I've been with my husband for nearly 12 years {altogether} and it goes without saying, sometimes he could use a hint or two as to what he can gift me for holidays like Valentine's Day.

Perhaps you're in the same boat? Let me help you out a little bit. I have a wonderful gift idea that you can share...or just leave this post open on your browser for your significant other to see...

I recently received a wonderful assortment of treats from Shari's Berries. I'm not kidding when I say it is ABSOLUTELY DIVINE. No, really. This gift idea is far more delicious than roses and it's something that can be shared.

My order was shipped just as I requested it would be and this box arrived the day the hubster returned from a business trip. I figured we could share a tasty treat together with some conversation before we both passed out from sheer exhaustion. 

 I've ordered from websites in the past and I always worry if I'm going to feel ripped off when it arrives. In the case of the Cheesecake Trio and Full Half Dozen Swizzled Strawberries, there was absolutely no disappointment. Instead, I was excited to dive into these desserts and had a hard time waiting for the hubster to get home.

So exactly what is included here?

• 3" Classic New York Cheesecake
• 3" White Chocolate Cheesecake
• 3" Rocky Road Cheesecake
• 2 Strawberries dipped in milk chocolate with chopped almonds
• 2 Strawberries dipped in white chocolate with dark chocolate swizzles
• 2 Strawberries dipped in dark chocolate with chocolate chips. 

The cheesecakes are heavenly and so rich I could barely finish a 3" cheesecake on my own. And the strawberries are HUGE and so juicy. There really isn't anything I would change about them either. Perhaps I would just order the full dozen strawberries with the 3 cheesecakes instead.

Of the 3 cheesecakes, I favored the rocky road and of the 3 strawberries, I have to go with the dark chocolate with chocolate chips. YUM to the O!

Why don't you go order some to share with a friend or loved one this Valentine's Day? You may even find a coupon worth using and save yourself some money on it. :)

**Thanks to the brand/pr firm for the items to facilitate this review. I was not compensated for this review beyond receiving the items mentioned. This review shares my thoughts and opinions. Others may have a different experiences or opinion.**

Bookmark This For Your Valentine: A Gift Suggestion {review}

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About a week ago, Alex and I wanted to do something fun together. I grabbed some art supplies we had at home and we created our own love bugs. It was fun to see his ideas. :) These are still hanging in front of our door wall.

For more Wordless Wednesday, visit 5 minutes for mom.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Freestyle Love Bug

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My Valentine's Day actually started yesterday. The hubster kicked off the celebration by bringing home a rose for Eliana and asking her if she would be his Valentine.

I know...

It melts your heart, right?

She loved it too. She grabbed that rose and pranced around proud as can be. :)

*excuse the quality of this photo. it was taken by my phone's camera*

 Yes, I got a rose too. :) He's a good man and he remembers to treat *both* ladies in the home with the utmost respect and pampering.

Then it was time for our date. The hubster and I dropped the kiddos off with my parents and he and I set out to a little, Italian restaurant in our old stomping grounds. We had the best meal but what was better was his company.

I loved talking with him, laughing with him. I loved holding his hand and getting lost in his eyes. We had such an amazing time together and it's great to keep falling in love with him nearly 10 years away from our first date.

This morning, Eliana woke me up early and got our day started. I was all happy groggy as I scooted into the kitchen to get her a glass of milk and kick on the Keurig. As I opened the refrigerator door, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I saw a King Size Reese's Hearts pack with a little love note on it.

Smile #1

After getting her settled, I took the opportunity to run off to the bathroom where the most beautiful card {with handwritten note} was left on the mirror for me.

Smile #2

As I continued to get the day moving, I found more treats and more notes in cupboards where breakfast items, cups, bowls, and such are kept.

Smiles #3, 4, and 5

This was such an incredible morning. I felt overwhelmed with love and wore a perma-grin all day long.

As for the kiddos, Eliana and Alex enjoyed their Valentine's Day presents as well as the little valentines the hubs left for them on the table. We read our V-Day themed books and spent time having fun together.

Later this afternoon, Alex and I worked on getting his Valentines prepped for his preschool class party tomorrow. He's very excited and will be giving his teachers a few of these.

We made them the other day using Salt Dough, some Play-Doh tools, and some of his paints. Then, I found some ribbon to put through the holes so they can be hung. Basically, this is an adorable giftable that cost us no money at all and only gave us quality time together. :)

So there you have it. That's our Valentine's Day in a nut-shell.

