As it turns out, some of the most mundane of days can turn out to be really splendid.

My 26th birthday is in eight days. In my family, there is a long-standing tradition of my mom making our requested dinner and cake/pie/cheesecake of choice and the whole family gathers at my parents' house to celebrate. Being 1600 miles away from my family, however, makes this event impossible.

Not wanting to feel depressed by the emptiness this birthday brings, I set out to find the best recipe I could find for mocha cupcakes. It should be noted that although there are at least a dozen cupcakeries in Seattle, I am still quite partial to my mocha cupcake from Sprinkles! This cupcake recipe mission went on for a couple hours and I found some great foodie blogs and recipes, perhaps even the perfect one for my birthday cupcakes. While this went on, the Eagles/Packers game played in the background, but the pain of my Colts' loss last night is still strong so this game was just for background noise, not enjoyment.

Often times when I'm staring at my computer screen for hours, as is the case when I'm depressingly job hunting 12 hours a day, I forget to look up and appreciate the view outside. Some days I'm greeted by bright blue skies and others its more of that milky, overcast sky that most people think of when they think of Seattle. But on this day, the scene was far more exciting! I leaped out of my chair, smile from ear to ear and giddy like a child on Christmas morning because there is nothing like a snow flurry filled sky, a snow globe right outside my door! It's the little things for me...