Blind Box BBQ in Kansas City

Jacob and I are on a quest to try all the BBQ spots in Kansas City. It will probably take us 10 years but we're up for the challenge.

I've had Blind Box BBQ on my list for months so that was our first stop. They describe themselves as "...old school BBQ with a modern twist" and I totally agree. The restaurant atmosphere was perfection - servers wearing fun bow ties, beautiful wood tables, industrial lighting and light music playing in the background. As a marketing nerd I also really appreciated their overall branding, menu layout and style.

Happy New Year!

Seriously, it seems like each year flies by faster than the last. I think that's just a side effect of getting older.

The last six months have been a little crazy at my day job, but it has been a good crazy. I was promoted and that means additional responsibilities. Because of that I feel like I've been off my blog game. Almost like baker's block.

Don't worry - I'm not going anywhere. I still need and love this creative outlet. But I feel like I need to get organized and find a way to juggle it all.

I'm a big planner and without a plan things don't happen so I'm going to take the month of January to get organized. Plan posts, think through my social media and lay out the next 12 months.

But before I break, I had to share a few family pictures with you. Over Thanksgiving we took family pictures at my parent's house. My wedding was the last time we had professional photos so I was excited to get some new shots. I love this shot of us on the tree lined driveway.

Unique Gifts for Him from Uncommon Goods

Thanks to my friends at Uncommon Goods for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own. 

So far my promise to do all of my Christmas shopping online is going strong! I do have an excess number of shipping boxes and packing paper but it's totally worth it.

I still have a few people on my list - the guys seem to be the hardest to shop for. The hunt is on for something cool for those guys. Uncommon Goods is my go-to for such gifts.

I LOVE that on every item you can see the story behind the item - where it was made and who made it. Uncommon Goods offers some of the coolest handmade, recycled and organic products often made from sustainable materials.

Uncommon Goods makes it easy to shop - they have a whole section for Christmas Gifts for Men, general Christmas Gifts and Christmas Gifts for Dad.

This Pistachio Pedestal is genius. Now the discarded shells have a home. My dad would love this.

Ultimate List of Binge Worthy TV Shows

Jacob and I just realized we don't have a binge worthy show to watch at the moment. I know, first world problems. I never want that to happen to you so I've put together a list of binge worthy shows. Plus, with the winter approaching this is the perfect time to stay in where it's warm and cozy.

While Jacob and I don't have a show to watch together, I'm currently watching Gilmore Girls and loving every moment of it. I thought I watched this show growing up but it's been so long it's all new again. I can't stop watching. My other most favorite is Hart of Dixie and it's pretty much my first recommendation to anyone. It's just so sweet.

All of these are currently on Netflix. Most shows are off air now, but a handful are still running. Start your binge watching now!

Caramel Apples and Other Perfect Gifts

I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week and Christmas is right around the corner. Where does the time go?! I already proclaimed (to Jacob after leaving a store with a checkout line of 60 people) that I will do all of our Christmas shopping online. No exceptions.

I love shopping online. Not only can you do it from the comfort of your own home, but you can truly find a unique gift for everyone on your list.

Partnering with Dean & DeLuca came at the perfect time. Have you visited their website lately? They have the most amazing gourmet goodies. It's a foodie dream come true! I'm drooling over the chicken pot pie, mac and cheese, fancy cheeses, all the candy and the drink mixes.  Heck - you could even order your ENTIRE Thanksgiving dinner today from Dean & DeLuca and have it delivered tomorrow. Your secret is safe with me.

I admit. I got sidetracked while Christmas shopping and totally ordered this fun Caramel Apple Kit from Fat Toad Farm. I mean, Cinnamon Caramel. Come on.

This Caramel Apple Kit would make the perfect hostess gift for the loved one hosting Thanksgiving. You could even put in a little gift basket with apples. I like the idea of getting something out of the ordinary for a friend or family member. We all have so much "stuff", why not buy something that can be enjoyed with your friends and family!

