Love Week 2016

 Love Week lasted longer than a week this year.  Nothing wrong with that!

We had our trip to Leavenworth in honor of our anniversary the weekend before and then still had our anniversary and Valentine's Day to look forward to the next weekend.

For our anniversary we stayed in and I made dinner.  Hubby made a cocktail that called a Bee's Knees. The evening was lovely and we were happy to be inside since it has been raining constantly.

On Valentine's Day I made heart shaped pancakes for breakfast and then we spent the afternoon in downtown Bellingham, poking around Penny Lane and other junk shops including Ormolulu.

 On the way home we met friends at the new Overflow Taps and shared a sampler with them.

Tuesday night my Mom and our friend, Adelene joined us for the traditional heart shaped meat loaf dinner.  My table had a cherry theme, the salad had cherries and the dessert was a cherry chip cake.  Cherry chip cake is Hubby's favorite.  The candy is all cherry too.

The cherries were a nod to George Washington as our dinner was closer to President's Day than Valentine's Day.

Hubby provided valet service so the ladies didn't have to drive.   We had lovely guests and a fine evening to finish Love Week.

Until next year...

Love Weekend 2015

 It was a lovely Love Week at the Stone House and all of the other places we went to celebrate.

On Friday evening we had old and new friends over for a traditional Valentine's dinner.  The only consistent menu item is the heart shaped meatloaf.  I did make a different recipe this year.  Though no two meatloaves have ever been the same at our house. I don't usually follow a recipe.  I just add whatever I want to add and it usually turns out just fine.  This year though I followed the following recipe.  Well, as best I can, I always change recipes just a bit.

 

Stove Top Meatloaf

2 lb. lean ground beef ***I use one pound of Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage and 1 pound of ground beef

1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken

1 cup water

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce, divided *** I used ketchup and I don't top with ketchup.

Heat oven to 375°F. Place meat, stuffing mix, water, eggs and 1/4 cup barbecue sauce in bowl.

Mix just until blended.

Shape into loaf in 13x9-inch baking dish. *** I shape it as a heart.

Top with remaining barbecue sauce. Bake 1 hour or until done (160ºF). 

My former high school Spanish teacher and our dear friend, Senorita Adelene, joined us for dinner.  New friends, Les and Marlene joined us and we had a delightful evening getting to know them.



 On Valentine's evening we had dinner at Mark and Karen's house.  She fussed, he grilled and we felt spoiled and loved.  Vern and Shelly were there too.  Many of my readers will be happy to know that it was decided to bring back the Garden Party in 2015.  After a two year break we are going to try to find a date for August.

 Karen made Coeur à la Crème for dessert.  Mark's Mom made it when he was growing up and gave Karen the ceramic pan that is necessary for the recipe so that she could make it for Mark too.  Ohmyheavenlycreamygoodness!

It was served with a raspberry sauce.  Karen baked shortbread cookies, had an assortment of chocolates and a tawny port to serve with the Coeur à la Crème.

Diets, clean eating, eat less, move more were not spoken of or thought of for one evening.

 

Hubby and I are very thankful to celebrate 27 years of marriage and Valentine's Day in the same week.  It's a lovely week and this year was no exception.

 

I am a little behind on my blog posts so look for more coming up this week.

 

Happy President's Day-

Happy Birthday, Dear Friend

 Our dear friend, Adelene celebrated her 80th birthday this past weekend with a BiG PaRtAy!  Her nieces came from Iowa, South Dakota and Colorado, along with some local family and gave her a vacation getaway that included many surprises including a party with her friends.

The nieces are a lot of fun and they had games, skits, songs, a poem and delicious food for Ad and her guests.

 I got to meet Ad's niece, Gert, a longtime blog reader.  Since she knows all about me it was fun to find out all about her.  

Oh, and there is a token nephew too.

I love this last group shot because Jo is loving on Ad while everyone gets ready for a silly shot.  They do love their Aunt Adelene, as do we.   Happy 80th, Ad, wishing you many, many more!

Oh, and Ad, Max is still pouting that he didn't get invited... haha.  You know how he is.

Valentine Dinner 2012

We celebrated Valentine's Day on Valentine's Eve last evening.  I set the table with a Scrabble theme.  It was a lot of fun to use the tiles, words and the Scrabble board colors red, pink, blue and tan.  I love Scrabble and am always up for a game.

 I baked more cut out cookies.  I've been experimenting with Lofthouse copycat cookie recipes for a few weeks.  I think I've finally got it.

 Of course, we had a heart shaped meatloaf with some of Max's favorites and a few surprises.  Max requested the snow salad and the green bean bundles and since he will be away at college next year I was happy to serve his choices.

I had gift bags for everyone.  My guys usually get valentine boxers and chocolate, this year was no exception.  Adelene and Kassie got chocolates and treats too.

 After gifts we had dessert.  The sugar cookies and chocolate mousse served in chocolate cups were a hit.

 After Kassie went home Max showed Ad the jewelry he had bought Kassie for her Valentine gift.

It's pretty and Ad approves.

 I had the Scrabble board out and ready to play a game but we were too busy visiting and laughing to have time for a game.  I'm thinking may be Hubby will play a game tonight.

I want to wish each of my readers a special Valentine's Day today.  Remember to show someone you love just how much you love them today and always.

Love you!

I Corinthians 13:4-8a

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 ⁸ Love never fails. 

Sweet Reminder

 There is a hustle and a bustle that comes in December.  A lot of decorating, running errands, baking and crafting that comes with the season.  I decorated for our friend, Adelene, this week.  I use a lot of poinsettias at her place.  I have one poinsettia in our home and quite frankly, I'm sure I'll kill it before Christmas and have to buy another.  Growers love me.

On Friday I was with my sisters shopping in Seattle for the day.  We didn't spend the night this year but technically we didn't get home until Saturday.  University Village, Alderwood Mall, Hobby Lobby and a stop on the way home for a Target and Marshalls.

We split up to shop and then traditionally we meet back at the sofa at Pottery Barn.  Sometimes when I get back I'm not sure if Jodi has actually left to shop.  She's guarding Melinda's bags and always looks comfy and cozy.  Pottery Barn is a fantastic place to meet.  Not only do they have those comfy sofas but they always have a  small tucked away restroom.  If you didn't know about their restrooms you can thank me for that information next time you see me.  Pottery Barn also has claim check and they let you add other packages to your Pottery Barn shopping bag.  Last night I picked up my bag, which was double bagged and rehandled because it was so heavy.  Groaning at the weight the sweet store clerk handed it off to me with these words, "may the force be with you."  Fortunately Mel had scored a parking spot right outside the door, a Christmas modern day miracle

This morning I shopped locally at my library.  It was a wonderful craft sale put together by kids.  The kids made some very cool crafts and treats.  It was fun to shop and to visit with the shopkeepers.  Some of the kids have been very busy crafting so that they could donate their profits to buy goats and hens for families in third world countries.  Gift tags, ornaments, sachets, hair doodahs and Rudolph candy canes were some of the treasures I took home.  

In all of this week's hustle and bustle  I found a sweet rock from a little guy named Ezra.  Such a humble reminder of of my reason for the season.  Thanks Ezra, I love it!