In the Dog House? A Solution!

Following an afternoon drive around town last Saturday, Greg stopped the car by the shop of the florist who did our wedding arrangements and said he had to run inside. He appeared a few moments later with a huge bouquet of flowers with a sweet Winnie the Pooh valentine attached that read "Something for you Valentine", To: Mommy, Love: T. Walter. I was beyond touched!

While I may have a beautiful arrangement of flowers in my dining room this Valentine's week, it wasn't always that way. In 2009, Greg 'surprised' me with a book on personal finance for Valentine's Day. While I'm someone who actually enjoys researching and buying mutual funds, and considering the pros and cons of putting my money in an Registered Retirement Savings Plan versus a Tax Free Savings Account, even I know that there's no way this gift could be spun as romantic. If you made a similar boo boo this past Tuesday, here is a surefire plan to get out of the dog house this weekend. The ingredients?

• Make a dinner reservation for tonight - stat! We're actually celebrating Valentine's Day tonight (as I suspect others are as well) so you can, with some degree of credibility, convince your partner that you intended to celebrate tonight all along. If you can't find a reservation anywhere, plan to go to a nice lounge, like Bivver in St. John's, and have a cocktail and some appetizers.
  
• Next, head to the mall or other shopping destination and buy your partner a new dress or jewelry or tie or shirt or sports jacket (some article of dressy clothing that you know they'll love). Set it out on their bed and when they walk in the room, announce your intentions to take them to dinner and your desire for them to wear said item on your date.
  

I hope this plan works for you! xo

Photo via Female Ways.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! Today I feel lucky and full of bliss for having two loves in my life - my husband and my son. Though Greg's at the office, I'm keeping busy with a gossipy lunch chat with a friend, and a homemade Valentine's project (more about that later), and we're keeping in touch by emailing limericks about our love back and forth. Hopefully tonight we'll get Thomas down to sleep before we're too zonked ourselves so that we can enjoy a cookie on the couch together. We'll celebrate properly this weekend (there's talk of steaks!). Love to all of you, my dear readers! Valentine's card by Anna Bond.

What to Wear on Valentine's Day: Romantic Dinner

If fine dining is part of your Valentine's Day plans, perhaps an ensemble like this would suit? Dress by The Look, clutch by Tory Burch, booties by Designers Remix Signature and coat by Miu Miu.

What to Wear on Valentine's Day: Casual Date

Seasonal, yet sophisticated, here's the perfect solution for an unconventional, but fun Valentine's date, like bowling and a curry buffet. Cigarette pants by Joseph, studs by J Crew, sequined bag by Red Valentino, pink flats by Bottega Veneta and heart sweater by Sonia Rykiel.

How to Celebrate Valentine's Day with a Baby I

Over the next few days, lovely readers, I'll be sharing some ideas on making Valentine's Day feel special with a baby (or a new puppy or a hectic schedule or any other life situation where making time for your relationship seems impossible).

First up, pull out the champagne glasses. Even if you don't have any bubbly on hand, or are abstaining for breastfeeding (or other) reasons, serve up some lemonade, fizzy cranberry pop or even apple juice, and chill. There's something special about the shape of a champagne glass, and anything feels sexier to drink in a shapely glass than your everyday tumbler. With glasses poured, take a moment to savour whatever you're drinking with your loved one and focus on just each other (until your glass is empty and your baby starts fussing again).