Dirty Laundry.

This is not my laundry room.

Got to air out my dirty laundry. My dirty winter laundry. Ladies and gentlemen, there is no household chore I hate more than winter laundry. There's the extra stuff, like a billion pairs of socks and tights (I miss my flip flops), the sheer bulk of it (sweatpants and sweatshirts take up so much extra space!) and all that extra folding and sorting. Ugh. While laundry has never been my favorite task, winter laundry is on my "do anything to avoid it" list (and avoid it I am). 

Do you have any household chores that you absolutely loathe? How do you force yourself to get them done before the hamper is overflowing and you're out of black leggings (for example)? I'm always in search of ways to make my dreaded chores easier (e.g., add music - a trip to the laundry room is way better with a soundtrack) but winter laundry may have me beat. Here's to tackling our "to do" lists this week, even those items that always seem to be the last to get done!

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming...

This is the view across the street from my hotel! Yay Canada!

Merry Meri is still in Ottawa and didn't get her shizz together in time for today's post. Please come back tomorrow for more of the blog musings you love!

Have a sweet weekend!

Fall in LOVE with your hot coco with this SIMPLE Cool Whip Creation.

A few weeks back I shared some links to sporty recipes and the post was a hit! Who knew my readers were fellow foodies!? I love it. In the spirit of my cold weather weekend (a little trip to Ottawa for work eh?) I thought I'd share some sweet treats of the winter variety. These recipes are all easy ways to stay warm and cozy (and look like a seasonal-treat goddess at your next get together!) Let me know if you try any out! Happy Weekend Merry Readers:)

Almost too cute to eat!

No baking required! Awesome, easy and adorable - winner!

Healthy, beyond simple prep and oh so pretty on a silver platter.

Yes please.

Frosty never looked so good.

Wait, how old?

Recently, someone asked how old I am and I hesitated before answering. Now, I did not hesitate because I was embarrassed or considering not telling the truth... I hesitated because I actually, momentarily, did not know the right answer! Numbers popped into my head and I had to organize my brain, finally selecting the right one. What the whhhhha!? Has this ever happened to you? Do you find yourself suddenly feeling surprised by your age?

It's funny how time passes and we grow older, somehow seemingly, faster than we can keep track of. You always hear people exclaiming "it's already her first birthday!?" or "I can't believe it's our 10th reunion!"... where does the time go? But there's something refreshing about feeling younger than you are. I like that when someone asks how old my "little" sister is, I quickly think "18!" before remembering that I'm off by a few years! Feeling younger or envisioning the people we love as younger than reality means that life is good and we're not sitting around counting the minutes and years as they pass. So here's to growing older in reality, but staying however young we choose to be.

Image via Pinterest

Hump Day Distractions

I want to go to there.

Another week, another hump day. Ain't it always like that!? 

* New York's most "interesting" Frito Pies - as disgustingly AWESOME as you imagined.

* Obviously when I own a home, there will be a room of THIS. Obviously.

* She is quick and curious and playful and strong. Just when I thought Kate couldn't get any more fabulous...

* Holly Golightly had one, but this DIY is not for the faint of heart.

* I actually made something I found on Pinterest! Dr. H tested and approved!! Served with a side of orzo and sauteed asparagus. (note: I added spinach to the recipe bc I'm fancy like that)

* It would have been reallllly cool to stumble upon this.

Image via Pinterest

Just a little comfort (object)

World, meet Rolly. Rolly is one of a well known one-hundred and one dalmatians, and he has been my "lovey" for almost as long as I can remember. That's right, I (still) have a lovey and I'm not afraid to admit it. A holdout from the childhood era of comfort objects, Rolly has been to sleepovers, summer camp, college and on countless vacations, even surviving one terrifying "leave behind" in Hong Kong. Rolly has been cuddled blind (repeated attempts to sharpie-repair his pupils have been unsuccessful) and snuggled flat (he used to have a pudgy belly). Even Dr. H loves and respects the power of Rolly.

While it may seem juvenile, I don't see how a favorite stuffed animal or blanket is any different than a beloved hooded sweatshirt or a delicious home-cooked family recipe. Material things are capable of bringing us comfort no matter how old we are because they evoke a feeling inside us. Though there obviously comes an age when always toting around your comfort object "just in case" is no longer appropriate, I think that if you want to grab a stuffed animal when you get home because it's been a brutal day, why the heck not!? Do you still have a comfort object in your life? Are you willing to admit it!?

A girl power moment

Have you ever heard a news broadcaster ask a male politician if he’s had cosmetic surgery? When was the last time a powerful male executive was asked how he balances work and fatherhood? If a young male public figure gains some weight, it must be because he’s pregnant! How come the media dialogue is so different when it comes to high profile women vs. men?

The issues of women’s rights and gender norms are important to me and I’ve had “feminist tendencies” for as long as I can remember. I dream of a time when the opportunities, success and equality of my gender are no longer topics of concern.

For me, a key problem with the women’s “equality dialog,” is that many want recognition for their woman-hood. They want an extra round of applause (an entire gendered history month!) to celebrate overcoming the obstacle of being born female. I think this is the wrong approach. While women should network to encourage, foster and support the success of other women (because significant gender-related obstacles do exist) what our end-goal should be is to be treated like “one of the boys”. For me, a successful women’s movement would be one where being a woman who accomplished something is impressive for the accomplishment itself, not because a woman managed to succeed where no woman has before.

How do we get the media to be less gendered? Do you have habits which you could change for the benefit of greater equality? If this topic interests you at all, this is worth watching and this is worth reading.

Image Via Pinterest