I hope yours was full of love!

Our Valentine's Day 2011

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Time again to join Kailani at An Island Life for the simple question/answer meme, "Aloha Friday". This is a fun way to kick off the weekend and meet a few new bloggers at the same time!

My Question:

{OK, everyone! This is your chance to put your wishes out where they can be seen. Bookmark this and leave it open if you need to send your loved one a big fat hint.}

What is one thing you'd love to receive for Valentine's Day? {Yes, even if you don't celebrate it. Pretending can be fun sometimes. ;) }

My Answer:
A new lens for my Canon DSLR. *cough* it's on my Amazon wish list *cough*

LOL

Have a great weekend!

Aloha Friday ~ V-Day Gifts?

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When I'm gift shopping on a website, I'm really looking for a site that gives me options. I shop within a strict budget all the time so I like to know what's available in my price bracket without having to view the website's entire catalog. Shopping on Red Envelope, I easily found beautiful items within my price range and took my time looking over each of them. 

Red Envelope provided a gift code for me to do some shopping with so I could share my experience with you. Now, if I were shopping for myself, I did happen to find a few things that made me say

 "How Lovely"

and

"You shouldn't have".

They're stunning, right? 

What I decided, though, was to pick out some cute gifts for some people I love.

 For Alex, I found these adorable slippers. I chose the bear paws for him. What I think is cute is that he can actually turn them on so they'll growl as he walks around in them. Alex is at an age where imagination is everything and I can't wait to go on a bear hunt through the house with him. I just know he's going to love these.

These were priced at $24.95 so I threw them in my shopping cart and continued on searching for an item for Eliana.  {If you couldn't guess from the image, they also come in puppy paws and duck feet and are available in children's sizes.}

As I looked through items, I found the perfect thing for her. Red Envelope carries these adorable Zoobies plush animals that can be used as a pillow or a blanket. The blanket that can be removed from the animal is super soft and measures out to 53''x34''. Eliana loves to cuddle things and I'm positive that "Bubba the Black Bear" will become a fast favorite of hers. He was on sale for $24.99 so I grabbed one to go and continued shopping. 

Why the bear items for my kiddos? Well, I have a sweet little book that I read around Valentine's Day to the kids. It's about a mommy bear and a baby bear and I thought these gifts would fit right with that book for a themed gift that says "I love you".

I had one more person to shop for and she's very dear to me so I was looking fore something special. I know she has a thing for shoes, jewelry, and purses so I looked carefully through my options. 

What I decided on was this sophisticated, personalized purse hook. This will fit easily into her bag but will beautifully showcase her initials when she takes it out to use. This will also keep everything she needs at her fingertips rather than on the ground or on the chair next to her.

I bought this for $19.95 and paid $4.95 extra to have it engraved.

I'm excited and feeling like I'm all set for Valentine's Day now, thanks to Red Envelope. I enjoyed looking over items, getting detailed close-ups of them, and reading reviews from others who chose the same items. I felt the pricing on the website was pretty competitive with other sites I've seen and I loved the detailed check-out where I chose when the items would arrive at my doorstep.

THE GIVEAWAY!!{Now Closed}

Red Envelope wants to help you out in time for Valentine's Day too! One winner will receive a $50 gift code!

To enter: Visit Red Envelope and tell me one specific item you would use your credit towards. Include your email address for your entry to count.


For additional {and always optional} entries:

• Blog about this giveaway with links back to this post/blog.
• *For 2 Extra Entries* Become a fan of Coffee with the Mrs. on Facebook. {Comment with 2 separate comments for credit}
• Grab my button for your sidebar. 
• Subscribe to my blog by e-mail through feedburner {the coffee cup at the top of the right sidebar with the orange rss symbol. comment with the e-mail address you subscribed with}
• Follow my blog *For 2 Extra Entries* {right beneath the Giveaways listing on sidebar. Comment with 2 separate comments for credit}
• Follow me on Twitter @TheMrsC (comment with your twitter name)
• Tweet about this giveaway.  If you want, you can say “CoffeeWithTheMrs.com is giving away a $50 giftcard to Red Envelope and I want to win!” {Just make sure to link to my blog or the giveaway}.  {comment with a link to your tweet}
• TWICE daily retweets are available for extra entries. Leave a comment with a link to your daily tweet{s}

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. This giveaway will run until February 9th at 11:59pm ET. The winner will be selected by using random.org and will be contacted and announced on or around February 10th. If the prize is not claimed within 48 hours of initial contact, I will randomly select another winner. Void where prohibited. No purchase necessary. Open to US.

