Christmas!!

Christmas was AWESOME this year. Maybe the best yet? I haven't had to work - my last day working in 2012 was the Friday before Christmas. I've been doing some major cleaning of my apartment (so much to clean when you neglect cleaning for SOOOOO long!), catching up on Gossip Girl (2 episodes left!), running so I'm not behind in my half marathon training and had a short but nice visit with my family, and got to see Les Miserables Christmas day!

I didn't feel like decorating much this year (see comment about dirty apartment above) so I was so happy and touched when some amazing friends made me this Christmas tree! It immediately went on my mantel and was my one decoration for the holiday. I love it! Thanks Chana and Tiffany!



The week before Christmas I got to do some baking - these sugar cookies are the best ever - thanks Chana for sharing the recipe!



The Saturday before Christmas, I was at Barnes and Noble, wrapping presents for donations - and I'm so glad I did! One, because it gave me some much needed wrapping practice, but also because I found this book, which Josh gave to my niece for Christmas (she is OBSESSED with Pandas). And its a great book! Trixie, I think you might like it too :)



For Christmas, Josh got me some running gear, including an hard core sports bra - the tag makes me laugh - 83% less bounce! And I tried it out and its great!



And one of Josh's presents was a Domo bobblehead... such a funny dude.



On Christmas Eve, we walked over to the mall to enjoy the Cheesecake Factory for lunch, because I HAD to have a slice of their peppermint bark cheesecake... I just had to try it. And it was so good!!



Christmas day, we slept late, and I made a full Christmas dinner! And it turned out ok!



After dinner, I went to see Les Miserables with my friend Michelle (thanks for going with me Michelle!!) and it was great! After the movie (at 11 at night!) Josh had the crazy idea that we should drive to PA - now. Yikes. We did, getting in at 4:30 that morning (I was sure I was going to die!) and its a good thing since VA got some snow Wednesday morning which would have delayed our trip.

We had a great time in PA - I went shopping with my mom, hung out with my dad, played with my nieces, ate an entire box of maple sugar candy, visited with my sister and bro-in-law, wore my 8-year-old-nieces snow boots (mine are missing!!!), made dinner for my grandmas - it was a great trip. The only thing that would have made it better is if we saw Danielle, James and the boys. But we are looking forward to our January trip to see them! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

Traditions

I love a good tradition! One tradition I was looking forward to this year was a relatively new tradition - a peppermint and chocolate baking marathon with a good friend. Last year, since I was not working, we got to spend the ENTIRE day making delicious mint and chocolate confections. This year, we only had an evening, but we made the best of it and had a wonderful time.

We made three types of yummy peppermint cookies: Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint cookies, Peppermint Meltaway cookies, and Chocolate Peppermint Sandwich cookies. While we intend for this to happen, all these recipes came from Our Best Bites.







Thanks Karene for baking with me!! I love baking with you!!

Our hearts are broken

I've been struggling with what to say about the school shooting that happened yesterday. I don't know what to feel, but I know my heart is broken. I think its been broken a little ever since the Virginia Tech shootings. Every time one of these mass shooting happen, my mind travels back to my experience at Tech and the horrible days following. I think about the friends I had and how we relied on each other like never before. I think about the palpable pain you could feel just by walking on the campus. And the confusion as to why someone would do something so horrible. I read every page of the report that came out a year later, detailing the progression towards violence.

After Tech, I would have said stricter gun control was the answer. Take guns away and make them harder to get legally. I've since mellowed in my positions. I still think gun control is important, but have come to realize that even if guns were impossible to obtain legally, someone who is so disturbed that they would shoot up a school would still find a way to get one.

After a sleepless night, I feel at peace saying the answer is to start caring more. Start caring about our community. Start caring about the weird or strange people we see. Start caring about those who are struggling. Start doing something to show we care. Work with at risk kids, support social programs that address the needs of vulnerable populations, volunteer somewhere. I'm guilty myself of getting overwhelmed by my life, by my problems, and by my struggles that I forget other people have struggles too, struggles I might be able to help with. But I resolve to be a better member of my community. To care a little more and to do a little more. Maybe that will heal our hearts.

Thanksgiving awesomeness

Sorry this post is late, but after Thanksgiving I came down with a viral infection I was sure would kill me, then we had our 5K fundraiser at work. I'm just now catching up.

This year we were able to celebrate Thanksgiving in Syracuse. It was wonderful - and not a snowflake in sight!

First, we got to hang out with some super cool superheros. This one is Captain American.



Then, on Thanksgiving, the boys fried a turkey! I love this tradition!



Danielle and I spent the day making some AMAZING food. We only got pictures of part of it, but we made rolls, stuffing, asparagus, cranberry sauce, red skinned mashed potatoes, cranberry cream cheese appetizer, chocolate cream pie, pumpkin pie, pumpkin whoopie pies, and the boys made the turkey. It was amazing.



