This Week #12

Got my spray-tan on//A woodchuck hanging out on my deck// Happy family// Garden on the side of my house

Happy Sunday, ya'll! We made it through the week! 

This week was spent in good company. It started off having burgers and delicious Vietnamese appetizers with my bestie on Monday evening. After dinner we all sat around and watched American Ninja Warrior - have you guys watched this show?! There is something so mesmerizing about it... so enthralling to watch as someone who suffers from weak pansy arms.

Tuesday brought more quality time spent with a friend, this time catching up with someone I hadn't seen in far too long. She's heading back on her travels to start grad school for creative writing states away from me, so I'm glad we got to spend time together before she's off on her next adventure.

At the end of the week I spent a lot of time getting ready for a joint garage sale another friend and I hosted on Saturday. It took us til nearly 10 PM to get everything set up on Friday, and we were back and at it with people arriving as early as 7 AM on Saturday. We got rid of a LOT of things and had a successful go at our first garage sale! 

The rest of Saturday was a bit hectic. After the garage sale, Jake and I were headed out of town to celebrate my sister-in-law's 30th birthday and on our way we ended up getting rear-ended REALLY hard. Luckily, Jake, Winnie and I were all OK but it took over 2 hours to get all sorted out. Our car has to get towed the 80 miles back home, and fortunately my parents were in town visiting family and were able to give us a ride back home. So thankful for them. Sadly, we weren't able to make it to my SIL's party and her gift got smashed and broken in our trunk. Not the best end to Saturday, but I am just thankful we are all OK and no one got hurt. 

This Sunday is for resting, running some errands and refreshing before the week begins. Hope the rest of your weekend is fabulous! See you back here on Monday!

This Week #8

Top to bottom, L to R: Strawberries picked from our CSA//Winnie & I enjoying snap peas//A Friday treat//Hubby manning the parade candy

Happy Sunday! Hope your week was wonderful! This week flew by for me - I can't hardly believe it's already almost over!

We started the week off with Puppy II class, Winnie's favorite thing. She has become so agile and loves to run around on the agility equipment -- faster than I can even keep up with her at times! Makes me think that Agility and Flyball classes are likely in her future. It's so fun to watch her grow and learn. (Bonified crazy dog lady here... watch out!)

On Wednesdays we get to pick up our CSA box, and this week brought two types of kale, strawberries, sugar snap peas, basil and zucchini. I fully expected the zucchini to be the best  thing in the box (because I absolutely LOVE zucchini) but I think my favorite thing was chowing down the sugar snap peas with lunch. Winnie also loved them, as you can see above. She also loved the kale, and was jumping up on the counter to try to get the full head for herself! Like mama, like puppy. ;)

This week was my city's annual week-long celebration - there's food vendors downtown all week, various entertainment like street dances and kareoke competitions, and a parade to cap it all off. I spent Thursday evening volunteering at a booth selling pops and newspapers which was fun - I saw lots of familiar faces! And then Friday, the company I work for led off the parade and you can see my husband above, who stayed in the van and refilled the candy buckets for all the kids walking with us. It was lots of fun!

We've had a rather lazy weekend so far, which is totally fine by me. We got great walks in both Saturday morning and this morning, and we spent Saturday getting things done around the house and having dinner with Jake's family. Today we'll be running lots of errands and then hosting a friend for dinner. And the best part about this Sunday? Knowing we're heading in to a short work week for the Independence Day holiday! YAY!

Hope the rest of your Sunday is fabulous! See you all tomorrow! :)

This Week #7

Top to Bottom, L to R: Our CSA farm//Red lipstick//A reunion with old friends//My growing strawberries//My pup Winnie

Happy Sunday, everyone! Hope your week was splendid - I know mine was!

This week was a wet one here in southern Minnesota. We battled storms Mon-Thurs, some causing major flooding in areas. But I started Monday off right regardless, waiting out a major thunderstorm with good friends, sipping a cocktail. (top right) One dear friend was visiting town and it had been over 6 years since I last saw her. Needless to say, catching up was really nice.

On Tuesday I got to go to a really awesome fundraiser called "Power of the Purse", which raises money for the United Way and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. I got to hear Laura Ling (sister of the famed journalist Lisa Ling) speak on her time in captivity in North Korea, and it was so interesting. I was honored to be able to go to such an event. On Wednesday, my best friend came over for dinner and told us all about her honeymoon spent in the Bahamas. She just returned Monday and I am so jealous of her bronze glow. The work week was capped off nicely; Jake and I hosted my coworkers for a happy hour at our home. It was fun to catch up outside of work and see everyone's significant others. 

