When Valentine's Meets Mardi Gras

I was a happy pregger after Will setup a firepit, cooked cedar plank salmon and wings, and roasted me s'mores, so when he told me Valentine's was going to continue into Fat Tuesday I was over the moon about it. Being as my mom is from Louisiana,  Mardi Gras holds a big place in my heart and I love that we are in the South to celebrate it. People celebrated in Colorado while we were there, but it just ain't the same, y'all ;)

Since we had our appointment on Tuesday, he planned for us to stay on the Bay in Fairhope Monday night. We stayed at Emma's Bay House, which I can't say enough good things about and even got to attend the annual Fairhope parade in their quaint little downtown area. We walked the bay, explored the B&B, we he had drinks at McSharry's Pub, dined on Italian at Pinzone's, and Will caught me Moon Pies at the parade! Let's be honest...that's all I wanted, so everything else was a super duper bonus.

As you know, the appointment went well, so then it was time to get our Fat Tuesday celebration on! He even chose the Berney Fly on Government St. as our second B&B because it was close enough for us to walk to the parade route. It's so adorable that he thinks of everything ;) Technically, we didn't actually witness the parade after realizing the unruly crowd was a bit much for me in this condition, but we did have a bangin' dinner on Dauphin Street and I got a WHOLE King Cake to mySELF. Okay, okay, I took most of it home, but it was aaaall mine! I also found the baby in the first bite, so I take it as good luck.

Will definitely over did it on planning all this and I definitely gave a few side eyes at him, but I was so thankful that he wanted us to have such a special trip 'before baby'. It was THE perfect way to take the pressure off from the impending appointment, celebrate the crazyiness life has thrown at us, and truly enjoy each other's company while making memories of two before we are three. No matter what, he's my everything, and CQB is a glorious extension of that.

For everyone that said "Ew" when we said we were moving to Alabama...eat your hearts out ;) You just don't know what you are missing out on here.

Corks And Cattle

Remember that fight I was having with myself? Well, we finally got it all talked out, and my wonderfully sweet husband surprised me with a Thursday night date last week. We've been wanting to check out a local  wine and meat chop called Corks and Cattle, so he told me to dress fancy and whisked me away on an impromptu date.

We drank wine, shopped their great wine selection, and enjoyed the ambiance until we got hungry. We weren't paying $24.99 for a plate of cheese, so Will took me to my favorite place in town for my newest obsession, Taj Gyros. I was happy as a clam already, but THEN he set out candles and Jazz music for some living room slow dancing. Be still my heart...We have been lacking in the romantic moments category with everything going on lately, but not anymore! Slow dancing in your living room should be on everyone's date night list, and I can suggest a few bottles of vino to spice up the night.

This is a picture of me ecstatic that Corks & Cattle has two of my favorite brands, and subsequently inspired me to share said favorites with you. Now, you can't go wrong with Pinot Grigio or a Reisling, but that's just the beginning. I've moved on to drinking Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah, and I'm always discovering new wines that surprise me. I used to only check the alcohol content, but after visiting Napa I got a little spoiled and enjoy it on a new level. You can make any wine taste okay {Sangria, Spritzer}, but if you are in the mood for a party on your palette, you need to try the following.

Honig Winery || You see two Honig bottles above, and that's because it is my favorite! They have amazing wines made using honey, which yields the only dessert wine I'll ever drink. I'm telling you, that tall skinny bottle is worth every penny they charge {hint: It ain't cheap}, but the other wines they offer are much cheaper. Find in specialty shops and World Market.
Cakebread || I'm sure you've all heard of Cupcake wines, but I'll tell you a secret.. it's a knockoff of Cakebread {Gasp}. This is mainly because Cakebread isn't as available as I'd like it to be. I was actually surprised to find it in a store, because typically they exclusively distribute to restaurants. Needless to say, if you like Cupcake, you will LOVE Cakebread.
Conundrum || Is a go to brand for us. We know that it will always have a smooth taste, lots of flavor, and a reasonable price tag. I love that it's pretty available in stores and restaurants.
Opus One || I saved for last because it is $200+ a bottle. I'm sure you can find a cheap version that is just as good, but I sure haven't. Maybe it's the memories attached to it, maybe it's the grand vineyard that transports you, or maybe it's just that they make a damn good wine. Anywho, it must be on the list because this is my list, and I love it. #winesnob

If you ask me whether I'd like to go out or stay in, I will almost always choose staying in for a romantic evening. The wine is cheaper, it's more relaxed, and it takes less time to get to the boudoir. However, this was a lovely way to have the best of both worlds. These intimate moments are what make marriage worth it, and I live from moment to moment.

