Are you there, Spring? It's me, Rachel.

Hello? Spring? Where arrreee youuuu?!

We're knocking on April's door and the weather is anything but spring-like. I'm having flashbacks of wearing a long sleeve shirt to the beach last Memorial Day weekend and wished I had worn sweats...do we think that this year will be any different? This weekend we will have all of the Easter festivities, and it would be really nice if we could be outside for at least some of it. I haven't checked the extended forecast, but I don't have high hopes!

How was your weekend? Ours was productive and fun and I'd be lying if I said that it didn't fly by way too fast. Friday night we ordered in dinner and watched Justified, and I think I was asleep by 10.

On Saturday, Penelope was up bright and early - 5:30 to be precise - and so it was a loooong day. Shaun and I spent most of the day tidying up the joint and I entered into the black hole of cleaning out Penelope's closet. It started with just reorganizing her snack shelf, and ended 2 hours later with a full closet and dresser detox. I'll be posting an update on how we use her closet now that she's a toddler soon!

 

In the afternoon, we walked around the corner to a friend's 1st birthday party! So fun to spend the day with friends from our building, and I always love having a very Jersey City weekend.

 

Though we were spent by 5pm when we arrived home, Shaun and I had secured a babysitter for date night! Back in early February, I vowed that we'd try to do this once a month and we squeezed this one in just under the wire for March. We ventured to downton Jersey City and dined at Talde, a newish restaurant that opened recently. In short, it was A-mazing!

With lots of small plates on the menu (my favorite), we dined on pretzel pork dumplings, mc bao (a bao-style McRib --->love this!), fried chicken, crab fried rice, tuna tartar spring rolls and more. I enjoyed a glass of plum wine bellini with my meal and it was super refreshing.

 

After dinner, we went next door to Carrino Provisions, also by Dale Talde, for a drink and dessert. Like a mini-Eataly, we really enjoyed changing scenery to something a bit more casual to wind the evening down. It was so very cold out on Saturday night that we really didn't feel like walking around anywhere else afterwards. We hit up Duane Reade because Penelope needed some Desitin, and called it a night. You know you're a parent when Saturday evening date night ends with picking up butt cream for baby.

 

Sunday Shaun was out for the day, so Penelope and I cooked and baked for most of the day. I'll be sharing some of that with you, hopefully tomorrow! We also attended a goodbye party for friends of ours in our building who are moving this week. We are really bummed!

So that was our chilly weekend in a nutshell. Can we please all band together and insist on good weather for this coming weekend? Do you hear us universe?! It's time!

I'm looking forward to a short week (I took Friday off for the holiday!), and hopefully sharing some really fun stuff with you later this week! Make it a great one!

How was your weekend?

Is it spring where you are?

Happy Friday!

 

How was your week? I've still been feeling a little blue and I'm attributing it to seasonal depression. Today I feel energized and excited for the weekend! We have a birthday party tomorrow and then evening date night dinner plans which is just so so needed. I'm hoping for some good weather on Sunday and perhaps a trip to the park. Other than that, I have a few new projects that I'm working on and feeling really jazzed about...I can't wait to share them with you soon!

Have a truly wonderful weekend!

Here are some links to keep you distracted from getting anything actual accomplished today:

are you interested in a birthday cake frappucino? if so, get it now through March 30.

considering this amazing carrot graham cake for easter...i am seriously crushing on the unfrosted sides.

11 snacks you can make in a mug

a piece of advice from Tory Burch

funny subway etiquette art

i want to try these cadbury egg cookie cups...so cute!

thoughts on managing media at home

j crew is having a spring sale, and i'm crushing hard on this swim suit

this cheesy artichoke skillet flatbread looks amazing

the lilly pulitzer collection for target launches april 19 and i'm digging it

8 Fun Easter Eats

chick cupcakes (similar)/Peeps cake (similar)/chocolate malt cupcakes/Peepza pie/white chocolate pretzel bark/spring cupcakes/homemade peanut butter eggs/jelly bean cookies

It certainly doesn't feel like it, but Easter is right around the corner! We will be celebrating with family on both Saturday and Sunday next weekend and I'm starting to think about what goodies I want to make. In the past, I've gone for some subtle spring cupcakes, but this year, I'm thinking that Penelope might enjoy something Peep-related, or a fun bunny cupcake situation. I have a little time to plan, but it prompted a peek into the archives of Easter's past. Above are 8 fun Easter eats that I've made or enjoyed in the past (last year, my cousin made the cute chick & bunny cupcakes, and my mom made the Peeps cake). I don't have much that I need to have for Easter Sunday, as long as there's tons of food and pretty colors.

What are you planning to make or enjoy for Easter this year? What are your must-have Easter eats?

PS: fEaster & Easter 2014