Enjoying another day of sunshine...

We're loving the nice weather we've been having, lately. Although, I
fear it is just teasing us and will soon be cold again.

Look out! A little love, coming your way!

I love Valentine's Day!  I know, I know... "Just another day for the retailers to exploit us." "You don't need a special day to love someone or be loved."  or the worst, "I just broke up with somebody."

Well, put all of that aside and celebrate...  Here is why I have always loved Valentine's Day.

1.  I was born a few hours after Valentine's Day and my parents always made me feel like this was my special day and told me that I was their Valentine's Day gift.

2.  For me, it has always been about my family.  I love a day to make them heart shaped cards and notes and tell them I love them.

3.  I love celebrating stuff!

 

To be honest with you, Valentine's Day, the normal way, makes me feel sick!  Ugh!  I can't stand the mushy-gushy way to celebrate, where it is all ultra-romantic and red roses and weird boxes of chocolate...  Its too forced and awkward and there's just too much hype and weirdness. Please, none of that for me, thank you!  I would rather just express a normal love for my friends and family in a normal, rational manner.

V-Day should be fun and happy and pleasant and inclusive of everyone.  It should not be celebrated alone by separate couples.  I look forward to having a happy day with my kids and husband.  I will give my hubby a note and some chocolate (because he likes chocolate) and I will give Elliott a balloon and maybe some candy.  I will not exclude my kids, it is about them, too.   We will also include our friends...

Here's a look at what Elliott and I have been working on for those we love...

What you'll need:

1) an artist (like Elliott)

2) some card stock or other such thick paper

3) some finger paints

4) a marker

5) scissors

6) a lot of soap and water for clean up

Cut out hearts. (or when Elliott was little, I would let him paint a whole page and then cut out the hearts from the already painted page)

Fingerpaint hearts.

Inscribe hearts with the saying of your choice.

Address the backs.

Attach to a cellophane bag with pink and white m&m's or individually wrapped Ghirardelli squares.  (or fruit snacks, depending on the age)  Or just leave separate.

Get up, Get out.

It is a beautiful day today in Santa Rosa!  

I sent Elliott outside into the backyard all bundled up and ready to go.  A few minutes later when I looked out of the glass doors into the backyard, what did I find?  I found my three-year-old boy romping around the backyard in his bare feet, sloshing a bucket full of dirty, filthy rain water--collected from his little pool--back and forth from the deck to the yard.  "Elliott!  What did you do with your rain boots?"  I cried.  (Since it has been raining non-stop for the past week and everything has been muddy and wet and cold.)

"I got hot!" he replied.

"Hot?"  I repeated dumbly.  But when I stepped outside, to my amazement, it was indeed very warm.  Praise the Lord and glory be!  It was beautiful!  So, out we all went and played outside and rode bikes and basked in this sunny gift...  And so should you--get going!

Quick Carrot Nut Bread

Hey everyone, I thought I would leave you with this awesome recipe I adapted from the 1975 version of The Joy of Cooking.   I love making this bread for Elliott and me to snack on throughout the week or to have for dessert after dinner with coffee.  Yummy, a bit sweet, and still pretty darn healthy...  Oh, and I love the texture you get from the shredded carrots and ground nuts.  And the applesauce makes it kind of springy and moist.

********

Preheat oven to 350.

Sift together: (dump in bowl and wisk)

1 cup white whole wheat flour*

1/2 cup white flour (could probably just use whole wheat here, too)

1  1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. cinnamon 

Add:

3/4 cup sugar

2 beaten eggs

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

Blend in with a few swift strokes:

1  1/2 cups grated carrots** (about 2 or 3 carrots)

1 1/2 cups ground pecans**  (not chopped, you want them pretty small)

Bake in a greased pan about 1 hr. (I think this is for a bread pan)  I use a smaller baking dish type thing (8 by 9 maybe) and it takes about 20-40 min. I think.  Just keep your eye on it.  Cool in the pan 10 min., then turn out onto a rack for further cooling.

*I love King Arthur's white whole wheat flour, its not too "wheat texture-y."

**The shredder attachment for the kitchenaid mixer is excellent for this.  

Verse of The Day

Psalm 73:22-26

"So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.  Nevertheless I am continually with thee:  thou hast holden me by my right hand.  Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.  Whom have I in heaven but thee?  and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.  My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever."