ok, little birdies...
Any ideas on what to get hubby for V-day? Is cooking him a good meal too generic? Honestly, I'm just so glad he'll be home from training tomorrow night. This gone-5-days-in-a-row-deal has been a pain. I asked him, and he was not much help. I already bought some chocolates, though they aren't as good as the ones he had sent to me.
Bear suggested we make a heart-shaped cake. Sweet girl. We still have a couple of pieces left from the cake we made last weekend....they are probably kind of stale, though.
Showing posts with label Valentine's Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Valentine's Day. Show all posts
Thursday, February 11, 2010
an afternoon truffle break
Ok, so at this rate my dozen truffles will be gone before Sunday, the actual Valentine's Day. I just stuck Buddy in his crib for his nap... he thinks I'm kidding. I helped Bear build her comforter tent in the living room. I finished folding AND put away my clean clothes, leaving one basket of the kids' clothes, one dryer load of sheets, and another miscellaneous load in the washer to go until Mt. Downy is scaled for the day. And of course, I indulged in another truffle.
This is the time of day where I want a nap. I often take one. But today I am determined to check things off my to-do list, no matter how mundane they may be. So as Buddy jabbers in toddlerese from down the hall, Bear crunches on some leftover Nerds from Halloween right next to me, and the dryer finishes up this round, I take a bite.
Yum. Must be Kelly's Coffee. It looks darker than the other one pictured in the brochure with a coffee bean on top. It's amazing how the smallest little bit of chocolate can provide a rich "pick me up" on a bleak mid-winter day... along with the shortest phone conversation with a friend in between laundry piles and toddler tantrums.
Ok, so at this rate my dozen truffles will be gone before Sunday, the actual Valentine's Day. I just stuck Buddy in his crib for his nap... he thinks I'm kidding. I helped Bear build her comforter tent in the living room. I finished folding AND put away my clean clothes, leaving one basket of the kids' clothes, one dryer load of sheets, and another miscellaneous load in the washer to go until Mt. Downy is scaled for the day. And of course, I indulged in another truffle.
This is the time of day where I want a nap. I often take one. But today I am determined to check things off my to-do list, no matter how mundane they may be. So as Buddy jabbers in toddlerese from down the hall, Bear crunches on some leftover Nerds from Halloween right next to me, and the dryer finishes up this round, I take a bite.
Yum. Must be Kelly's Coffee. It looks darker than the other one pictured in the brochure with a coffee bean on top. It's amazing how the smallest little bit of chocolate can provide a rich "pick me up" on a bleak mid-winter day... along with the shortest phone conversation with a friend in between laundry piles and toddler tantrums.
a chocolate-covered Valentine's week
Hubby did good. His wonderful sister told him that I had been craving truffles from The Cocoa Tree, and he took the hint to heart.
Back when The Cocoa Tree was in downtown Franklin, Bear was still in a stroller, and one fall day one of my roommates from college and I strolled in to sample the truffles which I had heard so much about. They did not disappoint, nor did the Mayan hot chocolate. Well, that shop closed, but Bethany reopened in the Germantown district of Nashville a little while later. I fully intended to pay the new location a visit before we moved. You know what they say about intentions? Well, I have lots of them. Let's just say that hubby is the one who follows through consistently.
So last night I woke up from naptime (yes, when the kiddos nap, I nap, it's not often Bear goes down willingly) to the maintenance guy's knock, he handed me the box from UPS. Alas, it was not from the maintenance guy (that would be freaky). It was indeed from my beloved.
My present? A dozen truffles. I don't normally refer to candy as exquisite, but these truffles are not your ordinary buy-day-after-Valentine's-at-half-price. And since the shop is no longer in driving distance due to our move, I can't just drive 20 minutes for my fix.
The adorable robin's egg and brown box is artistic in its own right. It's solid construction hints that it contains better-than-ordinary treats. Enclosed in the box was also a brochure, a "map" to help identify the flavors as well as a temptress for future orders.
So, my first truffle happened to be Liz's Milk Chocolate. Simple, yet rich. I probably should have payed more attention and saved that one to share with hubby. He prefers the classics flavors, and this one fit that bill. Milk chocolate shell with sprinkles on top surrounding the milk chocolatey ganache inside. Heaven in its purest form. Yes, it is "the one that everybody loves."
