- Fright Fest {Pee-your-pants Fest} -

Thrills by day and fright by night.

What is this haunted Halloween talk all about?! Six Flags Fright Fest, of course! We spent the day in Eureka with some great friends riding rides and sharing laughs and skipping along happily without a worry in the world...

...and then BOOM.

The sun sets and the ghouls come out in full force. Because, you know, everything gets hotter when the sun goes down.  I peed my pants a lot and pooped a little and somehow lost my voice in the process. 

THRILLS BY DAY:

FRIGHT BY NIGHT:

Scariest night of my life.

#frightfestfury

Happy Halloween! 

- Baby[dog]sitter Bonding -

Sum-It-Up Sunday

Sooo we tested out the waters of parenting. 

And all parties survived! 

Brian's sister and her family were on vacation for a week, so we were the chosen ones to dog-sit little Jackie. What a tiny ball of energy! I strapped him up to his leash the first day and thought I would take the nugget for a nice little stroll... Quickly found out he was taking me and I had to jog to keep up! :/

Brian and his buddy! 

It's officially official that I can keep plants AND dogs alive sooo.......onward to babies?! ;) 

Other week highlights: 

-- We needed hoodies for our nighttime walks with Jack, and I busted out a scarf for church this morning. Fall is in the air, and I LOVE IT! 

-- Happy birthday, Piero!

-- Anna G. is tonsil free! 

- Fast Eddies {Round Uno} -

Pat's first time at Fast Eddies! We just can't get enough of those $0.99 hamburgers..... ;)

A great ladies' night out! 

- Happy Birthday, P! -

SURPRISE.....

...Happy birthday, Piero!!! 

Fun night with great friends and awesome fellowship! 

- Adios tonsill-os! -

Do not ask me why this excites me...

...but it does.

Anna G. is tonsil-free!! 

We had a spicy/crunchy/everything-bad-for-a-raw-throat pre-party at work a few nights before to wish her well. Couldn't send her home without making a festive puke bucket! #nursesforthewin

On the morning of her surgery, Lonna and I got a surprise visit!  Cheers to her last hour with the terrible twin tonsils! Puke buckets x2 and hacking hat in hand...I think she's ready! 

Tonsil-free is the way to be! Welcome to the club, Anna!

- Creatures of Habit -

Sum-It-Up Sunday

Last September we walked across the street from our apartment to the Balloon Glow in Forest Park which was awesomeeee x10. ---> Then obvi we were super stoked to return this year!  

But interstates be closed and parking be crazy and we be impatient little minions, so we opted for a BBQ at Brian's cousin's house instead. 

In the car on the way, a commercial came on for the Balloon Glow...

...and this really random thought/memory popped in my head...

...that exactly one year ago on this same night on this same weekend we both wore the SAME OUTFITS.

Seriously, what the heck? 

Exhibit A:  2012...

Exhibit B:  2013 + wtf mate, did you plan that?!

[Only difference from A to B is that I wear a few more pounds and Brian sports a few more gray hairs! ;)]

What can we say? We are creatures of habit! Great minds think alike! ;) 

Other week highlights: 

-- Miss America is hereee! Anne Marie, Darcy, and I spent it exactly the way the contestants did not: in sweatpants in scrubs eating ice cream with hot fudge! [Been dere done dat for the dressing up and dieting, lol!] Loved hanging out on the couch with some fellow pageant junkies! Congrats, Miss New York -- the new Miss America 2014!

-- Lots and lots and LOTS of fun things coming up in [the end of] September and October and November...!! I think I need less work and more play! Who has time for a job anyway?! Not me! 

- Night Shift -

I am in a terrible horrible no-good very bad night shift funk. 

Ughhh, night shift. It's a love/hate relationship, and right now we be hatin'. Holy moly. Feels like I sleep 24/7 [or maybe more realistically like 10/7 <---dat too much] and I'm.still.constantly.walking.around.in.a.fog.  No motivation.  Totes lazy.  Def a loser. 

Help?

