Cherry Blossominationatorium

There are times when I think about leaving DC. Cherry Blossom season is never one of them.

This is NOT a crafty mommy blog

However, when in the course of human events it becomes necessary to document the strange ways in which a newly married couple chooses to observe certain holidays, these things happen:

This year's flavors of Valentine's Day Truffles (Mr. Awesome prefers that his holiday traditions be food related. In fact, he prefers that most things be food related. Honestly? So do I.) From left to right: Milk Chocolate, Spicy Dark Chocolate, Lavendar Chocolate, White Chocolate Saffron, and Lime Sugar Chocolate.

Valentine's food revisited: We made mini-alfajores to take to his family get-together. Four of us have served in the same Argentine mission, so these sort of matched the empanadas and castellano theme of the day.

Also some of them are heart shaped, but that's mostly because I really wanted to use those cookie cutters.

Our take on "Easter Egg Baskets" this year. Do you get it, do you see what we did there?

Mr. Awesome has declared this "the coolest project we've done together yet". I'm dubious about that, but I'm glad he likes the result.

Oh, and Happy St. Patrick's Day to you! We had friends over for games and various green dips (Green Goddess Dip, Pesto, Bacon-Guacamole, and Key-Like Curd, oh my!). This was my last minute concession to Mr. Awesome's panic that "We haven't even decorated for St. Patrick's Day!" The fact that I just happened to have seven glass bottles lying around, though, is not something I can easily explain.

 And that, dear ones, is that.

Nothing tasts as good as...

It's a common enough sound in my office, that frustration filled sigh of longing and rage when one of my coworkers notices the box of cookies/candy/doughnuts/cake/sweet potato pie sitting in the kitchen. I've been hearing it once or twice a week since I started working here. The sweets come more often around the holidays, but they never really let up entirely. And no matter how firmly my coworkers avow they are "NOT eating ANY more SWEETS!" the goodies keep mysteriously appearing and disappearing in that kitchen day by day. Perhaps most confusing of all is that most often, the person who objects most vehemently to one tray of sugar and fat will be the person who brings in the next unhealthy but oh-so-alluring offering to the gods of growing waistlines. It is a conspiracy against the hard-working office chairs which must sustain our growing bulk, and we are all complicit in it.

Mmmm, stale fritters...

Meanwhile, on Pinterest:

"Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels."

I'mma tell you straight up, the woman who posted that has never had a fresh Lemonberry Cupcake from Georgetown, my sister's hot breakfast casserole, or those cookies I ate in Glasgow. In fact, there are a great many things in life that woman cannot yet have tasted. Her life makes me sad. Her life makes me want to buy a dozen G-town cupcakes and then eat them in front of her.

Meanwhile, at home:

Me: "Hey Mr. Awesome, I'll make you a deal."

Him: "Okay."

Me: "Everyday after work I'll come home and tell you whether or not I ate any of the treats in the office. And if I didn't, you give me a back-rub and/or face massage. This is really a deal to benefit me, you don't actually get anything out of it."

Him: "Okay." (See that girls? Absolute agreement. And all it cost me was a remote control helicopter for Valentine's Day. Take notes!)

Meanwhile, back at the office:

I have yet to eat a single treat in the office since making that deal with Mr. Awesome about two weeks ago. Proving once and for all that the old saying holds true:

"Nothing your coworkers leave in the company kitchen because they don't want it at their house tastes as good as a nightly back rub."

You are so very welcome, my dears.

Blogging means never having to say you're sorry

Oh my loverlies, why do I even have a blog? It's been over a month since my last post, I'm woefully behind in the Istanbul recap-saga, and to top it all off I've been cheating on you all. My blogging sins are legion, my darlings. I'm not even going to insult you with an apology.

What to write, what to write... I think I've decided not to post that long blog I half-wrote about this years V-day truffle experience (also, V-day? Really? I'm using that now? Even though every time I see it I thing Venerial Disease Day? Yes, apparently so.) I'm doing my darndest not to talk about a certain conservative talk radio host who recently said some very stupid things that got him enough publicity to show up on my Google News feed, proving once again that he hates women and could probably make a second living as a stunt double for Jabba the Hut. (Woops, looks like I just blogged about him anyway). And I really don't think any of you would be all that interested in my latest craft project which involves egg-shells and hot air balloons (What's that? You are interested? Well suck it, monkeys, this ain't no crafty mommy blog... and I'm not posting about until I have pictures to show you).

So, I guess that leaves Istanbul. Here we go...

Just kidding. I have access to neither the photos not the motivation required to travel blog right now.

I suppose that leaves nothing more than to promise you I'll blog more often. Granted, I have no intention of holding myself to that promise. It's a silly promise anyway. Like promising your husband you'll stop blaming him for everything any conservative pundit says. You both know how that will turn out.