Last night, I tasted Karin's Irish Cream after I put Buddy to bed. Bear was ecstatic to share a bite of Mommy's special treat. Oh my goodness... delectable. Described in the borchure as 'The one that pours," it's a soothing blend of chocolate and Irish Creme at the end of a toddler-filled day. I regretted sharing that bite with my daughter, oh how I wanted more.
This morning... why not have a truffle for breakfast? I opted to try Deborah's Chambord... "the one that stands out in a crowd." Dark chocolate and raspberry flavored center, coated in white chocolate with a dusting of raspberry adornment. This is the one that made me think "exquisite." I have fond memories of the Jack and Ginger and Beck's Margarita from previous encounters... DC is a new favorite. Again, the giving mother that I am shared it with both kids. My 18 month old kept pointing toward the box of truffles and chanting "dis" (this in toddlerese)... he wanted more. I gave him a Hershey's kiss instead, and that seemed to subdue him. Note to self: stop sharing my priceless treats with the children.
I'm blogging about these to remind myself which ones I like the best... these truffles are really that good. Thanks, Bethany:Chocolatier, for the cure to the common chocolate boredom.
Hubby did good. His wonderful sister told him that I had been craving truffles from The Cocoa Tree, and he took the hint to heart.
Back when The Cocoa Tree was in downtown Franklin, Bear was still in a stroller, and one fall day one of my roommates from college and I strolled in to sample the truffles which I had heard so much about. They did not disappoint, nor did the Mayan hot chocolate. Well, that shop closed, but Bethany reopened in the Germantown district of Nashville a little while later. I fully intended to pay the new location a visit before we moved. You know what they say about intentions? Well, I have lots of them. Let's just say that hubby is the one who follows through consistently.
So last night I woke up from naptime (yes, when the kiddos nap, I nap, it's not often Bear goes down willingly) to the maintenance guy's knock, he handed me the box from UPS. Alas, it was not from the maintenance guy (that would be freaky). It was indeed from my beloved.
My present? A dozen truffles. I don't normally refer to candy as exquisite, but these truffles are not your ordinary buy-day-after-Valentine's-at-half-price. And since the shop is no longer in driving distance due to our move, I can't just drive 20 minutes for my fix.
The adorable robin's egg and brown box is artistic in its own right. It's solid construction hints that it contains better-than-ordinary treats. Enclosed in the box was also a brochure, a "map" to help identify the flavors as well as a temptress for future orders.
So, my first truffle happened to be Liz's Milk Chocolate. Simple, yet rich. I probably should have payed more attention and saved that one to share with hubby. He prefers the classics flavors, and this one fit that bill. Milk chocolate shell with sprinkles on top surrounding the milk chocolatey ganache inside. Heaven in its purest form. Yes, it is "the one that everybody loves."
Last night, I tasted Karin's Irish Cream after I put Buddy to bed. Bear was ecstatic to share a bite of Mommy's special treat. Oh my goodness... delectable. Described in the borchure as 'The one that pours," it's a soothing blend of chocolate and Irish Creme at the end of a toddler-filled day. I regretted sharing that bite with my daughter, oh how I wanted more.
This morning... why not have a truffle for breakfast? I opted to try Deborah's Chambord... "the one that stands out in a crowd." Dark chocolate and raspberry flavored center, coated in white chocolate with a dusting of raspberry adornment. This is the one that made me think "exquisite." I have fond memories of the Jack and Ginger and Beck's Margarita from previous encounters... DC is a new favorite. Again, the giving mother that I am shared it with both kids. My 18 month old kept pointing toward the box of truffles and chanting "dis" (this in toddlerese)... he wanted more. I gave him a Hershey's kiss instead, and that seemed to subdue him. Note to self: stop sharing my priceless treats with the children.
I'm blogging about these to remind myself which ones I like the best... these truffles are really that good. Thanks, Bethany:Chocolatier, for the cure to the common chocolate boredom.
Monday, February 18, 2008
home from our "valentine's" weekend
we made it home safely. while baby bear partied with her cousin j, hubby and i spent a relaxing weekend in asheville. we went out to eat and ate too much (well, he ate too much, i ate for two, LOL), picked up some yummy ice cream and kept it in our freezer to snack on whenever we wanted, and visited the biltmore. "america's largest house" is simultaneously mind boggling, fascinating, and disturbing. the fact that a tiny village pretty much revolved around one family disturbs me. the architecture and sprawling gardens (which were obviously not blooming) fascinates me. i'm not quite sure if i'm more fascinated or disturbed my such excessive wall coverings such as 22K gold-plated burlap and pressed leather, but the library was definitely impressive. it was something like i would imagine the library in the beast's castle from a favorite Disney movie. i must admit, i was jealous of the floral design rooms (both of them) in the basement. and the bowling alley and indoor swimming pool. i am thankful that i wasn't raised in a society with so many rules and expectations. we think "keeping up with the jones'" is a problem today... try keeping up with the equivalent of American's royalty. hubby and i declared that we would be content in the servants' quarters (they were bigger than baby bear's bedroom). the audio tour was very informative, and made the 2 hour stroll through the mansion so much more interesting.