Sadly, Danielle had to work the next day, but we went with the boys to the Syracuse tree lighting. Ethan was less than thrilled, and hung out on Josh's shoulders.



These boys are twins! Its crazy how much they look alike. Personality is kinda similar too :)



Then, we headed to my sister's house in PA. I took my grandma shopping and for pizza (two things we love to do together) then I started feeling REALLY sick and slept in a bean bag chair and felt like I was going to pass out. Fun times. I slept almost the entire ride back to VA. On the way, Josh got a GIANT chocolate bar in Hershey PA. I've wanted to buy him one before, but the shipping always made it cost prohibitive. I'm glad he finally got it.



All in all, a great Thanksgiving!

 

We will support our friends

I broke my "I do not watch the debates" rule for Josh's birthday and watched the Foreign Policy Presidential debate with him. I was not surprised by anything I heard, and continued to be disappointed by the rhetoric from both sides about how we will stand by our friends, Israel NO MATTER WHAT. I know I'm pretty left leaning, but I just don't get this unwavering support. Let review some facts: Yes, Israel is surrounded by unfriendly nations, but they have one of the most sophisticated armies in the world. From independence on, they have fought and defended themselves, but they have won, and taken more territory in the process. They are better armed, with better intelligence, and have the support of the rest of the world. They have the political will and permission to do basically what they want. Which explains why, even though Palestinians are the largest and longest group of refugees in the world, basically living, as Noam Chomsky describes as in "open air prison" on the Gaza Strip, the world turns a blind eye to Israeli aggression or explains it away as "self defense". Explain to me how 150 missiles to 15 rockets is SELF DEFENSE? To me, it seems to be a disproportionate response. We have lessons and solutions to conflicts such as this, as long as we are willing to stop claiming Palestians to be terrorists and Isrealis our friends.

Trying to constrain actors from celebrating who they are, from being recognized with respect and dignity, and from being secure from cruel, barbaric treatment meted out to them solely because of their involuntary membership in certain racial, ethnic, religious and/or other groups, may turn out to be a catastrophic disaster for all concerned in the long run. This may turn out to be the case, no matter how apparently expeditious, functional, "cheap" or otherwise justifiable the constraints may be in the short run. (Source)

Good Stuff Eatery

I realize my last 3 posts have been about food - and my apologies, this one is about food too :)

For awhile, my coworker Janet has wanted to take a trip to Good Stuff Eatery for a burger and a shake. Things have been insanely busy at work, so it took awhile to find time. Since we have been working weekends, it was decided that the office would close so everyone could have a break. Instead of lounging around all day, we decided that we would go for a run in the morning, then, go to Good Stuff for lunch. We called it "running for burgers."

All I can say is: best burger and shake of my LIFE! And to make things even better, there was super sweet older man who was handing out menus in the front (the line was kinda long). There really wasn't seating inside so we took one of the tables right out front. When our food was ready, he brought it to us, offered to take a picture for us, and even brought us spoons when he saw our milk shakes were too thick for the straw. He was so awesome - and I promised him I would come back - who wants to go??

Janet and I, while we wait for our food. We just got done running, so excuse my lack of makeup :)

Yummy dips for our fries!

My turkey burger with avocado. It was so seasoned and delicious!

My milky way malt. Worth. Every. Calorie.

Janet is really excited about her pumpkin shake!

Thanks for a fun lunch Janet!

Pumpkin!

Every Fall, I invariably gain a few pounds. The reason? PUMPKIN. I'm obsessed with almost all things pumpkin (except pumpkin soup - not a soup fan in general, only when I'm sick) and I take advantage of every opportunity to bake with pumpkin. And every trip to Wegmans demands the purchasing and eating in the parking lot a pumpkin doughnut with maple frosting.



A few years ago, when Sunny, Rebecca and I were roommates at Tech, I found a pumpkin cookie recipe that has became my go-to fall cookie. We would eat them by the bag full - right out of the freezer. And they are super easy to make:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup veg. oil
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin
1 teas milk
1 teas vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teas baking powder
1 teas baking soda
1/2 teas salt
1 1/2 teas cinnamon
(for spicy cookies add: 1 teas ginger, nutmeg, and cloves)

1/2 bag of mini chocolate chips (thank you Tammi for this correction! How could I forget the chocolate?!?!)

Grease pan, 375 for 10 minutes

After Josh and I got married and Danielle and I had some awesome baking adventures together, I confessed my secret desire to make a pumpkin roll - but I was too afraid to try. Bravely one Sunday we tried - and succeed in making a pumpkin roll. Last year I lost count of how many pumpkin rolls I made.  And they are so easy - check out the recipe here. Naturally, I double the cinnamon, and add ginger and nutmeg.

