Friday, May 30, 2014

Breakfast for Dinner Fondue Friday

Tonight, I had the brilliant-never-ever-been-done-before idea to make Breakfast for Dinner Fondue. And since it was also Friday, it must now a thing. #BFDFF #acceptablehashtag?


My inspiration for the first ever Breakfast for Dinner Fondue Friday was my intense desire for bacon lately always. I was even caught drooling during a project meeting this morning. Then the need for chocolate came over me and suddenly the idea struck me! Dip the bacon IN chocolate!! Heck, lets make it breakfast for dinner! What could be better?! Throw some strawberries and bananas in there and you have a well balanced meal in my book!

You're welcome, kids.
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Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Hol-ly-wood!

Cute new shoes call for an artsy fartsy lunch break photo shoot.





boom



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Sunday, May 18, 2014

Montrose Dog Beach

On this rare Sunday where Brooks was off of work, we decided the Schatz should take his first trip to Lake Michigan. Rather than visit the only other free dog park we've found so far, we instead headed to the Montrose Dog Beach in Uptown for a little more adventure. 

If you ask Schatzi, he'd say this was the place where dreams are made. Sandy beaches, scary waves, sticks to be thrown, and of course, DOGS. All the dogs Schatzi could ever wish to have chase him! 
So much running!



The day was beautiful. The water was bright blue. But because I need to pick on something, I have to say that the beach was almost too big! I felt like a parent the first time they take their kid off the leash at Disneyland. Suddenly, a bit of panic sets in as you scan the childrens' heads for your own. Let me just spot that little silver head and those floppy ears! I need to know he hasn't hopped a fence and made a run for it! Thankfully, Brooks was able to keep an eye on him better than me. 




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Friday, December 6, 2013

St. Nick forgot about me for the 6th year in a row...

...BUT my friend gave me a key topper that looks like a poop. And Brooks. A poop shaped Brooks.


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Sunday, August 18, 2013

B + Car Keys = Trouble



I love Brooks. 


I love him even when he locks the keys in the car. 

On this particular occurrence, we were visiting a new church for the first time since we moved to Chicagoland. We get to the car after the service and what do we spot sitting happily in a cup holder? None other than B's 5lb ring of keys. A key ring that would make any janitor green with envy. A key ring so big, its surprising how forgettable it is. 

While we waited for a locksmith to arrive (which took hours, by the way), we strolled around the unfamiliar neighborhood we were in. Around and around and around. We found a plant that looked like those spiky, rubber, pom pom earrings from middle school.


And a gang of penguins. Don't worry, we made sure not to make eye contact.


An aching purse shoulder and a pair of toasty sunburns later, the locksmith finally arrived. He pried the door open enough to hit the unlock button with a stick, charged us $150, and was gone. 

Good day. 
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Friday, February 15, 2013

Our First Valentine's Together

This year, Brooks and I were able to celebrate our very first Valentine's Day together in the same state! Well, our first Day-Before Valentine's since the boy had to work late on the actual holiday. Even so, since it was our first, I wanted it to be special yet comfortable so we could just enjoy each other's company and not worry about anything else. 

That day, I rushed home from work to bake Brooks a couple Nutella and jam filled heart-shaped pocket pies with Grace. (recipe) The blueberry and cherry jam filled pies didn't end up too pretty (they sort of exploded) but they were fresh! What man can complain about fresh baked goods? Am I right?! And Brooks didn't complain because...he is a man...most of the time. 

While my pies were baking/exploding, I was getting myself all gussied up. As a reward for losing 15 pounds since January, I bought myself an adorable striped Valentine's dress that Brooks helped pick out. I was so excited to wear it. What I wasn't excited about were the five layers of shape wear I had to squeeze into in order to look half ways decent. Okay so, five layers wasn't entirely necessary but I wanted to make sure I looked smokin'. ;)

Brooks picked me up and we headed to Honey Pie in Milwaukee for a cozy dinner. I had been there once before with Kara but I knew I wanted to go there with Brooks sometime. Its unannoyingly hipster and I love it. We quizzed each other with the Trivial Pursuit cards sitting on our table. We discovered that both of us kind of stink at trivia. Admit it, Brooks.



Now onto the eats! For starters, we shared an order of delicious soft pretzels with beer cheese. I'm usually not a fan of beer anything (I'm a real Wisconsinite, I swear!) but this was yum scrum! Totally worth the money...and the calories. For dinner, Brooks orderd the Klug sandwich with tomato soup and I had the Solid State sandwich. Mmm mmm!! A girl can't go wrong with bacon, melty Wisconsin cheese, and brioche.


After dinner, we drove around Bay View scoping out a cool place to enjoy our pies. At one point, we found ourselves near the Port of Milwaukee which, to say the least, is kind of sketchy. Especially at night when you're lost and your boyfriend is a wimp. We ended up at McKinley Park near the marina and parked facing the city skyline. The pocket pies turned out pretty tasty if I do say so myself! Along with the pies, I also gave Brooks a love letter and the rest of his present. Back when we first started dating, I had made him a bracelet that fell apart after a few months. I took it back to fix it but never got around to it until now. Obviously, I'm not very talented when it comes to working with leather cording because he doesn't wear the new one either for fear of it falling apart! Ugh.

For me, Brooks found this old red doll trunk at an antique shop he found all by himself. I love it! I had one just like it when I was little! I opened it up to find a sweet note and crazy good chocolate covered marshmallows. I decided to make the box Our Box and keep all our little mementos in it. Such a lovely little trunk.



Oh and I got these a few days later from a boy "just because". Sweet thing.



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Saturday, January 19, 2013

Alterra at the Lake

Today, Brooks and I decided to spend the day wandering in Milwaukee for no particular reason. We knew we wanted to sit someplace comfy and pretend to work so we ended up at Alterra at the Lake.


Alterra at the Lake is beautiful. How often do you get to hang out in a 125 year old river flushing station while eating sammiches and fruit galettes? This place was packed and we were so thankful to get a little table by a window. Brooks and I were starving by this time so I had the Rosemary Turkey sandwich with Anthology blended black tea and Brooks had the Chicken Gyro with jalapeno couscous and a fable organic rooibus tea. Both of us were very pleased with our choices...despite Brooks' tea tasting a bit like medicine but hey, at least it cleared the sinuses!


It was so nice to just sit together and talk with no where to be and no schedule to follow. Being able to watch the waves of Lake Michigan and all the people walking their dogs in the January cold while we drank our tea in the cozy cafe was probably a bit too amusing. As a result, we eventually got on the topic of what kind of dog we'd like to get. I've had my heart set on a small doodle for years or another maltese mutt like Carly Boo but I think we landed on getting an Old English Sheepdog like Brooks' old Doogie. We're pretty excited...the only thing is, we need to get our lives in order enough to raise a pup first! Someday...


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