Valentine's Day (last year)

I was getting all ready to write about our Valentine's day celebration yesterday, but then realized that most people do not know the history behind it. So here is what happened last year, so that you might better understand what I write about this year.

Last Valentine's day Matt and I had only been dating for 4 months. We were still getting to know each other, and getting used to us as a "couple." Then the "day of love" comes along and we are not quite sure what to do with it. Well, let me say it from my point of view...I do not know what to do with it. I have never had a boyfriend over Valentine's day, so this is all new to me.

Valentine's day is very much a holiday for the ladies. I mean really, what do you get a man for Valentine's day? So after agonizing over this question and the expectations of a gift that he might get from me, I decided to have a conversation with Matt about Valentine's day. We both agreed that the whole gift thing can easily turn into.."He spent $50.00 on me so I need to spend more than that..." And we wanted nothing of that. So we decided to make a limit of no more than $20.00 on a gift, and the real gift would be us sharing one of our true loves together as a couple...COOKING!

The week before V-day we got a menu together. Then V-day came. We exchanged our 20.00 gifts, I got a stuffed dog, he got three bags of flower bulbs (with a note saying "this relationship has been a beautiful surprise, I hope you get many beautiful surprises from these bulbs") and "tickets" to a free concert of a band that he loves.

Then we went shopping for the ingredents to make this wonderful meal :)

We decided to make food that we would not normally make, and something that we needed each others help with. So the meal was quite fancy. We had Beef Burgundy, Greek Salad, Green Beans, and French Silk Pie all made from scratch.

We cooked, we danced, and we said "I love you" for the very first time. Snacking on cheese, crackers and grapes we created this wonderful feast. Then finally the time came when we could sit, relax, and enjoy the fruits of our labor. What a meal it was and what a memory! That day turned out so well that we decided that it would be a great way of celebrating our Valentine's day again.