Day of Love, 2012.

Valentine's Day is fun. :) I have spent years without my Valentine, but this year, we were fortunate to be together. We had a few rough moments today, courtesy of J's job, but we aren't going to talk about that. 

I am so blessed to have a wonderful man who loves me for exactly who I am (and who I am is a little scary sometimes, shh..) and we have so much fun together. We are loving living in Germany and creating our own little Tour De Europe, Castleberry style. 

I know some people choose not to celebrate on Valentine's Day and that's fine, but we do like to do sweet (pun intended) little things for each other on Valentine's Day.

Last year, we were in California together while Jason completed a work training and had a great time just being together. This year, we celebrated pretty low key.

I gave J his gifts a couple of weeks ago (what can I say? I don't like to wait..) I redid his bathroom in black and greys, so it was more of a place he would want to spend time in? As silly as that sounds. He had just a modge podge of random old towels & bathroom stuff, so I wanted to get him things that are meant to go together.

And, he gave me my gift the night before V Day, because well, I don't like to wait. :)

He got me my Kelly Moore Posey 2 grey camera purse! I am in love with it, but even more in love with my sweet husband! He wanted me to have it before we go back to Paris at the end of this month. I found this purse a couple of months ago. It is made just like the cross body I carried to all the Christmas markets and Berlin. It was so great, because it was longer instead of wider and bulky. So, this camera bag definitely fit the bill of what I loved!

My Posey 2 bag!

I also woke up to a heart shaped box of little Ferrero Rocher chocolates.

My bag & sweets from my sweet.

I also made these brownies as a little dessert surprise for J.

Making a raspberry sauce.

When J got home from work, we got all dolled up to go out for dinner. Unfortunately, the place J wanted to take me was closed yesterday and he had a little language barrier when he called to try to make reservations. So, we headed a nearby village that has tons of restaurants and found a wonderful little Greek restaurant. Our dinner was cut short by some not so fab news and so our little date night pretty much ended there. But, here's to hoping things will work themselves out.

My love.

J looking all GQ. :)

Homemade raspberry butter cream brownie sandwiches.

xoxo.

Happy Birthday, Husband!

So, this morning when I got up, I began working on J's birthday cupcakes. 

I decided on chocolate cupcakes filled with a miniature Reese's baked inside with peanut butter cream cheese frosting. J loves peanut butter, so I thought it was a great plan. :)

The cupcakes were easy enough, but working with peanut butter is always tricky, because it always seems to be a sticky mess that sticks on everything. Nevertheless, they turned out pretty darn good and J even has extras to take into work tomorrow. I kind of feel like the mom who sends their kid to school with enough cupcakes for their little birthday guy or gal. I just know I can't look at them too long without them calling out to me to have 'just a little bite..' because we all know it is never just a little bite. 

After baking the cupcakes, I noticed the sun was shining today, which is always wonderful. We are lucky to have sunshine on the days we do, because in Germany in the winter, it is mostly darker during the majority of the days. So, I opened the patio curtains and put little Dubbie's couch in front of the sun, so he could get some good ole Vitamin C. He loves sunning himself!

Today, I did a different set of work-outs than normal. I just finished BodyRocktv's 30 Day Challenge, which I enjoyed. Today they did not have a new work-out up for this month, so I tried ToneItUp's Sweet and Sexy Valentine's Day Work-out. It was so fun and it definitely worked some areas that don't always get the attention needed and I felt it afterwards. They also incorporated some really cutesy little heart moves and other fun V Day related moves. I also did Pilates on the Balance Ball and a hula dance work-out. I wanted a little something different and I really enjoyed some new stuff today!

So, I cooked a cheddar cheese soup for the birthday boy and we had Prosciutto ham sammies to go with for dinner.

I got J some goodies from American Eagle, in anticipation of spring! Lots of fun brights!

Here are a few photos of the birthday boy and Dublin. :)

'No, Daddy, I am not in your lap eyeing your cupcake...'

