Sweet Tooth Sweet Life

A Love of Food, Fitness, & Fashion

Sort Of In The Middle

By 71 Comments

Good morning and Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!

I’m curious…how many of you are “in” to the actual Valentine’s Day holiday? Do you buy into the whole card, flowers, chocolates thing? Or are you on the “it’s just a stupid Hallmark holiday” side?

Me? I guess I’m sort of in the middle. Jay and I don’t usually do anything special on V-Day…no cards or anything like that, although we do tend to sometimes make a nice dinner in or something low-key (tonight we’re actually going to dinner and seeing a movie, but it’s more just because we wanted a date night before leaving for Mexico). But I also do really love love, and I think it’s sweet to see and hear some of the different romantic gestures. HOWEVER…in my opinion, those types of things should be done all year round, not just on one day of the year!

So anywho…let’s rewind to last night. You guys have GOT to check out this dinner.

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I knew I wanted a salad, (mostly because we have a whole container of mixed greens that needs to be eaten before we leave next week) so I used that and loaded it up with cucumbers, grape tomatoes, baby carrots, feta cheese, pickles, dried cranberries, and avocado. It was serious…seriously amazing, that is. 😉

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I knew I also wanted/needed some protein and nothing was really appealing to me to put ON the salad, so I cooked up a couple of scrambled eggs on the side and topped them with some mango salsa. My eyes were also, apparently, bigger than my belly because I decided I needed toast too, but I didn’t really wind up touching that.

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Had to save room for the good stuff at dinner…and the stuff to come after dinner….

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A couple of weeks ago, I was browsing through the daily deals on Rue La La (affiliate link, yo) and happened to find one for Mrs. Prindable’s apples. If you’ve never had a Mrs. Prindable’s apple, then you may not fully understand why I immediately had to purchase them. My one grandma first introduced our family to them, and then my mom jumped on board and has gotten them for us a few times. So when I saw the deal, I couldn’t resist.

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Besides…I’m calling them a Valentine’s Day gift to ourselves. 😉

The package a got contained four of their petite caramel, dark chocolate covered apples; two also coated in milk and white chocolate, one coated in extra dark chocolate with chocolate chunks, and one with those little sno cap candies.

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So last night after dinner, Jay and I treated ourselves to the little V-Day gift early and each had one of the striped caramel apples.

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Ohhhhhhhh, lordy. My day was complete after that little piece of heaven right there. And I love how, no matter how thick of a caramel and chocolate layer is on there, I still don’t feel bad because technically I’m eating fruit. And fruit is good.

And I have no problem making that justification. 😉

Question for the Morning:

Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? Have you ever had a really awesome and/or awful Valentine’s Day experience?

Comments

  1. I love Valentine's Day, but I hate that it's all commercialized. It's a great excuse to do something sweet for the one you love, but I also don't like that it makes single people feel ostracized. This year, my fiance and I had a special Valentine's Date Night that included dinner in, but dessert out, and then yesterday morning I got up early and made him a special weekday breakfast (we usually just grab something as we run out the door) of heart shaped pancakes. We did get each other a card and a small gift, but usually we just do something nice for each other. I wanted to make this year a little more special than usual because it will be our only Valentine's Day as an engaged couple. But, typically we just use it as an excuse to do nice things for each other -- no extra expenditures required.
    Reply

  6. I feel the same way as you - I like the little gestures for Valentine's but really think you shouldn't need a special day for it ... it should be like that year-round. My fiance is military so he's away for an exercise until the end of the month. We celebrated Valentine's before he went away so tonight I volunteered to baby for my friends that have a new baby. I'm sure they'll appreciate some adult time together!! Happy Valentine's Day :)
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  7. Wow, those apples are seriously beautiful! I can see why you love them! My boyfriend and I stay in but we make a fancy dinner and delicious dessert. We've done the same thing every year and it's become a tradition I love!
    Reply

  10. I love, love too! I don't really care about Valentine's Day but I don't mind if my husband sends me flowers :) I've never had a Mrs. Prindable candy apple but I did see them on rue la la last week and thought about getting them. Kicking myself for deciding not to!
    Reply

  12. Happy Valentine's Day, Courtney! I don't go all out for Valentine's day, but I definitely don't just pass it off as a stupid Hallmark holiday either - any day to get a little more excited over is a good one in my books. But I definitely don't think that chocolate, flowers, surprises, and special dates should be limited to Feb 14th... that kind of thing should go on all year :)
    Reply

  14. Those apples look yummy! I think you described exactly how I feel about Valentine's Day. I think it's sweet to see all the romantic gestures, but I'm not overly romantic myself so it's never very special for my husband and I. I am putting together a silly little gift for him though :)
    Reply

