Blue Roses and Red Daisies

 It was my turn this year. It often is when we have a new baby in the house around Valentine's. With two little girls, the tradition isn't that old but it's still a tradition. It happened as all good traditions start, unplanned. One year we were enjoying a dinner cruise around the Sydney Harbor as newlyweds, the next we were eating dinner by the fire with a fussy baby who was not going to sleep by herself. Last year my husband surprised me with dinner and an overnight at a local hotel. And this year found us at home, enjoying each other's company and that of our little 6 month old baby. 

I purposely planned a simple menu taking inspiration from the Italian antipasto platters. My whole goal for the evening was quiet, relaxed, and simple. I knew I would want everything just perfect when my husband walked in the door from work but I also knew that he wanted a happy wife more then everything perfect. 

Decorations were simple (sensing a theme yet?)- pictures of us, a few scattered silk rose petals, and candlelight to give atmosphere and cover up all the little spots on the carpet and the dust on the shelves. 

 I framed our wedding vows and made them a focal point for the evening.  He brought home red gerbera daisies for me, he knows I love them more then roses. Earlier in the week, he bought me a single blue rose for the romance in the reality of life.

Kilmeny was fed, the kitchen was reasonably clean, and the dessert was finally put together. I had forgotten whipping cream and so sent Jared out to grab some, minutes after he got home. He's sweet like that. 

We nibbled our way through homemade focaccia bread, Romanello and Havarti cheeses, a winter salami, artichoke hearts and stuffed manzanilla olives. We dipped strawberries in chocolate, one of the few times I'll buy strawberries out of season is for Valentine's Day. Red and heart-shaped they are perfect for celebrating. 
We sipped tea and ate cinnamon meringue with chocolate mousse, topped with cinnamon whipping cream. We talked. We took pictures with our iPhones, they're still a novelty being only 2 weeks old. We talked. We made our baby laugh. We talked. We put our toddler back to sleep. We re-lived old memories. And we embraced this season of being parents to little kidlets and sharing in the reality of life. It's not always perfect and roses and stardust. It's hard, there are tears and meltdowns but it is beautiful and I really wouldn't have it any other way. 

linking up with Rebekah with  Dinner at Eight