pumpkins & pipe organs

  A few weeks ago, j & i celebrated my birthday with family and a few friends.  We had a little get together at my parents' house and spent the weekend playing games, visiting, and sightseeing.  I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with Weston, but we love that town.  On Saturday, we went to the Red Barn Farm with my family and took a fun hayride in a horse-drawn wagon, stopped by the petting zoo, and browsed the quaint little store.  The weather was beautiful!  I love the store because it is completely packed with all sorts of fun things like jams, preservatives, candles, cute gifts, and a variety of other whimsical items.  I love that the Red Barn Farm has so many things to do...the petting zoo, the maze, hayrides, the pumpkin patch, not to mention the orchard when in season!  I met Farmer Steve as we were leaving, and he is just delightful!  If you have not yet visited, or perhaps haven't been recently, I really recommend that you do so at once.  It is such a fun, family-oriented place, and I would much rather be investing in a local business rather than a large chain.  Wouldn't you?  Make sure you tell Farmer Steve how much you enjoyed your visit-he's the charming gentleman that thanks you for visiting them as you leave.  :o)


  After our tour of the Red Barn Farm, j, my cousins and i headed on into Weston to walk around and visit the shops and winery.  It just so happened to be the annual street organ festival that day!  Imagine our delight to see old-fashioned street organs and their operators on every corner!  Apparently, people come from all over the world to participate!  Weston was teeming with families and street organ enthusiasts, and the warm autumn air was filled with tinkly tunes and excited chatter.  We walked all around the main drag and i, of course, took dozens of pics.  How could i not?  It's not every day that you see so many unusual and unique sights!  We stopped for lunch at the Weston Cafe,  my new FAV!  The food was delicious, and we all loved the down-home feel.  We will definitely be going back in the near future!


  We decided to visit the Pirtle Winery, which is a lovely little winery that is located in an old church built in 1867.  The winery was established in 1978, and they specialize in fruit wines and meads.  I really love that it is family-owned and operated-this is apparent from the moment you walk through the front door.  When you visit, make sure to take time to have a glass of wine in the wine garden located just outside the winery.  It is a lovely little escape from the ordinary. 

  After visiting Pirtle, we decided to check out another winery just north of Weston, the Riverwood Winery.  We were so impressed by the knowledge and friendliness of the staff & owners that they became an instant favorite of ours.  David, one of the owners, is down to earth and as congenial as they come.  He and Ginah opened the winery in 2007, and have been developing some truly wonderful wines ever since.  My favorite is the Cayuga White...it is rather wonderful.  They offer tastings and a wide variety of wine-related gift items and gourmet food items.  I really recommend that you take a day trip to the area and spend some time with these sweet people.  You will not regret it!  :o)

  I leave you with this one slightly scary street organ monkey...it IS the season to be scary, right?  :o)

cantaloupe & carts

What, exactly, is the secret to choosing the correct cart at wal-mart?  Could someone please clue me in?  Tonight-like every single other wal-mart experience of my life-I walked through the doors, strode confidently over to the shopping carts, picked one, and tugged.  And tugged.  'Okay,' I thought, 'this one's not for me.'  I selected a different cart and pulled.  And pulled.  Third time is the charm, right?  Wrong.  Is it just me?  Please tell me that this happens to someone else.  And why is it that my fellow shoppers seem to find the perfect cart so effortlessly?!  I am convinced that they are chuckling at this silly girl who obviously has no idea how to choose a shopping cart and begin navigating the black hole of shopping that is wal-mart.  I have to laugh at myself-and I generally do, when I find myself in this predicament YET again.  Tonight all I needed was some cantaloupe.  Okay, need is a strong word, but I was desperate for some.  I was actually pretty proud of myself for making it there before 11 pm-"YES," I thought to myself-I will make it before freight gets there!  Wrong again.  However, as I picked my way around pallets of products, I remembered a thought I had earlier this week. 

The other day I stopped by my favorite Hobby Lobby for a few crafting supplies and was drawn to the holiday section within seconds.  I have a confession-I am a fiend for holiday decorating.  Not just any holiday-Christmas.  I love love love it.  The sparkly lights, the music, the Christmas trees, the greens and reds and silvers and blues...I could go on and on.  My second favorite day of the year is the day that the Christmas displays go up in the stores.  You would think I was 5.  This is not to say I love the commercialism and heavy emphasis on gifts...it's more the feeling of excitement and joy that fills the air.  It's almost tangible.  I fully believe that at least part of my love of the holiday ties in to my name.  Merry.  When I was a little girl, I loved the phrase, "'tis the season to be merry."   I realize to many of you, this post will seem to come way too early.  Let me explain-to me, Christmas begins with the season change of summer into autumn.  Summer shedding her bright greens for rich hues of red and gold is the beginning.  And everything from September on is simply paving the way for Christmas.  It's almost like being on a train...yes, there are a few stops in between...Labor Day...Columbus Day...Thanksgiving...but the final destination is...  Well, you get the picture. 

Anyhow, as I looked at the many ornaments, trees, etc., I found myself thinking.  Why is it that I love Christmas so much?  Obviously, I love that we celebrate the birth of Jesus, and I love the emphasis on spending time with family, but why else?  I realized that it all boils down to this:  People are happy.  Full of good cheer.  They acknowledge one another during the hustle and bustle.  They take an interest in each other.  Don't get me wrong, I love living in the city, but it is so easy to just brush past someone without so much as a smile.  And then I thought of something else.  We've been given so much-shouldn't we be sharing and spreading some of those 'good tidings' and cheer all year?  Why do we have to wait until November? (for most:o)  Why is the "spirit of Christmas" confined to a calendar month?  I say we change things up and stretch it out a bit.  Let's say, all year.  Are you in?  I am!  Let's do it!