  15. Oh yum! I love chocolate and caramel apples! Looks like the perfect treat to me! I love (no pun intended!) valentine's day and we do celebrate every year, but not in a big way. Usually a nice dinner and some flowers are involved. This year I did a simple list of the things I love about my husband!
    Reply

  21. When I worked in an office, every single Friday I'd go over to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and buy one of those kinds of apples to split with my cubie. We were pretty much the only ones there on a Friday afternoon, so we'd just chat and eat the entire apple! Good times. Now I want one, haha
    Reply

  22. i love mrs p! curious-what was the deal on ruelala? wondering if it was a significant savings? (said the girl who spent $25 on one mrs. p apple for new years!)
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  24. Happy Valentine's Day! I don't mind V-Day. We usually have dinner (either a nice one at home with some wine) or go out to eat. This year is the little one's second Valentine's so we will be making dinner at home and I have some brownies for dessert. We usually get each other a card and something under $15.00. I hope you have a great day! Have another apple today because they look AMAZING!!
    Reply

  27. Mrs. Prindables are amazeballs. They are actually locally located and used to be one of my clients, so they make a very frequent appearance in our office. Love that crunchy, sweet, salty texture taste profile!
    Reply

  28. I'm also in the middle, I don't really feel passionately either way towards loving or hating Valentine's day. But it is nice to celebrate a little. My boyfriend has plans to make dinner for me tonight, and I'm bringing dessert and a movie. Should be fun! :)
    Reply

  31. I have never heard of those apples but now must have them. I'm with you, if there is any kind of fruit involved, it can't be that bad for me ;) I like the idea of valentines day and think celebrating all love is sweet but don't buy into the big elaborate gestures. A simple love note or breakfast in bed is more than enough!
    Reply

  33. I'm just like you - I don't need anything extravagant, just a simple night at home, cooking dinner, some nice wine, and maybe a movie. I'm selfish and usually don't want to share V-Day with any one else other than my man. :)
    Reply

  36. I've never heard of Mrs. Prindable's before but I know I would love those--yum! My husband and I aren't really into Valentine's either, not the cliche way I guess, but we do use it as an excuse to have a drink and some dessert after work :)
    Reply

  37. I love any sort of holiday but Valentine's day is definitely weird if you don't have a boyfriend or significant other (I am single!) -- however, I will be grabbing drinks with friend which should be really nice :)
    Reply

  39. that apple looks to die for!! i'm not a big vday person, but because me and the bf are long distance i would love to do a little something. but if we are together we usually just keep it low key, and make something together, then get froyo
    Reply

  40. Mmmmm that apple!! I love love! So Valentine's Day is a fun thing to celebrate--but we don't go all crazy at all. A few love notes, some hearts, wear red/pink, and do a small gift for each other. Nothing crazy--but I love that it's a fun day to celebrate even MORE so. I think it's sad when people are against it just because it's a 'holiday'. It doesn't mean don't celebrate love other days in the year, it just means adding another day of love to enjoy! <3
    Reply

  41. I don't celebrate Valentine's Day, mostly because a few years back, I got so fed up with my friends lamenting how if their boyfriends didn't do something spectacular, they were going to dump them. I believe that Valentine's Day is more than just romantic love. It's to show love to everyone you care about. And it shouldn't be a requirement. It should be because you want to. People get freaked out when I say I don't celebrate (which isn't entirely true. I did get my parents and sister cards), and think that I'm completely anti-love and cynical. I'm not, I just believe that this one day shouldn't make or break an otherwise good, functional relationship.
    Reply

  42. My boyfriend and I are sort of in the middle, too. I think this is our 7th Valentine's Day together and HE's the one who will usually prepare something specialish. I just get to sit back and enjoy the day!
    Reply

  43. I do celebrate Valentine's Day! However, I told Nick the other night that I think it's more about the things you do the rest of the year than just today. If you're in a relationship where you only celebrate it and appreciate each other on one day of the year, then you're most likely not in a great one.
    Reply

  44. I'm a hopeless romantic, so I def lean more towards the "we should be doing this stuff all year" side :) ..that being said: i've had the worst valentines days in the history of valentines days for the past five or six years, so i'm probably a little biased lol hope u and jay have a nice night! ♥
    Reply

  45. Holy cow, those apples look to die for! I am the same as you, kind of in the middle. I've never been desperately happy abotu the holiday. Now that I'm married, it's kind of whatever. My husband gets me flowers and sweet gifts randomly, so I'm not dying for something on vday. I do get into the chocolate/hearts/red/pink part of it just because it's girly and cute. I might be wearing a red sweater, heart socks, have red/heart nails, and heart jewlery on... But I'm spending the day alone so I just wanted to have fun and be a girl :)
    Reply