**Thanks to Red Envelope who supplied the items to facilitate this review and giveaway. I wasn't compensated in any way for this post. In this post I share my thoughts and opinions of the items mentioned. Others may have a different experience or opinion.**



Photo credit: All images from RedEnvelope.com

Red Envelope: A One Stop Shop For Valentine's Day {Review & Giveaway}

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If you're on the hunt for a delicious, original, and affordable Valentine's Day gift idea, please consider Donsumor Heart Shaped Madeleines. These treats are specially made for the holiday and they are positively yummy. {Believe me. I've tried them.} And don't worry about wrapping them; they come in a beautiful box. You could easily put a bow on it or lay a single rose on it and call it "done". 

What is it about sweets that gets me? I'm not exactly sure. All I know is that a few of these {OK, and maybe some jewelry} would make me pleased as puddin' this Valentine's Day. Fancy, gourmet cookies are certainly the way to my heart. 

I was sent a variety box to review that includes both vanilla and chocolate cookies. These are dipped in chocolate and white chocolate. Yum! I tried the vanilla first and absolutely loved the flavor of it. Then, I made the mistake of telling the hubster he could try some and now I've got to hide away my last few, chocolate cookies. Personally, I think these are best with a cup of coffee but that shouldn't come as a surprise to you. 

These photos should help you get an idea of the actual size of the cookies.

Here's a bit about the variety box taken from the website {there is also a box of all chocolate Madeleines to choose as well}.

This elegant gift box is filled with 16 wrapped heart shaped madeleines. Each package has two hearts. This variety package has both chocolate and vanilla cookies and are hand-dipped in white chocolate or chocolate coating - they promise to surprise and delight! Beautifully presented in our custom designed gold embossed gift box.

And in case you're curious about Donsuemor, as I was, here's some information taken from their "About Us" page. 

Starting with an original French recipe, Don and Susie Morris (Don-Sue-Mor) introduced madeleines to their Berkeley, California "gourmet ghetto" community in 1976. Together, the creative entrepreneur and the passionate baker created a treat unlike any other—a moist little cake with a fresh, unforgettable taste. Donsuemor continues their tradition of baking delicious bakery treats that bring delight to everyday life.

BUY IT: The Donsuemor Heart Shaped Madeleines are available to ship beginning February 1st for $20 a box.

THE GIVEAWAY!! {Now Closed}

Would you like a box of your own? {Yes, it's perfectly fine to win it and regift it. I'll never tell} One winner will receive a variety box of Donsuemor Heart Shaped Madeleines!

To enter: Visit Donsuemor and tell me one other item that strikes your fancy. {include your email address for your entry to count.}

For additional {and always optional} entries:

• Blog about this giveaway with links back to this post/blog.
• *For 2 Extra Entries* Become a fan of Coffee with the Mrs. on Facebook. {Comment with 2 separate comments for credit}
• Grab my button for your sidebar. 
• Subscribe to my blog by e-mail through feedburner {the coffee cup at the top of the right sidebar with the orange rss symbol. comment with the e-mail address you subscribed with}
• Follow my blog *For 2 Extra Entries* {right beneath the Giveaways listing on sidebar. Comment with 2 separate comments for credit}
• Follow me on Twitter @TheMrsC (comment with your twitter name)
• Tweet about this giveaway.  If you want, you can say “CoffeeWithTheMrs.com is giving away a box of @Donsuemor Heart Shaped Madeleines and I want to win!” {Just make sure to link to my blog or the giveaway}.  {comment with a link to your tweet}
• TWICE daily retweets are available for extra entries. Leave a comment with a link to your daily tweet{s}

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. This giveaway will run until February 7th at 11:59pm ET. The winner will be selected by using random.org and will be contacted and announced on or around February 8th. If the prize is not claimed within 48 hours of initial contact, I will randomly select another winner. Void where prohibited. No purchase necessary. Open to US.

