Initially, I was trying to find someplace nearby that served those extreme Bloody Mary’s! You know, those crazy looking things with an entire meal on a skewer? I wasn’t having any luck, so I had to change course pretty quick. Still on the lookout for an extreme Bloody Mary somewhere nearby! There’s plenty a few hours away and I’m sure we’ll get there at some point, but it would be nice to have one within an hour or so.

We began the day at Christine’s house where we started our morning off right with mimosas…errr…prossecosas (yes, making words up again) – Prosecco instead of Champaign! Don’t judge – we love mimosas. And Marys! And, well, cocktails and shots and wine, oh my!

You know what else we love? Beer! And there will be some of that later

Ohio Makers & Shakers Event

After our mimosas and a wee bit of conversation, the gals and I headed out to the event center at Cherry Valley Lodge for an Ohio Makers and Shakers shopping event that I’d found on Facebook. Do you guys do that? Find events on Facebook to attend? I use that feature all the time to find new and interesting things I’d otherwise not know about.

There wasn’t a ton of details listed, so we weren’t sure how many vendors were going to be there. The FB description claimed ‘dozens’ which could have meant anything from 24 to 72!

All we knew is that it was sponsored by The Window Guy & Co., Backwoods Fest and Ivory Barn, so we figured we’d give it a shot. And, the $2 admission seemed like quite the bargain – what else you getting for $2 bucks these days. Not a gallon of gas, let me tell ya! In my neck of the woods, it’s currently double that! Grrrr!!!

Anywho, the vendors were spaced out very nicely and you didn’t remotely feel like you were on top of one another while you were walking around. Of course, we got there early and it wasn’t very crowded at all.

I didn’t count, but my guess is there weren’t more than about 20 vendors there. It literally didn’t take us an hour to walk through. The other negative was there wasn’t a lot of product variety. For example, there were about 5 different vendors selling cups. They were all nice, certainly, but it would have been great to have a little more of a product mix. Of course, I did manage to find a few vendors to purchase from and one whose card I took for later.

Rock Woodworks – The gentleman from Rock Woodworks is a woodworker who creates stunning works of art such as cutting boards, serving boards and some home decor items. The magnificent craftsmanship is evident the moment you look and touch the products. These would make superb gift ideas and I’m keeping this in the back of my mind for the upcoming holidays. I LOVE being able to give one-of-a-kind gifts that CAN’T be bought at a big box store!

Mama Made Threads – About a year ago, the significant other impulsively bought a camper from a friend. Something straight outta the 70s. Seriously, the interior is currently covered in the orange and brown from that era. I feel like I should be wearing bell bottoms to even enter.

We’ve just starting working on the camper to get it ready to roll. It needs all sorts of stuff done – not just inside the camper. Under the hood, too! Of course, the interior is what I think about. I’ll leave the under the hood stuff to the beau

As I was roaming around the event, I spotted Mama Made Threads and all this adorable camping stuff. I walked away with a great t-shirt and cute towel for the camper. Of course, her stuff isn’t all about camping – that’s just what caught my eye. Be sure to give her a peek and see what you can find.

MS Aromatherapy – All four of us girls ended up purchasing wax melts that literally smelled aaah-may-zing! Heidi and I got Strawberry Guava, Christine got Fruity Loops (identical to the cereal, I tell ya) and Jules got Champagne Toast. Take a peek at what she has to offer – because everything smells fantastic!

Honestly, we all love supporting small business when we’re able. Do you guys support local?

According to the card I picked up when I walked in the door, there’s another event scheduled for December 3rd back out at the Event Center at Cherry Valley. Mark your calendars now for some shopping fun later on!

If you go, take a page out of our book and make a day of it by hitting some local breweries when the shopping day is done.

The Breweries

Trek

Trek was literally a few miles away from Cherry Valley, so we arrived there pretty early in the day. I think there were two other cars in the parking lot and, when we walked in, I think I saw one other table of folks having a few brews.

The gals and I took a seat in the bar area. Christine, Jules and I all ordered a Cream Ale, which would probably be considered the most similar to your average domestic beer. Think Budweiser, Coors and such. Heidi ordered a pale ale which had a few more sour notes than the ones we had.

She wasn’t a giant fan, but as she said, ‘There’s no wasting beer. I’ll drink it.” And so she did! Almost as good as the ‘there’s no crying in baseball’ line, no?

We were a tiny bit peckish so I ended up ordering a Tot appetizer, topped with cheese and bacon just to hold us over. It was a perfectly acceptable dish – nothing earth shattering, but it certainly filled the void in my tummy! We polished it off pretty quickly. We girls do know how to eat, after all

Stein Brewing Company

It took a little while for the GPS to get us here, not because it was far away, but there were a bunch of road closures and work going on in downtown Newark. We were confused, the GPS was confused, but eventually we made it. And I’m so very glad we did.

Stein is located in an older, industrial looking building that’s been repurposed! I LOVE it when that happens! We later learned they’ve only been open at this location for a few months, but they do have another spot in Mount Vernon that’s been around since 2017. I’m putting that one on our TO IT list, too

You know me, I had to indulge in some selfie love before heading inside.

We finally made our way in and the atmosphere was fabulous – lots of woods and metals – a very industrial feel. There was outdoor seating, as well, but we opted for the indoor experience.

