This week...

The week has flown by! Mike and I went to Branson and Tablerock last weekend, so the beginning of this week has been a whirlwind of unpacking, organizing and doing laundry....only to pack again for Wichita on Friday. Mike and I joke that we need to have a pre-packed suitcase for the way our lives are lately. It's either Wichita-Lenexa-Mankato-or a weekend trip... we're living a gypsy life these days.
We had a great time in Missouri (in a KU car). Tablerock was absolutely beautiful. I'm sure we'll be back next summer with the boat--it was too late in the season for getting out on the water this trip. On the way to Branson we stopped in Osceola, Missouri at the Osceola Cheese Factory. You get to sample as many of their 200-something cheeses as you want.We tried everything from Pesto Havarti to Bacon Cheddar! If you're in that part of the state you must check it out. It's a little cheesy (sorry!) but definitely worth the stop. Friday we spent all day walking around the Branson landing, and we hit up two wineries, Mount Pleasant and Branson Ridge. Friday night we enjoyed watching a fountain show on the landing. Although not on the scale of the Bellagio fountains, it was still mesmerizing! It was really chilly that night so Mike and I got really excited every time the show included a burst of fire.
Saturday we stayed at the elegant (yes, in Branson!) Chateau on the Lake. The hotel was so beautiful and the view from the hotel was even better. Check out the view from the pool:
We went to another winery on Saturday (yes, we had a lot of wine last weekend. As my mom says, "antioxidants"). Stone Hill, which has won a lot of international and national wine competitions was definitely our favorite of the three. We left there with two bottles of their Vignoles, which has a pineapple taste, a bottle of their famous cream sherry for Mr. Keith Roe, and a bottle of their Spumante blush--which was light, bubbly and delicious. I learned that Spumante means sparkling in Italian--which makes me love it even more.

Sunday before we left we took a walk next to the lake. It was a peaceful, cool morning--probably one of my favorite parts of the trip.We also fed giant catfish at the marina...something I have never done before. Honestly, they were pretty scary. And big. Do you hear "Jaws" music when you look at this photo? I do.Other than getting back into the swing of things, it's been a good week...especially when Monday and Tuesday feature my two favorite shows on TV right now.
Dancing with the Stars is so great this season. I am completely shocked at Bristol Palin's dancing skills and think cutie Kyle Massey is so fun to watch. So, those two are my top two right now...
And, of course Tuesdays are Glee nights! A group of my girlfriends who also confess to being Gleeks join me to watch it every week. Who else loved the Britney episode?!Well, time to get to work. Have a good rest of the week blog friends!

Finding some favorites...

The fun part about moving to a new city is discovering all the new places it has to offer. Since I've moved to Lenexa in July, I have really enjoyed 1) being able to navigate without a map/panic in KC and 2) discovering some new "favorites."

My mom came to visit this last weekend and we had a blast just shopping and hanging out. We ordered pizza and watched the Jayhawks lose on Friday--despite the bad game, I loved just hanging at home on a Friday night and chatting with my mom.

Saturday after a big day of shopping and looking around, we went to one of my new favorite's Mi Ranchito---my KC replacement for El Mez--and ordered some great margaritas! On the way home from Mi Ranchito my mom and I stumbled upon the neatest store EVER. Located in the suburban shopping center, Olathe Pointe, among a bunch of chain stores and restaurants is the most artistic, whimsical little boutique, "Inspire by Tiffany." Everything in the store is unique and fabulous! The fun part of the store is that everything was created by members of her family--murals, chandeliers and the collage at the register. The store has just been open for two weeks, so go check it out! I got this peace sign and stone necklace. I love it!
Sunday I took my mom to one of my other favorites I've found, Cupcake a la Mode. Mike and I went there early this summer as you probably saw in an earlier post, but I had to go back to try more flavors!I don't let myself eat cupcakes too often, but I think they are just so cute! I will be quite sad when this cupcake fad goes out of style. When I do want a cupcake, it better be as cute and as delicious as the ones from Cupcake a la Mode. Yesterday we decided on Chocolate Obsession (my mom's pick) and Amaretto Sweet (my pick). Both were delish. Look at the frosting on this puppy!
It was a great way to spend a Sunday before getting back into the swing of the work week.
Today, Missy had a hair appointment, and tonight she is strutting around because she thinks she's pretty hot stuff. And, she does look pretty darn cute! This is her "I feel good" dance.

Surprise!

Sometimes ordinary days can turn into great days in a split second. Mike and I were celebrating our "anniversary" today...I assumed with me in Lenexa and him 2.5 hours south in Wichita. I went through my usual routine this morning--weight lifting class, running, work--and sent him a text, a little blue that I would spend my "anniversary" working and doing laundry later instead of seeing him.