This may not be a huge revelation to you, but for some reason, this really struck a chord with me.  I hope you are all enjoying this holiday weekend with your loved ones!  Do me a favor:  Tell them how much you love them.  I know it's easy to forget with all the barbecues and football hoopla, but it is so important.  We never know how much time we've been given.


love & good cheer, :o)
m 

Change

J & I are facing a season of change.  The 'c-word' is never easy, often scary, and always a challenge.  Some people thrive on it and some people run from it.  We were placed at a crossroads.  I could continue working in a position in which I thrive, with some truly amazing people that I have grown to love, or we could take a chance on something new.  We gave it much prayer, and came to the conclusion that this is part of His plan for us.  That being said, this is not something that comes easily.  I am excited for this new chapter to begin, but it is very difficult to say goodbye to some truly wonderful people.  I realized today, amid tears, hugs, and well wishes, that I will not be able to articulate the things I need to say in person.

And so, I will say them here.

L-You are such a sweet, warm person.  I have learned so many things from you, your heart for helping others, your quick smile, and your loving spirit.  You have forged a place in my heart, and I consider you such a dear friend.  I will miss you greatly.  I know that today was hard, but this is not goodbye for good.  Kindred spirits are drawn to each other, and I have no doubt that we have a long road ahead of us. :o)

C-You are a sweetheart.  You are so driven, and I have come to rely on you.  You are a rock.  I love that our friendship has grown so quickly.  I know that you will succeed at everything you do.  You are a "do-er", and that translates to those around you.  Also, I really want you to show me how to distress wood!!!  Girls' Night SOON!  :o)

Stace, what can I say?  Your excitement, optimism and cheer touch everyone you meet.  You are an inspiration to me.  You are brilliant, and I know that I am leaving things in fully capable hands.  It has been a joy to work with you, and I am excited for what our future holds.  Don't forget, when things get rough, sometimes you just have to laugh!!!  And I'm only a phone call away.  :o)
 
My lovely bosses...  It has been a pleasure working with you.  ;o)  It has been so wonderful to work for a couple with the desire to serve people.  Not just in business, but in every way.  I respect you both very much, and will miss seeing you every day.  I have learned so much from you both.  Thank you for opening your lives and hearts to me.

The rest of the Massage Heights gang...I have enjoyed every minute with all of you.  You are an amazing group of people, and trust me, I'll be in to see you very soon!  ;o)

This new venture is something that has been a desire of my heart for a very long time.  I will be working as a Travel Counselor with Cruise Holidays of KC/Comfort Tours & Travel.  God really works in amazing ways.  I already feel a part of the family.  From the get-go, I didn't have a chance.  In a good way.  :o)  Sometimes, God just overwhelms you with direction.  J & I have been simply amazed at His confirmation that this was the right path for us.  We are both so excited for the future and this new chapter of our lives.

I leave you with lyrics from a beautiful song, "Indescribable" sung by Chris Tomlin, written by Laura Story and Jesse Reeves.  This song really portrays our state of feeling as of late:

"Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
Incomparable, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
You are amazing God
You are amazing God"

Love.

fossils & flora

Wow, it has been so long since our last post!!!  We have been incredibly busy, but things are beginning to settle down, somewhat, so hopefully we'll be back on schedule going forward!  We have been busy working (go figure), getting excited about my brother's wedding, keeping up with housework, and enjoying the change in season.  I've been working diligently on my flowers, daily, as you can see...

Very exciting times, here at our place.  Nothing has died yet!!!  In fact, although they are not pictured here, I decided to try my hand at growing something edible, so we now have a jalapeno plant and a beefsteak tomato plant!!!  (The tomato plant is in an upsy downsy, of course, but he is THRIVING!!!:o)  Along with honing my gardening skills, we celebrated our first wedding anniversary this past weekend.  We did not end up going away, but we did have a great weekend!  On Friday, we went to the first day of Zona Rosa's Festa Italiana, and had a wonderful time!!!  There were scores of vendors selling various wares:  from t-shirts and jewelry to italian sauces, wine tastings, and raffle tickets.  We sampled a delish blackened chicken bow-tie pasta with a cajun cream sauce (which was aMAZing!) while enjoying some of the live music.  I wish so much that I had remembered to bring my camera, but alas, I did not.  :o(  There's always next year!!!  On Saturday, we decided to use our passes to Dinosaurs Unearthed at Union Station.  (Special thanks to Tony in Marketing at Union Station-he sent us passes to review the exhibit for our blog!!!)  We were pretty impressed with the set up!  Honestly, we felt that the exhibit could have been a little larger/lasted longer, however, we did not have any children with us, and J & I both felt that if we had brought any kiddos, that would have been remedied.  Many of the dinosaurs were animatronic, which was pretty fun because they roared and moved around.  It might be a LITTLE bit scary for wee ones, just because of the noises, but I would think ages 4-12 would be enthralled!  We loved that certain dinosaurs had a little control pad, and you could press different buttons to make them move!  I liked to make them roar.  :o)  All in all, it was a pretty good exhibit!!!  Good job, Union Station!!!  We are looking forward to coming back soon!  Here are some of the dinosaurs you will see in the exhibit...

