I went out for my easy 3 mile run today and enjoyed every minute of it. I really do think I am solar powered. There is just something about the bright sunshine that makes running so much easier!

I easily could have gone longer, but I was wearing my brand new kicks and they were starting to give me a bit of a blister, so I called it a day. I was supposed to do a bit of strength training today too, but I had a charity bowling event and didn’t have time – unless you count throwing 4 strikes in a row as strength training. Just kidding….I could never do that. But I did break 100 in both of my games, which is probably a personal best.

For some reason I am completely exhausted tonight, but I’m determined to stay up and watch the season finale of my favorite show – Top Chef! Its Richard vs. Michael in the epic battle for the top spot…even though none of my favorites are left, I’m pulling for a Blais victory!

Before I hit the sack, I just have to share with you one of today’s snacks:

I purchased a sample pack of these raw flatbreads and crackers from Twin Cakes Bakery a week ago and have been eating them nonstop ever since! They come in delicious flavors like Collard Sesame (above), Cinnamon Date, and Pumpkin Seed Kale and are the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. I’ve been trying to introduce more raw foods into my diet and these little snacks make it super easy! The Vitamin Water Zero wasn’t bad either!

Looking forward to more sunshine tomorrow!

Today has been a whirlwind day – work has been quite crazy lately, and I followed up a busy day at the office with a 3-hour grad class. Thank goodness this is my last class ever – I am quickly running out of hours in the day to do everything I have to get done!

It was Day 2 of half-marathon training today, and I am proud to say I actually got myself to the gym after class for my 7x hill repeats. I don’t know if it’s because I’m excited about training again or because I have an unspoken desire to set my quads on fire, but I was determined to make tonight’s workout a good one. I warmed up on the treadmill at a 10min mile pace for 5 minutes, and then alternated between running at a 3.5 incline for .25 miles, then at a 1.0 incline for 1 minute (all at the same pace) until I got in my seven repeats. I’m not gonna lie, I looked like I took a dip in a pool when I was done, but it felt great to push myself so hard.

Now, I’ll tell you a little secret as long as you promise not to judge. Do you know what helped me though this monster of a workout?

Yes, that would be Britney Spears’ new CD -  which, by the way,  I promptly purchased at 7am and loaded on to my Ipod in preparation for today’s workout. Say what you want, but you can’t deny that her music is the perfect pump-you-up soundtrack. As far as I’m concerned, I’m on team Britney for life.

While Britney’s music did certainly help, I think a lot of my extra energy tonight came from the handful of crunchy, chewy, delicious granola I snacked on while heading to the gym. I always crave granola when I do a lot of running – probably because it is the perfect runner’s fuel – so I whipped up a huge batch to freeze and have on hand for the next couple months. The best thing about this recipe is that you can play with the different types of nuts, seeds, spices and mix-ins to come up with whatever combination you are craving at the moment. Oh, and did I mention it’s ready in a half an hour! Quick and tasty – it doesn’t get much better than that folks!

Rachael’s Runnin’ Fuel Granola Mix

• 4 cups of rolled oat (not instant)
• 1 cup of raw almonds
• 1 cup of walnuts
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup golden flax seeds
• 1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
• 1 cup of agave nectar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1.5 cups dried fruit (I used strawberries, blueberries and cherries)

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, nuts and seeds, coconut, agave, pumpkin pie spice, salt and almond extract. Toss well, making sure to coat all the ingredients with the sweetener. You’ll know when you’ve got the right consistency.

3. Spread the mixture on a large, rimmed baking sheet (I put a layer of foil on mine first) and bake for 30 minutes, stirring about every 5 minutes to ensure even browning. Make sure to watch it towards the end because you don’t want it to burn.

4. Remove pan from the oven and stir in the dried fruit.  When the granola comes to room temperature, put it in a large container and seal. You can keep it in the pantry, but it will keep forever if you put it in the fridge or the freezer.

Mmm…looking forward to many more granola-fueled workouts in my future! Next time I may even go crazy and add dark chocolate chips! Delish!

Despite the fact that it is hardly Spring here in Albany, I did just sign up for a half marathon in June, and so today marks the first day of my 10 week training plan! I am really looking forward to warmer weather in the future and getting back into the routine of training with a running goal in mind.

