Celebratory Weekend

This past weekend was a busy one, again, but a fun one! Saturday was David's birthday and though I had planned a surprise party for him, it didn't exactly work out that way. However, we had a great time anyway and he told me he felt well-celebrated! :) 

One of David's favorite types of restaurants is the Brazilian steakhouse. We discovered one on accident on a vacation to Cincinnati a few years ago. It was SO GOOD that we have kept our eyes out for others. We were able to go to one on our trip to NYC a couple years ago and so I thought, surely there's one here in the big city we live near. And, there is!!! So, my sister, BIL, David and I all piled in our van and went to the Big City and had a good time! (Oh, my wonderful parents took kid-duty for us!) Have you ever been to a Brazilian steakhouse? Well, let me tell you why my husband loves them so much! Because you can eat your fill (and then some) of meat--15 different kinds, to be exact! Well, 15 different preparations of meat. You are given a coaster when you arrive. One side is red and one side is green. As long as green is facing up these guys will come by your table with swords of meat and slice off some of what they bring, if you want it. :) It's quite the experience. There is also an extensive "salad" bar which offers pasta, cheeses, palm hearts, shrimp, etc. Because of the price of getting the salad bar and meat and the fact that my sister and I were in no way going to eat that much meat, we opted to only get the salad bar and sampled from our husband's meat! :) It turned out to be a great way to go. Our husbands almost had to be rolled out of the restaurant, and we had a great time being together. After dinner we went back to our house and had ice cream cake with my parents and the kids. Also, a fun time! 

Yes, I put 31 candles on the cake! :) David blew them out in one big breath... 

Sunday was, of course, Mother's Day! I had requested donuts (so I didn't have to make breakfast) and an uninterrupted nap. :) Well, I had made cinnamon rolls for David's b-day breakfast and we still had lots left over so I told him to skip the donuts and we had bacon and cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Church went well and we met my parents in their city for lunch. It was a good time spending part of the day with my mom. Due to church, waiting for food at the restaurant and running a couple other errands I didn't get the nap I wanted, but was able to cat nap in the chair while we let Cora watch videos. We spent the rest of the evening outside using our new-to-us table and chairs and let Cora run out energy before bed. It was a good day and I felt very loved and appreciated by David and Cora (and Molly too!). It'll be lots of fun next year to add Baby Sprout to the mix!! Unfortunately, I discovered yesterday we had totally forgotten to take any photos on Mother's Day. Sigh...next year! :)

For Better of For Worse

Right now I think we are going through a "for worse" time in our marriage. David and I are not having marital issues, but what I mean is I am not in the best place emotionally/mentally and David is sticking by me during this "worse of times." When you take your marriage vows you just don't know what you'll be tested by them. I mean they're just words, right? You just get through them so you can hear the preacher say "man and wife" and then you go on having done your duty in church. I can say with certainty that these were not just words to David or me. We meant them. We meant every word of them. We knew that times would be hard, that finances would be tight at times, that there could be really bad sickness. We knew all these things. But, the true test is when these things come and how do you react?

When the revelation and working-through of my abuse and what all that means I have been so thankful for my husband, for my David. He has shown me time and time again how much he loves me. He has shown me that he is not just here physically, but here for me in any way I need him. It's not easy to have a spouse, a team member not be everything she should be. But, he's not judging. He's not condescending to me. He's just loving me. He's just helping me in whatever ways I need him to.

I love this man and can't find the words to describe how thankful I am for him. I'm just thankful he took his vows as seriously as I did. I'm so thankful he loves me and because he loves me he's here helping me through this dark time.

Valentine's Day Cookies for Daddy

Every year (I think) since we've been married, I have made David heart-shaped sugar cookies for Valentine's Day. There are a few reasons. I started mainly because we didn't have a lot of money our 1st year of marriage and this was something I knew he would love that didn't cost a lot. Plus, he LOVES cookies, especially of the sugar variety! :) And, we're just not too into buying into the commercialism of Valentine's Day and spending MORE for something that last week was less (i.e. flowers, candy, dinner out). I have been excited to one day have our kids help me with this little gift and this year Cora got to help! It was a two-day process getting the dough done the 1st day and then the rolling, cutting, icing the next. She had a BLAST and I did too! :) And, well, David has enjoyed eating the cookies of our (love) labor! :) I had to chuckle at my little girl (for she's no longer a baby!) as her personality shines through when we do stuff like this. Her DISLIKE of being dirty, especially her hands. She absolutely REFUSED to try the cookie dough. I tried and tried but NO WAY was it going to happen! She also freaked out if any of the dough go on her hands--she D.E.T.E.S.T.S. having her hands dirty! I love this child and can't wait to see if this is something that lasts or goes away over the years. Anyway, feast your eyes on the cuteness that was our cookie-making adventure!

Can't you see the pure GLEE in her eyes???

VERY carefully cutting out without getting her fingers near the dough!

She LOVED using the rolling pin! :) 

Sprinkles EVERYWHERE!!!!

Mmmm! Frosting!

Nom, nom, nom!

So, I didn't have enough powdered sugar and found this can of electric blue in the cupboard. Not ideal for Valentine's Day, but oh well! :) Don't you love all the sprinkles? :)

David LOVES redhots with his sugar cookies! It's a good thing due to not having enough frosting anyway!

Happy Valentine's Day from the Hardin's!