freshlyminted… again

November 5, 2015 / FreshlyMinted / 10 Comments

I thought I had outgrown this name.

No longer a newlywed, not a new homeowner, settled into my career and comfortable in the kitchen, things were pleasantly busy and routine. I wasn’t really a “freshly minted” anything…

And then this happened:

And we moved here for a bit:

And now we’re living here, and bought a really old house:

And nothing is the same, so it’s time to write again.

___

We welcomed Titus in April of 2014, I left a job I loved in January of 2015, and we moved to Jersey City, NJ for four months early this year and soaked up NYC. Then, we lived like nomads between states for about six months, and had some family adventures along the way. Now, we are the new owners of a not-so-new 145-year-old house in costal Connecticut that totally captured my history-loving self the moment we walked in the door. But it needed a little TLC…

So, yep. Not a lot is the same…

The Husband works really hard. And Titus and mama hang out together. A lot. And we’re learning how to renovate a sweet but tired house, live 10 hours from grandmas, explore New England, cook again, make new friends, and how to be a family in the midst of change.

Not my forte. But it’s starting to be.

So, if you’d like, stay tuned. I’m gonna write about my (re) freshlyminted life.

{California} Citrus Salad

July 31, 2013July 31, 2013 / FreshlyMinted / 3 Comments

So, let me tell you a story. It’s about how I’m bad at Twitter. But it’s more interesting than it sounds, I swear.

(<—Alex and his bros. This is important to the rest of the story….)

It happened one day when I was watching late-night Cooking Channel TV, and this new show, Rebel Eats, came on. The host reminded me of someone, and I couldn’t pin it down… and then it hit me. HE WAS OUR FRIEND ALEX. But not really, of course. He just talked like him and acted like him and even sort of looked like Alex and his brother.

(This is Justin… some similarities, right?)

So, what did I do? I sent this tweet to Alex:

And then, I went calmly to bed. Until, that is, when I woke up at 5:30a.m. for my morning exercise class and saw a little twitter notification… it was this:

And, I almost died. I forgot the cardinal rule of twitter….. anyone can find anything. And, the gig was up. I had insulted a Food Network star. Actually THE Food Network Star. Publicly. I frantically texted Alex to commiserate, but he wasn’t much help:

And then this. This was my pitiful too-early-in-the-morning attempt to salvage the situation:

Yep. Facial hair. That’s all I got. But, in my defense, you can see that the Green’s have the corner on the market. But, Justin and I can never be friends. So, now you know how truly communication-inept I can be, and how NOT to make friends with a celebrity. The end…

Oh, and the salad connection? Alex is actually an awesome experimental chef when he’s not too busy being a Law/MBA student in San Diego, CA. And, he’s a great friend of the family (remember when we visited his family’s home in Canada?). Well, this is his creation… And it’s a darn good one. Enjoy!

California Citrus Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients:

Spring Mix (1 lb.)
Lemons (2)
Strawberries (10-15)
Dates, Frozen for easy chopping (10)
Avocados (3)
Trader Joe’s Champagne Pear Salad Dressing – Feel free to substitute another favorite if you don’t happen to have a TJ’s nearby… like me. *Sob* (3/4 cup)

Directions:

1) Cut lemons into thin, 1/8 inch slices; remove seeds; quarter the slices (The juice mixes with other ingredients as you cut, adding bright flavor!)
2) Cut strawberries into quarters after removing tops
3) Cut dates in half; remove pit; quarter them, then rough chop into small, quarter-inch pieces
4) Cut avocados in half; remove pit; cut the fruit of each half by rough chopping into pieces that are about an inch long and half an inch wide
5) Place spring mix into a large salad bowl
6) Add additional ingredients
7) Pour salad dressing over top
8) Toss salad and serve
Enjoy!

So, have you ever met or insulted a celebrity? Do tell… it would make me feel better. Plus, Justin is probably somehow reading this now and disliking me even more ;)

What we’ve been up to…

July 16, 2013 / FreshlyMinted / 6 Comments

Wow. Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter came and went.

And the 4th of July.

I missed this, but we’ve had a fabulous rest….