Here’s a look at my 10 week half-marathon training plan, modified slightly from Hal Higdon’s advanced program for runners who race or compete regularly and are looking to improve their time. I ran my first half marathon, last fall’s Maple Leaf  in Vermont, in 2:09, so my goal this time is to break 2:00! It’s ambitious but I think I can do it!

Here’s a little more info on what each of the workouts in the table entails (according to Hal):

Easy Runs: Comfortable runs at a conversational pace.

Strength training: This includes any combination of stretching and strength training – yoga, weight lifting, body pump, etc…whatever gets you pumping a little iron. Usually combined with easy runs.

Hills: These help build speed and quad muscles – good hills should be between 200-400 meters long, and you can walk or jog an equal distance between each hill repeat.

Speedwork: These help improve your time and are meant to be fast! Walk or jog in between each rep, same as you would for the hills. I find it’s best to do these on a track if you have access to one.

Long Runs: Building distance is important for longer races like the half-marathon. These runs, generally done on Sundays, should be easy, and focus more on the length of the workout (reaching a max of 2 hours) than the actual distance covered.

Tempo: Tempo runs usually start slow, have a continuous build-up during the run, and end at a near 10K pace at the end.

Rest: Remember to rest – it helps with muscle recovery, and prevents injury!

I’m headed to the gym now to get in my easy 3 miles (it’s wayyy too blustery to go outside today), and following that up with an evening Ashtanga yoga class at my studio! Let the half-marathon training begin!

Have a fabulous evening friends!

So as excited as I am for Spring to finally arrive in Upstate NY (read: that groundhog lied about not seeing his shadow and it better get warm soon) , March also makes me think of a much less desirable time of year. Yes, it’s time to bust out the calculators folks – tax season is upon us. This year was actually relatively painless for me thanks to the help of Turbo Tax and my own personal number cruncher (Dad) but I still dread the whole process. You’d think that a person who’s day job is akin to a statistician  would love numbers enough to enjoy this, but simple adding and subtracting has never been my strong suit. Give me logistic regression equations and cluster analysis any day.

But I digress. Even though I do dread tax time, I was prepared this year and within 3 days of a quick and easy online submission, my rather large tax refund was promptly direct deposited into my account. This is obviously the upside of filing your tax return. Of course, I put most of it into savings immediately, but I just couldn’t resist making a few key purchases with my new dough. The following items are the 5 fabulous things I picked up this week as a “you did your taxes early” present to myself. I highly recommend you file your taxes immediately so you can go get them too!

5. Blood, bones & butter

I was so excited when I walked into the Albany Public Library and saw this book sitting on the shelf last week. I am NEVER lucky enough to get a book at the library right when it comes out, so I was only mildly disappointed when I took it to the check-out desk and was told it had been “accidentally” returned to the library floor. Would I like to put my name at the end of the 50+ person waiting list? Pshhh, not when I can buy it for 13$ on Amazon and have it shipped to me in 2 days! This is a fabulous food memoir that any true foodie would appreciate, and I highly recommend you get yourself a copy STAT – whether you take the instant gratification route of online ordering (if I was really thinking, I would have bought the Kindle edition) or sign up as #51 on the que.

4. Maranatha raw cashew butter

We all know I have a bit of a nut butter obsession (duh), but it’s usually limited to peanut and almond butters. For one, I never really thought I liked cashew butter all that much. Also, it’s generally the most expensive variety on the shelf, and although I’m a self-proclaimed addict, even I have a limit to how much I’ll spend on a jar of creamy goodness.  I have to admit, when I picked this bad boy up at the supermarket, I had pretty low expectations for how it would pair with my morning apple -the only other time I’d eaten MaraNatha nut butter, it was an almond variety and I hated it.  The jar itself was $12, but the tax refund burning a hole in my pocket told me I could treat myself and not feel guilty, even if it was disgusting. Well let me tell you people – this stuff may have just jumped to the top of my all time favorites list!! It is nothing short of AMAZING! Rich, creamy, salty and 100% delicious, this is like no cashew butter I’ve ever tasted before. I’m convinced it’s the combination of raw and roasted that makes it soooo good. My only regret is that I may have initiated a very expensive habit – I’m honestly not sure I can live without one of these in my pantry for long!

