1.  Fruttare Bars.

I have only tried the Banana & Milk flavor so far and it was DIVINE.

2.  Travel insurance is a MUST for absolute peace of mind… especially when making plans for an expensive trip or booking one far in advance.

You can use InsureMy Trip to compare different plans/quotes before making a purchase directly through their website.  They make it super duper easy.  Just click HERE for details.

3.  Duolingo – seriously the best language app EVER!

That is…

Until you make the owl cry. 

4.  50th Street Cafe.

Went to breakfast here this morning and had just a bit of Tony’s pumpkin pancake with cinnamon sugar butter… now I NEED to go back and order my own!  Great atmosphere and wonderful food.  One of my favorites so far.

5.  Here’s another cool language-learning game.

It’s called KLOO and is for the entire family.  Click HERE for their website and HERE to find it on Amazon.

Happy Friday!!!

1.  The Active Family Project.

Click HERE for the “activity finder” to locate a zillion fun family activities in your area.

2.  Boundaries in Dating by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend.  (Just click on the link to the left for details.)

Mandatory reading for our soon-to-be 16 year old son.  We are reading it through together, one chapter at a time.  Good stuff.

3.  Obsessive Chef Cutting Board.

I thought this was adorable.

4.  This Little Soul.

French photographer Anne Wick’s portfolio and blog.  LOVE.  (Click HERE to see for yourself.)

5.  The Buzz Coffee & Cafe.

This Burnsville Cafe is known for their waffles and they have DOZENS of them on their menu (actually more than 35 mouth-watering combinations), everything from sweet to savory.  Tony ordered the Cinnamon Roll (pictured above) and mine was the Crème ‘D Caramel (drizzled with caramel and filled with butterscotch chips)!  Next time I’ll be trying the Pepperjack Bacon (pepperjack cheese, bacon & jalapenos baked inside, topped with butter) or the Hot Mama (cayenne pepper & chocolate chips baked inside, topped with butter) or perhaps the Crantastic! (granola baked inside, topped with cream cheese & cranberry sauce).  Great atmosphere, coffee, and food – we will surely be back!  (Click HERE for the menu, HERE for their website, and HERE to find them on Facebook).

Happy Friday!!!

1.  The Bathroom Diaries.

If you are planning a trip and have a stickler for clean restrooms, this website will become a cherished resource… especially if you’re traveling abroad.

2.  The Power of Starting Something Stupid by Richie Norton.  Awesome, awesome book.  Incredibly motivating.  If you don’t believe me, check out the 60+ five star customer reviews on Amazon.

You will find Richie’s blog a wealth of inspiration as well.  Click HERE to see for yourself!

3.  Triple Play Sports in Prior Lake, Minnesota.

We haven’t had a chance to check this place out yet in person but it’s on our summer fun list!  They offer laser tag, mini golf, and more – sure to be loads of fun for the family.

4.  Loooooove, looooove this top.

Just wish it were within my budget!  (Click HERE to find it on Etsy.)

5.  Ella Umbrella.

With all of the rain we’ve been having lately, I couldn’t help but think a few of these lovely umbrellas would brighten my day.

Happy Friday!!!

1.  The Family Dinner:  Great Ways to Connect with Your Kids, One Meal at a Time.  I shared this awesome, awesome book in a September 2011 post (click HERE for details) but I thought it warranted a repost.

It’s that good.

2.  Huffington Post Family Dinner Download.  As you may have read before (HERE and HERE), I have strong feelings about family mealtime.  Now that our boys are older, I have come to value this face-to-face time even more.  I love hearing there thoughts on global issues, physics, history, and other meaty topics – as they get older, the topics become deeper and more diverse.  But sometimes it’s difficult to get them started… that’s why the Huffington Post Family Dinner Download is so darn tootin’ cool!

Just read an article out loud and use the discussion questions provided to ponder over mealtime.  LOVE IT!!!!

3.  Fresh Strawberry Cake.

We whipped this quick little cake up in no time at all.  And with whole wheat flour, it qualifies as breakfast in this household. 

4.  Breakfast for Dinner.

Nothing quite hits the spot like “brinner” – especially during the summer months!

5.  Meatless Monday.  This website is full of ideas and recipes to help you elimate meat from your diet, one day a week.

Happy Friday!!!

1. A Beautiful Mess app, now in the iTunes store!

My love of pics and love of words… TOGETHER.  LOVE THIS APP!