Though time is speeding by, we’ve filled it with everything from home projects to vacations, dinner parties to volunteering. It would take way to long to totally catch you up so we can get back to some fun stuff, so instead, here are a few pictures:

Volunteering with Service League for the Mazza Museum – a really magical place.

Super Bowl Paleo fun with homemade cauliflower pizza crust (you know you’ve Pinned it, too…), and coconut-coated baked chicken nuggets. Verdict? We ate it allllllll.

Our spare room (aka, the really-nice-storage-space-with-a-desk) actually turned into a real room. With a bed. That my mom and I refinished. And a mattress. Come visit?

The Husband’s parents got visit and sleep on a real bed. Made the whole redecoration totally worth it. That, and always being able to walk into a room with a bed that’s made. That’s pretty great, also.

And there was the local chili cook-off. It’s a big deal. And mostly delicious.

We dressed up like Superman and Lois Lane for a charity gala… and didn’t enjoy it at all (obviously… ;) JK – best thing we’ve done this year! And doesn’t the Husband make a dashing Clark Kent? Oh, that curl...

I got the chance to visit my Great-Grandmother. And, THIS is her wallpaper. A recent visit to Anthropologie made me realize how much I love it, and totally wish I could copy it or frame it or something… I flew from cold, cold Ohio to bright blue California for a little family get-away. What a difference a few hours makes!

…I saw these mountains.

…and walked along streets like this.

..and stuck my toes in an icy desert oasis.

Celebrity encounter #1: Saw the Author of “The Language of Flowers”, Vanessa Diffenbaugh, talk about her New York Times Best Seller. She signed my book, “To Rachael, with Tulips…”

I got glasses. For the first time. Luckily, I just have to wear then when trying to see a ppt presentation or driving at night… or when I want to feel nerdy-chic.

We went home for Easter, and both wore fabulous footware.

…and mom made pies.

We joined the County Club, and I’m learning to love golf. Or, attempting to. At least this place is totally lovely and we get to hang out outside and say, “let’s go to the club for dinner….” I’ve sort of always have wanted to say that…

We’re super active in our local Young Professionals organization. It’s lots of fun, and has a ton of neat activities that we have the opportunity to lead. From around here? Check it out!

We saw BOB DYLAN. Just look at that silhouette… the hair.

We went to Traverse City, Michigan and Camped. And ate.

And my little sibs came to visit while my parents went on a 30th Anniversary trip. And we canoed, tie-dyed, watched a drive-in movie, swam… And ate.

Then we went to Cincinnati. And watched baseball. And ate.

So, lots of fun. Lots of adventures. Lots of food…. and I’ve missed sharing it all! So, though we’ve got a full calendar, and plenty of relaxation penciled into our summer schedule, I’m going to do my best to keep up… And, the Husband wants to write a post about his theories on the best way to get a deal when garage sale-shopping. I’m serious.

So, I had to catch you up, first ;)

P.S. I also ate lots of this – my new favorite concoction: Oatless oatmeal. Packed with protein, perfect for smothering with fruit and nut butters. Recipe to come! Oatless oats

Salt Dough {Gift Tags}

December 19, 2012December 19, 2012 / FreshlyMinted / 1 Comment

My family likes to joke that we have a lot of very important Christmas “traditions”.

Like, where we cut down our tree (Timbuk Farms), that we have to ride the dusty old school bus at the tree farm (even if our tree type is within walking distance), where we eat afterwards (Brew’s Cafe), that we play Holly & the Ivy sung by Roger Whittaker while we decorate, that we always drink UDF egg nog (it’s the best…really), and that somehow Joe is always swindled out of either picking the tree, or putting the star on top.

I think he has a complex.
Though many of them are silly, those goofy traditions are what my Holiday memories are made of… and I love them all. And, my family laughing, joking, poking fun and reminiscing is the BEST part of any gathering… it wouldn’t be Christmas without it.

{Side Note: This year, Joe’s girlfriend Melissa was able to join us, too! It made me think of the Husband’s first time getting the family tree with us (almost nine years ago!). Another thing that made this year special was the fact that we got to walk through the historic home where we had our wedding reception more than three years ago – The Robbins Hunter Museum in Granville, OH. They just renovated, and it’s stunning! More great memories relived…}Another highlight? We actually agreed it was Joe’s turn to put on the star.