3. Benefit Erase Paste

I love Benefit cosmetics, and I always use my Sephora VIP Beauty Insider status to purchase whatever the latest and greatest product they have is. I bought this on a recommendation from a friend and it has literally changed my life. I am not kidding when I tell you that I have some serious dark under-eye circles (I am a chronically stressed PhD student after all!) and this product makes them vanish like nothing I’ve ever used before. I use it for everything now…including on my lips as a nude base for lip-gloss. If there is one thing I hate more than dark under-eye circles, it’s red lips. Thanks to this erase paste, I don’t have to worry about either!

2. Nike Lunafly+ sneakers

When Nike and Apple teamed up to create the Nike+ line of shoes, they had me hooked for life. I was never into a particular brand of running shoe in the past, but as soon as the technology nerd in me discovered I could track and design workouts through my sneaker, it was all over. I’ve gone through about 6 pairs of Nike+ shoes in the past couple of years (I still have a pair of Nike Free+ shoes I loooove), and all of them have been amazing! I got these guys off Zappos the other day and they came in 2 days with free shipping. Might I just add that these are the most comfortable shoes I’ve had in a long time and I can’t wait to break them in just in time  for the St. Anne’s 10K and  Iron Horse Half Marathon.  They aren’t my usual colors of choice, but I thought it was time to switch it up a bit. Plus, I have a strange obsession with matching my shoes to my running clothes, and these go perfectly with my #1 favorite tax return purchase…..

1. Lululemon down time jacket

I have no words to describe this jacket except that as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to have it. I am a total Lululemon fanatic and would most definitely be broke and homeless if I shopped there as much as I wanted to. Lucky for me, there is an amazing outlet at Woodbury Commons about 1.5 hours south of Albany where I usually get everything at a steep discount. I’m not a fan of buying full price stuff or spending money on name brand things, but in the case of Lulu, the clothes are so well made and downright amazing that I can make an exception. This running jacket is the bomb diggity – and the fact that the print is called Unicorn Tears just rocks my socks off. The pattern is almost as cool as the hidden music pouch and built in fabric cuffs with thumbholes! I cannot wait to take this out for a spin with my new kicks! Hey, if it’s gonna be this cold out I might as well run in style right!!

Maybe doing your taxes isn’t so bad after all….

Meet Faranita, aka chickpea frittata flour. This is quite possibly the most amazing product I have encountered at the grocery store in quite some time. I found this particular brand – Cinque e’ Cinque by Lucini – at the Fresh Market in Latham.

Those who know me know I have a slight obsession with pizza. And by slight, I mean I can put away an entire pie in under 30 minutes (if you think I am joking, just ask my coworkers). I was in the mood for pizza this week, but not the usual guilt that comes with it. Seriously, I know what they say about everything in moderation, but pizza is like Pringles for me. I can’t just have one slice. I decided that if I was determined to indulge this week, I’d have to make it a healthy pizza (considering the very real possibility that I ate the whole thing in one sitting).

Enter the chickpea frittata flour! A healthy (and may I add delicious) alternative to your typical pizza crust. All I did was cook the mix according to the directions on the back of the package, add some toppings I was craving at the time,  bake for a few extra minutes, and voila! The end result was amazing, and I have been eating devouring it for lunch every day since.

Seriously, go make this immediately. It won’t disappoint. And it’s pizza you can feel good about scarfing down like a madwoman. The recipe below is for the chicken sausage, spinach, and ricotta version that I made – it was to die for, but I can just imagine the endless possibilities here. Recreate this one or make your own and let me know how it turns out!

Deep Dish Chickpea Pizza

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 package Lucini Cinque e’ Cinque (traditional flavor)
• 5 T olive oil
• 3 cups water
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 package of chicken sausage (I used the Al Fresco sundried tomato ones), diced
• 1 small can (8oz.) tomato sauce
• Italian seasoning/thyme/basil or any combination of dried herbs you like
• 1 cup whole milk ricotta (not the kind you find in the yogurt section, but the real, fresh ricotta)
• I huge handful of baby spinach

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

1. In a medium-sized soup pot, sauté the onion in 1 T olive oil over medium high heat until soft and golden, about 10 minutes.

2. Heat a second tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the diced chicken sausage. Cook until sausage starts to brown and is heated through thoroughly, about 10-15 minutes. Turn off heat and let rest in pan.