The waitress popped over and explained the wall of beer we’d been eyeballing since the second we walked in the door! Yes, yes, you heard me…wall of beer.

Let me say it again! Louder this time!

WALL OF BEER!

I kid you not, there had to be over 30 taps lined up along a wall in the center of the restaurant. We were each handed a card to swipe for our brews. It was like your very own beer debit card! How frickin’ cool is that! Not a lush over here – I promise! I just like all things unique

The options were a full glass of any beer OR you could opt for a flight in order to sample different beers from the wall of beer (I love saying that). Basically, you just swiped your card and poured your brew.

OMG – it was kind of awesome if I’m being completely honest! I was a bit giddy! I love fun, interactive things

Heidi, Teeny and I all chose to go with the flight so we could get our hands on different beers. My absolute favorite was one called Orange Cream – it was literally like drinking an Orange Crush. Tasted nothing like beer! I ended up drinking my flight and going and getting a full glass of that delectable nectar.

I would go back to Stein just for that particular blend. Soooo good!

For lunch, Julie chose the meatloaf sandwich, Heidi and I split the buffalo chicken dip appetizer and nachos and Christine went for brussel sprouts and tenders. We were all pretty impressed with the food.

What was even better was that appetizers and the WALL OF BEER was 1/2 price. Happy Hour and all! My meal with a flight, glass of the Orange Dream, errr…Cream and the Buffalo Chicken Dip (I paid for one and Heidi took the other) was around $13 bucks. Really? If it wasn’t so far away, I’d make this a weekly stop!

I’m so sorry to say I don’t have too many decent pics from this point forward, because as I was snapping them, I proceeded to drop my phone directly into the buffalo chicken dip! Yes, yes, I did it!

Still SMH and rolling my eyes over here 3 days later!

I yanked it out quickly, but it was covered in that thick, gooey buffalo chicken dip. I rapidly began wiping everything off, but the dip had gotten everywhere. In every tiny little crevice of my poor phone! I tried snapping a few pics afterwards, but they were pretty blurry. Once we made it back to Christine’s place, I ended up having to immerse phone in rice, pop something out of the charging port and later that night, if FINALLY began charging and working correctly again.

I need a new phone anyway, so maybe I’ll put that on the list soon!

Overall, though, Stein was simply SUPERB and I think all of us would visit again if we were in the area. Or maybe even if we’re not! It’s that good

After our last ladie’s night out, it was good to have some great food this time around!

Dankhouse

After we left Stein, we popped by another one on our list, but we didn’t stay too long at all. It was starting to cool down pretty quickly and we weren’t really prepared for sitting outside.

Dankhouse was a really funky little place with artwork and graffiti all over the walls.

The best area was outside, where they had a large spot with a fire pit, cornhole games, lots of picnic tables and two food trucks that appeared to be permanent to the space.

Heidi and I had a quick little glass of beer before we all headed home. We didn’t hang out long, but this one could be a fun place to come hang out again when it’s warmer.

Although it was a pretty quiet and tame girls’ day, we had fun, enjoyed one aother’s company, made new memories and experienced new things. Isn’t that what life is all about?

Until next time, make plans with your friends and go experience all life has to offer. Remember that life is short and tomorrow isn’t promised!

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With the Kentucky Derby 2022 being just a day away, I thought it would be the perfect time to toss it back to Kentucky Derby Day with the Girls, circa 2017. Yep – I’m tossing it WAY on back – 5 years ago, to be exact! To this day, this is ONE of my all-time favorite girls’ day events ever.

Why? Well, let’s see!

• Dressing up in our finest frocks befitting of the Kentucky Derby
• Hats (need I say more)
• Besties
• Presents
• Food
• Alcohol

So, if you’re interested in putting together your very own Kentucky Derby celebration, ours went something like this.

Pre-Kentucky Derby Day Picture Time

If you’ve been following along with the girls and I, you know I have an affinity, errrr…slight obsession with snapping pictures of our events. I’m just a big believer in documenting the memories you share with your people.

I see a lot of folks take pictures of things and places (nothing wrong with that), but they’re never in ANY of those pics. That doesn’t work, does it? You have to make sure you’re in at least some of the shots you get of the amazing places you go. Okay? Don’t just be a spectator – be a participant, too

So, get yourself gussied up whether you’re going out or staying at home so you’ll be celebrating the Derby in true Kentucky Derby style. Take lots of pics so you’ll always have those memories to look back on. Trust me, the older you get, the quicker that memory fades Eeek!!!

Derby Day Birthday Celebration

Before we headed out for the Kentucky Derby, we celebrated Heidi’s birthday with a few gifts from her girlfriends.

I picked up a beautiful glass bird bath with Heidi’s favorite thing in the world on it – her beloved flip flops. As a reminder, this girl will wear the flops all winter long unless you tell her to stop – she loves them THAT much. Seriously!!

I don’t think she ever actually USED it as a bird bath; instead it’s been used as table decor during the summer months. I’ve also seen it on adorning her counter. Heck, I think I’ve seen it filled with snacks, too. You just never know where that thing might make an appearance.

She also received some sort of liquor and new bras (I’m not sharing THAT shot) and lots of other fun goodies.

The girls and I always take the time to celebrate each other on our special day. After all, the older we get, the less of those days we’re going to have. I mean, the great heart attack of 22′ almost ensured that I had my last one in 2021!

