Snow

Last week Riesling woke up to the magic of snowfall.  It really was the tiniest bit of snow, maybe 1/2inch, but she didn't care.  The girl was beyond excited.  The video quality is terrible but the audio is so worth it....

In case you had any difficulty following along, any references to green, Wendy, Michael, John, moccasins or Peter are related to Peter Pan.  Peter Pan needed to get outside so he could fly.  Man oh man does the girl love Peter Pan.

Some of my favorite lines include:
"The snow is amazing!" and "I think the Reindeer are welcome to share one of their carrots for a snowman."  The singing while putting on her boots...also just classic Riesling. 

She just couldn't wait to get out in that snow.  She walked around in her snowpants for a good 20-30 minutes while I fed Winnie breakfast and had my coffee.  She nibbled on a bit of cereal and a few slices of clementines but she was just too excited to really eat.  

Then she tried to rally Winnie in on the excitement...

You want me to do what?!

Those do not look comfortable at all 

 
 

But after a little assistance for Big Sissy, Winnie was all set for her first outing in the snow. Altough still looking a bit uncertain.

Riesling gathered the essential supplies; a snowman bucket, a snowman stuffed animal, and a carrot.  This is a face of excitement.

 And off they go on their snowy adventure.  Not even looking back to see if dear ole Mommy is with them.  They are growing up way tooooo fast.  Next thing you know it is off to school, then dating, then out the door to college.  waahhh

Given the limited amount of snow and the freezing cold temperatures, our excursion didn't last all that long. But, Riesling was happy.  She ran, flew, and shoveled.  We built a teeny tiny snowman.  She ate a ton of snow.  Then inside for hot chocolate.

 "Yuuummm.  Hot chocolate! It does such a good job of warming my inside."

Snow Angel

We were greeted in Ohio by my warm loving family...and 20 degree temperatures and lots of fresh snow.  Jim and I decided to ring in Riesling first New Year with a little tutorial on on the fun things you can do in the snow.

First, we explained how to properly prepare yourself for the conditions.  This involves putting on a lot of crazy snow gear.  There's the layering, the zipping, the hats, gloves, & boots.  And of course it takes forever and by the time you're done you're sweating and just can't wait to jump into a chilly snow bank.

Riesling of course hated her snowsuit (she looked so darn cute!).  I think mostly she just hated that she couldn't move around very easily.  But she was a champ and allowed us to proceed with the antics.  Once outside Jim decided a little taste test was the first order of business.  We made sure to warn her against any areas with a yellowish tint.

We moved on to the classic snow angel.  I'm not sure that Riesling was impressed with the process but she seemed to like the end result.

 Next up was some general playful frolic. I'm sure as she gets older this will involve a little more racing around and snowball throwing, but for her first time she decided to go with some good old fashion crawling and worm like activity.  She seemed to be having actual fun at this point.

 Frolic led nicely into making a snowman. 

This lead to more eating of the snow, followed by crying because she wanted to walk but couldn't manage it in the snowsuit and within 10 minutes we were back indoors explaining the magic of hot chocolate.  So so much fun ahead little angel.

Thoughts on a Wednesday.

I received a clementine tree in the mail at work this week. Strange but exciting. We also have a plum and peach tree in our basement from a clearance shopping spree in the Home Depot garden department last year.

I think I'm handling winter really well this year.

But I won't be terribly upset if Spring decides to make an early arrival.

We've had the little flurries, the big foot or more, and now a night of freezing rain.

We can be done now.

Although I'm not a Valentine's Day kind of girl, I think these crayon hearts are really cute and would look nice in my dining room window.

Jim downloaded the new Decemberists albumn, "The King is Dead." I really liked it. But, for some reason I am surprised that 'everyone' else does too. I base this on nothing.

In other music news. I enjoyed listening to the Fresh Air interview with the Black Keys.

And I think they rock.

You should listen to the interview with Jay-Z also.

Just listen to Fresh Air. And make sure you picture Terry Gross in your head. It makes it better.

If you are turning left onto a one way street can you turn left on red?

Rump Roast

I spend my early mornings squatting, lunging, squeezing, and stretching my way to a perfectly sculpted buttock. My efforts have left with me with a toned (at least more toned) but significant less insultated booty. Seriously. I'm shivering just thinking about the walk thru the parking lot in my dress trousers or night walks with Jim and Sofee dog.

I have a really warm ski jacket that Jim got me for Christmas last year, but it stops at the waist. So my top half is toasty warm and thanks to good winter socks, boots, gloves, a scarf, and hat most of my body also fairs pretty well. But, my little hiney gets so freakin' cold! So, I've had my eye on the winter clearance sales for a 3/4 length winter coat to double for dress or casual. And luck would have, I finally stumbled upon a steal of a deal at Land End's Canvas on this beautifuldown coat.

It's super warm without being bulky; the hood easily fits over my favorite hat; and I can easily wear it for casual or dress. Because it was a clearance item color choice was limited in my size. I was/am a little concerned about the cream color getting dirty easily, but the fabric is water resistant and easily wipeable. And most of all the price was right.