3. Add  the can of tomato sauce to the onion mixture, season with Italian seasoning, and cook at medium high heat until sauce is bubbling. Reduce heat to low and continue stirring regularly, letting the flavors develop.

4. Prepare Cinque e’ Cinque in a round, cast iron skillet according to the package directions (This is where you’ll use the last 3 T of olive oil, the salt, and the 3 cups of water). Bake at 500 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Then, open the oven door and bake for an additional 6 minutes until golden on top.

5. Remove the skillet from the oven and top with tomato sauce and onion mixture, spreading it in an even layer over the chickpea frittata like pizza sauce. Then top with 1 cup of ricotta using the same method. Finally, top with the chicken sausage. Return skillet to oven and bake for an additional five minutes.

6. Remove the skillet a second time, top with spinach, and return to the oven for a final 2-3 minutes.

7. Remove the skillet and let pizza rest on stovetop about 10 minutes until warm. Slice, serve, and ENJOY!

Yummmm

yesterday, it was warm enough to run outside without a hat and hand warmers (wahoo!)

today, i nearly died three times slipping on ice on the way to the bus stop. the wind was blowing garbage cans down the street like bowling pins. i’ve had my long underwear on all day.

this isn’t normal. it’s the northeast.

thank god it’s going to be 50 on friday.

why can’t i live in san diego??

i was one-part nervous and two-parts excited for dinner – i had never met anyone before, but knew from all of the emails exchanged that it was going to be a top night with some wonderful people. as soon as i walked in, i immediately recognized heather and some of the other girls from their blogs, and we were seated right away in a prime location right next to the exposed brick bar. there were a totally of 14 bloggers that made it out for the event! i was at one end of the table with katie, melissa, emily, and cynthia who were all so friendly and welcoming, i felt like i’d known them for years (thanks ladies)!

after a fun discussion about road races, the crazy winter weather we’ve been having, and the realization that sweetbreads are not in fact bread, it was time to order up some crazy delicious meals. we had an awesome server who was more than attentive to our large party – our water pitchers were never empty, and the staff were completely accommodating of everything from food allergies to vegan menu options.

while all of the NWBB specials sounded amazing (as usual), i just couldn’t resist my favorite item on the menu: the hudson valley salad topped with grilled tofu.

this is a gigantic salad beast consisting of huge, soft leaves of baby lettuce topped with apples, grilled red onions, hazelnuts, bleu cheese, hard cider vinaigrette and literally an entire block of deliciously grilled tofu! swoon! as far as i’m concerned, there is no better salad topper than a hunk of perfectly cooked tofu, and this one did not disappoint! melissa ended up getting the same salad but with chicken, which looked equally amazing – i may have to try that next time. i think we both enjoyed our salads – we cleaned our plates in a matter of minutes!!

some of the other fabulous eats from the night:

emily’s blue corn crusted seitan medallions off the vegan menu (photo courtesy of emily‘s blog) which looked amazing and came with some glorious sides. the portion was huge – it was definitely the kind of meal you can bring home and have for lunch the next day.

courtney’s toscano flatbread pizza (photo courtesy of courtney‘s blog) had to be one of the best looking dishes at the table. sadly, i didn’t get to talk with courtney much (hopefully we’ll get to chat at the next blogger meet up) but i was definitely eyeing her pizza from my end of the table! i mean, how can you go wrong when you top the best food in the world with fig jam, arugula, gorgonzola, and truffle oil. i’m pretty sure i could have shoveled three of these in my mouth in one sitting.

cynthia’s specialty plate of tapas (photo also courtesy of courtney‘s blog), which was thoughtfully created by the staff to accommodate cynthia’s soy allergy. this plate was probably the star of the table, and consisted of heaping mounds of different veggie and grain dishes – it was *almost* too pretty to eat! i was totally impressed by how attentive the wait staff and kitchen were to cynthia’s allergy – they checked up on every dish to ensure that nothing was cooked in soybean oil or came in contact with other soy products. major props to NWBB for being so great about that!

there were so many other great dishes at the table, but i was too busy stuffing my face with goodness to snap any more pics. after dinner, our fabulous server gathered us together for a group shot that heather was kind enough to send out to the group.

what a fabulous group of ladies! i’m so lucky to have finally met them and thoroughly enjoyed my evening out with them! i feel like i just made a whole bunch of new friends, and i can’t wait for the next blogger meet up!!! and of course, many thanks to heather for organizing the whole thing!

