Snow, Finally!

I was so happy to wake up this morning to some REAL snow. It's flurried a little this winter, but nothing that really stuck around. After work today, there was still snow on the ground. YAY!

I'm a winter girl, through and through. The blanket of white make me so happy. It's just so beautiful and quiet somehow.

Almost Sunset

I took this picture on Saturday from the end of our road in North Adams. One of the great things about living on a hill is the view.

It's so nice to see the mountains! They're small mountains, especially compared to those out west, but they're home to me. They change color depending on the time of day or time of year; you can't tell me that's not cool!

Home For The Weekend

Eric and I finished up February in North Adams with my parents and my brother. Our drive out to The Berkshires was pretty long because it was raining and snowing and wintery mixing, but it was worth it.

I was really missing my family and it was so great to see them. I was also really excited about all of the snow because we've just been getting a lot of rain here in Boston. I'm not the only one who was enjoying it; Z, the dog, was having an awful lot of fun bounding around the yard.

Saturday, Eric and I went skiing. I'm embarrassed to say that it was my first time this season. Yikes! In high school and college I skied on an almost daily basis for at least 5 weeks during the winter. But the past few years I've been lucky to make it to the mountain just 2 or 3 times. Needless to say, getting on the mountain was the best. We had a great time.

Hope your weekend was fabulous, too!

After The Snow

Tuesday it snowed and snowed and everything felt very quiet and sleepy. Yesterday afternoon I walked to Brookline and enjoyed a world of white on white. All of the trees and lawns were covered in snow and the sky looked like a blank sheet of paper.

During my walk tiny chunks of ice and globs of snow kept falling out of the trees and landing on my head and shoulders; it's all melting away pretty quickly. Today it's quite sunny, and it's warm enough for me to have my window open! It feels good to get some fresh air circulating around our little apartment.

What's making you smile today?

Dancing Flames

I don't have much to say about this picture. I just like it, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Fire is mesmerizing, isn't it? On a cold night like this, it's very appealing. We don't have a fireplace in our apartment though, so I'll just have to dream.

Happy Friday + happy weekend.

Looking In Windows

While we were downtown on New Year's Eve, even the darkened stores and clubs looked festive.

Sparkle and shine.

Lights On The Tree

Eric's family has a beautiful Christmas tree in their family room.

It was also super exciting to find a bunch of gifts for me under the tree!

I hope you all had a lovely holiday. I'm looking forward to New Year's Eve! Where will you be celebrating?

Driving Into A Cloud

On Saturday afternoon, after spending a week at home, it was time to say good-bye. My mom drove me over the Mohawk Trail on our way to meet up with Eric. We were in clouds and surrounded by a dusting of snow as we drove over the mountain, and it felt like magic.

The trees and road just disappeared into white. Visibility was actually pretty good, so we didn't even lose any time. It was just fun to look around.

Later today or tomorrow I'll post photos of Eric's family's Christmas tree.

*More photos on flickr.

December Blizzard

The blizzard started late Saturday night. The snow was really coming down, and by noon on Sunday there was at least a foot. ♥

Eric braved the storm so that I could come home for the holiday week -- he drives me halfway and then my parents (this time it was my sister) meet me and bring me the rest of the way home.

It was slow going at first, but we made it. In fact, the mess on the roads only added about 20 minutes to our trip (but it felt like an extra hour or two). The farther west we headed, the better the roads got. At the halfway point, there was no sign of a blizzard at all.

I took the pictures from the car.

Luckily, there was already some snow on the ground in North Adams, so I'll still have a white (with a few patches of grass) Christmas.

7th Night Of Hanukkah

I've always liked lighting the menorah for Hanukkah. There's this picture of me as a little kid just looking at the candles in awe. I still feel that way. There's something magical about them.

When I was little I would sometimes get upset about getting smaller gifts than my friends or I'd be jealous of my sister's prizes. As a kid, it's hard to see past the presents during the holidays. But as I get older I understand why people are always talking about the spirit of the season. This year I haven't opened a gift each night of Hanukkah, but it's still been fabulous. Suddenly trinkets don't seem as important as they once did. Now I'm grateful for the life I'm living, the things I have, and the people who love me. I don't really want anything else for Hanukkah.

Christmas is a different story. I'm expecting mountains of gifts bright and early on the 25th! (Totally kidding, family. No I'm not. Yes, I really am.)

*Today's Lost in Thoughts is awesome, if I do say so myself. Plus, there's a special offer! Check it out right here.

Sunday In The South End

On Sunday afternoon we went to the South End to check out the SoWa Holiday Market. It was really crowded, but I did manage to pick up a gift for my sister.

We also spent some time exploring the area.

One of the highlights of the afternoon was the 15 or so minutes we spent laughing at dogs playing in the dog park. There was one little dog, in particular, that was just the most adorable thing!

It was sort of a dreary day, weather-wise, and when it started raining we headed to the car. We bought coffee (Eric), hot chocolate (me), and an apple fritter to help us warm up and to perfect our day.

Snowball Snow

I should be writing about the black tie affair we attended on Friday evening, but I'm just too excited about the snow! So snow today, gala tomorrow.

Yesterday afternoon we experienced what weathermen often call a "wintery mix." Then, when it turned into actual for real snow, I was thrilled. I stood at the window watching it come down for quite awhile. There's something about a good snowfall that just makes the world seem so peaceful.

It was wonderful to wake up to a snow covered landscape. Since it was a sunny day, we ventured out for a walk in the late afternoon. Just beautiful.

I love putting on my scarf and mittens. I love the chilly air on my cheeks. I love seeing my breath when I talk. I love coming home and getting wrapped up in a cozy blanket! Yay winter! Do you think it will it stick around?