What's Up Wednesday 9.30.15

I am linking up for What's Up Wednesday with Mix and Match Family, Pinterest Told Me To and The Larson Lingo.  And with my usual Wednesday favorites, Jenn and Jessi for What's Hap-pinning Wednesday!

Can you believe it is the last Wednesday of the month?  Much less the last day of the month?!  This year is seriously flying by!

What I'm eating this week...salads.  My goal for this week is to eat a salad for lunch everyday.  So far so good!  Granted it has only been two days, but still, I think it's a good start!

What I'm reminiscing about...Halloween.  My mom used to put together the best costumes for me and my brother.  I remember my dad would take us out trick or treating.  When I was older and didn't dress up myself, my aunt would bring over my littlest cousins all dressed up.  Even when I was in college, my mom would take pictures of them to send to me.  Now my baby cousin is in high school...makes me feel old!  This year will be super fun with Jack (my nephew)...I am not sure what my brother and sister in law plan to do for his costume, but even just a little Halloween onesie will be the cutest thing!

What I'm loving...the weather.  This is on repeat from last month, but it is so true.  This past Saturday was gorgeous, we had a nice little rain this evening and the week is just supposed to get cooler as it goes on.  I envision plaid, jeans, booties and scarves for my weekend wardrobe.

What I've been up to...car shopping!  Tonight I go to the dealer to hopefully make a deal.  Fingers crossed it all works out!

What I'm dreading...waiting a whole month before I can start my new job!  While I know not transitioning until the end of October (after my current role's busy time) is the best option for everyone, I can't help but be a little anxious to get started in my new position.  

What I'm working on...living in the present.  As you can see from the statement above, I am not doing that great, but hey, that is why I am "working" on it!  

What I'm excited about...this weekend!  I am taking Friday off and I cannot wait!

What I'm watching...Sister Wives.  Don't Be Tardy.  Limitless.  Shark Tank.  Manzo'd With Children.  Nashville.  RHOC.  The Big Bang Theory.  The Amazing Race.  The list goes on.  Obviously, I am watching a lot of TV and am enjoying all the new seasons that have begun so far this fall.

What I'm listening to...nothing really.  My commute to work is about 5-10 minutes, so the radio is hit or miss.  The AT&T store had some good country tunes going when I was in this past weekend, so I guess I will just go with that!  

What I'm wearing...this skirt.

I mentioned my Loft purchases in this post and this skirt was a definite win.  I even got complimented about it at work.  Talk about making a girl feel good!

What I'm doing this weekend...I have a few fun things planned that I can't wait to share on Monday!

What I'm looking forward to next month...starting my new job!

What else is new...I have a few new recipes queued up to share later this month...homemade chicken noodle soup and beef fasolia...yum!

What's up with you this Wednesday?! 

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Today I am sharing with you one of my favorite cookie recipes...chocolate chocolate chip oatmeal cookies.  

I always think of Lake Michigan when I think of these cookies.  It seems like every year we have gone to Lake Michigan for vacation, someone has made these.  They are the perfect cookie to bring down to the beach...when you get ready to eat them, the chocolate chips are melted just right and oh my goodness, SO good.  

I made these last week for a birthday at work and I couldn't help but keep a few at home for myself.  

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 6oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease cookie sheets.  Stir together flour, oatmeal, cocoa and baking soda in a separate bowl.  Beat together butter, sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Stir in flour mixture until well blended.  Add chocolate chips.  Drop batter on prepared cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned on top.  Let stand on baking sheet for 3 minutes.  Remove cookies to rack to cool.  Makes 2-3 dozen cookies.

Linking up with Sweet Little Ones for Tuesday Talk and Full Time Mama for Delicious Dish. 

Weekend Recap

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone had a great weekend!

My weekend started off a little earlier on Friday, with getting out of work before my normal time.  That is always a great way to start off the weekend.  Since it was an early start, we decided to catch an early movie, The Intern.  Go see this movie.  It will make you laugh, it will make you cry.  You will fall in love with Robert De Niro.  And, although Anne Hathaway isn't necessarily my favorite actress, she was really good in this movie.  The rest of the evening was spent preparing for my parents arrival the following morning.  