Saturday was the most beautiful first day of summer, and it actually felt like it arrived. 85 and sunny - perfection. Jake and I spent part of the day at the farm where we get our CSA box from each week, as they hosted their annual Strawberry Social (top left). We got to pick strawberries straight from the field, and then enjoy live music and stawberry shortcake. It was really interesting to hear about how they grow their crops and it made me very happy we picked this farm to provide us with our weekly CSA box. On Saturday evening, we cooked up the asparagus we received in our box this week, and made Pesto Pasta with asparagus, mozarella and sun-dried tomatoes. You can find the recipe here. Using the strawberries we got, we made Strawberry Gin Mojitos which I highly recommend you try out sometime. 

Today we'll be making our annual voyage to purchase fireworks for the cabin - my husband and soon-to-be brother-in-law are our firework show extraordinaires and they put on a great show each year.

Hope the rest of your weekend is peaceful and relaxing. See ya'll on Monday! 

This Week #6

L to R, Top to Bottom: Bridesmaids//Winnie being patient//Reading//Blooms in my yard//The bride & I//Grilled dinner

Happy Sunday, ya'll! What a blur these last 2 weeks have been (I skipped one week of these posts) - but they were filled with so much fun and happiness! I talked about it for quite some time, but last weekend my best friend got married! Above you'll see pictures of the bridesmaids and a picture of the bride and I on her Vietnamese wedding. She had two gorgeous ceremonies: a traditional Vietnamese wedding last Friday, followed by an American ceremony last Saturday. I was so thrilled to be her matron of honor, and honestly her wedding was the BEST time ever! I want to go back and do it all over again!

The week after her wedding, I spent a lot of time trying to catch up but the week was still a whirlwind. Winnie had her second Puppy 2 class which was a lot of fun. She's learning to go through tunnels (an intro to Agility class) and we're trying and trying to get her to learn "heel" but it's proving rather tough, despite what a smart girl she is. I'm sure she'll get it in no time.

One of the most exciting things about this week was receiving our first CSA box, or farm share. The boxes start out rather small, but we got a delicious haul of asparagus, rhubarb, a couple different kinds of lettuce, cilantro and some yellow onions. We've eaten nearly all of it already! I can't wait to see what next week's box will have - one thing is for sure, it will be fresh, local and organic! All three are a win!

I'm nearly finished reading my book (seen above) and I can't put it down! I'm currently reading Breaking Night by Liz Murray. I had the pleasure of hearing Ms. Murray speak last summer and she has such an inspiring story about going from homeless to Harvard. I absolutely had to pick up her book, and let me tell you - it doesn't disappoint. I'd highly recommend it.

This weekend is being spent with family as we celebrate Father's Day with both Jake's father and my own. On top of that, we're squeezing in tons of cleaning and load after load of laundry as all chores were put to the side during these last couple busy weeks. Boring, but someone's gotta do it!

See you all on Monday! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

This Week #6

L to R: A quick trip to the park with my favorites//Fancy nails for a fun occasion//Winnie started teething//Fun makeup

Happy Sunday, everyone! How was your week? I had a simply wonderful one, and a short work week at that! (wahoo!) 

Monday was Memorial Day here in the States which meant no work. We took full advantage of the rather hot, sunny weather and had a grill out with family. As we moved in to our house in September, we haven't been able to truly enjoy our wooded backyard and porch until just now. I find it so recharging to relax with family and enjoy each other's company. It felt like the weekend, yet it was a great way to start the week.

On Tuesday Winnie graduated from Puppy 1 class. Jake and I had a good laugh, as they played the graduation song and everything! She starts Puppy 2 this coming Tuesday which should be really fun. On Wednesday, we noticed Winnie lost her first tooth! One of her front teeth. I'm so glad she's finally teething - I can't wait for her super sharp little baby teeth to be a thing of the past. As of today, she's already lost 4 and I can tell some others are loose!

Thursday brought a final dress fitting for my best friend. I won't spill a single detail, but I will say she looked absolutely STUNNING. I can't wait to share pictures from her wedding day because she is going to be such a beautiful bride. We celebrated with dinner at one of our favorite places, dining out on the patio to soak up the gorgeous weather. 

Friday..... Friday was my favorite day of the week. I don't want to give too much away yet (there's going to be a post dedicated to this coming soon!) but Jake and I were asked by a local photographer and friend to be part of a styled wedding photo shoot. I've seen a couple pictures already, but let's just say I have a huge girl crush on Amy, the photographer, because she somehow worked a miracle and captured some amazingness. The photo on the bottom right (above) is the makeup I did on myself for the shoot. Stay tuned for even more on this coming soon. 

