The Coyote Incident

If you follow me on Twitter or read my previous post, you know that we hit a coyote on our way home from the K-State game over the weekend.  Well, we are fine but the car...not so much.  It is currently at the body shop and we are currently waiting to figure out how many lunches we'll have to skip to pay for the damage (kidding! did you forget I'm married to the world's most conservative spender??).

Just in case you wanted to see the damage, here it is:

{notice the dried coyote saliva on the top, left-hand side?!?}

{side view}

{yep, that is coyote hair stuck between the wheel and tire}

While my car is being fixed up I'm rocking a pretty awesome 4-cylinder Hundai Sonata.  I'm seriously grateful though, because I don't really want to leave the house at the crack of dawn with Brandon and I also don't want to rely on my co-workers to haul me all over town.

So, there you have it.  Thankfully we didn't hit a deer and thankfully the coyote was dead and didn't try to attack us while we were assessing the damage on the side of the road.  Which come to think of it, probably wasn't our brightest idea since there weren't any lights on the highway, but we weren't really thinking about our safety at the time.  Things could have been much worse, so we are thankful we were safe and didn't cause anyone else to have an accident. 

S'Mores Anyone?

One thing we wanted to do over the weekend was put our new fire pit to use and make s'mores.  However, if you live in our area you will know that was nearly impossible since the wind was so strong all weekend.  So, tonight was the night and we even had the company of our small group (who are really our friends).

The boys got the fire started for us and then we all went to town with the marshmallows!  In my last issue of Food Network Magazine I found several different versions of s'mores.  We decided to try the Elvis (banana and peanut butter) and the Mint Chocolate (York Peppermint Patty) versions, along with the traditional versions.  I think the Elvis was a hit, along with our own version of peanut butter and chocolate.

Here is I am putting my peanut butter and chocolate s'more together.  I don't like to get my marshmallows too gooey!

And somehow, I'm the only one Brandon got a picture of stuffing my face.  But in an effort to keep things real here, I figured I should post the pic anyway...

The evening couldn't have been more perfect to be outside enjoying the fire.  We will definitely be putting the new fire pit to use a lot this fall.  I'm thinking wine around the fire sounds nice, too!  Anyone want to join me?

Labor Day Weekend Abbreviated

I have a few pictures that I haven't downloaded yet, so maybe I will post those at some point but here is an abbreviated version of our Labor Day Weekend:

• Sporatic dinner out on Friday night
• Go up early Saturday morning and headed to Manhattan for K-State's season opener against UCLA
• Lunch at So Long Saloon - one of our favorite Manhattan restaurants
• Purchased t-shirts for a KSU t-shirt quilt that Pam is making - shocked that the cheap t-shirt store didn't have more stock for the first game
• Fun game and KSU won!
• Hit a coyote on our way home from Manhattan
• Pulled over to assess the damage to my car and saw coyote saliva all over the front panel - gross!
• Made homemade biscuits and gravy on Sunday morning using the Pioneer Woman's biscuit recipe and a cute flower cookie cutter
• Ran a few errands and decided we wanted to just relax at home
• Watched one whole season of Entourage
• Decided I should cook dinner so we had fajitas using flank steak (one of my favorite cuts of meat)
• Slept in on Monday
• Took Koby for a walk
• Brandon mowed and I picked up the house
• Went to see "Going the Distance" - funny, but a bit vulgar
• Ate too many sweets at the movie but tried a new brownie recipe anyway
• Watched our Monday night TV shows and I started a little craft project (more on that later)
• Went to bed thinking about how much neither one of us wanted to get up for work today

Our goal was to just spend time at home and relax since we've had such a busy summer and we did just that! Now, I'm ready for Fall!!!!

This Really Crosses the Line

Only at the State Fair will you find these...

{Photo courtesy of The Wichita Eagle}

That is right! KRISPY KREME CHEESEBURGERS!!!  Bleck!!!  I can't even imagine the taste of this disgusting combination, but I didn't think chocolate covered bacon would be a hit either and apparently it is taking the country by storm.  Next thing you know they are going to fry up the infamous butter sculpture. 

We might have to take a trip to the fair this year, just to see these cheeseburgers with our own eyes!  But I will NOT be sampling them.  Now, the fried oreos could be another story :)

Thursday Thoughts

As I mentioned we've had a pretty busy week, but I can't really recall anything monumental that has happened.  But none the less, I still have a few thoughts to share:

• Today on my way to work, I got behind a lady who was smoking in her car.  Because of the cool weather, I had my air vent on, rather than my A/C and I could smell her smoke through in my car!!  Ughh...I just think smoking is so gross and I feel like I shouldn't have to smell other people's smoke in my own car.
• Also on my way to work, a flock of geese stopped four lanes of traffic so they could cross the road from the river to a neighborhood...stupid geese.  And to make matters worse, they took their own sweet time crossing the road.
• I purchased this new face wash this week and so far I really like it.  It creates a lovely, frothy lather and leaves my face feeling so clean!  And, I signed myself up for a complimentary facial in a couple of weeks :)

• I went grocery shopping last night and as I was walking into the store, my grocery list flew out of my hands and I had to chase it all over the parking lot.  I felt pretty awesome....
• We will be here on Saturday!!!!

