It's My Birthday

It's my birthday!
I can hardly believe it is here again. Our snow adventure continues, and since our 6-ish inches have not thawed, and temperatures have plummeted - there is no school again today. This is a pleasant surprise, since I wasn't originally supposed to have my birthday off! It's funny because looking back, I've had a snow day on my birthday at least 4 times, all while living in a city where it rarely snows.

My husband has declared he will be making breakfast in bed for me - yippee! He also told me last night that he plans to bake me a birthday cake - this is a first! I'm hoping the slick roads begin to thaw, but if I'm house bound, a movie-marathon birthday wouldn't be so bad, right? In the evening, weather depending, we have dinner plans, just the two of us.

Here's to the last year of my twenties, wow does that make me feel old. It feels like it is going to be a good year!

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Snow Day Realized

It snowed! A lot actually...we have at least 5 inches on the ground and it's still coming down. So I guess it wasn't an empty threat after all. Since I cannot drive with the amount of snow blanketing the ground - nor do I want to attempt this feat.

My snow day plan consists of the following...

+ Delicious breakfast. Husband (who is working from home today) made me french toast with apple compote - he's the best!

+ Episode 2 of Downton Abbey that I missed Sunday night

+ Finishing my book, and maybe this one too if there's time

+ Catching up on a stack of unread magazines: Real Simple, Cooking Light, Martha Stewart Living...the list goes on

+ Taking a walk with husband in the snow

+ Drink several steaming cups of this hot chocolate, gifted to me by a classroom parent

+ Picking out photos for our wedding album

+ Begin online shopping for a new camera...thoughts?

+ Begin to get excited that my birthday is TOMORROW!

Isn't it amazing how much you can get done on a snow day? Let's see if it all happens...

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Snow Day

We've had on-again, off-again flurries since Saturday afternoon, and a good 2-3 inches that have stuck throughout the weekend.  There was even a handful of fluffy white flurries descending during school today - much to my second graders delight - so as you can imagine we got a LOT of work done.  Right....  

And now, we have the official declaration from the district - tomorrow is a snow day!  Despite the fact that it is not snowing...yet.  Let me explain... Here in Seattle and surrounding area, we are an it-snows-once-a-year-maybe-twice-on-a-big-year-kind-of-town.  Translation: natives of the area (including myself) are typically NOT everyday snow drivers.  Now, please know that much of this is due to the  fact that our city does not have adequate DOT snow plow equipment to clear the majority of our cities streets.  We're talking approximately 15 plows for the entire city of Seattle last time I checked - THAT'S IT, seriously!  As a result, this leaves most snowy roads to freeze overnight, making for even slipperier conditions in the early morning.  Seattle is also infamous for having way too many drivers attempt to drive up the city's many hills without the ability of 4-wheel drive - and then abandon said cars when their efforts to climb these icy hills prove fruitless.  

In a nutshell - we have strong reactions to the impending threat of snow, including delaying or canceling school.   All day long the local news online has been declaring this "Seattle Storm 2012," and predicting an ample 6-10 inches due to fall tonight. I guess we shall see! 

Happy Snow Day!!

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Weeknight Baking: Apple Sharlotka

It has been snowy around Seattle the past few days, which has made me want to avoid icy roads, and instead camp out inside my cozy house with the heat blaring, and comfort foods a'cooking on the stove. Feeling inspired to keep up with my resolution to bake more, I attempted this recipe for apple sharlotka, a Russian apple cake. The cake is essentially a pan full of tart apple chunks, with a batter poured over the top.

Despite the fact that my version didn't turn out as compact and cake-like as Smitten Kitchen's, it was quite tasty! If you're a fan of tart apple pies - this is a dessert for you.


Brown Sugar Broiled Grapefruit


I tried a new dessert last night - brown sugar broiled grapefruit ala Joy the Baker. Always a citrus fan, grapefruit is a rotating staple of my breakfast routine. And when indulging in this tart fruit, I almost always add that sprinkle of sugar to sweeten it up. But I'd never even considered that one could bake or broil a grapefruit. The broiling works to caramelize the sugar to really infuse the flesh. Wowza, this definitely improves the flavor, and warm sugar-infused grapefruit is always quite tasty! Who knew?

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Hair Do?

I am a big fan of the updo. Whether that be your basic ponytail or a twisty, messy knot atop my head, it is the convenience of being able to throw my hair up at a moments whim that helps me resist the urge to chop it all off.

However, I admit, I am no master of the perfect bun. Now, maybe I stand alone here, but the DIY updo ala pinterst may seem effortless it it's visual step by step guide, however by step 3, my hair never quite looks as it should in the tutorial. Am I alone here? I am envious of the messy-chic buns captured daily by some of my favorite bloggers - especially Naomi, her hair always looks effortless perfect, how does she do it??
The turning point for me, when doing my hair became an important routine worth cultivating, was during my awkward tween middle school years at a private-Catholic all-girl school. I soon realized, that hair, when styled correctly, could actually improve one's appearance and significantly enhance your chances of slow dancing with cute boys from neighboring parochial schools at middle school dances. Who knew?!?

During this era, my friend Sarah and I were notorious for the pull-through-bun, which at the time was the "cool" style, and frankly the only acceptable hairstyle we thought worth donning, during our ever-important seventh grade year. This "look" - if I can even call it that - was your basic ponytail, with the pony pulled through the band as far as humanly possible without making the actual tail. Basically you were left with a limp loop of hair hanging from your band. As I recall, this style didn't exactly hold up throughout the day, which be default meant many superfluous trips to the bathroom, with the sole purpose of reviewing said loop in the mirror, and redoing as necessary.

Now, years later, looking back at pictures of ourselves, we laugh uproariously at this hairstyle we swore by. We even affectionately refer to this once beloved loop as "the bag of poop" hair, as there is an utterly uncanny resemblance between the that loop of hair and those compostable baggies that accompany walkers to the dog park.

Do not worry though, once I am able to master the messy but effortless chic chignon bun I will surely post it - if only so you can honestly break it to me, that all these years later, I'm still wearing the bag of poop hair. :)


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Lately...

I've made the recent discovery that Felicity is accessible on netflix streaming. I admit, since my discovery, I've spent way too many hours reliving the beloved series. Felicity reminds me of watching TV in my parents living room, affectionately called "the den," where I'd feel the anticipation of college as I watched Felicity and company navigate through the beginnings of college life in New York City. I remember it sounded so adult and far away, I mean it was 1998 after all and I was merely a sophomore in high school.

Do you ever pick up watching old shows from your past, just for fun? I was surprised how many episodes I had no recollection of, but once the tape began rolling, I remembered all of those moments I once lived vicariously through. Remember the big Ben vs. Noel dilemma? Ah the memories...

P.S. I totally rooted for Noel.