Our Life Beyond the Game

Swamp Head Brewery

2012-01-22T20:46:00.001-05:00

Did you know Gainesville has it's very own brewery?? Don't worry, I didn't either. It's nothing too fancy and it's even in an odd location, but definitely worth checking out. They don't have an official tour but if you ask (like we did) I'm sure they would be willing to show you around. While we were there it wasn't full of college students. When you live in a college town, this doesn't happen very often. Trust me, it was a very pleasant surprise. Several local restaurants and bars serve Swamp Head. Bottoms up!

Mac's Burgers - Gainesville, Fl

2012-01-21T20:15:00.007-05:00

Stop #6 (and probably last) on my Farewell to Gainesville Tour: Mac's Burgers. If you haven't realized this, I LOVE eating at local restaurants. I strive to do this when I travel. Mac's is a very basic, no frills burger joint. I would rate their burgers below 5 Guys but high above McDonald's. Definitely somewhere you should check out. They are opened Monday-Friday 9am-7pm and closed on the weekends.

Be prepared to wait. The line was wrapped around the building and flooding into the street. View from our car stopped in the median.

Two drive thrus

Old fashion? Or just cheap loud speaker.

Mac's is located on 129 Northwest 10th Avenue.

I wasn't able to complete my entire Gainesville Bucket List. I was hoping to visit UF's Bat House and also paint the 34th Street Wall. After a little research, I discovered that the best time to see the bats is during the warmer months.

Columbus: House Hunt Edition

2012-01-17T21:16:00.001-05:00

My main goal for this trip was to find our new home. I am very happy to report back that this goal was completed!! The weeks leading up to this were very stressful and I am very thankful that process is over!! Besides the house hunt I was determined to do a little sightseeing. I was lucky to have a wonderful member of Chi Omega give me a campus tour. Of course stop #1 was their house. She also showed me all around campus but I won't bore you with all those photos.

Please notice the tree they carved into an owl?!

Formal Living Room

Informal Living Room

Each senior class picks a quote and signs their names/hand print in the stairwell.

Paint Room. Pretty cool feature and something our House Mother would love!

The house is 3 stories plus a basement. Each floor has its own lounge area. One lounge has its very own stove (separate from the kitchen). I can not believe they trust their members with their very own freaking stove. This would not happened at Eta Delta. We couldn't handle a microwave.

This is not at their house..but pretty much everywhere else on campus.

After the campus tour, Mark gave me a tour of the football offices.

Entrance: National Championship Trophy to your left, Heismans to your right.

Woody Hayes Wall

I am obsessed with these chairs!

I think this is BEYOND cool. Woody Hayes' final chalkboard.

Indoor practice field aka awesomeness.

Indoor basketball

Mark's locker

They have two locker rooms. One at the stadium and this one at the practice facilities.

2 story weight room

Stadium based on the Greek Coliseum

Hopefully, we will add another year here...

Gator Bowl

2012-01-16T19:16:00.002-05:00

Well folks, I attended my 1st OSU Game. It just so happened to be against my beloved Gators. It was weird, very weird. Oh well, life goes on.

Mac n Cheese Dog. Yum!

They swore in a military branch (can't remember which one) before the game. A very cool experience.

Dale Earnhardt Jr drove in to do the coin toss.

Boy, has this football season been crazy. I am very excited for all the new things to come. In the mean time, I will be studying up on all of OSU's traditions.

San Diego: Day 4

2012-01-15T20:44:00.003-05:00

Yay, time for the main event! The wedding was wonderful and the perfect way to end 2011. Thank you, Lindsay & John, for including me on your special day!

A NYE Wedding is not complete without a disco ball!

Beautiful bride!

The wedding had a wine theme. How pretty is this? Plus, they opened the wine and we were able to enjoy it. Multipurpose centerpiece, sold!

First dance

At this point our blowers had turned into wands. Duh.

Great friends.

San Diego: Day 3

2012-01-12T19:31:00.001-05:00

Hands down the coolest thing we did on this trip was the Go Car Tour. I HIGHLY recommend this. It was scary, awesome, fun all rolled into one. I am so glad we waited for our friends Katie and Stephen to join us. We had a blast!

This is what we drove around town! It drives like a 4 wheeler but it's consider a motorcycle. It was scary at first, because, you drive on actual streets with actual cars.

Lucky me, I got to drive first. Please notice the extremely large dump truck next to us.We did the Point Loma Tour. Our first view of the city.

The view from Point Loma. Beautiful.

Pacific Ocean

Crazy girls!

Best Friends.

San Diego: Day 2

2012-01-11T19:08:00.003-05:00

We started Day 2 with a Whale Watch. This tour was the perfect amount of time and we got to see plenty of marine life.

The dolphins were my absolute favorite! There were hundreds if not thousands of them. They "played" along with the boat as we searched for whales. They were so close to the boat. It was a very cool experience.

Look closely and you can see their fins.

Whale Tale!

After our whale watch we headed to The Hotel Del. We took the ferry to Coronado. Which is another great way to see the city from the water. The only mistake we made was deciding not to rent bikes to ride to the hotel. We didn't realize that the hotel wasn't right at the dock. We decided to walk the 1.5 miles to The Del. It wasn't a huge deal, but if I had to do it again we would have rented bikes.

Ice skating on the beach

I was amazed at how many people were at the hotel. Thousands of people. It was pretty nuts.

San Diego: Day 1

2012-01-10T07:16:00.026-05:00

With all the craziness that comes along with moving, my mini vaca to San Diego was just what I needed. My good friend Lindsay got married on NYE and we decided to make a trip out of it. Our first stop was Old Town. Definitely a must while visiting SD. It is such a fun little area, with cute shops and restaurants. You could literally smell the fresh tortillas baking as you walked around. We had dinner and drinks at Cafe Coyote. I normally don't enjoy margaritas but these were really good. They basically tasted like OJ. Which could get you in trouble, fast!

