Wednesday, February 8, 2012

A Few Thoughts About Winter, Snow and Freezing My Face Off

Wouldn't it be great, if when it snowed, it was always a sweet and cozy, problem-free, stress-free experience?










I wish. 

Honestly.. When I think of the word 'snow', my first reaction is to gag. I hate snow. Thoughts, feelings and experiences I associate with snow are as follows:

Frozen body
Runny nose
Numb skin, arms, hands, legs and toes
Salt everywhere. Including salt in my socks and salt in my shoes 
Oh yeah, and salt stains running about a foot up the back of my jeans
Slipping on ice
Shoveling the driveway
Struggling to scrape ice off of my windshield, windows and mirrors
Waiting for the "car to heat up"
Slush that ruins my flats
Driving in terror

I've been dreading the cold since we first decided we would move back to the Midwest. All I could think of was the times I hated pumping gas, feeling like my face had frozen off or times I nearly crashed my car from all the black ice. I hated having to run outside to start my car at 3am to prevent the engine from freezing. I hated having a big clunky coat everywhere I went. Wahh, Minnesota is so cold. SO cold.  

Halloween Blizzard of 1991
"Armistice Day Blizzard" of 1940
2011 - Collapsed Metrodome after 17" of snow
I think it was late September when I realized the cold was hitting hard and fast. We finally had our first snowfall sometime in November.. Unfortunately it was a night I had to work late and had to make the nasty drive back from Minneapolis. Oofta. 

I keep bracing myself for a 3-foot snowfall or a massive storm to hit, providing us with a real Snow Day (unlike SC's version of a "Snow Day"). It's been strange though - Surprisingly warm for a Minnesota winter. It's been so dry and mild, that some of our friends and family have called us "lucky charms" - claiming that we brought the warm up from South Carolina. Ha! I do wish we had the same winters as SC. If I had it my way, I'd want snow for the week of Christmas and then it can melt away for all I care. I miss wearing flip flops in February. 

I'm not exaggerating on this winter being dry, either. According to MPR, last year to date, MN had more than 60 inches of snow. This year, to date? We have only had 14.9 inches! The Metrodome roof collapsed thanks to 17 inches of snow - more than we've had all year. WEIRD! It actually makes me tolerate snow a lot more - to the point of even liking it a little. Hmm.. I'm hoping and praying it doesn't snow again until next year. I doubt that will be the case, but it feels good to hope!


xo

{Click photos for source}

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

A Tropical Birthday Surprise + A Nautical Dessert Party



Back in December, my bro-in-law, Jordan called me looking for some help in throwing together a little birthday party for my youngest sister Lanae! Of course, I began thinking of some fun little ideas and after running a few by him, we decided to go with a nautical-inspired dessert party. Jordan really wanted to go out for dinner with my family and somehow surprise Lanae as well. We decided on a restaurant (old, but new to us) called Psycho Suzi's. From what I knew about Psycho Suzi's, the place looked like a rundown VFW or sketchy warehouse, but inside it was a tropical paradise! Jordan left most of the details to me - he planned to meet us for dinner and then "nonchalantly" head back to my parents for a fun little party - little did Lanae know!


"What are you guys doing here?!"


L&J

Mom and the boys (minus Mitch & Jon)

Dad and Vaness


After our fun little birthday dinner, my mom, Vanessa and I rushed back to the house to get the rest of the food put out while the boys and Lanae made a quick stop at Walgreen's for a little 'delay'.. It was all timed quite perfectly. She was SO surprised!

I've thrown a couple nautical/beach-inspired parties in the past, and I really wanted this one to be somewhat original. I decided to go with more "mature" beach elements, focusing on navy and white. I was excited to reuse a few things I had spent hours making for Justin's Surf's Up Birthday Party last March - the mock capiz shell garland, shell pomanders + a couple beachy recipes.
 
 






I love incorporating memories into birthday parties.. Memories are priceless! I gathered a collection of favorites from everyone in the fam and printed them onto flags. This is the first "memory" garland I've made.. I thought it turned out so stinkin' cute!








{Music} 
included a compiled mix of songs by South, Dandy Warhols, JET, Doves, Turin Brakes, Spoon, Alexi Murdoch, Phantom Planet, Eels, The Killers, Nada Surf, Perishers, Keane, Beck, Aqueduct, Imogen Heap and more!

{Menu}
















 












Happy Birthday, Nae!

xo

Fonts used: kevinandamanda

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