Valentines Day.

Valentines Day... I've never been a huge fan of Valentines Day. I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade but I just hate the idea of men feeling obligated to buy gifts or flowers that are just going to be thrown away.

I hate going out to eat on Valentines Day. The restaurants are always packed full of people and the waitstaff are trying to hurry in and out as many customers as possible. I hate to feel rushed like that. I would much rather buy some really nice cut of meat so I can cook dinner at home and then have Clayton get a dessert from the Cheesecake Factory. I despise cheesecake BUT, The Cheesecake Factory holds my heart captive to the best chocolate dessert in the world- Linda's Fudge Cake. This is no ordinary chocolate cake! Its seven layers of chocolate cake and chocolate fudge frosting topped off with chocolate shavings. It usually takes Clayton and I two days to finish one slice. Now that Jett has inherited my sweet tooth, I'm sure Linda's Fudge Cake wouldn't last more than a day in my house.
Anyways...
Monday nights are my Bible Study nights. I leave at 6 and don't get home until around 8:30.  We don't eat dinner until after I get home. Clayton doesn't usually get home from work until 6 so Monday nights he usually walks in the door just as I'm leaving. Last night on his way home from work Clayton stopped at Sonic and grabbed me a diet coke and some tater tots.  He handed me the Sonic treasures and said he thought I would  be hungry on my way to my Bible study.  I was tickled pink!! Even though it was something so small as tots and a pop, to me it was so much more.  Its little things like that make me feel loved and appreciated ALL year long. Clayton is so good about surprising me with things all year long and doing such sweet things for me. I absolutely love finding love notes from Clayton all over the house ALL the time! I would much rather have sweetness and surprises all year long than get flowers and candy on Valentines Day. I know I'm very blessed to have a husband like Clayton. I'm constantly reminded how few husbands truly go out of their way to treat their spouse as the love of their life like mine does.

This morning I woke up to the best gift ever! It was a little blonde 1 1/2 year old! He was smiling and jabbering away when I went into his room to get him. Oh, did I mention he slept in until 9? That was a fabulous surprise! We made pink heart shaped pancakes for breakfast and both Jett and Tucker were thrilled. Both of my little loves got pancakes for breakfast.

I truly and sincerely mean this: there is NO Valentines Day gift that will ever compare to being made to feel special and loved all year long by Clayton and Jett.

"The Sisters" and Homemade Frosting.

We used to live next to two older women who were widows and happened to be sisters. We referred to them as 'The Sisters.' Their names were Bea and Helen. Very sweet Christian women who loved my family and were lonely at times. I used to walk over there many times a week to visit them and I remember one day while I was there, Bea had just made chocolate cupcakes. She was in the middle of making a homemade peanut butter frosting. I'll never forget how both of them knew precisely how much frosting a cupcake should have. They both knew that you better not dare to skimp on the frosting- especially when its a peanut butter frosting.  Since that day many years ago I always think of them whenever I frost a cake, brownie or cupcake.  They have both past away now and I think about them frequently. I often wonder if they were to show up and try one of my cupcakes would they be happy with the amount of frosting or would they be disappointed.

Frosting will either make or break your cake.  Most people think 'Eh, its just frosting' but you couldn't be any farther from the truth.  You could make the most amazing cake but if you slather some pre-bought frosting on top you are committing a major mistake you will regret for the rest of your life. That may be a bit dramatic but seriously, once you make your own frosting and then try the pre-bought stuff, you will never ever want to go back to your old ways.  Making a homemade frosting is so crazy easy and I don't know why more people don't do it. It seriously takes less than 5 minutes to whip up an amazing frosting. All you need is a mixer, around 5 ingredients and you will be the proud owner of your very own frosting! The best part is licking the beaters once your done! Jett loves having a Mama that makes her own frosting because he gets to sit in his highchair with a big ol' beater full of frosting once I'm done!