Me & my friend Miguel

We definitely don't see these in Florida.

Cigar Shop. Pipes from the 1800s. Such great details.

I love the cactus in the boot!

Old Soda Pops.

Please notice my boots. First time wearing them!

Our Christmas in pictures

2012-01-09T18:15:00.002-05:00

I hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas!

2012-01-06T18:26:00.000-05:00

Dear Long Lost Blog,
I feel like it has been forever. Life is pretty stressful over here. I'll be back soon. I promise lots of fun posts to come. Until then, Happy 2012! Here's to wonderful New Year, full of great new experiences.

Love,
Kristin

La Chua Trail - Gainesville, Fl

2011-12-24T21:43:00.002-05:00

Stop #5 on my Farewell to Gainesville Tour: La Chua Trail, located within the Hawthorne Trail. If you are unfamiliar with the Hawthorne Trail (like me) you park as if you were going to walk/ride/jog the trail turn left on the trail and keep walking (about a mile) and you will see signs on the right for the La Chua Trail. I was pleasantly surprised to find the majority of the trail is paved and appears to be very safe. In my mind, we were going to be trucking it through the brush. I was slightly disappointed in the amount of alligators we saw. We saw less than 15. According to my sources we were going to see a lot more. If you are even slightly into natural and want to show your visitors (or yourself) something unique to Gainesville this is a great idea.

Sinkhole where the gators gather.

Look closely, 2 gators in the middle.

How many gators do you see? At least 4.

Chomp!

2011-12-19T21:22:00.000-05:00

Better later than never..Happy Holidays!

My Grandmother's Shiny Brite Ornaments. If you follow me on twitter you may have seen I recently discovered Christopher Radko's Shiny Brite Collection at TJ Maxx. Love them!!

Foyer. Mercury glass, another favorite of mine!

Our main tree. Snowflakes!

Kitchen tree! This is a new addition. My mom has been collecting these ornaments for several years and I adore it! The mixer is my favorite ornament. All the ornaments are kitchen themed and it looks great! Thanks Mom!

Travel Tree. This tree has all (all 10, ha!) of our travel ornaments on it.

Hope everyone has a safe and Happy Holidays!

Cedar Key, Fl - Tony's Famous Chowder

2011-12-18T19:01:00.001-05:00

Stop #4 on my Farewell to Gainesville Tour: Cedar Key, Fl. I kept hearing about this little fishing community and their yummy seafood. I knew I definitely wanted to check it out and see what all the talk was about. Everyone said we had to try the Calm Chowder and that we did. We went to Tony's and the chowder was amazing. After lunch we walked around the town. There isn't much to the town and the shops are pretty outdated (think beanie babies circa 2000). If you have a free weekend and enjoy seafood you should definitely check it out.

Tony's Chowder. It was very good and worth the drive. You can order online, if interested.

The fried shrimp was also amazing. We weren't very good with the crab. Our waitress was extremely nice and offered to crack (Is that what you would call it??) it and got it ready for us to eat.

How cute is this sign?!

Don't forget to let me know if there is anywhere else I need to check out before the big move.

Burrito Brothers - Gainesville, FL

2011-12-16T08:50:00.005-05:00

Stop #3 on my Farewell to Gainesville Tour: Burrito Brothers. Burrito Brothers is another local joint that I had heard lots about but never took the time to go too. It has been around forever. It makes me sad to think that in the 10 years that I have lived in Gainesville I have only been here once. This place screams local Gainesville restaurant. The ingredients are extremely fresh. Check them out the next time you are in town!

Adam's Ribs - Gainesville, FL

2011-12-12T06:57:00.010-05:00

Stop #2 on my Farewell to Gainesville Tour: Adam's Ribs. Everyone raves about this place and I knew I had to try it before we moved. What sold me is every morning this place is packed! Who in the world goes to a rib place for breakfast? I knew it had to be good.

I got the 4 rib dinner. It was so much food! The ribs were yummy and had so much meat on them. If you haven't tried Adam's you definitely should. Don't forget to let me know if you have any suggestions for my Farewell Tour!!

Bailey has needs too...

2011-12-09T09:44:00.001-05:00

Disclaimer: For all you non dog lovers out there you probably aren't going to understand this post. After seeing Hannah's post about getting her dogs prepared for the winter I started thinking I should do the same. I've been told that the salt/ice can really hurt their paw pads. Do I really need to get Bailey dog boots and a jacket/sweater?? I keep getting mixed reviews from people. I know this is going to sound ridiculous but I am concerned about Baileys exercise or lack of once we move. He is used to getting TONS of exercise. If he doesn't get to run he becomes a very annoying dog. Lets be honest, I don't know how often I am going to be willing to stand in the freezing cold to throw his ball. My mom recently discovered Chuckit! Indoor Fetch Toy. I should probably invest in this. I've already checked and Columbus does have a dog park. But again, that involves me being in the cold for long periods of time...Suggestions/tips appreciated.

Cold Weather Help

2011-12-08T07:14:00.001-05:00

I have frantically been on the search for cold weather gear. Honesty, I have no idea what to even search for. Any coat I have found doesn't seem to be warm enough and the shoes are just plain ugly. If you have any suggestions cold weather related please let me know. No suggestion is too silly as I know nothing. While searching I have come across a few silly items.

LLBean Snowman Kit
LLBean Snowball Maker Set

Chocolate Bark Tip

2011-12-07T06:59:00.003-05:00

I want to share with you all my go to holiday chocolate bark. I make a lot of goodies that are coated in chocolate and people always ask what chocolate I use. This stuff is the best and so easy to use. I am slowly discovering that most people haven't used or even heard of this gem. Which is why I am sharing it here. You don't have to use a double boiler or any of that fancy stuff. You simply use your microwave and a glass bowl. I break off 4-5 chocolate squares at a time and follow the microwavable instructions. Easy as pie. Sadly, down here they only sell it around the holidays. It comes in milk and white chocolate and I've only seen it at Walmart and Publix. Happy Baking!

