Thanksgivinz

Paul and I just got back to MD from a loooong week. Starting last weekend, we went to Richmond, VA for an early Thanksgiving with Jamie's family. After that, my mom came to our place for a few days until we drove to Pittsburgh. We went to the tree lighting at National Harbor and went shopping at Old Town Alexandria. Good times. When we were in the 'burgh, we had some more turkey at the Haggerty's and hung out with them for a few days. Then this morning we drove back to Waldorf (normally a 4 1/2 hr drive...today, a 6 hour drive...grr traffic!!) and we just got done setting up our pretty tree. yippee- it is so Christmas comfy in here :D

My sparkling snowflake ornament I got at the National Harbor when my mom came to visit. My mom got one too- they were too pretty to resist!!!

Spooky!! He lives up to his name too! Even with my cat whispering, he still attacked me. yikes!

Kitchen insanity.

Mmmm!

My plate. Notice I dont skimp on those potatoes + gravy!

Dessert! Homemade apple pie annnnnnd my pumpkin pecan chocolate chunk cookies with maple brown butter frosting...what a mouthful!! And BOY WERE THEY TASTY!

Ziggy. my friend. He was such a cuddly baby boy :)

Paul and Gavin making a fire.

Leeloo checking on the birdie status.

Christmas decor!

I am Martha Stewart.

I am Martha Stewart. I fancified my room for under $10. yee-hoo.

!!!BEFORE!!!

The fabric I searched high and low for in Jo-Ann Fabrics. It was actually really hard to find a pattern I liked in the color scheme I was looking for...

Razzle Dazzle is right!

All hemmed and hung. I am so proud of myself :)

!!!AFTER!!!

Ta-Da!

Magnolia

So...I acquired the recipe for magnolia cupcakes from a cupcake blog I frequent...and I knew I had to make 'em!! So, I decided to make them TODAY babe. It did require a trip to the local safeway to grab some more powdered sugar for the frosting...but boy-o-boy was it worth it! I made some alterations to the frosting recipe- I added a pinch of butter flavored salt and a vanilla bean instead of extract. I think I made the right choice.

Vanilla extract, a bean and a glass vile of vanilla beans :)
Squashed vaniller bean

Close up of a sprinkly one

The variety

*I should have added more powdered sugar to the frosting so that it was more dense and fluffy...oh well.

REAL magnolia cupcakes.

happy baking.

Old Tahn.

Paul and I went to Alexandria TWICE last weekend and we LOVED it. We want to move there...it is quite expensive and seeing we are barely affording where we are now, we might have to wait. Well. here are some pics of our lovely trip.

The window at the French bistro we stumbled upon.

Aaaand, some fruit tarts we also might have stumbled upon...

Paul sippin on his syrup.


FOR GOODNESS SAKES...white chocolate cranberry, flourless almond chocolate and sea salt, boston cream pie, pumpkin fennel, mexican chocolate, lemon curd.

These were from Lavender Moon bakery.
These were good.
Real good.



Me in Lavender Moon babe.

Fall...and a Christmas preview!!

Its fall 'round here...and Paul and I are loving it. So we have been enjoying salted caramel hot chocolates, the sunny yet chilly weather, and the comfy fall bike rides. So here are some pictures of whats been up.

drinking a hot chocolate. Mmmm. salty and sweet- I love!

Maryland Renaissance festival. a bit goofy, but good times anyways!!

My high schools homecoming game we went to on Friday. It was fun to show Paul some of my students. haha.

Dinner before chaperoning the homecoming dance.

We went to this place called "The Crossing" it was fancy and SO GOOD!

We will definitely be going back!

Pauls prosciutto wrapped scallops with onion brulee, pomegranate sauce and wild rice. gah!

Paul is satisfied.

Chilled tirimisu. marscapone ice cream is good.

And just as I said in the title...a Christmas preview.

All I have to say is get ready for our Christmas letter- pictures will be included. haha!

Oh no!! Mrs. Clause came to visit!

AAAAND! Santa came too!!

wowza!

Beer.

So, my friends, I have made the yummiest cupcakes...IN THE WORLD!

...and its making me seriously consider opening a cupcakery- I am building up my buisness plan as we speak. so anyways. thought i would share some pictures.

Here is what im thinking. The uniforms would be 50's style dresses, if guys were working then they would wear a button down and a bow tie...and i would sell all mini cupcakes that are decorated AWESOME, in really unique flavors. And im thinking, $.50 a peice...the store would be like a modern soda jerk shop. what do ya think??

Chocolate beer cake with white chocolate-spiked frosting

these were unreal.

A sunny kitty

pretty fall flowers I couldnt resist.

CLOSSSE UP!! Arent they awesome!?

In other news, we are currently making the best french onion soup. It is a day long process. and that is fine with me because, IT IS THE MOST LOVELY weather outside!! All the windows are open and it feels and smells great in here.

bunch of pictures!!

Here are some things we have been up too...

Leeloo and her new collar!!
Aww, shotzye has a birdie perched on her neck!
My new *AWESOME* boots!!

courtesy of anthropologie

i LOVE that store

Eating at this sweetly designed place called sauciety

-at the national harbor-

Cakelove cupcake- pretty good...but could use more frosting and moist-er cake

overall, I give it a 'C'

Paul liked this hat at urban
Georgetown mall.
Paul in Georgetown.
hello cupcake- flavor: dulche de leche- AWESOME cupcakes!! very moist, perfect petite size, nice frosting to cake ratio. One of my favorite cupcakerys thus far
The cupcakes here get an 'A'!!!

Hello cupcakes pretty lighting

me in my "office" aka storage closet with a desk in it

Paul walked to the grocery store...then realized that he had bought too many groceries to carry back, so he had to walk from the grocery store to our apartments with the cart!! haha!!
Look!! a black squirrel!!
Our footsies in G-town
...man, i love that place...
I got a lot of looks at my tangerine kicks

Walkin to the metro.

about a mile from all the sweetness that g-town has to offer

have a good one!