2 Things...Nashville and Day Light Savings

1. I leave for my first company trip on Saturday and I'm super excited! I'm going to Nashville for a Real Estate conference. This is also the first time I've flown alone....does this mean I'm an adult? #stillalittlenervous The days will be full of events, but hopefully I can sneak away and see a little bit of Nashville. Jake and Henry home alone could be interesting. Good thing I'll be back next Thursday. ;)

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2. I forgot how much I love Day Lights Savings time and this time of year. Yes, waking up last week and losing the hour wasn't fun, but having actual day light when I get home from work is amazing. Plus the weather is warming up. Henry LOVES it too! We're able to go on walks, play outside with neighbor dogs, and fetch, lots and lots of fetch.

Don't worry - I might be out of town next week, but I've got a few recipes ready to share. My sis is even stopping by to share some SUPER helpful fashion tips.

I'll share highlights during my trip on Instagram if you want to check it out!

2 Things...Sweet Surprises and FURNITURE!!!

1. I announced Sweet Surprises this week and I'm having so much fun reading the nominations. This is going to be a tough decision. Nominations are always open and a person will be selected on the first of each month.

2. After 2 year and 2 months we will have furniture in our living room! The couch and love seat will arrive between 12:00 and 2:00 PM tomorrow. I might camp out by the street in anticipation... I'll share some pictures on Instagram this weekend.

Remember when I made these Cinnamon Raisin Bagel Chips? I could use a couple right about now.

Have a super duper weekend!!

2 Things...Christmas Gifts and Thank Yous

1. You know you're an adult when you ask for (and receive) a new shop-vac and paper shredder for Christmas. It's kinda nice to get those practical gifts that you really need but put off buying.

2. I've written and sent all of my thank you notes for our Christmas gifts. I'll admit there have been a few times I text/call to thank someone, but I prefer to write and mail a note. It only takes a few minutes and who doesn't like to get a letter in the mail!?! I know I get so sick of the junk mail it's fun to see an actual piece of mail from friends and family.

Thank You Cards by TwoPoodlePress, available on Etsy

Make sure to stop by next week. I'll be sharing a few main dishes and a Whatcha Learin' Now post.

Enjoy your weekend!

2 Things....The Bobs and Focus Group

I sure had a interesting work week!

Tuesday we had two efficiency experts visit our office to see if their software programs could help with our work-flow. They asked us questions about our processes, how we worked, what we did, etc. The whole time I thought about The Bobs from Office Space. And now I really need to watch Office Space...great movie.

On Wednesday, I observed focus groups for marketing research. It was absolutely fascinating. The focus group sat in a room and we observed in a separate room with a mirrored window, like in a police lineup. I work for a real estate company so there was a group of home buyers, home sellers, potential sellers, and people not even considering a move.

In case you missed it, I shared snacks for a game night, classic Gingersnaps, and Peanut Butter Heath Cookies this week. What should I make for you next week?

2 Things....Cupcakes and Porter Ridge

1. See that cupcake? Well, that was a celebratory cupcake I had at work. I was promoted to Marketing Manager and my boss brought in cupcakes for the announcement. (I approve all announcements that involve cake and frosting.) I'm very excited for my new role and the things I'll learn and get to do.

2. Have you seen Porter Ridge on Discovery?? My sister told me about the show and it's so bad its good. It takes place at a salvage yard in Indiana and has the most interesting cast of characters. The one-liners are hilarious. It's from the same creators of Duck Dynasty too. If you need a good laugh, you need to give it a try.

I've got lots of baking in store for the weekend and a few pies to make for Thanksgiving. Are you doing any Thanksgiving prep work? 

Have a great weekend!!

2 Things....#KitchenMustHave and Pie

1. If you follow me on Facebook, you know I've started sharing a Kitchen Must Have with you each day so that you can put those items on YOUR wish list for the Holidays. I'm such a sucker for kitchen gadgets and accessories; it's only fair if you are too. Wanna join in? Use #KitchenMustHave on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagam. I need to know what I'm missing and need to make Jacob buy me. ;)

I already have this Nut Case from CB2 on MY list, but I know full well that I'll probably order it myself because (a) I'm not patient and (2) um, hello, it's a nut case shaped like a peanut.

2. I'm making a pie this weekend and will share the recipe with you next week. Why? Because I like pie AND because my sister-in-law bought be the COOLEST pie carrier that I need to break in. Reveal of pie and carrier on Monday.

