Is this Day 5 or Day 6 of "snow-in"?

Regardless, we are getting a little loosey goosey - gave in to the Wii two days in a row - did manage some yummy comfort food for dinner last night and remained a cheerful short order cook, churning out eggs benedict, twice baked potatoes, grilled cheese and soup, french toast :-). This morning, however... the kids wanted to pop popcorn, and... that was breakfast (add a little apple juice and - voila - nutrition! ;-). I have practiced math again and again with my kindergartner - done numerous art projects - become bored with Play-doh, dragged out the wooden trains for a diversion from the Star Wars stuff currently on our train table, had tea and played restaurant with Lilliana again and again. Olivia had a day of snow play and checkers with friends yesterday - some of her friends walked the neighborhood looking for walkways to shovel.... It is cold again today, though - sledding and building snow forts are a little more painful on these days.

Ok - so.... we'll see what happens (aside from the kids deciding that running in a circle is a good way to occupy themselves - and... truthfully, I've had a bad cough all week and am beginning to lose my voice from trying to talk over the commotion again and again... AND commotion it IS - we just had one of those disasters that's not a disaster happen - the broken shelf in the fridge finally fell (broken cuz little ones tried to sneak some soda way back) - and like Thai fish sauce and Williams Sonoma margarita mix from, obviously, the summer went ALL OVER the floor - creating that awful, shattered glass "sawdust" that lingers and stabs little feet again and again (and we are barefoot / flip flops people all year) - plus even though the kitchen floor is now SPOTLESS, I'm still getting that sticky "wheek wheek wheek" sound when I walk - good times ;-). We got a great start on our taxes, I have all the kids' hair conditioned and nails cut - gave them all "clear the head" vapor-baths (California Baby, all the way!), caught up on laundry (though now dishes are piling from all the baking and such). Hey - every little accomplishment is something, right?

My bright spot today (aside from the fact that I am TRULY trying to enjoy this little break from the everyday with my family :-) - reminded of such by some West Coast friends who have mentioned they would welcome the down time - food for thought....).... a little segment on The Today Show done by the owner of Magnolia Bakery in New York. She iced some chocolate and some red velvet cupcakes. Took me right back to my sweet Lilliana's first birthday last year (a pink themed costume party - appropriate for this lucky duck's Oct b-day - always wanted mine near Halloween :-).... she destroyed a giant red velvet cupcake by our own local Vanilla Pastry Studio. Apparently, Magnolia in NY is also opening bakeries in Dubais and Los Angeles.... my only "valuable" fyi of the day ;-) - though... check out the appropriately entitled "Snowy Day Risotto" on the Serious Eats blog on my page - now where is my Arborio (sp?) rice??? Anyway.... enjoy the messy pic of my lil' Lil.

And... sad / weird bit of news (since I'm on this "fashion watch" kick these days): the fashion world lost Alexander McQueen today - just kinda caught my eye because it is just breaking news, awfully sudden (he's young!), and... I just read a great review about his latest runway offering.... odd coincidence...