Valentine's Day Wish List

Instead of job searching or cleaning the house or doing any number of responsible things, I spent this morning making a Valentines Day Wish List on Beso.

Check it out.

(And buy me stuff, yes?)

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What are you guys wishing for this Valentine's Day?

Good Eats

I'm not one of those people who can just make up recipes.

Or just, you know, throw shit in a pot and it comes out tasting well.

That makes my brain hurt.

I can follow a recipe and SOMETIMES add stuff to it.

Sometimes.

It stresses me out most times though to tell the truth.

So when I find a good recipe I get excited.

(Also, I really like food)

So here are some recipes we have loved making lately.

Tomato Basil Soup from Big Girls Small Kitchen

Delicious, wouldn't change a thing about it.

Also, saving me a ton of money because now I don't have to go to Panera and get their tomato soup which I'm pretty obsessed with.

Quinoa Black Bean Burrito Bowl from The Shiksa in the Kitchen

Eat your heart out Chipotle, these are so good.

That was a cheesy sentence, but seriously these are good.

Spicy Roasted Corn and Poblano Soup from How Sweet It Is

This needs some tweaks (I just botched the peppers so we'll do it a different way next time), but it's solid and tasty and Mike loved dipping his chips into it.

Roasted Spiced Chickpeas from Whole Living

Tasty solution to munchy cravings.

Mike ate a double batch of these the other day in one sitting.

Thassa lot of protein.

You guys have any good recipes lately?

Pity Party

I found out yesterday that I was denied unemployment because I turned in a form late.

It was totally my fault and I feel awful about it.

There are meth heads out there smart enough to turn in their unemployment forms on time.

And I botched it.

I also realized yesterday that I have applied for 42 jobs since finding out about Mike's transfer.

42

I also made the stupid choice to check my student loan balance yesterday.

So yeah, last night was rough.

Today, I plan to have a tiny little pity party for myself.

I started by eating a cookie for breakfast.

Sending out some passive aggressive, bitter e-mails.

And staying in pajamas all day.

Then, I'll suck it up, clean up the house, make a soup, and apply for more jobs.

Because, really, what the hell else am I going to do?

Wallowing is not cute.

But I'll give myself part of the day at least.

This post is officially rambling and whiny, but if I can't complain to random friends on the internet, who can I complain to?

More Snow Pics

I just can't get enough of these snow pictures.

Our little Gizmo turned into a crazy snow fox, he loved it so much.

I just love love the snow.

Until I have to take off a mitten and pick up dog poop and then my hand freezes to death.

Marrying Your Best Friend

The other night, Mike and I started laughing so hard at a stupid joke on How I Met Your Mother that I actually started crying.

He laughed because he thought it was funny.

I laughed because of how hard he was laughing at something so stupid.

And then we both caught that infectious belly laugh where you can't stop and can't breathe.

That happens a lot with us.

Usually it's over a fart joke.

(We make a lot of fart jokes in this house, it's my specialty)

I was thinking about that moment this morning and I realized, as cheesy as it is, it really is important to marry your best friend.

That guy drives me nuts as a husband some times and we have to work our butts off to keep this marriage working.

But as a friend?  Oh, we're golden.

And I'm so so happy and feel so so lucky that we are.

Love you fart face.

Snow!

Since we've moved here the weather channel kept telling us to expect snow.

And it never came.

So we'd kind of given up home.

(And were a little bummed we had such expensive snow boots)

But this morning, Mike woke me up at 5:30 to show me this.

Thanks East Coast!

(And Thank G for my snow boots)

Trying to convey how deep this goes, those are my feet!

Also, I've decided it means I'm a real East Coaster now since I've picked up dog poop in snow.

Right?

Confession

I put mascara on before I go to the gym.

Even if I haven't been wearing it all day.

Which, let's face it, I haven't.

(My face is enjoying unemployment)

We go for our run, then I come home and put on mascara before we leave.

Because I'm shallow.

And I look WEIRD without mascara on.

Now you know.

Coral is the New Red

I have officially lost my outfit picture taking mojo.

But I liked this outfit.

So here it is.

I also decided this outfit was kind of patriotic in honor of the fact that I wore it on inauguration day.

Coral polka dots is kind of like red right?

Duck toes are not attractive valerie, dammit!

Blazer:  Gift, Gap

Top:  J.Crew

Scarf:  Gift, Old Navy

Jeans:  Gap

Shoes:  Gift, Sperry's

Holy Taste Balls

(Classy blog title, no?)