Saturday was BUSY!  My parents arrived in the morning and my dad and I headed straight to the AT&T store to get a new phone.  For once, I have the latest and greatest...an iPhone 6S.  I am not very picky about my phones...I only got my first smart phone a couple years ago, so it is kind of a big deal that I actually have the newest iPhone.  I am still getting used to it, but the camera is definitely the best thing, in my opinion.  Afterwards, we headed out to lunch at 5 Star Burger.  This place is awesome.  Everyone really enjoyed their burgers.  I had the Breakfast of Champions burger.  I just love an egg on a burger.  Although it can make it a little more messy, it is just SO good.  

After lunch, we dropped my mom back at my apartment and headed out again, this time to a car dealership.  My dad just thinks of all the questions that I don't when it comes to buying a car, so it has been very helpful to have him with when I test drive cars.  I was actually pretty worn out after lunch, so I was trying to get out of going to the car dealership, but I am so glad we did because I think I found my new car!  I still need to talk to the dealer again about price, so I won't go into it right now, but hopefully later this week I will have some good news to share!  Since my mom had no interest in tagging along for the phone, or the car shopping, we took our own little shopping trip to Target and Micheal's.  I have to say, I am pretty disappointed in Target's fall selection.  I had gotten a catalog earlier this week and maybe things were just picked over, but a lot of the cute items I saw in the catalog, were not in the stores.  I still found a cute little pumpkin to add to my fall decorations, though.  The rest of the evening was spent relaxing, taking a walk and eating dinner.

My parents left shortly after breakfast the next morning.  Since the weather was a little overcast and cool, it got me in the mood to cook.  I headed to the grocery store to pick up supplies to make soup, spaghetti sauce and chicken curry.  My mom makes the best homemade chicken noodle soup.  I love having some in the freezer for when I am not feeling 100%, or when I am just craving a warm meal.  I put that on the stove, then got to work prepping some lunches.  

I had planned on making the spaghetti sauce at the same time, but with only one large pot, I had to wait until the soup was done.  I found this recipe for slow cooker chicken curry and wanted to try it.  I had a bit of a mishap while making it.  I had everything ready to go and was pouring the sauce into the gallon freezer bag when it went EVERYWHERE!  Oh my gosh, the bag just tipped over and splat, on the counter, in the sink, on the floor, on the cabinet.  It was a mess.  Then, as I was getting more paper towels, I slipped on the step stool and landed funny on my toes.  It hurt SO bad.  They are still tender today.  I wasn't done yet, though.  I had finally cleaned up the mess and was washing a few dishes, when one slipped out of my hands and I was for sure it was going to shatter.  Luckily, that did not happen.  The rest of the evening went a little smoother, although I almost knocked over a wine glass, which was thankfully empty, and then spilled water on myself right after...sometimes I just have to shake my head at myself.  I think it's an understatement to say I can be a bit clumsy.  I think yesterday definitely proved that.  

Today is a new day, though.  Hopefully it will be a little less eventful than yesterday!  Have a marvelous Monday! 

Linking up with Biana for Weekending.  

Friday Favorites 9.25.15

Happy Friday! I am linking up with Momfessionals, A Little Bit of Everything Blog, and Grace and Love Blog for my Friday Favorites

and A. Liz Adventures for Five on Friday.

Friday.  This weekend seemed like it dragged on...and on...and on.  I am super glad the weekend is here.  

My parents.  My parents are coming down this weekend and it will be really nice to see them!  We have a few non-fun things planned, like getting a new phone, but hopefully there will be plenty of time for fun stuff, too!

Coney Island Root Beer.  Last week, I mentioned Not Your Father's Root Beer.  A co-worker came across Coney Island Root Beer this past weekend.  He actually likes it better than Not Your Father's!  When I tried it, it wasn't as cold as it needed to be, so I couldn't quite tell which one I liked better.  I plan to do my own taste test this weekend!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies.  I made these cookies last night for a birthday celebration at work today.  I was really excited because I haven't had them in forever and they are one of my favorites.  Hopefully everyone at works likes them, as well!  Check back next week, because I plan on sharing the recipe!