Just last week I discovered Pumpkin roll pancakes. Since I don't want to lose much of the weight loss progress I've made, I haven't made the cream cheese spread that goes with these babies. But they are delicious all on their own (extra spices, of course). It makes a huge stack of 15 or so, and since Josh won't eat them, I heat up 2 or 3 for breakfast each morning. I ate the last of my first batch this morning, when I thought I had to go into work (then found out I got to stay at home! Yippee!) and then tonight, I made another batch for dinner. We are in the middle of Frankenstorm, don't judge :)

And finally, a recipe I'm dying to try is pumpkin whoopie pies!! Doesn't that sound amazing? I'll let you know how it goes - or let me know your favorite pumpkin recipe!

Adventures in Cake Decorating

I've never been very skilled at making pretty cakes - or pretty desserts. I leave that to my sister, the master fondant cake decorator. But I do take pride in how amazing they taste. Until recently - I've worked hard to make they look pretty as well as taste yummy. Thankfully I have coworkers who let me practice on them.

This is a chocolate bunt cake I made for my souther coworker. It was AMAZING tasting, and I love the look it has with the powdered sugar and raspberries. I made 4 of these in a week. So delish.



This is my old standby Hershey's perfectly chocolate cake (back of the box!) with an oreo whipped cream filling. This is a little lopsided, but not as bad as they sometimes are. Baby steps.



And this might be the prettiest  cake I've ever made. Its the perfectly chocolate cake, with the chocolate fudge frosting in the middle, and butter cream outside. I tried my hand at some flowers, and some of them turned out!



I really love baking, and I'm glad I have an outlet for it. I take one of these to work and its GONE. I made Josh a chocolate cake for his birthday, but since its just the 2 of us, not much progress has been made. Cake, anyone?

Epic cooking disaster

Tonight I had an epic cooking disaster. Which happen frequently, but was made worse by the fact I was cooking for someone else - someone who just had a baby and was mostly likely sleep deprived. I actually had 2 meals to make (for 2 new babies!), but only one was a disaster. Tonight I made:

• pumpkin roll


• pumpkin cookies


• mac and cheese


• honey mustard chicken


• rice


• sweet and sour chicken


• green beans with pine nuts

The sweet and sour chicken was done first, and since there was extra, I served up plates for Josh and I. Yuck. We could barely eat it. In doubling the batch, something went terribly wrong. And the rice was soupy and gross. About half the time my rice turns out badly, but this time was worse than usual.

As I stood in the kitchen, surveying the catastrophic mess that I had created, about to cry, wondering what to do about ruined dinner and how I had nothing to feed my friends, I get a text from another angle friend - with the offer of a Georgetown cupcake - delivered. I have the best friends. While I don't have dinner for my friend tomorrow, the cupcake and visit made me  feel better - maybe I'll try again tomorrow.

Debates

I hate debates. And debating. Which might surprise some of those who know me since I have an opinion about EVERYTHING and I'm not afraid to share it. But the thing about debates is that they are not about sharing information or even about sharing opinions - its about showing the other person or side how wrong they are. Its often rude, and doesn't help solve problems, which we have in abundance, unfortunately. I've avoided the presidential and vice-presidental debates because I didn't think I would learn anything that I didn't already know. The comments on Facebook during and after don't help either. And heaven help you if you accidentally start a debate on your wall (I'm looking at you, R :)), as you will have more opinions that you wanted, useless information, and name calling.

It might be trite to say, but why can't we all just get along? Why can't we communicate politely? Why is it so hard to try and imagine where someone else is coming from, or to try and see something from another point of view? Thats what debating should be - an opportunity to discuss differences in a civil manner, attempt to find common ground, and to come up with a solution.

Happy First International Day of the Girl Child

Today is the first International Day of the Girl Child - a day designated by the United Nations last year. We need this day to recognize girl's rights. Why?  Because sadly:

• There are 67 million children that are not in school. More than half of these children are girls.


• In developing countries, most girls never receive a check-up or see a doctor.


• Almost 50 percent of all sexual assaults are against girls 15 or younger.


• In many developing countries, a girl may have to marry young and take care of her older husband and her own children. (girlup.org)

We need an International Day of the Girl Child because today, Malala Yousafzai, a young Pakistani activist who refused to stop going to school despite intimidation from the Taliban, campainged for the right of girls to get an education, and blogged for the BBC, was shot in the head on her way to school. She was shot in the head for going to school, for demanding access to education, for being brave.

