"CHOCOLATE GIRL"

Sometimes when you least expect it, a  

new random chocolate. . .  

shows up . 

Yes, I do have to say, I’m obsessed with good chocolate.  Hence the nick name “Chocolate Girl”.  And I’m  

happy to report. . . 

that “good chocolate” is now on the FDA’s health food list (at least for now) due to its rich, creamy oils that are so good for our bodies. 

Though I think my “love for chocolate” has less to do with the “health” benefits (well, maybe a little) of it and more to do with the fact that,  

I just “love chocolate!” 

What can I say? 

When I need a break from writing I wander into the kitchen and open my “chocolate” drawer and take out a piece of Theo’s organic 70% Sea Salt chocolate.  My all time Fave!   

I know. . . 

I remind my hubby and kids, my habit could be so much worse! 

Every couple of weeks I get in my car and drive to Central Market and buy several bars of Theo’s.  When I open my drawer and see I’m on the last bar a part of me begins to - 

hyperventilate. . . 

And the thing is,  

If. . . 

my husband’s niece from Minnesota, had not made plans for a tour for all of us at the Theo Organic Chocolate Factory in Seattle during her visit a couple of summers ago I would never have known about Theo Sea Salt Chocolate.  Or about the Theo Chocolate Factory.   

  I know. . .  Can you even imagine?

 Seriously?

 

 1000 recipes? A gift from my sister-in-law 
 Denise and her daughter Meghan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Sauce

¼ cup cocoa

¾ cup sugar

½ tsp. salt

1 tblsp. cornstarch

½ cup milk 

Bring to a boil for 5 minutes.  Add 2 tblsp. butter + 2 tsp. vanilla.  Cool to lukewarm. 

If there’s no chocolate ice cream in the house, this is the next best thing, drizzled over vanilla ice cream.

VALENTINE'S DAY + LOVE + CHOCOLATE

 

 
This year I decided I wanted to write my hubby 

 a “love letter”. . .

I didn’t want my card to be somebody else’s words. 

I wanted them to be  

My words. . . 

I wanted to tell him that in all the people in all the world 

I knew. . . 

God had picked him - 

Just for me. . . 

I wanted to tell him I notice all the “little” things he does for me  

every day. . .   

Because in reality those are the  

“big things”. 

I wanted to tell him I notice he stills treats me the same way he did when we were dating. 

I wanted to tell him I love it when we cross a street and he puts his hand on my back.

I know he’s silently saying, 

I’ve got your back. . . 

I wanted to tell him that I love his smile and the way his eyes “twinkle” when he laughs, that he holds me when I cry, and that he makes me feel safe and protected. 

I wanted him to know -  

He’s my best friend. . . 

He’s my deepest love. . . 

He’s the best part of me. . . 

And I’m going to love him forever. 

I know. . . 

You thought I forgot about the chocolate part. 

Seriously. . . 

And I want him to remember that Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without 

Chocolate. . . 

I’m pretty sure he’ll remember. . .

I Hope You Dance!

I was born into a family that loved to dance, so I didn’t have a choice -                               

but to dance!   

My parents loved to polka and I grew up with “The Bop” and “The Stroll”.  In junior high I did a lot of dancing with our kitchen cupboard doors.  Anything to practice before the Friday night Tri Hi Y dances that took place at our local YMCA.  My four brothers would roll their eyes as they passed through the kitchen.  But that didn’t faze my desire to dance.  I arrived with my friends and as we lined the walls of the dance area we tried with everything we had to not look like -

wallflowers.   

Because that’s the last thing you wanted to look like.   

One by one the boys would come across the dance floor and as you held your breath and  

waited. . .

they walked right on by. . . 

and you tried to look cool and to act as if you didn’t even notice or care because you were too busy in conversation with your friends.   

And then - 

out of the corner of my eye I noticed one stopped directly in front of me.   

and there he was - 

holding his hand out to dance - 

with me. . . 

But there was this one time when a boy asked me to dance, before I could stop myself, the word “no” tumbled out of my mouth because somewhere in my mind I thought he just might be teasing me and his buddies might be watching from across the dance floor. 

Sometimes opportunities come to us and because of fear we let them  

pass us by. . .  

Sometimes we’re looking so far down the road that we miss what’s right  

in front of us. . .  

Sometimes we need to make space - 

for the miracles to happen. . . 

And then sometimes, we throw caution to the wind and with it ourselves 

And we just dance. . . 

As I give a “nod” to 2014 and tumble into 2015 

I leave you with this song - 

“I Hope You Dance” by Tia Stillers 

I hope you still feel small 

When you stand by the ocean. . . 

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens 

Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance.

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance - 

I hope you’ll dance. . . 

I hope you’ll dance. . .