*Thanks to the PR firm who supplied the complimentary, reviewed item to facilitate this review and giveaway. I wasn't compensated in any other way for this review. In this post I share my thoughts and opinions of the product being reviewed. Others may have a different experience or opinion.**

Donsuemor Heart Shaped Madeleines For Valentine's Day {review & giveaway}

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Need an original idea that will knock his socks off? Or maybe YOU'RE the thrill hunter and you want to drop a hint that you would love to do this yourself. Here's a terrific idea to offer your Valentine an opportunity of a lifetime! {And no, it doesn't cost an arm and a leg}


~~
Take your gift giving to new heights with Pilot Journey this Valentine’s
Day

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Are you looking to give your sweetheart more than just
candy this Valentine’s Day? Why not give the gift that encourages and
inspires the one you care about most. The sky is the limit when it comes to
finding something that will “wow “ the apple of your eye. A Discovery
Flight Certificate from Pilot Journey gives them a memory they will cherish
for a lifetime. The Certificate provides a first time flying lesson in a
real airplane that is an experience that will never escape your loved
one’s mind!

“Flying an airplane is one of the most inspirational experiences in
life” said Owner of Pilot Journey, Gary Bradshaw. Soar beyond roses and
chocolate by sending your valentine to the air for an once-in-a-lifetime
experience.

Now is the best time to discover the dream and the freedom of flying a real
airplane, so help your beloved achieve the rewarding adrenaline rush of
reaching for the sky. Help your darling jumpstart their passion for aviation
with a Discovery Flight Certificate which sends them airborne in a 30-40
minute flight lesson.

The Discovery Flight Certificate Package includes a flight lesson with a
FAA-certified flight instructor, a six-month subscription to a top flight
training magazine and a “Reach for the Sky” CD with a 30 minute
presentation explaining in-detail what you will be doing during your flight.
Completing the package is a 25 page e-book with two FAA publications and a
Certificate of Accomplishment to call your own. The time logged in the
Discovery Flight counts toward a pilot’s license and the future pilot can
record this spectacular adventure in a Pilot Journey logbook.

The Discovery Flight Certificate is available for $129.95 from
PilotJourney.com and is redeemable at over 500 flight schools nationwide
with no expiration date. Pilot Journey also offers a 100% money-back
guarantee for the purchaser’s peace of mind.

About Pilot Journey
Founded in 2001, Nashville-based Pilot Journey is the largest company in the
US dedicated to promoting aviation and introducing new pilots to the joy of
flying. With more than 500 Discovery Flight Centers nationwide, Pilot
Journey is the largest seller of first time flying lessons in the nation.

Website:
http://www.pilotjourney.com/12all/lt.php?c=1812&m=2800&nl=289&s=49215b320febec5917397b1cce667b01&lid=1254&l=-http--www.pilotjourney.com/
Attached image: Give your sweetheart the gift of flight this Valentine's Day
with Pilot Journey's Discovery Flight Certificate, valid at schools
nationwide. COURTESY OF PILOT JOURNEY

Contact:
Gary Bradshaw
888-696-2390


**Thanks to Pilot Journey for sharing this information. I've received no compensation for posting this press release. I just want you to know more about it so you can look into it for yourself. Personal review to come soon!**

Love Is In The Air! Here's One Great Valentine's Day Gift Idea {press release}

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One of the first words that people relate to Valentine's Day is "love". I love love, don't you? The word, on its own, takes me back to my wedding day when the Minister read from this passage to the hubster and I.

1 Corinthians 13

Love

 ¹If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,^[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

 ⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 ⁸Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. ¹¹When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. ¹²Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

 ¹³And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

What I find most inspiring about this passage is that it points out the great importance of  loving others while it defines exactly what that means. To love each other is not an easy task. Did you see what love is?  It's difficult to really love sometimes. It's difficult but it really is the way we're supposed to live.  

As you enjoy your Valentine's Day, try to keep those things in mind that define "love".

House Blend ~ Happy Valentine's Day

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~All You Need Is ~

~In the spirit of Valentine's Day. I LOVE this adorable outfit my sister and niece picked out for Eliana.~

For more Wordless Wednesday, click it. :)

Wordless Wednesday ~ Feb. 10th

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Are you stumped for an idea of what to give someone for Valentine's Day? I have the perfect answer for you.

You see, I recently received a gift basket from Great Arrivals and I am telling you, it's a great gift idea. Well, at least for a mom like me.


"What makes it so great?" you ask.  It's absolutely packed with goodies and some of them are my absolute favorite treats. In fact, when the basket arrived, the hubster saw it and said "(Ahem) By the way, Happy Valentine's Day." Of course, I wasn't about to let him get away with that one but I'm sure Great Arrivals would be happy to hear their basket was so nice that my hubster tried to take the credit for it. LOL

Here are some photos of the basket before we cracked into it at home.

