Is It Hot In Here...?

So, last night Doug and I hired our first babysitter in ages and attended a Valentine themed dinner theater at our church.  Before the show began there were messages from all of the husbands to their wives scrolling on a screen at the front of the sanctuary.  When Doug's message to me came up, the audience was treated to a good belly laugh.  Doug's message read:

Jill, 

I love you with all of my heart and all of my soul.

Doug

PS:  Is it hot in here or is it just you?

To see those words up there {even that last part!} made me so thankful that I have the perfect man for me.  After all of these years -- the better part of two decades -- he still loves me enough to put it out there for all to see.  What a dear, sweet man.  And for the record, that post script was a line he fed me years ago on our way home from a movie date!  Ha!

An added treat was a surprise of {more} dessert at The Chocolate Bar!  We had never been there and made up for lost time with a piece of the Any Day's a Holiday cake that was literally 12" high and about three inches wide!  Check out this bad boy!

At The Chocolate Bar, any day is a holiday. That's why we developed this fabulous cake with four layers of alternating heavenly chocolate cake and moist, yellow cake; all held together with a traditional rich and chocolaty, "melt in your mouth", ice box frosting. Makes any day worth celebrating

We finished off the night with an emergency call from home -- our oldest dog {sweet Daisy Mae} was having a seizure and could we please come home quickly?  We made it home from the Rice Village area out to the 'burbs in record time.  The awesome Lauren had everything under control and Daisy was in recovery mode. 

Thankfully, everything ended well and the sitter, dogs, and daughter were happy campers by night's end.

It may not have been the perfect date night, but it was perfect for me.  It's my blessed life, and I'm rollin' with it!

I wish everyone a very happy Valentine's Day!

Love is in the Air!

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and I am rather looking forward -- for the first time -- to celebrating the Hallmark holiday.

Usually Valentine's Day is rather hectic and bit stressful, especially when the holiday falls on a school day -- the parties, the candy, the sugar high and subsequent sugar cRaSh.  There's lots of anxiety for husbands and boyfriends, wives and girlfriends to find the perfect romantic gift. 



Heart Bouquet
made from old book
pages and jute



This year, our family started celebrating Valentine's day just after the new year.  I mean, why should February 14 be the big day for celebrating how much you love someone?  Don't we love all year long?  And do chocolates on that day mean more than a small token of niceness on a random day during the year?  I think not.





Burlap Wrapped Candles
with handmade book page
flower and button



So, we started by doing things the old fashioned way -- handmade trinkets from the heart.  For each other and for our friends and family.  Lots of little signs of love sprinkled all over the house.  Love notes tucked under pillows, in lunches, the fridge, on the shower door, in swim bags, school books and even a few will turn up in someone's shoes.  Watch out -- you may be next...

 

Katherine and I are also hosting a small get together with three other sets of homeschool families to celebrate, share time together and enjoy some down time.  We are REALLY looking forward to this and have planned lots of yummy treats and a few fun games.

Handmade
 Felt {Heart} Wreath

I hope that you are able to start your Valentine's celebrations early this year and try to share the love all year long!

Blessings to you!



Stamped Linen



 

Coffee Beans & Twigs Tree
Passes the Hannah S. test of

"soooo cute" decor -- and

it smells yummy, too!





Paper hearts
made from old book pages