Valentine's Day Lemon Tree!

Meyer Lemon tree, to be exact. David has been really sweet the last few Valentines, and without being reminded by me... definitely pressured at work though, haha... has brought both me and Violet flowers. I know he spends a lot on these flowers... that seem to double in price... so this year I asked him if instead I could buy a Meyer Lemon tree. My mom had one (my dad now takes care of it), and it produces the most beautiful lemons year round. It stays small enough to be brought indoors in bad weather, which is great. I bought one that is 2-3 years old. It arrived with 4 lemons on it (one fell off soon after it arrived and two of the lemons are green so they are hard to see in the picture)... two were ripe and so I made some lemonade for me and the kids. David and I purchased a Valentines basket for the kids from the young women in our church who are trying to pay for girls camp this year. That will arrive some time tonight. And David gets back from his business trip today :) It's a pretty great Valentines Day with all my loves.

Typical Tuesday Lunch

Just kidding. Usually around Valentines Day the stores stock up on some lobster tails... sometimes they'll even have specials on the tails. This tail was on special for $5.99... who needs expensive restaurants?

Isn't youtube so awesome how you don't have to guess cooking techniques cookbooks try to explain? One can just find a video of some chef cooking the thing you're looking for.

The parsley I grew in my garden, as well as the asparagus. The asparagus is soooo tender, sometimes when I pick it, I just rinse and it eat it raw... when I do cook it, I only have to cook it for a minute or two to heat through with a dash of olive oil, salt, and squeeze of lemon. I love growing food! I wonder how hard it is to grow your own rice?

The lobster came out delicious, one of the best I've ever had. I know not everybody thinks lobster tastes that great... they're just missing those taste buds I suppose... but it's one of my favorite foods.

Whilst Reading the Scriptures...

Preparing a lesson for church about why choices we make matter, I came across this scripture:

"He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it" Matthew 10:39

That scripture is definitely a message for the times we live in. For when we have those selfish thoughts of wanting to do our thing, and "find" ourselves. To remind us to forget about ourselves, our wants, what we "think" will make us happier... to focus on learning about our Savior, to serving and loving others... and the result is we will actually be happier. We need to submit ourselves to the will of God.

I needed this reminder. Sometimes I get soooooo tired of taking care of the kids all day... sometimes I dream of when I will have a clean house and time to work on paintings. I need to stop thinking so selfishly. To appreciate my beautiful children... and they will only be children for a short time... I need to learn (again) to enjoy taking care of them, teaching them and stop worrying about what I can do with my life once they are grown... taking care of these precious lives Heavenly Father has blessed me with is a way of serving Him. It's a great calling to be a mother and I am grateful for it.

"...the sacrifices that fathers and mothers make for their children ultimately will result in the greatest possible happiness for those making the sacrifices. In all of human experience, there are no joys more tender, no love more sweet, no fulfillment higher than that found in the family. Those who honor the calling of righteous parenthood will find their souls refined, their hearts purified, and their minds enlightened by the most important lessons of life. They will rise to far greater heights of happiness than those who engage in the narrow and ultimately unsatisfying pursuit of self." - Elder Bruce D. Porter