Gonna Party Like It's 2005

Well hello, surprising day off!

One of my 'wifeys' happens to be in Colorado today, and I am not missing the chance to snuggle my boo! It's been five years since I have seen her, and that is just too dang long.

I don't care that it's not #ThrowbackThursday; I'm going to share a few blasts from the past, because you have to have some insight into why I'm so excited that Adair is in town. It takes me back to my College days...cough five years ago cough.

Obviously, we don't take anything seriously, and following that theme, I bestow this bonus photo on you...check out my sweet Jorts:

You better believe I still have them, and I will still rock them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While I wait for the boys to get off, I'm going to have a me day.

First, I'm going to work out and drink the last Zeal Protein Shake {YUM} that Kathryn B sent me, and then I'm going to de-winterize my skin with this new product from Rodan + Fields that I won from Kait.

This is my second time using the Micro-Dermabrasion paste {there's enough for two uses}, and it makes my face feel SO good. Have you guys tried Zeal or Rodan+Fields products? I'd also like to know what your favorite face washes are. I think I need a new one, but my face is so sensitive that I'm scared to try anything. For example, anything with Salicylic acid makes my face go NUTS, and if you haven't noticed, almost every wash has that. FML.

Ciao Bellas!

I Can Admit When I'm Wrong

With only one week left, I am in the Christmas Spirit! We've decorated the house, finished sending out gifts and cards, and attended the Broadmoor White Lighting Ceremony, all of which have me feeling festive.

The lighting wasn't as amazing as the first time we saw it, but their decor still takes my breath away. They really pay attention to every detail, and you can't help but feel the warmth which could have been the Fireball we snuck in, but that's neither here nor there.

And then there's this...Le sigh...

That makes me feel all kinds'a spirited, if you know what I'm sayin'.

From there we went to dinner, and it's a good thing I had my glasses because the mood lighting at The Cliff House had me whipping out my new glasses! {You know you like that transition} I'm going to go ahead and count them as my first present this year, because they were free are so fancy. Technically, the $100 gift card that paid for dinner was my first gift {thanks Brian!}, but that's off topic.

In case you can't tell how flippin' cute they are, here's a closeup:

I have two other pairs of Firmoo glasses, but these? I'm OBSESSED. 

Aaaaannnnd I guess I should admit that the last pair was the wrong prescription, so I haven't been able to wear them... The worst part, was that it was my own fault. I switched the (+) and the (-), which just goes to show you how savvy I am. WHOOPS!

When they contacted me the third time, I was apprehensive because I was worried about screwing up again, and I really didn't want to have to go through ALL the glasses. I loved looking through them the first time, and using their super sweet try on feature, but it took forever to find ones that fit my oddly shaped face, so I ended up apologizing to Firmoo, and declining the new glasses based on my apprehension. Good thing they didn't take no for an answer or throw my mistake back in my face, and instead, pointed me to a specific page where you could order based on Pupillary Distance. I never new how important that little PD# was until it narrowed down my search immensely.

If you need your own new pair, bloggers can join their cooperation with a review, or even easier, tell me of your interest and I will be sharing a $30 voucher towards the Classic Series {my faves}. Now that I know how easy this is, I will NEVER pay hundreds of dollars for glasses again, and I may even start ordering sunglasses through them. I have problems getting those to fit too, so perhaps I will have more luck.

Have you tried Firmoo? Anyone tried their sunnies?

Pictures Are Practically Currency In Blogging

I can't even explain to you how happy I am that I'm only working four days this week, and I am back to four days because I leave for Pensacola Saturday! Of course, I have nine million things to do before then including finding someone to take care of Weiser, but at least it will make the week fly by! Then next week will fly by while I'm home, and get me closer to having Will home. Win/win.

This weekend flew by too. Saturday morning we went to the Air Force/Army game, and it was SO fun. We had to get up super early, which was a bad idea since I had to close the store Saturday night, but still totally worth it.

Sunburned and starving, I made it to work on time, and pulled out my camera to show someone the Halloween pictures. I turned it on, and got some evil message telling me that I had to reformat my memory card or I would lose my photos. I obviously clicked 'okay' even though I knew I was probably going to lose them either way, and my biggest fear came true when 'There are no images to be viewed on this device' flashed in my face. Faaaack.

