Yes, Ben, Boo!  How can you not see that you are being manipulated by Courtney, the girl that can not move her face because of the excess botox and MEAN in her tissues? The Mister, I will accept this rose.

A surprise bouquet of flowers from The Mister; he had lied to me, saying that his plans for my Valentine’s Day present had been foiled by his change in travel plans.  Cheesy  elsewhere, perhaps, but extra sweet here because I know the forethought it takes in order to pull something like this off.  Roses must be pre-ordered – they are not regularly stocked at the florist – which is what makes The Mister’s “little white lie” all the more sinisteriously sweet.

Our romantic lunch menu was apricot ginger chicken (made with fresh apricots and not the apricot jam called for in the recipe!).  A win for The Mister and I.  Big Fail for Charlie and Lola.  They both scraped off the sauce.  ”The chicken is good, though, Mom!” Charlie encouraged.  ”I like the Tang!” beamed Lola.  Thanks, girl.  I whipped it up special.  Should I take it to heart, though?  These are the kids that love-to-the-point-of-cheering the meal of plain white rice, baked beans from a  can, and carrot sticks.  Hardly culinary critics.  The ginger-garlic beans (that I scored fresh at the market along with fresh arugula for the salad! Hello!) were a win all round.  Charlie has already requested that they be included on his birthday dinner lunch menu next week.

You would think that a special meal would be enough.  Maybe for some.  Not for White Girl.

Why not whip up some chocolate cupcakes filled with chocolate pudding?  You know.  While I’m napping.

Everything about the day thrilled Lola to the core.  She could not wait to dig into her special treat.  We waited to eat our dessert until The Mister came home close to sunset.   He returned to a candlelit table set for four, tea, cupcakes for Charlie and Lola, and molten cake for the adults.

“We don’t sit out here nearly enough,” I sighed to The Mister as we drank tea and enjoyed the view.  I really think he’s right.  The best restaurant in town is our kitchen.  And I can drink my own tea on the terrace without any dramatics!

Happy Valentine’s Day!  I hope you all had a chance to enjoy some special accents to the day.

Love.  In all its forms – friendship, romantic, maternal, paternal – is worth the celebration.