• We are sooo looking forward to a nice long weekend!  Other than the football game, we don't have much on our agenda except to relax and do whatever we want to do.  We might catch a movie, do a little shopping for work clothes for Brandon, and enjoy our patio and fire pit.
• So today was 9.02.10 day!  How could anyone forget Kelly, Steve, Brenda, Brandon, Andrea, Dylan, Donna and David? 

• We are starting a new Bible study next week, but we still need to figure out which study!  Anyone have any good ideas?
• Tomorrow is Friday, jeans day at work AND my boss and I are having lunch with our former boss (my current boss and I used to work together at the advertising agency) at one of our favorite little Italian restaurants in Mulvane.  I'm not sure tomorrow could get much better!

Enjoy the long holiday weekend and cheer on the Cats!!

Cooling Off

Koby and I went outside to play ball for a little while after I got home from work.  It is still a little warm here, so he decided to cool himself off. 

I've got to give him credit for being resourceful!!

Weekend Wrap-Up on a Wednesday

Well, it is probably pretty obvious that I've had a busy week (and it is only Wednesday).  But never fear, here I am with our Weekend Wrap-Up!

Friday night we headed to GC to spend the weekend with Brandon's family and attend the CCR concert.  We stopped through P-town to grab tacos at my favorite fast food Mexican restaurant, and Brandon proceeded to dump half of his taco on his lap so we had to pull over at KFC so he could clean himself off.  I carefully unwrapped his second taco and all was well.  Once we got to GC, we unloaded our car, let the dogs play and took a ride in Brandon's parents' new car!  We suspected that they had bought a new car, but we knew they wanted us to be surprised.

Saturday morning the guys went to play golf and Brandon's mom and I got ready and headed downtown to a fun little coffee shop for breakfast.  After breakfast we hit up a local music festival at the park.  They had three different stages set up for music groups and then they had an arts and crafts tent for kids.  It was a fun way to enjoy the cool morning.  After the festival, we headed back to the house to get ready for the big pre-concert BBQ with family and friends.  We had a great time catching up with everyone and eating delicious food.  If I think about it, I will get Pam's pulled pork recipe to post here because it was yummy!

The concert started around 7:30 that evening.  The opening group was a local band who played some pretty hard rock music.  After the local band, the group Foghat played.  All I can say is that their music was definitely not my favorite style, but I do realize they are true musicians and can play a pretty mean guitar.  CCR was the main band and they took the stage around 9:00 or so.  I enjoyed their music much more, but that is probably because I knew more their songs.  The weather was perfect for the concert, so we couldn't have asked for a better evening.

Sunday was a pretty lazy day, but the highlight was (and always is) lunch at El Zarape and picking up two more jars of salsa.  GC has several Mexican restaurants but El Zarape is our favorite and we love their salsa!!  After lunch we pretty much loaded up the car and headed home.  It was a quick trip, but definitely fun!!

This week has been busier than we expected so we are looking forward to a nice three-day weekend and the first KSU football game!!  We will be in Manhattan on Saturday cheering on the Cats as they play UCLA.  There is just something about KSU game days that make me so happy so I can't wait to get there :)

Have a lovely rest of the week!

Recipe Update

Last week I posted our bi-weekly menu and so far I've made three of the of the new recipes and they have all been pretty good, but the Chicken and Veggie Tostadas have been our favorite.

Tonight, I made the Thai Lettuce Wraps.  I still can't remember where I got the recipe, but it is not my original creation so I can't take any credit for this.  The sauce was a bit spicy for me and I even took the author's tips and added extra honey and ketchup.  I might have added a little too much of the sweet chili sauce so that could have been part of the problem.  The only other alterations I made to the recipe were the addition of chopped water chestnuts and I eliminated the peanuts.  I don't really like peanuts and I also didn't have any on-hand.  So, since I didn't have a link to the recipe last week, I thought I would go ahead and share it tonight.

{Excuse the flash, but we didn't have very good lighting in the kitchen tonight}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thai Lettuce Wraps
(Serves 4)

1 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips (I only had a green pepper on-hand)
1/4 c. sweet chili sauce (found in the Asian food aisle)
1/4 c. honey
1 head of iceberg lettuce, washed and leaves removed
1/2 c. honey-roasted peanuts, chopped

Place oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook in the pan until golden brown on all sides.

Add in the red pepper and cook until soft, about three minutes.  Add in the chili sauce and honey.  Simmer to reduce it and coat the chicken.

To serve, place chicken mixture in lettuce leaves and roll up to eat (or eat with a fork like I do).

As I mentioned, the sauce was awfully spicy so if you want to make it a little more mild, use less chili sauce and add in ketchup.

Brandon really liked this meal and I think I would have liked it more had it not been so spicy.  It was definitely a very fast and easy meal to prepare, perfect for a busy evening!