it’s just about 1pm on sunday afternoon and i want nothing more than to stay in my pjs and read my new italian issue of food network magazine in bed. unfortunately, i have no less than 1,000 pages of reading and 2 short papers to write for my class on wednesday, so today is all about being productive. i just whipped up this glorious salad beast for some brain food:

in the mix: romaine hearts topped with sun-dried tomatoes, golden raisins, edamame, peanuts, sunflower seeds, whole wheat croutons, baby heirloom tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette dressing. totally random but delicious! on the side, i enjoyed a raspberry-lemon water from target and one of these amazing crispy chocolate chip cookies from tate’s bakeshop.

 i’m usually a soft, chewy cookie lover, but these crispy cookies are amazing too! they were a new item at the fresh market and on sale so i had to give ‘em a try. i have a feeling they’re going to be delicious crumbled over yogurt or oatmeal for a morning snack.

i’m also picking up my parents from the airport later this afternoon – they’re coming home from citrus hills, florida where they just bought a HOUSE so they can be snowbirds! i’m so excited for them!! this reminds me that i need to do a post to recap my adventures last weekend in orlando/harry potter world! coincidentally, one of the girls at the blogger meet up, jen, just got back from there as well! we didn’t get to chat much at dinner since we were on opposite sides of the table, but judging from her recap post, we will have lots of similar stories to swap!!

hope you all had a great weekend! i know i did! and even though i just ate a cookie, i’m already eyeing the chocolate bark and heart-shaped pops that heather and melissa made for the meet up on friday. hey, valentine’s day is monday after all!!

i’m usually the girl who has an apple and peanut butter for breakfast every morning. no i’m not OCD. i just happen to love apples and peanut butter THAT much.

so you know it’s pretty serious when i decide to switch out my breakfast of champions for a warm and filling bowl of oatmeal-y goodness. the only problem is, my ride to work [otherwise known as the capital district transportation authority] comes bright and early at 7:10am, and the last thing i feel like doing is standing over the stove stirring a pot of old fashioned oats when i could be sleeping. yes, i know you can get the quick cooking kind, but it’s just not the same thing people!

never fear – i found the perfect workday morning solution! baked oatmeal. made the night before and re-heated in the micro at work in less than a minute. how did i not discover this a million years ago?

this particular blend involved a combination of ingredients i happened to have on hand in my apartment, but it came out so good, i just had to share the end results with y’all!

this dish also happens to be super simple to make. and don’t worry – i still found a way to incorporate my nut butter addiction. here’s what you need to get this big bowl o’ baked oats started:

• 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2.5 cups almond milk (or 1.5 cups almond milk with 1 cup water if you want to stretch your dollar)
• handful of whole cranberries or craisins
• handful of mixed fruit (i used a raisin medley)
• 5 tablespoons of almond butter

First, preheat your oven to 375°. Next, coat a baking dish or pan (8×8) with some non-stick cooking spray and add the oats and fruit. I added the cinnamon here when I made it, but I would actually wait and add it to the liquid mixture a little later on so it incorporates evenly.

once you’ve got those combined, crack the two eggs into a bowl and beat well. add the almond milk, spices, and almond butter and mix well until combined.

the almond butter doesn’t want to mix in with the liquid that well, but never fear, it will all work out in the end, i promise! after you’ve given it a good mix, pour the liquid mixture over the oats and stir to combine. i was able to work out most of the almond butter clumps during this step.

now comes the easy part! pop this guy in the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes. when it comes out, quickly give it a little drizzle of agave or maple syrup for a sweet touch!

mmm nothing says comfort food quite like a bowl of oatmeal! i may or may not have snuck a big spoonful right when it came out of the oven nice and piping hot. hey, i had to make sure it was good right?

delicious! talk about hitting the craving on the head! i just packed myself a big jar full of these guys to take in to the office tomorrow. i’m willing to bet my coworkers will be jealous.

or maybe they’ll just wonder where my apple is.

don’t worry….i packed one for lunch =)

 Just another day in the Northeast I suppose. I find it hard to believe that the groundhog actually made it out of his hole today let alone didn’t see his shadow. Are you really gonna tell me that Spring is just around the corner??

