Happy Holidays

With Christmas Eve just a day away (I know I can hardly believe it) I decided to take a few days off from blogging to enjoy the holiday season with my family!  

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!  Enjoy the time spent with family and friends during this wonderful Holiday Season!

Thursday-Things I am Looking Forward To!

Wow, it has almost been a week since my last post, and Christmas is nearly here!  That is hard to believe.  My little sister is home and I have to say it now is starting to feel more like the holiday season with my entire family home!  

Before I share a few things I am looking forward to in the coming weeks I wanted to say a big Thank You to you all! Thank you for the sweet sweet comments and birthday wishes for my dad!  I think he truly had a wonderful day.  The three of us had a fun afternoon of shopping and celebrating!  Not to mention we had an absolutely fabulous meal!

With a season filled with family, cheer, giving and wonderful friends it is hard not to have many many things to look forward to!  Here is just a quick list of things I am most looking forward to in the coming weeks!

Of course I have to start with...

Christmas!!!

 I am most looking forward to all the traditions, Christmas Eve Service (one of my favorite) and time spent with family and wonderful friends! This really is the most wonderful time of the year!

Keeping with the Christmas theme...

I am looking forward to hopefully a little holiday baking tomorrow after work with my mom and sister!  Since I was sick the whole first half of the week it sorta turned my week upside down!

Source: bhg.com via Hilliary on Pinterest

Source: whatmegansmaking.com via Hilliary on Pinterest

Christmas Presents, I am really looking forward to giving my gifts to my family!

But first I have to wrap them (not my strongest talent)!

I wish my wrapping could look something like this!

And last but certainly not least

I am looking forward to, and over joyed that in about a week I will get to see this guy

yes I am really really looking forward to his visit!! Just in time for the New Year!

Can you believe I have not seen Mark since October?  That is far to long!  To say I am really really looking forward to his visit is a bit of an understatement, I am ecstatic!

Well my lovely bloggers, what are you looking forward to as Christmas and New Years quickly approach?

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to the best dad a girl could ask for!

To a dad who never missed a single ballet performance (and there were a lot of them)

and a dad that even learned how to put a ballet bun in a squirmy 5 year olds hair!

To a dad who has been there for me through the good and bad, tears and all.  To a dad who has encouraged me to keep going when the going gets tough.

To a dad with a great since of humor, who can play some of the best practical jokes.

To a dad that knows sometimes you just need a shoulder to cry on.

And finally to a dad who has taught me some of the greatest lessons in life.  To be true to myself, work hard, stand up for what I believe in and to care, respect and give to others!

Thanks dad for everything you have done!  I love you, Happy Birthday!

Yes We Are Crazy

Grilling... in December... In Minnesota!

Yes I told you we are going crazy.  I called my dad yesterday while at work to ask about a Christmas present, and was presented with the question on if I would want to grill for dinner!  Yes my friends I realize it is the middle of winter (or at least it is supposed to be) and yes I realize I have already talked about temps that have gone down into the teens!  But for some very odd reason Minnesota has hit a sort of warm spell, and by warm spell I mean it is 37 degrees!   I know I know 37 degrees doesn't seem that warm, but compared to 10 degrees that is a wonderful and much appreciated heat wave!

Don't get me wrong I would much rather have this type of heat wave...

But I am not complaining, I will take whatever I can get right now!

So yes while you are contemplating the sanity of my family up here in Minnesota let me share some lovely pictures of our dinner.  Yes that would be the dinner my father grilled outside, in December, in what is supposed to be a SNOWY and COLD!

Enjoy!

 We had a bit of rain, but that didn't stop my dad from firing up the grill!
He was busy grilling up some yummy tomato basil chicken!

Grilled Mushrooms, hands down my favorite!

 Nothing like a grilled meal in the middle of winter!
Want a great quinoa recipe, check this one out!  I loosely followed this recipe from Liv Life for her Mushroom and Broccoli Quisotto!  It was a delicious, had the flavor of risotto, but the texture I love about quinoa!

