Last year, my husband and his friends treated my friends and me (the wives) to a fabulous home-cooked, 4 course meal! So naturally, this year he's leaving subtle hints that the "fellas" would be looking for some reciprocation.
My girls and I wouldn't dream of trying to outdo their thoughtful gestures, complete with chocolate dipped fruit, teddy bears, roses and balloons.
That was a memory that we will always cherish.
We will however, take this as an opportunity to provide a Valentine's Day they will also hold on to forever.
My girlfriends and I are totally happy following in the budget friendly footsteps of the guys.
This year, we're sharing the costs and energy related to a wonderful candle-lit dinner.
I mean, you can't have a good time without good food, right? We thoroughly enjoy hanging out with each other in a laid back and comfortable environment where we can be as loud or as quiet as we want to be.
And we can stay ALL Night if we want to! So we're sharing a marvelous meal at my Hand Carved, Teak Table.
A couples' night in.
$125 each and we're creating a magical Valentine's Day for our men.

1. The Menu Green Mixed Salad, Savory Onion & Vegetable tart, Pan Seared Steaks with Cajun Herb Butter, Spicy Thai Red Curry Chicken, Sweet Pepper & Coconut Rice & Sautéed Mixed Greens.
   Dinner for 6 (3 couples) will come together in a snap between 3 resourceful and multi-tasking women.
   
2. The Gifts We'll present our better halves, each with a gift of, 3- 1 hour Golf lessons with a local pro who usually charges $300 for the same service.
   Thanks to Living Social.
   com, we saved over 70% by snatching up a deal in advance for only $60 for the 3 lessons! Our guys are really going to be EXCITED a gift that will allow them to learn something new while hanging out with each other.
   
3. The Flow We'll have one "Very Strong" and masculine Signature "Jock"tail.
   It will be a mixture of Vodka with Apricot & Pear Nectar (my husband's favorites), a squeeze of lime and a splash of ginger ale.
   We'll also have plenty of beers!
4. The Experience We'll decorate with simple red roses and petals sparingly as to keep in flow with the masculine backdrop.
   Dim lights and candles galore with soft 70's R&B music will float lightly in the background.
   
5. The Love We'll tell them how much we love them and why we never want them to leave.
   

We'll present them their gifts and let them bask in the glory of manhood.
I'll even throw in a coupon for a free night of fun the next time "I don't feel like it" and he does.
We'll finish the evening with a game of Cash Flow 101 and argue like most couples do in these situations.
So much fun! Finally, we'll head off to bed, smiling with exhaustion and dreaming of the dessert we were too stuffed to indulge in.
We'll have dessert for breakfast the next morning like we did last year.
So for $125 each, my 2 girlfriends and I are going to present a Valentine's Day for Him that keeps on giving.
This is not only economical, but also a great way to do something different on the day of love, making it both fun & interactive.
It's also a great way to save time because all tasks are split between 3 people.
We're so excited! Tia Woodley