Fabulous Valentine's Challenge : Day 1

Day 1's topic is the best date ever. When I think about allll the dates I have been on in my life, the one that stands out the most to me is my first date with Eric. It was not anything extravagant or fancy, just a simple dinner on a Wednesday night. I had met him the Friday before when we both were out with our mutual friend Brian. I used to work with Brian and Eric went to college with him. We met on that night at my favorite bar of all time (lol) the Corner Bar. He got my number and said he would call me to go out that next week. Well, he did (yay!) and we decided to go to Coal Vines Pizza, a pizza/wine bar that is really small and dark. I was living temporarily at my parents house and had actually told myself there was no way any one would want to date me while living at home, so this was unexpected. Eric actually lived in the same apartment complex as my best friend, so I went over there to get ready and have him pick me up. We went to dinner and although I don't remember all the details of what we talked about or if he said anything extremely smooth (ha I am sure he didn't), I just know that we had a really comfortable date. I remember thinking we both were really close to our families and that was a good thing.  We just got along really well. We had pizza and wine (for me) and beer (for him) and just had great conversation. After dinner, he took me back to my car and we said good bye. I remember not wanting to leave him. And the rest is history!  I knew this was different than all dates I had gone on before. We pretty much were inseparable after that and it was never a question where our relationship was headed.

I am really glad I decided to go out that Friday night!

Visiting BK in KC

This past weekend I visited one of my very best friends, Brittany, in Kansas City. She and her fiance Dave moved there this past August while Dave is attending medical school. I had not got up there to visit and had a free weekend and a free plane ticket, so we decided last minute to make this happen! I got in Friday around noon and Brittany, who is an elementary school teacher, was still in class, so I cabbed it to the Country Club Plaza area and was fortunate to stumble into a Brio, which had a lovely leather sofa and fireplace. I proceeded to play on my ipad, drink a glass or two of red, and enjoy a flat bread.

 Doing a little Stella & Dot work on the ipad... Not a bad work environment.

Can't get much better than this...

Brittany met me as soon as school was out and we might have had another cocktail before headed back to her house to see Dave and get ready for dinner. I didn't take any pictures of Brittany and Dave's house (I really didn't take many pictures at all. Shocking, I know.), but it was super cute! One thing I really liked about Kansas City is all of the cute little neighborhoods. They live in Waldo (haha) and right next to Brookside, both super cute areas. We went to dinner with their upstairs neighbor (their house was made into an upstairs and downstairs apartments) at pizza place in Brookside called Blue Grotto.

 Brittany and Dave

 Neighbor, Megan, and I

After dinner, we met up with some of Dave's medical school friends at an old speakeasy, Manifesto, which is in the basement of a hotel.  It had low ceilings and you had to go down some steep steps. They are known for their artisan cocktails.

After Manifesto, we headed to the neighborhood Westport and ended up at Harry's, just a little neighborhood pub and met up with a lot more friends. We stayed there til late and had a good time drinking Kansas City's own Boulevard Wheat. We slept in the next day and once we got going, Brittany and I headed to the Country Club Plaza, which is a really nice outdoor shopping area,  and did some shopping, then met Dave for a late lunch and drinks back in Westport at McCoy's Public House.

We found this gem of a painting and had to take a picture with for our friend Kate who is not only affectionately called "TyrannosaurusKate", but also loves the PBR. We couldn't believe our luck to find Kate's two great loves together in one magnificent painting. :)

Saturday night we decided to go to the casino! We went to Harrah's North Kansas City and had a great time, playing the penny slots and people watching. Here is a photo collage of Brittany and I's photo session while playing slots.

I ended up only losing about $20 bucks, so it was a good night! Cheap drinks, good entertainment... It was a fun night. We were hungry afterwards, so we went to Waldo to bar and had some beers, fried pickles, and nachos. We are so healthy, I know..

This is Brittany's dog, Huckelberry. I am not sure why this occurred. LOL.

Next morning, we slept in, went to brunch at the Classic Cookie, then went to the movies. We saw Incredibly Loud and Extremely Close. It was not what I thought it would be. It was interesting, but good. I enjoyed it! After that, it was time to catch my flight! 

Thank you Brittany and Dave for having me for the weekend! I had a great time and can't wait for your wedding this summer! Yay!!

Phone Photo Fun!

 Ollie loves our new king size bed. He is obsessed.

 I am finally figuring out Instagram. Here is my attempt.