Wilson's Farmhouse Treats - Williston, FL

2011-12-06T07:39:00.001-05:00

Stop #1 on my Farewell to Gainesville Tour: Williston Donut Stand. My Gainesville Bucket List is slowly turning into a random list of restaurants I've never been to before. Oh well. A coworker has mentioned this donut stand several times and raved about how yummy the donuts are. I immediately added this to my list. Random donut stand, in the country, sounds like a perfect combination. :) The donuts were good but definitely not worth making the drive again. If you are interested in going the stand is located on the corner of US 27 & NE 155th Ave in Williston. So cool. The donut roller.We both got half a dozen: regular glazed, chocolate glazed, maple glazed & peanut butter fluff (stuffed). The peanut butter was definitely my favorite. Shocker. ;)
The menuMe & the peanut butter fluff.

If you have any suggestions for my Farewell Tour please let me know!!

Last Game in the Swamp...

2011-12-03T07:22:00.010-05:00

This season has been rough. Very rough. I am glad it is over. Mr. 2 Bits showed up for my last game! Very nice of him. :)

Hereeee come the Gators!! I think the towel people are hilarous and completely pointless.

Family!Sad outcome. I don't think it will really hit me until next season when I'm not sitting in The Swamp. I am very excited for this new chapter. I can't wait to learn new traditions and sport my new gameday gear! I've had a few people ask me if I'm now going to be a Buckeye Fan..umm yea, that's how it works people. Geez.

Gainesville Bucket List

2011-12-02T10:18:00.005-05:00

Ahh..I still can't believe we are moving. I probably won't believe it until I am there and freezing!! I am putting together a Gainesville Bucket List. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for Gainesville or the surrounding areas. Restaurants, activities, etc. Thanks and Happy Friday!

2011-11-29T16:10:00.004-05:00

By now I am assuming the majority of the people who read my blog are aware that Mark and I are moving to Ohio State. We are both beyond excited about this new chapter in our lives. While we are both sad to be leaving the University of Florida we both agree that we no longer have a place here and that this is the best decision for us. Because this is public blog I am going to be very careful with my words. Please feel free to ask me privately any questions you may have. We are both very excited to be a part of the Buckeye Nation and to see what the future holds. FYI: I am currently accepting any suggestions for anything (neighborhoods, restaurants, things to do, etc) Columbus related.

Always Gators in our hearts.

Holiday Baking Goals

2011-11-27T22:05:00.001-05:00

Since posting my October/November baking goals was a success (sort of) I thought I would do it again for the month of December.First of all, how cute are these? Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Cinnamon Glaze. Yum! I don't think I have ever had gingerbread. No time like the present.

Growing up my mom used to make spiced nuts. Honestly, I was never their biggest fan. However, people LOVED them. I saw this recipe with a slightly different twist and thought I would give them a try.

White chocolate covered oreos with peppermints. How cute would these be with the holiday colored Oreos?!

Mint Chocolate Marshmallows

It suggests to add these to your hot chocolate but I think they would be tasty alone.

I should probably start baking now before this list keeps growing...

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n' Oreo Fudge Brownie Bar

2011-11-23T15:53:00.004-05:00

Holy cow, can someone please delivery this to me ASAP!! Oh my word. Talk about rich and yummy.

Hair color gone wrong...

2011-11-19T16:59:00.007-05:00

Sorry in advance for the poor quality of photos. I'm still not exactly sure how this happened. I went to my regular hair lady and walked out with black horrible low lights. I always leave with wet hair because stylists are never able to get it straight. While she was cutting my wet hair I noticed that it looked extremely dark. I brought this to her attention and she reassured me it was just because it was wet. Sure. Once I got home I immediately dried it to see the damage. Not only were the low lights dark, they were BLACK.

They had the most random placement.

Overhead shot. AWFUL.

Not normal.

I called her the following morning to schedule an appointment for her to fix my hair. She tried to tell me it would fade and it wasn't as dark as I thought. Umm..yea, it was JET black. Not sure it could get any darker. It was a pointless conversation and basically ended with me hanging up on her. I ended up at another salon that evening and they were able to begin the correction process. Because whatever crappy hair dye she used had a violet undertone the black part of my hair is now copper. :/ The new stylist told me it would take a while to get my hair back to "normal." I am going back on Tuesday to see what else they can do. Here's the after:

San Diego anyone?

2011-11-14T10:44:00.001-05:00

In a few weeks I will be headed to the beautiful San Diego for a friends wedding. Me and my bff are making a mini vacation out of it. Please let me know if you have any suggestions of things to do. We are thinking about making a day trip to Laguna Beach.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

2011-11-13T09:55:00.004-05:00

I guess this would qualify as a 2 ingredient recipe. I seem to be a big fan of those lately. These are awesome and easy. Enough said. The only thing I did different was instead of using a 9x13 pan I put them in a 9 inch pie dish. Which worked out a lot better because my pie filling did not sit as perfectly on the rolls as hers did. Here's the recipe. Enjoy!

Publix Homestyle Chicken Tender Bake

2011-11-11T07:40:00.004-05:00

First of all who doesn't like chicken tenders, mashed potatoes and corn? All of my favorites rolled into one! This was the first Publix Apron's recipe I have tried and it was success. Here's the link. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Growl & Vandy Game

2011-11-07T17:09:00.008-05:00

This year for Growl I was invited to sit in a skybox and I was beyond excited to do so! The only other time I had been in a box was when they were doing construction on the stadium (a few years back) and each staff member had a box as their personal office. Mark's box/office was the Pepsi Box. Talk about a pretty cool view everyday at work. In case you have never been inside a box here's a few pics:

View of the kitchen area.

Hard to tell but this is pretty high up and very steep. If you are afraid of heights this might not be your ideal seat.

View of the stage and crowd from box.

Gator cabinet knobs. How cute are these?!

Raiding the cabinets.

We pretty much took over the box. We controlled the lighting, the ac, you name it.

