Macaron Feet!

Cooking with another person who also loves experimenting is my idea of a fun night. After looking @ YouTube videos, my friend Lina & I started our venture to making our first ever French macarons (not to be confused with macaroons!). These little cute delicious desserts are usually very expensive at bakeries---but we now don't have that problem! Our macarons came out PERFECT & they even rose to show off their little feet (the term used to describe the airy bubbles on the edge or the ruffled rim). Not hard to make, but a bit time consuming & a heads up--- almond flour is not easy or cheap to find! But---it was all worth it @ the end.

Gratitude List @ 33.5 Years Old

As I was reading through some old posts from this blog, I came across one that I promised to revisit annually (what a surprise that I didn't!)

Ok---so 3.5 years later, I'm sitting @ Kingsway mall in Edmonton & decide to do what Daniel Pink suggests: write a list of what you're grateful for (the # of things to list = your age).

So here goes my list of 33.5 things since today is my half birthday (yes, I still celebrate this---you should too! :-))

1. GOD
2. David
3. My family
4. Large families/extended families
5. Holidays
6. Prayer time
7. Sisters & sister-in-laws
8. My iPhone
9. Christmas sales after Christmas (I got the cards that are in the picture for $1.00!)
10. Long johns
11. Snail mail
12. FaceTime
13. Chilli chocolate
14. Long walks with David
15. BBC's Sherlock series
16. Coffee
17. Raised hands of students
18. Contact Lenses
19. Knee-length boots
20. Facebook (yes, I admit it after hating on it for so long!)
21. OXO kitchen products
22. Fireplace mantles
23. Lemons
24. Burt's Bees Chapstick
25. Pinot Noir
26. Photos/Scrapbooks
27. Ability to walk everywhere
28. Libraries!
29. Advice given b/c one wants to 'pay it forward'
30. Spooning
31. Blo bars (hairdrying-blowing salons)
32. My diaries
33. Free lectures
33.5 Naps

#11 Reason Why I Like Canada

Babies have the right to their own library cards! If adults have the right to bear arms in the US, I think the same should go for infants & library access. Actually, now that I'm putting more thought into this, it should be mandatory. (Not the adults-guns thing...not working out to be such a good idea)

I remember taking my niece Izzy to their local library in Long Island, NY. She must've been 2 years old when I was scoffed @ by the librarian for asking if Isabelle could sign up for her card. That librarian looked at me as if I had 3 heads. I probably knew back then that my life wouldn't be permanent in Long Island. (Just to be clear, this is NOT indicative of the rest of NY state)

Anyway, it was refreshing to go to the downtown Edmonton public library & find signs encouraging toddlers to sign up for membership. What better way to open their worlds to unlimited knowledge, ideas, and imagination? :-)