I was too tired to freak out, so I conversed with my friend Matt about the problem. He gave me the idea that I should try the SD card reader on my laptop. I did, which didn't magically unveil them like I had hoped, but I wasn't going to give up. I began googling my issue, and found the CardRecovery.com site! It allowed me to use a trial version to check and see if the files were even still on the card, and then once I had found the files, I purchased the software for $34.95!

Before you yell at me, I already had almost all of the low-res files saved on my laptop, so it wouldn't have been the end of the world, but I still wanted the option to save the 3,000 Raw files to my external hard drive. Plus, now I have the capability to recover anything, including stuff that has been deleted accidentally or intentionally from my camera, memory cards, phone, AND my flash drives.

 *Recover deleted photos from memory cards

* Recover lost photos and videos from memory cards

 *Recover photos from formatted memory cards

 *Recover photos from damaged, unreadable or defective memory cards

 *Recover pictures from removable storage including flash drives

* Recover images, video files from mobile phones

I'm not even getting compensated to tell you all of this. I just thought I should spread the word, because I know we ALL have problems like this. Pictures are practically currency in blogging, so none of us can afford to lose them. Am I right, or am I right?

Did anyone watch the Air Force/ Army game? The ESPNU camera was on us several times, so I'm curious as to whether we made it on TV ;)

From The Congress Plaza To The W...We Fancy

When I was young I traveled with family and school, when I was in college I would travel alone or with friends even on a whim, and now with my husband, I am learning a new form of travel. As anyone that is in a long-term relationship knows, traveling with a partner must be a compromise. He doesn't want to do trivial sightseeing, she wants to take too many pictures, and everyone has a different idea of what is 'must do'.

For example, Will hates trying on clothes. Compromise: I didn't need anything so we only went shopping for him, which cut the shopping time by at least a third, and I only asked him to try on things that he liked. Well...other than the green pants. Surprisingly, he didn't pick those. Wonder why?

He's got skills, I tell ya. Just look at that ass...

I am happy to say that this trip was the first time that we were on the same page. We have learned to compromise, focus on each other, and most importantly- not stress ourselves out by over-planning. Very important on a ten day road trip, I must say.

I was very thankful for all the suggestions we got from friends, family, and bloggers as to what we should do in Chicago, and I'm happy to share what worked for us. I want everyone to have access to the secrets the city holds, and most importantly- I don't want anyone to be scared to go to Chicago! I can't tell you how many people tried to dissuade us from visiting, and I want to make sure that others can feel confident visiting this amazing city.

~To Do List Prior To A Trip To Chicago~

#1 Check the weather.

Chicago has extremes, and each season can bring problems. I knew that Spring and Summer were the best options, but we had to gamble on August due to our vacation schedule. I heard that there can be bad thunderstorms in August, but we had great weather up until the last day. However, if you do have bad weather, just embrace it. We went to Flattop Grill for the second time, Will offered to take me shopping again, and we visited Garrett Popcorn to get fresh made Chicago Style popcorn to feed my popcorn addiction.

#2 Check out local events.

Sites like Choose Chicago and MetroMix could give you insight that the average tourist won't have. For example, in the summertime they have fireworks at the Navy Pier every Wednesday, and Millennium Park has FREE concerts in a state of the art amphitheater.

#3 Purchase Discount Packages for the Main Attractions!

Sightseeing can get expensive, so don't pass up these deals. Through Smart Destinations you can buy a full pass or create your own pass to see the city at a discount. As I mentioned, we didn't want to over-plan, so we purchased the Skydeck, Navy Pier, and an Architectural Cruise for $55 a person. Not only did we save money, we also had instant access to tickets through our phones, and had flexibility to fit the attractions into our schedule with zero constraints. *If you are Military, check with the USO before you purchase because some things are already free! You can also visit the USO on the Navy Pier.

#4 Book Hotels in The Loop.

I kept hearing that it was such a "Big City" and hard to maneuver, so I took out the middle man and decided to stay in The Loop. It was more expensive than staying outside the city, but if you figure in the drive time and stress, then I think it's totally worth it.

We booked a deal through a travel site for The Congress Plaza Hotel, which was the cheapest and also had the cheapest parking rate at $39/night. I never thought I would be okay with $39 dollars a night for parking, but it was still better than the $100 that others charged. The Congress was an older hotel, but had loads of charm and was well maintained. It is directly across from the Buckingham Fountain, so it was the perfect location and had a great view. I actually couldn't believe that we could see the lake from our room.
Pretty badass. 

