I really wanted to do something easy and fun for Valentine’s Day. Lori Bailey’s pineapple upside down cake will be next week. I made it and it was to die for. Great recipe, my friend.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, I wanted to do something that maybe kiddos can be a part of. Walking into Hannaford, it was staring at me – the fresh strawberries looked gorgeous – so I’m thinking dark chocolate with fixings, ground up walnuts, coconut, powdered sugar and a dash of fresh cocoa.

Wash your strawberries with cold water and make sure they are good and dry before dipping in your melted dark chocolate. You’ll need strawberries, dark chocolate bits, chopped walnuts or pecans, coconut, powdered sugar, and any type of cocoa. Make them your own; you could use white chocolate, any other nuts, caramel – the list is huge. Have fun with this and it’s something kids can do for Moms or Dads.

The hardest thing to do is paying attention to your melting chocolate. This works well: For very minimum mess, get a microwavable plastic container, add your 10 ounces of dark chocolate bits and microwave them on defrost for two to three minutes. Take the bowl out, mix, then put it back and repeat. If it is still stiff, microwave for about 40 seconds more on high. Watch it closely but after you make this a couple of times it’s easy. You do not want to burn the chocolate; trust me, it stinks and is hard to clean the container. Yes, I learned the hard way, LOL. This melted chocolate is the same that I use for the dipped cuties. As soon as the chocolate is ready, dip in your strawberries and go right into your walnuts or coconut. I use a little grinder for my cocoa and just sprinkle freestyle with my fingers. Another thing you could add is some fun candy glitter, left over red from Christmas decorations. Let the chocolate harden on a sheet covered with wax or parchment paper. The sky is the limit. Have fun with your family and friends.

I was able to get some wonderful young ladies together last weekend. I really think we all get so caught up in work and taking care of our families we forget to take care of ourselves. It’s really important to make and take time out and get together with other women. We did a ton of problem solving and all woke up with big smiles on our faces the next morning. It’s so good for the soul to just be in the presence of kind, giving, smart and beautiful women.

I’m making a promise to Pat at the YMCA. In two weeks I’ll make a new delicious soup for you ... the homemade pineapple upside down cake is next.

I saw this on social media recently and it has hit home to me. “The goal is to die with memories, not dreams.”

Be kind. Live every day like it’s your last. Life is good.