As I said earlier, my two favorite treats were in this Sweet Love basket from Great Arrivals. Those two things were Godiva and Ghirardelli chocolates. Need I say more? They were delicious! The complete basket's contents included:

Stuffed Valentine Day Bear with Two Hearts

Godiva Gems Milk Chocolate Truffles with Creamy Milk Chocolate Filling

Lindt Raspberry Chocolate Truffle

Lindt Milk Chocolate Truffle

Ghirardelli Prestige Dark Chocolate with Raspberry Filled Bar

Long Grove Confectionery Cupid's Crispy Pops ~ crispy treats covered in Milk Chocolate or White Chocolate

Madelaine Sweetheart 9" Milk Chocolate Rose

Primo Dolce Chocolate Truffle Cookies

Too Good Gourmet Tossed Hearts Chocolate Fudge Cookies

Angelina's Sweet Butter Cookies

Beth's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Nancy Milk & White Chocolate Covered Pretzels

...in an Oval Dark Stained Basket with Wooden Handles hand-tied with "Happy Valentine's Day" ribbon. 

 For this stay-at-home mom, this basket makes a great gift. Let's face it, having my very own basket of treats to eat as often as I choose (with sharing completely optional) is very nice. While things like potty training, diaper changing, feeding, and burping are going on, I have a stash of goodies with my name on them to escape to.

There are other Valentine's Day baskets available as well for him and for her in different price points and themes.

Now. Get out of here and go order your basket from Great Arrivals to be shipped out and check Valentine's Day off your list.

**I received the Sweet Love basket to review in my home. This review is based strictly on my experience and opinion. I was not compensated in any way to influence my choice of words. Other opinions or experiences may not be the same as my own.**

Pssst...Send A Basket for Valentine's Day (review)

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Once again, it's the one day a week bloggers like myself get to kick back and take it easy with Kailani over at An Island Life with a simple question/answer post. If you'd like to join in the fun, click over there for more deets and for the linky.


Here's my question for the day:

Have you thought about what you would like to receive and/or what you're going to gift your "love" for Valentine's Day? 

Sadly, it just occurred to me yesterday that I have not given this any thought. YIKES! I'll be racking my brain for an idea for my 3 loves (the hubster and 2 kiddos) and will be strategically dropping hints as to what I would like. *tee hee*  (No secrets here. The hubster knows how I like to drop hints. lol)

Aloha!

Aloha Friday ~ 1-29

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...and do you know what I did? I made a crazy valentine for all my readers. Yes, I did.

You won't see it today. I'll post it up tomorrow.

BUT, I can tell you, it will be funny and freaky with just a touch of love. :)

I know you can hardly contain yourself. I know you can't wait to see what I've come up with.

Well, you're just gonna have to wait and see! ;)  tee hee!

Tomorrow is Friday the 13th...

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Welcome to another Quotable Sunday. Don't forget to visit Toni's blog to get the rules on how to play along.

I searched high and low for valentine's day quotes and found way too many to choose from.  Then, I saw this one quote and decided to let it stand alone for this quotable Sunday.
Here it is!

I don't understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine's Day.  When I think about romance, the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a weapon.  ~Author Unknown

How funny. How true.

Quotable Sunday ~ Feb. 8

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You may or may not remember the contest I hosted not too long ago for Christmas cards from tiny*prints. AND, if you received my Christmas card, you'll remember what a great job tiny*prints did. I was SO, SO pleased with the quality of our cards and I was thrilled to send them to family and friends.

So. I'm ecstatic to tell you I'm able to offer yet another chance to win with tiny*prints. Tiny*prints makes gorgeous photo cards, adorable kids cards, and delicious valentine's party invitations.

Here's my choice for the kids card Alex could send out:

And here's the photo card I l-o-v-e.

Aren't they sweet?

Tiny*prints would love to give one of you a $50 gift certificate to use in their store. Honestly, after you've visited the site, you'll have a hard time deciding how to spend your money. :)

Want to win? I thought so.

Here are the rules to enter:

1. Visit this link and shop through the cards. Choose one as your favorite on the website and comment here with the one you chose, why you chose it, and the e-mail address you used on tiny*prints. (tiny*prints will be verifying your e-mail address before any winners are announced.)

Choose different favorites and enter as many times as you want. Please leave separate comments for each entry.

This giveaway will run until January 30th at 8:oopm ET and is open to everyone, world wide. I'll post the winner as soon as they're verified through tiny*prints.

Good Luck!

Click here to return to the giveaway carnival!

Tiny Prints Valentine's Day Contest

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