Finding the Best in Midwest Weekend Getaways
Before anyone panics, I’m not going anywhere, but #TastyTuesday is! While I love my day dedicated to food and recipes, etc. I’ve discovered that I love food so much, I love cooking so much, and we love eating food so
I LOVE when I get together with the #NorthIowaBloggers! Everytime we get together, attend a function, or plan something it’s always a different conglomeration of people and it’s always a good time! This past Monday was no different. Thanks to Val of Corn, Beans, Pigs, & Kids (even though she ended up not being able to make it) a group of us gathered at the Mason City, Iowa Applebee’s location for a #BeesMeetup. We warned Applebees via social media that we were coming for them and boy were they ready for us. They were ready not only on their social media platforms, but also the staff at the restaurant was ready for us! Thankfully (not sure if it was for us or them) we had an inside hook-up with Loni of Lifestyles of the Pantsless. Loni is a part-time waitress at Applebees and warned prepped the staff for our arrival. The manager of the Mason City location was also kind enough to treat us to 9
different types of appetizers from their menu! (Yes, there is only a few more and by ordering we ended up tasting every single one of them!) The staff was attentive, efficient, courteous, and very tolerable of our group with our chit chat, Tweeting, Facebooking, Instagramming, and requests for pictures!
Continue “#TastyTuesday – A #BeesMeetup with the #NorthIowaBloggers!”
I run. I’m a runner. I love to run! Why do I run? It’s because I want to be fit and healthy and because it releases the stress in my life! (Ok, it actually releases endorphins that override the stress
I received a SWORD Specialized bottle and samples of Sword Hydration drink mix for the purposes of reviewing. All thoughts & opinions are my own and 100% honest.
Back in November I completed my first review of StrideBox. In that first months delivery I received a sample of SWORD Hydration drink mix. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago and I received an email from Shawn Stasko, the Co-Founder and CEO of SWORD. He had read my review of his product and wanted to send me some more to try and review! After how pleased I had been with my first experience, how could I say “no”? When my package arrived, I was
very pleased! Not only did he send me samples of the Berry & Ginger Citrus flavors that they already produce, he sent me a SWORD bottle that is designed by the people at Specialized (you know…the bike people?)! I received 2 samples each of their Berry & Ginger Citrus drink mix (already produced) and he sent me 2 samples of the Orange & Green Apple flavors that they are working on developing at this time! He was great about providing me instructions on how to mix the product as well!
Warning! I’m stepping up on my soap box!
My friend Jeni at Jeni Eats recently wrote a post about being a food snob! A food snob, I am not!! (She isn’t either by the way and you can read more about that HERE) but she brings up a very important item of business that I felt so strongly about that I decided to write a post myself…well, to be honest I was commenting on her post and when I looked up after typing with a fury I had written a LARGE paragraph and thought, “someone else’s blog is not the place for my soap box!” So, here I am asking you, “Are you the food police?” “Do you have a license to judge me for what I eat and what I feed my family?” It seems that in today’s world so many people have strayed into a world of being Judgy McJudgerson! If you don’t agree with me (be it politics, religion, food choices, etc) then you’re wrong and a horrible person. Whether you are Christian, Jewish, atheist, Republican, Democrat, pro-GMO, non-GMO, vegan, pro-red meat, organic, pro-processed foods it isn’t your place to judge others who may be different than yourself. Can you disagree with them? Absolutely! Do you have to belittle them in the process and push their noses into your beliefs/positions until they give in? Absolutely not!
It’s the beginning of a new month, March is over! Where did that time go? I remember when I was younger hearing the
“older” generation around me lament that “time just flies by and speeds up every year”! I couldn’t imagine what that felt like, but I do now! I swear (not literally) that every month is going faster and faster! But, I digress. During the month of March, I had declared that my Comments For A Cause was going to the Amy Hild Memorial Fund to remember my dear friend Amy of Modern Rural Living that was taken from us way too soon! I’m excited and sad all at the same time to say that because of your commenting efforts, I will be mailing her parents a check for $50.00. It is so bittersweet! I’m happy to continue to honor Amy’s memory this way and yet sad that I’m even having to do it in the first place! God continues to teach me patience in understanding.
You’ll forgive me if #TastyTuesday takes a week off so I can recognize M’s 11th birthday right? I appreciate it! It’s amazing to me the longer that the boys and I are in each others lives how much I love them and how much more connected to them I become!
Dear M,
You’re 11 today! I don’t know how it happened! Do you know that you had just turned 6 when you and your deep brown eyes entered my life? I could have sworn it was just yesterday!! I wasn’t there when you were born, or when you took your first steps or said your first words, but you have had, for years now and will continue forever and always, a special place in my heart! You are such an amazing little boy (and really, not so little anymore as you are on a quest to be bigger than me and you pride yourself in every inch closer that you get!) I want to keep you little! I want to keep folding your little clothes, although they keep getting bigger and bigger! I’m not ready for you to grow up, but I know it’s going to happen no matter what!
Do you know one of the coolest things about having friends that are bloggers? They make you think about things you really hadn’t thought about before. That’s what Beth Ann of It’s Just Life did when she wrote a letter to her 16-year-old self! So, after much thought and consideration…here’s my letter to myself at 16!
Dear 16 Year Old Katy,
First, those braces that make your school pictures just horrible…don’t worry, they are coming off soon and it will be totally worth it because you will get endless compliments on your smile for years to come! Also, thank your mom and dad for their financial investment into your mouth (and remember how thankful you are when you’re the one investing in a mouth full of braces for a kid)! Those fangs you had weren’t very becoming on you and thankfully they recognized it! The rest of that school picture that is awkward (the weird haircut, the acne, and glasses) those will all go away and you won’t feel so out-of-place!
There are some additional things you need to know and keep in mind as you grow and mature!
I’m a child of the 80’s. I’m not scared to admit it! The other day I was participating in a little #FlashbackFriday on Pandora while listening to the 80’s Pop Radio channel. I can’t help but love that music! I love the feeling that I get when I hear it! I love the memories it brings flooding when I hear it! I can almost lose myself in that music!
I was born in 1981. I don’t hesitate to put that out there…partially because most people doubt me when I say I’m that old (that old being 33 for those of you who are struggling with the math…did you read my post about not being scared to get older? You can do it HERE!). I don’t look it and I know it. M has told me before that I look like a high school student (and then of course, just the other day he told me I was 46), but 24-26 is the average age that most people guess me at. I guess I’m lucky! I feel that I was born right before the era of some of the greatest music of all time! It doesn’t matter whether you were fond of the big hair bands, the pop sensations, or the down home country…everyone could find something from that era that they liked! I was raised around music! There was always music playing in our house!
I know I’ve missed a few weeks, but I’m feeling a little more on top of my game this week, so I thought I’d throw one of these in! I hope you enjoy learning just a bit more about me!
When was the last time you sat on a park or garden bench for more than ten minutes? Describe the occasion. We have a fantastic pergola in our backyard by our garden and it is normal for T and I to sit back there after weeding or picking our produce and just visit or listen to the birds, enjoy the weather, etc. While it isn’t exactly gardening weather here yet (it sleeted and snowed last night)..a couple weekends ago it was sunny and warm and we actually sat back there for awhile!
