V-Day

I hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day. For a long time Valentine's Day didn't have the most important meaning to me, but after meeting Theo the day became something to celebrate. He was my first real Valentine! We were chatting yesterday and it occured to us that we had not been out on February 14th in 3 years. Last year he was in the hospital, the year before he was in Iraq, the year before that he was at a training class. He worked a normal day, but left early to get my present. He had me freaking out about what it could be; my hints were: it was waiting for him to pick it up, he spent lots of time selecting it, it was practical, and there were lots of men buying Valentine's things where he bought it. I was stumped.

Theo and I gave the boys Cranky and Spencer from the Thomas Lego sets, a Luigi and Sheriff from the Cars movie, and a Barney and Thomas magazine. They were pleasantly surprised to see presents on the table when they woke up.

I gave Theo some candy, a Turkey Hunting magazine, and I bought that Tickle His Pickle book... which I awkwardly and highly reccommend. I first picked up the book on a Border's Valentine's Day display when Theo was in Iraq; I was searching for things to put in a V-day package for him. I came home and told him about it in an e-mail. I never went back to get it, but this year I thought I'd see if I could find it again (I didn't know the title of anything, just remembered the idea of the book). I marched right up to info desk and asked I mean, I don't have a pickle, but I live with 3 of them, and it helps to know as much as you can. The book is highly informational, even Theo is learning things he did not know.

What did Theo get me? He came walking in the house with a HUGE box... a Kodak 5100 all in photo printer, photo ink, and paper! Prints pictures at 10 cents a print and I can start scanning my 8.5 x 11 scrapbook layouts instead of taking photos of them! I could not be more pleased! His friends at work made fun of him, but he knows me; no gift could have pleased me more. I specifically asked for no frivilous jewelry and asked he not give me too much temptation food-wise. One night of dinner vs. a huge box of chocolates, one night is better for me right now. So yeah, I have the very BEST husband ever!

Theo and I kept forgetting to take a picture of his tatoo, so I nabbed one in the car yesterday. Here's Theo's two-day-old tatoo, on his right forearm. Nice, eh? He's already plotting his next one.

And where am I going all dolled up? A Valentine's Day date! Theo arranged for Julie to watch the boys! He gave me fair warning to get nicely dressed and even gave me a choice of restaurants.

After 2.5 hours in the car (traffic was awful b/c of slide-offs and snow slick roads), we arrived here Johnny's Italian Steakhouse is one of our favorites places in the midwest. See the snow on the car window? I love how this picture turned out.

We were almost 2 hours late for our reservations, but everyone else was, too, so we were seated immediately. We started our 4 course meal with salads. Theo had a hot bacon spinach salad, and I had a ceaser densely packed with fresh parmesan. I had to take a pictures of all the food, even though it was dark. I didn't use my flash, I used manner-museum mode, which I find gives me the truest pictures--you see what I see light-wise.

Johnny's is dark, swanky, as they promise it has the feeling of a 40's supper club. You hear Sinatra playing, and also could picture him sitting at the bar. Last time I went there I had a meal dedicated to Marilyn Monroe as described in the menu: "CHANEL NO. 5 Marilyn’s trademark! We took her five favorites - lobster, shrimp, artichokes, prosciutto and cheese ravioli - added our homemade garlic cream sauce and came up with this movie star bombshell."

You can see why I'd want to go back. I love this place...

I had two glasses of Relax Reisling. So I was relaxed and over the snowy drive in minutes.

For an appetizer we had crab cakes. OH YUM.

My main course was Crab Lasanga! Oh Y.U.M. Here's how the menu break this one down: "ON THE TOWN CRAB LASAGNA Thick layers of Ricotta, Parmesan and Mozzarella layered between pasta, spinach, marinara and fresh crab meat, topped with the favorite Chanel sauce"

Theo had a "PARMESAN CRUSTED NEW YORK STRIP* A gentleman’s cut at 12 oz char-broiled and finished with a Parmesan butter crust. A house specialty." His potatos were incredible. Couldn't tell you anything about them though. LOL.

And my favorite part of the meal? Dessert of course! The Valentine's Day special, heart-shaped Red Velvet cake in a chocolate ganache served with raspberry sauce. OH-MY-GOODNESS people! It tastes like a giant Godiva chocolate buttercream truffle with cake in it. The frosting on the cake was perfectly incredible, I swear it had to have been made with both cream cheese and butter. So delicious. The lady laughed at me when Theo told her I could eat the whole plate by myself. I didn't. I ate one heart, and had the other for breakfast this morning. LOL. Theo said it was too chocolatly for him. Don't know what Red Velvet cake is? It's Devil's Food cake with a red dye, supposedly long ago created by using beets? I have made it at home, but mine was nothing compared to this to-die-for dessesrt!

Here we are in the parking lot. I'm delightfully happy from the wine and chocolate.

I hope you all had some special Valentine's Day goodness. Much love to you all.