Love in the Windy City

For Valentine's Day we...

Went to Chicago!

It was snowy and cold...

We got there just in time to freshen up and head to see the band, Sleeping at Last at Lincoln Hall. Which is also where we met up with our best friend Josh, and his girlfriend (she had no idea we would be there).

Josh is a very talented musician who lives in Nashville and had just enough connections to be able to get on stage in the middle of the show and propose to Lisa...

She said "yes!"

We felt so blessed to be able to share the experience with them!

We grabbed some food afterwards. Lisa is unable to eat gluten, soy or cow's dairy products, so basically she got a big plate of fruit that went beautifully with her big new ring!

(She also has an amazing blog about her adventures in learning to cook for her new special diet needs...HERE!)

We said goodbye to Josh and Lisa as they headed on their way to Canada, and we stayed in a swanky little place... on the 17th floor.

We woke up and went shopping... and ate some good food... and shopped some more.

We walked hand in hand, talked, shopped, picked out clothes for each other, splurged here and there, laughed and carried on all day. It was cold, but not too cold. The sun was shining and the wind was calm for us. It was fun to be in love and pretend like we didn't have a care in the world for just a few hours.

We started out our day about 10am and ended it about 8pm.

We ended the day with coffee and a blueberry cake doughnut... and a few more stores.

All in all... one of our best trips yet!

We hurried home so we could love on our baby boy before it was time for him to go to bed!

Made with Love, for Love

As promised, I did not buy my husband a box of chocolates... instead, me and Missy, made them! Nothing too fancy, just some homemade "X" and "O"cookies and lots of different goodies dipped in milk and white chocolate and sprinkles!

It was easy and so much fun and the end results were so precious!

Here's a cupcake order I did this weekend for a baby shower too! Lots of baking and making going on lately! Love it!

Simple yet Complex

In keeping with the theme of celebrating love this week...

We most certainly CAN NOT celebrate love without celebrating the beautiful, magnificent, passionate, simple yet complex...

KISS.

"Kiss me. Kiss me as if it were the last time."

Casablanca

"Love is not a feeling, it's an ability."

Dan in Real Life

"You're not perfect sport, and let me save you the suspense, this girl you met, she isn't perfect either. But the question is whether or not you're perfect for each other."

Good Will Hunting

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return."

Moulin Rouge

"The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and that's what you've given me. That's what I hope to give to you forever. I love you."

The Notebook

“Since the invention of the kiss there have been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind. The End.”

The Princess Bride

And my favorite romantic movie quote along with my favorite real life kiss....

"...you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on."

Mr. Darcy

Pride and Prejudice

Here's a challenge... kiss your spouse EVERYDAY for 60 seconds without stopping... and see where that gets you! =)

All pictures with the exception of the very last one were found on weheartit.

Apples of my Eye: Valentines Edition!

Here are some ROMANTIC scenes from some ROMANTIC movies that get me every time...

I have many more favorites, but here's just a few... and yeah, they're all mostly predictable!

XOXO

Happy Cuddling

Right at this moment there are HUGE fluffy snowflakes falling from the sky. We are expected to get 2 - 4 inches of snow by this evening, which isn't too big of a deal, but it's just enough to give you an excuse to curl up next to someone on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa and a good movie!

Tonight we are cooking at our place with some dear friends and then we will be going to a high school basketball game to support some of our students who play and cheer. After that I will without a doubt put this blog into action! =)

Here's a recipe I found today that I just might try out tonight:

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
• 
  
• Directions
• Combine the cocoa, sugar and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Blend in the boiling water. Bring this mixture to an easy boil while you stir. Simmer and stir for about 2 minutes. Watch that it doesn't scorch. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of milk and heat until very hot, but do not boil! Remove from heat and add vanilla. Divide between 4 mugs. Add the cream to the mugs of cocoa to cool it to drinking temperature.

Happy Cuddling!!!