As sad as we were to leave that view, I had also looked into staying at the W Chicago. It is one of my favorite hotel chains, and since I usually stay there with work, Will had yet to experience it. At $300/night and $60 for parking it is pricey, but sometimes the splurge is totally worth it...But guess what? If you are Military or a member of a Travel Club, then you should definitely check for discounts. We were able to get HALF OFF for our last night in Chicago! That is simply unheard of, but I'll take it.

Just so you know, those lamps are taller than the first floor of the hotel. I realize that they could look like I just used a strange camera angle, but nope, they are that big!

Life isn't about finding yourself. It's about creating yourself.

So yes, it is expensive, but the Holiday Inn Express doesn't open every door for you, there are no granny smith apples and cocktails in the lobby, and there definitely isn't a full gym with touch screen tv's on every treadmill.

Let me tell ya, when you know you are about to eat Chicago Deep Dish Pizza, an extra workout in the gym seems like the best idea EVER. Then we were prepped and ready to round out our trip with a visit to Giordano's, which is arguably the best Deep Dish in town.

The one thing you need to know is that the pizza takes 45 minutes to cook. If you go in there starving you will not be a happy camper. Your best bet is to Pre-order online or Pre-order while you wait for a table. You could also order an appetizer to tide you over, but all I wanted was pizza, so there was no room in my stomach for anything but. All I can say, is that it is DEFINITELY worth the wait. So much so, that I ate myself into a food coma, and I would do it all over again.

To be honest, I could do Chicago all over again. There is so much more that the city has to offer, and I'd even be willing to knock this checklist out aaaaaall over again.

I think it's safe to say that we dominated Chicago and can officially cross it off the bucket list. With that being said, it also means that the vacation recaps have come to an end. I hope you found them enjoyable because I sure did, and thank you for following along.

Everyone have a Tiggerific weekend.

For more reading pleasure, read about our first day at the Skydeck, the second day seeing the city from a different persepective , and don't forget about our Reunion or our time in Ohio. Personally, I think they are enthralling ;)

The Bogerts 'Do' Chicago, Day Two

On our second day in Chicago, we got an early start and headed to the famous Navy Pier.

The pier is pretty much just a tourist mall with lots of fun family-oriented things to do, but it's free to visit, and we had the Go Select Deal that got us tickets for the rides and attractions.

I'll have you know, I dominated at Put Put. I guess my Wii Golf skills are finally paying off or perhaps I was a master of distraction.

Obviously where there is a pier, there are boats, and that's where we set sail  for our Architecture River Cruise. It may sound boring, but there is no way you could have a bad time out on the Chicago River. You feel so small as you glide past the massive buildings, and the history is quite humbling.

At this point, you can bet that our feet were ready for a break, and Divvy Bikes came to the rescue. They have stations all over the city where you can access bikes for 24 hours at only $7. We were seriously ridin' in style. Even if it took me a minute to catch my balance.

Then it was time to get ready for Date Night! It was time to dress up, check out a swanky restaurant, and stay out past dark.

Will found an awesome place called The Gage that advertised "upscale comfort food", and they definitely delivered on that. We loved the ambiance, the service was great, and the food was scrumptious. If you are into "American food with Global influences" {anything from fresh made sausages, fish & chips, and lots of Brie}, then you will be quite impressed.

From there it was a hunt to find the best night skyline view in the city. Everyone had a different suggestion, so we narrowed it down to two. The first was the Roof at The Wit, which Travel and Leisure calls "One of three top rooftop lounges in the world". We agreed that the place seemed fabulous and could see why it turns into a hot spot on the weekends, but short of getting a table on the perimeter, you couldn't see as much as we'd hoped.

 The second suggestion we actually received from our River Tour Guide, and she was on the money. I would never have thought to go hang out in a Holiday Inn lounge, but it was perfect. The aptly named Cityscape Bar sits right on the Chicago River, and gives you a much wider range of view than any other building. Plus the drink specials were a helluva lot cheaper than anywhere else we had been.

We stayed up sufficiently past our bed time, so it was back to the hotel. I may have been wearing a dress, but we still used our bike passes!

Chicago is a magical city, but after seeing it at night, we had a whole new appreciation for it. I can also say that we were comfortable enough to get around at night without feeling like we were going to get jumped. When people try to talk you out of going to Chicago because it's 'dangerous', don't listen to them. Don't miss out on an amazing part of our country because of some misguided fears, which I will follow up with tomorrow.

Ciao for now!