chocolate love

There's this cute little bakery that I drive by every day called The Chocolate. I love the sign. The "dessert cafe" is in a little old brick house on a major suburban thoroughfare, surrounded by new-fangled big businesses with stucco storefronts and neon signs. And there never, ever seems to be a car in the parking lot. I love it, even though I've never been in. They could be serving Hostess cupcakes for all I know, and yet I want it to succeed so badly! A cute little non-chain restaurant in the Utah suburbs that makes it?! No way.

So on my way home on Valentines Day, I impulse stopped in to buy some dessert-y thing. Because I wanted to contribute to their success. Because I was having manufactured-holiday guilt and felt like I needed to do more for the kids than contribute to their college funds. Because, and let's be honest, I wanted some chocolate.

Photo courtesy of The Chocolate dessert cafe website. Uh. Yummy.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that their confections were more delicious than I expected. And they do cake by candlelight? I might be in love.

Speaking of "in love," I have to share some stories about my fantastical husband. Every Valentine's Day, we both swear that we're not going to go overboard or do anything epic to celebrate the day. And then we do anyway. It's just a matter of who gets to the one-upping first.

The Clinchers. I can water-ski for DAYS with these things!
Just like Mama-hama, my hero.

Scott left a card and chocolates - the cheap Wal-Mart kind - in my car. It was kind of an "I love you, and I want to commemorate our belief in the commercial, hollow-ness of this day." Totally loved it. Even though I'm on a perpetual diet. So, of course, I have a card and a little special gifty of a romantic nature for him later in the evening. And then he double-surprises me with...water-ski gloves! Just like the ones I borrow from his mom every single ski trip. I love them and I love that he knows the perfect gift for me. And I love that he one-ups me on holidays in the most perfect ways. Even if his gift-wrapping skills leave a little to be desired.