Happy Friday!

Hi there!  I'm thoroughly looking forward to the weekend.  The cooler weather has finally set in around here, so it'll be a windows open, fall candle burning kind of weekend.  

This weekend, I also plan to make up some freezer meals for the colder months, along with a couple of loaves of homemade bread.  Nothing is better than having a meal ready to go after a long day of work.  
 

Last weekend we were in Kansas City for one of Chase's cousin's wedding.  Chase has a huge extended family, so it was a fun time getting together with everyone.  It was a beautiful outdoor wedding, and they could not have asked for better weather for their special day.

We, of course, enjoyed some of the best KC BBQ while we were there, spent Saturday morning shopping with my sister-in-laws and Chase and I ended the weekend running around Lawrence for a bit!  It sure brings back memories of a fun four years returning to that beautiful town and campus. #Rockchalk!

Another bonus from last weekend?  We're still enjoying this welcome tin full of cake pops that Chase's aunt and uncle put together for the guests in the hotel!  There are only two left, but it has been such a nice, sweet treat all week.

We celebrated our two year wedding anniversary on Monday with a great meal at home of grilled filet mignon (can't beat farm fresh beef), garlic mashed potatoes, fresh sweet peas and toasted garlic bread.  For a little something sweet, we had brownies (thank you, mom!) topped with a scope of vanilla bean ice cream.

  It's hard to believe that two years has already passed since our wedding day, but what a great two years it has been!

Thank you for stopping in! I look forward to sharing some fall-themed posts next week because, HELLO FALL!  

Two Years

I have been a little absent from the blog scene lately.  Life has been busy but wonderful, and today, Chase and I are celebrating our two-year wedding anniversary. 

Here's a peak into our special day. 

I am so lucky to call Chase my husband and my partner in life, and I look forward to a lifetime of more anniversaries with this incredible man.

Five Friday Favorites!

1. This week I began shopping for some of the fall birthdays we have in our family.  Chase and I are the only ones in my family of six (soon to be seven with my future sister-in-law joining the fam in May 2016) to have a birthday that doesn’t land during the fall months, and we have three nephews, on his side, with birthdays coming up soon too!  I like getting a head start or at least a good idea of what I plan to purchase.  I sometimes struggle with gift ideas for kids, but I’ve found that checking with the mom helps tons.  Chase and I like to give gifts that will be used and/or are needed rather than something that’ll break within the week or be tossed in the corner in no time.  Getting some ideas from the parents always = a great route to go! 

2. We are loving the veggies we’ve been getting from my mom’s garden.  Every spring and summer she plants a HUGE garden, and we’re lucky to be able to snag some of her excess produce!  I look forward to the day that we have enough room to plant a big garden of our own.  You cannot beat fresh produce. 

3. Speaking of my mom sharing her wonderful produce… We also got our first pumpkin of the season!  She accidentally knocked it off the vine, so she passed it on to us.  Since it is still pretty warm outside, I’m leaving it inside so the sun doesn’t start spoiling it.  But, I do plan to put some on our back patio and some on our front porch once the fall season gets underway.

4. I shared one of our favorite meal recipes yesterday.  The recipe makes so much extra that I’ve been eating leftovers for lunch the past two days.  Chase took the rest in his lunch today too. #perfectleftovers 

5. Chase had the afternoon off from work on Wednesday because of their company requirement to get so many hours of “rest time”.  (He worked during the night on power outages in our area.)  Since we work in different towns and we never get the opportunity to have a lunch date, Chase headed my way and took me out to lunch.

We are off to Denver for the weekend for some QT and a little shopping!

It’s been a great week, and I hope you’ve had one too! 

Thank you for stopping in!  

25 Things About Me for 25 Years

Hi there!  As a newbie blogger, I thought it would be a fun way to further introduce myself with an about me post.  So here we go, I’m sharing 25 things about me for my 25 years of life!

1. I was born in Waco, Texas in February of 1990.

2. My family moved to Kansas in 1995, when my parents decided to relocate their cattle business.  From that point forward I became a Kansas girl, but I’d like to think I still have some southern roots-- primarily when it comes to cooking, baking and entertaining guests.

3. My parents were married in 1976, and they are still going strong!  

4. I am the baby of the family with two older brothers.  I am also the third “Dee” in our family.  My full name is Laura Dee Vaughn (Sweet).  My dad is Robbie Dee Sweet Jr., and his dad was the Sr.  We plan to keep “Dee” going with one of our kids too!

5. I was raised on a working farm and cattle ranch both in Texas and Kansas.  My parents own and operate a Holstein growing facility, which they expanded upon our move to Kansas.  Growing up I didn’t appreciate the peacefulness of country living, but now I completely do.

6. Both of my siblings and I are graduates of the University of Kansas (Rock Chalk!).

7. My husband, Chase and I are high school sweethearts.  We’ve been together for nine years and almost married for two!  Our anniversary is September 28.  Our first “date” was Halloween, junior year of high school, and we watched a movie in his parent’s basement. (#typicalhighschooldate)

8. Sweet tea is always the way to go.

9. I am an avid google searcher.  Anytime I don’t know the answer to something or want more facts about a topic, I begin my search.  Chase is the same way also.

10. Chase is the funniest person I know.  I LOVE when I get HIM hysterically laughing because so much of my time is spent smiling because of him.

11. I watch reality TV (Housewives, Flipping Out, Keeping Up With the Kardashians) and binge watch Netflix (Orange is the New Black, Parenthood and now a fan of Greys Anatomy and Scandal).

12. Watching my husband around our nieces and nephews makes my heart flutter and thoroughly look forward to the day we add a +1 to our little family.

13. I’m not a coffee drinker, but I do like the occasional iced coffee or hot drink.

14. I love to cook, bake, try new recipes for both food and home products, entertain, DIY and tend to our home.

15. I enjoy almost all music, but 95% of the time, you will hear me listening to rap while I'm in my car.

16. I took eight years of piano lessons growing up (I was decent at the time) but today can only play a few notes and Chopsticks.

17. I could eat Tex-Mex food every day.  But, I don't think you can beat a good southern comfort meal.

18. We enjoy traveling, even if it is just running to Colorado for the weekend, a spontaneous road trip or a planned extended vacation, but nothing ever beats getting back home.

19. I have a journalism degree (strategic communications: advertising and public relations) from KU, but I don’t work in that field.

20. I wish I was more artistic.

21. I converted Chase to KU basketball but now he’s the main person in the household to get worked up during games.

22. We have a golden retriever named Maci, and she fits so well into our family.  Tied perfectly around her neck, Maci is who carried my engagement ring to me the night Chase proposed.

23. I would love to open a bakery/farm-to-table small restaurant but our area is limited for success in that area.

24. I love decorating for holidays, and I love our little home, but I do look forward to the day we have more space.

25. I could not imagine doing life alongside anyone other than Chase, and I love the life we’re building together.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know a little more about me, and maybe we have some things in common! 

For my next post, I’m sharing one of our favorite week night meals-- a Tex-Mex pasta dish!  It's simple and can easily be made for a family of two or ten!