Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to all my ADKBaker readers!  I've had a busy Valentine's Day weekend, with Russ arriving Thursday night and leaving this morning.  We had an early celebration dinner last night at the rustic and beautiful  Cock 'N Bull Restaurant in Galway, NY, just a few miles from home.  We both ordered wild salmon stuffed with roasted red peppers and served with a light lemon sauce.  Russ had the caramelized onion mashed potatoes while I (being a newly enrolled and enthusiastic Weight Watcher!) had a double serving of vegetables which were seasoned green and yellow string beans and carrots.  It was a lovely dinner in a beautiful setting. 

I've had fun this weekend, too, with my little grandsons.  Katie and Henry made cut-out Valentine hearts to decorate the doors and windows.  Henry came upstairs and "helped" me decorate a cake.  I sliced off the tops of my two layers and they became Henry's very own decorated cake. 

I'm cherishing these waning hours of my weekend, trying to mentally avoid late-weekend letdown and the fact that I have to rise (and maybe shine) at 5:55 a.m. in order to be in the gym by 7:00.  I have to deliberatly force myself to NOT think of the piles of work and challenges I'm facing once I arrive in the office, and instead focus on this day and the hours I still have to enjoy being at home. 

In honor of Valentine's Day, I'm linking you here to last year's post about Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookies.  They were incredible.  I sent a box to Meghan last year, all the way to Long Beach, CA, and she never received them.  Some lucky, greedy interloper enjoyed them instead.  But the good wishes that went along with them made their way there, and will again this year. 

Here are a few photos of this weekend:

Henry's cake

My cake

Construction paper hearts
by Katie and Henry

The boys...

Chocolate covered strawberries!

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you!

Thoughts about Valentine's Day

I realize that Valentine's Day is designated the day to celebrate love between two people, but it really extends beyond that limited realm.  My fondest memories of Valentine's Day are not of sentimental cards or lavish gifts from a boyfriend or husband.  The most cherished memories revolve around childhood, the exchange of Valentines in school when I was a child, or the little hand-made gifts from my own children, and especially the happiness they experienced when they got a Valentine from me. 

One Valentine's Day when my children were young, I gave each of them a single chocolate rose, wrapped in beautiful foil.  It wasn't expensive but they were joyful at receiving it.  Some years it was roses, other years perhaps a small heart-shaped box of chocolates or conversation  hearts -- it didn't matter what it was, it was in the remembering each other that the memory was formed. 

There are times when just a card or a note is enough.  To be remembered is enough, for me.  Still, I'll be baking those heart-shaped sugar cookies this weekend, some for Russ, some for my grandson Henry, and for my kids, to let them know they're in my heart.  I'm happy to think Henry may have a fond memory of this Valentine's Day and his Grandma. 

Meghan, your cookies are on their way to you in California!

xox,

Mom

Photo credit: http://www.sweenorschocolates.com/ImagesProducts/rose1.jpg