Valentine's Day Love Letter

danielle poff photography / michelle lywood florals

To my Husband,

When I was little I used to dream about the man that would one day become my husband. What would he look like? What would his name be? What would my new last name be?! So many questions. I remember making a list of qualities I wanted in a husband; I think I did this with some friends once. Funny, smart, handsome, nice teeth (seriously...I have this thing with pearly whites;)), loves Jesus more than he loves me, loves and wants kids, values family, likes dogs, is considerate, passionate, kind, fun, likes to travel (specifically to Hawaii), and some other random things. (PS. While I think this exercise was helpful in setting a standard for myself in the men I dated, I don't always recommend making lists like these, because if you're so focused on checking all the boxes on your list to find the ideal husband, you will miss him. No one is perfect! Plus I have found that God likes to surprise us. He always gives us what we need, even if we didn't know it.) Anyways, it's crazy to be here, 5 months into marriage, knowing it's you. It was you all along. Through singleness, heartbreak...all of it. God knew you would be my husband. 

I'm thankful for the time before you, because that was the Lord preparing my heart, and yours, so we could be the best for each other. Not perfect, not even close; but by the grace of God, we are being made new each day. Just like my vows at our wedding said, I never expected love to take me to a different state, but the Lord knew I would experience His grace most by your side. And that has been true every day of our marriage. 

Thank you for laughing at my jokes, even if just a courtesy laugh. Thanks for taking out the trash and helping with things around the house. Thank you for protecting me, standing beside me, making the best scrambled eggs ever, and pushing me to be more spontaneous. Thank you for pointing us towards Christ. Thank you for loving me, even when I'm hard to love. You pursue my heart and that's the best feeling. I'm so thankful it's you. 

You are my forever valentine and I love you SO much!

xoxo

***

Whether you celebrate this day with a bunch of girlfriends that love you to pieces or your spouse, I hope you feel loved today! One year in college, my friends and I made heart-shaped pizzas. It was a blast :) I know this is a polarizing holiday, but any chance to celebrate love is a good day, in my opinion! 

Happy Valentine's Day from me to you!

xoxo

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Valentine's Day Oven Pancakes Recipe

Breakfast is absolutely, hands-down my favorite meal of the day. Whether we eat it actually in the morning or if we're whipping up breakfast for dinner, it always hits the spot. I first made these with my grandma when visiting my family a few years ago and ever since making them there, I've made them on Valentine's Day for my guy! Believe me when I say, this was THE best breakfast I've ever had. Who knew you could even bake pancakes in the oven and have them be so delicious?! AND they bake into a bowl shape, but taste just like regular pancakes. I actually bought mini skillets to make them in at home, which are also super fun. Too. Good.

I'm here sharing the results and the recipe with you today!

Ingredients
1 cup each raspberries, blueberries, and sliced strawberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 teaspoons for the dishes
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Maple syrup and confectioners’ sugar, for garnish

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Gently combine the berries and sugar in a small bowl and set aside while you make the pancakes. Place 4 (6- to 7-inch) individual gratin dishes on two sheet pans. Place 1 teaspoon of butter in each gratin dish and set aside.

Place the eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium speed until mixed. Add the milk and combine. Slowly add the flour, vanilla, orange zest, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and the salt and mix just until smooth. Whisk by hand if the mixture is lumpy.

Place the gratin dishes in the oven for 3 minutes, until the butter is hot and bubbly. Make sure the butter covers the bottom of each dish. Immediately divide the batter equally among the gratin dishes and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until puffed and lightly browned. Divide the berries among the dishes, drizzle with maple syrup, dust with confectioners’ sugar, and serve hot.

Recipe By Ina Garten, found here.

***

Can we talk about how the final picture of our oven pancakes actually resembles the picture in the cookbook?! We were equal parts shocked and proud :) You can buy the dishes we baked them in right here! Here are the items I use to make them:

Give these pancakes a try tomorrow, or another time, and let me know how they turn out!

PS. Check out these adorable Valentine's Day kitchen dish towels!

Happy Monday

xoxo

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Valentine's Day Inspo: Table, Sip, & Eat

This week is flying by! Spending time in California with my family has been really sweet. But I certainly am excited about getting back to my husband, just in time for Valentine's Day. I think any excuse to celebrate is a good one ;) Here is some pretty inspiration for the day of love. Hopefully it inspires you!

SET THE TABLE

1. Stripes and bright pinks

2. Heart Shaped Napkins with Ombre Florals
Napkin tutorial here ;)

3. Craft Table for Card Making Party

THE SIPS

1. Strawberry Champagne Cocktails-- how cute is this graphic?!

2. Rose Cocktail 

3. Cherry Shirley Temple

GOOD EATS

1. Heart Shaped Fruit Kabobs

2. Pomegranate Ice Cubes  -- I know, you don't technically eat ice cubes ;)

3. Vegan Mousse Tart

Are you planning to cook anything special or set the table for Valentine's Day? I'm sharing the recipe for what I'll be making on Monday! I love the idea of the pom ice cubes-- so cute and easy!

