St. Patrick's Day

I spent St. Patrick's Day weekend in Chicago with Bobby + Friends this year, and let me tell you, that city takes the green holiday seriously. Everything is dyed green: the river, the lights on the buildings downtown, the beer (or so I'm told), the fireworks at night...pretty much everything!

Thank You Dr. Seuss

"If things start happening, don't worry, don't stew, just go right along and you'll start happening too."

That Seuss sure is a smarty pants.

I Need This.

Doesn't this look like the best game ever invented? It's like pictionary...but with legos!

Epiphany

I went to bed last night at 10PM. TEN. A full two hours before midnight, on my own accord, not just because I was exhausted. And oh my, can I just tell you how amazing it felt in the morning to wake up on my own and be perfectly refreshed and ready for a new day at 6:30AM? Seems like there is some serious truth in 'early to bed, early to rise.'

Why have I never done this before?!*

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*oh wait, because I used to have a social life. that's why. ha. but seriously, can any of you remember the last time you went to bed before midnight?

Now Let Me See Your Cookie Roll

huge snowstorm + weekend + cabin fever = bake fest

Really there is no other explanation for this. These gems are a recipe I've been tinkering with for a while now...butter, sugar, coconut, oats, almonds, and cinnamon. Basically. I mean, really, can you ever go wrong when the main ingredients are butter and sugar?

Nutty Oatmeal Spice Cookies

1 C butter crisco

1 C brown sugar

1 C sugar

2 eggs

1 t

vanilla

1.5 C flour

1/2 t salt

1 t baking soda

1/2 - 1 T cinnamon

A couple dashes of cloves & ginger

3 C oats

1/4 C chopped salted almonds (what I have on hand)

1/4 C shredded coconut

*I also really like these with cinnamon chips in them but eliminate the spices and coconut, and bump the almonds up to 1/2 C. Or they're also good with pecans. Or whatever nut you're partial to.

Cream sugars and butter really well (about 3-5 minutes). In another bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla. Add egg mixture to butter mixture. Cream (again, another 3-5 minutes until fluffy). In another bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Add. Mix well and change beaters out for the hook if you're using a mixer. Add oats, nuts, and coconut. Divide dough in half. Roll dough into logs using wax paper. slice dough into cookie rounds and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Yowayowa

I'm so obsessed with so many different photo blogs right now. Natsumi's blog takes the cake though...her levitation pics are to die for. Found through my daily fave Honestly...WTF (which, for the record, is the best blog on the planet for inspiration...those girls are genius).

Globe Trot

I first started reading the blog Mr. & Mrs. Globe Trot back in the fall. I loved that someone out there was actually living their dream and not just playing it safe by taking the expected route of getting a job and sitting in an office all day...for the rest of your life. Eww. And I love that they're both so real, they had to save up for this trip, they're traveling frugally, and they're visiting some cities that are outside of the norm. Doesn't hurt that their writing is great, too!

Their photos are just fabulous (all of the photos in this post are from their blog). If you haven't ever read their blog, you should definitely check it out. Seriously, this is one of those blogs that you could go back and start from the beginning and never get sick of it. Oh and they just opened a shop for some of their prints...I'm really hoping they add more soon! But for now, I think this picture of a beautiful boat deck will soon be mine. I've been looking for a good nautical print for a wall montage that's not too over the top nautical. I think this may be the one.