Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from the Miss Thing and I.

May your 2019 be filled with great memories, good health and lots of laughter!

Wordless Wednesday

I have a secret love for Five Below and I'm not even a 10 year old girl. Seriously, it's like the Dollar Tree but a little bit fancier. Imagine my glee when an ad for Five Below came in the newspaper last week.......

Thankful Tuesday

I went on a 24 hour adventure last week with some girlfriends to Chicago to see the Pentatonix Holiday Concert. 24 hours of too many drinks, too many high calorie foods, a lot of laughs, pretty much no sleep, and some pretty great memories ending with a cold caught as part of my recovery! I captured this shot from the plane window as we came back into KC. 

The sun rises on a new day and for that we can each be thankful.

Meatless Monday

 

Participating in "Meatless Monday?" Check out this!  Who ever knew this little gem found in the freezer section at Trader Joe's would be so good!

I've been wanting to try Cauliflower Pizza Crust for awhile and so on a recent trip to TJ's I picked one up. Easy directions on the back of the package to prepare and top with some of your favorite ingredients. Delish!

Christmas Music Nerds Round 4

My friend Annie and I have a tradition of going to a Christmas concert each December. Likely because I refused to go see Trans Siberian Orchestra with her, I know, I know, my love for Christmas music excludes Trans Siberian Orchestra, we went to see Jim Brickman again. We saw him the first year of our tradition in 2015.

I have to say the best part of the night was likely dinner at Anthony's in downtown KC. We arrived about 10 minutes late to the concert because clearly 300 E. 12th Street and 300 W. 12th Street are two entirely different places.  Beyond bummed that he maybe did 8-10 songs in the entire concert and the rest was awkward jabber where he thought he was a comedian. No go, Jimmy, play your piano and sing your songs. And to top it off, the lady behind us had commentary for every little move on stage. So, there you have it. Lost some love for Jim Brickman this year.

Fun tradition and always love Christmas music!

You can read about our adventures in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Stovetop Creamy Mac & Cheese

Dare I say I almost feel normal? Last week I cooked two, yes two meals at home. So nice to be able to slow down and actually stand in my kitchen. One of the meals was Stovetop Creamy Mac & Cheese which I made for my Corks & Crafts group. Coincidentally, I went to this blog to find my recipe for this as I was certain I would have blogged about it. I was shocked to find I had never blogged this recipe! Straight from the America's Test Kitchen Cookbook, here is the recipe! (Linking another random blog because to link from America's Test Kitchen I have to sign up for their emails- I get enough d*mn emails!

For this particular group I tripled the recipe which was more than plenty for 8 girls! I also made a side of Bacon (Des Moines Bacon Company Bacon) for people to top on their mac. Did you know you can make Bacon in the oven? Try it! So easy and non messy and stinky!

Pardon all that was left of the bacon!

Winter is coming and this is a great recipe to add to your rotation!

Bitch and Swap

I'd been wanting to host a Bitch and Swap for years. Well really since my friend Becca who used to host them moved away. So in August I did just that with about 15 friends. Everybody brought their bags, boxes, handfuls of goodies and treasures and we swapped. Oh what fun it was! I got some great new to me things! And Blessings Abound in Overland Park got a carload of stuff left over!

Highly recommend a Bitch and Swap with your friends to renew your closet and house on the cheap. It's easy. It's fun and a great way to clean stuff out.

Relationships

I've been thinking for the last two months how to recap and write a blog post about a reunion I had in October. I'm still at a loss for words on how to perfectly capture this experience in a blog post. So I'll leave you with what I posted on Facebook about this experience.



"Today’s experience was nothing short of amazing. My parents and I met my Pediatric Neurologist who diagnosed me with MG 34 years ago in Iowa City. It has been over 20 years since we had seen him. Our journey to meet up with Dr. Afifi began last spring after a quick conversation with the neuro docs at KU about who had diagnosed me. As if turns out, Dr. Mazen Dimachkie at KU was a student of Dr. Afifi in Beirut in the early 80s. Dr Dimachkie obtained contact info for Dr Afifi and we planned a date to go for a visit. As he greeted us at the door of his home, I recognized the sound of him fiddling the coins in his pocket. I was flooded with memories. As a child, I always remember him playing with the coins in his pocket as he conversed after he’d conducted an exam. One of the coolest treasures he shared was microfilms of me as a child that he used to teach his students about myasthenia gravis. So fun putting each slide into the view finder to see what it looked like. Such a neat opportunity to reconnect and hear about his life and the impact he has made in the field of Neurology. He shared he has a few more things he wants to accomplish, one including writing a book about how families in Palestine had to leave their homes in the 1940s and second a memoir of his life. I left this afternoon with a full ❤️. So grateful for this opportunity and reminded of how important relationships are in our lives."