Joel McHale from E!

Muschamp & the Seniors

The Goo Goo Dolls also performed but I didn't take a photo of them.

The BFF!

Celebrating the win!

Happy Monday!

Marshmallow Pops

2011-11-02T11:44:00.005-04:00

I always wanted to join the Cake Pop Craze. However, I heard they are a huge pain. No thanks, I will pass. Marshmallow Pops, however, seem like a breeze. I will definitely be adding these to my forever growing baking list. Chocolate peanut butter, S'mores, Cookies and Cream..oh boy! Seriously, how cute are these things?? Check out the link: 8 Ways to Dress-Up a Marshmallow.

Halloween Cont...

2011-10-31T19:34:00.006-04:00

Warning, Warning: ridiculous dog post alert! As you are all well aware I am a nut when it comes to Bailey. In my mind, Halloween is a good excuse to bring my nuttiness to another level. Saturday, I took him to a Howl-o-Ween Party at Camp. It was pretty awesome and super creative on their part.Haunted House

Inside the Haunted House

Bailey entering the house. I was really surprised he went in. He is a total wuss when it comes to to pretty much everything.

Bone Yard

They hid milk bones in the dirt and the dogs had to dig them out.

Hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T10:40:00.006-04:00

Happy Halloween!

Love, B

Please notice his face mask & check back later for more Halloween photos.

Fair Food and Fun

2011-10-30T18:53:00.016-04:00

This past Friday I took the day off and headed to the fair with a friend and her niece. I was secretly hoping there would be lots of yummy fried goodness and it did not disappoint. This was my 1st time at the Alachua Co Fair and I wasn't really sure what to expect. Minus the lack of agricultural exhibits it was a pretty typical fair.

Funnel cakes galore: Apple, Caramel, Strawberry, Cinnamon, Bavarian Creme, Reese's and Milky Way. I had never seen so many options.

Words can not describe how excited I got when I saw this sign: FRIED BUTTER!! I know what you are thinking..gross!! Before trying it, I too would have vomited at the thought of eating it. Word to the wise, if you ever have the chance to try it do not pass it up. I repeat, do not pass it up! It was amazing.

We didn't stop at fried butter. We also had to try the fried oreos.Prep work

Oreos & Butter

Yum!

In addition to all the fried food the Fair had Seals? Not sure how this is humane or how they travel with them, but apparently they do. Odd if you ask me.

Jax Breast Cancer Walk

2011-10-20T07:55:00.001-04:00

This past Saturday Mom and I participated in the Jacksonville Breast Cancer Walk. It was an absolutely beautiful day. We couldn't have asked for better weather.Mom signing the pink fire truck!
Bling Bling.

They encouraged walkers to wear pink bras. We definitely saw lots of women and men wearing very decorated pink bras.

Check out the Pink Ribbon on his head.

Lots of cute outfits.

Lots of tutus.

Mom with her survivor metal.

Cheddar Bacon Dip aka Crack Dip

2011-10-19T08:23:00.002-04:00

For our last tailgate, I made Plain Chicken's, Crack Dip. It was yummy and gone in a flash. If you haven't checked out Plain Chicken's Blog, you should!

4th Annual: Tailgating on the Front Lawn

2011-10-18T14:01:00.010-04:00

To say this tailgate was a success would be an understatement. It rocked. Each year we try to improve it a little. This was definitely our best one yet. Just some of the girls.
Have you ever seen one of these? You put it on top of the can to make it a bottle. Weird, if you ask me. Just buy bottles?
Washers. Some unlucky soul left this at our 1st Annual Tailgate and it has been mine ever since.

This year we added a TV!! I know this is a pretty standard staple for most tailgates, but this was a BIG deal for us.
Minus Bowl Games this is our 1st Gameday pic in 6 years.
We had a PIG!!! "Pig Guy" worked his butt off to make this a success. By the time it was all said and done he was up at least 24 hours catering to this bad boy. Thank you, Andrew!

Serving the pig.

These things are everywhere? Does your school have these? If not, consider yourself lucky.
Wow.

The back of the head said: God Hates Nick Saban.

Because this is a cool thing to wear.

"Mr. 2 Bits" Dedication.

Bailey's 4th Birthday

2011-10-08T10:19:00.003-04:00

No denying the fact that I am that crazy dog lady. Bailey's 4th Birthday was a few weeks ago. Pawty Like a Rockstar was his theme!

Please notice his bling!!

Checking out his pinata. My favorite photo of the day.Down to the last drop.

Of course, Bailey had to have a cake from Southern Inspired Treats. It was so funny because as soon as he saw the cake he knew it was for him. He went nuts.

If you want to check out more funny photos you can go to Camp Marlin Doggy Daycare on Facebook.

Happy 4th Birthday, Bailey!!

Fall Baking To Do List

2011-10-06T09:00:00.013-04:00

Every year I have a ton of holiday recipes I want to make. And every year I run out of time. I'm hoping posting here will be my motivation to get my butt in the kitchen.

Candy Corn Bark

Last year I discovered have easy making chocolate bark really is. This is such a cute twist on chocolate bark.

I have been wanting to bake mini pumpkin cakes forever! I even have the mini bundt pans. I am determined to bake these this year.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Need I say more?

WonderFall

2011-10-05T11:47:00.008-04:00

Get it, WonderFall? It took me a little while. A few weeks ago I posted a few fall decor pictures I wanted to attempt to accomplish. Now looking at the comparison photos my decor definitely doesn't look as good as I thought it did. But I promise it does look good.

I'm sure you can figure out which ones are mine vs Pottery Barn. :)
Please notice the bats on the mirror. Love them!

Last years: decorations.

2 ingredient Cherry Brownies

2011-10-04T08:12:00.001-04:00

1 box brownie mix

1 can cherry pie filling

Mix both together
Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes

My Mom originally saw this recipe on tv.