Barrel & Boar

The Kentucky Derby event at Barrel & Boar was nothing too fancy, but just fabulous enough for us! Heck, 5 years ago when this all went down, their only location was in Gahanna, OH, which worked out great for us. Nowadays, they have other locations in Westerville and Newark.

We ate and drank and watched the derby! Some of you may be wondering if you have to be a BIG racing fan to enjoy the Derby. That’s an unequivocol no from us gals – who are definitely not into the entire racing deal. Basically, we peeked up long enough to watch the main event and see who crossed the line 1st! For your reference, it was Always Dreaming, and yes, I looked that up

What? Like I’m going to remember that!

It’s truly difficult to believe our Kentucky Derby day with the girls was 5 years ago. What’s even crazier is thinking about the 60 or so girls’ days that have come since.

There’s been the wine trail and apple picking and Friendsgiving and so many more. Since we each plan 3 a year, the activities always vary, which makes it so interesting, often unexpected and truly fun.

So, go ahead and get your own girls’ day on the books. Plan something big or plan something small. It doesn’t matter. All that really matters is the time you spend with one another. As you know, life is short and tomorrow isn’t promised!

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Porchtime

The ladies drove my way this time around since our activities were on my side of town. Yay! No driving for this girl Since we had some time before our dinner reservation, we began, as we often do, by enjoying an adult beverage – just a few beers this time around. Even better, though, is that we got to do a little ‘porchtime’ before dinner.

It’s been rather chilly here in Ohio, but the weather had FINALLY cooperated and made its way into the 70s! Yay – no more being forced, as we have been all winter, to hibernate inside. I’m extremely blessed to have an old-timey front porch that’s ideal for sitting a spell – which is exactly what we did. Well, maybe. How long is a spell exactly?

Laughter, giggles and conversation ensued, followed by…you guessed it – a quick pic for posterity.

Dinner with the Girls at Cecil & Lime

Hmmm! Where to start here? I guess I’ll start with the fact that there were some very definite hits and misses this time around.

Christine received a recommendation to visit Cecil and Lime, a semi-upscale restaurant in nearby Springfield, Ohio. She called ahead and made reservations so we were all set for dinner.

Upon arrival, an attentive host seated us immediately at a lovely, private table in the back corner where we could converse without interruption. Even better, we had an unobstructed view of the gorgeous baby grand piano.

We ordered drinks from an affable waiter with a great personality. Teeny and I went with wine (white for her and red for me), Heidi with her expected Bloody Mary and Jules snagged herself a beer. The drinks were all fine, but Heidi’s Bloody Mary was pretty small – 6 ounces, maybe!

We perused the menu and of course, all items were a la carte, as they often are in more upscale dining establishments.

To start, Heidi decided to order a bruschetta appetizer. My picture game was off this time around, so I didn’t manage to snap a pic. Little slices of untoasted or extremely lightly toasted bread (without oil or garlic) were brought on a plate , along with some sort of tomato concoction. The bread isn’t what I’d have classified as ‘bruschetta’ bread and the tomatoes were SOOOOOO sweet they reminded all of us of stewed tomatoes. Although we did nibble a bit, none of us were thoroughly impressed. Certainly not like any bruschetta (real bruschetta) we’d ever eaten. Shouldn’t the bread be a bit crunchy? That’s the way I’ve always had it, so…I’m not sure WHAT we had.

Heidi and Christine went with a wedge salad and Jules chose a classic caeser. There were only 3 dressing choices, so Heidi and Teeny opted for the peppercorn, which they weren’t initially too thrilled about. They both ended up liking it just fine, though.

For the main course, Julie chose a tri-tip special, but didn’t order any sides. I’m not sure if she realized they were separate, but the tri-tip was served on a small white plate with 3 little pieces of the beef. Although Julie did like the taste, the plate looked exceptionally bare and unappetizing when it was served. But, she DID get exactly what she ordered.

On the other hand, Heidi didn’t get a main dish; instead she ordered a side of au gratin potatoes, which were actually quite tasty. Like Julie’s tri-tip, it was just another odd presentation for a nicer restaurant.

Christine got the prime rib and au gratin potatoes. She wasn’t too impressed upon the initial presentation of the plate, but taste-wise, it turned out okay for her.

I chose the chicken marsala and, weirdly enough, the au gratin potatoes. The other available sides just weren’t calling to me

Now, I’ve eaten chicken marsala numerous times in my life. I’ve made chicken marsala a few times, too. It’s a dish I’ve always generally enjoyed.

I’m not quite sure what was different about this particular chicken marsala, but it just was not appetizing at all. The other ladies tried it and they ALL felt the same. I think the word I’m looking for here is off-putting. I don’t know if there was too much marsala, too little marsala or something else. It was a nope, nope and a big ole’ nope from me, that’s for sure.

Julie is the only one who decided to give dessert a try. It was classified as a lemon meringue cake, served on a berry reduction of some sort. Jules was kind enough to share the cake with me, so…I got some yummy lemony goodness too.

For me, it almost served as a palate cleanser, after my strange-tasting chicken marsala! The cake tasted just fine, but did remind both of us of one of those frozen cakes you’d find at the supermarket.

What was also slightly disappointing was that we didn’t even get to hear that piano at any point while we were there. I’m sorry to say I definitely wouldn’t return for dinner and I’m pretty certain the other gals wouldn’t give it another shot either.

