Happy Days

It was 78 and sunny this weekend, woohoo!! With all of the nice weather lately, we've been spending more time in the foothills and discovered the downside of it. Zoë turned up with a tick (blech!) which resulted in a panicked search of YouTube for tick removal videos. Once the household was cleared, it was bath time for puppies!

The pups generally refuse to shake off while they are in the shower, preferring to get dog-water all over the walls and carpet. In an effort to avoid this, I wrap them in a towel and hustle them out to the patio to shimmy and shake to their heart's content. Little did I know, the rug in front of the patio door was lying in wait to ambush me - leaving me flat on my back. Apparently I don't bounce as well as I used to...

Did someone say hike?!

Bargain Buy of the Week: Amazon Local

I am SO excited about this deal from Amazon Local! They are offering a free voucher that gives you access to up to 20 Kindle titles for $1 each!! Granted, they aren't any titles that were on my reading list, but nearly free e-books are always fun!

"The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month."

Henry Van Dyke

The Bright Side

What happens when you let me pick a trail? You end up 3/4 of the way up the tallest part of the foothills in a 6.6 mile loop, 4 miles of it being uphill.

Climb all the hills!!

A well deserved rest.

Some days I think my life is rough... and then I go on the internet and realize that life isn't meant to be taken so seriously.

Typical day at the office during nesting season

No lie, we have nesting Canadian geese. They are terrifying.

Carmina Burana: And Ode to Sleep Deprived Parents

This makes me laugh. Every. Single. Time.

Dove Beauty Sketches
It's shocking how harshly women judge themselves.

Home Sweet Home

One of the things I associate with home is my mom's cooking, but she has a tendency to cook by instinct rather than recipe so making her dishes generally proves challenging. One meal that I've never been able to replicate (until now) is her macaroni and cheese. Of course, it will always taste better at her house, but when I'm craving some good old fashioned comfort food this does the trick!

Mom's Macaroni & Cheese
3 cups elbow macaroni
2.5 tablespoons butter
6 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1.25 cups nonfat milk
1.5 cups shredded cheddar
splash of heavy cream 
(cream isn't necessary if your milk isn't nonfat)
salt and pepper

Cook noodles according to package directions. While noodles are cooking, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, season with salt and pepper, add flour and stir until incorporated. Add the milk, whisking until thickened. Add shredded cheese and splash of cream, season with additional pepper if desired. Combine noodles and sauce, stir and heat for 1 - 2 mins. 

Bargain Buy of the Week:

Harry and David Candle in Oregold Peach

One of the best scented candles I've ever come across. It doesn't have the heavy, syrupy sweet scent that most "fruit" candles have. It's light and fresh - heaven in a jar. Freddie's had a sale last week, so this was acquired for $5!

"To know what people really think, pay regard to what they do, rather than what they say."
Rene Descartes