And, one of me. Excuse the messiness/clutter in the living room. It has been a busy week!

xoxo.

Wednesday Pressie.

J bought me this sweet little cottage smoker yesterday and brought it home.

I love looking at this little cutie! :)

It is so sweet and such a thoughtful little just because gift.

Thanks, babe. I love you!

xoxo.

You know how to make me smile. :)

How well does my husband know me? :)

My surprises from his trip down to Maxwell AFB, Alabama were a yummy cupcake from the USO Lounge at the airport in Charlotte, NC. Most of the food they have there, is donated from a nearby culinary school, so, though the cupcake make look a little cheesy with the way the frosting is done, it was one of the best cupcakes I have ever had. And, believe me, I have had more than a few. :)

AND--he brought me back some blood oranges! I discovered these delicious oranges when we visited Natalie, the kiddos and her parents in Florida, in December. I love them, and the oranges they sent us back to DC with. :)

I love you, husband. I am so glad you know what makes me smile.

xoxo,
Heather

Happy Birthday, Husband!

Birthday boy!

I spent today preparing a special evening for Jason's birthday. :)

I decided a couple of weeks ago to do a Disney themed evening. We had such a wonderful time at Disney World, that it was only fitting. :) I found recipes from different restaurants at Walt Disney World, that I decided to make for his birthday dinner.

The Menu:

Pepper Pot Pork
from Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Sweet Bread with Macadamia Honey Butter
from Kona Cafe at Disney's Polynesian Resort

Peanut Butter Rice
from Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge

Guinness Cake
from Rose and Crown at Epcot's World Showcase.

I also made little cards with hints on them, for Jason to find Hidden Mickeys. I made a homemade 'Happy Birthday' banner out of Mickey heads. And, played some Disney tunes. :)

Here are some photos of our evening. :)

Pepper Pot Pork.


Peanut Butter Rice.

Sweet bread with Macadamia Honey Butter.


Sweet treats from Natalie, Joe, and the kids. :) Yummm! There are peppermint iced brownies and chocolate-cherry brownies. Both are AMAZING!

xoxo,
Heather

The Story of Jason and I.

The story of Jason and I.

Jason and I met as staff members at a Boy Scout ranch in my hometown. I was (and still am) best friends with the ranger's daughter, and spent most of my senior year in high school, at the camp, with her family. So, when the time came for people to interview to be on staff for the summer, I was already in love with this place and wanted nothing more than to live there for the summer.

The first time we ever saw each other, was when, Jason was leading a get-to-know you game with all the staffers on the day we all arrived. He likes to tell me about how there was no way he couldn't have noticed me, because I kept talking and distracting him as he was trying to keep everyone focused on the game. What can I say? I am a talker. :)

As staff members, you become close with the people you work with, because you all live on camp property for the duration of the camp season. So, it was normal that you interacted with everyone.

After a couple of failed attempts to keep us from dating, by a staff member who will remain unnamed, we ended up going on our first date, to the 4 screen movie theater in my hometown, where we watched Shrek 2 and dined at what used to be the very best Mexican food restaurant in town (that is now a steak and burger joint.)

We spent the rest of our time at camp, trying to spend as much time as possible together. Before camp ended, Jason invited me to come to New Orleans with him a few weeks after camp ended, to attend a wedding with him. To be honest, I really didn't expect to see the guy again. He lived 4 hours away, was starting his Sophomore year in college, and I was just a small-town girl who had graduated from high school two days before we met. Nevertheless, when I kept receiving phone calls from him after camp, I gathered there might be a bit more to us than I had originally thought. :)

We dated for 2 more years, before getting engaged, but that is another story for another time. :)

2nd Anniversary.

Jason and I got to spend our second anniversary in our favorite place! Texas! Yay!

This is what my sweet husband got me for our anniversary.

It is a black and white diamond square knot. :) It fits together perfectly with us and our story.