way. Trust me, they need to hear it.

New on BUBS: Snap It, Price It, List It

Speaking of things our kids are outgrowing at lightning speed... we just rolled out a new feature that we're really excited about, and it's designed to solve one of the biggest headaches parents tell us about: "I want to sell this, but I have no idea what to charge."

Here's how it works: Take a photo of the item you want to list. If the item is recognized and similar items are listed on eBay, BUBS will pull back a price range of what comparable items are going for right now. Just like that—no more guessing, no more spending 20 minutes searching marketplaces trying to figure out if that stroller is worth $40 or $140.

From there, you decide. The price looks right? List it. Want to sit on it? No pressure. It's just a tool to help you make an informed decision without the homework.

How Price Check Works:

1. Snap a photo of the item you want to sell

2. Our system identifies the item and searches for similar listings on eBay

3. You get a real-time price range so you know exactly what it's worth

4. Choose to list it on BUBS or save it for later—totally up to you

We built this because we know your time is limited. Between the snow days, the craft projects, the snowboarding lessons, and everything else February is throwing at us... the last thing you need is another chore. This makes listing faster, fairer, and honestly kind of fun. Point your camera at that pile of outgrown winter gear and see what it's worth. You might be surprised.

February's Vibe Check

Here's what February 2026 has felt like so far: cold, messy, beautiful, exhausting, and somehow really full of heart.

We got a perfect calendar. We got a Valentine's Day project that turned into a genuine memory. We survived (are surviving?) a winter that clearly has no interest in going easy on us. And we watched our kid learn something new from people who genuinely care about what they do.

That's parenthood, right? It's never just one thing. It's the frozen fingers and the warm feelings. The shoveling and the snuggling. The mess on the craft table and the pride in a kid's eyes.

Presidents' Day gave us a long weekend, the calendar gave us a perfect grid, and honestly, that's about all the order we're going to get this month. The rest is gloriously chaotic. And I wouldn't trade it.

What's your February been like? Any DIY Valentine's projects that went hilariously wrong (or right)? Are your kids loving or hating the snow? Drop a comment, we'd love to hear from you.

Winter Gear Piling Up?

Snow boots they outgrew by January? Last year's ski jacket that doesn't zip anymore? Don't let it collect dust. The BUBS community is full of parents looking for exactly what your kid just grew out of... and we've got winter gear, sports equipment, and everything in between.

Trade with neighbors, save money, reduce waste, and connect with parents who get it. No judgment. Just parents helping parents.

Join the BUBS Community →

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