If you're bored and it's snowing

Clap your hands {clap, clap}.

That is probably true for anyone reading this on the East Coast. I don't ever remember getting back to back snow storms this far south. But here it is, the 2nd Friday in a row where it's snowing and we are stuck inside. We aren't accustomed to this kind of weather. I'm sure if we were in the North or Midwest we would be out driving around, going about our business. But since I live in the South and just the mention of snow cancels school and sends everyone running to their nearest grocery for milk and bread, I am inside going STIR CRAZY.

And what to do when you are stir crazy and can't don't want to go outside? Catch up on homework? Nah, that's for nerds. Finish home projects? Bah, that's for the birds. Cook, bake, and eat your way out of boredom? Now you're talking!

Last week I came down with a terrible stomach bug and couldn't eat a real meal for FIVE days. So, when it started snowing Friday night and we were stuck inside all day Saturday, I took that as a sign to make up for lost time. I went into the kitchen around 10 a.m and came out sometime around 7 p.m. covered in flour, sugar, and grease.

Some of the things that came out of the kitchen were:

Ina Garten's Tri-Berry Muffins*

Meyer Lemon and Ricotta Pancakes w/ creme fraiche* (adapted from the Fairmont in San Francisco)

French Chocolate Bark (adapted from Ina Garten)

that we turned into s'mores (that goes great with red wine!)

And last, but not least...Oreo Balls*

I snapped this picture before they were dipped in white chocolate, which I forgot to take b/c I was too busy stuffing my face full of sugar. Can you tell I had a sweet tooth last week? That's what happens when I can't eat for FIVE days. And also why I don't get diets. Telling myself I can't have something only makes me want it more.

With snow in the forecast for this weekend, we thought we would try something other than cooking to keep us from getting bored.

Drinking!

Markus came up with a great concoction of Tequila**, lime, and ginger ale. It's delicious and smooth goes down.

*e-mail me if you would like recipes I didn't link to. I was too drunk lazy to type them up.

**I'm not allowed to drink Tequila unless under constant supervision and away from the general public, so this is a real treat!

Music Monday: Citizen Cope

Markus and I are going to see this band play Saturday night at The National. His music is a blend of reggae, hip hop, blues, and southern beatnik. Very nice music to listen to, especially on a warm, sunny day.

Enjoy!

December highlights

On the eve of the 2nd month of 2010, I thought I would post some of my favorite pictures from the last month of 2009. Better late than never!

We did a lot of lying around by the fire.

And being couch potatoes because the giant pillow on the floor is clearly not as comfortable!

We even made it of the sofa and got dressed up for a holiday party for a Jamaican reunion


We baked cookies with Brynn, Grant, and Abbey

And had our first snow of the season


And after a slow, snowy start, finally made our way up North for our annual Hakkarainen Christmas in Brookside

Where it was more napping and relaxing. This was Charlie's first trip to Heikki's. He really made himself at home!

Meeko stuck close to his favorite buddy

And last but certainly not least, we snuck in a romantic getaway to my favorite city

All of that travel and holiday cheer cost a lot so we sent Charlie off to work


And that is our month in a nutshell. I hope to have more pictures up on our Flickr account soon.

Stay tuned!

Wetting the whistle

Just because I haven't personally blogged, doesn't mean I haven't been reading them. Especially design blogs. I just can't help it, it's in my blood. Here are some things I have found to tide me over until I can work on my own home again. Hope you find them as inspiring and mouth watering to look at as I do.

Have you seen the movie, It's Complicated? I was in awe over the set design and was anxiously awaiting for Julia over at Hooked on Houses to do a Movie Monday on the set. She dug up a few visual stimulating photos to hold us over until the DVD comes out later this year. You can check it out here.

Don't tell my husband, but I already have ideas for a kitchen like this in our next house (and maybe our current, shhhhh).

And just today I saw a post over at Design Sponge on a swoon worthy office. Who wouldn't want to come to work everyday with digs like this?

And my favorite Interior Designer/blogger/new mama, Erica over at Urban Grace Interiors blogged about Birmingham Architect Bill Ingram's lake house that was featured in Cottage Living (it has also been featured in many other publications, check out the links under publications for more pictures and details). I fell in love with the play of bold textures, dark wood, and soft hues immediately.

