Our First Valentine's

We had more than a Valentine's Day this year, it was more like a Valentine's Weekend- and it was wonderful. It actually began Thursday when Jake gave me thisdarling bracelet. In usual Jake style he just couldn't wait a few more days to give it to me. I got home from work earlier than expected and found a Things Remembered bag on the bathroom counter. Jake was still asleep and I admit, I was a little tempted to look inside-but I resisted. When I cuddled up next to him he started laughing. Turns out he was awake and was actually waiting for me to find his elaborate decoy and peek so that he could catch me red handed. He even went to the trouble to weigh down the little box it came in with bullets-also very typical Jake. He thought he had caught me but I protested that I hadn't looked. Well then he slipped the bracelet on my wrist under the covers-what a cute surprise. It is a very beautiful bracelet and he even had it inscribed with a personal message from his heart- but was ofcourse, very macho when reading it to me...it will definitely be something I treasure forever.

Saturday was a blast. Jake took me to one of my all time favorite places-IKEA! Yay for swedish meatballs! Like always, we ate first (yum) and then meandered through the showroom. Jake even humored me when I told him what I would buy, where I would put it, and how it could be accesorized. Then I took Jake to one of his all time favorite places- The Arizona Hiking Shack. There I listened very intently to how pulleys, ascenders, and other climbing gear works. I bought Jake a pimp daddy headlight for his Valentine gift.
Sunday morning began with breakfast in bed! I made Jake some killer chocolate waffles, if I do say so myself, and tasty hashbrowns- that never browned- can't win 'em all. He liked them though. I teased him by taking sleepy, "just woke up" pictures. Then he got me back-Aaaaaa! Scaaaaary! We took a little morning walk with Shera in the desert behind our home. The weather was nice and sunny. Blindingly sunny.

Shera loves to chase bunnies back there. She jumps over brush like a little deer. And it is very cute.

Soon we were back at our little love shack. Don't my flowers look perdy?

Shera was all tuckered out from bunny chasing.

Our friend Jeff came by. He brought us a delicious Valentine from Krispy Kreme- a boxen of doughnuts. Mmmmmm doughnuts... Jake and Jeff schemed about how they would set up their next zipline adventure and then Jeff joined us for church. Afterwards I got to cookin' for my hunny. Actually, he ended up doing most of the chopping but in the end he gave me credit for the vision. We made rosemary chicken with roasted carrots, potatoes, and parsnips.

Nevermind the Christmas tree in the background- pretend like you didn't see that...

I had really grand plans of taking chocolate covered strawberries and sugar cookies to all of our neighbors and loved ones. Well Saturday there wasn't a strawberry for sale to be found, and Sunday I couldn't get the dang cute cookies off of the pan...

Huh.

My mamma and sis came by for an impromptu Valentine visit. My mom was able to get her cookies off the pan- and I was glad she did- because they were delicious.

 Jake made to die for tin foil dinners Monday night and we took them up to our spot at Fish Creek. He put in hamburger, cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes, butter and honey barbecue sauce. We had a little cowboy cookout.

Well Jake did anyhow. I took this pic of him cooking from the comfort and warmth of my sleeping bag because- you guessed it- it was cold and I'm a weener.

 HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!