L-O-V-E: Valentine's

There was something about this Valentine's day...

Maybe because it wasn't our "first married Valentine's" this time around, and we didn't feel pressured for it to be fancy and flawless...

There were no excessive expectations. Just a few lovey-dovey smooches, a lot of "real life", and plenty of special treats scattered throughout the entire weekend...

Like handmade Valentine's:

Homemade Red Velvet cupcakes with the most delicious cream cheese frosting you've ever tasted... (no, really) 

Chocolate-covered strawberries:

And some glitzy new Toms from my Valentine!

And let's not forget our Molly girl...

We brought home Chinese take-out on the night of the fourteenth... romantic, yeah? I can honestly think of nothing else I would have rather done. (Except maybe NOT work out arms at the gym like we did. I still can't reach my hair to use a blow dryer... and thanks babe, for "setting the scene" below...)

I opened this same fortune exactly three months before my wedding. It was at dinner on March 20, 2009. My mom and sister will vouch for me! 

Valentine's Day seems to be more special when you just stop trying. When you let your adoration for the one you love take over and inspire your treats, sweets, and surprises. Instead of doing what the world expected of us... flowers and an expensive dinner and maybe a love song under the stars... we celebrated in a way that was much more "us". And exceedingly more special.

Here's to loving love!
Lauren