2.  David Rio Orca Spice Sugar-Free Chai Mix.

I am picky, picky about the flavor of my chai and this ranks right up there with my usual sugar-full brand.

3.  Hot Plate.

Delicious breakfast options, great atmosphere.

4.  Bacon, Peach & Arugula Sandwiches.  A fun twist on the BLT!

SO.VERY.GOOD.  Click HERE for the recipe.

5.  PMS bars.  You could try a make-your-own version HERE or purchase the peanut butter/crushed potato chips/chocolate gems below by clicking HERE.

Happy Friday!!!

1. Bubble Tea from Pham’s Deli.

You’ll find another local fan’s take on their bubble tea HERE.  I am seriously addicted.  Couldn’t even stop sipping for one single pic.

2.   Brown Sugar Coconut Bubble Tea.

Recipe by Pastry Affair (click HERE).

3.  Speaking of Pastry Affair beverage recipes… you must check out this one as well!

Lavendar Lemonade!  Click HERE for details.

4.  This AWESOME series of cookbooks.

I want these:  Not Your Mother’s Fondue, Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Cookbook, and Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Recipes for Entertaining.  Click HERE for more information!

5.  The book Home Made Summer by Yvette van Boven.

Happy Friday!!!

1.  Chobani Flip Greek Yogurt.

Key Lime Crumble (lime yogurt with graham bits & white chocolate chips) has been my favorite so far!

2.  Brave Girls Shoppe Sketchbook.

On sale RIGHT NOW!  (Click HERE for details.)

3.  Zimmermann.  Love the bathing suits.  And summer dresses.  And shorts.

Heck, I pretty much love everything here!

4.  Storyline.

What an awesome, awesome workbook to do with a small group of friends.  Here’s a peek:

Loooooooooove.  Click HERE to learn more!

5.  And along similar lines, the book Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist.

Click HERE to find it on Amazon.

Happy Friday!!!

1.  What Katie Ate.

Love this blog and this book!

2.  This Little Bird Platter from Pier One Imports.

3.  Ever hear of the Pomodoro Technique?

Sounds like the perfect solution for making the most of work and study time!  Click HERE to learn more.

4.  These Spring Piecrust Cutters from Williams-Sonoma.

5.  The Zoku Slush and Shake Maker.

What a super easy way to make a frozen summer treat!

Happy Friday!!!

1.  A new blog for “midstage” parenting… YES!!!!

It’s called Nest & Launch and you can check it out for yourself by clicking HERE.

2.  These adorable pillow covers by Oh Little Rabbit on Etsy:

3.  Love these bottle openers from World Market!

4.  This drink dispenser my favorite of all I’ve seen so far!

Also from World Market (click HERE to find it online).

5.  A great pairing for the drink dispenser would be this book:

Also from World Market (click HERE for details).  Ahhhh, summer longings………………….

Happy Friday!!!

1.  Making Things Happen PowerSheets by Lara Casey.

Coupled with her inspirational e-book (free download HERE) has made me a force to be reckoned with these last couple of days.  She has made a call for a “social media-free weekend” and I am SO on-board.  You can find Lara’s blog HERE, her shop HERE, and Making Things Happen Intensive on Facebook HERE.  Powerful, powerful stuff.

2.   I’m sure this is old news for all of you die-hard Caribou fans, but if you haven’t yet tried the Biscotti Mocha…

Do.

3.  I love this SO.MUCH.

You can find it HERE on Etsy at The Word Within.

4.  Vintage Fondue Pots.

Etsy is filled to the brim with them in all colors and shapes!  (Click HERE to find the one featured above.)  Would love to get my hand on a couple of these!

5.  These books are calling me…

Just click HERE and HERE to find them on Amazon!

Happy Friday!!!

1.  Typo.  Click HERE to find them on Facebook where you will find a link and information about a 30% off coupon under “Shop.”

Though both the MOA store and website have so many bargains, you may find you don’t even need the coupon!  JOURNAL HEAVEN.

2. Emily Ley Simplified Planner.

You will find her store HERE (which is pretty cleaned out at the moment).  Gonna have to keep my eyes on her store come fall!!!

3.  The book Strong Women, Soft Hearts by Paula Rinehart which can be found HERE.

A gal at the retreat recommended and loaned me her signed copy.  If you feel a sense of disappointment in life (this isn’t how you pictured it was going to be) or your life lacks passion (you are doing what you can to simply make it through the day), you will find this to be an incredibly insightful and inspiring read.  LOVE IT!!!