Founder Farmers

Thursday during Trixie's visit, our friend Melissa came to visit from NYC! We all lived in Syracuse at the same time, so it was a Syracuse reunion day!! It had been too long. After Picking Melissa up at Union Station, we headed to Founding Farmers. We got caught in the rain, and only Trixie had an umbrella, which she graciously shared, but its almost impossible to share umbrellas effectively - so apologies for my frightful hair :)



We had a lot of trouble deciding what to get. So we ordered a lot of food. Trixie got some super yummy flat bread - with figs! I have recently become obsessed with figs!



Melissa got shrimp and grits. The portions were huge!



I got fried chicken and waffle with mac and cheese. My eyes were so much bigger than my stomach!



We also ordered an insane amount of appetizers - first time trying pickled veggies - so good. Melissa pickles her own veggies - she is hard core. Do you see the deviled eggs in the background? Heaven.



And my favorite - fried green tomatoes. They were amazing.



Oh, we also got crab cakes. We went a little overboard, but it was so worth it.



After eating ourselves silly, we headed to the Mall. As you can see, it was still pretty cloudy and overcast out.



We then spent some time in the American History Museum. Stumbled on some old school Muppets. We also saw the American Flag sewn by Betsy Ross. It was powerful! First, it was enormous! Then to imagine the scene (start singing the star spangled banner in your head), gave me shivers.



We had a really fun time! We spent the afternoon perusing used bookstores, soaking our feet in the pool and talking bout life, followed by Ethiopian for dinner (post coming) and Fashion's Night Out. It was so awesome of Melissa to come visit for the day - I think we should do it again soon :) K, ladies?

 

Is it better?

I've been pondering the following life problem:

Is it better to have a friend who keeps most things about her life a secret (meaning you find out about things second hand or you have to ask lots of questions) or one that shares all but in a manner that is bordering on gloating?

I'm terrible at secrets, especially my own but I am wiling to share to things about myself freely and hopefully not in a gloating manner. But maybe I do?

You tell me. Which is worse?

Happy Columbus Day?

I hold a grudge against Columbus Day. On one hand, it gives me a day off, on the other hand, it celebrates a fictions version of history. Columbus did not "discover" America, as we are taught in school, nor were his intentions as pure as we are led to believe. The history around Columbus completely ignores the histories of the other groups that were already living in America, ignores the"reign of terror" this discovery  ushered in, dismisses the genocide by foreign disease that began, and completely ignores the fact that Columbus sent the first slaves across the Atlantic - the beginnings of a tragic transatlantic slave trade that would continue for some time. By idolizing Columbus, we celebrate the domination of others.

Why does this matter? It matters because history matters. It matters because the words we use have power. It matters because the process of concealing or changing history has far reaching implications. The propaganda disseminated about Columbus is used to make us feel good about the history of our continent. So we walk around proud but arrogant about the truth. And when our version of truth is challenged, we react and dismiss.  This is a common tool in our political process today - neither side tells the truth, and both sides twist history to support their version of events. Take the wistful longing for the past were our morals and values were less challenged and God was more present in dialog. I don't know of a time when that fully existed, but I think they are most likely referring to a time when marital rape was an incomprehensible idea, schools were segregated, Russia had nuclear weapons pointed at us and vice versa. This time was not perfect - nor is today. But changing the facts to promote an agenda or ideology isn't the way to make change. So lets be honest about Columbus, the First Thanksgiving, Santa Claus, the beginning of the Iraq war, and in our political discourse.

Hello? Is it me you're looking for?

(yes, I know this is the lyrics to the song, "Hello" by Lionel Richie but I couldn't help myself.)

My apologies for being MIA. Jes has been busy with work and me, well I don't really have a great excuse. I've been in a rut since DC. Going through some personal shtuff.

I have been writing this post in my head for a while now. Mostly the title. Lionel Richie has been singing in my head.

Here are some teasers of things I've been working on in my head:
- Fall TV
- Music
- My new obsessions and dislikes

Hope all is well with you, dear reader. I'll be back soon.

DC Cupcake WARS!

While Trixie was visiting, one thing we knew we wanted to do was eat a lot of cupcakes. And I'm happy to say we accomplished this goal! We started Thursday, while our friend Melissa was visiting from NYC. We had a huge lunch at Founding Farmers (Oh MY!) which is a post for another time and has some great pics (hint: Trixie :) After lunch, we went to see if we could see the Julia Child's exhibit at the Smithsonian.  Sadly, it was closed and you could only look in.

We then decided to head back to the Dupont Circle area where Trixie was staying. Yelp informed us there were some cupcake shops close by. Unfortunately  the first one we tried to go to wasn't there anymore. Then we got distracted by a used bookstore. Eventually, we ended up at Hello Cupcake. These cupcakes were super yummy, but I think my favorite part was the pink chandelier.



