Lovely Things

On Friday, I discovered a cafe.

It has already been quite discovered by other Fort Collinsans, but on Friday, it was discovered by me.

I'm telling you, after discovering my cozy corner of hand pulled lattes and fresh baked goods {lovely things} in Old Town Fort Collins, I don't know if I want to go back to Starbucks.

I'm sure I'll have to, because my little love cafe only has a few tables, and, as I said, was quite popular.

But I sat in a table by the window and watched people walk by and the milkman deliver the milk and I read from my book of Native American mythology and I drank the most delicious latte I believe I have ever had. And I was most, most happy.

On Saturday, a valentine arrived for me. Be still my heart! From my lovely sister. {Lovely thing}. If I could take a picture, I could show you how sweet it was, but instead I will direct you to her blog.

It is especially lovely of her because Vesuvius is out of money and will be most appreciative of the Starbucks card when next weekend rolls around.

On Sunday, my amazing mother made a lovely feast of American tapas.

For the Superbowl.

It included:
Grapefruit mimosas
Deviled eggs
Barbecue Buffalo weenies (because my dad swears they don't mistreat the buffalo and I have yet to look into it)
Spicy Bean Dip
Spanish Fondue
Artichoke Dip
Buffaloes in a Blanket
I know I am forgetting something. . .
Hmmm. And Noah's jalapeno poppers with mango.

Yum. {Lovely things}.

Except for Martha Stewart, who lied to us, the fascist, and directed us to make a fondue out of Manchego cheese and Monterey Jack cheese and sherry and paprika and cumin. (Sounds good, no?)

Martha: It wasn't great. It wasn't bad. It just wasn't great. It's ok. Admit failure. Go sip a Mai Tai and take a load off. Somewhere in the world, some woman will sense you cooling your laurels and miraculously start to feel less guilty about the fact that she buys Dial instead of hand-pouring her own soaps. Ok?

Martha {makes lovely things} but Martha {I could live without}.

We watched the Super Bowl by the fire and ate delicious food and Indy lay across my lap playing with her Wizard of Oz toys, and I think that must have been a cozy little world for her, all wrapped up with mom and the fire and a blanket and imaginary worlds. {Lovely thing}.

On Sunday night we skated our car across a downhill ice rink and managed not to hit or get hit {lovely thing}.

On Sunday, we learned Noah's day off this week was Monday. On Monday, Grammy took the girls {lovely things} out for a few hours so Noah and I could be alone and do nothing {sacred thing}, and the girls came back with some sweet new kicks.

Fur lined crocs, to be specific, with the little doo-dads shaped like Disney characters that fit into the holes.

Indy picked Cinderella, Zero (Jack's dog from Nightmare Before Christmas), a blue gem, and Malificient.

Ayla picked the frogs from The Princess and The Frog.

It is snowing and the girls think that means Christmas is coming again. Idiots.

I am baking sugar cookies and Noah is making curry (though he might not know that, yet), and we are safe and sound and rested. And we enjoyed the people we love and they pretended, for a little while, to enjoy us.

And my sister sent me a coffee valentine because she loves me a latte!

{I love you sis}.

And these are all

my lovely things.