Thank you to everyone who left suggestions on my "getting organized" post yesterday.  It was all very helpful!  To summarize, people use either colored pens, stickers, post-its, highlighters, or different shapes/spacing to help stay organized and differentiate in their planners.  I will keep you posted on which one I opt to do!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!  Make sure to check out my favorite post of the week over on Astleigh's blog for The Pick.

Getting Organized

I recently got my Emily Ley Simplified Planner in the mail.

I have always loved planners.  I think my first one was from American Girl...it had a bunch of fun stickers and different things to go with it.  I used them all the way from jr. high school to college.  I color coded them according to subject and different social events.  However, I have gotten out of practice using one.  I have been brainstorming the best way to utilize my new planner for my life now.  

I still like the idea of color coding.  I came across these colored pens and love the fact that they are erasable. 

 

However, I am not sure if hauling around different colored pens is the best way to go.  

My awesome blog designer, Erin @ Fun, Love and Football, along with another blogger, recently opened up Plan in Color, an etsy shop where you can get stickers to help organize your planner.  I am a big fan of these stickers!  I thought these might be a good alternative to using colored pens, but still allow me to do the color coding.

   

My question for you all is...how do you stay organized with your planner?  Do you use different colored pen, stickers, or even an entirely different system?  I would love to hear ideas!

What's Hap-pinning 9.23.15

Happy Wednesday!  I am linking up with Jenn and Jessi for What's Hap-pinning Wednesday. 

Before I start, I just wanted to say thanks for the sweet words yesterday.  My procedures went well and I go back to the doctor in a few weeks for a follow up to discuss the results!

I absolutely love carrot cake and oatmeal cookies.  Putting them together sounds beyonds delicious to me!

I have always wanted to try freezer meals.  They just sound SO easy, especially after a long day at work.  These ones looks especially healthy, which eating healthier is something I am really trying to improve on.  Please share if you have a favorite freezer meal recipe!  I would love the suggestions.

These no bake cookies sound delicious.  I think they would be a perfect a sweet little dessert after lunch or dinner! 

I am lusting over this fall center piece...seriously how gorgeous is it?  I love that it is very neutral with pops of color.  The textures are just perfect.  In love.  

For all of us that watched Gilmore Girls...how cool would it be to read all the books from the show?  I haven't seen this show in years, but I remember wanting to grow up in their little town.  It seemed so idyllic!

Can't wait to read what is hap-pinning with you this Wednesday!  You can check out my other pins by following me on pinterest here.

See You Tomorrow!

Hey all!  I am taking a short break this Tuesday.  I have a few tests to get through today at the doctor to see if they can pinpoint why I have been having some stomach issues.  Honestly, today has just been consuming my thoughts and I couldn't get my mind off it enough to get a post together.  I hope you all have a great Tuesday and I will see you tomorrow!

Weekend Recap

Happy Monday!  I had such a fun-filled weekend.  I feel like I am still recovering today!

As I mentioned in my Friday Favorites post, my company's United Way silent auction ended this past Friday.  I am happy to report that we made the most money ever with the silent auction.  There was a huge push in the last half hour of the auction and we were really able to make some money.  I was SO excited!  To top off a great day, I had dinner plans to go out to celebrate my new position.  Robust Wine Bar in downtown St. Louis was the restaurant of choice.  We started off with a cheese plate and some salami.  SO good.  Possibly the best part of the meal.  The cheese was served with this toasted bread that had a hint of garlic to it...just delicious.  We both got pretty full from the cheese and meat, so we opted for smaller "tasting" plates instead of full entrees.  I had the shrimp and grits which was amazing.  Overall, it was just a really great dinner.  I would definitely recommend checking that restaurant out if you are in the area.

Another place I checked out this weekend was Blondie's Coffee and Wine Bar.  We headed there for breakfast and were very happy with our choice.  The menu has a lot of appealing options, but not too many that you are overwhelmed.  If you are into Bloody Mary's, they have what looks to be like an awesome Bloody Mary bar.  Tomato juice just isn't my thing, so I didn't partake.  I had the Ali Benali sandwich, which was sourdough bread, ham, egg, caramelized onions and swiss cheese.  Yum.  We also had to try the namesake, the Blondie.  That was delicious.  Very rich, but soooo good.  The portion was huge, too!  I feel like we barely made a dent in it.  The atmosphere was so neat...they had a ton of comfy seating, along with tables, so whether you want to just hang out with a drink, or have something to eat, Blondie's is a place to go!  