He was so happy, he took a bow.

And, that fire. Perfection.

These family get-togethers always make me want to buy everyone the PERFECT gifts – ENORMOUS presents that they will remember forever, and tear-up over, and hug me, and tell me I’m their favorite relative…

But, that’s not realistic: I haven’t won the lottery, my parents would be mad if I got Bekah a pony, and Joe hasn’t been able to decide what he wants really for Christmas since 1992. About the same year he claims was the last time he put the star on the tree.

So instead, I decided to make the pretty-cool gifts I DID get them look really sweet. How? With a little velvet ribbon, a little brown paper, lace, pom-poms, twine and these lovely salt dough tags…

Here’s how to do it yourself!

Stamped Salt Dough Gift Tags

(Even if you were a pro at this in Sunday school 20 years ago, you might need a refresher. Also, don’t be tempted to eat the dough. It still tastes as awful as it did back then. Inspiration.)

Dough Ingredients:

1 cup salt
2 cups flour
1cup water

Other Tools:

Rubber stamps – letters, flowers, plants, whatever you’d like
Basic ink pad of the color of your choice
Small, round biscuit cutter or other cookie-cutter shapes
Drinking straw
Ribbon or twine

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a mixer until a smooth dough forms
Roll out the dough to 1/4″ thick on parchment paper
Stamp, with or without ink
Cut out shapes (easier after stamping the dough)
Use a drinking straw to punch the hole at the top for hanging
Place on baking sheet, bake at *250 for three hours

We chose to use a mix of recipient’s initials, our monogram, simple words like “Joy!”, and vintage-looking prints of animals, flowers, crowns and keys. They turned out great, and added a ton of flair to our gifts. Not quite a pony, but I’m sure your friends and family will adore them – they can use them as ornaments next year!.

I think we found another tradition.

Merry Christmas – Enjoy!

{Handmade} Holiday

December 10, 2012December 10, 2012 / FreshlyMinted / 1 Comment

I hope everyone has been having as much fun prepping for Christmas as we have! It’s no secret that I LOVE the holidays, and all that comes with them. The family, the TV specials, the food, and our annual forced popcorn-stringing marathon that The Husband simply adores…

Not. But, we like the end result ;)

This year, I was a little dismayed when I pulled out my rag-tag/hand-me-down/college-dollar-store-purchase Christmas decor. Yes, we have a few nice things I’ve picked up since we’ve been married, and lots of gorgeous ornaments for the tree that my mom has bought me every year since childhood, but nothing super put-together… and nothing like my Pinterest Holiday inspiration boards.

So, I took matters into my own hands, and did a few experiments. And somehow, week-old bush clippings salvaged from the compost pile, leftover burlap, a giant Frosted Mini-Wheats box, an old newspaper and clearance-rack ribbon transformed the house into a little winter wonderland…

Here’s How:

Rustic Boxwood Garland & Mini Window Wreaths

Supplies:

A bucket of boxwood clippings
Green floral wire
Ribbon for hanging, bows for decoration

Garland Directions:

Choose 3-4 sprigs of boxwood, varying lengths
Wrap the ends tightly 3-4 times with the floral wire
Gather another bunch of boxwood, and lay along the wire, overlapping the last bunch. Wrap tightly. Repeat until garland reaches desired length.

Wreath Directions:

Use the same method as above, but begin your garland with a longer piece, then choose slightly shorter clippings for your bunches.
Once you reach desired length, form into a circle, cut wire, and attach your first, longer clipping to end.
Use ribbon to hang several of varying sizes in the window.

Vintage Newsprint Christmas Tree

Supplies:

Empty cereal box
Packing tape
A pencil or pen
Newspaper
Glue stick or rubber cement
Ribbon or other topper

Directions:

Deconstruct and flatten the cereal box
Cut into a rough circle, and cut a slit to the center
Roll into a cone shape, tape, and trim bottom so it stands level
Cut the black and white text sections of the newspaper into strips, roughly 1″ wide (I alternated making the text horizontal and vertical on the strips – variations in size and direction of the text adds to the vintage look)
Roll strips around pencil to give them a slight curl, and cut to about 2-3″ in length
Start on the bottom, and glue strips around the base. Allow them to hang over the edge of the cone slightly, and overlap each piece. Work your way up the tree, one layer at the time, overlapping each.
Top with a bow, or other decorative piece.