I get to spend the whole weekend with Jakers! I can't wait. Have a nice weekend!

Two Things...Laundry Problems and $75.00

1. You know what stinks? When you try to do a quick load of laundry and when you go to put clothes in the dryer and you discover clean clothes you've yet to fold. The worst.

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2.  I won a prize pack from Dasani Drop which included $75.00 Visa gift card. I seriously do not win stuff so I was super excited. I feel like buying something special. What would you buy if someone handed you $75.00????

Cheers to the weekend! ;)

2 Things... New TV Shows and Rest

1. Have you been watching the new fall shows? What are you loving? I've mentioned a couple on Facebook, like Porter Ridge, Tickle, and Super Fun Night.

I still need to catch up on my DVR shows from our vacation, but these are the shows that I'm going to watch for a few more weeks to see where they go...

• Back in the Game (ABC)
• Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox)
• The Goldbergs (ABC)
• Hostages (CBS)
• Sleepy Hallow (Fox)
• Super Fun Night (ABC)
• Trophy Wife (ABC)
• Porter Ridge (Discovery)
• Tickle (Discovery)

2. I'm pooped. And I have a feeling I'll look like this when I get home tonight...

I wish coming back from a vacation wasn't so hard but I'm ready to soak up the weekend and relax. The weekend is going to be really chilly which only makes me more excited to cuddle up, catch up on our DVR'd shows, and be lazy. 

Here's to another week and an even better weekend! :) 

2 Things....VACATION and Banana Bread Beer

1. Jacob and I finally planned a vacation! We are headed to Table Rock Lake near Branson, MO later this month! We are staying in a cabin by the lake so there will be lots of relaxing, fishing, and did I say relaxing!?! We can not wait. I made sure the cabin has a full kitchen so I totally plan on cooking and baking while we are there. We also plan on spending time in Branson and going to Silver Dollar City. I might try to get Jake to zipline again like we did in Colorado last year. We shall see. Have you been to the Branson area? I'd love to hear the things we need to do, see, eat, etc.

2. One of my co-worker brought me a bottle of this Banana Bread Beer. Seriously? This is a real thing? I will be baking with this all weekend and will report my findings. So excited!

Have a great weekend!!

2 Things...I like, don't like and Deer Pizza

1. I've always been a Diet Pepsi gal but it's not always on sale so we opt for Diet Coke or  Diet Dr. Pepper. I realized a few months ago that I just don't like Diet Dr. Pepper. It's like it's too spicy. Yucky. However, the other day I had a Dr. Pepper Ten and it was delicious!! It's not nearly as spicy and it's only 10 calories.

2. We spent Labor Day weekend in Des Moines, Iowa with family. My sister-in-law is a really good cook; I've never had a bad meal at her house, ever. She made us homemade pizza with ground deer meat, turkey pepperoni, cheese, and black olives. Before you turn up your nose - ground deer is so tasty. It's so lean and with a little italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, you would never know it was deer. If you like bison, you'd like deer for sure. Jacob has been encouraging me to post recipes using deer meat. We shall see, maybe you'll see a 'Wild Game' recipe category some day!

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Remember to sign up for my weekly newsletter so you don't miss a single thing! Oh, and you're getting an extra post this weekend. So keep an eye out for a good make-ahead meal!

2 things...Monday and a Thank You to #GBS2013

1. I'm kinda excited. My sister and I are starting a new Monday blog series and I think you're really going to like it! Oh, and my Monday post might involve alcohol. So be here or be square.

2. On Wednesday I shared a recap of Go Blog Social, but I wanted to give a little thank you to the team that made Go Blog Social happen. Kansas City is such a vibrant city with so much to offer; it's a perfect place for a blog conference and I'm so glad these ladies made it happen!

Here is the GBS Team:

• Kathryn Mansur
• Sarah Ruhlman
• Samantha Peterson
• Rachael Heslop
• Katelyn Herlein
• Amanda Boleyn

Some of my favorites sponsors were...

• Hello Cheeseburger -- Obsessed. I actually WON a necklace! I never win anything so I was so excited. Plus, it's an awesome necklace. Plus, isn't their logo amazing?!?! Plus, they are just the nicest people you could meet. (today's word is: plus...apparently) 
• Twistband - Love. I talked about those last week. 
• Consentino's Market - Best grocery store in KC and an awesome dessert bar! 
• PaperSherpa - Some of the cutest stationary. 
• And here is a full list of all the great brands.