Reconnecting

I will be the first to admit that I am sometimes guilty of losing touch with old friends.  When distance separates us or our lives take off in different directions, it has been easy for me to get pre-occupied with the here and now and lose track of people.  But, thank goodness for Facebook, or I would probably really be out of the loop. 

In the past week, I have reconnected, via Facebook, with two friends I haven't seen in person in years; one from my childhood and one from college.  A silly status update has prompted each lunch date and I couldn't be happier to have gotten to spend an hour with each one of these girls.  It is amazing how we were able to instantly reconnect because we still have so much in common. 

It was really fun to have lunch with my childhood friend because we were able to laugh about things from elementary school and high school, but we were also able to share about our families (my sister dated her brother at one time), find out what other people in our class are doing these days and really just have fun and be real with each other.  I could have spent half a day visiting with her.

Catching up with my college friend was also fun.  It is crazy to see how life can bring you back together.  Neither of us ever thought we would be living in our town, let alone at the same time.  We both took very different paths to get here, but couldn't be happier with where we are. 

I know I have definitely learned a valuable lesson this past week and that is to not be afraid to take an initiative to reconnect with someone, no matter how many days/weeks/years have passed by.  Because in the end, it really isn't that akward and I will walk away feeling refreshed and happy to have spent the time together. 

Soundtrack of My Life

I saw this idea on this blog and thought I would make the soundtrack of my life, too!  Except I'm not the best at remembering song titles and artists so this might be more challenging than I thought...

The songs are in no particular order, but each song reminds me of some period of time in my life (ah hem...Waterfalls reminds me of like 6th grade).  It may not be the lyrics that strike the memory, but maybe more of the time when the song was popular or a time when the song was played somewhere special, etc. -- so don't judge me!!

Back Where I Come From -- Kenny Chesney

Walkin' In Memphis -- Marc Cohn

I Wanna Talk About Me -- Toby Keith

Waterfalls -- TLC

Wonderful Tonight -- Eric Clapton

Carried Away -- George Strait

Dancing Queen – Abba

You’ve Got a Friend -- James Taylor

Don't Stop Believin' -- Journey

Like I Never Loved Before -- Phil Vassar

Billie Jean – Michael Jackson

Proud of the House We Built -- Brooks and Dunn

Brown Eyed Girl -- Van Morrison

Fishin' In the Dark -- Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

*A special thanks to Google for helping me out as I typed in song lyrics, hoping I could figure out the title of the song and the artist!

Weekend Wrap-Up

Well, it is Sunday evening and time to write our weekend wrap-up.  No pics from the weekend, but maybe I will find a way to fit them in once I receive them.

By Friday night, we were both so exhausted that we ordered pizza and settled in for a night of TV that was piled up on the DVR.  I think our DVR is one thing that I pushed for and Brandon was against for so long and now he probably wouldn't know what to do with out it.  In fact, we have already discussed getting the whole-house DVR once it comes out.

Thankfully, we both slept in a little bit on Saturday morning before heading out in different directions.  Brandon went golfing and I went to my friend Emily's house to work on flower arrangements for her brother's wedding reception that evening.  They got married in California so they used tropical flowers for the arrangements.  I think they turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself.  I will try to post pics soon!

I have been reminded this summer of just how much I love to arrange flowers.  After Brandon's cousin's wedding and now this, I find myself really missing the flower shop.  If it weren't for the crazy hours I would probably get more serious about doing something, but I know I couldn't take the hours for very long.  I wouldn't mind doing a few special events on the side throughout the year, though.  It might be a good way to make a little extra cash ;)

Later in the day, we headed over to a wedding reception BBQ for my friend Kourtney who got married in Hawaii in May.  She and her husband are both doing their med school rotations so we haven't gotten to see much of them since they moved to town so it was great to be able to celebrate with them last night.  It was a pretty steamy evening, but we still had fun catching up.

Today was a pretty low-key day.  Church, lunch, chores around the house, errands and dinner.  I did make this cake:

{photo courtesy of joyofbaking.com}

I had some bananas that were on their way out so I decided they needed to be used rather than thrown out and this cake was the perfect way to do that.  I did not frost it with the chocolate ganache and I'm glad I didn't.  It is pretty rich as it is and I think the ganache would have just put it over the edge.   

So, there you have it - our weekend in a nutshell.  I have to go to the dentist bright and early tomorrow so I better go brush extra good and floss twice!

Ta Da!!!

Happy Birthday to me!!!  As you can see, a few things have changed around here :)  Thanks to some generous birthday gifts, I was able to buy myself a custom designed blog!!  Hilary at Simply Yours Designs did a fabulous job of creating a template that was just what I was looking for.  And, she was so easy to work with.  I am just tickled with the outcome and now I feel like I am more inspired to blog because I want everyone to see my new look every day :)

We have had a semi-busy weekend so I will be back tomorrow with a weekend wrap-up, but I just couldn't wait to post something to show off my new blog!!  Enjoy!

Bi-Weekly Menu Plan

I am always looking for new meal ideas and I'm sure other people are too so I decided I would post our bi-weekly meal plan (I try to only go grocery shopping every two weeks...).  I'm trying several new recipes this time.  I think they all sound yummy, but we'll see how they turn out.