Kinda scary, aren't they?!?
During our drive home, I decided to take some pics of our city.  My favorite aspect of photography is the editing; playing with the colors and tweaking the story within.  I will leave you with some of my fav's from Saturday:

 Love.  :o)

trials & triumph

I had an interesting conversation with a friend today, and I'd like to share a few thoughts with you.  I find the way that people handle struggles and challenges confusing, at times.  I personally have had a very blessed life.  My parents love me and my siblings very much, and provided us with a loving, healthy home life.  This is not to say that we have not had our fair share of hardships, but faith and hope were ever-present.  Many people face difficult decisions, horrible tragedies, and overwhelming devastation daily.  What you do with those challenges is up to you.  I have a hard time understanding people that choose to stay entrenched in their situations.  Yes, choose.  I know that many things are beyond our control, but where you go from there is up to you.  You can choose to be sad and hopeless, or you can cling to the promise that we are not alone.  I could see how someone that does not have a personal relationship with the Creator could be filled with despair and loneliness.  But it doesn't have to be that way.  We were each created for a purpose.  Our existence is not meaningless.  There are days when I, too, am overwhelmed by the waves this world throws me, but I know that this is only temporary.  By grace, we are not defined by this world.  And thank God!  When it all ends, when this world is nothing but dust, would you really want to be defined by the shallow riches our world holds so dear?  Money, status, power, fame?  Not I.  In my darkest days, I draw strength from Psalms 143:8.  I don't know exactly why this verse speaks to me so much, but it has since I was an adolescent.  Now more than ever.  On those days, I remember this verse, and know that I have a constant Supporter, Redeemer, Confidante, Friend.  Nothing I could ever experience can separate me from that.  It can be the same for you.  Loneliness is a choice.  Despair is a choice.  As is Salvation.  Which do you choose?

food & fran's

Yesterday we went to the much-hyped P&L District with family to have lunch and walk around a bit.  There are many restaurants in the area, but we decided to try Fran's.  For a diner, they have a pretty wide variety of dishes.  We really enjoyed the outdoor seating.  The weather was perfect for it!  We all enjoyed the food, but H's french fries were a bit overcooked.  Everything else was great.  The portions were HUGE.  The service was prompt, and the meals were not unreasonably priced.  The server was not as knowledgeable about the menu as we would have liked, but we won't hold that against them.  I was surprised at how large the restaurant really is-it doesn't look that big from outside, but they have a pretty large seating capacity.  After eating, we

decided to walk around for a while to burn off a few calories and see some sights!  We really liked the layout of the area.  It just beckons you to peek around every corner.  :o)  The Sprint Center is just down the street from Fran's, as is Chipotle, the AMC Theater, and several other restaurants/bars.  We decided after rounding the block to check out the downtown Cosentino's market.  We hadn't been before, and we were amazed!  We loved the warm, fresh feeling we got, simply by walking through the front door.  The fruits and veggies looked incredibly fresh, and we loved all the displays.  It really put every other grocery store to shame.  Amazing.  We

are in love.  :o)  Actually, we discussed driving dowtown expressly for the Cosentino's.  Take a lesson, Hy-Vee & Wal-mart.  Really.  Unless you have been, I can not express the difference to you.  Yesterday was really a beautiful day to be out and about in KC.  The weather was just perfect.  Warm, with a cool breeze.  (On 14th, it was downright WINDY!)  I don't know about you, but I would be happy with about 75 more days just like today.  :o)  I do so love the autumn, but it has been a particularly loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong winter here in KC.  Union Station is gifting us with two free passes to see Dinosaurs Unearthed, so look forward to that post in the near future!  (Well, as near as possible.  We work a lot.:o)  I hear it's in town through mid-autumn, so we should have plenty of time to enjoy it!!!  Have a good weekend!!!

rewind & reviews

Wow, it has been a BUSY few weeks! SO, we are going to hit rewind and review several products that some lovely companies sent us over the last several days! First up: RelaxZen & RelaxZen Night. These drinks are great because they are primarily vitamins: B6 & B12. I waited to try the RelaxZen until a day when I was feeling particularly stressed, as it is formulated to help you feel less stress and more calm. The flavor is not bad-kind of like an energy drink, but I actually liked it, and I don't like any other energy drinks. J really liked the flavor too, but didn't feel as much of a difference after drinking it. I felt more focused and calm for approximately 3 or 4 hours, which was amazing, because it was a CRAZY day at work. The only thing I didn't like about it was that I felt EXTREMELY tired when it wore off. Much like a caffeine crash. The RelaxZen Night drink was great too. It has vitamins, valerian, and chamomile, and I slept VERY well that night. Look for these products in your local airport-they are created to help those who dislike flying.

Next up to bat is the delightful French Meadows Bakery of Eagan, MN.
The friendly folks of the FMB sent us a fantastic care package of samples to try and review.  Included were a loaf of Hemp Bread, a sleeve of  Sprouted Cinnamon-Raisin Bagels, a bag of Sprouted Grain Tortillas, and they tossed in a cute to-go coffee mug as well!  FMB specializes in all-natural & organic ingredients, and they strive to make healthy food that is eco-friendly.  I am not a huge fan of raisins, but J & my brother R both really loved the bagels.  They said they were more chewy than the frozen kind, and tasted much better.  J liked them best with a bit of strawberry cream cheese. :o)  The tortillas were fantastic-I will be ordering these in the near future.  I much preferred them to your average wheat or flour tortillas that are available at your local grocery store.  As for the Hemp bread...  I am sorry to say that I was not a fan.  J & R tried it as well, and it was simply not for us.  The package states that is fairly chewy, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but we just did not care much for the flavor.  That being said, the rest of the products they sent were great, and we will be ordering from them in the near future. 
Kettle Brand chips sent us two bags of their flavorful baked chips to try and review.  We loved both flavors, and especially the fact that they contain 65% less fat!!!  The chips had a great flavor, and we loved that they did not have too much seasoning.  J preferred the Hickory Honey Barbeque, and I liked the Lightly Salted better.  Layla preferred the Honey Barbeque as well.  ;o)  We will definitely be switching to these tasty snacks. It's pretty amazing the difference you can taste in each chip, when compared with Lay's or even Ruffles.  You can tell that they are better for you, by the crispness and the flavor.  Not your healthiest snack, but a step in the right direction.