Last night for dinner we made this soup:

And holy crap it was delicious.

We accidentally forgot to buy carrots and Mike added chickpeas because he is obsessed with chickpeas right now, but otherwise we just followed the recipe.

Make it.

You won't be sorry.

Recipe found here.

Enjoy!

Some Pictures from a Windy Day at the Park

(THAT is what my hair looks like from behind today?!)

Our Wedding Album

I have started and stopped making a wedding album for Mike and I over and over.

I'm just too particular and there are too many photos to choose from.

But the other day, Shutterfly sent me a $20 off coupon and I'm unemployed and I'll take any excuse to look at my wedding photos for about 5 hours so...I finally made one!

We got it in the mail yesterday and I just love it so much (I'm biased) so I figured I'd share it with you lovies.
(As much as it seems like it, this isn't a sponsored post, I'm just THAT excited about our album)

Furry Bust

That blog title is a double entendre.

First, my bust was very furry today.

Second, today was a bust.

Har har.

But seriously.

We showed up at two historic touristy type places and both were inexplicably closed with no signs saying they were or why.

It was weird.

We had a super tasty lunch at this place though.

And this outfit, while furry and warm and busty (har har) has once and for all shown me that we need a full length mirror.

Cause, girl yo thighs look giant in this outfit.

 Top:  Old Navy (comfiest shirt ever!)
Vest:  Gift, F21
Belt:  Stolen from a dress
Jeans:  F21
Shoes:  Nine West Outlet

YesStyle

The lovely Bolu by Rima reminded me with her blog post here of an online shop I recently discovered and lust after so many things on.

It's called Yesstyle and it's got more unique and cute sweaters than a weirdo like me could dream about.

Go check them out (and buy me some sweaters)!

Here are my favorite pieces right now:

Rabbit Print Sweater Gray - One Size

Contrast-Trim Wool Blend Coat

Nordic-Pattern Contrast-Trim Sweater

Buttoned Striped Long Sweater

Pocket-Detail Multicolor Sweater

Geometric Print Sweater White and Black - One Size

Patterned Sweater

(They don't just sell sweaters, but since moving to Maryland and realizing I have no winter clothes, I've been pretty obsessed with finding good sweaters)

Head on over to Yesstyle to check out these lovelies and much much more!

On Turning 30

Today I turn 30.

Which I know is supposed to be terrifying.

But today, it's not.

Because I'm pretty happy.

Even though I'm unemployed which should probably amp up the turning 30 terror.

But it just doesn't.

Being unemployed right now is kind of a blessing.

Aside from job searching, I get to relax all day.

When is the last time anyone got to do that?

Sitting in front of the computer job searching, wearing leggings and a sweatshirt with messy hair, no makeup, and a pug on my lap.

That's what turning 30 looked like for me.

Periodically turning around to look at my corgi lying in the window, staring out at the rainy day outside.

It's quiet and peaceful and slow in here.

And my 30 year old self loves it.

Happy 30 to me!

(But I better have a damn job by the time I turn 31)

Oh DC, I Love You So

Saturday, we took our first trip to DC since the big East Coast move in honor of my upcoming birthday

(I'm going to be 30!!)

(Old balls)

And it was lovely (per usual).

DC never disappoints.

And the commute wasn't so bad (I keep telling myself that in case I get a job in the city).

First, we ate here at Zaytinya.

Which I think officially makes us Jose Andres stalkers.

Now we just have to save up to eat at Mini Bar and we'll have hit them all!

And oh it was delish.

What's that?  You wish I took pictures of my food?  Well as a matter of fact...

Cheese plate!

You know how I feel about cheese...

And this wasn't just cheese you guys, it was CHEESE.

So good.

Who needs birthday cake when you have Turkish Delight?

Holy crapoli taste explosion.

We also drank a bunch of cocktails.

And Mike signed their little notepad on the check with "F*cking Amazing".

Thankfully the waitress thought it was funny.

My lunch date.

This man pulls off pink like no other.

Me!

Filled with cheese!

Then we walked over to the Portrait Gallery and National Gallery of Art and walked our legs off.

Then, to cap off the day, we finished with a cocktail at The Round Robin Bar inside the Willard Hotel.

This place was amazing and historic and fancy and tasty and I loved it.

A great find.

Mike can't wait to take his guy friends to the scotch tasting bar up the stairs from this place.

Overall, it was a lovely, tiring, tasty, boozy, relaxing day and I can't wait for a ton more.

Oh DC, I love you so.