• Chicken and Veggie Tostadas*, Spanish rice, tossed salad
• Grilled Cajun Skirt Steak* (or Flank Steak), fresh creamed corn, Regal Romaine salad
• Thai Lettuce Wraps*
• Honey Chicken Skewers*, tomatoes (from the garden) and cucumbers, wild rice or baked potatoes
• Crockpot Roast and all the fixin's
• Patty Melts, macaroni salad*, fresh fruit

*New Recipe

So, there you have it.  You meal planning for the next two weeks is done!!

Our Weekend Wrap-Up

We had a fast, but enjoyable weekend.  It seems the weekends when we get to have some down time are the ones that always seem to go by the quickest!!

On Friday, I attended a stamping party at a co-worker's house in the evening while Brandon stayed home and watched a movie.  He had teased me about going to this party because I'm not very crafty.  I will admit, though, I was the youngest one there by about 30 years!!  Another one of my co-workers had been invited but she couldn't go because she was leaving town the next day, and I thought that the hotess's daughters would be there but they weren't.  Despite the age difference, I did have a good time and I even ended up buying a fun recipe card stamp set!  Of course Brandon was none too happy about this purchase because I have quite a bit of scrapbooking supplies that haven't been touched in years, but as I explained to him, this stamp set will be very handy so I can attached the recipe to the dish when I take meals to people and I plan to make several sets of recipe cards (with recipes) to give as Christmas gifts.  We have a bet going about the stamps.  He thinks they will get put in my scrapbooking bag and never see the light of day and I think I will use them this fall as we sit in the basement watching TV.  I'll keep you posted on who wins!

Saturday morning, we woke up bright and early to head to KC for this girl's first birthday!!

She had a garden party themed birthday complete with the cutest tissue paper flowers as decorations and this adorable butterfly cake!!  The poor girl wasn't feeling too good (you wouldn't know it by the picture, though) so it ended up just being a family party, but we still had a great time. 

I was in charge of making a caterpillar out of sandwiches (among a few other things).  I'm not so sure my caterpillar fits the whimsical garden party theme.  What do you think??

To me it looks more like some crazy character out a weird cartoon or perhaps a posessed caterpillar, but hey, I tried!

We headed out of KC around 7:30 that evening.  As we were driving through the Flint Hills, a storm was moving south and east of us and we saw the most beautiful lightning display.  As you might or might not know, there are absolutely no lights along the turnpike, so the lightning was just that much more awe inspring as it lit up the hills with a pretty shade of purple (must be God's country if the lightning is even purple!).  We knew we weren't in danger, thanks to B's Blackberry and the radar, so maybe that helped us enjoy the show even more.

Sunday morning we got up and went to church for what seems like the first time in forever!  Between being out of town and working the check-in station I feel like we haven't been to church all summer.  It was a great time of worship and we heard a great message about letting God handle ALL of the baggage in our life.  It was a good reminder to acknowledge the baggage I've been carrying around and to consciously give it over to God and let him handle it.  When I think about this literally, I think about how I beg for bell hops at hotels or the airport to just take my bags for me so I don't have to walk with all of the weight bearing down on me, but in contrast, I'm so unwilling to fully give my spiritual baggage over to God.  I'm not sure what I'm afraid of, but I'm hoping this week I can figure it out!

After church, we ran a couple of errands including scoping out an antique mall for some brightly colored books to put on our shelves in the basement.  After about an hour of looking, we came home with three old books that met all of my criteria.  After the antique mall, Brandon dropped me off at the house and he headed in to the office to get some work done.  Around 1:00 or so, it started to rain so I took a lovely Sunday afternoon nap.  I just couldn't pass up the chance to nap during a rare rain shower.  After my nap, I cleaned up the house and got laundry started, played with Koby and started dinner.  I made homemade pizza, but the dough didn't quite get done.  Next time, I think I will partially bake the crust before adding the toppings.  While I made dinner, Brandon watached the PGA Championship.  Boy, was that a close call!  I felt so bad for Dustin Johnson.  Hopefully, he can come back and play even harder in the next tournament. 

Later in the evening, I decided to bake Monster cookies!  I just love those cookies and since the recipe makes so much, I ended up bringing half of them to work today.  There is just something so yummy about peanut butter and chocolate mixed together in a cookie :)  While the cookies baked, I made follow up calls to recruit more volunteers for check-in at church.  This summer has been quite a struggle making sure volunteers are there every Sunday, and to be honest, I'm getting a little burnt out.  So far, I have four new volunteers coming to a training later this week and I have calls out to several others.  Hopefully, we will get the schedule filled up and I won't have to fill in as much.

And now, it's Monday and I'm lacking motivation.  I guess I just need to eat a cookie to energize myself and get to work!

Dinner Tonight

I haven't posted any recipes in a while so I thought I would share what we had for dinner tonight.

