Happy Friday, dears! I’d like to thank each and every one of your for reading pearls on a string. Lately there’s been more and more visitors and friends, and I am so grateful. You may have noticed that my Thursday posts have been lacking. For the time being, I am going to cut down to just four posts per week. My life balance was getting a little out of whack and with work + blogging + life’s fun surprises I was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed. So, I am taking a step back to enjoy what I do and avoid burnout. I can definitely see how some gals make blogging their full-time career, it can be très time-consuming! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend that includes some life balance for you as well, whether it’s learning to slow down or speed up.

{Watch: Nathan and I are now completely obsessed with The Following.}

{Wear: Bright lips + all white}

{Shop: The new jewelry collection at J.Crew. On my list? This lovely feather ring (only $45!).}

{Bake: An ombré cake}

I can’t think of anything that is more Valentine’s Day than chocolate and raspberries together. In high school I would anxiously await the seasonal arrival of the white chocolate raspberry ice cream at Baskin-Robbins and take full advantage of it. (Is that awkward to admit?) This year I decided to make a mousse version to celebrate and it turned out amazing. Decadent, satisfying, and très delicious. The best part is the recipe is quick and easy to make. Although mousse may sound and appear complicated to make, it’s relatively simple. If you make this for your Valentine’s Day dessert, I promise you will not be disappointed (but if you are, I’d like to discuss why your taste buds are so weird).

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse- adapted from this recipe for white chocolate peppermint mousse
{Ingredients}
Nine ounces milk chocolate, chopped
One heaping teaspoon of flavorless gelatin powder
One cup heavy cream
One egg white
1/2 teaspoon raspberry extract
White chocolate shavings and fresh raspberries (for serving)

{Directions}
1. Create a double boiler and melt the chocolate over simmering water. When the chocolate is smooth add in the gelatin powder and continue to stir.
2. While the chocolate is melting, beat the heavy cream, egg white, and extract until soft peaks form.
3. Remove the melted chocolate from heat and let cool slightly.
4. Take a big spoonful of the cream mixture and add it to the chocolate mixture, folding until combined. Then add the chocolate mixture to the rest of the cream mixture and and stir with a spatula until combined.
5. Pour into serving dishes (I used ramekins) and refrigerate for at least two hours or until firm.
6. Top with raspberries and white chocolate shavings. Enjoy!

The first Valentine’s Day gift my husband ever gave me was a pink turtle magnet that has “Hawaii” written on it (he was on a trip there on Valentine’s Day). Many years later, it’s still on our refrigerator and I always smile when I see it hidden underneath all of the pictures and toddler birthday party invitations. It reminds me that Valentine’s Day is not about exorbitant gifts, wild gestures, or expensive dinners. It’s about sharing with those you love that you love them whether it’s a spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, friend, or family member. I, of course, relish any baking opportunity and February 14th provides a great one, but I’ve never been a huge fan of Valentine’s Day. It may be due to the fact that I was usually single or most Valentine’s presents seem tacky and forced; I mean, who really needs a teddy bear holding a heart? Since our first one together after just a few months of dating, Nathan and I have settled into a nice Valentine’s Day groove with the only gift genuinely desired being a nice dinner together at home. (And Charlie, too.) With this attitude in mind, I’ve compiled a list of inexpensive, thoughtful ways to express your love on Valentine’s Day if you share the same mentality as me.

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• A homemade card. Super original, I know, but I keep all of the cards Nathan’s ever made for me. His handmade cards are usually a piece of computer paper folded in half with stamps haphazardly put on it, but it truly is about the thought and effort.
• If “just a card” does not suffice, try writing a poem. I don’t mean a “My love for you runs as deep as the ocean” kind of stuff, but silly, truthful thoughts that happen to rhyme, like “Roses are red, violets are blue; You’re weird and I am too; So let’s have weird little babies; PS I’d love you even if you got rabies”. Nathan really got into my whole poem persona (I write ridiculous poems for everything) and now it’s so fun to share them each holiday. They are always silly, usually cheesy, and sometimes gooey, but 100% meaningful.
• Pink tulips.
• Making a more-than-your-average-weekday dinner.
• Baking a sweet treat. Obviously.
• A small gift, like a pair of inexpensive earrings. Last year Nathan surprised me with a pair of earrings I posted about here! Bless his heart.
• A book. I love receiving a beautiful book on design, decor, etiquette, or cooking. Nathan likes receiving books with pictures of wildlife, especially big game.
• Tickets to a sporting event or concert.
• A bottle of good whiskey or cigars (clearly this is Nathan’s idea).

