Tag Archives: Seasons

Happy Valentine’s Day!

We look forward to this day every year for one reason: Chinese Take-Out.

When Paul and I had been married for about 3 years or so and were deciding to spend our romantic evening curled up in front of the tv with some take-out it dawned on me: we had done chinese food every Valentine’s Day since we’d been together.  Thus, a tradition was born!  We have done it every year since – this year being the 17th.

I am a big sucker for traditions, and thankfully my kids are as well.  It makes it easier to make a holiday or event special without having to go “all out”; you don’t have the stress of having to decide what you are going to do.   Everyone knows that February 14th is for dumplings, spring rolls, and stir fry, and they ask for little else.

Another tradition that we like is to buy the left over Valentine candy on clearance the day AFTER.  It’s usually 75% off, if you can find a store that still has some stock left.

For my Book Club we have a different February tradition: fondue.  It also happened accidentally – we just happened to do fondue the last two Februarys and decided we were on to something.  This year we had 3 kinds: traditional cheese fondue, chocolate, and salted caramel.

The point is that these traditions make the year that much more fun; there are little things to look forward to scattered all throughout and excuses to spend time with the people you care about.

So go! Go forge a new tradition for this often pushy and demanding holiday and find something you will look forward to the rest of the year!

The kids made paper heart garlands today.  Aren’t they sweet?

As the days start to pick up speed toward christmas we’ve been spending a little less time with math and science and more time with reading, writing, baking,  and crafting.

While the orgy of cookie and cake baking hasn’t quite begun in earnest, there are some being made.

Maddie made both butter cookies for frosting and hamantaschen.

I hadn’t ordered the really good gel food coloring from King Arthur Flour as I had planned, mostly because the box we got from the local Food Lion promised to give true colors.  But, as you can see, we got more of a pastel effect from them than we would like.

Oh well.  Next time.

The hamantaschen will not last long.  There’s a long list of cookies that we will make out of tradition, and there’s a long list of cookies we’d like to try.  I think the kitchen will be working pretty well non – stop for the next two weeks.

And here’s a sneak peak of the dress I am making for myself.  The fabric is wonderful – a festive and soft plaid shirting from Robert Kaufman.

It will be my third time using this pattern from Sew Lisette.  It’s probably my favorite one.

Soon we’ll be making gingerbread houses and settling in for nightly holiday movie viewings – though I am definitely putting Love Actually on tonight for knitting entertainment.  Maybe a fire, too.  And popcorn.