The menu included:

• Grilled KC Strip steaks
• Grilled Yukon Gold potatoes
• Spinach Cauliflower Toss
• Cucumber Salad

We don't typically do too much to our steaks before putting them on the grill, and tonight was no different; salt, pepper, garlic powder and a little onion powder.  Same goes for the potatoes.  We just dice them up, toss them with seasoned salt and pepper, drizzle them with olive oil and wrap them in foil.

While the steak and potatoes were grilling, I prepared the Cucumber Salad and the Spinach Cauliflower Toss.

For the cucumbers:
2 cucumbers, sliced
2 shallots, sliced
Seasoned Salt
3 T. Red Wine Vinegar
4-5 T. Olive Oil
Pinch Sugar
Fresh Ground Pepper
Dill

Toss the cucumbers, shallots and a teaspoon (or so) of seasoned salt and pour into a colander.  Let the cucumbers drain for 10-15 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine the red wine vinegar, olive oil, sugar, fresh ground pepper and dill in a bowl (I didn't really do much measuring so my measurements are just a guess...).  Toss the cucumbers in the dressing, let marinate for 10 - 15 minutes and serve.

I combined a couple of recipes I found to create this recipe and it was really tasty!  Next time I will peel the cucumbers as these cucumbers had pretty tough skins.

For the Spinach Cauliflower Toss:
1/2 head of cauliflower florets, sliced
1 ripe avocado, sliced (pretend I put this in because I accidentally forgot it tonight)
Lemon juice
1/2 bunch fresh spinach, torn
1/2 c small pitted black olives (I use the pre-sliced olives in the can)
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Sprinkle avocado with lemon juice.  Combine spinach, sliced cauliflower, avocado and olives in a bowl.  Whisk together the following dressing:

6 T. vegetable oil
3 T. white wine vinegar (I didn't have any so I substituted red wine vinegar)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. dried basil (oregano works, too)
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Pour dressing over salad, add pine nuts and toss.

I believe this recipe came from the Junior League of Wichita's cookbook, Women of Great Taste.  If you don't have this cookbook (which I don't, I steal recipes from my mom's copy), you should pick it up.  It is full of WONDERFUL recipes!!

So, there you have it - our dinner tonight!

Hospitality

Have any of you ever taken the spiritual gifts test?  It is a test that helps to define where you should be serving in the church.  The spiritual gifts range from administration to craftsmanship to hospitality to prophecy to teaching and on and on.  I've taken the test several times and every time I've taken it, the gift of hospitality has been high on my list; not always in the same place but always one of my highest gifts.  So, when we had a workshop about Radical Hospitality during my summer Bible study, I was beyond excited!

I love planning for guests who are visiting our home, I love cooking for people, I love taking meals to people and I love decorating.  While some of these may seem a bit shallow (decorating), I do believe they all serve as a way to minister to people.  Creating a place where people feel comfortable is part of being hospitable.  If your home is welcoming  they are more likely to feel comfortable opening up and sharing their lives.

In today's busy world, it seems it is not common for people to take meals to other people who are in need.  While it might be a little more normal in the church community, I know it is not common outside of the church, but a simple, home cooked meal can really be a blessing.   We recently took a meal to a family friend who had just had a baby and they told my mom that they couldn't believe I would go to all the work to prepare and deliver a meal to them, but to me that is the easiest way I can help someone out. 

During our workshop, the host gave several tips for being hospitable so I thought I would share those here as a way to help other people and a way to remind myself:

• Always be prepared 


• Keep a brownie mix and lemonade mix on hand because you never know when someone might drop in
• Shop the dollar bins at Target and pick up cute plates, napkins, trinkets, etc.  The hostess talked about how she found cute ceramic star plates on clearance one day and picked up several that she uses to put sweet treats on when she wants to congratulate someone, encourage someone (she attaches a note that says "You are a Star", etc.  She also buys cheap baskets to take meals in so she can carry everything in one trip and it looks much more presentable than just schlepping in foil pan after foil pan.
• Buy generic gifts on clearance or at the end of a season for those unexpected birthday lunches, teacher gifts or gift exchanges.  Some ideas - lotions from Bath and Body Works, candles, scarves, stationery, etc.  Just the other day, Vera Bradley had cute lipstick cases on sale for $5 and I'm kicking myself for not buying a couple.  However, my problem is the storage part - I just don't have enough extra room to store stuff.


• When taking a meal to someone, always use disposable containers so the recipient doesn't have to worry about returning dishes.
• Have a go-to meal that you prepare for families so you don't have to reinvent the wheel every time someone is in need.  But, be mindful of the situation and the recipients likes and dislikes. 


• I usually make slow-cooked shredded beef sandwiches, fluffy fruit salad and cheesy potatoes or a pasta recipe called Angel Chicken, salad and bread.  Since I work all day, both of these recipes can be thrown in the crockpot before I go to work so most of the preparation is done ahead of time.  And, both recipes make great leftovers.


• Make all over night guests feel comfortable


• Have snacks and breakfast items on hand that you know they like
• Show them around so they feel comfortable helping themselves
• Have a stash of travel sized toiletries on hand in case they forgot something
• Set out fresh linens for them to use


• If you are expecting guests for a special occasion, write a little welcome note on the front door that corresponds with the theme of the event or that speaks to the occasion.


