Valentine Surprises + My Favorite Iced Sugar Cookie Recipe

I'm not a huge Valentine's Day person.  It is pretty commercial and I know it puts a lot of pressure on my husband to "perform" and live up to some standard of romanticism (which he is not).  I used to feel so let down if he didn't do much or didn't do it the way I imagined; and then one year I stopped caring and reminding and pestering him. 

I guess with the pressure off, he felt like he could succeed at doing Valentine's day well.  That year my husband surprised me with flowers when he came home from work.  I was thrilled because I didn't expect anything.  I realized that my disappoint stemmed from what I had built up in my head and that my husband felt like no matter what he did it wasn't good enough.

This morning I woke up to these.  He didn't even wait until the last minute this year.  I'm so impressed!  I also love that he always includes a dash of our wedding flowers when he gives me a bouquet.

 

The girls got these beauties

 and balloons!

 

I'm feeling especially thankful and full of love for my family and friends in this season of my life.  I'm glad there's a holiday that makes me stop and consider how I can be intentional about showing it.

 I decided to buy something that I can keep and fill each year for the kids.

 

special delivery! 

Lila has been begging me for "real" jewelry lately.  I found this gold heart locket and couldn't resist buying one for each of the girls.

  Getting the most out of my dollar wrap:  I made these little envelopes to put the necklaces in.

 

The most delicious thing about Valentine's Day:  these cookies.  I fell in love with this recipe at Christmas time and now I'm looking for any excuse to make them.  I think I need to invest in cookie cutters for every holiday!

This is Paula Deen's Recipe, so you know it has to be good!

 

Iced Sugar Cookies

 

 

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

 

 

1. Cream butter and sugar.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt, then stir into the butter mixture.  Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. 

2. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease a cookie sheet.

3. On a floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 1/4" thickness and cut into shapes.  Place cookies on cookie sheet and bake for 8-9 minutes.  (I prefer 8 for a soft cookie)  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

 

 

Icing

 

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

1 Tbsp milk

food coloring

 

1.Stir sugar and milk together.  If needed, add more milk to reach spreading consistency.  Add food coloring.

2. Spread icing on cooled cookies.

 

Makes about 18 cookies.

 

originally from the November 2008 issue of Scholastic Parent and Child