Hershey's Air Delight Kisses

2011-09-25T15:36:00.007-04:00

Has anyone seen/had Hershey's Air Delight Kisses? In my mind they would taste like Jello's Mousse Temptations. Maybe it's because they sort of look similiar?!

2 ingredient Pumpkin Muffins

2011-09-23T07:59:00.002-04:00

I originally saw this recipe on Oprah and it intrigued me. How was this even possible? 2 ingredients?? I decided to test this recipe out at our company bake sale. As you know the point of a bake sale is to make money. Why not do so on a recipe that cost you very little?

Happy Friday!

Breast Cancer Walk

2011-09-20T20:29:00.003-04:00

For those of you that did not know, my Mom was diagnosed with Breast Cancer on December 24, 2008. I am so proud of her strength and determination to fight this awful disease. On Saturday, October 15, 2011 we will be walking in the Jacksonville Breast Cancer Walk. If you would like to donate to an amazing cause you can click on the link above. For more information on Breast Cancer, please visit the Susan G. Komen Website.

Games 2 & 3

2011-09-19T20:37:00.001-04:00

I'm a little behind on posting my Game Day pictures. Hope you don't mind I'm posting Games 2 & 3 together. First up, UF vs. UAB. This year the wives decided to have themed tailgates. I took zero pictures of the food but it was fabulous. Mexican was the theme and we had everything from burritos to chips and queso. I was in charge of the plates, cups, and utensils. I took the easy route this game. ;)

Someone drew this freehand.

Tailgating in the South End Zone.

Where do people buy these?? There's always at least one in the crowd.

Action Shot.

Next up, UF vs. Tenn. The theme this week was Southern Flare. Again zero pictures of the food. I made Peach Cobbler. Which quickly became a mini nightmare. I did however discover that spilling Peach Cobbler on the hood of your car will not ruin your paint. In case you were wondering. :) I've come to realize that I seek out the oddballs in the crowd. Enjoy!

Really? Not sure why someone would make these. They were a week late for our Mexican tailgate. Ha! Definitely would not want to sit behind them.

Or next time him.

F-L-O-R-I-D-A!

3-0 Keep it up Gators!

Las Vegas: Day 3

2011-09-15T21:13:00.007-04:00

Our last day we hit up the hotels.

Mandalay Bay

Excalibur Lions at MGM

New York, New York Hotel

If you looking for a nicer (i.e. pricier) meal while in Vegas, Stack is where you should go! We decided to get little of everything and share. We had the Hot Rocks, Calamari, Bake Mac n Cheese (YUM!!), Adult Tater Tots and for dessert we had the Warm Chocolate Cake. I've heard the Jelly Doughnuts "Munchkin" Holes are also amazing.Hot Rocks

After dinner we saw the Cirque Show Love. I wish I knew/understood The Beatles Music more so I could appreciate the show better. As always, a great Cirque Show. You really can't go wrong seeing one.

We ended our last night by exploring the last few hotels we had missed.

Mirage Volcano

Ceiling in the Venetian

Beer Pong Props.

Gondola Rides in the Venetian

Las Vegas: Day 2

2011-09-12T21:06:00.002-04:00

Sunday morning we woke up bright and early for our Grand Canyon Tour. We had debated if we wanted to rent a car and drive ourselves or do an actual tour. We decided on the tour and I am extremely happy that we did. We were exhausted after walking around and I can't imagine having to drive back after doing that much walking. The below pictures do not give the GC justice. It was amazing.

The Skywalk. Yep, it's scary. We survived.

Colorado River. Not very clear water. Looks more like mud.

Hoover Dam

Fountain Show at the Bellagio

Dessert for dinner, yes please! We had dinner at the Sugar Factory. Honestly, the fondue was ok. Nothing special. Pretty sure I could create the same thing at home. Our service was horrible and our waitress charged us $6 more than the menu stated. The fun thing about the restaurant is that they had a candy store attached.Cupcakes anyone?

In my opinion gummy bears and chocolate do not mix.

Remembering 9/11

2011-09-11T17:02:00.002-04:00

September 11, 2001. Gainesville, Fl. I remember waking up and turning on the tv to find continuous images of what was taking place in NYC. I remember going to my roommate Katie's room to show her the craziness that was happening. We stood there in shock. We talked for a bit and then headed off to class. It was so bizarre. No one really knew what to do or what was even happening. I remember sitting in class and about midway through the professor stated that the University was closing for the day and all classes were canceled. Mom and I were just in NYC a few days prior for my cousin's wedding. I can not believe we were there, just days before this happened. I recently discovered the book Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero. I still can not believe his story. It definitely will remind you that nothing is impossible. A blind man, 78 stories up, survives the attack.

Las Vegas: Day 1

2011-09-08T19:20:00.001-04:00

While the majority of you were tailgating and watching football, mom and I headed to Vegas to celebrate her birthday! We had an amazing time. We stayed at the Monte Carlo. The hotel was nice, however, we both wished it was a tad bit more central on the strip. Lots of walking no matter where you stay.

Our hotel.

Just a few things we saw on our walk to lunch.

Chandelier Bar at the Cosmopolitan Hotel. Such a cool set up.

We had lunch at Serendipity. This was our first time having their famous Frozen Hot Chocolate. Totally worth the hype.

Bellagio Lobby:

We couldn't decide if these flowers were real? Such long stems.

Look closely..the "painting" are flowers, not paint.

We ended our 1st night seeing the Cirque Show "O." This was my second time seeing it and it was just as amazing the second time as the first. I HIGHLY recommend it. Words can not even describe how awesome this show is. The dancers go from dancing across the stage to diving into pool that opened up.

Pioneer Woman's French Breakfast Puffs

2011-09-01T16:02:00.004-04:00

I've been wanting to try these for a while. Yesterday, we had a team breakfast meeting which was the perfect excuse to make these yummy treats! They were a huge hit and several people asked for the recipe. Thank you very much. It says to serve warm. I did not. I think these would be the perfect addition to a noon kickoff tailgate. Here's the recipe.