4.  These adorable floral sunglasses at Francesca’s which you can view in detail by clicking HERE.

5.  Firefly.

This show was only on the air for a short time and we recently discovered the series on Netflix and LOVE IT.  There are only 14 episodes and I am already fretting about unfinished storylines!

Happy Friday!!!

1.  The Nutribullet.

OH MY GOODNESS.  We’ve had it for a week and have made at least two dozen smoothies in that time; our entire family has eaten far more fruits and vegetables in one week than we probably do in a typical month.  The thing is POWERFUL, crushing ice and frozen fruit like there is no tomorrow.  (You can even take frozen banana chunks, add a little almond milk and end up with something that looks and tastes like banana ice cream!)  Clean up is a piece of cake and it is single-serve friendly.  Worth every penny.

2.  I have had this book for YEARS but my blender never seemed to cut it.  Literally.

Turns out they have since come out with another edition that looks like this:

And is available HERE on Amazon.  The most amazing recipes and lots of information regarding the health benefits of every ingredient.  Makes a great companion to the Nutribullet!

3.  THIS new iPhone app by Totally Rad!

It’s called PicTapGo! and is available through iTunes.

4.  This wall hook would be perfect in my office:

I’m working on a way to incorporate it along with images from THIS senior session captured last summer.

5.  Irish Coffee Pudding.

I have all of the ingredients on hand for this decadent dessert. Guess what I’ll be whipping up today?

Happy Belated Friday!!!

1.  Cutest iPhone cases EVER.

2.  Craving a unique twist on pizza?  I sampled the Volcano Burger pizza at Goodfellas Bar & Grill last night.

TO.DIE.FOR.  Even better is Umbria Pizza’s rad collection of gourmet pizzas HERE.

3.  I spotted these at World Market yesterday – hazelnut truffles inside a REAL EGGSHELL.

I think our boys will dig them.

4.  Refillable Journals by Jenni Bick.

At the rate I go through them, this is TOTALLY up my alley.

5.  I really, really wanted to share this last week.

LOVE this book and picked it up for a friend’s birthday (didn’t want to spoil the surprise).  I’m thinking about testing out the Lemon Meringue Pies w/Thyme Shortbread Crust at the Everyday Photographer Workshop in April.  

Happy Friday!!!

1.  Nadia Cakes.  I know what you’re thinking… just what I need, another cupcake place.

But they are irresistable!  And the flavor options, too numerous to list.  And the shop decor, so totally adorable.

2.  Lensbaby Composer Pro.

A soon-to-be addition to my camera bag!  Cannot wait to create with it.

3.  Lensbaby:  Bending Your Perspective by Corey Hilz.

I stumbled across this bit of Lensbaby inspiration at Barnes & Noble last weekend.  SO BEAUTIFUL.

4.  King Arthur Flour.

I love their catalog, the recipe index on their website, and especially the scone mixes!!!

5.  Spiced Pear Bread Pudding.

And Cardamom Pear Crisps.

Guess I have autumn on the brain.

Happy Friday!!!

1.  Gourmet Popsicle Shops.  I think we need one of these in Minnesota!

Check out Popbar (Coconut PopGelato, mmmmmmmm) in New York, soon-to-be California, and Indonesia.  Meltdown in New Orleans (Pineapple Basil, mmmmmmmm).  GoodPop in Texas (Banana Cinnamon, mmmmmmmm), and Paletas Betty in Arizona (“Zarzamora” – blackberry/lavendar, mmmmmmmm).

2.  My latest obsession:

Chocolate-covered licorice!  Available in milk or dark chocolate over red licorice AND milk or dark chocolate over black licorice.  I’ve sampled both  the milk over red and black and am totally addicted.  You will find bags like this at Fleet Farm:

Oh and if you are registered for the 2013 Spring Weekend Scrapbooking Retreat, you will find a bag of milk over red in the prize drawing basket!!!

3.  Are you like me and craving a bit of sunshine and warm weather?

Noosa’s Strawberry Rhubarb Yoghurt is like a carton of spring.

4.  I’ve already whined about this all over Facebook.

The GOD + LIFE + PHOTOGRAPHY Retreat.  At the very same location I shared in a 5 Fun Things Friday post little more than a month ago.  Hosted by two inspiring local photographers.  And such a fun, fun thing it’s already FULL! 

5.  Need You Now by Plumb.

LOVE.THIS.SONG.

Happy Friday!!!

1.  Rockstar Diaries.  One of my favorite, favorite bloggy places to visit.

Full of color, love, and food pics that will make you drool.