  46. Given that I'm a single lady (...and always have been a single lady on Valentine's Day), I don't really get into the holiday at all, but I did once have a FANTASTIC Valentine's Day in college. Several people that I worked with at the student newspaper and I were on our way back from a conference, and we had some of the most phenomenal discussions I've ever been a part of on the way back to our school. It was absolutely incredible (also, there was an abundance of candy in the car, which definitely helped haha).
    Reply

  47. I used to be way more 'into' Valentine's Day before we had kids. We do exchange cards and small gifts - more thoughtful items versus presents of substance. One year I bought him a dancing hamster that played 'our' song and now my daughters love it :) I had apples like those for my bridal shower favors. They (and my maid-of-honor!) were AWESOME!
    Reply

  51. Love Mrs. Prindables! As for the whole V-day thing. I'm not a fan. Restaurants are crowded which makes going out to dinner a nightmare. Even my local pizza place gets crazy. Sorry, but there is nothing romantic about getting take out pizza on Valentine's Day. My grandmother's birthday is Valentine's Day and since she lives in another state we would always get take out if we were visiting b/c no one wanted to go out and eat since you could never get a reservation. Anyone with a Valentine's day birthday you have my sympathies.
    Reply

  52. I love Valentine's Day because it reminds us to tell those we love how much they mean to us. We stopped going all out since having our girls and two more on the way. :) But we always get take-out, we always get cards, and Steve always send me/us girls flowers. So, it is a great day in my book. :) Enjoy your last Valentine's Day as a couple, next year you will have a family. :)
    Reply

  53. Oh man! Those apples look SO good! And like a sugar coma. ;) I'm not one for Valentine's Day - whether I'm single or not. I guess I'd rather someone show they care everyday than just on one day in particular. Though, I'm not complaining that my dad decided to make spaghetti for my mom and I for dinner because we love it. :)
    Reply

  54. I'm not a big crazy person about Valentine's Day because yes, I agree with you, it shouldn't be the only day you and your loved one(s) do sweet things for each other. This is the 3rd Valentine's Day I've spent with my fiancé and the past 2 years have been pretty low key (small gifts and dinner), but this year, I took the day off so really went all out. It started off with me waking up to flowers. And then I started my gifts to him by surprising him at school (he's a high school teacher) with cookies and cupcakes for his class. He was extremely happy and I could tell that it truly made his day! Then when he got home this afternoon, I had a cheese plate set up with some Prosecco and made a nice dinner of Wild Salmon with an avocado and grapefruit relish (Pinterest find) and kale salads. I also made some flourless peanut butter cookies, and made 3 to say "I <3 U." It's really been a wonderful day! :)
    Reply

  55. I only had a boyfriend one valentines of all my years. We had dated a year and he didn't get me a thing. I can remember crying my eyes out. Not because I wanted something expensive, but because it didn't even cross his mind. I would have taken a card. I bought him things and he said thanks and thats it. needless to say we are not together lol
    Reply

  56. I agree that love should still be expressed year-round!!! And omgssshhh if people only knew the true meaning behind V-day!!! I love it because it has to do with a Catholic martyr who married Christians who really loved each other and at his time that was crime! So when he kept his commitment to that, he got killed. I know that sounds sad but it's sooo deep in my opinion. :) And I've been loving huge salads too! I get filled after them.
    Reply

  57. I love your justification of eating fruit haha! I'm like you we think that stuff should be done all year and not just one day, but I also appreciate making it a bit special- so we're going to dinner on the weekend at a fancy place and staying in the city overnight after (we usually do this stuff, but a special occasion is as good as any)
    Reply

  59. With 2 kids, we don't really go out on Valentine's Day. Sometimes, hubby will bring me home some flowers, but I'm not much of a cut flower person. I prefer live plants. Most of the time, we buy each other a small gift. This year, I got a really cute coffee mug and a shirt that says "I <3 my geek" with an actual heart. It may not be super romantic to some, but it's perfect for us. I got him a Game of Thrones coffee mug and a Jayne Cobb hat (from the show Firefly). I did have a bad V-day a few years ago. I had met this guy at a party and, we were both single near V-day. He asked me to dinner and I said yes, thinking this was a friends thing. Apparently he didn't feel the same way. I gently turned him down, not interested in him like that. He started stalking me, I'd wake up in the morning and he'd be parked outside my window, just waiting for me to leave the house. It was really creepy. Eventually I threatened to call the cops and he left me alone after that. That didn't really happen ON V-day, but because of it, so I'm counting it, lol.
    Reply

  61. I wanted to try and mimic that salad of yours cause it looks too good not to! Just wondering though if you use any dressing with it and if so, what kind?
    Reply

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