Weekending + Fall Idea House Inspiration

Today brought the 'official' beginning of fall, I can't believe summer is winding down but I am still loving the warm days & cool nights that we have been experiencing. The weekend was filled with fall inspiration, walks (with a waterfall), cups of tea in the evening (it's tea season!) and college football with my beloved Bison. 

Saturday my mom & I headed to the Bachman's Idea House. Bachman's decorates the Bachman family house in the fall, for christmas & spring. Ever since my co-worker told me about the Idea house I have wanted to visit. I loved the Idea house and plan on attending during the seasons as it was so fun and I loved being inspired by everything -- it was like walking into a pinterest house. 

Love me some succulents and this fireplace makes want a fireplace some day - even if it's a fake fireplace.

Gourds and pumpkins make my heart go a flutter. The gardens also had fun vegetables interspersed around the flowers and it looked beautiful. 

How did you spend your weekend?

Saying Hello

Just dropping by to say hello & let you know I'm still around. These last few weeks have been so busy full of adventures, weekend trips and just keeping my head above the water with adult things. You know those adult things: work, housework, errands, etc. 

I'm soaking in fall by sipping Pumpkin Spice Lattes like there is no tomorrow. 

Spending the weekends with family & friends. This past weekend I headed to a gorgeous lake in Wisconsin and sipped adult beverages laughed with family & enjoyed the lake view. 

Today was bittersweet. I was not directly effected by the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. I did not know anyone in the towers or know people close to me who lost a loved one but the nation I love was attacked and precious lives were lost. I will always remember where I was, how I sat in a classroom in high school and watched as the 2nd plane fly into that second tower. It is not a memory I will every forget and I am still saddened at the loss of lives, the total disregard & hate that the attackers had for precious lives and the people who loved them. 

That day means even more as I visited ground zero and saw the area for myself this past May in NYC. 

The sweet memory today came from a wonderful friend date with my dear Shelby. Our last solo friend date before she marries her best friend this weekend.l   looked forward to our friend date for weeks after we set it knowing it's a milestone of our friendship. I can't wait to stand with her on Sunday as she get's married. 

Which brings me to another reason life had been so busy recently... Shelby gets married in a few days, I will have friends in town, some staying with me, activities planned and a home to clean & prepare. 

In the business of life I am reminded again and again that life is good and I am greatly blessed. It may be a few more quiet days on the blog but cannot wait to share all of the fun details in the next few weeks. 

Disclaimer: This post brought to you by the wonders of technology + blogging via iPhone. Thus please forgive spelling errors, wonky picture sizes and weird formatting. 

Hello September

Oh hello there September.

Today is September first. It was almost like nature knew and flipped an imaginary switch on the weather. A beautiful cool morning & evening with a warmer day. Just what the beginning of fall should be like.

Part of me is so excited to welcome September as the gateway to Fall. But part of me wants to keep the warm sunshine days, beach trips and flip-flop wearin' days.

But oh do I look forward to everything pumpkin, spicy smelling scents, gourds, scarf weather and boots. To welcome September I've already sipped several Caribou Latte's, ate pumpkin bread and ransacked Bath & Body's fall fragrances.

I shall spend my days anticipating fall but yearning for a few more summer days.

See ya at the Fair!

Happy Sunday! 

I'm headed out to the great Minnesota Great Together today aka the Minnesota State Fair. 

This is by far one of my favorite Minnesota events and I typically go several times a year. 

More on my fair adventures later but if you want to pop in and see what I am doing (or eating!) head on over to my instagram.

A Wisconsin Weekend

This past weekend I spent it at my families cabin in Wisconsin. I absolutely fell in love with the wispy fluffy clouds and the blue blue skies. Everyday turned out to be sunny and not to hot but just warm enough. I grew up going to the cabin during the summer with my grandparents and always treasure the memories that were made here. 

Passing beautiful farm fields. 

Corn growing taller than me, it's a sign of the ends of summer. 

Tranquil lakes.

Beautiful Sunsets

I ran these roads each day, it was beautiful and peaceful, a great run. 

Laughing Falls & Sebastian Joe's

Yesterday I meet a dear friend in St. Paul for her last wedding dress fitting. It was wonderful and amazing being with her as she tried on her dress for one of the last times before her wedding day in September. After the fitting we headed to Minnehaha falls to grab a snack and walk around the falls. 