• The hostess told us one time she went to the extreme and painted a message on her front porch.  I'm pretty sure that wouldn't fly in my house, but you could attach a message on the front door or to a wreath or stuck in a flower pot.


• Don't be afraid of themes.  Themes help to keep things organized and focused for the hostess and it shows that you put a little effort into the party, dinner, etc.


• Our hostess gave us an example of a birthday party.  She has a birthday tablecloth and other decorations that she uses as the base decor for her grandkids' birthday parties and then she adds other special and unique touches.  Or, the theme could simply be a color palette or a specific cuisine.

While some of this seems overwhelming, it really isn't hard when you really get down to it.  It is just a matter of thinking ahead a little bit and always being mindful of others.  Now, just because I possess the gift of hospitality doesn't by any means mean that I'm a pro at it.  So, don't be surprised if you stop by my house and I don't have a fresh pan of brownies just waiting for someone to visit!  You might be lucky to even get a drink ;)

Healthy Living

After several weeks of eating out a lot and not working out, I've decided that it is time to get back on (and yes, I know I've said this several times before) the healthy kick.  However, this time I'm really taking more steps to not only eat better and work out, but also to be conscious of the condition of my body. 

Last week, my mom and I were discussing a new "tonic" that some of her friends were doing to help restore the pH balance in their bodies and get rid of toxins.  So, she and decided we would try it as well.  For the past week, we've been shooting apple cider vinegar tonics every morning and evening.  Basically, I mix 1/2 tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar with a little bit of orange juice, plug my nose and shoot it (as if it were a real shot - I never quite got the hang of taking shots in college, but I'm slowly learning the art of opening your throat...).  It doesn't taste great, but it really isn't too bad.  The first day I did this, my mom told me to just mix it with a little ice water and drink it down.  Well, I just about threw up right in the middle of the kitchen, so I crossed that method off the list fast.  Apparently, this is an old remedy because as I was telling a lady at work about this she told me her mother used to do the same thing many many years ago.  There are many benefits to restoring the pH balance in your body and getting rid of toxins allows the oxygen to reach your blood easier which in turn helps your organs to function better. 

Another remedy that I'm going to start this week is to soak in an epsom salt bath for 20 minutes a couple of times a week.  This is another way to help your body get rid of toxins (the epsom salt draws the toxins from deep down in your body up to your skin which allows your body to get rid of them easier) and to help improve the quality of your skin.  Plus, it is a great excuse to relax in a warm bath!!

And finally, I'm going to try my VERY hardest to give up caffeine.  Yes, I know I've said it before and yes, I know I've failed more than once, but I'm going to do it.  I've started off by finding good substitutes such as Vitamin Water and Mug Root Beer (caffeine free).  I know that both of these drinks still have sugar in them so it will be a practice in moderation, but I've got to get off the caffeine.  I also dug out a fun water bottle that has been hiding in the back of a cabinet for many years and it does a good job of keeping my ice water cold at work and it has a straw, which for some reason, is appealing to me.

So, there you have it.  My new plan to get healthy!

Birthday Celebrations Part II

As I mentioned earlier, I had a great weekend celebrating my birthday.  Friday afternoon, we drove to KC.  We stayed at the W Aloft Hotel and it was fabulous!  The decor was very modern and I easily could have taken all of the furnishings home with me.  I just loved it!

Here are a couple pics of the lobby:

  

Aren't those colorful cubes and ottomans so fun?!?  

I thought these chairs and the lamp were very fun, too!  I could just picture one of those in our living room.

After we checked in, we headed up to our room and it was very modern and sleek as well.

I just adore this alarm clock.  I would love to know where they bought it because I think it would look lovely in our basement!  Same goes with this office chair.  I have been checking out a similar chair at C&B but they are REALLY expensive!

Here is the bathroom; minimal, but fun.  I like the sink that sits on top of the counter and the shower!  Oh the shower!  I asked Brandon if he could build me one of these someday if money is no object (or in my dreams)?!?!

After we got checked in and cleaned up we headed down to a nearby wine bar for a drink and an appetizer then we went to another restaurant called Zest for dinner.  We both had a yummy meal and were so stuffed we didn't even have dessert!  

Saturday morning, we got up and got around and headed to breakfast to fuel up for a bid day of shopping.  The restaurant was a fun little place that allowed you to choose the ingredients that went into your meal.  Brandon had biscuits and gravy (of course) and I had a DELICIOUS waffle!

In case you are wondering, that is a Belgian waffle topped with strawberries, bananas and chocolate chips!!  YUMMY!

We started off our shopping trip at Town Center and hit up all of my favorite stores.  By lunch time we had successfully accomplished quite a bit on my list.  After lunch, we hit up my absolute favorite store - Crate and Barrel!  I could have done a lot of damage there but I paced myself and I had Brandon there to keep me in check.  By this time it was getting late in the afternoon and we still had to stop at the mall.  Brandon was pretty successful there and I was able to hit up The Limited, another one of my favorite stores.  I should mention that Brandon was a wonderful shopping partner.  I've decided that men who accompany women on shopping trips should always have a Blackberry or some other device to keep them occupied. 

