Small things that make me smile ...

There are a ton of tiny things that make me smile on a daily basis.

*Cuddles with my dogs.

*Unexpected phone calls from friends.

*Completing a pass during intramural football.

 *Free samples at the grocery store.

Annnnnnnd ...

*Super sale items!!

I got this cute sleeveless top from The Gap for $8! I also bought a pair of Gap 1969 super lightweight skinny boot jeans in gray for $10! Sorry I don't have a photo of the jeans. I immediately ripped off the tags and wore them out the night I bought them.

Knowing I saved money on quality clothes makes me grin from ear to ear.

What small things make you smile?

My Leather, My Fur, My Nails

So I was introduced to this song today and I am absolutely loving it!

It's so catchy and fun and the video is bizarre and hilarious at the same time. If you like techno or electronica, I'm sure you'll love this too!

                                            Stepdad - My Leather, My Fur, My Nails

Happy Thursday everyone. I hope this leads into a fun and happy Friday for you!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

I know people either love or hate this holiday. I'm indifferent. I don't expect anything extravagant, but I also don't mind receiving cards, candy and gifts!

This year, Adam asked me what I wanted to do. I told him I wanted a surf and turf dinner at home. So we hit up the grocery store over the weekend to pick out our meal.

We came across this cute pre-boxed option in the meat department.

                                        
                                                     Surf and turf dinner for two.

But then we found a better deal on steaks, so we purchased three cuts of ribeye and two lobster tails for about the same price as the pre-boxed option.

We celebrated Saturday night and the weather was not ideal for grilling, but Adam made it work and grilled our steaks and lobsters tails from the comfort of our garage. He also prepared green beans and fried potatoes for our sides. 

                                       
                                         Steaks + seafood = Valentine's meal perfection

After dinner, we enjoyed fro-yo from Menchies -- my absolute favorite! I was so excited when this place opened up just down the street from our house. I absolutely love Yogurtland, but the only time I get to enjoy it is when I visit my family in California. Menchies is the closest thing to Yogurtland and I'm not complaining. It's also delicious.

And to top off our V-Day celebration, Adam just surprised me with one more gift ...

                                                           
                                                               Hello Kitty Cupid!

My friends (and family) know I sorta have an obsession with Hello Kitty. I'm a dork, I know.

Noodlecat happy hour

I've been wanting to hit up Noodlecat's happy hour for quite some time now and finally had the chance Tuesday afternoon.

I met my friend Brandi for some afternoon eats and conversation since we haven't seen each other in a couple months.

To fill you in, Noodlecat's happy hour runs from 3-7 p.m. and 9-11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and all day on Sunday. Specials are $1 Black Label cans, $2 steam buns, $3 draft beer,  $4 house cocktails, $5 half portion noodles, $6 bottles of Hakushika sake and $.70 wings.

We started off ordering the same steam bun ...

                                                               BBQ pork belly -- $2

Holy cow this was amazing. I love pork belly so much we served it at our wedding! I'm actually still thinking about how delicious this was and plan on heading back and ordering several of these yummy buns.

Next up, we ordered the half portion of noodles. Brandi went with the Takahashi ramen (garlic pork broth, shredded Ohio pork, dashi, sesame seeds, nori, crispy garlic and scallions). Sadly, I forgot to take a photo of Brandi's bowl.

I went with the spicy octopus stir fry udon (baby octopus, carrots, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts in a sesame chili paste).

                                                      Spicy octopus stir fry udon -- $5

My udon wasn't as spicy as I'd like, but it was tasty and a good deal for $5.

Next time you're downtown looking for a new place to hit up for happy hour, give Noodlecat a shot. I'm planning another happy hour soon with the hubster to try the wings and other steam bun options. Plus, I love cheap beer! You can't beat $1 afternoon beer!

Preparing for back-to-back weddings

Look at what I received in the mail last week!

A handmade invitation asking me if I would be a part of the lovely Angela's wedding! (My answer was "Duh!")

This year I will be a bridesmaid in two weddings that are just two weeks apart!

My bestie Casey lives in Virginia and she got engaged just a few days after Christmas. Casey and her fiance decided to have the wedding this October and they are nearly finished with their planning! There are only a few minor things left to do, including picking out bridesmaid dresses that will flatter every one in the wedding party.

Two weeks after Casey's big day in Virginia, I will be celebrating Angela's special day in Cleveland. We are in the midst of picking out bridesmaid dresses and Angela has decided to let the bridal party choose whatever style dress each girl wants to wear. (Yes!)

So here is the style that I really like ...

                  Short cotton sateen spaghetti strap dress in sangria at David's Bridal.

And the best part is the dress is only $60! The bride plans on discussing a few things with her sister and maid of honor before giving me the green light to purchase, but I'm really excited to find such a cute dress for such a great deal! Especially since the bride approves!

I'm looking forward to seeing my besties get married later this year. And, for the fun of it, here is one of my favorite photos of me and my bridesmaids the day of my wedding.

From left to right: Blair, Angela, Jacqueline, ME!, Jennifer and Casey. And in case you're curious, all dresses pictured are from J. Crew's wedding collection ... including my wedding gown! (My dress was $200 and my girls' dresses were about $80 after shipping and handling).