Do you have a doctor who influenced your life?

Wordless Wednesday

Your Wordless Wednesday reminder that $10 sushi from the case at Whole Foods is not as tasty as it may appear and you should stick to happy hour at said favorite sushi restaurants.....

Tuesday Thoughts.....

Can somebody just ban bubble gum, er gum, in its entirety already.

Saw these on the shelves at Wal Mart and was tempted to hide them.

Cringing at the sounds.....

I'll thank you very much if I never have to see or hear a person chew gum again!

Chiefs Tickets

If you are thinking about going to a Chiefs game in December, there are still a few games left where the MGA can benefit from your ticket purchase.  We appreciate your support!

Tickets

Promo Code: MGAKC

Spiced Cider Mimosas

Spiced Cider Mimosas

To mix it up on your holidays~

For spiced rim mix a little cinnamon and sugar together and place on a plate.

Wet rim of glass and dip in the plate to coat top.

Then fill glass 1/4 with cider

Top off with a little bubbly.

SO good and festive!

Pumpkin Brownies = Legit

I have taken a reinterest in my Pinterest account. And I found this recipe for Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars for which I had all the ingredients. Oh.my.YUM.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars

As you can tell I haven't taken a reinerest in trying to improve my culinary photography. 🤣

Go make these! They'd make the perfect Thanksgiving treat!

In the Kitchen

I finally cooked something in my very own kitchen. I feel like this season in my life has been one of the craziest and most chaotic in years. To be honest it kind of drives me crazy. Earlier this week I was finally home at dinner time and made a meal. It's a November miracle! And said meal was delish! 

Orecchiette Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli

I made two changes to the recipe as it reads- I put the broccoli in with the sausage instead of boiling it with the pasta. Also, I left the chicken sausage in the casing and used "Chicken & Apple Sausage" links which are found near the hot dogs or brats in the grocery store.

Yum! Highly recommend this dish. It's also SkinnyTaste and approximately 284 calories per serving.

Perspective

It's all about perspective, right? What a way to put a spin on something so disgusting and unappealing. Look under, "Interesting Whites......"

White Zinfandel. Cannot.stop.laughing.

Wordless Wednesday

Pretty sure you've got the wrong number and that the "Prez" doesn't want to remind this person to vote. And how the heck I got on a GOP list baffles me. Kind of like the KU mailing list I got on. Marketing gone wrong......

Thankful Tuesday

Butt in the air, chewing on a bully stick after killing a possum.

Life is good.

Shoes

I've lived in Kansas City 15 years. I had never been to Bob Jones Shoes until about a week before it shut its doors for good. The question remains, is that a good thing or is that a bad thing? Whoever said diamonds are a girls best friend had never been to Bob Jones Shoes. Out I walked with 7, yes 7 new pairs of shoes. That is about my quota of shoes for 2 years. But what's a girl to do when your size of shoe is on sale for 70% off!? Designer shoes. The only designer shoes I have previously owned where gifts.  Drool over my loot......

Goodbye Bob Jones Shoes. I'm sad I didn't get to know you better.

Comparison

is the thief of JOY. Ever heard of that?   Grubhub's recent attempt at comparing "seafood restaurants" It might enjoy had me snort laughing.  

Yes, you read that correctly, since you enjoy RA Sushi, check out Red Lobster. No friends, Red Lobster is no comparison to RA Sushi.  Do I look like I'm 80, going to dine at 3:45pm on shrimp bathing in butter while drinking a glass of white zinfandel? 

Birthday Freebies 2018

My Birthday is beyond a month ago. Where does time go? Can we all just agree that time flies the more years you add? As always, I enjoyed picking up some Birthday freebies during the month of October! Here is my updapted list.

Kona Grill- $15 for your birthday month if you enroll in their reward program.

Lenny's Subs- Free sub for your birthday if you join their reward program.

Drunken Fish- Buy 1 get 1 free coupon for your birthday.
Nothing Bundt Cakes- Free bundtlet (that might just be my favorite coupon this year!)
Baskin Robbins- Free scoop on your birthday.
CycleBar Leawood- Free cycle class on your birthday.
Lands End- $50 off $100 purchase.
Sarpino's Pizza- $10 off your order.
Sonic- Free shake on your birthday.
Clothes Mentor- 15% off your purchase.
First Watch- Free Meal for signing up for their e-club.

Jason's Deli- sign up for their eclub and get $5 for your birthday..

Omaha Steaks- free chocolate cake and 10% off for signing up for their e-club.

Firebirds Wood Fire Grill- $10 off for your birthday for signing up for their email club.