Girls’ Night at the Elks

So, after dinner (and in desperate need of a drink), we stopped by the Elks Lodge to celebrate a birthday. Our friend and Christine’s co-worker, Mike, had invited us to stop by. Christine introduced us to Mike last year when we spent one of our girls’ days fishing on his boat.

It was the first time at this particular Elks for the girls and I and let me tell you, it was a really nice spot. There were numerous buildings, a pool and around the back a beautiful patio right on the golf course. Seriously, I need to be a member here.

We met some fabulous new folks and enjoyed buckets of beer and shots. Oooooh…and speak of shots – these were some of the BEST shots I’ve literally ever had. The first one (which we had two of) was some sort of pink starburst concoction that just went down so smooth. The other one was, get ready for it, a pineapple upside down cake shot. Are you flippin’ kidding me? OMG! It was absolutely TO DIE FOR I WILL be figuring out what goes into making those things and when I find out, I will share them with you.

Great conversation with our new acquaintances, laughter and yes, even more pictures, ensued. The birthday boy even got to enjoy a little cake on his special day.

It turned out to be a great evening and perfect first girls’ day back since my heart attack. On the plus side, we’ve got at least 8 more ladies nights to look forward to in 2022.

Until next time, plan something with a friend, whether it’s an all day adventure or a quick lunch to catch up. Remember, life is short and tomorrow isn’t promised.

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Candle Making

We all met at The Chandler in Grove City, Ohio where I pre-scheduled our appointments for candle pouring. Fun, right? None of us had been before and we were all pretty impressed with the modern feel of the space. A large wooden counter took up a big portion of the area and served as the ideal spot for guests to relax and get their candle pouring on. The only thing that MIGHT have made the experience better is if we’d have been able to bring our own cocktails in But, that’s me being extremely selfish, mind you What? You know the gals and I like our cocktails – remember the Three Rivers Wine Trail? How about Friendsgiving with the Besties? Hmmm?

Directly across from the counter was a wall filled from floor to ceiling with candle containers in varying styles! The empty vessels came in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Heidi, Jules and I all went with the traditional round candle, while Teeny opted to be a little different and go with the modern looking square one.

In addition to the vessels, the wall was filled with amazing scents to tempt (and maybe slightly overload) our olfactory senses!

When we initially arrived we were all given clipboards and told to choose a vessel and mark down 5 scents that we liked. Of course, it took FOREVER to decide which scents tickled our…ummm…nose buds?

Once we made our choices, we sat at the candle bar and waited while they got the supplies ready to go. The employee at The Chandler walked us through the entire process and waited while we each added our scents and completed our candle pour.

After we finished our candles, we left them at The Chandler (you have to let them set for a few hours) and moved on to the next part of our girls day adventure – a lovely picnic in the park. Side note – we went back after the picnic to pick-up our finished candles. Easy peasy.

I definitely enjoyed candle making with my besties and would highly recommend that you grab your own group of gal pals and give it a shot. If you’re not local, take a peek around your area to see if you have a DIY candle spot, too. If not, pick up some supplies, google some instructions and give it a try at home! Remember, it’s all about enjoying the experiences TOGETHER.

Picnicking in the Park

After our candle making adventure, I planned a trip to nearby Scioto Grove Metro Park. The park wasn’t too crowded when we arrived and after driving around a bit, we found the perfect picnic spot with a large tree and nearby picnic table.

Of course, I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t force the gals into some snaps underneath that big ole’ tree Every girls day, let me tell ya’!

I simply adore picnics, don’t you? People don’t take time to enjoy them enough, methinks! What could be better than packing up some great nosh, finding a spot in your favorite park and spending some time with your partners in crime enjoying the best nature has to offer? Seriously folks – plan yourself a picnic this year!

Anyways, back to our picnic in the park. I spent the week before girls day getting all of my picnic paraphernalia together. Since we were so early into the COVID battle, I made individual boxed lunches for the ladies, complete with pre-packaged silverware, wrapped sandwiches (I love those) and other accoutrements.

Our girls’ day picnic started with me passing out individual charcuterie platters with cheese, crackers, hummus, olives and my personal fav – fig jam! I served them on these amazing mini slate platters that I absolutely adore and use often for gatherings.

I found the recipes for my entire sandwich over on Cooking for my Soul. It consisted of a delicious turkey and arugula sandwich served on the tastiest Rosemary focaccia I’ve EVER had. These super-tasty sammys were topped with a lip-smacking sundried tomato pesto.

The sundried tomato pesto recipe has become a staple in my household. I make it often, especially in the summer when I have fresh basil growing so abundantly. It’s simply adored at my house and I can’t stress enough how much you NEED to try this! I almost always have a mason jar full of this in my fridge

My first side was a tasty Green Goddess Pasta Salad I found over at The Cookie Rookie. Not only did it look bright and springy (we eat with our eyes, you know), it tasted pretty fab too.

I finished up the main course with a lovely Watermelon Feta Salad from Curry Trail. Not a combination I would have thought worked, but it certainly did. I think it was Julie’s favorite of the entire day. In fact, I think I gave her the recipe a few days later!

