an impromptu date night

{via}

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope you have a few moments with your loved ones today.

My sweet hubby drove to the other side of town tonight to pick up a pair of chairs I found on Craigslist.  {they are lovely, by the way.  I'll tell you more about them in another post}

As I was cleaning the kitchen and feeling grateful that he added a long drive to his already full list of things to do, I decided to surprise him with an impromptu date night.

The kids were sound asleep, so I spread an old quilt in front of the fire.

wonderdog kept me company while we waited for B to come home

Made some lemonade.

Turned black eyed peas leftover from dinner into bean dip, and toasted some french bread for dipping.

Brian got home a bit quicker than expected, so I didn't have time to turn on any music.  But, I was intending to play Stereolab's ABC Music.  It was the soundtrack to our honeymoon, and it every time I listen to it, I think about driving through sugarcane fields in Kauai, snorkeling and looking for sea turtles, bouncing around in the pacific, and dreaming about what our life together would be like.

And our life is so much more than we had imagined--more busy and stressful, {ok, there's a lot less sleep than we would have imagined, had we imagined sleep}, more sad and touched by loss, but also more joyful, full of laughter, noisier, more blessed and more intense than we ever could have imagined.  And I am so glad that Brian is my partner and co-parent through it all. 

It is a wonderful {and far too rare} treat to have a few quiet moments to just be together.  We rarely celebrate Valentine's day, but if we did, I'd want it to be just like today, a simple, quiet moment.

Do you love Valentine's day?  What are your traditions?  What do you and your sweet heart have planned this year?

{Brian liked the bean dip and asked where I got the recipe.  I told him I made it up, and he said "I love a good guess-tape"--and a new word was invented}
Black-eyed pea dip

3 cups cooked black eyed peas (I used dried beans, putting them in the pot the night before covered with water, bring them to a boil, turn them off, cover them and let them sit out overnight.  I then boil them again about an hour before dinner until tender)
salt to taste
olive oil
green onion
lemon

Puree cooked, drained black-eyed peas in a food processor or blender until smooth.  Add reserved cooking liquid until beans are silky smooth, but not watery.  Stir in salt to taste.  Spoon into serving dish, drizzle with olive oil, garnish with green onion and lemon.  Serve with toasted bread or crudites.