The kit was really easy to use. It came with the caramel, apple sticks and instructions. After thickening the caramel on the stove top I dipped the apples, added a few crushed peanuts and I was done!

The best part of waking up...

This post is sponsored by my friends at Folgers. 

Come on, you know the slogan. Last week you got a peek into my husbands typical day. Now, it's my turn. I work full-time at a Kansas City real estate company as the Marketing Manager. I've been in the real estate industry for nearly 10 years - that's kinda crazy to say.

My Monday's seem to be the busiest lately so I thought I'd bring you along for the fun.

A Day in the Life of Jacob

This post is sponsored by my friends at Folgers. 

I mention Jacob in my posts often but I've never given him a whole post. Until now. I thought it would be fun to share "a day in the life of Jacob."

Our schedules are really different; I work a pretty traditional 8-5, Monday - Friday while each day is different for Jacob. It kinda floors me how it does it. Jacob is a Chiropractor, and a pretty darn good one at that. I might be a little biased, but I've visited multiple doctors and he's the only one that could truly adjust my neck and keep me from getting headaches. It's magical.

His hours vary everyday so let's look at an average Thursday. He works 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm so the lucky duck gets to sleep in.

9:00 am: Wake up, watch a little TV in bed.

Sipping my way through a staycation.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tazo® Tea for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

I totally planned a staycation and I'm so excited. It's been a busy few months at work and a little break will just be nice. We all need a little time to unwind, relax and reward ourselves for working so hard. Plus, one of my besties (and co-worker) is leaving on maternity leave soon so I want to get a little break in before we lose her for 12 weeks.



The week is already going super fast but I'm making the most of it. I'm organized and made my list of "things to accomplish." Here's the list:

It's not cookies, but it's a recipe you definitely want.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ScotchBriteSponges #CollectiveBias

It's finally time to paint my master bathroom and closet! If you recall I revealed our refreshed master back in February. I had intentions of painting our bathroom shortly after that but man did time get away from me. I just didn't seem to have an open weekend to commit to the project. It's still brown and not fun.

Until now.

Kitchen Makeover Final Thoughts

This is the final post in my #WMNkitchenmakeover thanks to my friends at Nebraska Furniture Mart and Whirlpool. Here's part 1, part 2 and part 3 if you're just joining me.

As you know, we chose the Whirlpool Ice Collection in White Ice. Aren't they pretty? I love the set - they just look like one big happy family.

The refrigerator gives us a lot of extra space and I really like the pull out freezer. I now know our old microwave wasn't performing as well - the new one cooks things so much quicker and is so quiet. That's true for the dishwasher too - our dishes are so much cleaner now! And the stove - those two large front burners and super huge oven is a bakers dream.

As first-time homeowners, this was one one of the bigger investments we've made in our home. It really changed the look of our space and makes the home even more "us". Here are a few of my final thoughts that will hopefully help you purchase your new appliances.

Breaking in the New Whirlpool Appliances + Ice Cream Sandwiches

This is part three of #WMNKitchenMakeover thanks to my friends at Nebraska Furniture Mart and Whirlpool. Here's part one and two if you're just joining us.

We've had our new appliances from Nebraska Furniture Mart for almost a month and I'm still obsessed. I'll just walk into the kitchen to look at them...that's weird, I know.

What's the best way to test drive and break in the new appliances? Make chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches dipped in chocolate! Keeping on reading for the recipe.

I have to share some of my favorite features of the new Whirlpool appliances.

Kitchen Makeover - Install Day!

This is part two of #WMNKitchenMakeover thanks to my friends at Nebraska Furniture Mart and Whirlpool. Here's part one if you're just joining us.

I left you hanging with our final decision and I'm SO excited to reveal. I won't make me wait a second more. We chose the Whirlpool Ice Collection in White. Gah, aren't they pretty?!