To end the great meal, we had Margarita cupcakes from Budget Earth! Gotta get a little boozy with it now and then, right? You know how my best friends and I LOVE our cockytails

And speak of boozy, we had some Lemonade Prosecco Punch, courtesy of Crazy for Crust, that I made up ahead of time! Sssh, though…I don’t think we were SUPPOSED to have them in the park! We’re such rule breakers! I served them in my adorable mason jars with red and white striped straws. So on-point if I do say so myself.

After our lovely lunch, we took a walk around the park, snapped a few more selfies and really just enjoyed being out and about! Little did we know what would be coming down the horizon over the next few years!

DQ Baby

After candle making and picnicking, it was time for a DQ cone in memory of Christine’s beautiful sister, Lisa, who had passed away 9 years prior. Lisa totally delighted in her DQ, so every year Christine makes it a point to have a cone in honor of her sister Such a simple, thoughtful and loving tribute that we’re honored to have been a part of.

Speaking of cones, I prefer chocolate ones dipped in chocolate! How about you guys? Chocolate or vanilla? Dipped or not dipped?

Yet again, the girls and I had another amazing girls’ day. From candle making with my besties to our picnic in the park to the most touching of ice cream cones, we spent a wonderful day together. Laughing, talking and making the most amazing memories.

Until next time, grab your besties and plan your own girls’ day adventure. Take pictures, document the day, but most of all, live the experience and be IN the moment. As you know, life is short and tomorrow isn’t promised.

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A Shot a Day…

Well, none of us actually takes a shot a day (at least I don’t think we do), and I don’t think it would keep the doctor away, but…we do like our shots now and again, thank you very much

A while back I saw these fun little Valentine shooters on a FB post from Delish. I saved them and, as is par for the course, it took me a few years to get them on the books for one of my events. AKA, previously a procrastination girl, but no more!

Anyways, the Chocolate Covered Strawberry Shooters were definitely worth waiting for I did tweak the recipe a bit – no white chocolate liqueur at the liquor store, so I substituted Creme de Cacao instead at the urging of the liquor store guy! I assume it would have been tastier with the white chocolate liqueur, but ours were pretty darn good too! I’d definitely make them again. Perfect V-Day treat as far as I’m concerned. Candy? Who needs candy?

Off to Otherworld

Like everyone else, we’d been hearing about Otherworld for a few years and, in fact, had a trip planned to visit right around the time COVID originally hit. Of course, that particular adventure at Otherworld was cancelled and it took us nearly two years to get it rescheduled.

We headed off to Otherworld after the nummy shots at Christine’s place. We did have a specific entry time, as we had to purchase timed tickets ahead of our visit. While I fully understand the whole COVID restrictions situation, I’m sorry to say I fail to really see how timed entry helps, other than boatloads of people not lining up for tickets at one time. In my opinion, timed entry would only help if there was also a timed exit, i.e. 2-3 hour visit and then leave. Instead, you’ve got people staying in for a LONG time and some for a short time! I just don’t understand how the timed entry is that beneficial, because it was packed when we were there!

Anywho…I digress! Otherworld is certainly unique and one of those places everyone should visit at least once. Although ours was a girls’ day situation, this would be a great spot to take the kids and let them roam around! So much to see! Think of a combination art museum and an interactive art installation and you’ll be somewhere in the ballpark of the Otherworld experience. Upon arrival, you slowly follow the path (though you can kind of go any direction you choose) through room after room of interesting and unique installations – some are quite obvious and others are extremely interpretive and subjective.

Each little room or exhibit had its own personality…I mean I sort of got a Star Trek kind of vibe with this one…Beam me Up, Scotty? Eek…wouldn’t it have been something if we WOULD have been beamed somewhere else…like a beach in the tropics A girl can dream, right? I told you there would be adventure at Otherworld

The tree area was kind of fun and, if you’re as old as I am, a bit reminiscent of the talking tree from downtown Lazarus. Man, I’m REALLY showing my age here. But c’mon…how many of you remember that amazing taking tree at Lazarus! Hell, how many of you remember Lazarus for that matter?

That tree is so iconic it has its own Facebook page. This exhibit sort of reminded me of the tree, but honestly, it wasn’t nearly as sensational. That damn talking tree was in a league of its very own.

As we continued our adventure at Otherworld, we saw lots of fun stuff. This next area we hit was a little alienesque or movie-proppy! I’m not really sure what we were looking at, but eyeballs definitely came to mind!

Next up was this unique area that was very optical-illusiony Yep – one of my oft made-up words – illusiony! Hush, I like it. Maybe I’ll make it into Webster’s dictionary someday with one of my words! Mirrors, funky lighting and poles made up this cool spot that made for an excellent photo backdrop.

We continued through the Otherworld maze and made a quick stop in a quaint little purple paradise! Basically, we were distracted by the pretty flowers on the wall!

Strands and strands of beads and lights dangled from the ceiling in the next area, where you had to make your way through to the other end. Almost felt like being in a one-of-a-kind nightclub! See…I head straight toward the cocktails, let me tell ya! Now, if I’d have been walking through these things with a cocktail in my hand, we’d have surely had an adventure at Otherworld! My guess is the other patrons would have, as well

Next up, we hit the strange bull/cow creature. It reminded me of some sort of ancient idol that required a sacrifice or something. He was totally interactive, as you had to push buttons in the right order to get him to change colors. It took a few groups of folks coming through to get em’ pushed in the right order.