Friday, we met up with one of Trixie's friends from Texas that had recently moved to the DC area. We ate at this organic place that, while good, wasn't very filling. After lunch, we wanted to go the the Holocaust Museum, but made a slight detour on the way when we stopped at Zara, and got Trixie's kids some of the cutest clothes I've ever seen! After shopping, and going way out of our way and walking a ton (don't listen to metro security about directions, we were lead so far off the path!) we spent a few hours at the Holocaust Museum. If you've never been, you need to go. Its heartbreaking, tragic, but so very important. We spent some time in the propaganda exhibit they currently have, and it was a little spooky - some of the methods used by the Nazis are methods currently being used in our political dialogue today.

We left the Holocaust Museum sad and super hungry - the perfect time for Georgetown cupcakes! I now know why Georgetown cupcakes always has a line out the door - they are so yummy! The red velvet is the best I've ever had. I also got a chocolate lava cupcake. Right after this photo was taken, I ran my gross sweaty arm through the fudge on top of my cupcake. I was so disappointed - and so tempted to lick it off....



Sprinkles and Georgetown cupcakes are on the same side of the street a few blocks from each other. So naturally, on our way back to the metro we had to stop at Sprinkles to do a comparison. Our comparison wasn't really fair though: after a not too filling lunch, tons of walking in 90 degree heat, 2 cupcakes at Georgetown cupcakes, we felt a bit sick after eating Sprinkles cupcakes. We also didn't do a side by side comparison - to be really objective, we should have done a red velvet at Sprinkles too. Don't get me wrong, they are also amazing, but I was in total sugar overload with a side of heat exhaustion :) But, I am literally having dreams about the red velvet from Georgetown Cupcakes so I'm declaring them the winner! Who wants to go to Georgetown with me? I really need a  few more cupcakes :)



Even though we felt sick by the end of the day, it was wonderful spending so much time with Trixie. I'm so lucky that we can pick up right were we leave off, years later. But I really hope I don't have to wait years to see your face again!

Good Friends

I am so lucky to have such good friends. I write this as I sit eating cookies that one such friend delivered because she knew I had a rough day. Another friend spent hours this week talking to me because I really needed to get some things off my chest, even though she goes to bed early, and has kids, and it was super late. I have friends at work that motivate me to run, even though I whine and complain the entire time. And a friend that will fly all the way from Texas to see me. And friends that will let me boss them around on shopping trips. And friends that text or call just to chat. And friends that share their beautiful babies and children with me. I'm truly blessed.

Kumquat and Trixie's DC Adventures, Day 1

I picked Trixie and her husband at the airport Tuesday night. I *might* have squealed with joy when I saw her (and her HOT pink pants!!). After dropping them off at their DC hotel, getting stuck in the DuPont traffic circle, I headed home to try and sleep - but I was too excited :)

The next morning, I picked Trixie up at the Metro and we headed to Reston Town Center, one of my favorite places. Trixie had to return her broken iPad, and I knew some of her favorite stores were there, so it was a perfect place to spend the day shopping. We hit up J.Crew and got matching sparkle headbands, looked unsuccessfully for these TOMS, drooled over everything in anthropologie, and got the iPad replaced for only $50 (thank you Apple care!). By the time we finished all that, we were STARVING and Trixie wanted some Thai. We saw a place as we were parking, and set out to find it. Instead of turning right, we went left around the block. After making it the entire way around the block, we pulled out our phones to see what went wrong. While we BOTH stood, phone in hand, looking for this restaurant, I happened to glance up - we were standing right in front of it! Laughing, we went inside and had some of the best Thai food EVER. Oh my gosh. It was amazing.

After we left Reston, we headed to the mall near my house and spent some time in Forever 21 making fun of the ridiculousness that it can be.

We then went to Wegmans, a favorite of both Trixie and I. When we lived in Syracuse, I would often go with Trixie. It brought back many good memories and we also got her husband some of the granola he loves :)

The day went by too quickly but it was great.

9/11 Thoughts

Yesterday at work, I spent a lot of time thinking about 9/11. 9/11 is now a national day of service, and since I work at a volunteer center, we focused on how people could remember those who lost their lives on that day through service. It was nice. It really helped me deal with the emotions of the day by focusing on good that could be done.