After we had exhausted ourselves from shopping, we headed to my sister's house for a birthday dinner celebration with both of my siblings and their families.  My niece picked out a tiara for me to wear and she also helped decorate!  

Good thing Todd doesn't ever read my blog because I think he would be a bit embarrassed :)

We spent the rest of the evening being entertained by the girls who were putting on different performances and dancing all around the house!

Sunday was another big and busy day.  A while back, Brandon built some toy shelves for Matt and Tara and as a payment for his effort, they got the four of us tickets to the Royals game.  Now, these weren't just any tickets, they were prime tickets -- in AIR CONDITIONING!  Matt has a friend that is a Lancer for the Royals and has access to tickets in the Diamond Club.  Basically, it is an enclosed area that opens up to the field lined with tables and chairs.  We had a waitress and clean bathrooms and AIR CONDITIONING!  Tara and I told the boys that they might have ruined us forever :)

We were sitting in the section where the person in the green shirt is standing.

We enjoyed getting to experience the new stadium and hanging out with Matt and Tara.  It also helps that the Royals won!

So, turning 27 wasn't so bad!  When I talked to my dad on my birthday he told me he couldn't believe how old I was getting, but I honestly don't feel old at all!  I think he was really trying to say he couldn't believe how old that made him ;)  Ha ha!!

Birthday Celebrations

Well, time is getting away from me and I have yet to post about our fun weekend in KC and my birthday celebrations!  I have pictures that I want to share so I'm going to save the full post until I get the pics downloaded (must get better about downloading pics immediately).

But, we had a wonderful time in KC.  Brandon treated me like a queen and we had a lot of fun hanging out with my siblings.  On Monday, my actual birthday, I took the day off and my mom came to town to spend the day with me.  We did a lot of shopping and had lunch together.  It was nice treat to hang out with her for the day.  The yesterday, my coworkers spoiled me with flowers, a cake, gifts and lunch! 

Needless to say, I felt very loved by everyone!  I will have pictures to post soon :)

Reality TV

It is no secret that I LOVE reality TV and pop culture in general.  Often times I can be found watching Dancing with the Stars, The Bachelor/Bachelorette, Real Housewives, and those silly E! shows.  And, a lot of my friends are the same way so we often have semi-in-depth discussions about any one of the shows above.  It is not like we purposely set out to have these discussions, but they always seem to gravitate to the topic at some point.

Well, just the other night we had a small group BBQ and the girls were sitting around the kitchen table and the conversation turned to the current season of The Bachelorette and Real Housewives.  We were discussing what we thought was going on with Ali, the bachelorette, and whether or not we believed Reality Steve's predictions for the ending.  Then, we were discussing the latest cat fight on RHONJ and whether or not one of them really has gone into bankruptcy.  Deep, I know.

On the way home from the bbq, Brandon tells me how silly we all sounded discussing these reality TV shows because we all know they aren't real.  I defended the conversation and told him that it is what girls my age (and probably younger) talk about.  Every time I go to Bunco we talk about at least one reality show, I see tweets from my friends every day discussing reality TV and there are several TV shows dedicated to entertainment news.  Yes, I know reality TV shouldn't monopolize my life and there are much more important subjects that we could be talking about such as how we could be helping the poor, what should be done about the oil spill, how we could serve better, who should get elected in the next election cycle, etc. (and I do discuss this stuff too).  But, sometimes it is just nice to let go and be a bit shallow.  I'm not sure I changed his mind any, but I do know that Reality TV is just part of our society now whether we like it or not.  Just like rock and roll was to the '60s or 90210 was to the '90s, Reality TV is what this decade will be known for.

And, if anyone ever needs a secret weapon for a trivia game, I'd be happy to help out on the pop culture questions!

They Don't Call Me Grace for Nothing

I have a nickname that my family sometimes uses when referring to me.  It comes from many years of uncoordination and being accident prone.  That name is Grace.  You would think that I would possess some sort of coordination since I grew up in dance class and went on to be a cheerleader all through middle school and high school, but for some reason, those abilities are solely isolated to those activities.

For instance, in middle school, I pretty much fell down the bleachers and on to the basketball court, during a basketball game while I was wearing my cheerleading uniform.  However, I went on to do stunts and choreograph dance routines with ease. 

Also in middle school, I was getting of the bus at a basketball tournament (yes, I played B team basketball in 8th grade) and I fell down the steps of the bus, while wearing a dress.  My bag and the contents of my bag scattered all over the street and I was mortified.

You see there is some history with the nickname.  Which leads me to the past three days.  In the past three days I have had three different accidents that I can only explain as me being clumsy.

