Friday, February 15, 2013

First Ever Valentine's Day Celebration!

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day! Whether you spent it with a significant other, a child, a pet, yourself, the TV or all of the above!

Normally I don't even acknowledge Valentine's Day. Not because I have a problem with it, but because I am not used to having someone to spend it with. I was single for a long time & my daughter wasn't really old enough to know or care about the Holiday. Last year on V-Day (every time I call it that, I think of V for Vendetta) I just made some homemade cards with my daughter & that was about it.
I didn't see it coming, so nothing was done.

This year I was prepared. I planned. I schemed. I waited not-so-patiently for this Hallmark Holiday.
The day finally arrived & went almost exactly as I had planned. I made him coffee, packed his lunch bag (with a card & his favorite energy drink inside) & sent him off to work. When he got in the car he would find a little love note & our song playing on the radio when he turned on the car.

By the afternoon I had set up the table & started working on dinner.

The finished table.

I think it turned out nicely. :)



I made Zucchini Lasagna which I found here & pull-apart muffins which I found here. The recipes are both MUCH simpler to follow than they seem. Very very very delicious!
My original plan was to have everything ready & waiting by the time he got home from work. But (much thanks to my adorable screaming son) that did not happen. Dinner was not quite finished, but the whole house smelled yummy. And it worked out because he had time to take a shower & relax before dinner.


Doesn't the lasagna look so yummy??
We had sparkling cranberry apple juice to go with it. 

My sexy Valentine. <3

After dinner we went to the movies (in our living room ;) ) & watched The Wedding Planner. Then we watched Rules of Engagement until we couldn't stay awake any longer. :) This was such a fun Valentine's Day. So so simple, but seriously so romantic & fun.

Pros to eating in on Holidays:
We had a quiet, delicious dinner.
We saved a ton of money!!
No 15-30 minute waits.
We didn't battle huge crowds.
We got to eat our romantic dinner in our most lovely pajama pants!
The movie "theater" was just a few footsteps away.
Did I mention that we saved so much money??

I would say that even if it's not your thing to cook, set up tables or just eat in... You should try doing this. It was quiet & fun. And it would even be fun if you pulled your significant other in on the planning. Maybe cooking together & then eating together. There are SOO many easy, quick meals online.
We both agreed that we will have to do this more often. We are also going to have a candlelit family dinner, per my daughter's request. :)

How did you celebrate Valentine's Day? Did you even acknowledge it? Either way, I hope it was a wonderful Thursday! :)