5 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Home

Today’s blog post is in collaboration with Nordstrom! My husband is always such a good sport about taking photos with me. He especially liked this shoot because he felt very comfortable in his clothes. He is a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy! And surprisingly he even loved the heart sneakers and said they fit perfect. We found everything at Nordstrom which is our one stop shop.

And when I say one stop shop I mean it literally. We picked up the stuff for this shoot last weekend. I had an online order/ in store pick up waiting for me, and then we had dinner at the Nordstrom Café. Then we headed over to the men’s section where Chad had to try on every single piece of denim (we had a few laughs trying to squeeze him into some skinny jeans) while Max crawled all over the floor and hid in the racks. Then we got hot tea and cookies from the Nordstrom coffee bar before heading home. It was a really nice family date night.

{photos by Vanessa Lentine}

Chad: T-shirt: Short Sleeve V-Neck T-shirt | Jeans: Everett Slim Straight Leg Jeans | Sneakers: PLAY X Converse Chuck Taylor (also love the high-top version) | My: Nightshirt: End on End Sleep Shirt | Sleep Mask: Purse Silk Sleep Mask | Valentine’s Banner: Hearts Banner

My stepdaughter asked last night what we were doing for Valentine’s Day, and I drew a complete blank. I’ve noticed that during the holidays I tend to get so wrapped up in planning what I’m doing on the blog that I feel like I have my own plans covered… and I really don’t. So today’s post is inspired by Lily and it’s 5 ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your honey at home.

I am a total homebody. While I appreciate a good GNO or date night, I am happiest at home. If I had to choose between spending my money on a lavish vacation OR doing an update/project in my home it would be my home, no-brainer. Ideally though, I would love BOTH!

When Chad and I moved in together, Lily was three years old and we immediately settled down into a happy rhythm of being boring, stay-at-home parents. I have to laugh because we were so young and in our 20’s and only had Lily 50% of the time and every other weekend. When we had Lily, I think we only got a babysitter twice.

So I guess what I’m trying to get at is that we are boring and like to stay home! Now that we have added Max into the mix, it is even harder to get out. We go through babysitters like it’s going out of style. I could tell you some stories. Anyway, here are some ideas on what to do at home with your honey:

• Breakfast in bed! This is my love language. It’s the perfect way to start the day. And if a little mimosa is involved, that never hurt anyone. We just got a mini pink waffle maker which is so cute + festive for Valentine’s Day. For extra credit, trim the leaves off strawberries to shape them like a heart.
• Wine + cheese pairing. When my husband comes home from work he is usually pretty hungry and on days where I feel extra rested and motivated, I will have little snacks out on serving trays for him to pick at before dinner- like nuts, cut up cheeses, veggies, etc. Have a chilled bottle of wine and glasses waiting on the counter top and throw some cheese + crackers on a tray! Easy.
• Make a special dinner at home. The last few Valentine’s Days, Chad usually grills filet and veggies, and I  put some potatoes in the oven, throw together a salad, and top it off with some red wine. It’s easy to put together and clean up but still feels like a special, fancy dinner.
• Movie Night. Watch a classic romantic movie together! Or maybe something like 50 Shades to get you in the mood.
• Bubble Bath. Bubble baths are my thing! It’s always a nice and relaxing way to end the day. I use this bubble bath and light this candle and it feels so luxurious!

This is going to sound bad but I think Valentine’s Day should be mostly about the girls! I had this serious boyfriend after college who expected me to go shopping for him for Valentine’s Day like it was his birthday, and I was all stressed out walking the mall back and forth trying to come up with an acceptable last minute gift. I ended up buying him some eye cream. There are a lot of things wrong with that story, I don’t even know where to begin!

Now that I am (slightly) older and wiser, my hubby’s gift is usually me in lingerie! How cute is this little red number for V-Day?! And then I get him one gift to open like cologne or something he has been hinting he needs. My absolute favorite cologne is this one, which we always keep stocked at the Ulmer house. BUT, I have been hearing great things about this cologne which is unisex and would make a great gift for any guy in your life!

In case you are stumped on what to get your man for Valentine’s Day, I’ve linked my top 5 picks here:

xo, Missy

A BIG thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post! All thoughts and opinions are my own.