On Saturday, I was walking down the steps in our house, carrying a box with a couple of old drinking glasses in it, and my foot slipped and down I went.  The glasses flew out of the box and I landed on my tush, followed by right arm and slid the rest of the way down.  Koby was behind me and Tucker was at the bottom of the stairs and they just looked at me with a blank stare.  Brandon was in the basement bathroom putting tile above the shower and he came running because it must of sounded like a herd of elephants running down the steps and there I was, laying on the steps wincing in pain.  And, the only thing I have to show for it is a huge bruise between my lower back and my tush.

On Sunday, we had been shopping in Target and it started to pour as we were finishing up.  So, my lovely husband offered to go get the car so I wouldn't have to run out in the rain.  I finished paying while he got the car and was waiting for him at the entrance.  He was so nice that he pulled up on the sidewalk to let me in, so I made a dash for the car, with the shopping sacks in my hand, opened the door and started to hop in the car.  As I leaned in to the car, I smacked my head on the door, in the pouring rain in front of Target.  I'm glad I have poofy hair because I'm pretty sure I have a nice goose egg underneath.  I'm not really sure how it all happened, but maybe my eyes were closed since it was raining so hard and I just under estimated where the car door was.  Who knows?!

Finally, my latest incident happend this morning.  I had put the dishes away out of the dishwasher and had put one of Brandon's frosty mugs back into the freezer.  Later, as I was gathering my lunch, I went to pull a frozen mini-pizza out of the freezer.  Well, apparently the frosty mug was in the way because as I pulled the pizza out of the freezer, the frosty mug came flying out and landed on my big toe.  Again, I winced in pain because those mugs are heavy and I'm pretty sure I will probably lose my toe nail.  It is about an hour later as I type this and my toe is still throbbing.

So, they really don't call me Grace for nothing.  Here's to staying safe for the rest of the week, at least!

Weeked Wrap-Up

We had a fun and easy-going weekend!  And, it is going to be our last relaxing weekend at home for a while.  I worked on our August calendar yesterday and as you can see, we have a busy month ahead of us!

Friday night, we went out to dinner with a few friends and then came back to our house for a while.  It was fun to catch up and hang out with them for the evening.  Despite the steamy temps, we sat outside on the patio.  We had to get out Brandon's stand work light so we could see each other and so the guys could play washers.  I'm not sure our neighbors appreciated the extra light flooding their windows, but at least we could see!

We tried to sleep in a little bit on Saturday, but we were dog-sitting Tucker and he decided to come wake us up a little earlier than we anticipated.  After we got up and around, we headed over to my aunt and uncle's house so Brandon could hang some hooks in their bathroom.  We took both pups with us and they were so excited to take a ride and to see the Shines!

After we left the Shines, Brandon got ready to go play golf with a few co-workers and I started laundry and ran some errands.  When Brandon got home, he tiled above our basement shower and did a few other odds and ends.  Later that evening, my parents came to pick up Tucker and shortly after, Brandon's parents arrived!  His dad came to town to lay carpet in our bedroom.  I have been wanting carpet for a while now and Craig got us a really good deal on the materials.  He laid the guest bedroom carpet over the 4th of July and came this weekend to finish our room.  The carpet doesn't look too much different than what we had, but its is new and clean!  I'm trying to instill a "no shoes in the bedroom" rule, but I'm not sure that is going to last.

It only took Craig a couple of hours from start to finish so he was done and we had cleaned up by lunch time.  We went and grabbed some pizza and then the boys went to dump the old carpet at Brandon's office.  While they did that, Pam and I went to Dillons to buy supplies for No-Bake Cookies.  I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned this, but I can't make No-Bakes to save my life.  They are Brandon's favorite cookie and he asks me to make them all of the time but I've just never had much luck.  So, today Pam showed me how to do it.  And, I think they passed the test!

I know I wasn't timing the boiling right and I would pour the chocolate mixture over the oats instead of pouring the oats into the chocolate mixture and I don't think the oats were getting cooked.  So, now I know and now Brandon will be happy :)

After Pam and Craig left, we took a Sunday afternoon nap and then headed to Target and to a new frozen yogurt shop called Orange Leaf.  Umm, can I just say it is DANGEROUS!  It is a self-serve shop that has several different flavors of frozen yogurt and several toppings.  Oh, and the bowls are HUGE!  These were the smallest bowls they had...

Brandon got strawberry banana swirl and topped it with strawberries, cheesecake bites, Reese's Pieces and chocolate sauce.  I got a little dollop each of blueberry, strawberry and banana and I topped mine with blueberries, strawberries, cheesecake bites and vanilla wafers.  It was to die for!  They also have all sorts of chocolate toppings that I am going to have to try next time.  The inside of the story was very funky and trendy.  We will definitely be visiting often, but we won't have to feel so guilty because the yogurt is low-fat or non-fat!

And, this upcoming week is looking like it is going to be a good one!  As you might have noticed on the calendar, my birthday is one week from Monday!!  My boss is out of the office all week so it is going to be a pretty light week, I've got a few lunch dates set up with a couple of girlfriends, a small group BBQ, and a mini-vacay with the hubs that will include shopping and the Royals.  And, I'm taking my birthday day off work!  Happy birthday week to me :)