the best part of the weekend was spending time with my beloved, just the two of us. of course, we were ready to see our little girl again and checked out an hour before we had to this morning. throughout the weekend we thought of things she would have said if she had been there. the second best part was knowing she was spending quality time with her cousin, aunt and uncle.
anyway, i would like to go back when the gardens are in bloom. that shouldn't surprise anyone.
we made it home safely. while baby bear partied with her cousin j, hubby and i spent a relaxing weekend in asheville. we went out to eat and ate too much (well, he ate too much, i ate for two, LOL), picked up some yummy ice cream and kept it in our freezer to snack on whenever we wanted, and visited the biltmore. "america's largest house" is simultaneously mind boggling, fascinating, and disturbing. the fact that a tiny village pretty much revolved around one family disturbs me. the architecture and sprawling gardens (which were obviously not blooming) fascinates me. i'm not quite sure if i'm more fascinated or disturbed my such excessive wall coverings such as 22K gold-plated burlap and pressed leather, but the library was definitely impressive. it was something like i would imagine the library in the beast's castle from a favorite Disney movie. i must admit, i was jealous of the floral design rooms (both of them) in the basement. and the bowling alley and indoor swimming pool. i am thankful that i wasn't raised in a society with so many rules and expectations. we think "keeping up with the jones'" is a problem today... try keeping up with the equivalent of American's royalty. hubby and i declared that we would be content in the servants' quarters (they were bigger than baby bear's bedroom). the audio tour was very informative, and made the 2 hour stroll through the mansion so much more interesting.
the best part of the weekend was spending time with my beloved, just the two of us. of course, we were ready to see our little girl again and checked out an hour before we had to this morning. throughout the weekend we thought of things she would have said if she had been there. the second best part was knowing she was spending quality time with her cousin, aunt and uncle.
anyway, i would like to go back when the gardens are in bloom. that shouldn't surprise anyone.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
DATE NIGHT!!!!!!
I cleaned a bunch today... didn't get all the laundry folded, but the kitchen floor is no longer gross, the guest bath is clean, and the counter top and bar between the kitchen and living room are essentially clear. Baby Bear probably didn't know what to think of her Mommy's cleaning frenzy. It's amazing what happens when people are coming over...
We had our symphony date tonight. The evening began at Uncle Gio's, a local Italian place. The food was yummy, and it was so nice to eat uninterrupted by a fidgety toddler. Bec, Brett, & cousin Juliana came over. Apparently Baby-Bear did pretty well, except for literally pulling her cousin out of the toddler chair. Then, apparently she acted like she wanted to get up, but she didn't want her cousin to have the chair, so she stayed put and pouted. Finally, the tossed the chair around together. Or something like that. Bec might tell the real story on her blog.
Anyway, while Juliana was sharing her Mommy and Daddy with our daughter, we enjoyed our nice, peaceful dinner. Then we headed downtown to hear the symphony
at the new Schermerhorn symphony center. Parking and shuttle were free for symphony patrons.... while the garage was technically within walking distance, the chilly night air made the shuttle even more appealing. We especially enjoyed the first half, which included classics by Beethoven and Haydn. The cellist "rocked it hard core," to quote hubby. The 2nd half was composed by Philip Glass, an American composer. While technically the music was superb, the subject matter was a bit eastern for our tastes. It helped to not read the lyrics in the program and just focus on the music. As we headed down to the complimentary coat room to pick up my coat, a familiar face was coming down the staircase above us... Nashville's mayor. I supposed the woman with him was his wife, but I haven't the slightest clue.