    
The rest of the weekend was filled with Richard Gere, Julie Roberts and sports.  Two of my favorites, Runaway Bride and Pretty Woman were on TV.  I just think they have great chemistry and I love both movies.  The Cardinals played the Cubs this weekend, so we headed down to Ballpark Village for the Saturday game.  Ballpark Village is an area downtown, right next to Busch Stadium that has a bunch of restaurants and bars that are located in one large building.  In the middle, they have a huge screen where you can watch different games, as well as grab some snacks.  It was a lot of fun!  

We had baseball going on this weekend, as well as football.  I am not a big college football fan, but I do participate in a survivor league at work for the NFL.  I had picked the New Orleans Saints...according the yahoo, they were a sure bet.  Unfortunately, they lost, as did some other favorites for the weekend.  So at least I am not the only one who got a strike...in this league, it is two strikes and you are out, so I am still good to go, at least for another week.  Hopefully yahoo won't lead me astray a second time.  

I hope you all had amazing weekends!

I am linking up with Biana for Weekending. 

Friday Favorites 9.17.15

Happy Friday! I am linking up with Momfessionals, A Little Bit of Everything Blog, and Grace and Love Blog for my Friday Favorites

and A. Liz Adventures for Five on Friday.

Not Your Father's Root Beer.  I heard about this beer from a coworker.  He had it at a family get together up by Chicago, but when he came back to St. Louis, it was not available in stores!  I had been wanting to try it because I really enjoy root beer.  This past Monday I was grocery shopping and came across it at the store!  I was so excited.  It really lives up to the hype, too.  It tastes exactly like root beer...I can't tell there is any alcohol in there at all.  That could be trouble, but I doubt I would ever be able to drink more than one or two of these things because they are definitely sweet.  Seriously though, if you are a root beer fan, try this!

Target savings.  I headed to Target the other night for a few different things and I saved $12.47!  Lately, I have been getting a lot of coupons in the mail from Target, as well as coupons that print off with the receipt at the end of a transaction.  I feel like a lot of times, those coupons aren't really usable for me, but I have lucked out the past few times!  Also, I have been trying to utilize the Cartwheel app.  I still am trying to figure this one out, I don't think I am using it as much as I can, but I am improving.  Between coupons, the Cartwheel app and my RedCard, I was pretty impressed with my savings.  I just love feeling like I got a deal, so although it might not be much, I was really proud of it!

End of United Way Silent Auction.  As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am in charge of my company's United Way Silent Auction.  The silent auction ends today and I am so excited to see what the end result will be!  We are getting close to last year's amount, so I am hoping that with one last push today, we can raise even more money than before!

Fall TV.  Next week seems to be the week for new shows to start, as well as old shows to come back.  My DVR has been a little empty lately, and I am eager to get it stocked up again with good shows to watch.  A few I am looking forward to starting include Modern Family, The Amazing Race, Quantico, and Nashville...really, the list could go on!

Surprise packages!  I came home from work yesterday to a package from my parents.  I wasn't expecting anything so I was super surprised.  Inside was a sweet little note with a new top and tank as a congratulations on my new job.  Thanks Mom and Dad!

Have a great weekend!  

  

20 Questions

I love a good Q&A post.  I have seen this 20 questions post floating around blog world and decided to do it myself!  Here we go...

20 Questions 
Favorite food?
Homemade spaghetti sauce...it is my all-time favorite!

Flip Flops or High Heels?
I am not much of a flip flop person unless I am at the beach or pool...give me heels, wedges, booties, boots, boat shoes...those are more my speed.  I also love the look of flats, but all mine lately have felt super uncomfortable...any suggestions of really comfy ones?!

Favorite place to shop for yourself?
Lately it has been Nordstrom or Loft.  I also love shopping at Charmed, a boutique in my hometown that one of my high school friends opened up.  She has the cutest things! 

Standard coffee order?
I don't like coffee.  Therefore, I rarely go to any coffee shops, but if I have to pick, I would order a hot chocolate. 

