While speaking to a group at Harvard Business School, Elder Anderson mentioned that it's always easier to see the Lord's hand looking back.  I agree, but I also think there are times when you see His hand every minute, of every day. I am a firm believer He is always mindful of us, but I think there are certain times when He bumps us to the front of the line, the ICU, the round the clock watch.  From about March 2011-Feb 2012 I think I was on that "list".   I am and was grateful for His careful nurturing, but thankfully those times are gone. Now I am just in the "normal" lot and if I am careful, I see His hand once in a while: 

• It came as an evening with Ruth, we had nachos and laughed so hard we cried 
• It came as a Taco Tuesday with the Melissa's, they never knew what was beneath the surface, they didn't need to, I just needed them to be there
• It came as a bundle of moving blankets and tape from Laura + 2 kids who showed up unprompted when I had no idea what I was going to do
• It came as extra muscles from Dave and Melissa when I knew I couldn't pack one more box
• It came as a hug and a, "I've been thinking about you" from Leigh
• It came as a text from a friend in Boston
• It came as a phone call after work from Wendy
• It came as in invitation from Devin and Stephanie
• It came as a relayed message from Teresa that @ the baby shower I missed, the Vanbibber crew asked about me and sent their love.

There are pages and pages and pages of examples in all of our lives, those listed were the first that came to my mind. I think everything happens for a reason and sometimes, without a shadow of a doubt, I am positive, He is behind it, He is the reason.

Snore: so I am watching a movie with a friend, I hear this weird noise and after a while I look at them and say, "do you hear that?" they are laughing.....they look at me and say, "are you serious? you are snoring!" after that I remember watching the movie but not really processing it.

And this was not the first time! This is my 3rd offense in the recent past of me snoring with my eyes open. I would like to thank Sundance for working me like a dog.

So I think I may have mentioned that I work a lot! So because of that I don't have many good stories :( and the ones I do have are about work! -or men :)- so here is more work:

{strawberry souffle, with strawberry "paper", and strawberry macaron, garnished with dark chocolate and spun sugar on the berry....that you can't really see}

Art: Yesterday another chef at work asked me why I thought the french hated the americans. Drawing on my decade plus love affair with the country and my few years living there, I could only think of one reason: for americans life is a race, for the french, life is art.

The french take hours to savor food, a break during the day for a nap, and then a long stroll as dusk approaches.

Americans drive-thru doing their best to keep the mustard of the dry-clean only's, when that afternoon haze sets in we pop a 5-hr energy or another espresso, and at night, we wind down with CNN, ESPN, or Fox News.

The french realize that life will happen and that not only recognizing, but savoring the small moments will be enough. Preserve the old, cherish tradition

Americans try to cram mass quantities of everything into every moment. Fast paced movies, enormous meals, if it's old tear it down, where is the newest trend....adopt it ASAP!

{mind you I realize these are almost naive stereotypical generalizations but you get the point}

I don't know if one way of living is better, there are certainly massive pros and cons to both lifestyles, however, I tend to err on the side of racing more than living some days, and I think I could use a little more life as art in my life.

Red Velvet: @ Sundance there are 3 ski shacks that we make treats for every morning. And every morning the the bearded rough and tumble employees who work there come to pick up their treats. Well all are rough and tumble except one, Creek Side Guy. He of course works at the Creek Side shack and I know his name but I refer to him as Creek Side Guy.  He is simply lovely, curly hair, giant smile, piercing teal eyes, 6'3", and he probably has a girl friend, but we shamelessly flirt with anything male that comes through the kitchen, because we have been there since 4am and it is the only fun we get. So, back to the story.....CSG comes in yesterday and this time he lingers. He says, "it is warm and always smells good down here, maybe I should come hang out here more often" ...and I am thinking, "yes yes yes hang out here!!" but I don't say that. In a nonchalant way I say, "whatever" and then I flash a little side smile and a wink. Good move right :). It is at this point I walk 2 steps and turn on the mixer {so he can see me work pastry magic} and in the anxious, I am so awkward and I generally suck at flirting, madness that was going on, I forget to check the mixers speed. And you guessed it, it is on high, I need it on low!, so when I turn it on, red velvet cake flies everywhere, but mostly on me, my face, my chef coat, my hair.  Smooth move MK. CSG laughs uncomfortably, and not knowing really what to do, he exits stage right.

Bacon: they asked for bacon so I gave them this: bacon infused whited chocolate mousse with raspberry gelee. Yep that is chocolate covered bacon on top. I think bacon is a bit over used and slightly too kitchy in desserts, but they asked for it.....and I kind of love how it turned out :)

DBD #6 Decorators Feast: Oh you thought they were done ?! silly you. So I know I said during February I would post about love, well this about the absence of love :) and it is so great. I think as long as I am single, I will continue to find dive bomb dates. I don't search for them, they find me. I think the universe knows I like a good joke. So last night....date was planned a few days in advance, he seemed nice enough via text, and then, I met him. Nice, so nice, like hummingbird food sweet nice, too nice. I could overlook that though :) Also 3 inches shorter than me and I was in flats. I could overlook that too :). He gave me a quick tour of his giant fancy house before we were going to leave for the movie, he had hand selected vinyl sticker quotes from Disney movies to go in every room! This would be hard to overlook :) He had a room custom painted and decorated as a nursery for when he got married and had a baby! This would also be hard to overlook :) There was more with the house, but the vinyl quotes and nursery are the highlights. So on to the movie.....wait why is he taking me down stairs? Wait, we are watching a movie here? Fine, I can overlook that. All of a sudden the movie comes on, Madagascar 3, it's a cartoon, and it isn't a joke, he seriously has picked this out!!! Can't really overlook that. I stay. 30 min into the movie he leans into hug me, smashes his cheek against mine, and I am thinking, "thanks for the free exfoliation, but really? if this is your big move, you should have shaved".  The cheek smashing is as far as it goes, when he is done, he takes my face in his hands and says, "it is taking all the restraint I have not to kiss you. I never kiss on a first date, it's a rule. I've only kissed 4 girls in my life and I would like you to be my fifth, just not right now". Hold up Casanova, you are 34 and you have only kissed 4 girls?  My, my, I don't think I can be your 5th. I am way too much for you. The movie ends, there is another long awkward hug, another cheek exfoliation, an offer for me to stay for a late dinner- that I politely decline- and then the best part. I go to put on my coat, my arm brushes the drapes, the top valence shifts a little and then he shoves me away from the drapes and says, "Whoa be careful. Those took me 2 hours to iron and position" I attempt to readjust the valence. "Whoa no no no I will get that, just don't touch anything." He goes in for one more hug, I go right for the door handle and say, "I think we are done here".  And thus ends another DBD story for your reading pleasure.

Ya Buddy : the Tree Room changes tasting desserts every week, last week I did a little of this. .... cabernet poached pear with a sugared phyllo crust, creme fraiche ice cream with caramelized hazelnuts, and a little balsamic reduction.  {the pictures are crude, sorry} I love fancy desserts.  

LOVE

February has begun, and so all of my post this month will consist of something to do with love......why? because valentine's day is my favorite holiday and I love love!! And here is a picture, the last one I took before leaving DC, with me and one of the 3 littles I love, love and miss every day!

I have mentioned it before, but I thought you might like to see what I see when I take, "mountain breaks". You see in the kitchen, you never sit down, you don't take lunch breaks, you don't do anything but scale, bake, boil, wash, rinse and repeat. Therefore, almost everyone smokes because it gives them a reason to walk away from work.  They clear their minds while clogging their lungs....I clear my mind while staring at these amazing mountains. {just look past the trucks}