And those striped hardwood floors are making me consider painting ours. Hmmm...

p.s. I never know the proper way to give credit to images/ideas found on other web sites. My purpose is to share, not offend so If this is your work and you do not want it displayed, please let me know.

p.p.s. We are learning idioms in my strategic reading class. Don't you like how I have incorporated it into my day-to-day living? My teacher would be so proud ;).

I'm baaaack

Hi there! It's been awhile. I didn't mean to take a vacation from blogging but it just sort of happened. December, as it usually does, got a little hectic. We had a great month full of parties, family, travel, and friends. I wanted to document it on the blog but the days started to run together and before I knew it, it was 2010.

The longer I was away, the harder I found it to come back. Not because I don't enjoy blogging but I just didn't know where to start. I haven't taken very many photographs over the last month. I wasn't really in the mood. I do have some photos of Christmas to put up but I can't find the cord that connects the camera to the computer. Oh well. I'll eventually get there. And, I haven't done much to the house as far as decorating. I'm on a hiatus after all the fall renovations we did. Which, I also need to blog about but want to do so with before and after pictures (see above sentence). I have been cooking A LOT. I go through phases and that is the phase I am in now. I have had shorter work days this month and have been using the extra time in the afternoons in the kitchen. I go back to work full time next week and I am really going to miss my extra "free" hours. I didn't document any of the items I whipped up but was generous to share with a few friends and family.

I guess I have just been enjoying living my life off-line. It's nice to do every once and awhile! We will see how much longer it lasts now that I will be in the office for a full 40 hours a week.

So, stay tuned to see what's next.

Grateful

I'll admit it now, I was kind of dreading Thanksgiving. I'm not sure why. I am a "get in full spirit of the holidays" kind of gal. I try to enjoy every moment between Thanksgiving and Christmas because it always seems to go by too fast. I think part of my problem was that we had tackled too many projects around the house in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. My house was a wreck. I had too many things to do and not enough time (don't we all!). But the night before my father-in-law was to arrive, the Thanksgiving Gods sent me some help. Markus came home from a trip and my mom spent the night with us. We got everything done in one night and as soon as my house was put back in order I felt much calmer. Amazing how a clean house can somehow clear away my bad mood. Markus did the grocery shopping, and all I had to do was cook. Something that also always helps me get out of a funk. I think I was destined to be a house wife (hint hint).

The whole Thanksgiving weekend was wonderful and I had many blessings to be thankful for. I was thankful that my father-in-law was able to come for the 3rd annual Hakkarainen Thanksgiving dinner. We look forward to his twice annual visits all year long. My Aunt and cousin surprised us by coming up from Florida for the weekend. I had not seen them since the spring and our visits are always too quick. I'm also thankful that I got to see both sides of my family on Thanksgiving. And it wasn't nearly as stressful as it used to be when I was a child. And last but not least, I'm very thankful for the time I got to spend with my husband. He was home almost the entire month of November and I enjoyed every moment of it. Even when I had to change his bandage and pack his wound.

And I'm especially looking forward to the next month and celebrating the holidays with family and friends. I LOVE Christmas, more than ever now that I have my own family to spend it with and a home to decorate and fill with holiday spirit. I owe that to the Chenault side of my family. They were all about traditions and creating memories. And now I get it. When I think back on the holidays, it's always the things we did every year as a family that stick out in my head. Decorating cookies, having tea with Santa at Miller & Rhodes, going to see the Nutcracker ballet, and Christmas dinner at my grandparents house. And now Markus and I get to create our own traditions and memories. Something that makes me very excited!

Planning

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed this holiday season and I'm not exactly sure why. I was really starting to get excited last week while r.s.v.p.-ing to parties and coordinating cookie baking with the kids. But then something happened and now I am procrastinating. I'm supposed to be planning our Thanksgiving menu as I type and shopping on my lunch break (oh, and working. Today is a work day). But I just can't bring myself to look through recipes. So instead I created this list thinking it would help jump start me into getting ready for Turkey day.

I got the idea of placing all of my grocery items into categories from my favorite chef, Ina Garten. It proves very efficient when at the store. And added more categories in the extra space to help organize all the other tasks that are usually involved when grocery shopping. Like dry cleaning, post office, etc. I hope it helps me get my butt in gear, or else we will be eating frozen pizza instead of a Thanksgiving feast.