If you're a blogger, I highly recommend attending a blog conference. It's a great experience to be around people with your passion and learn from each other. I'm already looking for the next conference!

Have a great weekend!!

2 Things...painted living room and Twistband

1. I spent the last 1 1/2 watching Ben from B & L Painting, Inc paint our living room and hallway. Might be my new favorite way to paint a room - have someone else do it. ;) Actually, I do enjoy painting and find it relaxing, but this room was a space that Jacob and I could not tackle - the ceilings are higher and lots of cutting in. We left it to the pros. I am absolutely in love with the color. It's Sherwin Williams Repose Gray. I can't stop staring at the walls (is that weird?). Now I'm ready to shop for furniture. Let's just hope that doesn't take another 2 years...

(These pictures aren't great, but I HAD to show you. I promise I'll post better before and afters later.)

2. Have you heard of Twistband, the hair ties that don't dent your hair? I love them. They were in our swag bag at Go Blog Social. AND I also won an awesome glass container full of even more Twistbands. I think I have one in every color, but I'd really like to get these too. As someone who puts their hair up as soon as I'm off work, I love that my hair won't be ruined if Jacob decides he wants to take me out on a hot date. Give them a try, you'll love them!

2 Things...gifs and @DasaniDrops

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We did it, we made it to Friday!!

1. You know how we all say, "What did we do before google?", "What did we do before iPhones?". Well, what the heck did we do before gif's! I think I really started to see the humor possibilities when I found Roo's Friday 'this is how I feel' post. And now, they make everything better. I work with a guy who responds to emails with gif's...don't worry it's more so to co-workers...but hilarious. If you're not hooked, take a look at these posts....they will change your life....

• 25 Success GIFs to Celebrate All Your Victories
• Frosting GIF's to Improve Your Day
• 20 Reasons You Should Own a Scooter
• How to Pronounce Gif

Oh, and I just saw that the gif just turned 26 years old! 

2. Influenster sent me Dasani Drops to test out along with a bottle of Dasani water. This was actual a good product for me to test. I am a big fan of Crystal Light but haven't really tried another brand of water flavorings. I really like the Dasani Drops because you can put as much, or as little, in your drink. I don't always have bottles of 16.9 ounces of water so this is much more convenient. Jake tried it out too. He was partial to the Grape while I stuck with the Strawberry Kiwi. My Facebook followers told me I have to try the Pineapple Coconut next and I think I just might!

Enjoy your weekend!!

2 Things...#GBS2013 and Henry

1. I'm attending my first blog conference today and tomorrow in Kansas City! It's downtown at Hotel Phillips. I'm super excited to meet other bloggers and just be a sponge for all information. My sister and friend Helen are also attending so it will be a fun filled girls weekend! I'll be posting all the fun moments on social media so follow me via the links over there on the right -------------------->

2. My mom came along to watch my nephew,Grant (and Jacob...just kidding), while we're at the conference. Ginny and I were driving home from the welcome cocktail hour on Thursday night and Jacob called...."Henry just ate Grant's sock." In the background I could hear Grant (3 years old) saying "Henry ate my sock, that's not nice." Luckily my mom is a quick thinker and remembered a home remedy! They put 3 tablespoons of kosher salt down Henry's throat and 5 minutes later he thew up the sock. And, then he drank a ton of water. That was much cheaper than the last sock episode (yes, this has happened before) and didn't require a vet. Thank. You. Mom!

Enjoy the rest of your Friday and the weekend!! :)

2 Things...Paint and a New Couch!

1. YEAHHHH, we bought paint for our living room!! Sherwin Williams had their big 40% off sale so the timing was perfect. We also decided that we are going to repaint the trim work before the painter comes. It's not in bad shape, but we're afraid after we have fresh paint on the walls the trim will look old. More to come on this project in the coming weeks!

2. In the midst of our painting project, Jacob decided we needed to get a new couch in our family room (where we spend all our time). We purchased our current couch from a friend who was moving for $50.00 and we knew it wouldn't be around forever. Our new couch comes today! I'll post a picture on Facebook once it's all moved in! I can not wait!


Oh - there is still time to enter the massive giveaway I shared yesterday. Here's the information.