I've been all over the place this weekend doing random things here and there - getting my wedding ring cleaned, taking Winnie to my favorite park in the city I where I went to college, random house chores and overall - spending quality time with my husband and pup.

What have you been up to? Let me know!

Catch ya'll on Monday! Have a great Sunday! 

This Week #5

Top to bottom, L to R: Starting the weekend in my backyard//Winnie in her bandanna//A cardinal in my tree//A dying daffodil//Margaritas for a good cause//Raised gardens for my deck

Happy Memorial Weekend everyone! After a busy week, I am so ready for a long weekend.

It's been said that Minnesotans are crazy about the weather, so I'm staying true to my home state when I say this weekend was awesome because the weather has finally turned nice here! Hello high-70s! With the nice temps, I got my green-thumb going and potted some plants and bought some starters for the raised gardens my husband built me out of a 55-gallon drum!

This week was Winnie's second to last puppy class (before she begins Puppy 2). She has made leaps and bounds since starting class and can now "sit", "down", "come" and she's sort of grasping "heel". Aside from class, Winnie had lots of fun this week playing outside and getting a spray down with the hose! I also felt a couple loose teeth in her mouth, so in no time she'll begin teething!

On Thursday, Jake and I attended the South of the Border soiree, a benefit for the American Red Cross. It was a really great event, and I was happy to donate my money after hearing stories of how the Red Cross helped a coworker of mine when her house burned down earlier this year. It really is a cause worth donating to.

Friday we spent with friends, eating at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant (shrimp and veggie lo mein... mmm!!) and then we went out for a round of drinks. It's always nice to get together with old friends, especially at the start of the weekend. Saturday brought even more yard work, errand running, and a friend's wedding reception to cap off the evening. Today brings much of the same!

Hope you enjoy the rest of your long weekend - we'll catch you back here on Monday!

This Week #4

Top to bottom, left to right: A weeknight dinner//Green in my backyard!!//A tiny little flower//My favorite overnight oats//Winnie smelling the flowers

Happy Sunday, all! I hope you all had a wonderful week! My week seemed to fly by - unfortunately though, it rained nearly all week here in my neck of Minnesota. Better during the week than the weekend, though.

This week was rather low key. Monday passed by in a blur, and Tuesday brought Winnie's puppy class. Tuesday is fast becoming one of my favorite nights of the week - I just love sitting in a room full of puppies playing together and learning new tricks! Each week a new puppy comes through the door, as most all of them are growing quickly... Winnie included. Check out the picture of her sniffing through the bluebells in our yard. 

On Wednesday evening we made home-made pizzas for Jake's dad, as he came over to help me build a couple raised gardens (pictures coming soon!). As the weather is turning nicer and spring is finally here, it's time I get some plants and flowers growing in our yard, although this year Jake and I did sign up for a CSA box from a local farm so we will be receiving lots of fresh organic veggies weekly starting in about 3 weeks.

I started out Saturday right with a bowl of my favorite overnight oats recipe - Oatmeal Cookie overnight oats (see above). They are seriously delicious and they're made with all sorts of great, whole ingredients that keep you full until lunch time. Jake and I spent much of Saturday raking up our yard to get ready to put down new mulch (hopefully next weekend) and I potted some flowers to add some life to our deck. I also got some bird seed and a hummingbird feeder! Since our backyard is so wooded (see pic) we see all sorts of birds and I'm hoping we can attract them a little closer to our house so Jake and I can become dorky bird watchers.

We're spending today with family, having a burger grill out and potluck with aunts. uncles and cousins. I'm bringing some Malibu organic veggie burgers that I picked up at Costco (I'm back to not eating meat, for those of you who knew about the vegetarian challenge I did in March) and we're also bringing a 7-grain salad that we picked up at Costco as well. Can you tell I flippin' love Costco? ;)

Hope you're all enjoying your weekend! See you Monday, folks!

This Week #3

Top to bottom, left to right: Hubs & I at a friend's wedding//Fresh pedis//Overnight oats//I'm in a magazine!//Cinco de Mayo drinks//Best friend's bridal preview//Winnie @ 12 weeks//Signs of spring

Wow, I can't even believe this is week 3 of these posts! I know I said it on Facebook, but it is so true; the weeks fly faster than the days! This week was jam packed with lots of fun things. 

The week started off right with Cinco de Mayo. We had a big company-wide nacho bar at work, spearheaded by myself and fellow blogger/real-life friend/day job co-worker, Jeanette. It was a hit and definitely a good way to ease in to the week. After work Jake and I celebrated with his parents with some festive drinks (seen above). 