Has your family ever gone to extremes to make a great meal?  Say grilling in the rain?
Just 2 short days till the weekend!

Spreading Holiday Cheer

Upon stepping into the hotel lobby you are hit with the smell of fresh baked gingerbread.  As if someone had just pulled gingerbread cookies straight from the oven.  However it is not the smell of fresh baked cookies frosted and shaped like little men you are smelling.  No you are actually smelling the thousands of brick size gingerbread cookies that make up a life sized gingerbread house!

Constructed of 4,000 Pounds of Edible Gingerbread.  Measuring 16 feet tall and 12 feet long and made of 3,600 gingerbread bricks, 400 cookie roof shingles and 800 pounds of flour, which sit smack dab in the middle of the hotel lobby!  This projected went underway in July and was competed and ready for a ribbon ceremony on December 1st!

The reason behind this massive project of holiday cheer?  Simple,  you see Rochester is home to the Mayo Clinic.

And thousands upon thousands of people/families travel to Rochester year round to receive top of the line medical care.  The Kahler thought it would be nice to provide out of town guests (many who are here to go through the clinic) with a spirit lifter this holiday season while they stay at the hotel.  I have to say stepping into the sugar filled lobby, entranced with the smell of gingerbread brought a smile to my face.  I felt like a child again, enjoying the simple marvel of a house made entirely of candy and cookies.  Not only was the house a marvel to look at, but the meaning behind this gesture speaks volumes to the staff of the hotel.   A gesture that shows thoughtfulness, caring, and compassion for other peoples feelings!

This simple act of holiday cheer, and thought for others is what I am loving this Wednesday!

So I have one simple question for you today! 

How are you spreading Holiday cheer to others this holiday season?

Happy Holidays everyone!

35

I have another fun little get to know me post for you all today!  Q&A with yours truly!  I saw this previously on Dayna and Amanda's blog and just had to do it!  I hope you enjoy learning a bit more about me!

1. What time did you get up this morning?

5 AM!  I leave my house around 6:20 and I hate feeling rushed!

2. How do you like your steak?

I am not a steak person, red meat is just not my thing!  GIve me a nice piece of fish and I am one happy girl!

3. What was the last movie you saw at the theater?

 I want to say it was Sarah's Key, and despite being very sad and thought provoking I loved it!

4. What is your favorite TV show?

Hmmm I really like Food Network cooking shows, Man VS Food...HGTV anyone?  I am not a person that watches a ton of TV, but from time to time I do tune into the shows we all love like the Real Housewives and such!

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

I would love to live somewhere that has lots of my favorite things.  Such as the arts, good local restaurants interesting entertainment and the people I love and care about the most!

Italy would be pretty neat, or Chicago!  I will just have to wait and see where my path takes me!

6. What did you have for breakfast?

Oatmeal, is my breakfast staple my morning doesn't feel complete without it!  I change up the toppings daily, but usually you will find a big scoop of peanut butter on there!

7. Do you wear glasses or contacts?  

I wear glasses when I read or work on the computer.

8. What food do you despise?

Hmmm off the top of my head the only thing I can think of is red meat!  I am sure if I sat and thought about it for longer I could come up with some more!

9. Favorite Place to Eat?

. It depends on where I am at and what food I feel like eating! I love local restaurants.  When Mark and I travel we like to find the little dives (this is something he has gotten me into)!  One of my all time favorite places to eat was Zest! in Indianapolis!  

They had by far the best brunch!  In Rochester I love the Red Wood Room!

10. Favorite dressing?

Balsamic for sure, I am also a huge fan of salsa on salads!

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive?

2005 Jeep Liberty

12. What are your favorite clothes?

I am a total dress girl, always have been!  I didn't buy a pair of jeans till the 5th grade!

And heels I love heels, I will pick heels over any other shoe to wear!

13. Where would you visit, this weekend, if you had the chance?

Columbus Ohio to see Mark!  Good news though he booked his flight to Minnesota for New Years!  But if Mark could go with me, I would for sure go to Napa Valley (I have been dying to go there)!