We loved that they were white, but had a more modern look with the stainless steel accents and smooth white finish. We had such good luck with our old Whirlpool appliances and thought this collection was really a step up from what we had.

See full product details on NFM.com:

• Refrigerator
• Stove
• Microwave
• Dishwasher

Once we finalized our purchase with Nebraska Furniture Mart they ordered the appliances. I HATE waiting so I really appreciated they gave us a delivery time frame so we knew when to expect delivery.

It was less than two weeks and I got the call to set up delivery. My days can be a little crazy but I was able to pick a time that worked best for me and my schedule. Once the day was locked in, NFM called 24-48 hours before the delivery date to give a time frame. And, they called when they are on their way.

I was absolutely gitty when that big ol' NFM truck pulled up to our house. The delivery guys were super nice and professional. They reviewed the items they were delivering, took at look at our kitchen, and got to work. I found out later they were brothers - they did work really well together.

My kitchen needs some TLC

I'm so excited to kick off a four-part series today! I'm teaming up with Nebraska Furniture Mart and Whirlpool to share my kitchen makeover (#wmnKitchenMakeover).

Obviously as a food blogger I spend a lot of time in my kitchen. When we bought our home five years ago we were lucky to have appliances included. Those appliances have served us well but we are ready for an upgrade.

The biggest problem is our refrigerator. The previous owners of our home had to have brought it with them; our home was built in 2001 and the refrigerator is from the 1990's. Don't get me wrong - it keeps stuff cold, as Jacob says, but it's really starting to rust and the ice maker stopped working a few months back.

Jacob "offered" to paint it to hide the rust. I lovingly said "no way".

The stove, microwave and dishwasher are all Whirlpool and are all still in working order but I knew I wanted a "set" of matching appliances.

I started my research online to get a feel for styles, features, colors and prices. There are so many options it's easy to get a little overwhelmed but looking at a wide range of products helped me figure out what I did and didn't want. I also read a lot of reviews to see what consumers thought.

After that initially research, Jacob and I measured our space to further narrow down what would fit. This really is an important step and I love that Nebraska Furniture Mart puts space planning resources on each product.

Now for the fun part - Jacob and I went to the Nebraska Furniture Mart here in Kansas City to actually see the appliances. On the website, it does show what is "in store" so we knew we'd be able to see a similar, if not the same, product.

If you've never been to NFM it's an experience. It's massive and has a ton of products to choose from. The appliance section alone probably has 150+ refrigerators on display. They have great employees to answer questions at a moments notice. But, they let you look without pressuring you.

Party Time with Uncommon Goods

Thanks to Uncommon Goods I did a little shopping. I needed a few new party hosting supplies, and managed to find a few extra goodies.

Did you know that half of the items on their website are handmade, many things made right in the US? Like the super fun Beeropoly game that will make any party, a party - it's made in Omaha, Nebraska.

They have something for everyone and I really like how they break things into sections to make finding the perfect gift easy. It's the perfect place to find that unique gift they will love for years to come.

Uncommon Goods has crazy good customer service - something that I always watch for. They have been awarded for outstanding customer service every year since 2007. In 2015, the achieved the BizRate Platinum Circle of Excellence award, the highest achievement level yet. They are not only committed to their customers but to the artists that create the products. They treat them like part of the family.

We're obsessed with the microwave popcorn popper. I put a little honey butter on top and it's amazing. The fun slate trays here and here double as serving trays and photo backdrop (blogger win).

Hale Navy Master Bedroom Reveal

I finally finished our master bedroom refresh. We LOVE how it turned out! The Hale Navy is the perfect blue and really dark and moody, like we wanted. Because it is so much darker, I opted for white curtains, white duvet, lamps and light artwork to balance it all out.

The Target app and Red Card make it way too easy to buy things (as you'll see in my source list). Jacob did remind me that using the Red Card doesn't make it free. Huh, weird. A lot of these items were bought from my phone while I watched Real Housewives. Magical.