At the top of the falls in Minnehaha park there is Sea Salt Eatery that serves among other things Sebastian Joe's ice cream. We each got a scoop of Spamoni Ice Cream. This spamoni ice cream was almost a 'Minnesota' version if you would, it was delectable and amazing. The spamoni was almond, lemon, orange ice cream with apricots & slivered almonds -- and delectable and tasted a little bit like what I imagine heaven tasting like. 

Also a Sebastian Joe's trip (or eating their ice cream -- if you want to be technical) was on my summer bucket list!

An evening spent with a dear friend walking around Minnehaha Falls while eating amazing ice cream makes that a pretty perfect Monday in this girls book. 

{Weekend Edition} College Friends

patio views // a beautiful hued sky during a late evening run

Sunday I meet two dear college friends one Minnesotan & one Coloradian for brunch at Granite City. We had such a wonderful time full of girl talk, bottomless mimosas, caramel rolls, a beautiful shaded patio & leafy surroundings. We laughed and talked for hours it was such a nice afternoon.

I also saw The Heat this weekend. I laughed during the entire movie and everyone left with a 

smile on their face. 

What a wonderful & beautiful weekend. I will treasure the memories for a long time and cannot wait till September when we are all reunited for Shelby's wedding.

Happy Independence Day!

Holidays always seem to revolve around food + family - am I right? While both of those are important I don't want to forget the real reason behind this holiday. I am so blessed to live in a nation that values & promotes freedom & independence and am thankful to the people who in the past & currently fight for the freedom daily.

I'm spending this fourth of July with family & preparing for my grandparents' 60th anniversary celebration. This morning I whipped up these tasty shortcake/patriotic 4th of July kabobs - who doesn't love food on a stick & a holiday inspired treat. 

So thankful & blessed to be an American & live in the land of the free. 

{Day Two} Meeting the Big Apple: Times Square

We left Niagara Falls area in the early morning and headed to New York New York. Before our trip we debated about staying in NYC and paying the extra money or staying in New Jersey & paying for transportation daily. In the end we went the NJ route. 

{Times Square}

By the time we drove the 6 hours, settled into the hotel & took public transportation to NYC it was late afternoon. We headed straight for Time Square it was everything & yet nothing I expected.

We visited Rockefeller Center

We visited the Hershey store with a dancing yellow M&M, a green statue of liberty M&M and a rainbow of yummy colors.

Amanda & I with Time Square and city lights in the background. 

{Cake Shop}

Right in Time Square is Buddy the Cake Boss' Cupcake shop. By the time we got to Buddy's we were so long past tired + exhausted and were just waiting for our scheduled bus for a ride back to NJ. 

We each got a cupcake and then sliced & diced them up so we could all have a taste. We tried Vanilla Vanilla, Carrot Cake, peanut Butter & Chocolate & a Caramel Cupcake.

It was a wonderful first day spent in New York, New York. 

Summer Bucket List

Summer is still trying to make it's way to Minnesota but that does not stop me from dreaming of summer, sunshine and warm toasty days in need of air conditioning. 

What is on your summer bucket list?

Scenes from a Weekend

As usually is the case, I need another weekend to recover from my weekend. 

With that being said I had a wonderful weekend. Saturday I attended an all day outdoor Christian music festival called Joyful Noise. There were great headliners of Big Daddy Weave, Jeremy Camp, Tenth Avenue North and Third Day - it was amazing. 

The weather was pretty overcast but I still managed to get sunburned in the process - but it was worth it. Some day I will learn + remember to bring sunscreen. 

Sunday was a busy day again with church + teaching and a wedding meeting at Dunn Bros {for a wedding I am coordinating at church}.

The garden is finally blooming and I am loving the pops of color especially with dreary rainy days that we have had so often. I am looking forward to my vegetable garden growing and producing harvest. 

What are you looking forward to these days?

{Weekend Edition} The Easter One

It's April 1st and I am so excited for a new month and a fresh start! There is something so exciting about looking at the calendar and seeing the 1st. It is also April Fools Day! I personally am a fan of pranks and have been known to pull several in my younger years -- the best prank ever pulled on me was in my senior year of college my SUV was saran wrapped. It was definitely a sight to see. Are you a pranker or tend to stay away from all of that funny business?

My weekend started a little earlier this week - but no complaints here! I took a half day in Friday and went out to lunch with a friend and then we proceeded to go and get mani & pedis!

Amanda Sue & I went to Good Earth And celebrated Amanda's birthday with a slice of their famous carrot cake - delish! Later before church we met up with our friend Lynnae before heading to our churches' Good Friday service.