Then, I got in my car to head home, I heard a news clip from Romney, about how, as president, he would work to increase our military size and strength so that no one would dare attack us. And its not that he is a Republican that I am saying this (I would have the same comment if Obama was the one making such a statement) but we had a strong military, and we were attacked. While I was too naive at the time, I have come to think differently about 9/11 and what it means about America's standing in the world. While at George Mason, I had a professor, Richard Rubenstein, who was interviewed the day after the attacks because he was an expert on the Middle East and terrorism. The interviewer asked, in a very confused and angry tone, what kind of people would commit such a cowardly act. He response is what no one expected to hear:

The al-Qaeda attacks were motivated not just by malice and fanaticism, but also by opposition to the U.S. policies in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Israel/Palestine. Usama bin Laden had made that clear in his public statements. We certainly needed to bring the perpetrators to justice, but we also need to think about why our policies in the Muslim nations were generating so much hatred and anger... Many people still perceive the terrorists who perpetrated the attacks as devils, which removes them from the universe of historical causes and effects. (From: Reasons to Kill: Why Americans Choose War)

The University's phones lit up almost immediately, calling for him to be fired, but because of the academic protections that enable the exploration of ideas and research, he was fine. But his point, that while hard to hear, and even harder to understand in the midst of such trauma is an important one, I feel. And we have not yet learned the lesson. As Romney uses the anniversary of 9/11 to demonstrate why we need a strong military, I would propose a different lesson: We learn the lessons of history, understand the actions taken on behalf of the United States leading to the attacks, understand the liberties we have sacrificed since 9/11, honor those who have died on all sides, and commit to do better.

Trixie and Kumquat - reunited in 24 hours!

I am so excited I get to see Trixie in approximately 24 hours!!! So much has changed since we last saw each other over 3 years ago, but some thing stay the same. I am grateful for  special friends. We will pick up where we left off and have a great time shopping, talking, and eating :)

 

World's Best Chocolate Cake

I discovered a recipe for an amazing chocolate cake. I've shared it with friends in Virginia and made it for my dads's birthday and now, I feel obligated to share it with the rest of the world. I can't take credit for it - I found it on Allrecipes. If you need an easy but AMAZING chocolate cake try this one :)

ngredients

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened


• 3 cups white sugar


• 5 eggs


• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract


• 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water


• 1 cup buttermilk


• 2 cups all-purpose flour


• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder


• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder


• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Mix together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.


2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the dissolved coffee and buttermilk. Pour batter into prepared pan.


3. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Some notes: I didn't use coffee, I just added 2 extra teaspoons of cocoa and mixed it into the boiling water. I also used the Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa (LOVE this stuff - seriously, never buy the regular again). I have a policy of not buying buttermilk since half the container goes to waste, so I use regular milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice - let it sit for 5 minutes. I found that it has to bake for 70 minutes in my oven - I made 2 under baked cakes back to back (I'm also the only person alive who doesn't like slightly under baked cake). Also, I had trouble getting it out of the pan when I used regular cooking spray but the baking cooking spray is amazing stuff. You can dress it up with mini chocolate chips in the batter or raspberries in the center. Or just dust with powdered sugar and eat :) This cake would not have been possible without my amazing sister Danielle giving me a bunt pan one year for Christmas or my friend Pheobe asking for a chocolate pound cake for her birthday - so thanks ladies!

Fears

Yesterday, I faced one of my fears. In order of most scary to least, my top five fears are as follows:

1. Spiders


2. Childbirth (to a lesser extent, pregnancy)


3. The dentist


4. Being horrible maimed in an accident (mostly the pain involved - in case you can't tell, I'm kind of weak)


5. Not having a good book to read (mostly a joke, but being without a book is kinda a big deal to me)

Yesterday, I faced one of my fears - the dentist. The news was not good - how could it be when I haven't gone to the dentist in YEARS and I eat candy like its my job?? And while it will be a small fortune to fix my cavities/have a root canal/get my wisdom teeth removed, I'm hoping that I'm able to keep my fears in check and keep going to the dentist for regular checkups. And a shout out to my new friend, nitrous oxide - dang, it was awesome being high as a kite!

I have no plans to conquer my fear of spiders anytime soon, just FYI or childbirth (trying to come up with a different plan for that since I hear I can't be on drugs for the nine months leading up to it).

Uninspired

Do you ever go through a period where you feel completely uninspired?  Story of my life at present moment. As of next week I will have both of my kids in school and I want to find things with which to fill my time. without feeling like I've wasted hours on some useless poo.

My personal Pinterest page is full of lovely and incredible ideas but I am left in a panic and feeling very anxious about my lack of awesomeness.  Pinterest is the devil of things that one will never accomplish in a lifetime.

Hopefully my trip out East next week will give me the inspiration I need in my life.  Coutdown t-minus 7 days!

 

~trixie

My mom is cool

I have a cool mom. She even reads our blog! Today I called her on my way to Target, and before I got off the phone, she tells me something really neat. By way of background, my mom is one of the most thoughtful mothers I know. Not just that she thinks about other people but she thinks about what she is doing and evaluates her decisions. Even though she was so very young, she thought long and deeply about what kind of mom she wanted to be. I admire that about her. So today she told me that when we were little, she wanted to raise us to think. To think about issues, to think about the world around us. And she did. Evidenced by the fact that my dad called me on the way home from work and I wanted to yell at him because how I think the world should be is different from how he thinks the world should be. My dad is awesome too. But my mom thought me to think so we sometimes disagree :)

Trending.....

