yes I do heart tax season

I never thought I'd be saying this but I do. I just picked up 550 of these mugs for our volunteers.

craft night

My girlfriends and I have started to get together to craft. Pinterest has really brought out the crafters in all of us. We're finding it to be one challenging -- and dangerous -- hobby though. Nobody escaped without burning themselves with the hot glue gun. Poor Julie's was the worst -- it put her on the disabled list for the night, but hopefully not for the season. (Sorry for the dark photos -- it was late before the wreaths were far enough along to get a photo and I only had my camera phone.)

enchilada dinner

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on the West Side substitutes enchiladas for the fish fry during Lent -- perfect for a Mexican-food-loving (and West-Side-loving) vegetarian. Plus Debbie Luna (pictured above) decorates the heck out of the social hall for dinner -- Our Lady of Guadalupe has to be the most colorful Catholic church in St. Paul.

Farm Girl

My favorite beer is back in a bottle!

new office

Someone has a new office and a new L-shaped desk! We're expanding our staff and thus our office space so I moved on down the hall and now have a perfect view of everyone coming in the front door and am within ear shot of our staff that speak Spanish. My nosy and Spanish-language-adoring self loves it.

my favorite chip

Guess what was on sale at the grocery store? There is no greater chip than these guys (family-made in Chicago).

pobrecito, White Bear Lake

My mom and I went for a walk around White Bear Lake today. We need some rain. And to find that leak. The lake is looking so sad.

St. Patty's Day

Enjoying a beer at a German bar on St. Patty's Day. The Irish bars were far too crowded for me at my old age so I opted for the next best thing -- a Hofbrauhaus and a giant pretzel.

Happy St. Patrick's Eve!

Minnecanos

My friend Liz invited me to a Mixed Blood Theater play at the Parkway Theater to see Minnecanos.

my favorite book store

This used book store is just down the street from my apartment. It's adorably packed full of books -- floor to ceiling. My favorite find there thus far is a signed copy of "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent." for $4.50.

mi querida Boca Chica

If there is one thing I love it's Boca Chica's margaritas and hot salsa and the West Side and speaking Spanish and talking about Mexico and Tuesday nights after a Cinco de Mayo meeting.

I caved

I caved and got myself a pair of Lululemon leggings for yoga, walking and eventually running. I may or may not be taking these off, ever. This is about the most flattering self-portrait in leggings I could get (and I tried multiple times). These are my new inspiration to work out -- I spent a pretty penny on them so I best be gettin' good use out of 'em.

Minnehaha Falls

 I went hiking today at Minnehaha Park. The half melted falls were cool -- and really dirty. I wish I would have set my camera to black and white for this one.

Spring has sprung!

Spring has sprung. The windows are open!

Letting loose during tax season

The best part of my job may just be my co-workers. Here are a few of them at our volunteer happy hour. Leigh is sporting purple hair because we met our fundraising goal and purple is our color. Caleb is flexing his tax preparing muscles. Yes, I said taxes -- he prepares a mean return. I mean what else would you use those muscles for?!?

World's best coffee shop

This is where I start my day every morning. And I love it. And I feel a lot of guilt for it. Guilt for spending money on something I could make at home. But I've recently made my peace with it. There really is no better way to start your day. The barristas know me by name or rather drink -- half decaf hazelnut latte (everyone has to have a Cheers), they often compliment my hair or outfit, and it's so fun to eavesdrop on the corner of retired folks discussing current events and imagine myself doing that one day.

Vino

Thomas Liquors is having a sale on wine so I stocked up since I'm hosting book club this month. I'm excited to try a few new organic wines.

Little Free Library

Today was 50-something so I took advantage of the sneak-peak of spring to walk my 4-mile loop and found this! I read about these a couple of months ago and was so surprised to see one in my neighborhood. It was at the start of my walk so I ran straight home and got a book to trade -- "A Visit From the Goon Squad" for "Olive Kitteridge."

Happy birthday Grandpa!

Today is my  late grandpa's birthday. Grandpa Lonny was as Irish as they come and as grumpy as they come. Oh, how I loved him. He took me fishing, showed me how to hunt for night crawlers and taught me naughty Irish slang (that came in quite handy at the pubs while traveling in Galloway). O'Gara's was his neighborhood hang out and is now one of  my neighborhood bars. I love that I get to drive by it every day on my way to work -- I can almost hear my Irish leprechaun's voice yelling "ya dingbat, arg you amadán" as I pass by.

Greatest Generation

I just finished reading "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand. It is quite possibly the best book I've ever read. It's about Olympic runner and WWII bombardier Louis Zamperini whose plane was shot down by the Japanese over the Pacific Ocean. He survived more than a month on a raft in the middle of the Pacific only to be rescued by the Japanese and held as prison of war in absolutely horrific conditions.

Reading "Unbroken" sparked me to ask my mom about her dad's brother who was prisoner of war in Germany. She gave me this 2004 "Villager" article.

Uncle Tom was an aerial gunner during WWII whose plane was shot down by the Germans near Amsterdam. After surviving the crash, he was captured by the Germans and held at a stalag near Vienna, Austria. Although the Germans abided by the Geneva Convention, there was little food to be found. Uncle Tom was fed only sawdust bread and lost 50 lbs. At that time Vienna was on the verge of being captured by the Russians so the Germans moved his stalag via a 27-day march along the Danube. The war ended shortly thereafter and he was freed. Uncle Tom earned the distinguished flying cross and was credited with downing two German planes.

What an amazing man, what an amazing generation. With my recent learnings, the word "greatest" is taking on a whole new meaning for me.

Lazy Saturdays

Saturdays during my crazy tax season include a whole lot of laziness -- Gossip Girl on Netflix, reading on the Kindle, catching up on blogs and my new fave coconut La Croix.

Big brother

I was super excited to go with my sister to her ultrasound today for baby boy #2. Charlie is one proud big brother. Don't mind the red bump between his eyes -- he fell while coloring in the bathtub. It's rough, the life of a 19-month-old.

31 going on 81

Embroidery is my new favorite pastime. Yes, I am 31 going on 81. Playing with embroidery thread is my nephew Charlie's new favorite pastime. Thank you for the ball of thread, Charlie.