Happy Seven Years!

It's our seven year anniversary today! I admit I keep track of both our 'dating' anniversary, as well as our wedding anniversary. May 1 has been an important date for us longer than June 19, our *real* anniversary, and is also the date of our engagement, so why quit acknowledging it? (I also celebrate my dog Spud's birthday, which was yesterday if you were wondering.)

We've fit a lot into the past seven years. A move to Chicago, a combined total of six jobs, nine apartments/condos, one master's degree, 13 countries, one dog, one wedding and one home purchase. I'm excited to continue on our adventure:)

Techy Things

Can I list this post under DIY? Sure.

If anyone is like me and looking for a few key tutorials, I wanted to share these snippets of information. Here are this week's "techy" accomplishments (aka, things I'm patting myself on the back for):

1. You'll notice I added Instagram to my sidebar. I did a little research and easily found the badges, but through http://snapwidget.com/#getstarted, you can add an actual grid or slide show to your page. 

2. I've been working on a lot of website analytics for work and have learned how to create a source/tracking code in Google Analytics. Here's my favorite new bookmark: http://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1033867?hl=en

Bonus: it automatically adds to your analytics page. (Find the stats for these tracking code under "campaigns" in your analytics page. Note: it takes about an hour for the new campaigns to show up... my refresh button and I tested this.) 

3. I feel like I should have three accomplishments this week. It's only Tuesday, so updates may be forthcoming. However, I did make a major computer upgrade. John had a huge surprise for me Friday after work. We were driving to West Elm to pick up a new dresser for our bedroom and suddenly turned into the Apple parking garage. I've been hinting for a while, but was completely shocked. Happy anniversary/birthday/Christmas/lots of other holidays to me:) #besthubbyever

Feeling like Spring!

It is sunny and semi-warm out! Maybe there will be spring this year after all! To welcome the warm temperatures and holiday weekend I stopped in to A New Leaf on Wells yesterday afternoon. I love that place. Walking in to that amazing smell will just instantly lift your mood. I also love that you can pick out your own arrangements and they will wrap them up in papers and cut the stems for you. If it's a gift, they help arrange it a bit and dress it up with ribbon. Beautiful flowers, no-fuss, quick, and the prices aren't crazy. I picked out some white hydrangeas with a few light green and pink accents for our mantle.

They also had anemones for a dollar each. I don't know what it is about anemones, but I think they are so pretty. It must be the dark center that contrasts with the lighter and daintier petals. I really wanted white and black anemones in my wedding bouquet. We called everywhere to see if we could get some shipped in. There was a drought or hot spell or something in California that year, so no anemones. These will do though!

I also picked up some "cute" pears. Really, if pears could be cute, these win hands down. Red and gold and about three inches tall.

Happy "hopefully spring" everyone!

Pura Vida

Yes. I did take a bit of a hiatus! Things have been crazy (per usual) but there will be plenty more on that later.

It's sadly still winter in Chicago (evidenced by my puffy coat and boots), so I'd like to take some time to reflect on my February girls' trip to Costa Rica!

Costa Rica has been on my bucket list ever since sixth grade. Seriously. That long. In fifth grade, the class above us hosted Costa Rican exchange students for two weeks. I couldn't wait to spend time with a new friend from Costa Rica when my turn came around. Unfortunately, the school decided the program would be once every two years. Instead, our class studied Costa Rica for the entire month of January.

Costa Rica has always seemed exotic to me with it's rain forests and wildlife. We stayed outside of Liberia at the Hilton Papaguyo - an all-inclusive resort. We took a day trip to the rain forest and did a short nature walk and stopped by some hot springs (we thought the hot springs would be in nature... they were at a hot spring hotel -- still pretty, but not quite the same.)

The rest of the trip was spent relaxing (a spa day and beach reading - doesn't get much better) and catching up. I'm ready for my next vacation!

View from our balcony window. Not a bad scene to wake up to!

