Happy Day-After-Valentine's Day!

Valentine's day is one of those holidays that, in my life, is either completely understated or completely over-the-top. My husband's birthday is on the 14th. Some years, I make a huge effort to downplay Valentine's day so that his birthday is not overshadowed. I mean, he has to buy ME a gift on HIS birthday? Other years, I miss cupid so much that I totally blow it up so that BOTH holidays have a huge bash.

Before we had kids, we lived in a cool downtown city loft and had a bunch of cool downtown city friends who liked to get together. One year, I submitted to my urges to buy Valentine related party-ware and an addiction was born. I found myself frequenting the downtown TJ Maxx on my lunch break looking for red and white stuff, and since I have a long history with polka dots, I was especially drawn to red and white polka dot stuff. That year, there was such a line of tableware, and I had to have every piece. I planned a huge birthday party (with a Valentine's Day theme). I made heart-shaped cookies, heart-shaped cakes, a heart-shaped pan of brownies. We ate off of the most darling red and white polka dot plates, and I set it up on this fabulous red tablecloth.

This year... was not so dramatic :)


I managed to make a carrot cake (my husband's favorite), and some cupcakes, which the kids helped decorate. Overall, it was a simple day, and was just perfect. My polka dot plates can wait for another year...