Cheers to the weekend! :)

2 Things...Big Brother and Ice Cream

1. Big Brother 15 just started. I'm hooked. Anyone else following along??? I was sad to see David go the first week, even though he was not super smart, he was super likable and I think he would have made the season very entertaining.

I'm currently team Elissa and Helen. I haven't watched last nights episode but I'm SOOO hoping the house wises up and takes the opportunity to get Nick out. He is a strong player. My other thought is that the house is so dumb not to stick with Elissa; if it were me I'd want to be right by the person who America has picked 2 weeks in a row for MVP, duh.

2. I've yet to make ice cream. I think this weekend is THE weekend to give it a go. After all, my dad did pick up an 'almost' brand new ice cream maker at an auction for me! I'm thinking I'll make one of Jake's favorites - Cookies n' Cream. 

Enjoy your Friday and have an even better weekend! 

2 Things....Staycation and Lifestyle Magazine

1. Jake and I are into day 3 of our staycation. It's been delightful and we've gotten so much done! We've cleaned nearly the whole house, we replaced our toilet seats (might sound odd but they were just looking a little old), bought a new couch for our basement, and so much more. My big project this afternoon is to scrub the kitchen cabinets and the stair railings. I'll share more on our staycation in upcoming posts.

2. You might have heard me mention this on facebook, but a local magazine, Johnson Country Lifestyle, gave me a shout-out in their July Magazine. Lisa Allen made it all possible and I was gitty to see my name in a real life magazine. Here is a link to the article. 

I hope everyone had a nice 4th of July and have an even better weekend! 

2 Things....Elliott and Paint

1. Every time I see the word Elliott I read it in the ET voice - Elllliott. That's normal, right?

2. I've purchased 6 different paint samples for our living room and I've yet to find the perfect color. Annoying. Jacob thought it would be helpful to point out that we could have almost purchased that super cool Nest thermostat with the money we've wasted on samples. Thank you, Jacob, thank you. I fully plan on buying 2 more samples on my way home from work today. 

I have 2 work days next week and then Jake and I have 5 days off! Can't wait!! 

Have a fun weekend! 

2 things....C25K Playlist and Spotify

1. I'm into week 3 of the Couch 2 5K program and I'm feeling good! I honestly do feel much better in the morning and it hasn't been as hard as I was anticipating. I still have a ways to go, but I'm going!

2. A good playlist has been making my workouts easier, and more fun. Thanks to Spotify....wait, I really hope you know about Spotify. It's a music program you put on your computer. You pick and choose what songs and/or albums you want to hear. Full songs. Full albums. You can also create playlists! The desktop version is free, they just play an ad every now and then. I listen to it a lot at work as a way to block out the noisy workplace. The app version is more like Pandora, but if you pay $9.99 for Premium you can pick and choose with no ads. So as a treat for actually working out I paid for the Premium account. That means I can listen to my playlists on my phone while I run!

Don't laugh at my song choices; they do keep me movin'! :)

PS: I wish Spotifiy paid me for telling you about their services, but they don't. But if you work for Spotify, call me I do accept cash or free services. Just kidding. Not kidding. ;) Oh, and Spotify pays the artists when you listen to their songs and the artist has to give permission to have their songs available so it's win-win for everyone in my book!

I'm off to a BBQ festival tonight so follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter to see what I'm eating and drinking!

Happy Weekend!!

2 Things...#LazyDaysBBQ and #GoBlogSocial

1. I was a little quiet this week, but that's because I shared 3 recipes with you on Monday. In case you missed it, you need to check out our Lazy Days and BBQ's series giving you everything you need to host the best party this summer. And, with Memorial Day right around the corner, perfect timing.

Step 1: Planning {Dawn of Joyful Scribblings}

Step 2: Decor / Tablescapes {Cathy of Creations by Cathy}

Step 3: Appetizers {Chelsea of Whatcha Makin' Now?}

Step 4: Main Dishes and Sides {Nicole of Daily Dish Recipes}

Step 5: Desserts!!! {Katie of What Katie's Baking}

Step 6: What to wear {Ginny of My New Favorite Outfit}

2. I'm attending my first blogger conference in August! The best part is that it's right here in Kansas City so no travel expenses. The even bester (just pretend it's a word) is that my sister is going with me!!! Yippy!

I'll have more goodies to share with you next week. Any special requests? I'm pretty sure I'll be making cookies of some kind.

Happy Memorial Day! Be safe.