There was also a fun little section with these light-up hanging swings, which we all enjoyed. I mean…who doesn’t enjoy a swing – no matter how old you are. I guess nowadays I like a more relaxed swinging situation as opposed to the ‘let’s see how high I can go’ from when I was younger. Of course, if I could still get over the top of that swing set, I’d absolutely go for it!

About halfway through our visit at Otherworld, the ladies and I headed off to the snack bar area where we each grabbed a brew and sat down for a wee bit of relaxation. Not sure if we needed a quick rest or if we really needed a quick brew I’m inclined to think it was the later.

After our quick respite, we headed back into the magical and psychedelic rooms of Otherworld.

Heidi and I had fun in this weird, old-timey mannequin room! These guys were a bit over the top and reminded me of something you’d see in an old Punch and Judy puppet show.

We popped a quick squat in the Victorian Hall of Mirrors! We’re old and need to relax a bit. Might have been better if we’d been sipping a brandy or something, but again I’m digressing into the thought of cocktails

There were lots of other sights throughout the day that I grabbed snaps of!

If you have a chance, you should definitely put an adventure at Otherworld on your to-do list! Whether you go with your gal pals or take the family and the littles, it’s a fun adventure that will fill an hour or two of your afternoon! And, at a $25 price tag, it’s pretty affordable, which is a rarity these days.

FADO IRISH PUB

The atmosphere was nice – just what you’d think in Irish pub might be like! Unfortunately, the music inside the restaurant was quite loud and really didn’t allow us the conversation that we typically like – I mean, we all have lots to talk about and we can’t have overbearing music mucking up the conversation portion of the day

Heidi and I, as usual, chose to go with our favorite – the classic Bloody Mary! Which, I might add, were EXCELLENT. Would definitely recommend a Bloody Mary at Fado anytime you visit. I’d give it a 4 out of 5 on the Bloody Mary rating scale! Julie had some sort of blackberry mule, which she seemed to enjoy, as well. Our Teeny just stuck with water this time around

Food wise, we started off with a yummy, yummy appetizer of Cheese Dip & Wedges. OMG! Yum, yum and another big yum! Please try these if you visit – they were amazing!

For our entrees, three of us went with the traditional fish and chips, which were pretty tasty. Christine chose a Chicken Boxty Quesadilla, which in her mind was so-so and a light salad.

We hung out for a bit, enjoying dinner and attempting to converse over the music! I think most of us would visit Fado again, but it’s definitely not the spot to visit if you’re looking to hold intimate conversations with your pals.

Regardless, we enjoyed our time together, completing yet another great girls’ day! After my March 12 experience, I can honestly say these moments mean more to me than ever.

There really is only so much time and I can’t wait to fill my calendar with amazing girls’ days with my besties, family time with my loved ones, vacations, travel, new experiences and everything else this amazing life has to offer.

Until next time, go make memories and enjoy everything. Life is, after all, a remarkably short moment in time to waste!

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Christine recently had new flooring installed and in order to protect her beloved new LVT, she provided us girls with the cutest OSU socks when we arrived. Perfect for roaming the house in comfort and style AND protecting her beautiful new floors. Plus, we snagged ourselves a new accessory to add to our already overflowing collection of Buckeye garb! Little Mrs. Buckeye also handed out some adorbs temporary tattoos, errrr….stickers…for added facial sparkle.

The house itself was all decked out in its OSU finest, from posted O-H signs to warm, cozy blankets perfect for snuggling with during the game. Teeny used old football jerseys draped over the back of the dining chairs as additional decor! Great idea and reuse of existing items. So creative is our Teeny!

We all brought little gifts to our favorite hostess with the mostess! Julie gave her an adorable OSU candy dispenser, I picked out two OSU shot glasses and a fun flashlight that projects OSU symbols on the wall and Heidi went with the fall theme with a cute little bucket filled with an autumn tea towel and adorable little gnome! Just a little something to say thanks for having us!

Christine prepared a wonderful spread, including a tasty sausage dip with tortillas, chicken tenders from Canes, homemade pasta salad made with block O pasta and cheese & crackers. For a tasty sweet ending, we had a selection of cookies and, of course, Buckeyes, which Julie quite enjoyed. I know at one point I looked over and I swear she had the leaning tower of cookies, topped with a chocolate and peanut butter Buckeye roof! Girl was all over the delectable treats

We started the evening off with fun, fall-flavored Jello shots Christine discovered at Sam’s Club. Flavors included pumpkin, cinnamon, apple cider and candy cane. The 25% alcohol content made them a tad potent!

The overall verdict amongst the girls was they were passable, but some of the flavors were a bit overpowering. The cups themselves were like pudding cups, so they were a little tough to navigate We’re not Gene Simmons over here, okay

Before we even had the chance to sit down and watch the game, our beloved Buckeyes had already scored! TD baby!

That prompted us to get our asses in gear, get cozy and watch the game. As is often the case, I yelled at the TV, Teeny and Jules chatted and Heidi calmly watched the game!

As the evening progressed, it became pretty evident that we had a win in the bag! Yay us! So, picture-taking, laughter and typical girls’ day shenanigans ensued.

Christine had everyone performing for her pleasure – there were speech recitations and Rockette kicks – thank heavens I hadn’t had too many shots and didn’t fall on my arse when trying to do those

The Shots

There were the individual shots!

There were the double shots!