Layla was not to be left out, and Bing's Barkin' Bakery of NY was happy to send her a birthday cupcake!!!  She absolutely loved it!  BBB specializes in Gourmet Dog Treats, and are known as The Best Online Dog Bakery.  Layla was thrilled with the peanut butter honey cake they sent her.  It even came complete with a little candle!  Adorb.  Given her delight in consuming this tasty treat, I feel confident in giving it a big "Paws Up" from her.  ;o)  We'll def be ordering her treats through them going forward.  The delivery was quick to arrive, and had instructions for refrigerating the cupcake upon receipt.  I would recommend this bakery to ANYONE with friends of the four legged variety.  As long as they're dogs. ;o)

Das Foods was a favorite treat this past week.  They sent us a Lolli Sampler, Classic Caramel Petites, Chocolate Caramel Petites, and some of their gourmet Black Lava Salt to try and review.  We were impressed with the creative lolli flavors: My favorite was the Salty Caramel, and J's was the Orange & Pomegranate.  They sent several, and I took them to work to let my co-workers try.  They were a hit!  We were all curious about the Maple Bacon, but it was actually not bad at all!  My boss, S, used to own a popular candy shop, and he was impressed with the texture of the caramels.  He enjoyed the classic, especially the lavender notes, but felt that the chocolate could have been more pronounced.  We tried the Black Lava salts on some steak and chicken that we cooked for dinner this week, and we really enjoyed the unique flavor.  It reminded us of sea salt, but better.  We gave Das foods RAVE reviews, and will be doing a bit of Christmas shopping with them!  I received the closet organizing products from Real Simple magazine last week, but have been so busy I have yet to reorganize our closet!  Rest assured, as soon as I have a few spare hours, that will be the next review!  An update on our outdoor escape:  NONE of our flowers have died!!!  In fact, I have some lovely little shoots starting up from the wildflower seeds I planted a couple of weeks ago!  Could it be that perhaps I'm developing a bit of a green in my black thumb?  ;o)

growth & galveston

I miss my Galveston. Daily. Especially at this time of the year. We generally visit in the fall, and I inevitably begin to crave the coast in the spring. Just in time for a looooooong six months of waiting for our vacation. Several years ago, my Aunt B, my mom, and a few other delightful ladies decided to begin an annual tradition. We have since dubbed it the "SWDFF". (Sisters' Wing Ding Fall Fling) The very first SWDFF boasted only five members, and in recent years, our number has grown to as many as 11. The rules of the SWDFF are simple. Rule number one: Ladies only. Rule number two: There are no other rules. I am not alone in my longing for this escape. In fact, just this evening I reminisced with my Aunt B on the phone (she in Dallas, I in KC) about some of our lovely adventures and 'homes'. For the past six years, we have held the SWDFF in Galveston, TX. We would not change it for the world. In fact, the one year we would have been unable to visit in the fall due to the hurricane, we were fortunate enough to have booked our trip for May, or we would have been forced to miss visiting our beloved Galveston for a year. (Galveston, our hearts broke for you when we watched the news and witnessed your losses.)

We always make it a priority to stay as close to the beach as physically possible, and we are consistently amazed at the feeling we get when we pull in to 'our place'. We have not stayed in the same beach house each year, but the feeling remains the same. From the moment 'our' realty company hands us the keys with a warm smile and a hearty welcome, I always know that our stay will be wonderful. I don't know how they do it, and I am a service professional, but they always make us feel like a part of their family. They always provide us with everything we could possibly need, and they make you feel like you are their most important guest. There is nothing like pulling into our sandy drive, climbing a full flight of stairs with arms overladen with luggage, items which we will not even glance at for the duration of our stay (guitar, A? Yes, I remember. :o), and our bag full of Real Simple magazines. My favorite part is the moment AFTER climbing all those stairs. The moment I step into the spotless, charming, welcoming environment of our home away from home. The moment when I drop countless pillows, bags, beach towels, and sunglasses on the floor, and walk to the floor to ceiling windows and glimpse the ocean. The moment I take in the pristine kitchen where we will laugh, talk, make picnic lunches, play games, and discuss American Idol, Desperate Housewives, or darling T's ballet lessons. The moment I realize our 14 hour drive is OVER, and it is time to relax. For the past six years, we have stayed in many different homes, but we continue to use Century 21 Bay Reef Realty. Honestly, we wouldn't dream of going to anyone else. As if the stellar customer service and friendly staff were not enough, they also offer a return guest discount. Many of you may not have visited Galveston, but I would highly recommend it. Given all of the vacation horror stories I have heard from others, I wouldn't risk renting from anyone but Bay Reef Realty. And when you go, make sure to visit the McAlister's on Seawall. We have spent many a leisurely afternoon lunching on their sun deck and enjoying the ocean breeze with some of the best sweet tea around in hand. You can't miss the "Sonic by the Sea", either. The Strand promises many delightful hours of shopping for trinkets, antiques, art, and there is even a life size chess board for the kid in you. Who knows, maybe I'll run into you at the Moody Gardens! :o) To distract myself from missing Galveston today, I ran to Lowe's and picked up a Tiny Bee Asiatic Lily and transplanted it this morning. It's no Kahala Beach, but enjoy!