It was a fun, relaxing evening. Hubby did good for Valentine's this year. We were apart for the Holiday last year, so I guess he felt he had to make up for it. No complaints here. The whole experience made me glad that my musical knowledge and appreciation are (hopefully) a little better than many American's. There wasn't a bad place in the hall, and I can say that because we were seated very near the back and the sound was still good. The precision of the orchestra, the animation of the conductor, and the choir's artistry made the show. (I told hubby they had to be good musicians to sing the lyrics of the Glass composition and not laugh... and it was not a comedy. Forgive me, please. ) Oh, and one cannot forget the beauty of the building. I felt rich just being in a place like that. I felt loved by the one God has given me. I observed a very expectant Mom, and remembered how Baby Bear used to dance to the classical music I played in my office when I was pregnant with her. Hubby held the doors for me, helped me with my coat, put his arm around me... I felt cherished. While we love our daughter dearly, it was nice to have an evening for just the two of us. And I hope that in spite of their toddler tiffs, the girls will grow to be great friends.
We might be heading to Indy tomorrow... hubby is off work on Monday, and he thinks he misses the cold. And his brother, crt, and Monarch and purple Princess. (Might is actually probably misleading... we are planning on it. I just haven't started packing yet.)
Good night, Friends!
I cleaned a bunch today... didn't get all the laundry folded, but the kitchen floor is no longer gross, the guest bath is clean, and the counter top and bar between the kitchen and living room are essentially clear. Baby Bear probably didn't know what to think of her Mommy's cleaning frenzy. It's amazing what happens when people are coming over...
We had our symphony date tonight. The evening began at Uncle Gio's, a local Italian place. The food was yummy, and it was so nice to eat uninterrupted by a fidgety toddler. Bec, Brett, & cousin Juliana came over. Apparently Baby-Bear did pretty well, except for literally pulling her cousin out of the toddler chair. Then, apparently she acted like she wanted to get up, but she didn't want her cousin to have the chair, so she stayed put and pouted. Finally, the tossed the chair around together. Or something like that. Bec might tell the real story on her blog.
Anyway, while Juliana was sharing her Mommy and Daddy with our daughter, we enjoyed our nice, peaceful dinner. Then we headed downtown to hear the symphony
at the new Schermerhorn symphony center. Parking and shuttle were free for symphony patrons.... while the garage was technically within walking distance, the chilly night air made the shuttle even more appealing. We especially enjoyed the first half, which included classics by Beethoven and Haydn. The cellist "rocked it hard core," to quote hubby. The 2nd half was composed by Philip Glass, an American composer. While technically the music was superb, the subject matter was a bit eastern for our tastes. It helped to not read the lyrics in the program and just focus on the music. As we headed down to the complimentary coat room to pick up my coat, a familiar face was coming down the staircase above us... Nashville's mayor. I supposed the woman with him was his wife, but I haven't the slightest clue.
It was a fun, relaxing evening. Hubby did good for Valentine's this year. We were apart for the Holiday last year, so I guess he felt he had to make up for it. No complaints here. The whole experience made me glad that my musical knowledge and appreciation are (hopefully) a little better than many American's. There wasn't a bad place in the hall, and I can say that because we were seated very near the back and the sound was still good. The precision of the orchestra, the animation of the conductor, and the choir's artistry made the show. (I told hubby they had to be good musicians to sing the lyrics of the Glass composition and not laugh... and it was not a comedy. Forgive me, please. ) Oh, and one cannot forget the beauty of the building. I felt rich just being in a place like that. I felt loved by the one God has given me. I observed a very expectant Mom, and remembered how Baby Bear used to dance to the classical music I played in my office when I was pregnant with her. Hubby held the doors for me, helped me with my coat, put his arm around me... I felt cherished. While we love our daughter dearly, it was nice to have an evening for just the two of us. And I hope that in spite of their toddler tiffs, the girls will grow to be great friends.
We might be heading to Indy tomorrow... hubby is off work on Monday, and he thinks he misses the cold. And his brother, crt, and Monarch and purple Princess. (Might is actually probably misleading... we are planning on it. I just haven't started packing yet.)
Good night, Friends!
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
can't wait! (but i'll have to)
Hubby and i are going to the new symphony hall downtown for a concert on February 15th! It was his idea, and my sister is going to babysit. (She "owes" me a couple of babysitting favors for keeping my niece while she and her hubby went to Cedar Point with their youth group, although I'm glad the girls get time together and don't mind having her sweet little one around. Especially when Mom comes to help out.)
Hubby and i are going to the new symphony hall downtown for a concert on February 15th! It was his idea, and my sister is going to babysit. (She "owes" me a couple of babysitting favors for keeping my niece while she and her hubby went to Cedar Point with their youth group, although I'm glad the girls get time together and don't mind having her sweet little one around. Especially when Mom comes to help out.)
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