Perfect Christmas Bow

Watch this slightly annoying video, and you’re set!

I used strips of burlap for the garland on my mantle and bay window, and ribbon for my newspaper tree and hutch in the kitchen – get creative – it’s so easy!

Classic Popcorn & Cranberry Garland

The directions on this one are pretty obvious, but I do have a few tips:

Pop your popcorn the day before and let it go stale – it’s easier to string that way!
Use plain kernels, and pop in a paper lunch bag in the microwave. Just put about 1/4 cup in the bag, roll top twice, and pop. No grease, no weird butter-flavoring color (a great, healthy, snack, too ;)
Mix up your patterns!
Use a thimble if your fingers get ouchy.
Make your husband help while watching Christmas specials. Require he completes at least two full strands, and doesn’t use a 10-1 cranberry-to-popcorn ratio because the berries are easier string.

Have fun!

Salted Caramel {Brownie Bites}

November 27, 2012 / FreshlyMinted / 4 Comments

Every once in a while, you stumble upon something unexpected, but totally life-changing. Often, its a new best friend, a profound novel, a moving song…

For me, it was salted caramel. And more specifically, these perfect bite-sized treats.

Everyone you share these with will thank you. And, they’ll think you’re super-fancy, ’cause everyone knows stuff like sushi, brie, that Asian hot sauce stuff, red wine, hummus and salted caramel makes you fancy. Proven fact.

Perfect for your next Holiday party, cookie swap, gift-wrapping marathon, or to eat delicately while watching Home Alone for the 1,000th time…

Dark Chocolate Caramel Brownie Bites with Salted Caramel Buttercream

Based on this recipe

Makes 4 dozen bites

Ingredients:

Brownies:

2 boxes of brownie mix (I recommend the Ghiradelli dark chocolate mix – it’s my secret weapon…)
A piece of soft caramel for each brownie bite (I used a local confectioners homemade caramels, and cut each into fourths for a piece of caramel about the size of a dime, and 1/4″ thick. You can use any soft caramels, and adjust to taste)

Frosting:

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
12-20 caramels , depending on size
2 T. heavy cream
 2 c. powdered sugar
kosher sea salt

Directions:

Brownies:

Preheat oven to 325. Mix brownie batter as directed.
Lightly grease mini-cupcake pan, and fill cups 1/3 full with batter. Place a caramel in each, and fill the rest of the way with batter. Be sure to cover caramel.
Bake for 15 minutes, let cool, and gently remove from pan.

Frosting:

First, melt the caramel with the heavy cream. You can pop it in the microwave for 30 second increments, until the caramel is smooth. Allow it to cool in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
Whip the butter for about 30 seconds on med-high speed, until fluffy. Add in about one cup of powdered sugar, and mix until combined. Once the caramel is cool to the touch, turn the mixer on medium speed and then drizzle the caramel into the frosting, reserving just a little to top the brownies. Beat until fluffy.
Add the other cup of powdered sugar and the salt, a 1/4 to a 1/2 t. at a time, mixing and then tasting after each addition to make sure you don’t add too much. A little goes a long way!
Use a pastry bag, or a baggie with the tip cut off, to pipe a little of the frosting in a swirl on top of each cooled brownie. Top with a hint of a drizzle of the reserved caramel, chocolate shavings, and another little dash of sea salt.
Enjoy!

{Biscoff} Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

November 21, 2012November 21, 2012 / FreshlyMinted / Leave a comment

There is just something about Thanksgiving.

The family, the history, the stories, the shopping, the parade, the naps…

<;– My mom's amazing dry-erase art from my family's visit last weekend! If you couldn't tell, that's me,the husband and a plate of cookies…

Oh yeah, and the FOOD!

This year, go beyond the pumpkin pie and turkey… not too far (let’s face it, grandpa won’t dig tofu or quinoa), but far enough to make people think you’re fancy.