Hamburger Mary's- free bottle of champagne if you bring in 6 or more people to celebrate your birthday!
Louie's Wine Dive- tell them it's your birthday and they bring you a bottle of vino to take home
Planet Sub- free sub when you sign up for their email club.

Fuddruckers- free burger coupon with the purchase of another burger

Marble Slab Cremery- $5 off a cake for your birthday.

Gap Factory- extra 15% off for your birthday.
Garnet Hill- $25 off birthday coupon.
Zoe's Kitchen- Free sweet treat.
Gaslight Grill- Free dessert.
Zaxby's- Free Nibbler sandwich coupon for your birthday.

J. Crew Factory- 20% and free shipping for your birthday.

Papa John's- 10 Papa Points for your birthday- (not entirely sure how that works!)

Ace Rewards- $5 coupon for your birthday.
Potbelly- free cookie when you sign up for their e-club on your birthday.
Half Price Books- coupon for 15% off for your birthday.
Anthropologie- 15% off coupon emailed for your birthday
RA Sushi- sign up for their e-club and they mail you a 1/2 off for your 1/2 birthday.
J.Gilberts- one of my personal favorites- sign up for their e-club and they send you a $25 dinner certificate.
DSW- Are you a Rewards Club member? If so they send you $5 for your birthday.
Houlihans- a free entree coupon is emailed to you during the month of your birthday.
Mongolian BBQ- for signing up for their e-club you get a free entree for your birthday.
Fox Restaurant Concepts (North)- e club holders get a coupon for a free dessert

KC Hopps Concepts (Blue Moose, Barley's) KC Hopps Reward Card Holders can earn a free entree! (This was new to me but when they ran my card that was discovered!) You must sign up for a rewards card at one of the restaurants.
Cafe Trio- $15 off an entree on your birthday if you are a member of their e-club
Seasons 52- free dessert on your birthday as a member of their e-club
Hereford House- $15 off an entree with the purchase of an entree on your birthday as a member of their e-club.
Old Navy- 10% purchase for your birthday by signing up to receive their emails

Bristol- $25 coupon for your birthday if you sign up for their club.
Jersey Mikes- free sandwich and drink on your birthday when you sign up for their e-club.
Banana Republic Cardholders- $15 on your birthday.

Container Store- Join their POP club and you get a birthday coupon
LaBodega- buy 1 tapa get 1 free for your birthday.

Most coupons have an expiration date within 2 weeks of your birthday. Some are good for a month!  Know any other great offers for your birthday? Send them my way!

Your Official Save the Date

Fun details to follow! But please Save the Date!

Have you caught on? The MGA Triple Crown Showdown is always the 3rd Sunday in May in conjunction with the Preakness Run of the Triple Crown!

Wordless Wednesday

Proud Owner of new Nike's!

I haven't owned a pair of Nikes in years! Proud to wear them now!

Wordless Wednesday

Since when did Staples start carrying dinnerware? I'm confused.....

Wordless Wednesday

It was all I could do to NOT buy one of these and relive 1989.

Feel Good Friday

When your Mom lets you go for a ride to get her morning Diet Coke.

Checking out the Sonic menu.....

Wordless Wednesday

Ever wonder how KU become the largest Bandwagon School there was? Ok, next to Ohio State and Nebraska. It's quite possibly because they send random people emails about joining their Alumni Association! Why in the world am I getting these emails? How am I getting these emails?  (Sidenote, sorry to my readers who are actual alumni of KU! 😃)

#proudtobeone #loyalforevertrue #cyclONEnation 

Gratitude and Giving

A huge thanks to my friend Sarah for offering up this idea and to Athleta Leawood for making it happen! Join us!

Click here to register.

Tin Mill Brewing Company

A few Fridays ago I stopped in Hermann, MO on my way to work in St. Louis. Hermann is a quaint little town on the Missouri River Bluffs which is home to multiple wineries, breweries, antique shops, bed and breakfasts and a train station which links it to KC and STL. One will notice many of the buildings appear as they would in Germany or from the early 1800s. It's the cutest little town. A stay at a local Guesthouse was gifted to the MGA for our upcoming Trivia Night Auction and my point in stopping there was to see what other items I could get to go with the stay in Hermann. I decided I'd grab lunch at the Tin Mill Brewing Company and ask for a donation. I sat at the Bar and struck up conversation with the bartender about our upcoming benefit. He said he'd get his manager. 

