Yep, you guessed it. This week we are sharing our Valentine's Day traditions! Do we celebrate? Why or why not? If so, how? Gifts, dinners, etc...?
Do we celebrate Valentine's Day? Why or why not?
Yes, Mark and I do celebrate Valentine's Day. Not in any huge or extravagant way, but we like to have a little mellow celebration at home and buy each other something. This year, I stopped at our local Kroger Wine & Spirits Shop where you can 'create your own 6-pack of beer' and put together what I thought would be a good mix of different beers that I either thought Mark would like to try or knew that he liked but didn't drink too often. He loved it! I also told him that I know there are plenty things he wants for his shop, so I would rather him pick out something like that for himself than me get him something that he'd like but probably not love as much as something new for his shop. Mark got me this beautiful bracelet with Swavorski Crystals in it - he knows how much I love all things Swavorski!
Recently, our typical Valentine's date has been making a nicer than usual meal here at home. We go out to eat a lot already anyways, and on Valentine's Day the restaurants are just too overcrowded and busy. We decided a few years ago that we'd much rather have a nice meal at home where there aren't a zillion people packed into tables around us so close that we can't hear ourselves think, let alone hear what each other is saying. The past few years we have gotten ourselves some really nice cuts of steak and made nicer side dishes than we would normally make. This year, I made us a really great recipe that my friend gave me for Stuffed Shells...oh...so...yummy!
The caveat to getting Valentine's gifts is that I do not want him wasting all of that extra money on the V-day price gouging for flowers. Really, I tell him every year not to get me flowers actually on Valentine's Day. They just mark up flowers so much for this one day. Really, go in your local store and see what the flowers are priced at the next day - if you bought or received flowers, the overnight price drop will make you sick. Sometimes he will get me flowers the next day just because he wants me to have them, and knowing he didn't pay a ridiculous one-day upcharge makes them even sweeter! They are ridiculously cheaper the next day.
There are several reasons that I want to always celebrate Valentine's Day. First is because I think it is always important to celebrate LOVE. Whether you are in a relationship or not, there is someone that you love and someone who loves you - so why not have a day to remind us of that so that we make a point to tell them. I spent many a Valentine's Days 'relationship deprived', but I always had someone - usually my parents - but sometimes good friends, make me smile on Valentine's Day. I have very fond childhood memories that I cherish from Valentine's Day. Every year my Dad came home with three boxes of heart-shaped chocolates. One of the big size ones (for my Mom) and two of the smaller size ones (for my Sister and I). My Mom also always got each of us a card and a small but thoughtful gift on Valentine's Day. For that reason, I think of Valentine's Day as just being about everyone you love, not just the one you are in a relationship with!
How Dogs Celebrate Valentine's Day!
Over the years, my canine boys have gone to lengths to make Valentine's Day even more...errr...special...for their mama. Twice in particular. In 2008, our first dog Watson decided that he was going to partake in the day's festivities and steal the giant heart-shaped box of chocolates that Mark had given to me. Upon realizing how much chocolate he'd eaten and not wanting to risk the danger of a dog eating that much chocolate, we had to...forgive me for the graphic-ness of this....induce dog vomiting....ick! We had to get it out of him before it could harm him, so we had to do the old half & half mix of water and peroxide and make him drink it. Then, in 2011...Austin and Eli planned a really special surprise for me. They brought a dead field mouse inside the house to give to me...they were so proud...I was so grossed out! I thanked them, explained that it was just too much, and we quickly disposed of their 'gift'.
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Now, do tell, my loves!! How was your Valentine's Day? Did you celebrate? How? Why or why not?
Nolan got me some flowers this year...he said the roses were $5 a pop! WHATEVER. I love getting flowers, but I don't need roses, daisies do the trick just fine. He got a HUGE bunch of daises for me one year and they were a fraction of the price! The bracelet was lovely!!
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