fruit & family

On Friday, we received a package from the good people at Peter Rabbit Organics. They sent us some samples of their new Fruit Puree Pouches to try! Their new treat has no added sugar, preservatives or artificial ingredients, and they are artfully packaged in pouches that are fun for kids from all walks of life! I was a bit skeptical upon first inspection, because the pouches were quite... Well, squishy, for lack of a better word. Kids, however, will be enamored by this. :o) There are three flavors at this time: Mango/Banana/Orange, Strawberry/Banana, & Apple/Grape. My favorite is the Apple/Grape, and J likes the Mango/Banana/Orange combo. The texture is different than I expected-it's incredibly similar to applesauce, which is a GOOD thing. Upon inspection, the Apple/Grape pouch contains 80 calories. 0 Fat. 0 Cholest. 19g Carbs. 19g Sugars. 9% Vitamin C. All in all, not too terrible a snack for your little ones. Or your big ones. :o) We will definitely be looking for them in the grocery stores, and I am sure many other people will too! This weekend also marked my brother and B's first wedding shower. It was a fun, Mexican Riviera-themed party, and I had a great time visiting with family. After the shower, I spent time at my parent's house, playing games and talking with my siblings and parents. Those of you that have seen the movie "While You Were Sleeping" may recall a certain scene in which the family is having Christmas dinner. During this scene, there are approximately 14 different conversations taking place at the same time and at the same table. If you did not grow up in a large family, this would probably be quite overwhelming to you. For us, that was just part of daily life. In fact, when one of us is absent, it seems too quiet. I have six younger siblings, ranging in age from 24 to 9. It is not unheard of to go from discussing politics to discussing Weird Al's latest in a matter of minutes. And yet, I wouldn't change it for the world. You can imagine, in a house of nine people, how many sibling tussles and arguments could occur, and don't get me wrong- we definitely had our fair share. That is probably the reason that I am so grateful for the relationships we have now. Driving home from Excelsior Springs yesterday, my little brother N, who is 13, surprised me with a comment. "M," he said. "Yes?" I replied. "I am really glad that you are my sister." We have recently extended our family through marriages, and we will be gaining another sibling in a few short months. I am thankful for each and every one of them, and love saying that I have THREE sisters and SEVEN brothers. :o) The world would be a darker place for me without each and every one. I will leave you with this shot I took from our patio this afternoon. It reminds me of the growth, beauty and new beginnings that come with this season.

breathing & beginnings

I'm not sure how many of you suffer from sinus headaches, but living here in KC, J & I are both plagued with them frequently. Especially at this time of year! I wanted to tell you all about our newest God-send. I purchased the Dreamtime Breathe Easy Face Pillow for J as part of his Valentine's present. He is completely addicted to it, and so am I. I purchased it for around $20, and I can not tell you how much more I would pay having used it. The pillow is formulated for headache relief and easier breathing. We love that you can either put it in a zip-lock bag and freeze it OR heat it in the microwave! Our favorite use is to warm it in the microwave in 30 second increments for a total of a minute and a half. The heat activates the aromatherapy, and it is AMAZING! The combined aromas of eucalyptus, spearmint, and peppermint work quickly to dissipate sinus headaches and promote easy breathing. The weight of the eye pillow utilizes acupressure, which feels amazing against your forehead. Allergies are running rampant this time of year, and when you get fed up, check out Dreamtime. (FYI: I purchased this in February, but we use it so often and love it so much that we felt compelled to share our new favorite with you all.) On a more exciting note, J & I have decided to begin a vacation fund! We are going to save all of our change for the next six months, and take a weekend vacation with the money we have saved. Our rules are simple: We must be able to drive to our destination within 4 hours. We must be able to cover gas, meals, and purchases with the change we have saved, and we must visit somewhere we've never been before. We will be saving every penny, nickel, dime, and quarter. Once a month, we will roll our change and buy dollars, tens, twenties, etc. (The larger denominations, we hope!) This may sound silly to many of you, but we have decided to retrain ourselves on the value of the dollar. It seems that we often pay more than we must for everyday things, and our goal in this project is to fully realize exactly where we spend every penny. SO, six months from now, we will post the total we were able to save, the destination to which we traveled, and exactly how much we spent for each activity/meal/etc. We are excited to begin this adventure, and will look forward to our reward in six months!

