Weddings. Bill Murray. Mickeys Dining Car.

What do these three things have in common, you may ask?

Absolutely nothing! Random is my game!

My Love Language at times..if you will...

I find it funny that I could literally HARDLY plan my own wedding, but regularly make decor and items for other weddings. Ironic, yes?

This chock full of love and info/programs and wedding info was made for Brandi for her lovely Georgia wedding last fall. It's always super fun to see how things are used after you make them. I have to say it also gives a sense of accomplishment on bad days to go back and see "Hey- I actually MADE all of those things. Sweet."

How it looked when I sent it:

I'm not only posting these to pimp my shop- but seriously- I haven't seen much sun or warmth in nearly HALF A YEAR now! We still have a good two feet of snow left here. My neighbor's little boy is starting baseball in two weeks. We just laughed when she mentioned it. How? Will they play in snow? Why didn't my family settle in the south? How much  longer can I go on feeling like Bill Murray in Groundhogs Day?

I never wake up at 6AM and I think I can say with certainty that I've never ever awakened  to "I got you babe" so I'm all good there! Isn't it great in this scene when he finally punches this guy in the face?  Is he Ned?



Brad finally had his first Mickey's Dining Car experience within the last week in downtown St. Paul. It's a landmark and has been featured in movies and visited by famous people INCLUDING Bill Murray. According to the cook on the Sunday we visited "Yeah, he's an asshole!"  He said this in front of kids. Very classy.

Now that I'm no longer eating meat (which I don't miss at all) it was a bit harder to find something to eat there. It's a greasy spoon, but in the best way. I ordered a grilled cheese and a side salad and the same cook made fun of me. He said  "Who orders a side salad here? Isn't that something you'd order at like an Old Country Buffet?" ??? It was odd in a good "we're in the city" kind of a way. No suburban faux niceties that day!

I'm off to spend some time with my hubby who I haven't seen in days due to his work schedule. We did just have a lunch date of french toast and diet cokes! How romantic!

Have a beautiful evening!

xo

T

Simple Yet Effective.

That's right.

I'm honestly a little tired of these Keep Calm posters that are obnoxiously omnipresent, but this one made me  laugh out loud.

Unrelated: When I lived in Tennessee and would do my "Let's get lost and find interesting places!" drives, I did find a "Tater Tot Road"- no lie! So there would SEEM to be multiple meanings here that aren't yet clear to me. Ha!

Happy Thursday, Kids! We are house hunting and I've got to tell you- it blows.

xoxo

T

PS: Thanks to you who have donated to Caryn's fund! It is VERY appreciated. Angel bucks in heaven await you, I think! ;-)

Helping A Friend.

Today's post is for my friend Caryn. In the spirit of other "donate a dollar" or Chip Ins that I've done or linked up to, I'd like to ask for any donation to help her and her family and puppy mill rescues. No donation is too small! $1? GREAT! 50 cents? Fabulous! More? You are awesome sauce! 

Caryn recently moved from New Mexico to Texas with her family and grandbabies. There were issues with the sale of her house. It sold and then at the last minute the sale did not go through.  She has four adorable rescue dogs that have ongoing health problems due to the puppy mill she rescued them from. Two of the dogs were rescued from a puppy mill in Artesia, NM after it was raided.  200 of those dogs were placed in pounds. They both have conditions due to their beginnings at the puppy mill.  Monty almost died and then had to have half of his teeth removed due to their bad condition. Caryn's trying to keep up his teeth issues, but they are red and inflamed again and as all of you with animals know- none of this is cheap.  She doesn't want him to lose the rest of his teeth. Awful. Lily has had kennel cough and her 16 year old dog has issues. 

Monty and Lily!

In a regular world, this is problematic and expensive. In a world where you just moved to a different state, your house sale fell through and your animal babies are ill, it's overwhelming.  I know if this were happening to me, I'd appreciate any help. I think we've all been there and for most of us it makes us empathetic and helpful, which is all I want to do. Please feel free to donate via Paypal to Caryn's email address at rescuehelp47((AT))gmail.com or use the You Caring button to donate any amount. If we can help people build wells in other countries, help with adoptions and all else, I think we can also help someone who has just fallen on hard times and needs a little assistance.

Monty. How precious!

Rescue dogs! As you all know, I think helping animals is God's work. They can't speak and we are their advocates. I LOVE Caryn for adopting, loving and caring for her rescues!!

Thanks so much for reading and have a lovely day!!

xo

Ennui and Randomness.

I'm baaack!!

In a normal March, Brad and I would have already hit a beach someplace. Mexico, Jamaica, Bahamas.

I would have gotten a break from the 6 month long/near constant winter here in fabulous Minnesota!

But alas~ this year that is not the case.

I'm struggling, kids. I'm not gonna lie to you. The days are longer. Daylight savings time has ended (Praise God!) but we still have at least a foot of snow and it's very, very cold.

So...bring on the  unbearable ennui!

en·nui

  [ahn-wee, ahn-wee; French ahn-nwee] 

noun

a feeling of utter weariness and discontent resulting from satiety or lack of interest; boredom:

So...that's where I've been. I've had ideas for posts. Cake pictures I've wanted to share. A pile of books I want to read. And yet..when I'm not working, I find myself watching episodes of "Chopped"and other things I'm not interested in! I almost can't stop myself!