For the record: Mark said they weren't horrible, but tasted like a muffin with cinnamon and sugar on top. Clearly, he was wrong.

College Colors Days

2011-09-01T06:50:00.001-04:00

Don't forget to support your favorite team!

Friday, Sept 2

Free Chick-fil-A Breakfast

2011-08-31T06:56:00.002-04:00

In case you haven't heard Chick-fil-A is giving away free breakfast Sept 6-10. All you have to do is sign up here.

S'mores Cookies

2011-08-30T07:05:00.001-04:00

I told you it was the Summer of S'mores. Here's one more recipe. Mine didn't turn out as pretty. Oh well, it's the taste that matters. For the record, I do not keep all the goodies I bake. I sample a few and off to work they go. My co-workers love me. Which comes in handy.

Peach Cobbler

2011-08-27T07:52:00.003-04:00

Did y'all know that August is National Peach Month? In honor of that, here is the easiest peach cobbler recipe ever. You could make it in your sleep. Seriously.

2 large cans of sliced peaches

1 box yellow cake mix

2 sticks of butter

Drain 1 can of peaches only. Add both cans to a 9x13 pan and spread evenly. Spread dry cake mix evenly over peaches. Cut butter in slices and dot over top.

Bake at 350 for 45-1 hour until top is golden

Let cool

2011-08-25T07:57:00.003-04:00

With Fall right around the corner its time for me to start planning my Fall decor. Below is what I'm hoping to achieve. I sent my mom the below pictures and if you know her, you know her next stop was Hobby Lobby to see what she could find.Does anyone have any other decorating ideas to share?

Football Whoopie Pies

2011-08-18T09:27:00.005-04:00

If you haven't been following Copacetic in Carolina's Weekly Tailgating Posts, you are truly missing out. Each week she shares recipes, outfits and more. This week was desserts and you know how I feel about desserts. How cute are the football whoopie pies!?! I want to run home and make these now. If you are reading this and attending our Bama Tailgate I would like to officially place my order now. :)

Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits

2011-08-16T10:22:00.002-04:00

If you ask me the only thing good at Red Lobster is their biscuits. Thanks Leah for posting! Super easy and quick. Here's the recipe.

White Chocolate S'mores Gooey Cake Bars

2011-08-14T09:00:00.001-04:00

This summer should officially be called the Summer of the S'mores! Once again Picky Palate did not disappoint. This was super easy to make. The only tip I have is to roll out the top crust before placing on top. Enjoy! Here's the recipe.

2011-08-12T08:41:00.002-04:00

We all need a little hope. Happy Friday!

The Lacie...TMI Alert

2011-08-11T07:41:00.003-04:00

Alert, Alert, this is probably way too much info..but hey it's my blog. Do not judge. Have you tried The Lacie by Victoria Secret? They are amazing and I wish I owned them in every color. Hint, hint. Confession: they come in one sizes fits all. Ha. Not sure why I think that is so funny. Happy Thursday, Internet Friends!

2011-08-08T08:36:00.003-04:00

I purchased my first pair of Nike Running* Shorts. I LOVE them. They are extremely comfortable. I am seriously debating wearing them with a similar tank above and wearing them to games. Thoughts? Too casual?

*Aka shorts I don't actually run in. More likely to lay on the couch in, but hopefully will motivate me to walk in.

2011-08-05T08:50:00.004-04:00

It's that time!

Now searching for yummy tailgating recipes! Please share.

2011-07-28T14:11:00.002-04:00

A few things I have discovered:

1. People assume I have a vast amount of football knowledge.
2. People expect that our home is a hotel during football season. No thanks.
3. People think we are ticket master. I wish.
4. Football season stresses me out.

2011-07-27T12:27:00.003-04:00

For the life of me I do not understand why parents want you to hold their new babies?? I repeat, I do not want to hold your baby. Sorry, if that's rude/weird/whatever, but I don't. Here's why: The parents stare at you (in my opinion) expecting you to have this amazing connection with their child. Not to mention you get stuck holding them for way too long. Am I the only person that feels this way? Probably. Oh well. I also don't like when a parent ask you if you would like to hold their baby and you politely say no and then they conitnue to ask. What part of no did you not understand??

Steakhouse Potato Salad

2011-07-21T09:17:00.003-04:00

I've made this twice and I keep forgetting to post. So here you go! Slightly different than your average potato salad. Yum! Here's the recipe. It doesn't make a ton, which is perfect for a household of two. Thanks, Kraft Foods.

Boston: Day 4 Whale Watch

2011-07-17T09:45:00.005-04:00

When I booked our Whale Watching Tour I was expecting to see whales jumping and flying through the air. This did not happen. However, we did see some whales and it was a cool experience. It was pretty amazing how close we were to them. P.S. Whales are really hard to photograph.This is probably the best picture I took. :)

Dinner: Giacomo's

Farewell Boston.

Boston: Day 3 Sam Adams Tour & Harvard

2011-07-16T08:35:00.002-04:00

Breakfast: Paramount

The Sam Adam's Tour was Mark's favorite thing we did!

After the tour we ended up on this "Party" Trolley aka Mark's most favorite thing about Boston. It was pretty amusing. The driver was blasting 80s music and loved to pump the breaks.

Lunch: Grendel's Den

Nerd Alert! I LOVED the tour of Harvard. We snuck in the tour and it was extremely interesting.

Entrance. Myth is: you're only supposed to walk through the main gate twice in your time at Harvard. Once as a freshman and once when you graduate. There's a smaller gate not visible that students use.

Matt Damon lived here.

Founder of Harvard. Fun fact: it states he's the founder, he's really not. The college was just named after him.

Part of this is the Freshman Dining Hall (left part). Church (far right). So pretty. Something in the Harry Potter Movie (sorry, not a Harry Fan) is designed very similar to the inside of this.

Another random Harvard Fact: Radcliffe College was the women's college associated with Harvard. Up until 1999 all women who graduated from Harvard actually received a diploma from Radcliffe NOT Harvard.