The only odd hint I got about today was that Mike texted back a little before 5:30...his alarm is set for 5:40....hmm...

I proceeded with my average Wednesday, when I to my GREAT surprise and excitement I received this beautiful bouquet at work.

I called Mike right after work to tell him thank you for the beautiful surprise. I said I'd send him a picture. I asked if he was still planning on going to the lake this evening, he said no, that it was raining there.

Hmm, I thought. It's raining here, too.

I pulled into my parking spot at my apartment and still blabbing away to Mike, I looked over to see Mike in his truck talking on the phone!

I dropped my phone in complete shock!

So, look who I got to see and go to dinner with on a Wednesday evening! He had to leave by eight to get home to Derby in good time, but just to see him at all was so great!

It was such a great surprise, and truly turned an ordinary Wednesday into a great memory. Love you Mike!

Dog Bar last Friday

Last Friday I was enjoying the Dog Bar in Cuchara with Mike, Brady, Sarah and Matt. We had a great time eating Dog Bar pizza, drinking Colorado Fat Tire beer and dancing to the great band.
Matt and Sarah enjoying the amazing weather out on the Dog Bar patio.Look how happy Mike is about his Fat Tire beer!


Our delicious Dog Bar pizza. I'm holding my favorite "The Lady," which is white pesto sauce, artichoke, green chiles and chicken. Sarah is holding a steaming piece of "The Tramp" which is also scrumptious. It is a more traditional pizza with marinara, sausage, ham and pepperoni. Lady and the Tramp= perfect pizza
Mike and Brady excited about their pizza...
The whole group! Wish I was there now....Happy Friday!

Labor Day in Cuchara

Mike and I visited the cabin in Cuchara, Colorado for Labor Day weekend. We left Derby early Thursday and made the long, dusty drive across western Kansas and eastern Colorado. Needless to say, we were ready to see the mountains. I think Mike doubted me when I told him my family's cabin was "in the mountains," because only 16 miles away we were in La Veta, Colorado which has a great view of the Spanish Peaks but isn't in the mountains.

We arrived at the cabin about 3 in the afternoon and it was so great to see it again. I hadn't made the visit out to the cabin for three years! Hard to believe that my tradition of going 2 to 3 times in one summer had been reduced to no visits. Doesn't help that I keep moving farther east in Kansas...

I enjoyed showing Mike around the cabin and taking him to see the creek. Later we went up for a drink and visit with Uncle Bob and Aunt Shelley. Uncle Bob and Mike hit it off talking about hunting and drinking Hendrick's gin on the deck, while I caught up with Aunt Shelley.

We then walked down to the Dog Bar--currently the only restaurant in Cuchara. I introduced Mike to some of the best pizza (in my opinion). It tasted so good! Maybe it was the fact I was on vacation, or with my boyfriend, or in the beautiful mountains, or eating outside with a Fat Tire beer. Whatever the reason, Dog Bar pizza is still my favorite pizza. We got a half Hooch, half Lady pizza, which as you will see in pictures later, is a white sauce, green chile, artichoke slice of heaven. Mmm.

We tried to run the next morning before our friends Brady and Matt and Sarah Lindberg arrived, but our Kansas lungs said "absolutely not in this altitude" so we ended up walking for about an hour and a half enjoying the beautiful scenery around us. We walked quite a few miles which we were pretty pleased about considering we had a lot of Dog Pizza to look forward to that weekend.

More pictures from our wonderful weekend in Cuchara to come!

Good morning from Cuchara!

Good morning from Cuchara, Colorado! No photos yet, just got in last night after a loooong drive across the most scenic part of Kansas. Ugh. 33 mph winds didn't help Garden City's cause at all.

Went to the Dog Bar for a half Lady half Hooch pizza and drinks. Very good. They said it would pick up for Labor Day weekend, so we'll be back down tomorrow night for some excitement! Visited with Bob and Shelley for a bit, too.

Friends get here today. Now that I discovered the neighbor's wifi I'll share more pictures and posts with you!

Let the road trip begin...

Good morning! Mike and I are up bright and early....but the great thing is Mike isn't going into work and I'm not working out at this crazy hour. We're headed to Cuchara, Colorado for Labor Day weekend!
We're definitely ready for a long weekend. For me, it seems like a blur of writing lately. I've been super busy at work writing new websites and blogs, and on stories for our upcoming special edition of Career College Central (I'll write about that issue on another blog) and I've been working on stories for the LJWorld at night. So, although I never thought I'd hear myself say this, I'm looking forward to NOT writing. ha! I'll be blogging though I'm sure.

Well, time to get packed, get some coffee and get on the road. We'll be joined by our friends Matt and Sarah who are driving in from Montrose, Colorado, and Brady, who is driving in from Boulder. Look for us on the Dog Bar webcam!

Happy Trails!