What I need: Fresh air! Sun! Warmth! I'm pasty and broken!

Just kidding about the last part.

Flowers from Brad for our six year anniversary on March 2nd. (We've been married five, together for six.)

Now THAT is happy!

I did see my best friend for lunch and pie yesterday. That was also fun. She is hilarious. I wish everyone had someone like her in their corner. She's very sweet, thoughtful and loyal. And when I am not my best self, she gently points out "Well..maybe that wasn't the BEST way to go about it." Necessary. Everyone needs that.

I also saw my nephews Emerson and Andrew for lunch last Friday. They both had the day off of school. Andrew was throwing out hilarious comments left and right and sounded mature. We drove by his school where he's in fifth grade and he said "Well, there's the school that's failing me!" ??? I tried to ask more about it, but he and Emerson heard a song on the radio that they had to sing along with. After lunch, they wanted to hit the McDonald's playland. Once we found it (I'm  not super clear where all McD's playlands are in their neighborhood) Andrew said 'Yeah, this will be fine but I really like the older ones. This is too modern."

And later...as we're leaving McDonald's and getting (I think) Shamrock Shakes around 5:30PM- Andrew loudly says "yeah, I think the Catholics just take themselves too seriously!" and proceeds to order two double cheeseburgers while everyone else is getting fish fillets. LOL. Hilarious. He's been "forced by my grandma" to go to classes for a catholic communion. He is so. funny.

I will now be heading back to work!

Have a beautiful day!

xo

T

Minneapolis Cake Walk Preview!

You read that right. CAKE and WALK!!

It happened in Miinneapolis on Thursday night. Here's a rundown of what went on:

"James Beard Award nominee Michelle Gayer of the Salty Tart invites you to the Share Our Strength Minneapolis Cakewalk -- a night of drinks, dancing, and most importantly, delectable desserts from the best pastry chefs in the Twin Cities. The event is presented in partnership with James Beard Award winner and Share Our Strength Minneapolis chef chair Tim McKee of La Belle Vie. All ticket proceeds benefit Share Our Strength's efforts to end childhood hunger."

 Brad and I are huge Top Chef fans and we always want to hit food tastings or food trucks, but it's not always possible out here in Albertville.  We found out about this a good month ago and it seemed like a win-win. Cake? I love cake! CHECK! Charity? I love helping. CHECK. Cake + Charity + Feeding Kids= GOLD!

We paid extra for the Bourbon Room/Experience and some upstairs Sausage Hut. Brad liked the sausage- I'm a recent vegetarian so it did not look good to me. I'm not a bourbon drinker, but did find some that were good...Brad loves Bahama Mama's so bourbon drinking wasn't really his thing. But..all to charity and all fun.

It took place at the Aria in Minneapolis. Formerly the Theatre de la Jeune. Oddly enough, my BFF worked for a horrible woman AT the Theatre back in the 90's doing set design and being verbally abused for a day and forced to carry and move a large tree! I tried talking her into going so we could make the space into a good memory! She declined..for various reasons. Past abuse played a role, I am sure.

The building is old but so pretty. I have a bajillion pics to share, but have honestly been too lazy to save them all to my computer. I know, sad. I can only say it's the time of the year. I feel like I've ALMOST made it through the winter, but at WHAT COST? I feel tired and go back and forth between having excitement about things and apathy. "It's got to be March!"

Any Design Star fans out there? I watch every year and oftentimes I am quite disappointed by what the designers come up with. Likewise Vern Yip's complete lack of control whenever anyone does ANY (and I mean ANY!)kind of faux taxidermy in a room! This was near the restrooms and Brad yelled "Vern Yip would lose his MIND over this!"  We both agreed we could see him saying something like "That taxidermy head that you bedazzled...BRILLIANT!"  It irks me every year. I also don't understand giving someone props for buying a cool coffeetable. Ever watch Project Runway? Those designers make something from nothing. I expect more of that from Design Star and each year I am let down.

I digress..To VERN!

More pics in a day or so. I have many photos of beautiful CAKES. They are definitely art forms and so beautiful! We also ate way too much cake, cake-like items, cupcakes, homemade popcorn..so much food. I knew I'd regret not eating enough as I did get full. Now when I think back I say to myself "You didn't try enough cake!"

Brad also had a stalker there. A woman alone in her 50's. She kept staring at us while we were seated at a table eating cakes. She came over and asked 'Can I take this please?" referring to his empty plate. We assumed she worked there, although she was walking around eating and wasn't doing anything a server would do. Later on I found her staring at him in the Bourbon Bar and realized..she was a cake eater like everyone else. A lover of cakes who had taken a shine to my hubby. Can't blame her. Still..it was odd. Sadly, no photos. I didn't want to be rude.

ALERT!! Gary Busey returns to TV tonight in that Donald Trump show..name escapes me! But we all know he's an "angel in an earth suit" or something to that effect.

Have a beautiful Sunday!

xo

T