Road trip must have snack?
Lately it has been Swedish fish and Goldfish crackers...yum!

DIY or Hire it out?
DIY, or rather AMP - Ask My Parents.  My mom is super crafty and my dad is super handy. 

Top 5 TV shows?
Real Housewives of Orange County, Nashville, Pretty Little Liars, Modern Family and Fixer Upper.  Those are probably my most recent favorites...I know not all of them are on right now, but I would say out of what's been on over the past year, these are my favorites!

Favorite book?
This is tough.  I think my favorite book is Happily Ever After by Nora Roberts (book four in the Bridal Quartet series).  Parker is my favorite - I would love to be her character.  Nora Robert's bridal quartet books are my absolute favorite series.  I don't know how many times I have re-read these. 

Favorite form of exercise?
Right now, the stair stepper.  Basically anything that makes me sweat, a lot.  That way I feel as if I am getting a good work out!

How tall are you?
5'2" - 5'3"

Do you try something new at a restaurant or stick to favorites?
This depends on my mood.  I love trying out new foods, but sometimes there is nothing better than ordering a dish you know you will like.

One make up item you can't live without?
Mascara...I feel like I look like a boy without it.

What's on your nightstand?
A lamp, a frame, a clock and 2 remotes...very exciting.

What's one thing that motherhood has taught you?
I am not a mother yet...so no lessons learned.

Music that reminds you of high school?
Gosh, a lot of songs.  Anything Ja Rule, To the Windows to the Wall, Nelly - Country Grammar, E-I, Shake Your Tail Feather, Usher - Yeah, Enrique - I Can Be Your Hero...the list could go on!

If you could live anywhere in the world besides your current city, where would you live?
So many places to choose from!  I really have no clue.  I would probably either stay in the States (think East Coast, Chicago, Michigan - on the lake or some place South), or go up to Canada.  

Tell us something we might not know about you.
I used to hate onions when I was little.  I would call them "bugs," because they would crunch when I ate them.  Luckily I have grown out of that.

Website you read/browse besides blogs?
Google News.

Morning person or night owl?
Definitely a morning person!  In the evenings I don't last much past 10...and even then that is sometimes a stretch!

What's your best feature?
Either my eyes or my smile.

  

What's Hap-pinning 9.16.15

We made it to midweek!  I am linking up with Jenn and Jessi for another edition of What's Hap-pinning Wednesday.

I am a bit all over the place with my pins this post.  I feel like the last few Wednesday posts have had a bit of a theme...this post, not so much.  

First off, let's start with this article.  

I have been thinking about getting a nice planner.  I have a little one in my purse, but I really wanted something bigger that I could make more use of.  I feel like so many people swear by different planners, which made it difficult to decide which one to buy.  Enter this pin.  When I saw the description, I knew it was exactly what I needed to read to help me decide which planner to purchase.  In this post, the blogger breaks down a handful of different planners, even showing a close up view of a filled-out page for each.  After reading this, I pulled the trigger on ordering the Emily Ley Simplified Planner.  I can't wait to get it in the mail and get organized!

I came across this recipe via Mix & Match Mama's blog.  I have tried a few recipes from her...I would say most of them are successful.  This one was definitely a win.  I made these this week with turkey meat and they were SO yummy.  I served them over rice, as opposed to the quinoa.  I love how the meatballs have spinach in them...I mentioned in last Wednesday's post, that I am trying to get in more vegetables.  These meatballs make it super easy to get in some extra greens.

I am constantly looking for new things to make for lunch.  This salad looks right up my alley.  I love the fact that it has noodles, corn and avocado.  I think paired with chicken or shrimp, it would make a great, yummy lunch!

This is a good reminder.  Some days are better than others.  But, every day should start fresh.  Leave the negatives of the previous day behind and make TODAY a good one.

    

Loft Purchases

I mentioned yesterday I did a little shopping at Loft this weekend.  Well...technically not AT Loft, but online.  Online shopping has become my preferred way to shop lately.  Today, I thought I would share with you my purchases.  I bought these with work in mind.  I think everything can be worn outside of work, too, which is perfect.  I love when something can do double duty!



Ruffle Shell.  I love everything about this top.  The color is one of my favorites for fall.  I think it will be perfect under a cute blazer or paired with a cardigan.  



