French macarons

This is how mine looked

What they are supposed to look like

Google can be so frustrating. You'd think that since Chrome and Blogger are both Google products that they would be compatible but no..Blogger won't open  with Chrome. I sent messages to them to no avail. I can see my blog but I can't post or edit. I did notice that all is fine with it on my iPad but I hate posting with that plus my photos are on my computer. So I gave IE a shot..and voila (or should I say .viola!) I can at least open up the posting screen. Whether this will publish, we will see.

So for the Moms group, I am the dessert lady. As everyone seems to be on diets, I went for a light dessert..French macarons or in English..macaroons. Preparation for the batter is easy(following a Martha Stewart recipe) but piping them into a neat shape, not so much. Need to buy new supplies, I guess. I put the dough in a baggie but it burst. So back to hand shaping them with the rough result on top. It would be nice to have a variety of flavors. I was going to put cocoa powder in some of them but was out. I could melt chocolate but instead ground up chocolate covered espresso beans. So I had two colors. I filled some with that chocolate spread containing bits of toffee and some with the cookie spread containing ginger snaps.

Winter continues. It was a minus 16 Friday morning but with no wind. There is a band of dry pavement in our neighborhood now for the first time in 2 months so I can run on that. Sidewalks and driveways are full of ice as are dirt roads. The host mom lives on a dirt road in the country. More than a mile of bumpy glare ice though at least it is flat and straight. The main dish: coconut ginger cod soup which was very tasty. I am so blessed to have these moms as friends..our babies are turning 35 this summer unbelievable as that is.lots of sharing and laughter. A bright spot in my life.

Earlier that day, a visit with Maya. She (late bloomer as she is) is becoming more imaginative in her play. She asked Papa to sit on the stairs and buckle his seat belt as they were playing driving in a car. She is now asking more consistently to use the bathroom too.

Yesterday was very low key. I am tired. I ran and hiked way more than usual during the past week and my insomnia continues (melantonin is no help). I did a lot of reading. In a week or so, weather permitting, we will venture to the East Coast. It snowed again..when will it stop? Meanwhile 80 degrees where Josh and Julie are.

As you can see, baby weight gone. Either Josh bought a shirt too small or it is too hot there