Until my body fixes itself [which it always does -- so no sweat], I suppose I'll use all free time to binge in my favorite fashion: McDonald's coffee and Grey's Anatomy marathons...

Happy {lazy} Friday!!! :) 

#morecoffeeplease

- Shop Much? -

Random conversation today:

Brian: I don't think we've gone grocery shopping since we've lived here!
Bridget: What! I go like every week.....
Brian: Oh..... Maybe that's why there's always something to eat!

...Men. Can't live with 'em and can't live without 'em!
[And yes, for the record, we moved in in MAY.]

- {DIY} Jewelry Rack -

I stole borrowed this idea from Pinterest and LOVE the finished product! 

Supplies needed: 

• Towel bar
• Shower curtain hooks

Easiest project ever, and never again will my necklaces be in one massive mangled knot! :)

- Work hard ---> PLAY HARDER! -

There are very few things I look more forward to in life than a play date with my nursing buddies, and Katie's bachelorette party in Hermann was one of the best "dates" we've ever had!! ;) Her awesome bridesmaids and sisters organized a totally kick-@$$ trolley-riding winery-hopping weekend.  Last fling before the ring... Watch out! I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking...

Happy bachelorette party, Katie!! Cannot even WAIT for your wedding!! :)

#realdealkatiepiel

- Walnut Apple Dessert -

I am a no-good food photographer [and alas I am also a mostly-no-good food-preparer], but Brian and I have a new easy favorite fall dessert and I have have have to share it! #winnerwinnerchickendinner  <---But actually it's apples and not chicken.

What is it?  Walnut Apple Dessert 
Where'd I find it?  Taste of Home magazine delivered to my doorstep
How'd I make it? ...Definitely and only by the grace of God. *sign of the cross* Father, Son, Holy Spirit, amen. 

Nom nom nom.

*****
Walnut Apple Dessert 

Prep/Total Time: 15 minutes
Bake: 45 minutes
Yield: 12-16 servings

• 8 cups sliced peeled tart apples [I used 6-ish cups, because we like less fruit and more sweet...]
• 2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar, divided [I may have also splurged on this... 2 1/4 cups seemed supa stingy!]
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts, divided
• Vanilla ice cream, optional 

Place apples in a greased 13"x9" baking dish.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup brown sugar and cinnamon.  In a bowl, cream butter and remaining brown sugar.  Add eggs. Stir in flour and 1/2 cup walnuts.  Spread over apples.  Sprinkle with remaining walnuts.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until apples are tender.  Serve warm with ice cream if desired.

[Obviously omitting the nutrition facts. Who needs those, anyway???] 

*****

Ready, set, go... Make and enjoy! :) 

- Holy House -

Sum-It-Up Sunday

Our house is still [a tiny bit] in shambles.  It's livable, but not completely "show-able." Brian is doing all the work by himself which is GREAT, but he works full time and can therefore only take on a few hours of work each night.  The last few pretty-polishing-projects are taking a while. AKA: no landscaping, not all doors hung, not all vent covers covering their vent holes, not all trim stapled up, and not all decorations displayed with their finishing touches.  

Not really that big of a deal. PLUS, what are small mishaps amongst friends?! <---Exactly. 

But with this in mind, we wanted our first dinner and house guest to be someone wonderful and forgiving and open and non-judgmental and passionate.....  

Q:  Who do those qualities describe? 
A:  A priest!

Q:  Who is our best friend priest? 
A:  Fr. M!!!

[Re-meet our favorite priest and main man, Fr. Meconi!]


He gladly accepted the invite, "rented" one of the Jesuit cars, and drove his Bible and holy water to E-ville. We had the best.night.ever.ever.ever. :) So in love with his friendship and his fellowship and also his contributions to the meal [he always picks the best wine!]. After the table was cleared and the bottles were emptied, we sat on the couch and read scripture together before he blessed our new home. 

Yes, he did happen to accidentally [?] give three shakes of holy water towards the master bedroom... [Somebody is vocally eager for Godbabies! ;)]

In shambles or [eventually] shamble-less, at least our house is now HOLY! Hehehe :) Please come visit anytime! Our doors are always open and we'll be happy to wine and dine you.....just be sure to step over the vent hole on your way out the door. :)

Other week highlights: 

-- Happy bachelorette weekend, Katie H.! 