I think it is a sweet picture. Eric actually made it his profile pic on facebook and if you know how much he hates facebook and being on it, that is a big deal!

 Ollie does this constantly. He will just hop on you and stand. And.not.move. It is really annoying sometimes!

 Big snout!

 Trying to take our picture together since we never get one :)

 My new sidewinder ring from Stella & Dot!

 Basking in the sun

 Ollie just chillin with Kate and Lauren on our girls wine night

 Hi Ollie... (instagram attempt)

sweet boy...

So sorry if you don't like dogs, I guess that is pretty much all I take pictures of on my iphone. Not a very exciting life we have going on over here... :)

New Year's at the Lucky B Ranch

So it is the 13th and I realized I never put up pictures from our New Years Eve at the ranch. We went up Wednesday and stayed through New Years Day, so this was the most amount of time we have ever spent up there. Backing up in case you are new, Eric's family has a working cattle ranch in Oklahoma. We had the first day to ourselves before anyone else got there and it was nice to just hang out with Eric and Ollie in the peace and quiet for a while.

The weather was gorgeous. Look at that blue sky!

Well hello Mo!! Yes, the donkeys name is Mo. After the beer Negra Modelo!

Mo and her son, Pepe!

 Hi cows.

 So pretty....

 Elvis and I posing for a picture.

 Ollie is in heaven at the ranch. He just runs and runs and runs. He does not stop. It is greatness.

 Sunset

Eric playing with his horses.

 On New Year's Eve Day, we burned a bunch of piles of brush. It was a lot of fun! At first...

 Eric's dad with the "liquid fire"

The fires got huge! Long story short, the winds picked up, the fires got a little out of control and most of New Years Eve night was spent watching them to make sure they didn't catch anything on fire. Luckily, everything was fine!

 Eric and Blair playing in the dirt

 The fire at night

 Our New Year's Eve pic. Eric was heading out to man the fires, armed.

 The ranch makes a sleepy Ollie.

 We spent a lot of time doing this puzzle. It was actually fun!

 Eric "sighting in" his gun

 Ollie says hi to the horses.

 Spot, Baby, and Elvis

 Blair says hi to the cow.

Blair says hi to Ollie!

We had a great time spending a couple of days "unplugged".  Not my usual go out on the town New Years Eve, but it was nice to to be with the one I love and family. Here's to a great 2012!

It's OK Thursday!

It's OK....

When Eric is out of town, I just make a casserole and eat on it for like 5 meals.

To get all nervous that our porch light went out and I couldn't fix it last night.

I am SUPER pumped about the new Stella & Dot spring collection. It is all so fabulous!

To realize your house is a mess and needs some major organization/cleaning when a new person comes over. New Years Resolution - keep the house picked up!

To stay in bed and cuddle with Ollie for a little while this morning just because.

That I have been waiting for the new arrivals to go on sale at Ann Taylor Loft because I refuse to pay full price for anything there but have been really wanting one shirt in particular. How frustrating when you go in and it is 50% off everything (except new arrivals)!

To realize you don't have a ton of friends like you used to, but to be extremely grateful for the ones you do have and realize having a few good friends is better than having lots of okay friends.

Allright - gotta be productive today!

Celebrating my birthday!!

My birthday was the day after Christmas on the 26th! Never late than never right on posting pics? What we do for my birthday is always up in the air as people are usually gone for the holidays, family is in town, or people are just tired! It is a weird time between Christmas and New Years so I can't just pick the weekend closest to celebrate. This year Eric's parents gave us their Mavericks basketball game tickets, so Eric and I invited Brittany and Dave to go with us.

Earlier in the day, I met my mom for lunch (my dad was playing golf!) and then went to the Galleria and returned something and just walked around. It was a relaxing day. The night started off with Eric and I having dinner at one of our favorite places that we hardly ever go to, Coal Vines Pizza. It was actually the spot of our first date! We met Brittany and Dave at Victory Tavern, right by the American Airlines Arena. We had a beer and then headed inside for the game.

 Me and Brit

  Eric and I... he looks thrilled to be taking a picture.

 Brittany and her fiance, Dave, at the game

Let's go Mavericks!

Hi Brit!

Unfortunately the Mavericks did not win the game! Oh well! It was fun! Brittany and Dave headed back to Arlington for the night and Eric an I met up with my friends Karla and Majorie at the Quarter Bar in uptown.

Me, Majorie, and Karla

It was a fun birthday! Can't believe I am 28... seems like we were 18 just yesterday!

Wow, I sound old!