It’s nice when people think you’re fancy. Particularly when it takes very little actual effort. Kind of like these cookies.

Most people have tasted those lovely, sweet, slightly spicy little cookies that are handed out on Delta flights – Biscoff. What you may not know is that you not only can find the cookies at your local grocery store, but you can also find Biscoff spread.

This creamy concoction tastes like pulverized cookies mixed with peanut butter – Totally dreamy, and full of possibilities. Put it on your oatmeal, toast, yogurt, apple slices or pancakes. OR, you could make these fluffy perfect-for-Thanksgiving little cookies.

From cookie, to spread, and back to cookie again. You’re just completing the circle of life.

Biscoff Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

From this recipe – yet another great Pinterest find!

Makes 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/3 cup Biscoff Spread (or Trader Joe’s Cookie Spread)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
Optional Add-ins: Chocolate chips, pecans, dried cranberries…

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and sugars. Beat until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin and Biscoff spread and mix until combined. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.

4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, beating only until blended. Stir in the oats.

5. Form the cookie dough into rounded tablespoons and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are golden and just firm around the edges. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then remove with a spatula onto a cooling rack.

Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving!

{Decadent} S’More Trifle

November 13, 2012 / FreshlyMinted / 10 Comments

If you have to feed a crowd, this is your dessert. If you need to make something easy, this is your dessert. If you want to make people smile when you walk in the room lugging this bowl with you, this is your dessert. If you love the feeling of marshmallow fluff between your fingers, this is your dessert.

Actually, you really don’t have any excuses. Just save yourself the trouble, and make this now. Trust me… your smiling friends will thank you.

How can you not drool over this picture?:

Gooey S’More Trifle

Ingredients:

2 packages of brownie mix (I use Ghiradelli – it’s the BEST)
1 packet of instant chocolate pudding
1 large tub of light whipped topping, thawed (see – this dessert is practically a health food!)
1/2 box of graham crackers, crushed
2 large containers of marshmallow fluff
2 Hershey’s candy bars
1 cup of mini marshmallows

Directions:

Bake brownies as directed. Let cool, set aside.
Make pudding using 1/2 milk required, let set. Once firm, mix entire tub of whipped topping, set aside.
Break cooled brownies into chunks, use as the first trifle layer in the bottom of the bowl. Follow with a layer of marshmallow fluff, then crushed graham crackers, then pudding mixture,. Repeat until bowl is full. (Hint: It might be easier to spread fluff if you scoop it into a piping bag, or baggie with hole cut at the tip. Remember – it doesn’t have to be pretty!)
Top bowl with broken-up candy bars, and mini-marshmallows.
Get a really big spoon, and enjoy!

This could also be perfect for the “kid’s table” at Thanksgiving…. come on, admit it. Everyone knows we’ll never “graduate”. But, with awesome kid food like this, who wants to ? ;)

Spicy-Sweet Roasted {Pumpkin Seeds}

November 5, 2012 / FreshlyMinted / Leave a comment

To be honest, I’ve never had much success with roasting pumpkin seeds…

Unless, of course, by “roasting” you mean creating a clump of gunk charred beyond all recognition, or some soggy things that get stuck in your teeth and are a little slimy. If that’s the case, I usually nail it.

BUT, this time, my seeds were a resounding success. They tasted awesome, had the perfect *crunch*, a delightful honey-smokiness, and a pretty caramelized color…

Almost as beautiful as the Husband’s “Avenger” pumpkin.

So, grab up those discount-pumpkins, scoop ’em out, and enjoy these awesome little treats! Perfect for get-togethers, on salads, or a before-dinner snack…

Spicy-Sweet Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients

Pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
1 pinch cinnamon
1 pinch cumin
1 pinch cayenne
1 pinch chili powder
1-2 tablespoons honey

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove seeds from pumpkin. Discard membranes and spread seeds on baking sheet. Bake for about 10-15 minutes – this will make them nice and crisp!
Remove from oven. Toss seeds with olive oil, honey and spices to taste – don’t be afraid to be liberal with them. The more flavor the better…
Return to oven and roast coated seeds until golden, about another 10-15 minutes. Watch very closely to prevent burning, and stir several times during cooking. Let cool, and enjoy! Keep in an airtight container, and much on ’em for over a week.