14. How many tattoos do you have? 

Nope, none! My dad said if I ever got one he would disown me!  Harsh but motivation not to get one!

15. Where would you want to retire?

 Somewhere on the lake.  With a boat, and a beautiful house with big windows over looking the lake!  That would be ideal!

16. What is your desktop photo?

A picture of Mark and I!  It is from a bike ride this summer with my parents. 

17. Where were you born?

Fairfield Illinois, same hospital as my dad

18. What is your favorite sport to watch?

Hockey!  The only sport I semi understand!  I usually root for the Chicago Blackhawks while Mark is a Pittsburgh Penguins fan!

19. How many siblings?

I have one younger sister!  And yes she is much taller then me!

20. Favorite pastime/hobby?

Spending time with family and friends, cooking/baking/looking up recipes, working out/running, entertaining, and reading (though I don’t do it enough)

21. Coffee Drinker? 

Yes, my morning isn’t complete without it (addicted to my keurig)!

22. Are you a morning person or a night person?

I am a total morning person now a days!  I don’t remember how to sleep in!  Sleeping into me is now 7 or 8!

23. Do you have any pets?

At my parents house we have 2 puppies!  Baxter our Golden Retriever, and a little guy prince!

24. What did you want to be when you were little?

A Ballerina.  I danced ballet for 23 years of my life, and got a minor in dance from Butler.

25.  What is your favorite color?

Pink and Orange.  I am also starting to really love red!

26. Are you a cat or dog person?

Dogs all the way!  I want a chocolate lab so bad!

27. Are you married?

Not yet!  But I do have a pretty wonderful boyfriend who I love very much!  

28. Always wear your seat belt?

Always.  My dad is an ER doctor seat belts are a must, they save lives!  And my car does that annoying beeping noise if I don't put it on!

29. Been in a car accident?

Yes just one.  However it did total my little car!

30. Any pet peeves?

When people are really really late, or they cancel plans at the last minute!

31. Favorite Pizza Toppings?

Hmm that would have to be tomato, fresh basil and mozzarella.  With an garlic olive oil sauce!

32. Favorite Flower?

Red Tulips, and lilys. 

33. Favorite ice cream?

Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt!  Hands down I would choose frozen yogurt with all the fixings over ice cream!  

But if I am in Ohio and there is a graters near by I am all about the ice cream, hello buckeye blitz!

34. Favorite fast food restaurant?

Hmmm, I never really eat fast food, and honestly cannot remember the last time I ate it!  But I do love Chipotle Chips and Guacamole, and Jimmy Johns too!

35. From whom did you get your last email?

Mark!

5 From the Weekend

Here we are the start of a new week once again, and Christmas is only 14 days away!  Now that my friends is hard to believe!  December is flying by that is for sure.  I feel like this weekend went by in a flash.  One minute I was relaxing on the couch watching a movie and in the blink of an eye it was Sunday night, and I was prepping for another work day.  I wish the work week could fly by like weekends do!

Anyways here are 5 highlights from my lightening fast weekend!

1- I know I am a little behind on the times, but this past Friday I finally saw The Help!

I loved the movie.  While the movie didn't follow the book exactly I thought the producers did a wonderful job of captivating the message behind the book.  There were times I felt tears welling up behind my eyes, and other times I laughed so hard my stomach hurt (seeing Hilly's face after eating the pie)! 

2- Another thing I am also late to the game on this one folks... Skinny Jeans!  I finally broke down and bought my first pair of skinny jeans on Saturday.  I was just so sick of having baggy knees when I would tuck normal straight leg jeans into boots!

I bought a pair of the Dark Wash Always Skinny jeans from Gap!

3- Partying for this lovely ladies birthday!

4- Fresh baked Zucchini Muffins enjoyed warm out of the oven, these muffins reminded me so much of my childhood!  Love them!

Recipe found here!

5- And lastly a big bowl of soup to take off the winter chill!

Recipe found Here (next time I am adding quinoa)!

How was your weekend?