Hope you have a wonderful day!
xoxo

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Creative Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

Hope you enjoyed your weekend! Did you all catch the Superbowl? I didn't watch much of it, except for the half time show (I thought Lady Gaga did a great job!) and the 4th quarter. I'm in California visiting my family right now, so other than catching glimpses of the game, we went to church, brunch, took our family dog for a few walks (in the rain) and relaxed.

With Valentine's Day a week away now, I thought it'd be fun to show you some more unique gift ideas for your sweethearts! Sometimes it's exciting to step out of the box a little and get something more creative than a tie, gift card to the spa, or flowers. Except I sure do love those things! ;)

Here are a few creative gift ideas I found:

Shop the products here by clicking on the image:

Uncommon Goods is a great place to look for unique gifts like these-- they're a little quirky and fun! My husband would love these coffee beans for different parts of the day and I know I would love the box of bath bombs that look like chocolates. What a delicious smelling bath those would make! The tea making kit also looks adorable and useful, especially since I'm such a tea-lover. I also found some cool jewelry and jewelry trays that the gals might like. One of the gifts I think I like the most is the anniversary wine box. You can customize the look of the wooden box and then you fill the three drawers with three bottles of wine. You get to open and share the bottle on different anniversaries. They suggest your 1st, 3rd and 5th anniversary! Isn't that sweet?! If it was me, I'd even slip little notes in the box that we could read on those anniversaries as well.

They make shopping for Valentine's Day gifts really easy because they've separated it into categories, so you can shop for husbands here and wives here. Another thing I always appreciate about a company is when they donate a portion of sales to a great non-profit organization. Uncommon Goods does that by giving $1 of every purchase to the organization of your choice. Isn't that awesome?!

Hopefully this got your juices flowing for some more unique and creative gift ideas for Valentine's Day! If you missed my previous two Valentine's Day gift guides, you can catch them here:
For Her
For Him

xoxo

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This post was sponsored by Uncommon Goods, though all opinions are my own as always. I only support and work with brands I know, trust and love, and this collaboration is no exception! Thanks for supporting companies that keep MND doors open!

Friday Finds: Valentine's Day Dresses

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, I thought this week's Friday Finds should center around what to wear on February 14th! I'm all about going out and getting a bit dressed up on Valentine's Day, so I'm on the hunt for a cute outfit. These are all on my list :)

DETAILS | one / two / three / four / five / six / seven / eight / nine
 long earrings / trio studs / bangle

If you live in a colder area, just throw on some tights and a jacket and you're good to go! Some statement jewelry will finish off your look in no time. Two years ago I wore a cute sequin dress and even though I was a tad over-dressed for the restaurant we went to, it was still really fun.

This year I'm traveling until the day before Valentine's Day, so it will be fun to reunite with my hubby around the holiday. He said he is planning our evening, so I can't wait to see where we go and spend the night eating good food + sharing fun memories! Any excuse for a night out is a great idea in my book;)

I'm almost done putting together my husband's V-Day gift. It includes a few of his favorite things (coffee being one of them!) If you need some Valentine's Day gift ideas, check out these:

For Her
For Him

Weekend Sales:
- Anthropologie: 25% off dresses
- LOFT: $50 off your $100+ purchase.
- J.Crew: 25% off women's sports styles.
- J.Crew Factory: 30-40% off new Spring styles. This striped top has my heart. Also, this purple dress!
- Nordstrom: tons of new sale styles!

I hope you have a fun and restful weekend, everyone!
xoxo

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Valentine Day Gift Ideas for Him

Gift giving (okay, and receiving!) is definitely my love language! There is little that makes me more happy than going to pick out a friend or loved one something I know they'll love. Birthdays, holidays, and even Valentine's Day are such fun times of the year for me, because hunting down the perfect gift is something that brings me great joy. If you missed my Valentine's Day gift guide for the ladies, you can check out that post here. It's FULL of gift ideas for your wife, girlfriend or your best friends.

Today I'm highlighting Valentine's Day gift ideas for the guys. I love putting together something special for my husband. It will be even more exciting this year since we're married! Here are some of my favorite picks and ideas below:

DETAILS | fit bit / watch / slippers / coffee cookbook / north face fleece / travel case / s'well water bottle / plaid flannel / cologne /

Speaking from experience, guys are hard to buy for, so I put this gift guide together with what I know for sure my guy would love. I got my husband this exact S'well water bottle for Christmas and he LOVES it. He drinks way more water now and takes it everywhere. It keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours and hot for up to 12. $35 well spent! I almost wish I had gotten him the largest size instead of the medium.