real simple & roses

I am in love with real simple magazine. Ever since my dearly beloved Aunt B first let me read one of her copies, I have been head over heels! Thanks to this same aunt, I am the thrilled recipient of a year's subscription, and I can not get enough of them. I received this month's edition, and began pouring over it the moment I got home from work this evening. My first delight? Their article "6 New Uses For a Coffee Can". I plan to use three of the suggested six options. Delight #2: "3 New Uses for Old Things". Who knew you could put your waterlogged cell phone in a bowl of rice over night to dry it out?! (Those of you that know exactly how many times I have drowned a perfectly respectable cell phone will realize just how useful this article was to me!:o) I can not WAIT to try the recipe on page 242 for Cheddar Chicken. It sounds delish. Oh! And the romaine salad with tomatoes and bacon on page 258. You get the picture. It's simply one of my guilty pleasures...but I don't have to feel very guilty since most of the articles involve saving money or healthy living. Or cleaning. So, it's good AND good for me. If you've never read one, CHECK IT OUT. You will not be sorry. Today I found some seeds I purchased in February, with the intention of creating a mini outdoor escape on our patio for this spring/summer. I have long been known as the "Black Thumb" in our family. Yes, I have managed to kill a cactus. Yes, I know how difficult that is supposed to be. Yes, I have managed to kill aloe vera. Again, yes, I know. HOWEVER, I hold high hopes for this year. I am hoping that I have not missed my planting window of opportunity, and I plan to do some container shopping this weekend so that I can begin my project. My hope is that posting about this goal will motivate me to take extreme care with my flowers and plants, knowing that you will expect to see pictures of my progress...or lack thereof. Any suggestions would be MORE than welcome. I am hoping that perhaps J possesses a little green in his thumb that will negate my knack for failure in this. :o) We shall see. My Granny has agreed to give me some starts from her beautiful back yard, which is basically a flower wonderland. How I hope that some of that will rub off on me! The folks at Ferry-Morse have made it easy for me, and fortunately the instructions on the back of the packets show that this is the prime time to plant my flowers! I chose Thumbelina Zinnias, Lilliput Zinnias(Pompon variety), Heavenly Blue Morning Glories, and a generic Annual Cut Flower Mixture. If all goes as planned, I will have some lovely flowers all throughout this season, and can use them in vases to liven up our home! And, ok, so I'm not about to undertake a rose bush, but I'm going for the alliteration thing and r and z didn't really work. :o) Think green thoughts for me! :o) m

puddles & pressing

Crazy Missouri weather. 80 degrees one moment, thunder/lightning/rain/hail the next. Throw crazy strong winds into the mix, and you have yourself a genuine Missouri day. ;o) We purchased a new iron yesterday, not out of need, but because it was SUCH a great deal, so here is the promised review. We bought the Shark Intelligent Electric Iron, model GI490. It boasts many features, including Burst of Steam, Atomizer Spray Button, Variable Steam Control, Electronic Temperature Control, Anti-Drip Function, LED Display Panel, Water Filling Inlet, Built-in Anti-Calcium Filter, Stainless Steel Soleplate, and a Pivot Cord. I will tell you this: This is a fantastic iron. I am not exactly your regular Martha Stew when it comes to ironing, but this morning even I got it right. This iron is VERY easy to use, and the functions/knobs/bells & whistles are all very self-explanatory. I felt as though I finished my pressing in no time flat! This may or may not be because I was enamored with using such a shiny new 'toy', but nonetheless the result was the same. I would HIGHLY recommend this iron for anyone and everyone. The price, as I mentioned last night, is fanTASTic, it's pretty, and incredibly functional. This may be one of our best purchases in quite some time. Check it out. I absolutely love the iron we already had, which is a smaller, more compact version by Rowenta. We're just suckers for a good deal. :o)

movies & meals

Tonight, J and I visited the brand new Studio Movie Grill at Zona. (North of the river near KCI.) We wanted to have a date night, and a cousin of mine posted a link for free tickets to the new location. (Yes, I'll put the link at the end of this post for our lovely readers' enjoyment.:o) The coupon offers two free admissions to a movie at the SMG at Zona. You simply print it off and take it to the ticket counter. The only stipulations are that the tickets must be for the same movie/showtime, so you can not use one for Tuesday and one for Wednesday. So take a friend or date! We arrived early, not really knowing what to expect. After giving them our coupon, they handed us a menu and showed us to our theater. We saw The Ghost Writer. We were the only ones in the theater at first, so we took our time checking out the 'lay of the land'. Well, let me rephrase. J took HIS time figuring out the optimum seating. :o) There are not as many seats as you would find in a regular theater, naturally, to accommodate the tables. Two chairs per table. When we were ready to order, after perusing their surprisingly large menu, we simply pressed the red button on the coaster tray. A server came and took our order, and we simply waited while watching the previews. The prices were honestly not that bad. I ordered a Dr. Pepper and the buffalo chicken strips, which were served with french fries. J ordered a pepperoni pizza and a side of the sweet potato fries, also with a Dr. P. The service was very prompt, and when we needed a refill, we simply pushed the service button again. The food was pretty good. No complaints from either of us. The portions were fairly large. Neither of us could finish our meals. I was not crazy about the chairs. J felt very comfortable in them, but I disliked that they were rolling chairs. They just felt a little out of place, but honestly, that is probably because it was just a new experience. We enjoyed the movie. It held my interest the whole time, but J thought it dragged a bit in the middle. I did NOT care for the ending, but I won't spoil it for you this time. All in all, it was a great date! We both had fun, it was a new experience, and it was a beautiful night to do some walking around Zona! The breeze reminded me of our trips to the coast, in Texas. Ocean, how I miss you! I will say, I'm not sure I'm crazy about the whole combining-dinner-with-the-movie thing. It basically limits all chance of conversation to the drive there and back. We'll be returning, however. I mean, how can you not? You don't have to miss the movie to go refill your drink, and it's at LEAST a dollar less per drink than your average AMC or Dickinson theater! After the movie, we swung by Walmart to pick up a new ironing board, and ended up purchasing a few items that we'll be reviewing this week. FYI: Walmart @ Barry Road offers the Shark Professional Electronic Iron (model Gi490) for only $29.96! (Recent rollback from $39.86. So recent, that it did not ring up correctly and the cashier had to walk over with J to verify. She could not believe that they were selling it at such a low price, but lo and behold, it was no mistake!) Target=$49.99. Sears=$51.99. We honestly were not in the market for an iron, but could not pass the deal up. I plan to use it tonight and will review it tomorrow. I didn't see many on the shelf, and I do not know if the price is uniform at all Walmarts in our area. In fact, even Walmart.com shows the price at $39.86. So perhaps it is a mistake, but if you are in the market for an iron, I'd head over tomorrow. :o) Even at the online price, that's a steal. Free Movie Tickets @ SMG @ Zona!!!

