the excitement of staying in

Anthony and I have been together for a little over a decade, now (😮), and since each year is pretty backloaded with special occasions:

• Anthony’s birthday (August)

• Hallowe’en (which we make a big deal of cuz I LOVE costumes & trick or treat)

• Both my parents’ birthdays & Anthony’s dad’s birthday (October)

• My birthday (November)

• “THE HOLIDAYS” (December & early January)
• && our anniversary (January)

Valentine’s Day can sometimes feel like 😳😳😳 from all the festivities.

But we’re both Human Design generators (he’s an MG) so we’ve got lots of energy for things that light us up, and as you already know, Valentine’s Day lights me up!

One major thing we’ve been practicing since the latter half of #lockdownlife last year (we’ve chosen to approach the pandemic with utmost caution, after our stay in Italy as the country was locking down was a real wakeup call) is making a big deal out of traditions and things that make us happy.

Prior to #lockdownlife last year, we went to a nearby Mexican restaurant, which was delicious and simple. Though we certainly miss the hullabaloo of sitting in a packed restaurant, this year our festivities have looked like a lot of mylar balloons, thoughtful gifts and digital experiences, outdoor play, and special culinary creations. And lots & lots of Zoom.

Since this is our first (hopefully only) pandemic Valentine’s Day, we’ve planned a real lineup of special activities to build anticipation and enjoy each other’s company to break up the monotony of lockdown life.

We’ve signed up for an online truffle-making class with a chef in Colorado, a digital live event with one of our communities, and Anthony’s taking the Monday off after so we can have a full three-day V-Day weekend. Aaaand, we’re finally venturing out to a (well-contained, 25-person limited & physically distanced) fancy five-course V-Day dinner at the Morton Arboretum. We’ve only eaten out three times during the pandemic (literally since last March) but given the safety measures they’re taking at the arboretum and the decreased cases in Illinois, we’ve made the judgment call and feel good about it.

With so much still up in the air around this public health situation, it’s really up to us to create some stability, fun, and beauty — because isn’t that what the gift of Life gives us?

Following our life force,