Utility Blouse.  I have a few of these tops from different stores and just love them.  I saw this color and had to have it.  I am definitely in a green phase right now...a few of my last purchases have been in this color.  These blouses are great for work, as well as paired with skinny jeans.



Ruffled Sleeveless Blouse.  I am a huge fan of wearing sleeveless blouses/tanks under cardigans at work.  The office is usually always cold, so a cardigan is usually needed, but I also just like the layered look.  I love this color.  The name makes me laugh a bit...ominous teal.  The blouse looks fitted enough at the top to balance out the loose fit.  Hopefully that will be the case when I try it on!



Autumn Plaid Blouse.  I am a sucker for anything plaid.  It is by far one of my favorites.  I thought this top was a more dressed-up version, which would be more versatile.  The color combination is so classic, I know this can be worn for a long time.  Again, I can totally see this working for the office, as well as for a night out. 



Melange Flippy Skirt.  How cute is this skirt?!  I have been trying to wear a skirt more often to work.  However, I don't have that many.  I thought this would make a great addition to my wardrobe.  The skirt is simple enough that it has a classic look, but the texture makes it interesting.  I really can't wait to try this on...I am already thinking of what tops I can pair it with!



Curvy Fit Wrap Pencil Skirt.  I love a good pencil skirt and this one is no exception.  I really like the "wrap" aspect of this skirt, as well as the gray color.  I went for the curvy fit skirt, as opposed to the regular one, because I thought it would flatter my shape better. 

Those are my purchases from this weekend...you have to love a good sale!  I am hopeful that everything will fit when I receive it, but realistically I am anticipating some returns/exchanges in my future.  Luckily, I have a Loft super close to my apartment, so at least it is convenient!

Linking up with Sweet Little Ones for Tuesday Talk.  Have a great one!

Weekend Recap

Happy Monday!  Per usual, I could use another day to the weekend for sure.  It was a really fun weekend, but I am tired this morning!

Friday evening started out with an early movie.  We went to see Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation.  It was really good!  We were the only people in the theater which was so nice.  It was fun to be able to talk out loud about things as opposed to whispering or not saying anything.  Tom Cruise was great...I still can't believe he really did his own stunts.  The airplane thing just blows my mind...SO scary!  The rest of the evening was low-key.  Dinner in front of the TV and some Modern Family.  I love watching the Modern Family reruns...if I am home on a Friday night, you can bet I have those on all night.

Saturday was pretty uneventful in the morning/afternoon.  The weather was GORGEOUS!  I had the windows/sliding door open to let some fresh air in.  It was so nice.  That is one thing I dislike about living in an apartment, not being able to have the windows open more often.  I only have two spots to open, and there isn't much air circulation between the two.  Also, I don't feel comfortable enough leaving them open while I sleep, which stinks when the weather is nice.  I did a Hobby Lobby run to pick up a few more fall decorations.  They already have SO MUCH out for Christmas!  That is crazy to me!  However, everything was 40% off, so if you want to get a jump on your Christmas decorations, I highly suggest checking Hobby Lobby out.  I had some excitement Saturday evening - the power kept going off.  I think there may have been some type of accident that caused this, but I never figured it out.  Luckily, both times this happened, the power only stayed off a few minutes.  The first time it was still light outside, so not a big deal.  The second time, however, it was super dark out!  Thankfully, I had a candle lit so that helped me out for the 10 minutes it was out.  I instantly went to worse case scenario though...how long does food last with no power, that type of thing.  After the whole power fiasco, I decided I would take advantage of the 40% off sale that Loft had going on and ordered a bunch of items.  I have plans to share my order with you later!

Sunday I was up early to get some things done before meeting up with a friend for brunch.  We headed to Brasserie for brunch.  This was my second time there and it was as good as I remembered!  We took advantage of the weather and sat outside.  The one thing I dislike about places like this, are the tiny tables.  I always feel like I am going to knock something over.  Case in point, as soon as we sat down, I hit the pepper shaker.  Luckily it fell on top of my purse.  And right side up, too, so I didn't have a purse full of pepper.  The drinks there are delicious though, as is the food.  I had the corpse reviver cocktail and eggs benedict for my meal, but I don't think you could go wrong with any of the choices!

