Oooh... Sweet Belated Valentine

Although we missed out on a Valentine, due to unforseen circumstances, I did still think of a "Sweet Valentine!" I am not 100%, but this 100% beautiful! Just imagine...

You and your sweetie whisk away for a weekend Valentine getaway sequestered in a beautiful shabby-chic cottage on a soothing creek. Very sweet huh!

Take a look at how romantic this little Victorian cottage is. Just enough room for two!

The setting sun would set the mood for a vintage table top setting on top of a white painted distressed round cottage table done up in a pastel pink and lilac purple. Dangling white Christmas lights,  candles in a medley of  shabby-chic candel holders, and a white candelabra chandelier would give off just the right amount of ambient light. I came across this enchanted centerpiece made up of hydrangea in a french compote that would be the perfect sweet little touch of elegance (very beautiful blog, by the way). Antique dinnerware and a contrasting modern purple stemware would round out the setting.

Nothing says romantic and cozy like a Seafood Stew for a dinner entree. Check out the recipe here. Shrimp are so pretty to look at, delicate to touch, and yummy to taste, like me! (Ok, I am getting carried away, back to it! lol) But, I like a good inexpensive wine that I can find at any local supermarket. A bubbly Barefoot Pinot Grigio is great to cook with and great to drink. Strawberries dipped in a milk chocolate fondue would be the best of both worlds, a guilty and not guilty pleasurable dessert.

This is what I would wear!  I am not afraid to say that I am a PLUS size woman. As in the words of my dear twin sister, Laurisa, "Pretty Luscious and Ultimately Sexy!" So I would go for a comfortable yet flattering sleeveless lace top  from Macy's with form fitting Svoboda 'Kate' Stretch Denim Trouser Jeans from Nordstrom. I like a easy to slip on a off shoe like this cork slide by Donal J Pliner from Zappos.

Coupon Day

Today in my Seven Days of Valentines I created some Valentine coupons for my kids. I used Publisher business card format and printed them off one by one.  All I need to do is cut them and bind them with just a simple ribbon.

A few other ones I made up were; one hour control of the remote, 30min past bedtime, favorite food night, ice cream cone, bubble bath I am going to see how this works out!

Speaking of bubble baths, I did not forget about my hubby. I am going to make him a romantic bubble bath with the works! Rose petals, burning candles, and classic jazz. All the works!

Sweets For My Sweets...

Today in my Seven Days of Valentines I prepared my family a delicious meal with love. In Sandra Lee fashion, I kept it smart, simple and semi-homemade! On the menu was a whole baked chicken with potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, and onion. This dish was served with a side of rolls and caeser salad with a twist. For dessert I whipped up some brownies sprinkled with powdered sugar.

As much as I love cooking I never really get a chance to cook from scratch or as homemade fresh as I would like to. My ideal dinner would start at the market and end at the dinner table all in one day. But thanks to things like bagged lettuce, frozen rolls, and boxed brownie mix I am able to get as close to it as possible.

Whole Baked Chicken

I start by seasoning the chicken and cutting up my vegetables. In a matter of five minutes its in the oven and ready to serve after about 45min.



Bake and Serve Dinner Rolls

These rolls are a big hit with my kids and my husband. They are frozen dough balls that you pop into a muffin pan 3 hours before you put them in the oven. I take them out as soon as I get home.

Caeser Salad With a Twist

I buy the romaine hearts in a bag from Publix. They come as two, which one heart makes one salad. I add fancy shredded parmesan cheese, feta cheese, bacon bits, and croutons.

Brownies Sprinkled With Powdered
Sugar

I used decadent boxed brownie mix with walnuts by Duncan Hines. Instead of water (which the recipe calls for) I always use milk. Its just something I adopted from my grandmother. I use the cake like recipe. I top it off by sprinkling powdered sugar over the top of them.

So this was just another small gesture of love for my family! They loved it and they loved me for especially the dessert!

Me & My Boo!

I am a busy woman. Between work and family I rarely get personal time, yet alone time to spend with my boo! My husdand and I are high school sweet hearts. I love my hubby and I must say we make a great team. We are hardworking individuals and that is what we like to instill in our kids. In order to keep things comfortable he works a day job and a part-time job in the evening. So he does not get home until 9pm. I work a day job and my evenings are devoted to what I call my 24/7 job which are my kids. Every hard working Mom knows the daily routine of the work week, and let me just say that each one of these are full-time jobs within themsleves.

1. Work
2. Homework
3. Sports or any other extra curriculum activities
4. Dinner
5. Bedtime

Weekends are hard too because the older three kids all play three different sports. So weekends are usually spent either at a baseball field, softball field, basketball court, or soccer field. Sometimes we have to split up because game times or sports may overlap.

Don't get me wrong...I am not complaining! I would not trade my life for anything or anyone. I love the fact that I can do for my family. This is part of what makes me who I am!

So my question is how do you get that time with your boo?

My husband try to make a good effort. We have local jobs so we are able to have lunch with each other  if our schedule allows. We do try to do that at least once a week, and we do not eat out all the time! Since we have local jobs we can come home. We also talk to each other on the phone at least three times a day just to check in. I send him a "Good Morning My Love" email every morning. (I try not to forget) He always responds with a "Hello My Sugar Pie!" Cute ha! It always comes right on time, though!

This is the time you get all giddy and lovey-dovey! I would like to know what are some things that other hardworking couples do to get those precious moments with your boo? Maybe I can get some more ideas!

Seven days of Valentines!

I was just sitting and thinking of what I would like to do for Valentines Day this year. There is no fun in anticipating a holiday that happens only one time out of the year. I have to think about when and how I am going to celebrate with the kids, when and how I am going to celebrate with my husband, and what should I buy them to keep it from being a repeat of last year, etc…? So I thought…

Self:  “Why agenize over what we should do for Valentines?”

Myself: (light bulb lights up) “Why wait?”

Self: “There are seven days left until Valentine’s Day!”

Myself: “Why don’t I celebrate seven days of Valentines?”

Most holidays are usually celebrated only on day out of the year. So, I am going to embark another “New Beginning” and celebrate 7 days of  Valentines this year with my babies and especially my boo!

I want to kick off my 7 days of Valentines by writing a love note to the ones I love the most! Normally, I would run out to the nearest store and buy something cute that I end up wishing I had not bought in the first place. I decided to make a resolution this year to focus more on what I have instead of what I don’t have. So with that, I went around the house and gathered some things I have just sitting around:

Not much at all! Now what to do??? My idea is to hang a note on each one of their doors so they can have it before they go to bed tonight and have sweet dreams. So this is what I came up with:



You are the cutest and absolute best!

You and Me are meant to be! Will you be my 7 day Valentine?

I love you 365 days of the year!

You are sweeter than candy!

No shortage of corny sayings here!

This is what I actually used:

1. construction paper
2. any paper with a graphic design
3. notebook paper
4. sachet/black ribbon ( I had to rob Peter to pay Paul)

The kids loved it! After looking at me a little crazy...my husband loved and appreciated too! Just a small no cost gesture to show them how much I love them! What better way to have an excuse to do something so corny, but so loveable in true Valentine holiday spirit for the ones I love the most!