Doubtful me thinks. Anyways, because I’m snowed in today and the buses are majorly delayed [ yesterday i walked the 2 miles home from work in this because they were running over an hour late], I decided to compile a list of things you can do to take your mind off of being stuck inside all day. I don’t know about you, but I get incredibly antsy when I can’t just get up and go somewhere – this weather just doesn’t jive with my go-go-go personality! You may have your own list of coping mechanisms for an indoor fun fest, but here are a few of my favorite snow-day activities in case you are in need of ideas!

1. make soup

right now, i have a batch of tomato soup bubbling away on the stove! i started it right when i got up this morning so it would have time to develop and be ready in time for delicious lunch. i’m thinking of pairing it with a nice grilled cheese – there really is no greater snow day meal! some of my other favorite soups to make include my coconut curried sweet potato soup (pictured above), kath’s butternut squash and kale soup and mama peas’s spicy african peanut stew. also, jenna’s recent post about broccoli and cheddar soup looks like it was made just for us snowed-in folks!

2. play wii

this was a new year’s resolution of my roomate’s, and i am more than happy to help her out. you see, we purchased a wii and wii fit 2 years ago and hardly ever play it! i mean, we’ve hard mario kart sitting unopened for over a year! what is wrong with this situation?!?! last week, we finally broke out those steering wheels for some virtual fun and had a blast. since we both have a snow day today, mario kart has been added to the list of things we must accomplish! i am determined to win a grand prix race with boswer and i have all the time in the world to practice his maneuverability today! [photo courtesy of amazon.com]

3. do an indoor workout

one of the worst things about being snowed in is that i can’t get to the gym or go for a run. however, i’ve discovered that [while shoveling out your car is fabulous cardio] there are plenty of fun and free workout videos you can do within the comfort of your own home. i typically use exercise tv on demand, or itunes podcasts. some of my favorites are jackie warner’s boot camps, anything jillian michaels, and dave farmar yoga podcasts. i also highly recommend p90x if you want something to make you reall sweat. [photo courtesy of amazon.com]

4. make hot chocolate.

i’m not talking about the swiss miss kind here – i’m talking about homemade, creamy, delicious hot chocoloate with copious amounts of marshmallows on top. this is a winter no brainer people. it’s even better if these guys are involved:

5. get some reading done

that would be my brand new kindle!! i finally ordered one last week after literally going back and forth for a month. every morning i got up i would go to the amazon website and contemplate purchasing this bad boy, and every time i would talk myself out of it somehow. well, i finally caved and i couldn’t be happier with my purchase! it’s everything i hoped it would be and more! two of my current book recommendations for a snowy day inside are The Scorch Trials [by James Dashner] and The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest [Stieg Larsson].

 i just finished Scorch Trials and couldn’t put it down (its the second in a triology) and am about to start the girl who kicked the hornet’s nest, which i know will be just as amazing as the first two. i’m on a real trilogy kick right now, what can i say. i highly recommend both books – the first is great for people who love young adult books like the hunger games and i am number 4, while the later is a bit dark and twisty, but just as awesome!

6. catch up on blogs

i’ve been so busy lately that i haven’t had the chance to catch up on all of my favorite blogs [see my list of links to the right that i love to read on a regular basis]. a snow day is the perfect excuse to settle in at my new laptop and click through some beautiful food photography and witty writing. i don’t know about you, but if i could get paid for reading blogs, i’d be the happiest girl in the world!

or, instead of doing all these fun things, i could just go shovel out my car and park it on the other side of the street in time for the snow emergency

what’s that, you can’t see a car buried under there?

yeah, me either….

time to go get those snowboots on.

why can’t i just live here:

ahhh san diego, my happy place – circa 2009. i suppose i’ll have to be content to just dream about you for the time being.

it’s not that i don’t love snow – in fact, i think it’s beautiful. butttt, if it’s gonna snow, it better look something like this:

that would be my trip to the rocky mountains last year. that snow was glorious in ever sense of the word.

that snow was entirely UNLIKE  like the four inches of frozen mix we got this morning – just enough to make the morning commute precarious, but not enough to actually enjoy any winter activities.

what else is there to do but make myself a steaming mug of hot chocolate and shop online for some new lululemon pants? nothing like a little chocolate and retail therapy to cheer a girl up!