Friendships post college is now a popular discussion!  Check out the link to this interesting article from the NY Times.  Man, they should have given me credit for this....

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/fashion/the-challenge-of-making-friends-as-an-adult.html?_r=1

We have MOVED!

Hey everyone! We have moved! We now blog at kumquatnjunebug.com. Please come check us out at our new home. :)

Why I no longer eat Chick-fil-A

Part of my job is to read the local newspapers, to get a feel for what and how they write in an effort to help my organization use the media to share our events. Today I came across some stories in my local paper talking about Chick-fil-A appreciation day. Apparently, gay marriage opponents are using today to show support for Chick-fil-A and for their very public stance  opposing gay marriage. And individuals that disagree with this stance are using today to demonstrate outside of the restaurants. I also follow local family event blogs, and some have posted questions on their facebook page, wondering if they should include Chick-fil-A events on their calendars. Sometimes the discussion has been polite and respectful, other times it has not.

When I heard a few weeks ago about the stance the owner of Chick-fil-A took on gay marriage and the fact that he gives money to organizations like the Family Research Council (an organization I believe spreads misinformation and causes harm) I decided that I would no longer eat their food. I mentioned this to Josh, who then jokingly said that he was going to lock me in a room for a few days with nothing but Chick-fil-A sandwiches - funny husband I have. But I choose to not eat their food not because they publicly made statement that I disagree with, but because I don't want my money going to certain causes/organizations. They have the right to feel the way they do and spend money the way they choose. I likewise have the same right. I make similar choices in other aspects of my life. I purchase products from The Body Shop because I support their fair trade/community focus. I purchase cosmetics that are not tested on animals even though they are more expensive.  I try to avoid clothing brands that have a history of using sweat shop labor.

Regardless of where you fall on the issue, I don't think we should use this as an opportunity to proudly post pictures of our Chick-fil-A sandwiches, or call those who are patrons of Chick-fil-A bigots and hatemongers. There are real people behind the issue - people who hold deeply held beliefs and have feelings.

Oreo Cheesecake

Today is half price cheesecake at the Cheesecake factory. I went with a few friends, dying to try the new oreo cheesecake. Josh took me on my birthday, and I was so excited to try a slice of the new oreo cheesecake they had been advertising for WEEKS! Only to discover that it wasn't out yet! It almost ruined my birthday - seriously folks. But, today was my chance to try this amazing cheesecake, and I'm happy to report it lived up to the expectations I had for it!! So folks, go get yourself a slice... but ignore your husband when he sends you calorie information before you go :)

Let's talk about...

violence.  You and me.

Check out this post by Girl's Gone Child.  Couldn't have said it better myself!

"We Need to Talk about Violence"

Sometimes

Sometimes you hope for the best from someone and it never comes.  But you can't help yourself in still trusting in them.

~I'm almost too trusting of people I love to a fault.  But I never stop.  regardless of what they've done.  I say this should be a good quality to have but at times it's burdensome.~

OMG!!!

This lady is HILARIOUS!  Butt hangers. Curious now, ain't ya?!

Now you need to go read this post from our favorite, The Bearded Iris.

"Aw, nuts.  Or, how puppies and testicles are related"

Upgrade!

HOLLA!  We gots a specialist in our corner!  Thanks to Kumquat's hubster J, we are upgrading our site in the next week.  We purchased the .com for our name and will be switching blog publishers.  Jes and I are excited for this change.  I have a few posts scheduled tomorrow but after that will be not be posting until we are up and running at kumquatnjunebug.com!

See y'all there!

Improving our blog

You may have noticed, but we have made some changes to our blog! Trixie has spent some time adding tabs including a list of our favorite sites (you should totally check them out - we have good taste!), causes we support, as well as some specific interests like fashion and fitness. Please be patient with us as we make these improvements, and we love having you as readers!

Coming out or staying in?

Since my beloved Anderson Cooper recently came "out", I've been thinking about the gays in my life.  First off, it was not a surprise AC is gay. Um hello?!  He's WAAYY too manicured and coiffed to be straight, no? Besides, if you were in the closet of knowing AC plays for the other team, welcome to 2012.  But still, he's got my heart. What woman does not find him uber attractive?  He's intelligent and hot. Now onto the gays in my life.

In high school, I had a few friends that were gay.  2 boys and a few girls.  I never felt uncomfortable with their lifestyle in anyway.  I remember one of my best friends wrote a poem that got published in the lit mag about the murder of Matthew Shephard.  It was so beautiful and honest.  It talked about being scared to be gay and proud.  He today is a successful musician.  If you have facebook, follow Mr. Pixie!

