Is it Valentine's Day?

No, this is not our best day, stuck here at home with the bug, a bad one, a real bad one. Thehubs can not talk without a coughing fit taking his breath away. Poor man has had this now for 9 days, diagnosed last Thursday with Influenza. Then yesterday, I got the full blown version too. We have been living like ostracized hermits for over a week. 

Everyone has been texting and calling to see if we are okay and I warn them to stay away. Oh it will be over in a few days, then a few more days and now a few more days. Friends and family have been dropping by and leaving packages of Mucinex, contact, chicken soup, and gatorade on our front porch, running as we open the door.  Others are sending prayers, condolences and suggestions after going through it themselves, investing in the pharmaceutical market and losing income to this awful bug.

Oh woe is me...

I will quit crying and

tell you about my plans for this lovely holiday.

First I will tell you about my tablescape. So many of my favorite blogs have posted beautiful and romantic tables full of delicious goodies set with intentional love and beauty. I adore them, they are so pretty and so full of love for those they are serving. Here is mine, or at least the beginning of mine. 

I wanted to stray away from the pinks and reds and experiment with a neutral background adding a simple red rose to the napkin rings later. I absolutely love my new placemats from Home Goods, my napkins from Pier One and my brand new flatware from Pioneer Woman. What you do not see and I did not finish is the small red rose added to the napkin rings, and the neutral tablecloth I got at Goodwill for only $3 (yea, brand new still in the package).

I recently exchanged Valentines with Debbie Kay from California. She sent me the prettiest assortment of Valentine goodies.  I built a little vignette in my entryway and I think it turned out very pretty. She is so sweet, kind and prayerful. I am now a follower of hers on Instagram and am so blessed to count her as a new friend. 

Keeping with my efforts to use different colors for my Valentine Centerpiece, I made these hearts from scrapbook paper. I spent the day with my 87 year old mom making home made Valentines and these were part a of my ideas. I loved the neutrals and my favorite color this year seems to be the blues. I love all shades, and can't make up my mind on just one.

The last piece was this heart dish I found at a little (thehubs called it dirty) flea market in Pittsburg, Kansas. It was a great day meeting friends at Chicken Annies and carousing the local shops. If you are from southwest Missouri, you know about Chicken Annie's, famous for their German Cole Slaw and German Potato Salad. I am especially proud that I only paid 50 cents for it and it fit exactly in the space I wanted it to. Thehubs says he won't go back even though I got a bargain.

I awoke from my nap yesterday to find these beautiful token of thehubs love.

He is my best friend, my greatest encourager and the best nurse.

We are going to celebrate 19 years together this spring even through the hard times, the good times and the sick times, he has always been by my side.

I love him more than words can say.

My wish for you on this special day is 

to take some time to be sweet!

Have a wonderful and lovely Valentine's Day!

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