Birthday Week

For some reason, in my mind, a birthday isn't just a day, but rather a week [or month]. And this week just so happens to be my [25th] birthday week! My birthday is this Friday, October 26. Officially at 8:44PM, in case you were wondering. And wouldn't you know, I share the day with a fellow blogger!

My birthday week started last Friday, with...

a surprise visit from a good friend who joined the Navy and is currently stationed in Bahrain...and who I haven't seen in just over a year!

a little one enjoying his first hockey game [of the season], a Black Hawks win & letting the now-15-years-old boy I used to babysit drive my car home. He did great by the way!

So he wasn't a big fan of getting his picture taken with Tommy Hawk, but he did give him knucks!

a [few] beers, of course a pizza, great friends and random people, and several laughs at my favorite bar, Smitty's. "This ain't a soup kitchen, dawg!"

Stay tuned for more this birthday week!

TVP's Big Fun Fall Giveaway

The Vintage Pearl is having an AWESOME giveaway right now. I first found out about TVP about two years ago through fellow blogger Ashley. Since then, I’ve purchased a handful of pieces, a few for myself and a few to give as gifts. My favorite piece I own is the lil vintage angel necklace – I had my great grandma’s initials (EMS) handstamped and also purchased one for my aunt Kristi. The newest piece I’m after? She flies with her own wings necklace.. because I’m so independent. Check out their page, enter the giveaway, and leave a comment on here with your favorite piece! Who knows…maybe a lucky reader will receive something special!



My TVP 'lil vintage angel' with grandma's initials.



Hawkeye Hat Trick

Remember that post a few weeks ago about my first Iowa Hawkeye game at Kinnick?

Well, I've hit the Hawkeye Hat Trick. I have now been to not one, not two, but three games this season. How lucky have I been?! Actually, some would say not so. I failed to see a touchdown nor a Hawkeye victory against Iowa State. I witnessed a heartbreaking loss after a couple 'onside' kicks in the final few minutes of the game against Central Michigan. A few people told me I wasn't allowed to go back to Kinnick, and I was starting to believe them. Until a day later, Aimee said they had an extra ticket and asked if I wanted to go that weekend to watch them play Minnesota. Duh, who could say no?! To be honest, I did hesitate, and I was a little worried because Minnesota was coming into Kinnick undefeated. After sweating our butts off and getting a nice sunburn [at the end of September!], I was glad to see my very first Hawkeye VICTORY!

Pay It Forward

Pay it forward. Do something unexpected for a friend or a complete stranger. We’ve all heard stories about being at the grocery store and having a stranger pay for your things, being in a drive-thru and having someone pay for your food, anonymous notes/gifts left in your mailbox or on your door step.

How am I paying it forward? This blog post. How does that work? I am going to send a special gift to 3 people who comment first on my Pay It Forward post. Where did this come from? I recently read the Single Mama's Pay it Forward post and commented that I would love to continue to Pay It Forward.

The rules? Be one of the first 3 people to comment on this post. You need to have a blog and write a similar post to invite your readers to play along within 1 week of commenting on my post. It's that simple!

Please comment even if there are already 3 people, just in case someone can’t follow through. :)