Boulevard

We recently visited the Boulevard Brewery. We got a group together, and what a great start to a fun weekend it was. 

Even though I'd already been to this brewery and several others, I always find myself learning more. There is so much to them. 

 Tour time!

 I was annoyed by the glare until I saw what it was - the KC skyline.

Breweries are an art. A process. A test of patience for the right results. It is so fascinating what all goes into the making of one single bottle filled with deliciousness.

 1989 - a brewery was established...and I got a baby sister.:)

 Our silhouettes

 Amazing and unique flooring

What a fun tour! And the tasting at the end is never a dull part.

 Mat and the Dans

After the tour, we went out for yummy Mexican. Then I somehow ended up at a KU-Mizzou watch party - the big and last border showdown. It was intense and though I was mostly cheering for KU, there was always that feeling of doing something wrong the entire time. Whew! It was a nail bitter, but the group was very happy with the results. Unfortunately my Wildcats didn't have the same luck that day. At least the hubby was happy. All-in-all though, it was a great day.

Surprise Party

Last weekend we celebrated my mom's birthday with a big surprise party. Family, co-workers, and friends all came together to celebrate my mom, and it was lovely.

My dad, sister, and I had been plotting for a long time. Many secrets were kept and many lies were told, but all in good fun mom! The plan came down to having dinner with the four of us - the hubby, me, my mom, and my dad. My dad ended up having to force? encourage? my mom to cancel her massage appointment she had booked and come to dinner. Ha! I couldn't even muster up the courage to call her that day because I am a terrible lier. And I tell my mom everything. It just wasn't going to work.

"Our table is back here..."

          But we got her there, and she had no idea. NO idea. She was shocked. She cried. She was thrilled. And this was all before she saw the biggest surprise of all...

Her dad, who's 83, flew in from Texas. It was such a special moment.

This picture is priceless. This is my sister (who also secretly came into town) and I saying "I can't believe we pulled this off"!!

The birthday girl and her friend Linda

 Cake time!

          Here's my sister and me with our grandpa, papa, and grandma

 We also made my mom a photo collage. I had helpers as per usual.

They are most helpful when they sit on my lap - oh yes they are. ;)

I love my mom's high school pictures on the top right here.

 '"The many looks of Cheryl"

  This was a hit and was so much fun to make!

We love you mom, and we're so glad we surprised you!!

Love Day

I'm a little late on this Valentine's Day post due to a certain surprise party for a certain lucky lady - more on that later. We don't tend to go all out for this holiday. This year we did our usual exchanging of cards and a nice meal out, but we stretched the holiday out into two evenings due to making reservations for Wednesday night so we could eat at a decent time (not before 4:30 or after 9:00) and miss the rush. 

On Tuesday night, I made pesto pasta with chicken and used the pesto we got in Cinque Terre, Italy last summer. It was divine. It was amazing. It was heart attack (in a good way) worthy. We thought we were back in our favorite Italian city soaking up the Italian Riviera. It was lovely to say the least. We topped off our dinner with some Boulevard Chocolate Ale my hubby was able to snag for us. 

On Wednesday night, we ate at Bonefish Grill, the same place we went for our last anniversary. It was once again a great atmosphere with delicious food. The Bang Bang shrimp is incredible!

Here are some pictures from the holiday(s), paired with some favorite lovey-dovey song lyrics. 

 "How much I love you...
You look wonderful tonight"

 -Eric Clapton Wonderful Tonight 

(Our first dance song)

" Lightnin' flashed across the sky
I saw love in a young girl's eyes
And that's a look you never forget
Seventeen only comes once in a lifetime
Don't it just fly by wild and free
Goin any way the wind blew, baby
Seventeen, livin on crazy dreams..."

-Tim McGraw Seventeen  

(This one reminds me of riding around in the hubby's Jeep in high school...when he wasn't my hubby yet :)

 "The way you look, the way you laugh,
The way you love with all you have,
There ain't nothing bout you that don't do something for me"

-Brooks and Dunn Ain't Nothing 'Bout You

(This was one of many songs we loved in high school too. 
It is also fitting below my beloved pesto ;) 

 "Well, I don't want the whole world  

The sun, the moon, and all their light  

I just want to be the only girl  

You love all your life"

-The Band Perry All Your Life

(I just think this song is so dreamy) 

 

"Got me lookin so crazy right now
Your love's got me lookin so crazy right now
Got me lookin so crazy right now your touch's
Got me lookin so crazy right now
Got me hoping you page me right now your kiss's
Got me hoping you save me right now
Lookin so crazy your love's got me lookin
Got me lookin so crazy your love"

-Beyonce Crazy in Love

(Do I really need to explain this one??)

 

 "I don't like spiders and snakes
And that ain't what it takes to love me
You fool, you fool"

-Jim Stafford Spiders and Snakes

(Another high school song - don't ask. It's also works with my furry critters

who occasionally like to bring their mama "presents") 

 "Cuz I see sparks fly whenever you smile" 

-Taylor Swift Sparks Fly

(This song always make me think of the hubby and his mischievous grin)
 

"I love you like a love song, baby
And I keep hittin' re-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat"

-Selena Gomez Love You Like A Love Song

(I think this song is adorable and so fitting for this love day. 

I could also have sung this to my Bonefish meal above. Yum!)

Though this is a day of couples, valentines, and mushiness amongst lovers, it is also a day to recognize ALL of the people you love and care for. I hope you had a wonderful day of love and told ALL your lovies how you feel. <3

My Week 3

Another great week has quickly passed me by. It was packed with time spent with family and friends, the Super Bowl, school conferences, my mom's birthday, a wonderful day off, and a secret trip to an old speak easy. Here's my week in photos - this week with a combo of instagram and i-phone pics (which is why some are a little blurry).

 my little helper

 my handsome hubby and me

 a tooth brushing failure - "I kill you now toothbrush"

 Super Bowl

 our not-so-healthy but very tasty spread

 butt touchdown :)

 the birthday girl and my first baby

 delicious birthday cake my dad made

 my first time to a speak easy - Manifesto

 certain rules that must be followed there - it was a cool place!

 my hubby woke up to this one morning <3

Have a wonderful week and a very happy and lovey dovey Valentine's Day!

My Week 2

This week in photos, instagram style...

 Waldo Pizza with good friends and good food

 Giddy loves her daddy so much she has to sit on him

Afternoon walks in this gorgeous weather

 We finally found some Chocolate Ale, and it was even better than last year

 Rough life, huh?

 Mom's birthday brunch at Lidia's

 mom and dad <3 them

 and the kids...I love my hubby's mischievous grin here

 Almond pesto spaghetti with shrimp and calamari - delicious!

 Dessert buffet - yes please!

As you can see, it was a very good week. Now I'm off to a Super Bowl party, and I am prepared to stuff myself again. Have a great week everyone! :)

Let's go for a walk!

It's February 2nd in Kansas City, and today we went for a walk. It's the middle of winter, and the highs were in the 60's again. Needless to say, we are loving and soaking up this abnormal winter weather. 

 "We're going on a walk!" "We're going on a walk!"

 This one thinks it's her job to drag lead us.

 The little one needed to stop and rest.

And they, of course, had to stop and sniff everything. Those darn noses!

We had fun, and it is perfectly fine by me if it stays this way until summer. Which is, by the way, 16 weeks or 70 school days away. Not that I'm counting or anything...