Regular price $140.

My sale price $49!!

AND free shipping.

Makes for one happy lil caboose.

How many words can I use to describe my ass in one post...backside, fanney, tush, gluts....

Dear Winter,

I have taken some lovely photos to remember you by.

It's been fun, as well as cold, and depressing.

It's Ok to go away now. I won't forget you.

Love, Mrs. Robinson

These boots were made for walking.

All this lovely winter weather can be hard on the footsies... and footwear. I decided this year I needed to invest in a brown and black pair of non-heeled boots, which turned out to be harder than I expected. I didn't want something too casual or too granny.

I found these Steve Maddens for a steal at Famous Footwear and wear them constantly on the weekends. They are so comfy and the color goes well with pretty much anything. I love having my skinny jeans tucked into boots to avoid getting all the wet and muck on them.

I was a bit more challenged finding black ones. I already have a pair of heeled knee high boots to wear with skirts or dresses but the heel makes them inconvenient for casual. I finally settled on these. I was a bit hesitant at first because they seemed a bit too clunky, but the price was right (and I had a coupon!) so I decided to go for it.

I'm actually really happy I did. I've worn them a lot during snowy or rainy days and they keep my feet warm and dry. I typically wear them for casual but I did wear them to work last week during a snow storm with a knee length skirt and tights and got a lot of compliments. And last weekend I paired them with jeans, a long sleeve tee from Gap, and my black blazer for a casual Saturday morning at work.

The plaid flannel scarf is one of my favorites!

A vintage find amongst my mom's old stuff.

I wonder how many more months of winter I can survive on the excitement of these fun winter fashions...

A Winter Haiku

by Rachelle

Dark and dreary skies
Winter makes my eyes weepy.

Sun please come back soon.

TGIF

It's Friday!! What's on your schedule for the weekend?

Tonight we'll be staying in. Probably a movie and a hearty dinner full of comfort foods (I'm thinking spaghetti & meatballs with garlic bread!)

Tomorrow is game night at the Crooker's and Sunday we're heading to Bear Creek for snowtubing with friends.

I really am trying to make the best out of this winter and all this freakin' snow!

Winter Blues

I can't believe it's still winter. Honestly, it feels like the holidays were six months ago. The last time I saw the sun must have been 2-3 years ago. My body aches for vitamin D and sweet juicy berries and Jersey tomatoes. To top it off I've been consumed with work related chaos and the unavoidable stress of first time home buying.

Boy, it sure feels better to get that off my chest!

On a brighter note, I just got the best deal on a new dress from Target.com plus free shipping! I think it will be perfect for a wedding in early May.

I've also been spending lots of time inspiring myself with wall paint combinations with the help of the Sherman Williams website. I have a few favorites but, I'm sure I'll change my mind a million times in the next few months.

Reno

I've always had a strong desire to relocate to the Northwest. I've not even had the opportunity to pay the region a visit, but every photo, movie, documentary, or article makes my heart flutter a bit. I think it's the overwhelming presence of nature. One of my patients, originally from Oregon, starting bringing me her copies of Sunset magazine, "How to Live in the West". I love reading through the pages of recipes, gardening tips, travel and leisure articles, and tons of beautiful pictures.

In an effort to de-clutter during these winter storms, I'm tossing a huge stack of magazines...Sunset included. I was able to minimize the stack to a small pile of articles and will be posting on the 'ole blog until the pile is also in the recycling bin.

Things to remember, as recommended by Sunset magazine, for a weekend to Reno....

River supplies at Wild Sierra Adventures or go with a Tahoe Whitewater Tour. Early May brings the Reno River festival with entertainment and fun kayak and raft competitions.

Arts district along the River Walk including Sierra Arts and Neveda Museum of Art.

Suggested restaurants include, Beaujolais Bistro, Chocolate Bar, Java Jungle, and Se7en Teahouse & Bar.

More Snow!

It's snowing. Again. We piled up about 5 inches over night and are expecting another 8-12 today. It's kinda sleeting right now. Yuck. I'll be inside. Extra time for internet browsing, reading, and crappy Tv. Add a few hot beverages and I'm one happy lady.

Early morning finds...

4 Part Living room tour at Oh Happy Day. It's amazing what you can do in a small San Francisco apartment. I really enjoy the color choices. Shades of blues and yellow make me happy.

Cardigan Refashioned. Such a GREAT idea. I have a real soft spot for ruffles and feminine details. I just need to get snag some sewing skills!

Lots of lovely handmade pillows from Martha Stewart, plus a little fresh squeezed lemonade. Is it summer yet? Some others I really liked were made from silk scarfs and tea towels. I think I could even handle that level of sewing.

I've been eyeing these eco-friendly recycled glass countertops for a week now. My friend Sarah saw them at a home show and passed along the inspiration to me.

Now for a little shoveling...