Rainforest

Did anyone else watch a rain forest music video in elementary school science class? The beauty, the rain forest, the tropical rain forest! (going through my head the entire time.)

Traditional Costa Rica food - rice and beans

The 'hot springs'

Cheers to girls' trips!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Valentine's Day - whether you're celebrating with friends, family, pups (mine's cuddled up right next to me), or significant others!

My Obsession with Mason Jars

I'm really loving mason jars these days. They are inexpensive, classic and incredibly versatile.

On a recent rainy weekend I did a little chalkboard art project. I cannot wait to use these chalkboard jars for porch party get-togethers in when the weather gets warmer. In the meantime, they can double as cute packaging for a valentine! 

To make the jars, I masked a rectangular space with painters' tape, added a few coats of chalkboard paint with a sponge brush (you will need at least two - it streaks), and let it dry. I removed the paint not too far into the drying process so that I could fix anything that went out of my tape lines before it was permanent. Step-by-step photos are below. 

It's hard having chalkboard paint in the house. So many options and possibilities! While my mason jars were drying I wandered around our condo, paintbrush in hand, hoping to find old items I could paint. My goal was to find an old, but still fun picture frame that needed a new life as a classy chalkboard. I had no luck, but an old night stand that I'd already painted white and added a mercury glass handle to got a new coat of chalk board paint on its front panel. (Got to love old IKEA pieces --- no shame in experimenting! and at least I didn't try to tackle a wall.)

Macarons

This is the calendar at my desk. Why I've been craving macarons the past week needs no explanation.

So I thought, why buy macarons when I could learn how to make them? Great thought - but it turns out macarons are quite high maintenance. This recipe might take me a bit of practice, but I'll share it, via Martha Stewart, in case anyone happens to be a macaron prodigy (and if so, please share your secrets.)

I set aside a Saturday afternoon to make these finicky little cookies. While the final product was not quite ready for a public debut, they were quite tasty and a nice chewy consistency. There's definitely potential - and for a somewhat decadent dessert during Saturday night movie night, they worked just great.

Ingredients for cookies:

• 1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup ground blanched almonds (this sounds fancy, but it just means skin-less)
• 3 egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• food coloring (if desired)

Ingredients for filling:

• 3 large egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk together the confectioners' sugar and ground almonds (make sure these are really finally ground). Set aside.
3. In the a separate bowl, whip egg whites and salt on medium speed until foamy. Add in your food coloring if you want colored macarons.
4. Increase the speed to high and gradually add in the granulated sugar. Whip until stiff glossy peaks form.
5. Gently fold in the confectioners' sugar/almond mixture.
6. Using either a pastry bag (or a large ziplock bag with a corner cut, which is what I did - no professional baker am I) pipe 1-inch disks of batter onto the baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
7. Let these stand at room temperature until the shiny surface on the macaroons turns dull (about 15 min.) I've also seen recipes that say to let them set an hour, which I'm going to try next time, as mine didn't rise as much as I'd hoped.
8. Bake for 15 minutes with the door slightly open.
9. Remove from oven and let sit on the baking sheet until completely cooled. Gently remove the macarons from the parchment.

Filling:
While the macarons are baking, you can start making the filling. I tried raspberry filling, and it seems like it is pretty easy to adjust for other flavors.

1. Whisk egg whites and sugar in an electric mixer. Set the mixer bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and heat the mixture, whisking opens, until the sugar is dissolved and its warm to the touch.
2. Put the bowl back on the mixer and whip on high speed until the mix is stiff and shiny (3-5 min). Add in butter, one piece at a time, and continue mixing until the butter is thoroughly incorporated. To make raspberry filling, using about half the butter and a spoonful or two of raspberry jam.

Flip half the macarons so the flat side faces up. Pipe in the filling and top with another macaron. Either eat or refrigerate.

Baking with the oven door open - which actually makes them a good winter cookie!

Heating the filling