Boston: Day 2 Duck Tour and beyond

2011-07-15T07:55:00.001-04:00

Everyone suggested we do the Freedom Trail. I knew Mark would not be a big fan of this. We settled for the Duck Tour. The Tour did not cover the entire Freedom Trail but it hit the highlights.

Beacon Hill

Boat going into the water.

Duck Tour Boat.

After the tour we had lunch at Ernesto's Pizza and explored the city a little more.

Faneuil Hall Area

They were filming the movie: I Hate My Dad. Sounds interesting.

Public Gardens

The Swan Boat drivers actually pedal (like a bike) the boats. Holy workout.

Swan nest in the Public Gardens

Dinner: Union Oyster House.

This was my favorite meal! Maybe my all time favorite meal ever. I had the seafood pasta with a basil cream sauce. It was amazing! Thank goodness the food was delicious because the service was horrible.

After dinner we went to Mike's Pastry. Check out the line. It didn't take as long as you would expect.

The place was packed.

I got the chocolate peanut butter cannoli. Reese Peanut Butter Cup meets cannoli. Worth the hype!!

We ended our night with a drink at the Top of the Hub

(Prudential Center).

Boston: Day 1 & 4 Red Sox Galore

2011-07-14T13:24:00.014-04:00

Another fun trip with my beloved. We had such a great time. Ate way too much and walked what seemed like miles each day. People say Boston is a walkable city. What they should say is it's walkable once you reach your desired neighborhood via the T. Prepare yourself for photo overload for the next few days. I'm going to combine day 1 and 4 since they are related. Day 1 we went to the Red Sox vs. Baltimore Game. Day 4 we went back to Fenway for a tour of the ballpark. I'm not a big baseball fan. I don't enjoy be worried about getting injured while at a sporting event. Lets be honest, we all know I'm not really watching the game, so the chances of me seeing a ball coming at me is slim. It was really interesting to hear all the history that the stadium has.

Lunch: Jerry Remy's

Dinner: Island Creek Oysterbar (best chowder!)

S'mores Pie

2011-07-06T07:27:00.002-04:00

Oh boy, this pie is rich. Very rich. But oh so good. A tiny piece goes a long way. Check out Leah's Blog for the recipe.

Lunch Meat

2011-07-05T06:21:00.002-04:00

We have strange conversations at work. Very strange. One recently, that I thought I should bring to your attention: the life span of lunch meat/cheese from the deli. Have you actually read the package? I did a brief poll at work and 1 out of 10 co-workers actually do. Did you know you have THREE days to eat the meat and FOUR days to eat the cheese?? Holy cow. If I had to guess most people did not know this. Have you seen the large quantities of meat/cheese people purchase?!? Unless they have extremely large families there's no way they are eating all of this in THREE days.

Planking

2011-07-01T07:51:00.003-04:00

Apparently, planking is cool. I'm still trying to figure out why. The below picture is disturbing. The Pouncey Twins laying on top of each other?! Odd, don't you think? Planking is lame.

The end.

Nail Files

2011-06-30T09:44:00.005-04:00

Are there any other losers out there watching Nail Files?? Besides me. I swear, I get hooked on all things reality. The woman who owns the shop is insane. Total nut job. You should watch. I swear.

Red, White and Blue Muffins

2011-06-27T10:12:00.006-04:00

If you didn't know, I'm a sucker for holiday decor and baked goods. I'm always searching for something new to bake. I saw these on Taste of Home and thought I would share. Strawberries, blueberries and white chocolate chips, yes please! The recipe only makes 6, which is perfect for us! Enjoy!

Veggie Monster

2011-06-24T09:55:00.002-04:00

Always the last to know. Does everyone else know that the Cookie Monster is now the Veggie Monster on Seasame Street?? Wow.

Oreo Ultimate Icing & S'Mores Dessert Icing

2011-06-21T10:35:00.004-04:00

Has anyone tried these?

Fabric Headboard

2011-06-15T20:59:00.005-04:00

I can't decide which fabric to get for our headboard. The solid blue is the color of our comforter. I am trying to match that. Which do you like best?

Ice Loves Coco

2011-06-14T08:06:00.001-04:00

Did anyone get suckered into watching Ice Loves Coco? I am a reality show junkie. I watched for 10 minutes and could tell I was getting sucked in, so I turned the tv off. The 10 minutes I saw weren't as horrible as I was predicting. I will not add to my dvr list. I swear.

Congrats, Taylor

2011-06-13T07:10:00.002-04:00

This past Friday, Taylor graduated from high school!! It seems like high school graduates fall into 2 categories: never want to leave or ready to get the hell out of dodge. Taylor is definitely the latter. I definitely agree. College was hands down the best time of my life. I am so excited for her to move on and experience new and exciting things. She will be playing soccer for Francis Marion and I can't wait to see how that goes.

Walking in. They got to pick their walking partner.

All 700+ graduates. We thought for sure it would takes hours. Surprisely, it only took 2.

Moving their tassles.

Walking across the stage.Congrats, Class of 2011!!She has heels on. But yes, she is taller than me. :)

Chocolate Fudge Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-06-12T19:01:00.005-04:00

Stop what you are doing and bake these immediately. Seriously. They.are.amazing. Warning they are messing. Picky Palate had a great tip to spray cooking spray on your hands. This definitely helped. Especially,when it came time to wash off the dough. It washed off so easily. The recipe also says it makes 3 dozen. I ended up with a bakers dozen the size of my head. Love you, Picky Palate.

Class of 2011

2011-06-10T06:23:00.001-04:00

Happy Graduation Day, Taylor!

4th of July Cake

2011-06-04T17:39:00.007-04:00

Can someone please bake this cake for me?? How freakin' cute?! I'm obsessed! I should probably start practicing now.

