Today is My Luckiest Day

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I arrived home safe around midnight last night and as to be expected, our house was a mess, not as bad as when I left hubby for a whole month though, but I am still trying to clean up. I would also like to thank everyone who visited my blog and left comments while I was in Florida. I am glad I got to blog while I was there too. Thanks to my grandkids' long naps which made it possible. Oh how I miss those kids already! I was also able to go to the Tampa Bay area to spend a day with my granddaughter AJ and her parents and took her shopping for clothes before I left.

John picked me up from the airport and when I got in the vehicle, he handed me a bag with fudge in it and said "Happy Valentine!" I thanked him graciously but in my mind, I was thinking if this is all I was getting, lol. Naturally, I was happy and satisfied with it cause after all, he thought about me, but I just wondered.

Anyway, we drove more than two and a half hours to get home and there were boxes everywhere. I must have been on a high gear shopping on line. I kinda put these boxes together in the foyer but they were really scattered all over here and the kitchen. I already opened and emptied a few boxes last night before I decided to take pictures this morning, so these weren't all that came, there were a lot more.

As I stepped into the home office, I found a few bags and boxes and 2 Valentine teddy bears on my side of the desk. Look at what else John got me! I was so surprised.

Aside from the 2 red bears (1 big and 1 small), he gave me a rose dipped in 24 k gold, a pearl choker, Russell Stover chocolates and did I already mention the yummy fudge? My favorite is the solid gold Nativity with diamonds pendant and chain. I saw this when we visited the jewelry shop owned by one of his patients last month and I was admiring it. Mr. Mims, the owner, said it is a limited edition from the Vatican Library of Collections, one of the few that was made to celebrate Pope Benedict's papal inauguration. It came with a certificate but according to John, they are still trying to locate it, lol. Isn't my hubby so sweet? Thank you so much, M, you really are so wonderful.

The rose is so delicate and pretty, something I will cherish forever.

I already started working on the fudge, lol! Uhm, yum!

In between unpacking, laundry and cleaning, I managed to create a tablescape on the back porch. John will be tied up in surgery all day (8 cases) and I will be busy unpacking boxes and putting stuff away, so I think I will order his favorite Caesar salad with grilled shrimp from his favorite restaurant, for dinner tonight.

I decided to set the table outside because it is going to be in the 70's this whole week. Yay! Spring is coming!

John also gave me this jasmine plant and it smells heavenly! I decided to make it a part of my centerpiece.

I also won and received this crystal heart from Amy at http://utry.it/ . If you want to learn how to prepare some delicious food, you ought to check out her blog. Thanks, Amy! I love it and it's perfect for the occasion so it is part of my centerpiece now.

And in the midst of cleaning up, opening boxes and organizing, I got an email from Gloria of http://thelittleredhousewiththewhiteporch.blogspot.com/ and said that I won her CSN giveaway. I told you, today is my lucky day. Thank you so much, Gloria! I am so excited! I can't wait to go shopping and pick my gift but first, let me put away all the stuff everywhere at home first, lol.

And now, for my romantic tablescape outside! I draped a plain red table cloth and added a round crocheted topper, that I bought from one of the other vendors in the store for $3, a few months ago.

I love this sign that I bought, I think from TJ Maxx, a few years ago. I hang a little candelier with mercury glass votives above the table.

My dishes are marked "Warvel", made in Poland. I really don't know the pattern name but I have a complete settings for 8 plus serving pieces and a coffee or tea set. I have had them for at least a year but this is the first time I am using them. The stems are either Italian or French, I can't remember.

Uh oh! John forgot to water the hanging basket with pansies outside but I think I can revive it.

Here's the tea or coffee set sitting on the table by the family room fireplace. John does not really drink coffee nor tea but I just set it so I can show you and join the tea parties today.

Linking with Wanda Lee and Pam's tea parties at http://theplumedpen.blogspot.com/

Susan's Tablescape Thursday at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Sandi's Tea Time Tuesday at http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/

Marty's Tabletop Tuesday at http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/

Lady Katherine's Beverage Center at http://ladykatherineteaparlor.blogspot.com/

Martha and Terri's Tea Cup Tuesday at http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

Thank you all for your visit and special thanks to our hostesses for continually working hard in hosting.