Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is not one of my favorite holidays because I feel like it is just a way for businesses to make money. I already know how much DH loves me. At the same time, because of the pressures of the outside world and what everyone else is doing/receiving, I can't say I don't like a little remembrance from time to time!! On the flip side, I do not want him to buy overpriced chocolates or spend money on highly inflated flowers. I'm a tricky thing to please, aren't I?

I'd love to hear how YOU will celebrate the holiday! We are showing our big girls some love by letting them take their first riding lesson here. We'll love on our whole family all day long since Valentine's Day is on a Saturday this year. If I can find a sitter, I'd love to sneak DH away for a movie on Sunday. He LOVES movies. I have bought a big bag of his favorite Twizzlers, and would love to give them to him with a note about a Sunday movie date. If I don't find a sitter, the note will say we're having movie night at home! I have some great black seed popcorn to pop too!

How will YOU celebrate?

WOW... Do we feel loved!!!!!!!

Last night friends gave us a going-away party here in Raleigh. As you can imagine, we faced this party with so many different emotions. It was difficult to even thing about going to our GOODBYE party!! Do we really have to leave? I cannot even begin to tell you how amazing the entire night was. WOW.

Wouldn't you know K set me up with a "blow dry pretty" with E before the party. K always makes me feel so wonderful! E is a doll and I have loved getting to know her. She cuts my hair. AT HOME. If you are local, contact me for her info! She blow-dried and styled my hair and then did my makeup. I felt like a queen!

When we drove up, flamingos lined the driveway. Some of them even had on Santa hats!!! It was so precious. Our friends worked tirelessly on this party. We came in the house and were greeted with hugs and sweet friends and family. MD & M's house is amazing, and it was particularly beautiful with all of their Christmas decorations and their beautiful tree!!!! C had arranged all of the flowers in beautiful glass vases in unusual shapes and a giant silver epergne on the dining room table. These hostesses had thought of everything!!!!

In the Master bedroom where we put our coats, there were signs saying "HENLEY ON THE HORN" .... telling you to call a cab if you can't drive home. Too clever. I love it (that was all because of this blog that I thought no one read!)

I put my things down, and our friends showed me the host/hostess gift to us... a GORGEOUS painting by my favorite local artist, S!!!(who is also a very dear friend!) It is a painting of my absolute favorite restaurant downtown!!! Wow! It is beautiful. The colors are perfect and it is just beautiful. Of course I cried. I can't wait to hang it in our new home.

The food was incredible. I create cookbooks as gifts and have 2 volumes. Our sweet friends cooked all of the food using recipes from my cookbook!!! WOW! They were all of my favorites including marinated cheese, hatcher crackers, white trash, blonde brownies, tenderloin and rolls, pepperoni pinwheels, etc. It was so special.

It was so nice to be in our sweet friends' home where everyone felt welcome. It was so festive and beautiful with fires burning and so many special people who have touched our lives. DH woke up teary-eyed this morning. We felt so loved! I will post pics asap!