There were the fuzzy hat shots!

There were the alcohol shots!

Apple Pie Baileys, to be exact! OMG! So yummy as a shot, but there are tons of fabulous cocktails you could also create! If you haven’t sampled this, I urge you to grab a bottle the next time you’re out! YUMMY!

The Baileys official site offers lots of ideas for the Apple Pie Flavor AND the other delicious Baileys flavors, too!

For a fun warm drink using Apple Pie Baileys, check out the Hot Apple Pie Cocktail over at What a Girl Eats!

Teeny had also picked up some Jack Daniels pre-bottled Jack and Cola drinks, which were surprisingly tasty. They’re definitely one of those drinks you could drink a lot of and get pretty sloshed without even knowing it!

Sometimes our girls’ days are quite elaborate and we spend a pretty full day on one of our adventures. Like the Three Rivers Wine Trail – which was definitely an all day affair.

Other times, our girls’ days are a bit on the lowkey side, relaxing and just hanging out at home. It doesn’t really matter what we do, what matters is the time spent together and, as always, the memories we continue to make! Oh, and it certainly helps to put us in an upbeat mood when our Buckeyes get the big W over the Boilermakers – 59-31, to be exact!

So, I’m convinced when you’re unable to tailgate, a homegate works just as well. As an aside, I’m going to keep using that word until it makes it to Merriam-Webster, okay. #homegate people

Until next time, enjoy those gatherings with your gal pals! Hoist a glass, make a toast, make some memories and laugh a lot! Oh, and here’s a big scarlet and gray O-H from the Quite Simply Us Buckeye girls!

The post It Wasn’t a Tailgate – It Was a Homegate appeared first on Quite Simply Us.

If you haven’t hosted a Friendsgiving for those in your inner circle, I highly suggest you get one on the calendar. It’s the perfect opportunity to do something special to celebrate the season – together.

Since I love entertaining, it was a no brainer for me. I planned a quick craft, charcuterie and cocktails, a 5-course dinner and lots of laughter with a rousing new charade-style game I picked up on Zulily.

The only thing I asked of the girls was for everyone to come dressed in their favorite fall flannel, which they did, of course. In my house, that’s how I do Friendsgiving with the Besties

Picture Time

While we were snacking on charcuterie and sipping Apple Cider Cocktails, I went ahead and got my picture taking obsession out of the way. Ya’ll know I’m of the ‘gotta document it all’ mentality. Plus, we were all entirely sober at this point – just wait until you get to the end of this post and see the videos! Oh boy

Craft Time

While I was putting the finishing touches on dinner, the girls and I made Christmas Trees with cardboard trees and yarn. So simple!

I purchased cardboard trees from the craft store, along with green, ivory and gray yarn, which could be used alone or mixed and matched. Basically, you wrap the yarn around the form and adhere with glue! Easy, peasy, Christmas treesie No tutorial needed!

Table Decor

I truly adore it when people sit down at the dinner table to share a fabulous meal. Perhaps I’m a little old school, but I just don’t think people do it enough anymore. Nowadays, everything is served buffet style, after which everyone piles onto the nearest couch or finds a corner on the floor.

While there’s certainly nothing wrong with that every now and then, sitting down at a beautifully set table seems luxurious and special and provides so much opportunity for conversation and laughter. Which, in my opinion, is SO lacking in this day and age. Oops – on my soapbox again!

I didn’t go too overboard on the table decorations – just enough to set a fall mood for my favorite guests. I’m a big fan of white plates, which are versatile enough to be used any time of year. Add the right charger, maybe an unmatched plate or bowl for color, themed napkins and linens and you’re set no matter the season.

Dinner Time

Because I do enjoy cooking, I planned a pretty cohesive menu, which consisted of a salad, cauliflower soup, turkey roulade, duchess potatoes, brussel sprouts, and pumpkin chai cheesecake. And, like I always do when I host events, I spent most of the day in the kitchen getting ready for my guests. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I don’t mind a bit. Feeding my friends actually feeds my soul!

The menu started with Pear & Pomegranate Salad, which is ideal for the fall or winter season. I found this recipe over at Chelsea’s Messy Apron quite some time ago and have served it a number of times. The raspberry vinaigrette is amazing and the pears add such a robust flavor, while the candied pecans provide the always-needed crunch!

After the salad course, I served a wonderful Roasted Cauliflower and Aged White Cheddar Soup that I found over at Closet Cooking. I’m a total soup lover and was really curious to see how this soup tasted. Who better to serve as guinea pigs but your girlfriends As an aside, it was a lovely soup and the aged white cheddar flavor came through beautifully. Definitely something I would serve again.

The main course consisted of a stunning Turkey Roulade, Duchess Potatoes and Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts.

The Turkey Roulade I found over at Food Network not only looked amazing, but tasted pretty wonderful too! It’s definitely a wow recipe that I would make again in a heartbeat. And, it’s the perfect alternative to serving a full turkey.

The Duchess Potatoes, from Homemade Interest, had an impressive appeal aesthetically and tasted lovely. At it’s core, they are an upscale mashed potatoes, piped and baked to give them an elegant appearance. What’s even better is that you can totally make these ahead and freeze them. Woot woo! Easy, peasy, people!

Although I’m personally not a huge fan of the brussel sprout, the folks over at I AM baker may just have changed my mind with their Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts. The caramelization you get from roasting them with the balsamic glaze is to die for.

