Valentine's fun (read: food)

We started out the day with sugar, and we ended it that way. And we had quite a bit of it in the middle, come to think of it.

Nathaniel asked whether I came up with the kids' Valentine idea myself. Are there really any original ideas being had, in this era of pinterest? Because no. I most definitely didn't come up with the donut Valentine idea myself.

Valentine's Day dessert was a Root Beer Bundt Cake from Baked. Is it strange that I've never considered putting a thick frosting on a bundt cake? It worked beautifully... I just tend to think of a drizzled glaze on a bundt cake. Whole new realms of cake possibilities opened up to me today! (mostly kidding).

This one was lovely and moist and dark! I don't actually like root beer, but my whole family loves it, so it was an act of self-sacrifice to make this cake. Except for the part where I love chocolate, and was totally willing to put up with a bit of root beer flavor for a deep, rich chocolate cake. I could totally notice the root beer flavor - there's a lot in the cake, and a little in the frosting - but the fam said they didn't notice it much. Marianne asked if I'd have noticed it if I hadn't known it was there, and I'm not sure. I might just have thought it had an odd taste, but not been able to place it... Marianne, my anti-chocolate kid who does occasionally still enjoy chocolate cake, was not a fan. Meg thought the frosting was too much (she, also, often turns down chocolate - so weird!) but ate the cake. Everyone else devoured it., myself included. It suggested serving it with ice cream, which makes sense in a root beer float way, or even in a traditional cake and ice cream way, but I thought it was better on it's own. The flavor of the ice cream detracted from the intensity of the cake. Then again, I've been known to ask for "just cake" at birthday parties, so clearly I'm not the biggest fan of ice cream.

We did have a Valentine's dinner prior to the cake. I par-baked heart shaped pizza crusts and we let the kids build their own pizzas. The following photos aren't especially great, but the kids wanted me to document their work.

Topping their pies!

Always eating before her siblings get to their seats. And I let her get away with it, because she's #5 and I'm too tired to put up a fight. Also, she's happier when she's not starving.

No sauce. He's going through a phase. He won't pizza if it has sauce. I thin he gets that from me. I mean, I'll eat pizza with sauce, but I keep it very thin, and would just as soon it not.

They'd all taken showers before dinner so we'd have time for a game after. Hence the hair and jammies.

"Seriously? Are you taking a picture with your pizza?"

"No. I already cut mine. Just smile. I'm documenting."

"What are you going to do with all these pictures of pizza?"

"Smile."

Italian sausage and jalapeno. My favorite when I don't have to share with kids who prefer less kick.

We did manage to play about half a game of Life after dinner before the kids got so tired that the realization someone didn't actually just land on the "adopt twins" square sent one six year old racing for her bed in tears. Nathaniel had suggested we stop a round prior, but I wanted so badly to get to the "buy a better house" square, now that I'd gone back to school and become a doctor and was finally building my wealth... hmph. I never got there. Next time.

I hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day with your families, or with your sweetheart, or with friends. Now we move on to setting some goals for Lent, and deciding what to give up. I think I may give up baking (and eating desserts), at least six days a week.