After brunch, we headed to Old Navy for a quick shopping trip.  My friend was looking for a specific item, which of course, they didn't have in store.  I feel like that happens to me a lot when I go looking for something specific.  I did pick up this super cute dress, for $15.  I didn't try it on, so I hope it fits!  I am thinking it will be a great transition piece.  Good for the warm fall days, and when worn under a cardigan, perfect for cooler weather.

That was my weekend!  Hope you all had a great one!  I am linking up with Biana for Weekending.

Friday Favorites 9.11.15

Happy Friday! I am linking up with Momfessionals, A Little Bit of Everything Blog, and Grace and Love Blog for my Friday Favorites

and A. Liz Adventures for Five on Friday.

How is it that the shortest weeks seem the longest?  Really, though.  I am so happy it is Friday!  I will be even happier when it is Friday at 4:00!  On to my favorites...

Urban Chestnut Brewing Company.  St. Louis has a ton of great breweries.  I was able to secure a donation from UCBC for my company's United Way Silent Auction.  Some places mail in their donations, but since they were donating a case of beer, then it needed to be picked up.  That was perfectly fine with me, as it gave me an excuse to go grab a drink and some food while I was there!  I was pleasantly surprised with the food.  I have had their beer before and knew it was good, but had never tried the food.  We really enjoyed it!  We both got something different, that way we could try each other's food.  I had the pork schnitzel which I really liked, and my partner in crime got the beef schnitzel.  Both were good, although it ended up we liked each others better, so we switched!  The pork had a mustard on it that I wasn't crazy about, so next time I will order it without.  Both sandwiches were served with a yummy salad tossed in some kind of vinegarette.  We also tried the fries and pretzels, but I would say the sandwiches were the star.  My beer of choice was Schnickelfritz, which was super yummy.  Not only was the food good and the beer great, this place has a cool atmosphere.  I believe it is in an old warehouse/building, so lots of exposed brick, which I love.  The seating there is a bunch of long wooden tables with benches.  They even have an outside area, as well.  Just a super neat place!

Jurassic World.  I never got to see this movie when it first came out, but for some reason it was back in theaters Labor Day weekend.  We went to see it on Monday and both really enjoyed the movie.  I have never seen the originals, but I don't think you really need to before seeing this one.  At least, I don't think it affected my viewing pleasure!  There were a ton of good previews, too.  Sometimes I get so into the previews, that I almost forget what I came to see!  

Weekend weather.  This weekend is supposed to be gorgeous.  We are talking temperatures in the 60's and 70's.  I cannot wait.  

My sister-in-law.  My sister-in-law sends me and my parents a picture of my sweet nephew every few days.  I LOVE that she does that.  I just think it is so thoughtful.  I know we all really appreciate her making the effort to do that.  And he is just so dang cute, it always brightens my day to see his little face!

All of you!!!  Yesterday I mentioned I had big news...I accepted a new position within my company.  I love reading the encouraging and positive comments left by you all.  It really means so much to me!  I can't wait to get this new adventure started!

Hope you all have a great weekend!          



Changes...

I have some big news today...yesterday I accepted a new position within my current company.  I am not sure how long the transition period will be, but I am hopeful it will be short so I can get started sooner than later!

I have been at my company for over 5 years.  I started off as a temp-to-hire with a staffing agency and was luckily hired on full-time once a new position was open.  About six months after, I moved over to Finance in accounting.  I have been there ever since.    

My current group is like a little family.  It is always hard to make a change, but especially so when you work with a great group of people.  The good thing is that I should be working with them somewhat in my new position.  And they will all just be a floor down, so I can always go visit.  

I am so excited for a new opportunity, though.  New people, new work, lots of learning...

I am very nervous, too.  There are always those thoughts, like, will I do a good job, will I be able to do the work I am given well?  I don't want to disappoint my new group!

I was lucky enough to have lots of support from my loved ones.  I don't know how many times I brought up the job situation, but they were always there to listen.  Thank you!!!

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind...interviews, jobs offers and big decisions.  It has been STRESSFUL!  However, now it is all over and I can't wait for this next chapter.

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Linking up with Amanda for Thinking Out Loud.