-- We cannot get enough of this GORGEOUS weather! A little tiny crispy bit of fallness is in the air!

-- Happy birthday, Garett! 

- Sarge -

My broski got a new German shepherd puppy, and according to my calculations that makes me an AUNT!  [But you can call me auntie.]

Isn't he adorable??! I don't even like dogs that much, but this furry guy is a cutie!  He looks sweet and innocent and cuddly, but beware: he is a peeing and pooping machine and can also be a ferocious little ankle biter! ;)  He's already torn a hole in one of my mom's skirts [while on her body] and latched on to several other clothing articles...  His "grandpa" is the Montgomery County police dog, so I think my brother will have a nice little watch dog on his hands.

Welcome to the family, little Sarge! 

- Happy "Labor Day!" -

Sum-It-Up Sunday

Stab me with a thousand pencils > work a holiday weekend.

I loathe working holiday weekends. Actually I loathe working any weekend. But double trouble when it's a cuss-wording holiday one. Grrr bah humbug.

BUT, I did wake up the other night to the hubby and niece grilling us some dinner on a brand new grill!!! Yayyyy :) It's about time we got one of those! 

Happy "Labor Day" weekend to me... Literally...

  

:/

Other week highlights: 

-- Tommy and Chelsea are home from Nashville for the weekend! We went to a cookout at their house to celebrate.

-- I met my brand new baby cousin Henry on Saturday! He is adorable and I loved his sweet snuggles. Baby fever right hurr.

- Fruit Kabobs -

I shouldn't even tag this as a recipe, because, let's be fo real: it involves cutting up fruit and shoving it on a stick.

But it's my blog and I roll how I wanna.

So it's a recipe.

I made these kabobs with fruit dip for a Labor Day party and they were a huge hit!

Too add a little sugar and spice, here is the fruit dip recipe that we love:

*****

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip 

Prep/Total Time: 10 minutes

• 1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 T. vanilla extract 

Beat cream cheese until whipped, add brown sugar and vanilla extract. Continue beating until dip is well mixed.

*****

Healthy and easy... Can't beat it in my book! ;)

- Wedding Season -

Gettin' supa stoked for September and October and WEDDING SEASON!!! Loving all the cute invitations! :)

- Chi-Town! -

I love being a big girl and having a degree and career and husband and house and lots of other big girl things...

...BUT...[confession]...I occasionally regularly throw pity-parties and go into mild depressions over the fact that I don't live next door to all my besties anymore.  *tear* *sad face* *feel bad for me* 

College was so perfect in the fact that any friend I ever wanted to see anywhere on campus was less than a ten minute walk away. And my best best friends literally lived across the hallway or sidewalk and were never ever anywhere out of shouting distance.  But college was college and all good things must come to an end................ 

...So here we are in 2013 and my two best friends from SLU live in Detroit and Cleveland.  The last time we saw each other was at my wedding, so we decided it was time to throw together a little roadtrip.  Chicago for a weekend.  Boom.  Because now we're old and sophisticated and we can do random sh*t like that.

REUNITED...and it feels so good! :) 

Margs. My favorite! 

Typical touristas...

Met up with some friends! 

And then the most exciting part: WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING AT MACY'S BRIDAL SALON ON MAIN STREET!!! :) We are so so excited for our little bride-to-be!!!

Work it, sister!!!

Last day... Saying goodbye... Never fun... 

But actually, it's not "goodbye"...

...Just "see ya soon!"

Next reunion: the big wedding in April!!! 

Already stoked.

Xoxo!

- Chi-Town! -

Sum-It-Up Sunday

The college besties and I met up in Chicago last weekend! Stay tuned for much better/less lame-r post + muuucho mas pics!...

Other week highlights: 

-- Mom and I went to visit Angie and Louis in St. Louis! He just turned 2 and is such a sweetie! 

-- Happy birthday, Karen!

-- Happy birthday, Mo!