Banana rama.

So, this happened last night.

Rachel put the pimento cheese bug in our brains, so it was simply necessary to make some pimento mac and cheese. And then also have it for lunch today. I originally planned to jazz it up, add some spinach or something, but Brad rightly steered me toward the ole classic way.

And then this happened....

Homemade "ice cream" from a recent Pinterest inspiration. Also inspiring? The FOUR blender apparati we have (I highly appreciate that work keeps rewarding Brad with free small appliances, but can't we request items we need? ha!). Anyway, this is just frozen bananas (note to self: PEEL the bananas before you freeze them! WHAT a mess.), a small spoonful of Greek vanilla yogurt, a splash of skim milk, and...... Baileys! I think I killed the "healthy" quality with the Baileys, but, you know, we can be healthy next time.

D-i-y y-e-s.

An awesome weekend with Melissa rejuvenated me and my motivation...

Friends, wine and fun will do that to you, right? (A side note to highly recommend a fun experience at Gravity Winery in Baroda. It involves chocolate and cheese. And wine, duh.)

I've been on the lookout for the perfect magazine rack to finalize the work I've been doing on the winter/travel room but have struck out on my past few shopping trips. After Melissa left today, I headed to the antique mall and, luckily, it was my lucky day. For $15, I picked up the winner, knowing we had some black spray paint at home. Seemed like an easy first diy project (I've painted walls, but I've never done any actual diy-ing before).

Nothing too crazy, but simple and interesting. Of course, as soon as I started, I ran out of spray paint. Sheesh. Luckily we live close to Ace Hardware so the trip didn't unmotivate me enough to table the project.

It was sunny and warm(ish) so I did my painting outside. Sun.... so nice to see you!

A little cleanup was required. I made a bit of a mess.

Quick dry paint allowed me to move my rack inside already and I think it is EXACTLY what this room needed. I couldn't be happier. And now I want to spray paint more!!

Ta-dah!

I would like to read in this nook.

Have to say, I'm really pleased with how this room came together. Shows that patience does pay off when looking for all the right pieces (I'm looking at you, too, antique nightstand!), even if it does take three years. Now I think it's time to repaint the guest suites....... Ha!

It can't rain all the time.

Aside from the flooding I know is happening elsewhere (that would seriously be the worst), I'm not minding the rain so much (and aside from the stress ball it is making Georgie - too much thunder). Why, you ask? Well, a month or so ago, I ordered this sweet umbrella through Joss and Main:

I've never spent more than maybe $10 on an umbrella. I'm pretty sure the travel umbrella of Lisa's that I somehow ended up w/ /lasted me through college and beyond. Yes, cheap umbrellas are portable and, well, cheap. But they're also... cheap! They break, they flip backward (and it is windy at the lake!). It was a complete moment of madness that I decided to purchase the above umbrella - it was $30! But as soon as it arrived, I couldn't wait for it to rain.

It has maximum coverage, it is crazy sturdy, and it is c-u-t-e (yes, those are labs!). Seriously one of my favorite "essential" purchases I've ever made. Who knew a good, solid umbrella could make a rainy April so sunny???

You spin me right round.

I stumbled across this on a friend of a friend's blog, and it is SPOT ON.



It's NOT ok.

Seriously, this is why I don't do woods in the spring, summer, or fall. Winter? I'm ok. Snake season? Hells no.

To keep things nice and random, last month I went on a Saturday family outing with the Smitses to Niles, a small town southeast of us. A little peeking into shops, a little lunch. And a fancy knitting shop. That is TOO. CUTE.

The Red Purl

Even their logo is cute (that's the owner's dog, Purl!) -

This shop was super cozy and cute and the kind of place you could just pull up a chair and hang out and work on some knitting. Too bad it's not in OUR town. Peppered throughout the store were little knit goodies, like this gnome (with a pouch!) and chicken.

We even wound our own yarn!

Kudos to Troy who stuck around for a significant amount of time before he realized, what am I doing? I'm going to the bike store!

Rocky mountain birthday.

Hello to you from my shiny new laptop, that holds more than a two-second charge AND has a cord that doesn't need to be held in place to receive said charge. She truly is a thing of beauty.

Between the jerkface (old) laptop and, yes, being sick, yes, again, well, that's where the time went. I am happy to report, however, that I was healthy enough in between for an awesome trip to visit my Jessica for her birthday in Colorado last month. To celebrate the big day, we dined in the big city at Tomayo (thanks to Birgit for helping us narrow down our selections!) - fancy tacos and delicious cocktails. And a sparkly dessert for the birthday girl.

Jess gives her steak the thumbs up.

Thumbs up to my shrimp and crab enchiladas as well, even though they ruined my shirt.

A great big what what to my birthday girl!

Technically, Jess and I have been through 35 birthdays together (well, 35 in a few months since, you know, I wasn't born when she was born), but I think it's probably been 15 years since we got to spend one together. So this was super duper extra special and I loved every second of it. Especially introducing Jess to amaretto sours.

Thank you sir may I have another?

In other food and travel news, I was also lucky enough to be around for Jessica's family's Greek Easter dinner. Um, yum!!! Mom Laurie was even nice enough to make me my own little vegetarian casserole of pastichio, which was always a favorite of mine but I haven't had in years and years. Forever friends and delicious food (spinach pie, too)? Best Easter ever.

My main man Milo digging on the jello + cottage cheese, um, stuff.... ;)

And finally, just because who doesn't love antique porn... Some antique porn from our visit to Antique Row in downtown Denver.

"Awhaaa???"

Does Ringo count as "it"?

Me and my buddy Jack,* lookin' awesome.

Hope all is well with everyone and here's hoping I stay healthy and more around this spring. :)

*Props to any teenager, let alone a boy, that is game for antiquing with his old lady mom and BFF.