One: I read the girls this book on Valentine's Day so it wasn't all fluffy-hearts-rainbows-and-sugary-love.
Two: The reality outside of the frame on party days, unless it involves guests other than my family, ALWAYS LOOKS LIKE A TRAIN WRECK. Seriously. I haven't yet figured out how to make donuts or lollipops or other strange treats immediately before a party without the entire house exploding. Never trust snapshots. Never.
V-Day morning we ate the customary pancakes, which always seem to taste fancier when they're pink. The girls were outside doing chores while I prepared everything, so poor Zeke had to wait.
He couldn't stand it.
And his patience wore thin mighty quickly.
Ah, here come the rest of the ragamuffins.
Lunchtime was going to be our Valentine's tea party, but then we heard that Debbie was coming home on Saturday, so we spread the menu over two days.
Day 1-- V-Day Itself-- was simple. Eat normal food, but cut it all into hearts, dye it red, and serve it on glass. Woot! With a red tablecloth!
-grilled cheese
-heart carrots
-crackers and heart cheese
-heart bananas drizzled with chocolate (okay, the chocolate was a splurgy concession to the day)
-homemade applesauce tinted pink
-shakes made with homemade yogurt, cherry-almond jam, and milk.
The best part of all were bags filled with candy contributed by two sets of grandparents.
In case you're wondering why I would want to waste perfectly good time cutting perfectly good food into ridiculous, tiny hearts, it's because of these faces that look like this when I tell them their lunch party is ready...
These pancakes make SO.MUCH.MORE.SENSE. than the concoctions I had where I poured batter into heart-shaped cookie cutters on the frying pan. 5 heart-cakes later, we were back to standard fare. Must remember this next year.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely, and how wonderful you are. Your children will remember the heart-shaped lunches forever. It DOES make a difference, in my opinion. A true delight to behold online. Heart-shaped culinary deliciousness!!!!
ReplyDeleteMuch love!
(You do realize, right, that some of us couldn't care less what kind of a disaster your house is/was in, and have probably bested your mess-efforts on more then one occasion ourselves? I do enjoy your ability to make things beautiful, even if it is a corner of your world or the frame in your camera, and it inspires me to find the beauty around me. . .but I have never once thought to myself, "That Abigail! She never makes a mess!")
ReplyDeleteWHAT FUN!!!
ReplyDeleteBy the way...I never notice what you have pointed out as some "mess" in your house. There is so much more in the viewing of the beauty of your family and the pictorial history you have created - a true masterpiece! That is what we all see, I believe, the life masterpiece you are creating with each lovely picture.
ReplyDeleteAnd again, I LOVE the wonderful and fun meals you create all the way down to the tablecloth. Such creativity! It makes me want to stop in for a cup of tea with all of you!!!
Much love!
Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI know! For a few years, I would make round pancakes and then cut them out in heart shapes with a cookie cutter, but even that became too tedious. These make them just as happy.
Titi,
I know YOU know about the messes that follow behind a full house, but I still feel compelled to mention them. I've read too many comments on the big ol' internet from people who forget that reality isn't always contained inside the frame alone. To avoid some of the inevitable disconnect between "blog reality" and what we really live, I try to balance the scales a bit. (You'll notice, however, that I usually don't take snapshots of the mess!)
Molly,
We'd welcome you for tea any day of the week, tablecloth included! :)
The things we do for love(s).
ReplyDeleteWhat a week of deliciousness and pretty!
You make moments so special. Your children will grow up and remember these things. It doesn't require a lot of money- just a lot of thought and effort. You always give of yourself so freely and abundantly. I love that about you.
I also love, incidentally, that you always temper that with "I make messes! Don't elevate me to some silly pedestal!"
I also love the heart/powdered sugar pancakes. I too make heart-shaped pancakes (though I don't know why I never considered adding pink food coloring!)
Because red food coloring is carcinogenic? I bet that's why.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I don't love my children, after all...
(Once a year! But it's only once a year!)