Creative Valentines

Valentine’s Day this year looked a little different than years’ previous. I am currently perched on the 29th floor of the downtown Seattle Sheraton. I’ve got a cup of Starbucks, a hubby reading USA Today in the sunshine by the window, and a baby napping in the crib next to me. We had a few airline miles that were expiring (not enough to get a plane ticket) so we decided to “spend” them on a hotel and so got a free (sort of) night here. I thought about trying to find someone to take Isla for the night, but then decided a family “date” might be more fun.


Before checking into our hotel, we enjoyed brunch after church with our good friends, Jeremy and Rachel, at the new South Lake Union Portage Bay Café. Graham had dungeness crab cakes benedict and I had fried eggs, chicken sausage and brioche French toast with berries, almonds and whipped cream-yum! Part of the reason I was SO EXCITED about coming here was to take Isla SWIMMING for the very first time. The hotel’s website boasted a heated pool but it turned out only to be “heated” if you were comparing it to water coming from a garden hose. But we put Isla in her ADORABLE swimsuit anyway, took lots of pictures, and then she “swam” for a total of about one minute and thirty seconds before she started to cry. Oh well. I’m convinced that she really will love it when we find a pool that is actually heated (which will have to be soon because I have 11 more swim diapers to use!)

For our romantic dinner, we walked to grab some Thai takeout, put Isla down in the hotel crib, turned on the Olympics, popped a bottle of Champagne and ate Pineapple Curry and Pad Thai on our bed. Honestly, I don’t think I could have dreamed up anything better! Oh and I’d packed a bar of dark chocolate with sea salt that we enjoyed for dessert. Seriously, a great evening.

This morning, Isla woke us up and so we let her hang out with us in bed before walking to Starbucks for some breakfast. After Isla’s done napping, I think we are going to do a little shopping...

We kinda worked the system for this overnight date and somehow managed to do it and only forked over about $40. Beats restaurant prices on V Day, doesn't it?