Heart-Shaped Cookies & Handmade Valentines!

My husband with a heart-shaped cookie!

With Valentine's Day less than a week away, I am realizing that it would've been a good idea to start earlier this month on my handmade cards and homemade goods. As I write this, I'm watching my microwave timer count down the last few seconds before another batch of cookies must come out of the oven, while reviewing the few Valentine's cards that I managed to complete. Oh goodness, I'm not going to make the postman's final round of mail-pickups this afternoon...

Well, instead of worrying about this, I'm going to instead focus my thoughts on the excitement of this coming weekend. Tonight begins our first-ever Building Intentional Community Small Group Retreat! I'm really looking forward to this. One of our community group members proposed the idea months ago, as her Uncle owns a cabin on the water about two hours north of Seattle, right on the border between us and Canada. He kindly rented us his place for the next two days, and I anticipate this getaway will be an incredible time of building relationship, kayaking, cooking meals and sharing life together. Ken and I are on 'breakfast-snack-dessert patrol' and I'm hoping the "Hummingbird-Meets-Carrot-Raisin Muffins" and chocolate chip cookies I just whipped up will be a great addition to the spread.

Here are some photos of the Valentine's cards I created this year, along with today's baked goods. I hope they inspire you. Speaking of which, I better get back to baking! There goes that timer again...