Memorial Day Weekend: Treasure Island

2011-06-03T16:02:00.005-04:00

Our 4th Annual Trip to Treasure Island for Memorial Day Weekend. This year we ditched the coaches and hung out with friends.The highlight of our fishing trip, seeing a sea turtle!! It was HUGE. While the boys fished I was on turtle patrol.
Proud moment.Our group.

Bar Crawl. Postcard Inn.

FRIED twinkies!!

Happy Weekend.

Crate and Barrel

2011-06-02T06:35:00.001-04:00

I discovered a new favorite store, Crate and Barrel. I've gone to their website a few times but it wasn't until actually shopping in the store that I realized how fabulous it really is. I don't think their website does it justice. They have so many fun gadgets! Below are a few that I purchased and a few that I wish I purchased.

Corn Picks

Egg Timer I've been wanting one of these for a while. And now I have one. :)

Corn Seasoning. According to the sales associates this stuff is amazing. Can't wait to try it. You know, since I'm a grill master now. ;)

Corn dish

Mini steak thermometers.

Boston

2011-06-01T06:51:00.001-04:00

We are headed to Boston this summer!! Please let me know if you have any suggestions/recommendations!

Twitter

2011-05-31T06:31:00.003-04:00

I'm on Twitter. Follow me: KristinPantoni. Let me know if you are too and I can follow you.

Recycling Nazi

2011-05-25T18:11:00.002-04:00

I'm pretty sure Mark is extremely annoyed with my current recycling habits. Honestly, part of the reason I do it, is because we will get charged if we go over our allotted trash bags. I'm cheap like that. Don't mind me, just trying to save the planet, one can at a time.

Oprahs Final Farewell

2011-05-24T18:46:00.003-04:00

I'm probably the only person on the planet that thinks this...but I wasn't impressed with Oprah's last 2 shows. Yep, I said it. I really hope the final show tomorrow is better.

Swamp People

2011-05-24T08:47:00.001-04:00

Is anyone else watching Swamp People? It's pretty insane. Could their boats be any smaller??You could not pay me all the money in the world to hunt alligators.

Grill Master

2011-05-22T18:46:00.007-04:00

Hotness.

We used our new grill! Yay. I would say the first attempt was a success. I've grilled before but it's been a while. We made Chicken Caprese. Yum. If you have any good grilling recipes, please share.

Happy Sunday!

Plant Killer

2011-05-16T07:39:00.004-04:00

It's been one freakin' week and I've already killed the flowers!! Uggh. I'm currently trying to revive the herbs..but they are probably a goner as well.

Disclaimer: The flowers look worse in person.

Commitment issues

2011-05-12T07:42:00.002-04:00

Who would have thought picking a rug color would be this difficult?! I can't decide. I always pick yellow and blue so I'm trying to avoid that one. Help!

Green Thumb!?

2011-05-11T07:49:00.009-04:00

Lets see how long this last...my green thumb. Wish me luck. How cute are these little signs?!
Over the weekend, mom and I planted a few goodies. I just love the little hanging pots from the fence! Happy Wednesday.

Herb Stakes

I also found some fun ones on Etsy!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

2011-05-05T20:24:00.004-04:00

Love, B

Southern Inspired Treats Giveaway!

2011-05-03T18:00:00.001-04:00

Hopefully, you guys had a chance to check out Southern Inspired Treats. I know I have a few dog lovers reading this (don't make me call you out!) please check it out, your dogs will appreciate it. Boufee e Bambini Blog is hosting a giveaway for 1 free pound of organic (and oh so cute!) treats. All you have to do is leave a comment on her page, letting her know which SIT treat you would order for your doggie.

One Piece?

2011-05-03T08:33:00.001-04:00

Sweet Simplicity's post yesterday, brought up a fun discussion at work...at what age is it ok to wear a one piece? Seriously, how cute is this one?!? Love it. Thoughts...

10 Things I Love

2011-05-02T17:18:00.003-04:00

Leah at Happily Herring tagged me in this fun little game. Here goes nothing...

10 Things I Love:

1. Chocolate and Peanut Butter: Heaven.

2. Baking

3. Bailey: More like an obsession. I LOVE him.

4. Blog Comments: They make me smile!

5. To Do List: I have multiple list that say the same thing. I'm crazy.

6. Words with Friends: Find me Gator4781. Addiction.

7. Camp Marlin: As much as I love Bailey, this is such a wonderful break.

8. Reality TV: My latest favs, Pregnant in Heels & Bethenny Ever After. Honestly, the list could go on and on.

9. Gator Football 80% of the time ;)

10. Family & Friends!

And now it's my turn to tag a few more people to join in on the fun!

Katy's Neverending Story: Where have you been??

Gator Tales

Better Together

Fingers Crossed

Living Our Own Fairy Tale

Sweet Simplicity

A Big Little Life

Clemson Girl and the Coach

Royal Wedding Kitsch

2011-04-29T13:43:00.003-04:00

I'm sure we have all seen some of the random crap they are selling in honor of the Royal Wedding. Below are a few of my favs. Seriously?!? Why in the world would you want this? CREEPY!
Without a doubt, I would order this pizza if I lived in the UK. AWESOME.

Sadly, I didn't get to see the entire wedding. I'm sure it will be on constant replay all weekend. Happy Weekend, Internet Friends.

Double Fudge Oreo Crunch Cookies

2011-04-25T12:17:00.001-04:00

And this is why my pants don't fit. Another yummy recipe from How Sweet It Is.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T11:27:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, Bailey participated in an egg hunt at the dog park! Yep, I am that person. It was pretty hilarious. I thought for sure he would have zero interest in finding the eggs. To my surprise he was actually really good. The eggs were stuffed with treats (the only reason) Bailey was interested. Mark also got really into it and kept showing Bailey where the eggs were..ha!!

Notice the egg in his mouth. :)

Happy Easter!

Love, B

Peeps Wreath

2011-04-21T09:09:00.002-04:00

I want this wreath!!! It's TOO cute!! I wish I would have seen this before now. Next year. :)