Valentine’s Day traditions I try to avoid:

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• Red roses. Or roses in general.
• Going out for dinner.
• Coupon books for housework, lovin’, or anything else.
• Expecting grand gestures of love or expensive jewelry (didn’t we just celebrate Christmas?).
• Stuffed animals
• Boxed chocolates
• Slinky lingerie

Regardless of how you like to celebrate your Valentine’s Day, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday that is filled with love. And, perhaps some red velvet whoopee pies, too.

Thank goodness it’s Friday! Baltimore was bananas this week in the post-Super Bowl hysteria of their victory. Parades closed down the city streets, everyone rocked their purple garb throughout the entire week, and I quietly nodded and smiled while people expressed their excitement (I was rooting for the 49ers – west coast for life). Now that football is over, I’m excited to read about all of those lucky bloggers who are New York City-bound for New York Fashion Week. It’s unlikely I’ll ever attend one so I like to live vicariously through them and their glamorous lives. I hope everyone has a lovely weekend; I plan to get in the Valentine’s Day spirit while Husband works the weekend away on a presentation. If you need a little help  enjoying the upcoming holiday, here are few not-over-the-top ways to embrace the Day of Love.

{Heart shaped cookies + milk (and pink striped straws, of course)}

{Cashmere heart socks}

{Rice Krispie treat hearts}

{Free Valentine’s Day printables}

{Valentine’s boxes}

{Glam it up with pink champagne and macarons}

To make the chicken, coat skinless, boneless chicken breasts in olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin and grill on a panini press to achieve that bistro-like crispy outside. To make the candied pecans, toss one cup of pecans with 1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar and 1/2 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and bake for 10 minutes at 350°, stirring a few times throughout to avoid sticking. I used this recipe for the crêpes, which turned out nearly as good as Cafe Bonaparte (the raspberries were a delightful addition, too).

What happens when a Type A neat freak marries a slightly chaotic tornado? First starters, arguments. It’s difficult when two people’s perceptions of what constitutes a clean room is different. My husband notices every particle of dust and strand of Charlie’s hair, while I can go weeks without noticing the vacuuming needs to be done. (Although, if my husband pairs a tie and shirt that don’t go well together? Well, I notice that immediately.) I’ve been messy my entire life; my family used to call me Pig-Pen, after the dirty kid on Charlie Brown who had a cloud of dirt following him around. I just have other ways I’d prefer to spend my time than cleaning. Of course, this leads to resentment that one person is doing more than the other, which is not a good thing. It’s taken a few years to come to a compromise in this area that we achieved by following these eight tips to keep our home clean (enough) and to spend time enjoying each other rather than arguing over the laundry.

1. Don’t worry about chores being split 50/50, split the chores based on free time. I spend two hours/day commuting for work, so clearly I don’t have as much as time to perform housework.
2. Assign individual obligations. For example, I am always in charge of laundry and Nathan is always in charge of vacuuming.
3. Compromise: I’ll always do a little more cleaning than I’d like but the house will always be a little less clean than Nathan’s ideal. We’ve accepted our fate.
4. If you feel really strongly about a certain area, take care of it yourself rather than expecting the other person to do it.
5. Get help. So, we may have enlisted the assistance of a house cleaner to come every few weeks to clean the bathrooms. It was the best decision. With both of our busy schedules, it is definitely worth the cost and we no longer argue over who cleans the toilets.
6. I’m not suggesting a line of tape down the middle of the room, but having separate areas has helped as well. His and hers sinks are quite possible the best invention ever.
7. Understand that cleanliness registers differently with different people. Accept this fundamental trait will likely not be changed.
8. Clean together and make it fun (gross, as much fun as cleaning can be).

Now, with clear expectations we argue less, compromise more, and spend more time enjoying each other rather than debating who cleaned what and when.

{Mini French onion mac and cheese bites}

{Buffalo chicken bites}

{Chocolate and caramel football whoopie pies}

{Sockeye salmon sliders}

{Chocolate and coconut macaroons}

{Individual layered guacamole dip}

{Toffee mocha mini milkshakes}