Homemade.

So I totally copied the gal who writes for Cupcakes and Cashmere and we made homemade graham crackers the other day. I just say, SUPER FUN! And not that easy. Likely a beginner's problem as just like anything it gets easier the more you try something. But boy are they delicious. And when you tuck one in to side of bowl of vanilla ice cream you might as well surrender to the fact that you will have more than one. See her post as well as the link through to the recipe: http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/homemade-graham-crackers/

Now I want to host a dinner party with homemade marshmallows and graham cracker s'mores! Can you tell its winter and I'm amused by all things supported by the cooped up lifestyle? = cooking and looking at blogs and reading.

Speaking of blogs, a College of St. Ben's friend tipped me off to a freelance position for a Seattle-based blogger on Apartment Therapy's blog! Um, I'm totally going to go for it. Wish me luck.

Love.

Hello!

I've never been one to get into Valentine's Day. I can't really decide if it is one of those things that I want to be into, but feel as though its a little silly...or that really, I'm just not that into it. I mean, never one to shy away from a love note or a surprise, I do love thoughtful gestures. But I guess I prefer things to be genuine and not forced. Or given because one should give, or feels they must give.

With that said, I did decide to get into Valentine's Day this year. Mostly because Tyson is ten times more thoughtful than I on any given day and he is such a little surprise-r. It wasn't much, just a 20 oz. bottle of specialty beer + three heart-shaped cookies + tulips + a card. Left on the counter. Goodmorning.

I arrived home from work last night welcomed by two rows of pink and red streamers hanging from the ceiling. Adorable yellow flowers and a card. I may not get into Valentine's Day, but I loved my Vday surprise. And I adore cards. Tyson rules.

Then we dressed in red and headed out to a Vday party - an unusual concept for me initially, but turns out I thought it was completely great. Three couples sipped bubbly drinks and ate wonderful things like authentic Argentenian empanadas and a pear salad with toasted walnuts, cranberries and gorgonzola. Pink balloons rolled around on the floor, heart-shaped candles flickered, and we wiped our hands with red napkins.

I also spoke to my mother who called in the morning to wish me a Happy Valentine's Day and we ended up gabbing for no less than forty-five minutes. I love that woman. She is hysterical and oh so good.
A good day of love and celebration indeed.

Here are a couple of happy love photos from our photographer. I can't wait to see what they do with our big day!




Happy Valentine's Day! -yesterday.

The dream continues.

House dreaming. I was just talking to someone about how much time I spend thinking about houses and house design.

Right now I'm loving design mixtures of traditional and modern.

Photographer

As wedding planning continues, I'm happy to report we have one more thing to check off the list. And the biggest thing in my book: Photographer. I must say, this process was a slightly dramatic one on my part. Wedding guides say to do your research, narrow things down, and then meet with your top THREE before making a decision. Any more than three, the magazine said, is just a waste of valuable time.

I started my search by combing the wedding blog sites where I trusted their design taste. Most include a list of vendors they like or recommend. I was shocked pretty early when I became overwhelmed with photographers I liked. At any given moment I could be found with 8 or 10 tabs open in my browser window and I'd page through them until I couldn't remember who I was even looking at anymore.

Pretty early on one of my favorites was booked. This sent me into a bit of a panic that soon all would be booked and we'd be left with nothing. Not likely, but hey, at least I'm honest.

Pretty early on too we had met our quota of three meet-and-greets and yet I was still feeling like I could not decide. All three of the people we met with were great. Awesome in fact. The last couple we considered asking if they wanted to hang out this weekend - THEY rocked.

I think at the end of the day I really wanted to go with something different and fun. Hence, http://www.onelovephoto.com/

A husband and wife team, one shoots with film, vintage cameras and homemade lenses and the other shoots with digital. Two different perspectives from two different shooting styles/types. I'm pretty psyched. It was a bit of a splurge which I am still waking up at night thinking about, but the deed is done. And its going to be fantastic!

Looking forward to the big day!

You can check out some of the photography here too:

Film Work:

http://onelovephoto.typepad.com/heathergilson/film/

Homemade Lenses:

http://onelovephoto.typepad.com/heathergilson/big-papa/

Belated tribute.

As a continued tribute to my Pops, here's some visual proof of our merry times together after he recreated the Oregon Trail route.

We Came To Say

So some time last fall I met with a professor who teaches English courses at the University of Washington. The plan was to meet at a Tully's coffee shop in Wallingford, and she was then going to deliver her critique of the twenty pages of my book I'd submitted to her the week before. Nervous, I sat waiting at a small wooden table and peered around the room wondering what the various clientele were doing at their little tables. My mother called. I talked to her for a while until I saw the professor, Theo Nester, walk through the door.

"Mom, I gotta go she's here."

"Oh ok, well gosh this is just so exciting! You know, I just think this is so cool. You should call me when you're done, and you know, you should call your grandmother." By this time Theo is standing in front of me and I remember I'm paying her by the hour.

"MOM, I gotta go she standing right here!"

"Oh, ok well..." I hung up on her.

In any case, the critique was interesting. It wasn't great and it wasn't bad. She had great things to say, and things she absolutely hated too. If I had to though, I would say I walked away that afternoon feeling good about the whole experience. Near the end of our meeting she asked if I had any formal writing training. Aside from writing in English classes in high school, No. To this she was surprised. I took it as a compliment and went on my merry way.

Theo contacted me a week ago and asked if I'd like to be part of a collection of writers she has invited to be published in a non-fiction book. Each writer has until March 5 to submit a final, proofread piece of no more than 3,000 words. The book will be published in April and we will celebrate with a book party sometime later that month. I said yes!

And now I'm pretty nervous. Excited, and nervous. I believe I have landed on a topic. At least, I hope so. Gosh I would hate to change that part now. In any case, stay tuned. Fun stuff!

Baker!

Last weekend we were able to get out of town on account of those aforementioned wheels. It is so great getting out of town on the weekends because in my opinion, it makes the weekend feel incredibly long. Nine of us rolled in on Friday night eager to crack open a brew and relax by the fireplace. We played an intense game of Apples to Apples and then it was time to get some shuteye before a big day on the slopes.

Unfortunately, the weather did not want to cooperate. Conditions were snowy/rainy at best and for most of the day visibility was pretty poor. If it hadn't been our first day out of the season we probably would have been pretty bummed, but the very fact we were out in the mountains made it great.

Getting back to the cabin my body felt like it had been bludgeoned. I was so sore, and Claudia knew that the best medicine would be one of her famous bloody mary's and a soak in the hot tub. Like a scene out of Groundhog's Day we slugged around the cabin until it was time to play another game of Apples to Apples. Ahhh, good times with good people at a cabin. Truly, one of my very favorite things to do in this world. There's just something fun about everyone being together in a house, spending the day outside on the mountain, and then coming back to relax and eat dinner together that just rocks.

Sunday the conditions were nearly perfect. Sunny. Blue birdy. Buckley got all crazy on the jumps:

And then later in the day the guys decided to hike up and do some backcountry.



Bucks and I made the most of it just crushing the slopes. :) Crushing is my new favorite word since the trip. I stole it.




Just a good weekend, really. Goodness all around. Not sure when we'll be up and boarding again considering the weather has been crazy NOT good. All the mid-westerners are getting the good white stuff!