My sweet husband surprised me when I came home from the gym Valentines morning with these crepes!!  So yummy and oh so sweet of him.  I forgot to take a picture of the tulips, framed picture, and card he also gave me.  He's a keeper!

Banks loves to help me vacuum.  It takes twice as long, but I love that HE LOVES to be my helper.

This is how Jeff found Banks the other morning.  :)

Jeff spent a weekend in Chicago at a dental conference.  Him out to dinner with members of the Dental Technicians Group.

Chicken cutlets with a homemade creamy mushroom sauce and homemade onion rings on a bed of brown rice.  (Thanks Em for recipe!)

It wouldn't be Valentines Day without heart shaped SUGAR COOKIES!!

So, one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE desserts I make are my Ghiradelli Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes.  To celebrate Valentines Day, I made these.  To serve, you heat them up, then when you cut into them you have a warm cake and a gooey center with vanilla ice cream dripping off, TOPPED with chocolate sauce!

OK, you might think this is a strange picture.  BUT!!  If you look closely there are two small tulip sprouts!  AHHHH!  I am sooo thrilled!!  YAAAAY!!

Banks gets a thrill out of throwing dirt.  (What a boy!)  I'm trying to capture the sheer bliss lil man feels upon throwing dirt!

So pleased with himself.

The wind-up!  Watch out...youre about to get dirt thrown at you!

I've started taking Banks to "Wee-Read" at the library.  Its super fun...despite Banks's expression here ha ha!

This is a picture of pearl sugar.  My dear sister Emily surprised me with this in the mail the other day.  We've talked about it many a times...but its not the easiest thing to come by.  Anyways, its the 1 of the 2 secret ingredients to making the most DIVINE waffles you've ever, ever, ever tasted!

This is the dough/batter.  (2nd secret ingredient: yeast!)

Drum roll please!!!......  (If you look closely you can see the pearl sugar.  It gives this amazing crunch and of course sweetness to make you BEG for more)

 And...just to make it even better!  Add some fresh cream and berries.  MMMM SOOOO, so good!  Come to Utah family/friends and I'll make you some.  (No more buying $8 waffles from the waffle love food truck!)  Thank you Emily Sycamore for unlocking the secret to the BEST waffles!!!...  Unfortunately though, I can never eat another "normal" waffle again.

Wednesday was free day at the Hogle Zoo.  Who doesn't love free?  Banks is watching the sea otters here.  He loved the zoo!  And we had BEAUTIFUL 60 degree weather (which rarely happens in February). 

Banks watching the Brown Bears.  (He makes a great bear sound!)

I know he doesn't look very excited here...but he really did love all the animals. 

Playground!

This is our tile back splash we purchased recently at Costco.  We will be putting this up in the kitchen.. Can't wait!!

 

Jeff and I at dinner at our favorite restaurant in Salt Lake: Valters Osteria in SLC.  Best authentic italian food in the world!!  Click on the link and see Valter himself and what makes him sooo amazing ---->

 http://www.valtersosteria.com/Valters_Osteria/Home.html

Valters:  Creme Brulee.  I kick myself we didnt get pictures of our actual meal...just dessert.

Jeff went ice fishing on Deer Creek with a friend in the ward.  He caught two beautiful rainbow trout.

We grilled up Jeff's catch!  It was very good.

Jeff needed some new basketball shoes.  Banks wanted to give his opinion, and the only way he could do that was if he tried on every shoe his dad did.  

There is this amazing food truck...that just recently got an actual shop...called Waffle Love.  Their waffles are DIVINE!  mmm mmm mmmm!

At another store looking for Jeff basketball shoes.  Banks kept occupied by running around...in and out of clothes..  :)

Banks sledding

I made some early Valentines for friends.  Mini fruit pizzas.

Banks making roasted cauliflower.

Trying to pass some time...playing at Costco in their fort.

Like father like son.  Someone likes nice cars. . . .

Alicia was so nice to help me make apple sauce for my first time!  It was so very nice of her!!

Her food mill (I think you call it) is AMAZING for apple sauce making!

Finished product!  11 jars of apple sauce!!  YAY!

Another Alicia project.  She held a craft day at her house.  She helped me make this beautiful Valentine banner!  I'm so grateful for her talent.  It was so fun!

Where's Banks!??

Banks enjoys passing the time (when he's not actively helping me cook) by making spice towers!

Look at these beautiful rolls Banks made!  He's getting so good!  :)

  Wishing everyone a HAPPY VALENTINES!!

This is one of the healthiest and yummiest dishes I think I have ever made.  Grilled Fresh Alaskan salmon caught by my dad and brothers this year, brown rice, roasted brussel sprouts (my new favorite...I'm obsessed) my sister emily's invention, and Gail's homemade apple sauce.  MMMMM!

Banks isnt too interested in toys these days.  What he is interested in is: electronics and cooking with mommy.

My lil helper!

Jeff has been playing on the ward basketball team on Saturdays.  This was after the game Daddy teaching Banksy to dribble!

Jeff just got back from a quick two day trip to Vegas with his friend to the CES Electronics Show.  I think he had a great time.  You'll have to ask him for more of the details!

I guess Jeff said the "new" thing at the electronics show was these curved tvs.  Interesting...

 

I made a pumpkin cheesecake (Alayna's recipe) with a gingersnap crust for Japanese New Years.  It was a hit!

"Pionner Woman" (an awesome woman who blogs) recipe for Beef n Broccoli.

Not the best pic sorry...but this is Bank's new FORWARD facing carseat.  Lets just say he is quite excited to be in his big boy chair!