The manager appeared and I started in on my MGA "elevator" speech. As quickly as I got done, he started sharing that his father had myasthenia gravis and had recently passed away. He continued talking, sharing that it's a disease nobody knows about, recognizes or even talks about it. I shared that was what we were trying to achieve, bring awareness to the Heartland. He told me he'd love to donate a gift card but he was so new he didn't even know how to get one so he called one of his staff over to help him. I watched as this man pulled his personal credit card out of his wallet and asked his staff to put $100 on a gift card. 

   I left a job I loved so dearly to talk to people about something that affects me day in and day out. This has been one of the most humbling times in my life, challenging, stressful yet rewarding.  I don't always know what I'm doing in this new role. I don't promise to be perfect. I'm trying the best way I know how to raise awareness and leave footprints. On this day, this was the perfect reminder I needed on why I'm in this role in this season of my life.  Goosebumps.  I will never forget this man or his story. Now get yourself to Hermann and check out Tin Mill Brewing Company!

And the lobster salad was delish- I was expecting Louis Rich fake lobster. Oh no, this was the real thing right in the middle of MO!

Can't Fool Me

Milk & Honey?
Pink Milk & Honey?

This is one of my pet peeves.

Either buy a new bottle of soap or get a plain reusable dispenser.

But don't go fooling people that your Milk & Honey is really Pink Pearl......

PS. This was spotted in a semi decent restaurant.

Dollar Store Disaster

I 💜the Dollar Store.

In fact I frequent it on occasion.

But this is what you call the Dollar Store threw up on itself.

Oh my. Too much chaos and mess. 

I can't even.

You've Got to Eat Right?

So join me at Blue Moose on 10.10.18 and proceeds from your dinner and drinks will go to the MGA!

Wordless Wednesday

Most know I collect corks for craft projects.

But who knew you could buy them buy the bag in an antique store? 

Wonder if they are antiques?

Don't worry, I didn't buy them! I rely on all of you to save them for me!

Wordless Wednesday

Best backseat driver I ever did have......

Confessions

This is perhaps one of the most hectic seasons of my life. It's kind of overwhelming but I'm trying not to think too much about it. So when I had to travel to St. Louis for work last week I was very indecisive about what food to grab on the drive home and a late lunch.  And then I ended up with this. A HOT DOG from QuikTrip. Who does that? So gross. Dare I say it kind of tasted good. I haven't had a hot dog in years. So goes that eating healthy thing I have been trying to work on....

Wordless Wednesday

There's such a thing as a business for "Lice Removal......"

I almost couldn't bring myself to get out of my car and go to the business next door.

Who knew?

Double Standard

Much fuss has been made over where or not one stands for the National Anthem in the NFL.  This issue to me, is about race in America.  If you are somebody who believes this issue is disrespecting veterans, be forewarned you won't like the rest of this post.

For whatever reason, many people in this country, I believe, did not like that we had a President who was black. The fallout from that can be found in the way many people treat those who are not white.  A large scope of that is found in the way law enforcement treats those of color and it is appalling.  Let's all just rewind the last 50/60 years.  This to me, is how I understand Colin Kaepernick's stance on the national anthem in the NFL.  He is bringing attention to the race relations in America and it's working. It's ticking people off because they don't want to address what the real issue is.

My point in writing all this is I went to the first Chief's preseason game a few weeks ago. I'll be the first to tell you I no longer participate in the anthem.  So when the majority of Chiefs fans screamed at the end of the anthem, Home of the "Chiefs" I had to laugh. (Click to listen to it)  What a joke! Here are a bunch of people with their panties in a bunch because players in the NFL won't stand, in their opinion to respect the flag and they are screaming lyrics that aren't even part of the anthem. I ask them, how do you call that respect? I would venture to bet, many of those same people who are up in arms about players kneeling, are many of those same people at Arrowhead screaming home of the "Chiefs."  Saying home of the Chiefs instead of home the brave, explain to me how that doesn't disrespect a veteran? Double standard for sure.

I hope every player who believes in what Kaepernick is doing continues to kneel and not participate. They are doing just what he set out to do, bring awareness to something that needs changed. Something that needs touched and something that needs to continue to make people uncomfortable until change occurs.  America needs to change how they treat people of color and it starts with all the way at the top. Look how that is going for us.  I want people in this country to be treated the same regardless of their race and I love that Kaepernick has taken a stance on it which is making people uncomfortable. As sad as that sounds. Too bad this is even an issue at hand.

This feels like one of the most elementary blog posts I have ever written but I can't stop thinking about this and how angry it makes me when people repost things on Facebook, especially the good ole me, "I stand for the flag and I kneel to pray." Give me a break. Insert eye roll.  Next time this topic comes up for you, try thinking about it as if you were in the minority and how your life would be different.

Wordless Wednesday

Who else hates pizza crust?

BTW, check out 1889 Pizza. It's amazing!