The color RED

Happy February! Ok, so I'm a couple days late, but that's irrelevant. Most people think of February as the "love" month, mostly because of Valentines Day. You see it all around you- red roses, red balloons, red heart boxes filled with chocolate, stuffed animals with red hearts and the words "love" or "be mine." You can't go anywhere without seeing red. I'm puzzled how just ONE day can make such an impression on a whole month, especially when so much of it is centered on love. Why is it that people go overboard to show how much they love somebody for just one day? Shouldn't we show the people we love how much we love them EVERYDAY? What's worse, to me, is that so much money is spent on this one day of "love" and so many times we hear "money can't buy love." Is that ironic? I'll let you decide for yourself.

My husband and I don't celebrate Valentines Day. Occasionally we buy each other a card or our favorite candy bar, but we don't do it just because it's Valentines Day, no, we do it because at that moment, we think of each other. I bought my husband a card this year from our daughter. Being that it's Almond Joys first Valentines Day, when I walked past the card section and saw "From Daddy's little princess", I couldn't help it, I had to buy it! However, with or without the card, red means more to us than Valentines Day.

Rather then celebrating a Hallmark holiday, my husband and I instead celebrate something much more meaningful on February 14th...his mom's birthday. Every year I make a dessert to celebrate and honor the memory of such an incredible woman. While I never got the pleasure of meeting her, I've heard many stories, seen lots of pictures and been welcomed into a family that loves and misses her so much everyday. She was an incredible woman full of strength, wisdom, beauty and more love for her family than anyone on earth. I wish I could have met her. Happy Birthday, Carol, you are loved and missed so much!

So, friends, I ask you- What does Valentines Day mean to you? 

Heart Brownies I made last year