In college I made 2 more friends who in the ended up being gay.  One is still so dear to my heart even though I've not seen him since 2000.  Miss you Lean Bean!

The point of my writing this is to say:  love the person, not their choices.  The choices do not necessarily make the person.  We are human, folks!  Love people for who they are, not the choices they make.

stepping down from my soap box.....

New Music Tuesday

You know her from Gotye's "somebody that I used to know" but she's got herself a flourishing solo career.  KIMBRA!

Cameo Lover
The blind folded men are kind of odd but I love the slightly 60s era feel to the song and the funny dancers in the back.



And eastmountainsouth.  They only had one release in 2003 before disbanding.  I heard this album in my yoga class last week.  I fell in love and immediately had to download the entire album.  "So You are to Me" and "show me the river" are my two ab favs.  They don't actually have any music videos so bear with me as I share their music and the lame ass fan videos.







Happy new music!

Ideas of grandeur

Anyone ever have these?  I know I do.  In a conversation with SF today (in the midst of meltdown of the week.  I've been having those on a regular basis.  don't ask...) she told me that I needed to start a fashion blog.  I told her, "I have a blog but it's not really a fashion blog. I have been posting my 30x30 pics".  Does that count?  She told me I could rock it.  Like be the next big thing.  How wonderful is she to believe in me?!?  It makes sense but who has the time?  I know I'd need to dedicate more to it but first I need a better computer.  Always an excuse.  Tell me one and I've PROBABLY used it.

but who knows? maybe my ideas of grandeur will someday be a reality of amazingness.

-trixie

Podcast addict and new music Tuesday

Summer is my time to take a break from TV mayhem.  With the few exceptions this summer (the Bachelorette, Fashion Police, Mrs. eastwood and Co, Kathy), I've not really watched much tv.  I've really enjoyed podcasts.  Mostly those from NPR.  I love NPR.  You?  If you don't stop reading this blog immediately and go find the following podcasts:

Fresh Air, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, This American Life, Tiny Desk Music Series, All Songs Considered.

I've found some really kick ass music that I've already downloaded onto my iPhone for listening while exercising at the gym.

Have you heard of Ivan and Alyosha?  Well if you haven't, here's their NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert series vid.  You can thank me later.






AND

Iron and Wine.  I really don't like their lps but I love the live.  I love just a pure voice and an acoustic guitar.

Happy Monday!

Ain't this the truth?!

Happy happy birthday Jes, dear!

Happy birthday, Kumquat!  You'll always be younger than me (so jealous) and even more fabulous than I will ever be (you are my fashion guru!)!

Here are the reasons I love Jes aka Kumquat:

1.  She is an amazing person.  In every imaginable way.  Think of some way a person is amazing, that's Jes.  She's caring and intelligent, wildly creative and generous.

2.  She cares about the real issues.  I know this sounds like a political term, but she really does.  She cares about issues that affect women and people in general.  She's an advocate for access to birth control, stopping domestic abuse and the World Food Programme.

3.  She's an amazing to nieces A and L.  She's also a wonderful adopted aunt to my kiddos.  S adored her when we lived in Syracuse.  She was his go to girl.

Now, I'm not much for words.  I hope Jes knows how much she means to me.  I've never known a more wonderful person.  Happy birthday, bestie!

30x30 days 3-10

I'm behind.  It's hard to post on my computer every day and my instagram is set to private.  So deal with me as I post multiples at one time.  Note: I took a week off because I went out of town and I did not have a full length mirror.  Valid excuse, I think.  ^ o ^ and my days are all out of order.  I'll make them all up, I promise!

Day 3.  I had yoga in the am then went swimming right after. Why did I straighten my hair?!

Top: C9 from Target    Bottoms: C9 from Target

Day 4.  Not feelin it. Maxi kind of day.

Dress: Gap Outlet  Shirt: Downeast Basics  Necklace: World Market  Bracelet: c/o Paige C. 

Day 5: This was taken later in the day of #4 but let's add to #5.  See my little friend, there?  She wanted a maxi skirt like momma.  

Top: Hand-me-down from Banana Republic    Skirt: Target     Bracelet: c/o Paige C.

Day 6:  Pajama day!

Bra: Aerie   Shirt: TJ Maxx   Pants:  Aerie  Bracelet: c/o Paige C

Day 7:  Sunday funday

Top: F21   Skirt: Bailey 44   Belt: Belly Couture   Necklace: Loft

 Day 9:  Yogalicious. I want to live in these pants.

Top: Alo Sport   Bottoms: Alo Sport

Day 10: Sunday is the day of rest

Dress: Modcloth   Glasses: Oliver Peoples  Watch : Fossil

Tomorrow is a new day.  Happy remixing!