When I picked up the lamps I was nervous they would be too big. But I actually really love the size and they give off great light.

Our walls were tan before; I was floored at how much more the bed and bedside tables pop with the navy walls.

I really like the pops of color from the throw pillows, art above the bed and the fun throw. I'm not crazy about our carpet but we're still a few years out from replacing so it will work for now.

I'm super excited to share the after pictures! Keep scrolling for source list.

Next up: the master bathroom.

Winter Menu at Seasons 52

Laura and I were invited back to Seasons 52 on the Plaza to try their winter menu. The new menu features Braised Beef Short Rib, Warm California Golden Beats, Oak-Grilled Potato Salad, along with special desserts and cocktails, such as the Cranberry & Sage.

The cocktails were amazing. We had the Bourbon Berry Bramble and the Prairie Mule.

Gift Guide - Made in KC

It occurred to me that it's just a little over a month until Christmas. It's true. And scary. I started my list on Wunderlist (seriously, obsessed with that app). I've only crossed a couple things off my list so far.

We all know how much I love Kansas City so I thought I'd share a few "made in Kansas City" gift ideas! My sister already requested a pair of earrings from Nickel & Suede and buying a 2016 planner from Simply Paperie is always a good idea. Her new patterns are amazing.

Let's go shopping!

Kansas City Beautiful Tote Bag – RAYGUN
raygunsite.com

Socks 101
sock101.com

Earrings
nickelandsuede.com

magic number paprika throw
happyhabitat.net

Black and White Floral Planner Simply Paperie
shopsimplypaperie.com

KC HEART NAVY
charliehustleshop.com

"Kansas City Royalty" - 9" x 12" Print — Bozz Prints
bozzprints.com

Royal Waves (blue tee)
oceanandsea.com

Orange Clove Candles
5bandcobrookside.com

Coasters (Set of 4)
sandlotgoods.com

(These are not affiliate links, I just love these local KC brands and think they would make fabulous gifts!)

Fun in Playa Del Carman

Jacob and I took a little getaway to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico in September and it was amazing. We have wanted to take a beach vacation for some time but there are so many options, it was a bit overwhelming.

We knew we wanted a very relaxed and quiet trip so we opted for a vacation rental home instead of staying at a resort. The home we rented was in a gated community with 24 hour security and was within walking distance to the main part of town. Plus, it was 50 feet from the beach - amazing.

We did plan two activities but left the rest of the days wide open. Trip Advisor, Facebook reviews and local Playa Del Carmen websites were my best friend. They helped we weed through the many options and find reliable excursions with great reviews. Booking ahead of time also saved us a little money!

Gettin' Down with Science on the #FarmFoodTour

As you may have noticed on Instagram, I went on another #FarmFoodTour organized by Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Soybean and Kansas Pork Association. Here's last years recap if you want to start from the beginning of the fun. This time around we focused a little bit more on the science of food and all of the research, collaboration and regulations that help our farmers provide us with the best products.

This is a bit of a long post so grab a little popcorn, a beer, put your feet up and enjoy. ;)

Merck Animal Health

Merck Animal Health develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of veterinary medicines helping with prevention, treatment and disease control. They have offices in more than 50 countries - we had the chance to speak with the experts at the DeSota, Kansas location.

Master Bedroom Refresh - Dark and Moody

We've been in our home almost five years and we've done a number of projects during that time. One room that's been untouched is our master bedroom.

I have that itch to paint.

We currently have darker tan walls with dark brown walls in the attached master bath. I'm just over it.

I'm thinking dark and moody in the master and a much lighter color in the bathroom to really change up the space. I'm shooting to have the fun begin end of September or first part of October.We would do the painting ourselves too!

This would also give me a good reason to buy new bedding, curtains and update the few pictures we have in the room.

That gives me a month or so to plan. For fun, I thought I'd share some of my inspiration rooms with you!

Which is your favorite? Anyone else make the switch to really dark walls?

via West Elm