Also early in the week, my best friend invited me to join her for her bridal preview, also seen above. I won't show you any spoilers, but she looked seriously stunning. She's going to be such a beautiful bride! Her wedding is just a month away, and I'm sure there will be plenty of pictures in that weekly recap for you to get the scoop on her wedding day look!

As I took Winnie out for a potty break later in the week, I was shocked by how green our yard has become. It's been raining pretty steadily for the last 2 weeks, and while I can't stand the gloom for a second longer, I am happy it's finally bringing signs of spring to my neck of the woods. 

This week was been capped off celebrating Mother's Day with both my family and my husband's. My mother and sisters in law went out for lunch and pedicures - and funny enough, both my SIL's and myself picked green polish without knowing what the other was picking! (I picked China Glaze's "In the Limelight" if you're curious... my toes are the ones on the bottom of the picture) Today, we're spending the day with my mom - grabbing lunch and spending quality time together. It's nice to cap off the week with family - it's rejuvenating and relaxing. I wouldn't have it any other way!

Catch ya'll on Monday! 

This Week #2

(top to bottom, left to right)  Blackberry Thyme Mojito to celebrate a new product launch at work// Paris, Las Vegas//Pinkberry with fruity pebbles and fruity cheerios//Bachelorette party at Chippendales//The beautiful bachelorette//Las Vegas airport//Winnie at week #2 of puppy class//My look for the bachelorette party//The girls in Vegas

To be totally honest, this last week was exhausting as I came down from the high of spending a long weekend in Vegas (which you might remember me mentioning here). The exhaustion was totally worth it, though, because what could be more fun than celebrating the last of your  best friend's "singledom" in Las Vegas, NV with a great group of girls? You can see snippets of our stay sprinkled in the collage above - a snapshot of the Las Vegas airport, the amazing Paris hotel with a massive recreation of the Eiffel Tower, an evening on the town to see Chippendales, walking the Strip to see the sights, a quick stop at Pinkberry, and the gorgeous bachelorette beaming from ear to ear. 

From Monday on, however, I was a tired thang as I tried to catch up on missed sleep and relaxation. But the show must go on, and the week had some other fun things in store for me - a new product launch at work celebrated with a happy hour cocktail, Winnie's second puppy class where she learned the "Come" command and has started to pick it up quickly, a final dress fitting for my bachelorette bestie, and a relaxing dinner with my parents, husband and Winnie to cap off the week (not pictured). 

I hope you had a great week, too! Cheers to a bit of weekend R&R and we'll see you back here on Monday!

This Week #1 | (New Series!)

I've noticed a popular Sunday post that creeps around the blogging world on Sundays, and that's a weekly photo recap. I like seeing snippets of other bloggers lives, especially told through images and so I thought I'd start this series here, too. Funny enough, I've also been looking to up my blog posts to 4 days  per week (instead of just Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and this is the perfect way to ease in to 4 days of posting (although this week there will be just 3 posts as we recuperate from our little vacay)! Let's dive right in...

Winnie cuddling before work//Signs of Spring in my backyard//Where we spent our weekend//Winnie at her first puppy class

This week was busy with prepping, and by prepping I mean getting ready for a weekend away in Vegas for my best friend's bachelorette party! It was my first time there, and my husband's too. (The boys came with us - which was really nice!) What happen(s)ed in Vegas stays in Vegas will be more detailed in next week's post, so stay tuned!

The weather was so beautiful over last weekend and early in the week that blooms are popping up in our back yard! After the absolutely frigid winter we had, this is such a welcome sight. The picture above is also the start of my 100 Happy Days posts on Instagram. If you don't know what all the #100HappyDays posts you undoubtedly are seeing everywhere are about, I'd highly recommend you check it out. 

This week we took Winnie to her first puppy class. I could honestly sit and watch those puppies play together all day! How can you be mad or sad while watching the little cuties have so much fun together? My husband, Jake, and I learned a lot just from one class and we're looking forward to the next 5 weeks of class time. I can tell it's going to be the highlight of my weeks.

Come Thursday, pedicures and spray tanning were in order before the trip to Vegas. I am typically the shade of egg whites, so I figured I'd try my first spray tan. It's fun to have some color and put some bronzer to good use! 

That pretty much rounds out our week (since I don't want to give you too much info on Vegas just yet). Busy, busy, busy - just how I like it. Let me know if you like these kinds of posts! I'm excited to start including this new series on Glazed Over!

See ya Wednesday, gals. (Glazed Over is taking Monday off to recuperate) Have a relaxing Sunday!