Quogue Whale Bones

My favorite part of vacations, when I was younger, was waking up super early and strolling the beach for sand dollars and shells. It felt so magical to wake up and smell and hear the ocean right outside our door. I grew up in Chicago, mostly, and the beach was so exotic and special. Now the beach is in our backyard and I get to raise my littles in the waves and tide pools. It's still just as special and I love seeing how the tide changed the beach the night before and what fun things washed up while I was gone. A few years ago a whale washed up on our beach and the felon got a close up look at one of God's most beautiful creatures. Then a few days ago a 15 foot vertebral section of a whale washed up a little east of Quogue Village Beach. "If you are lucky enough to live by the beach, you are lucky enough."

32nd Birthday

Six years ago the Alaskan Assassin and I were living in Sag Harbor Village and it was a town with many year-round residents. Apparently that is not the case anymore because Main Street was dead yesterday. I was hoping for a veggie burger, kale salad and birthday milkshake from LT Burger. Closed. Perhaps a buddhaBerry frozen yogurt? Closed. I figured Doppio, Muse and Bay Burger would be closed, but Sylvester and Co too? Jeez. So, instead of a delicious feast, I grabbed a pizza and set off to enjoy what I love about the Hamptons in the off season. First stop, Main Beach in East Hampton. The beach was empty, the temperature mild and the sun shining. The littles and I strolled for beach treasures and enjoyed a quick snowball fight. The beach is always uplifting and relaxing no matter the time of year. We checked into the Maidstone for a little break and then fed the ducks at the pond off of Davids Path. Shay said "duck" for the first time and we enjoyed perusing the trails without other visitors. There was a muskrat swimming along with the ducks and a falcon above us ready to attack. The wildlife made the littles day and I was so thankful for a fifty degree day on my birthday. What really made this 32nd birthday special was my dinner table filled with my family and the Betty Crocker Rainbow Chip Icing, that had been discontinued for two years, on top of my chocolate birthday cake!

The Hamptons Blizzard 2016 Withdrawls

The snow has been cleared well enough for us to venture off into the world again on a two hour delay. Boo. No more lazy mornings in bed, waffles from scratch and movies until we all fall asleep on the couch. I'm so glad we live somewhere that the snow can force us inside and give us a pause from the daily grind. I really cherish these days of tiny boots lined up by the door and snow pants, hats and mittens littering the floor. If I could freeze time, I think I would right now.

The BEST Snow Ice Cream Recipe

I've seen some snow ice cream recipes posted yesterday, but none of those hold a candle to the one we use. Our secret ingredient is included in our hot chocolate too. Sweetened condensed milk!

What you need:

11 cups of tightly packed white snow ( the fresher the better)

1-14-oz can of Eagle Brand condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

Stir it all together and add some sprinkles. Enjoy it immediately. It only lasts about as long as a 2 year old with snow inside their boots.

Shay Bae Bae could NOT wait to dig in!

But it was colder than she anticipated.

Once passed the initial chill, she loved it and so did Uncle Don.

The First Blizzard of 2016

I'm not sure why I ever make plans around my birthday because a snow storm hits us that time every year. When I was a little, it was fine because that meant no school. When I was in college, it was fine because weather didn't ever effect any of our going out decisions. As an adult, before children, it was a bummer because snow never stopped you from going to work and no one would want to go out after. Now, as a mama of three, its pretty amazing. How fun to reschedule our plans and live in the moment. Wake up and share in their jubilation that overnight our house became a snow globe. Rummage through our favorite hats and gloves and get outside to catch some of that frosty goodness. Make a snow angel, have a snowball fight, shovel the driveway ( they really like doing that with their little shovels) and make a snowman. The possibilities for fun are endless. Now I have some snow ice cream to make and a sled hill to shred. Enjoy the day!