walmart & waves

We have a love-hate relationship with Walmart. Love that they carry nearly every essential item we could possibly need; hate that our Walmart is so over-crowded 99.9% of the time. I was forced to run in to ours today, on Easter Sunday, and was quickly reminded why I so rarely venture there. Per usual, they had moved various items all around, so I could not easily find the items I needed. Also, they were completely out of Dr. Pepper. This may be a bit rant-ish, but come on, really? WALMART is OUT of Dr. Pepper? What the?! Pepsi will suffice, for tonight. I did run into a good friend and his g/f, so that was a nice surprise. I am safely home from my outing, and am thinking back over the day and the performance of my new shampoo, conditioner, and liquid curling gel by SexyHair. The first thing I noticed when I opened my shampoo bottle was the delectable scent. Truly, this is the most wonderful scented shampoo/conditioner that I have ever tried in my life, so they were already off to a great start, in my book. :o) I began to lather up, and was amazed at how luxurious the shampoo felt. It was as though I could literally feel my hair getting more thick and more volume as a lathered. After rinsing, my hair still felt very thick. The conditioner had a slightly different scent, but it was definitely within the same scent family, and I had to use very little to work through all of my hair, roots to ends. Again, I was startled that my hair felt so different before I had even dried it. I toweled my hair dry, parted it, and proceeded to follow the instructions for the liquid curling gel. As I worked the product through my waves, I found that I disliked the texture of the gel. It was fairly thin, nearly runny. It did leave my hands pretty sticky, but that is common with gels. After washing my hands, I used the diffuser on my hairdryer to blow it out on low heat. I was astounded by how much more curl my hair had. My curls were springy, and held their shape all day long. I had hardly ANY frizz, which I loved, and my hair had a very healthy shine to it. I prefer my hair to simply have some wave, but after using these products, I can safely say that my hair was CURLY. So, they do live up to their promise. I think that someone with more natural curl would probably like these products a little more, because I could see these products really working for someone with thick, very curly hair. I will continue to use it, and I may buy it again in the future. At Ulta, I paid $12.95 for the shampoo, $13.95 for the conditioner, and $15.95 for the curling gel. Today, I found the same products online through amazon.com for about $1.50 less per bottle. (However, keep in mind that what I paid at Ulta was full price, and I'll be going back with my receipt to be reimbursed for the 20% off, so it should be a little less than what is listed on amazon when all is said and done.) Bottom line: This product is great. I will use it. If you have curly, not wavy hair, it is DEFINITELY for you. m

sunshine & samurais

Today was beautiful! Oh, how we've missed the sunshine this winter! After a brief stint at work, I swung by my local Ulta Beauty to pick up some new shampoo & conditioner. If you've never heard of Ulta, be sure to check them out. They offer fantastic products at affordable prices, & they have amazing specials. I forgot my coupon today, but they offered to reimburse me for the difference of my purchase if I bring it in with my receipt in the next few days! That is excellent customer service! I decided to try some new product & review it for ya'll. :o) I have decidedly wavy hair. Not curly, not straight. I wavered between a Paul Mitchell product & the Sexy Hair line. I ended up going with the Curly Sexy Hair Shampoo & Conditioner. I also bought the Curly Sexy gel to try. SO, look forward to that review tomorrow. After making my purchase, I received a text that some dearly loved relatives had unfortunately been locked out of their house! J was already home when I got there, so we headed south of the river to rescue them. :o) We arrived around 8:45 or so, and after unlocking the house, we all decided to have dinner in Independence at a japanese steakhouse called Samurai Chef. Mom H and Dad D had been before, and really enjoyed it, but it was our first time to visit the restaurant. Our first impression was that it was pretty large for that type of restaurant, when compared with Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse (north of the river), and with Fuji Japanese Steakhouse (Liberty). The decorations inside were not over the top, the lighting was a bit brighter than in most restaurants of that type. I really liked the waterfall koi pond in the middle of the restaurant. The service was very prompt, and our server was on the ball regarding our drink refills. (I mention this, because as J is a restaurant manager, we tend to notice that kind of thing very quickly.) I ordered the chicken and steak combo, and J ordered the New York Steak. The meal started with a kind of beef broth with a few slices of mushrooms and some noodles and green onion. The broth had the potential to be great, as most soups we've had in similar restaurants are of the chicken broth variety. Unfortunately, it was incredibly salty. When we asked, the server mentioned that the saltiness depended on which cook prepared it, and that she frequently tasted it before her shift and 'watered it down' if necessary... Not quite sure how we felt about that. HOWEVER, Samurai Chef redeemed itself with the salad. The dressing was great. It tasted a bit like some sort of thousand island, but with more pepper. We really loved it. We would also HIGHLY recommend ordering the egg rolls as an appetizer if you are hungry, because they were phenom. We both ordered fried rice with our meals, rather than steamed, so I can't comment on that. The fried rice was excellent. It was not overloaded with vegetables, like so many are. Our steaks were both cooked exactly to our specifications, and the veggies that were served with the meal were great! My chicken was amazing too, almost enough to make me choose Samurai Chef over Gojo's... Which is saying a lot if you know me at all. :o) After the meal, we were served a small dish of sorbet. It was delish, but I was so full I could only handle a bite or two. All in all, it was a good experience. Our 'Samurai Chef' could have been more involved in the presentation portion, but he may have been influenced by the three shots of sake he took while cooking for us... That added a bit of color to the experience, but all in all, we'll be going back. :o) I will also add, that I was thrilled that they serve Mr. Pibb, rather that Dr. P. Tune in tomorrow for my review of Curly Sexy Hair products.