2.  Bleubird Vintage, another KILLER blog.  Fashion, family, beautiful photography.  I especially love her Sunday’s Cake series.

3.  Cadbury Mini Egg Blondies.

Oh yeah.

4.  This Star Wars Craft book from ModCloth.

My nephew would LOVE THIS!

5.  Kinfolk Magazine.

Food, friends, and beautiful images.  Inspirational on many levels.

Happy Friday!!!

1.  Hammond’s Candies. 

They carry everything from Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich chocolate bars to cocoa/tea stir sticks.  Be sure to check out their “Oops! Candy” section for great deals!

2.  I’m a little bit obessessed with felt balls right now.

Specifically, felt ball GARLAND.  Love.

3.  Golden Edibles.

Chocolate-covered bananas.  And marshmallows.  And Rice Krispies.

4.  Xocolatti.  Specifically, their slates.

The one featured above is the Masala Milk Slate which is made with saffron and cardomom, pistachios and almonds in silky white base.  Yum.

5.  The 125 Best Fondue Recipes by Ilana Simon.

Happy Friday!!!

1. Chobani Bite – Raspberry w/Dark Chocolate Chips.

Even though it’s yogurt, it feels as indulgent as ice cream.

2.  Lincoln.

It’s been out since November but I didn’t see it until last weekend.  Awesome, awesome movie.

3.  Bad James Vintage.

Cutest vintage clothing selection on Etsy.

4.  This sterling ring would make for the perfect gift.  Don’t have to worry about sizing, under $100…

5.  Modcloth Sale Coats & Jackets.

Picked one up myself for $34.99 (70% off!!!); they are going fast but there are some great deals to still be had!

Happy Friday!!!

1.  Craft-a-Day: 365 Simple Handmade Projects by Sarah Goldschadt.

I would eat this book up!

2.  Printstagram.  I love small square prints and it is so difficult finding a place who will make prints that are smaller than 4 inches.  This place does!

Also available are mini albums, stickers, calendars & more!  Total love.

3. Oakdale Carmike Cinema.  Why Oakdale? you might ask.  They make their very own CARAMEL CORN on site.  Yum.

If heading out to Oakdale simply isn’t in the cards, you could pop in a DVD and whip up your own batch of homemade caramel corn using the Food Network recipe link above!

4.  This Wizard of Oz themed birthday party by Bubble and Sweet is THE CUTEST idea I have ever seen!

The farmhouse cake even has a rainbow inside!!  You must check it out… click HERE for a direct link to the post.

5.  Undaunted by Christine Caine.

Incredibly moving book that will inspire you to make a difference in this world!

Happy Friday!!!

1.  White Lace Cakes – Patisserie & Cake Parlour.  My husband Tony spotted the unassuming storefront while out on errands and was sure it would attract my sweet tooth.  We made plans to visit White Lace Cakes over the weekend and oh my goodness was it an experience to behold!

I am a lover of details and this sweet shop is oozing with meaningful, personalized touches.  Flavorful macarons, delicate pastries, French press coffee (their own house blend), and the shop’s delightfully feminine decor makes it the perfect place to meet up with your best friend, sister, or mom.  During our visit, owner and designer Deborah Wright extended a warm and gracious welcome to everyone entering the shop, offering mouthwatering pastry descriptions when anyone asked about the day’s offerings.  While Deborah has been designing wedding cakes for years, the Oakdale shop has only been open since November.  Using only high-quality (and oftentimes imported) ingredients, Deborah creates little works of art that are truly TO DIE FOR.  Her Vintage Teacup Cakes are a perfect example.  They are available by special order and would be so very lovely at a bridal shower or ladies luncheon.  The teacup is to keep, making it a unique keepsake as well.

As far as wedding cakes go, here are a just few of the numerous flavor options:  Pistachio-Cardamon with caramel mousse filling, Apple Butter Spice with ginger buttercream filling, and Dark Chocolate Fudge with clementine marmalade filling.  I may need to order one for our 20th wedding anniversary!

2.  USB Mix Tape. 

Remember the days of mix tapes?  Well, theyyy’rrrre back!  Click HERE to find this uberly cool USB stick on Amazon.

3.  Hoosier Momma Bloody Mary Maker - SPICY variety, of course. 

4.  The Book of Doing by Allison Arden.  I was hooked with the tagline:  Ready to Unlock Your Creativity & Find Your Joy?

You fill find it on Amazon by clicking HERE.

5.  Heart Patches.

Happy Friday!!!