Happy Belated Heart's Day!

We had a really fun Valentine's celebration night with our friends and neighbors the Friday before Valentine's Day.  We all got sitters (we used the baby monitor for our kids next door) and ate a delicious meal of Cioppino (see recipe and end of post), salad, bread and red velvet cake for dessert.  The meal was amazing with all the fresh seafood-- king crab legs, scallops, jumbo prawns, clams and mussels and we played a little "how well you know your spouse" game afterwards that was very informative and funny! 

Thanks Peachey family!

(lame that we only have a few pictures)

The kids and I made a TON of cookies and had fun delivering them to various neighbors, people in the ward and they loved bringing them to their primary classes.

When the kids woke up I had a Valentine note waiting for them on the table to read during breakfast.  It was really cute to see how excited they were about something that really didn't take too much effort, but it meant a lot to them.  

Zanna read hers MANY times that day and the days following-- it's the little things that make them happy :)

Dave picked up some little gifts for them and it was fun opening them up after school.

 Dear Suzanna,

You a such a beautiful girl and we feel SO lucky to be your parents! You are a wonderful older sister and a friend to everyone you meet!  It is so fun to see you growing up and learning many new things that you are great at- drawing, monkey bars, trying new food, bike riding, reading and dancing. We love you SO incredibly much and wish you a very Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Love you Sweetie,

Mom & Dad

 Dear Jameson,

We love you SO much and are very LUCKY to be your Mom and Dad.  You are a special guy with a BIG heart who loves animals, treats, bikes, wrestling, fruit, your 'guys' and making people laugh.  Thank you for adding so much fun to our family and for all your GREAT hugs!  We love you more and more everyday and hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

Love you buddy,

Mom & Dad

Dave even got me a gift this year-- a traditional box of chocolates, which I totally loved and freely took bites out of whichever one I felt like and then put it back with no stress:) AND a warm, cozy, soft, awesome, cools, pretty North Face winter jacket that I LOVE and never want to take off! He is trying to make sure I don't freeze my buns off in Idaho next year :)

Here is the Valentine that Zanna wrote to me a big, pink heart:
Dear Mom, 

Happy Valentines Day!!! I love love you!! Me and James and Mia are so thankful for all the work you do for the Family like make dinner, take us to school, buy us toys!

Love, the Family

 Dear Mia,

Happy 1st Valentine's Day, Sweetie! We are so lucky to have you in our family and LOVE you to pieces! You have such pretty eyes, the cutest round head and such soft, silky baby skin.  You make the cutest little faces with your new teeth and we are amazed by how much you learn everyday.  You have made our family so happy this year and are such a special girl. We love you Mims!! 

Love, 

Mom & Dad 

 Davey,

Wow! I can say that I have never been happier with us than I have been lately and am more in LOVE with you than ever!  I think we have both made some great steps in the right direction of selflessness and am SO grateful for you as my husband and friend.  I can't wait to spend forever with you & love all your funny quirks, your squinty eyes and huge biceps :)  Happy Valentine's Day- love you so much!!

Love, 

Melle

(I don't have a picture from Valentine's Day so I'm using an old, classic instead :)

For dinner we had heart shaped pizza from Papa Murphey's (our first year trying it- pretty tasty) and just had a fun night hanging out as a family. 

 

James's video skills...pretty cute!

Peachey Family Cioppino

Sauce:

1 lg onion 1 lb can tomato puree

1 bunch green onions 2 cans tomato sauce or 1 lg can stewed tomatoes

1 green pepper 1 cup white wine (optional)

2 cloves garlic Large can or bottle of tomato juice

1/3 cup olive oil ½ bay leaf

1 bottle clam juice 1-2 Tbl salt

1 12oz can whole clams ¼ tsp pepper

1/3 cup fresh parsley 1/8 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp thyme

1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

To make sauce:

Chop veggies and sauté onion, green onions, green pepper, and garlic in olive oil. Add clam juice, juice from whole clams (reserve clams for the end), tomato puree, sauce, stewed tomatoes, wine, and spices. Add tomato juice to dilute consistency, etc. Add all the spices and simmer for 1-2 hours. You can simmer all day, or turn off and let it sit on your stove until you are ready to do the fish. Bring sauce to a boil again just before adding seafood

Just before serving, cook and add seafood as described:

Seafood:

1 lb white fish (any kind works) – cut into 1 inch chunks and add to sauce 20 minutes before serving

Large prawns (as many as you would like) – Rinse and Soak in cold water. Drop into sauce about 2 minutes until serving (they are done when they just turn pink)

Clams and Mussels – scrub and rinse shells. Bring to boil in pot of salted water. Take out once they open. Any that do not open, throw away (no good). Put these in each serving bowl to pour the sauce over when serving.

Clams from can- pour into sauce to warm

Scallops – Cook in olive oil and butter in hot skillet until just done (about 2-3minutes per side, depending on size) Put in serving bowls to pour sauce over.

Crab (either legs or whole crab, whichever you prefer) – Crab is already cooked, so you can just steam in large pot to warm again and then place in bowl when serving.

Add 1/3 cup of fresh parsley to sauce. Serve with grated parmesan cheese and bread for dipping.

So Yummy!