m

clashes & crashes

Today, J & I went with my brother, R, to see Clash of the Titans in 3D at AMC. We had seen multiple previews and were understandably hyped to see it. First of all, I would just like to go on record that we will NEVER go to see a movie on a Friday morning again. FAR too busy for our tastes. Then again, we always go on weekdays because AMC in our area offers $5 tickets Monday through Thursday. It's easier on the wallet, and the crowds are minimal, at most. The trailers of Clash implied epic battles and fantastic graphics. Suffice it to say, we were less than impressed. The graphics were good, and the movie held our interest, however, the fight scenes left much to be desired. In all honesty, we were pretty disappointed. The Kraken, for example. Trailers lent images of a blood thirsty beast with many rows of teeth and the desire to kill all of mankind. Imagine our surprise when he merely squashed a bunch of buildings and walls. We expected a monumental fight scene between Perseus and the Kraken, as well as between Perseus and Hades. Sadly, this was not the case. In all reality, this movie was anti-climactic. Yes, Perseus wins, but not on his own, as he insists that he shall throughout the movie. The Kraken is slain by staring at the head of Medusa, which Perseus had dislodged from her body previously. (Which he was able to get by using the coin Zeus gave him to bribe his way across the River Styx.) Hades was banished back to the underworld with hardly a word. (And the aid of Zeus, once again, through Perseus sword and a convenient bolt of lightning from the gods.) Having said that, the 3D element was fun, we enjoyed Pegasus, the movie did not drag, and it was worth seeing. Just don't set your hopes too high. This is no Lord of the Rings: Return of the King or Avatar. m+j&r

summer & the city

In an effort to cut back on expenses and be a little more... shall we say thrifty? J and I decided to look for some affordable/free things to do in KC this summer to fulfill our whimsy for fun in the sun while going easy on the checkbook. :o) I found that Miller Light, 96.5 The Buzz & 98.9 The Rock are hosting some fantastic FREE concerts at the KC Live! stage in the Power & Light District! Rock the Block headliners include: Better Than Ezra, Blues Travelers, The Bravery, Eve 6, Filter, & The Republic Tigers. We have not seen any of those bands live, so we are planning to attend most if not all of the shows, if possible. Reviews will follow, naturally. :o) The FREE concert series in the P&L District also includes Hot Country Nights, sponsored by Bud Light, with headliners including Cory Morrow, Craig Morgan, Dierks Bentley, Joe Nichols, Keith Anderson, and many others. We're not the biggest country fans, but I might be able to drag J to a couple of those, too. Hey, it doesn't cost anything at all if you're over 21. Why the L not? ;o) Rock the Block concerts always start at 8, but if you arrive early, you can register for VIP parties and to win some prizes/giveaways from The Buzz, The Rock, and Angels Rock Bar. Hot Country Nights presents concerts every Thursday night through September 3rd. Concerts always begin at 7, and there will be giveaways weekly from 38 the Spot, Q104, and PBR Sky.

For those of you north of the river, or those south that don't mind driving a bit, Zona Rosa has several family friendly events that cost NOTHING and sound like a lot of fun. For example, the Zona Rosa Summer Concert Series, hosted all throughout the summer, every Friday and Saturday night at the Town Square. Each concert is completely FREE. Just bring your lawn chairs and relax! Or how about the Festa Italiana, June 4th-6th? Or even the Zona Rosa Farmer's Market, every Tuesday all summer, from 4-6pm?

These are just a few different tight budget options that we found in our spare time today. As we find more, we will be sure to post them. The economy has us all on a short rope these days, so the more FREE stuff we find, the better!

We can not wait to attend some of these events! Hope to see you there!

starbucks & stars hollow

I would love to live in Stars Hollow. Yes, really. Yes, I know it's a fictional place, with fictional characters and buildings. And yet, I pine for it. As I sip my Tall Iced Caramel Macchiato (upside down)
, I wonder. What would it be like to live in a town where everyone knows everyone else's business? As it is, I do not know the names of our neighbors that live across the breezeway, let alone what they do or who they really are. I know that they seem to be on a frequent caller plan with our local police department, but that is about the extent of it. I can not even imagine going to a wake for an acquaintance's cat. Nor attending and participating in a 24 hour dance til you drop competition for charity, just to be involved in my community. Or dropping by a friend's for breakfast, unannounced, just because. So, why do I long for it? I've been contemplating our addiction to Gilmore Girls, and wondering why it is that we can not get enough of it. It's not the fantastic writing, or the real-life emotions. Honestly, I think it is the myriad of connections between the characters. The stamina of their friendships, and the depth of their interactions. Our world has become so busy that it often feels as though we have not really had a conversation in days. That doesn't mean we haven't spoken with anyone. We do. Dozens of people each day. "How's it going?" "Fine, you?" "Good!" does not constitute a real connection. A formality, yes. A courtesy, yes. Connection? I think not. J & I were talking about this not long ago, and the vast majority of people are not motivated by money, or status, or things. They are motivated by their connections and relationships with others. Status, money, things... These are all mere avenues to what we mistakenly believe will bring us more or better relationships. Throughout this blog, along with reviewing various items and experiences, we will also be examining ourselves and attempting to make a change in our lives. We want to really connect to those with whom we come into contact on a daily basis, however random some chance meetings may be. We hope ya'll enjoy the ride. :o) ♥m