{Pedi // Lynnae + I}

{Amanda, me + Lynnae}

Saturday was a wonderful relaxing day as I met up with an old co-worker for coffee + laughs (many of them!). Sunday was a wonderful day - a bit dreary and over cast in the great state of Minnesota but still a celebration with Christ defeating the grave!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and a great Easter! I am determined to enjoy Monday & embrace April! 

Waiting on Spring

Here in my beloved Minnesota I am waiting on spring. 

I do love the winter but at this point after many late season snow storms I am done with the snow and am wishing, hoping, begging and pleading that spring will finally spring forth in Minnesota. 

Maybe it's wishful thinking but the last few days I feel like it maybe getting closer. as I was driving home Monday night I was noticing the change in the air. Even thought it was chilly outside and no where near the point (even thought I wanted to) where I could come home and open the windows and leave the patio door open it felt - 'springy'.  The sun was shining, birds chirping and blue blue skies. 

My wardrobe has even changed (despite the weather being 30 degrees). I've traded in the winter parka with the fur on the hood and fake uggs for cute ballet flats, light jackets and spring hues.

Despite the snow outside and the still chilly temps I traded in the winter themed decor for bright colors and cute little reminders that winter + snow will not be around forever.

Just for fun a cute sunnies & stache ring I feel in love with at Forever 21 and a tasty spring salad. 

(even my bright pink polish is calling for spring!)

Has spring finally 'sprung' in your home town or are you trying to wish & entice it along?

{Weekend Edition} Baby Shower + a Cut

This weekend I attended an adorable book themed children's party for my friend Chandelle at 

Mommy in the Making. The theme was so cute from the invitations we received, the food choices and the centerpieces on the table. I wish I would have gotten a few more pictures (especially of the cute mama) but alas I only have a few snapshots. I can't wait to meet little Christian in a few months! 

.... And because all I do is take selfies and coffee pictures ....

Saturday also brought a bit of spring cleaning to my locks. It always amazes me how the stylist can take something a hair dryer and a round brush and style my hair just like that! Let me tell you it's not how it works once I go home. I end up with the round brush tangled in said hair and frustrated beyond belief -- hypothetically of course. 

Coffee while I waited to go to the shower, Starbucks new Hazelnut Macchiato hmmm :) 

Happy Friday + a few insta-pics on the side

Hello and Happy Friday and February 1st. 

(I cannot believe it's already February)

What a busy & interesting week. The week began with freezing rain, snow, and a long commute. But the trees were beautiful all dressed in beautiful snow. 

The temperatures have been so cold recently in the Twin Cities that I have been keeping myself warm with layers, scarves, mittens, blankets and warm beverages. Thursday evening I had a Bucks date with a dear friend - their spicy vanilla latte is a must try!  

While going through a few old boxes from college I unearthed this dear green + gold mug. This mug brought warm and fuzzy memories to mind. The mug would mean nothing to anyone else but being a NDSU Alumni is such a happy thing to me and I had so many wonderful memories from my years there and have some of the best people in my life because of it. 

Once a Bison always a Bison.

You've Got Mail. What an oldie but goodie and one of my favorite movies. Every couple months I will pop the movie in and have it in the background or watch it sporadicly till I reach the end. My roommates often use to tease me about my sporadic movie watching, sometimes I just watch it for 10 minutes as I get ready or put away clothes, etc. 

I also *finally* receive my 2013 planner. It took me a long time to find a planner I loved that would work for me and be functional in the way I need it to function. This past year I had been using my iPhone calendar to track dates, appointments, etc but it reached the point where it just was not working for me and I wanted to open something up and dig into it and see my month/week/day. I am so excited to dig into this planner - and oh how true the words are ... '2013 a year filled with possibility'. 

ps. Please tell me I am not the only one who uses a non-digital planner still?

Well I'm off to enjoy the weekend full of friends, shopping, family and a super bowl party with tasty food! Have a wonderful weekend friends!

Weekend Highlights

A few snapshots that represent a few beautiful weekend highlights. 

{Friday evening crochet project}

{Celebrating my alma maters' two time back to back National Championship wins. Saturday I attended a local watch party in Minnesota to watch the North Dakota State University Bison defend their title for the second year in a row agains Sam Houston State's Bearkats. The game was full of amazing plays and moments and I am so excited and proud of the team and proud to be part of an amazing University and their community even several years post graduate!}

{Sunday morning after church I headed to Starbucks and sipped a Vanilla Spice Latte and read Heads in Beds while waiting for a friend to have brunch with, definitely a tasty drink! This book is also perfect for this hotelier girl!}