cardi's and cookbooks....

So, yes, really I've just been wanting to dance around the house today, singing "Spring Feeeeeeeevaaaaaaa" at the top of my lungs. What is NOT to like about Spring? Here's what I like:

Flip Flops (I know, if you hear me say that again, you are going to beat your head against a wall)

The clothing. I love wearing jeans, flip flops (don't hate me), and a cardi (that's my slang for cardigan). And by the way, all the cute lightweight cardi's are $20 at Old Navy right now, go stock up! There is way more to choose from in-store than online. I am not that impressed with the online selection (as usual). So bouge on over there tout de suite.....

And on to an entirely different topic....birthday cake. My son has a birthday coming up, and like me, he doesn't love birthday cake. So we have to get creative. This year I am making THIS.

It's ooey gooey. One of my all time fav's. Tried and true recipe.....mmmmmm........when the boy saw this, he swooned. It's decided! Oh...what I would give for a slice of this RIGHT NOW!

This recipe comes from one of my very favorite cooking blogs, and they just came out with their very own cookbook!! I am a total sucker for cookbooks. I am going to have to get me one of these babies!

Don't you just love a good cookbook? And a nice, affordable cardi?

winter all over the world.....

Who is sick of winter? Besides ME! Oh, come on, I know you are! My sister in Indiana reports her cul de sac to be an ice skating rink, a friend in Texas tells me that they've had no power for two days, and a Facebook friend in Chicago writes of a closed airport because of feet and FEET of snow! Here, we are enjoying super-duper inversion with intense drops in the temps....and I've about had it!

I am longing for the days of flip flops, lazy days on the grass, trips to the beach, feeding the ducks, picnics, jogs in the morning WITHOUT my limbs freezing off, and most of all....seeing other people. Our neighborhood is like a ghost town in the winter time. It is lonely.

I seriously can't fathom having the desire to build one more snowman this winter. "No, kids....no more snowmen".....

However....I have a solution to dodging the three foot snowman. Minis! Mini snowman! I found them here....

Look how cute:

So next time it snows (and it WILL!)...I am going to suggest that we make THESE little minis instead...

what's for dinner....

Isn't it crazy, when you become so obsessed with something, how you start to notice it ALL around you? Since I made my New Year's Resolution (see below) to eat more dinners together as a family, and to make it meaningful, I've been seeing or noticing "family dinner" examples EVERYWHERE! The Today Show, People Magazine, and Rachael Ray.....HERE

Gwyneth Paltrow (my all time favorite actress since I first say her play the role of Emma) appeared on Rachael Ray last week, and her interview was so entertaining. What a graceful, lovely and funny girl she is! To Rachael, she mentioned having family dinner with her family. And about her dad, she says, "He kind of taught me that just eating a meal with the people that you love is like the biggest success in life ..." She is coming out with a cookbook in April, My Father's Daughter. I can't wait to check it out! (She also mentioned that she is completely OCD, has to be in control of everything, and takes a bath religiously every single night....leaving me to wonder if she and I were separated at birth!!! Gwyneth, am I your long, lost twin?) And let's not forget that Gwyneth ROCKED Glee a few weeks ago....she left me absolutely amazed.

I found an old mini-chalkboard in my basement, and brought it upstairs to put on an easel on my kitchen counter. It's our new daily menu board. (Cafe Adrienne, ha ha!). Each day, I write 'what's for dinner' on it. My kids LOVE it. And I better not stray one bit from what's written on it. They come home from school expecting EXACTLY what's written on that little chalkboard menu. It's hilarious.

My kids have been helping, too. Chopping, cutting, stirring....setting the table, cleaning up. They are involved. And it makes me so happy. We are all in the kitchen together, helping. TOGETHER being the key word.

Now, the challenge? Deciding what to make every day. That's the challenge. I've never perused so many cook books or cooking blogs in my life.

This week, I am trying THIS....looks good! I even found a killer deal on a Cuisinart this week at the Macy's sale, so I'll be choppin' zuchini all day long!