P.S. The Husband makes a pretty cute Gondolier, no?

…now if I could only get him to STOP singing “‘O Sole Meio”…

A farewell to {summer}

October 5, 2012 / FreshlyMinted / Leave a comment

Goodbyes are hard.

But, I would certainly call this summer a successful one. It didn’t hurt that we kicked the season off with the trip of a lifetime, but even the little activities: moments with family and friends, dinners at home, weekend getaways, ice cream, movies and date nights made the last few months special.

Something that helped keep our fun on track, was my handy summer bucket list. I always have grand plans for these warm months – so full or promise in late May… and then, I promptly forget what those plans were and proceed to eat ice cream and watch movies on my couch. So, this year we made it happen!

Here’s the list:

Kayak on the Blanchard
Enjoy fine dining at the Lima Ave. Rootbeer stand
See a drive-in Movie
Go to a winery
Visit Lakeside
See a concert

Now, none of these things were earth-shattering, but each made the day seem more special. So, between trips to see grandparents, parties with friends, birthdays, work, and holidays, we:

(<—Rootbeer Stand)

Took an amazing trip down the river – serene, calm, and inexpensive!
Ate the best Spanish dog, sweet potato fries and root beer floats you could imagine. Seriously.
Saw the Dark Night Rises while eating snacks snug and cozy in the front seat of the car. Felt so 1960’s… loved it!
Took a trip to Mon Ami winery and enjoyed the amazing sea food buffet.
Took a restful, peaceful, book-filled trip to one of our favorite places on the planet
The. Zac. Brown. Band.

Bliss!

Especially the sweet potato fries and floats at the Rootbeer stand… I die.

(Elizabeth and I at the Winery)

The last two items were things I had been longing to do, but didn’t see how they could fit into our packed summer! Until, the Husband surprised me on the Birthday with both :) He’s a keeper, I tell ya. These adventures were a little more special than the others on the list, so here’s a little recap:

Lakeside is a very special place. Located along Lake Erie, it was part of the original Chautauqua movement in the U.S. in the late 1800’s. Now, this little town is still dedicated to nurturing the mind, body and spirits of all of those that visit with concerts, lectures, sermons, athletics, swimming, boating and more.

The quiet streets are lined with colorful cottages with fun names, little shops, ice cream parlors, unique restaurants, and bicycles waiting for their owners. On the waterfront, the largest homes and historic Lakeside Hotel look out over the blue water, and the white boathouse and dock form a grand entrance to a brisk walk or the perfect picture of the sunset. You can also play putt putt, shuffleboard, tennis, basketball, jog or take a long walk with periodic stops on numerous benches that overlook the crystal water… Totally serene, a trip there is truly a spiritual experience.

In short, it’s perfection.

Even though it was the end of the season, and many of their activities and summer attractions were closed, the peace and quiet (and pizza and giant cinnamon rolls) was just what the doctor ordered.

We ate, we walked, we slept in, we watched movies on the laptop, we read books, we talked about dreams, and we recharged our batteries…

If you ever make the trip, Sloopy’s pizza and the donuts from The Patio are a must :)

Our final farewell to summer was something I waited on…almost patiently…for a long time. I may have dropped some hints that I NEEDED to attend the Zac Brown Band concert… but in my defense, I dropped it when the Husband stopped responding to my text messages and emails. And, I was totally surprised when he handed them to me for my birthday!

We tailgated with giant cookies (hey – a new bakery opened up in town…I had to try them out ;) and thousands of other people in cowboy boots and flannel.

We were the only ones with cookies.

The concert was great, and we danced and sang along (nothin’ like “A little bit of chicken fried” to get your toes tappin’!)…

…and kissed our sun kissed-summer nights goodbye.

For real. Those bleachers got pretty darn cold.

I hope your season was just as filled with wonderful things as ours was. Onward and upward – Can’t wait for what’s next!

Oh… and we also watched all of the Rocky Movies in the past three months.

All six of them.

We’re pretty proud.