If you live in the midwest like we do, it's still a great time to gift a fleece or warm sweater. There are tons of great options out there, but I love this North Face 1/4 zip sweatshirt. It comes in a bunch of colors, which is always nice! Speaking of clothing for guys, a classic flannel button up is always a safe gift. I don't know about you, but I love my husband in a plaid button up and red is extra cute :) If your guy is a great outdoors person, check out tons of great clothes and shoes for that here.

A few other noteworthy items are this YSL cologne that I got my husband on our wedding day (ladies, trust me...it smells amazing!) and this make-your-own-coffee-at-home-book. In fact, if you've got a coffee lover on your hands, here are some other gift ideas you may like:

Other Valentine's Day gifts for him:

- Chocolate! Who doesn't love that?!
- Their favorite beer. I love going to World Market and picking one of these up to include in his gift.
- Make him dinner (and have it be a surprise!)
- Make him breakfast in. I'll be making these delicious oven pancakes!
- Make your own coupons for activities you know he'll love to do together (ie. see a movie, go bowling, go to a brewery, etc.)
- Frame a picture of the two of you for his desk at work
- Write him a handwritten card. (My husband has kept all the cards I've written him...so sweet!)


What do you get for your guys?! Do share...I haven't quite landed on what I'm doing yet, though I have ideas!
xoxo

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Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Her

Can you believe we're only a few weeks out from Valentine's Day? I know a lot of people think this is a dumb holiday, and I sort of agree, but it can also be really sweet if you think about as a day to intentionally show those you care about that you love them! Every day should be like that, but we have a special day every year to devote to making others feel loved. With this being our first married Valentine's Day, we're embracing it. My husband is planning our evening and I'm really looking forward to it! Whether you're celebrating with a spouse or significant other or with your best gals, I've found a bunch of sweet gifts for the occasion.

DETAILS | drop earrings / coconut and mango candle / blush watch / iphone peony case / ruffle cold shoulder blouse / valentine's day socks / 52 lists for happiness book / posies body & hair oil / marc jacobs perfume

I just LOVE the idea of this 52 lists for happiness book. The book helps you generate a ton of lists, all pointing toward joy and thankfulness. And the cover is gorgeous! A candle is always a great gift-- I don't think you could have too many. I often use this day to give little soaps, bubble bath or oils to my girlfriends as a way to pamper themselves. This is also a great time of year to gift perfumes. I don't think I've ever loved a perfume more than I love the one I have right now, so that's why I included the Daisy Eau So Fresh perfume.

I found a few other things I think could be really cute gifts, too! Guys (all 4 of them who read my blog), listen up! This would be a sweet puzzle to do together then frame and hang in your house:

If you are a tea or coffee lover like me, a thermal mug like this (especially one that's called "Hot Stuff") is a perfect gift! Free tip to the men: fill the mug with chocolate and a gift card to the nail salon and we'll love you forever. #amirightladies 

This gift is a great idea for your wife or girlfriend OR for your best friends if you're celebrating galentine's day! You know Sprinkles Cupcakes? (THE best!) Well, they made a red velvet lip scrub. I need!

Need some new PJ's? A good time to hint you like these pants and this top. I love PJ Salvage brand...they're pretty true to size, but I did get an XS instead of a S in my Christmas pjs from them this year. They fit a bit better, since pajama pants tend to stretch out a little.

Major brownie points to the husbands out there who go with this idea. My love language is "gifts" and "words of affirmation", specifically in hand written form...ha! SO if my husband did this alone on Valentine's Day I would cry tears of happiness. This is a cute little book that has fill in the blanks, for you to write in what you love about your spouse. Gift this to your wife with all the blanks filled in and she is promised to melt. At least I would ;)

A great idea for your girlfriends are these cute heart of gold mugs! Even if you're in a relationship, it's always fun to celebrate your bffs, too!

Another awesome idea for the guys to get their ladies! Date Night In (we got this for our wedding) is full of fun recipes to make together at home. Get this for your girl and cook her a recipe in the book on Valentine's Day if she's the type who wants to stay in :)

Lastly, whether your a guy looking to turn up the romance or a bunch of girls hosting a panty exchange (this is a really fun thing to do on Valentine's Day!), the verdict is in. These are absolutely the best panties. Soft, last forever, lacey, come in many colors and are on sale. What more could you ask for?! I prefer the low rise. (Just noting this is the first time I've ever posted intimates on my blog. Insert emoji face with rosy cheeks!)

More gifts for her:

- Flowers!

- Chocolate

- Gift card to the spa or nail salon

- Gift card to favorite coffee shop

- Night away with her best friends

- Dinner and a movie out

- Cooking dinner for her in

Okay ladies, what did I miss?! I'll be back with some gift ideas for the guys later in the week.

xoxo

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