For dessert, I made a Pumpkin Chai Cheesecake, which turned out absolutely amazing. Many thanks to the folks at Ohio Eggs for this amazing recipe. It’s one of those that I’ve put in my recipe bible to continue serving year after year. As an aside, this recipe was an Ohio State Fair award winner.

Craziness Ensues

After dinner and plenty of cocktails, we played a fun game I found – sort of like charades. You had to act out what was on this little stick. We started off on the front porch and took plenty of videos to commemorate our insanity.

And I’m not going to lie – I was beyond toasted! Usually, I have to drive home, but since we were at my place, I was tucked in for the night! Doesn’t happen very often, so I took full advantage

In this first video, Christine had to pick a song to sing while Heidi danced to it! Ummm…you’ll certainly hear my thoughts in the background.

Warning – this second video is full of adult language and a raunchy moment or two! Not for children – scroll if you must! My potty mouth comes out when I’m a bit looped! Oops

Heidi apparently doesn’t know the difference between the Chicken Dance and the Hokey Pokey?

Julie seems to think she’s a ninja with this improv? I don’t know about you, but I DIDN’T see it

Although the girls and I are diligent in our quest to spend one special day a month together during, this girls’ day definitely goes down in the books as top notch. There’s a quote (not sure who said it) that says, “If you have crazy friends, you have everything.” Well…I apparently have it all, because I’m privileged enough to have a bunch of crazy ass broads in my inner circle.

Until next time, spend time with your friends, make bestie memories and document every last one of them. Someday, you’ll thank me And, while you’re at it, get your own Friendsgiving on the books.

The post Friendsgiving with the Besties appeared first on Quite Simply Us.

We started off girls’ day off by creating a quick Breast Cancer Awareness PSA. It’s October, after all and we wanted to remind everyone to schedule their mammograms. We also wanted to remind ME to schedule my mammogram – I’m the WORST when it comes to taking care of myself. It’s a good thing I have my friends to hound my ass!

Note to viewer – I’m NOT a video girl Hopefully I get better at this, because as of now – I have no skill whatsoever on camera. I much prefer to be behind the camera!

It’s a Bears’ Life for Us

After making the PSA, we headed over to Easton, where we hearkened back to childhood just a bit. Where’d we go, you might be wondering. None other than Build-A-Bear. I mean, are you really ever too old to make a bear?

Our beloved Jules has been collecting teddy bears since she was young, so it was no surprise at all that she chose bear making for our October activity. She needed another teddy to add to her amazing collection!

And, if we’re being honest, this activity wasn’t even around when we were growing up…yep, I’m showing our age again. I mean, hell, it wasn’t even around when our kids were little…damn, further evidence of our advancing age comes to light!

So, why not build a bear for the first time? Truth is, we were all like kids in a…well…a stuffed animal store

After selecting our bears (we each chose a different one), we wandered around like stylists, picking just the right apparel for our new family additions. Dressing them up is simply part of the fun, right? And yes, I loved dressing up my Barbie dolls when I was little too. Don’t judge

Then, our bears were stuffed, given a heart and stitched. We finished up by creating birth certificates for our new bear babies.

Julie dubbed her bear Dallas Teddie – paying homage to her Dad, Dallas and her sister, Teddie. She picked a cute ‘Love’ themed shirt (in pink, of course) and a glittery white tutu. She didn’t go with shoes because her bear already had cute little colors and sentiments on her paws!

Heidi named her sweet little bear Lovebug. She kept it pretty simple with the same pink ‘Love’ themed shirt as Julie. I desperately tried to talk Heidi into getting her bear a cell phone (so they could be twinsies), but Heidi was having none of it!

Christine christened her funky little blue bear Sadie. She opted for an outfit in her signature color of purple, with lots of silver accents. Sparkly purple boots were the perfect addition and tied Sadie’s look together completely. Yes, yes, I’m talking about a teddy bear here

Last but not least, I dubbed my bear Vixen! I dolled up my little showstopper in a sparkly white tutu, black and red ‘Love’ shirt, red glitter bows, silver heels and of course, sunglasses. I mean, what bear doesn’t need sunglasses? One look at me in the pic below and you’ll see why – I have two sets of glasses perched precariously atop my head – as I so often do What? I like options!

Although it may seem like an unusual choice for girls’ day, we were overjoyed with our bears. And, in all reality, it was kind of relaxing to feel like a kid again, all big-eyed and free from the worries of the world. We had nothing more on the brain than picking our bears and their outfits. We all need that type of decompression every now and again, no?

I definitely think Build-A-Bear should be on everyone’s bucket list at least once – whether you’re making a bear for yourself or you’re taking one of the littles in your life to make their own bear.

After our bear making endeavor, the gals and I roamed around Easton for a bit, doing a little shopping and a little browsing. I mean, what group of four women can hit Easton and not want to shop? Hmmm??

Well, let me tell you! While Jules and Teeny are the ultimate shoppers in our group, Heidi and I don’t seem to derive the same pleasure from shopping that we used to. We’re more of the ‘go in, get what’s needed and leave’ kind of gals No matter, if the gals want to shop – we’ll shop! After all, what are friends for?

After our shopping session, Christine honed in on the big swings at Easton and we spent some time evoking those nostalgic childhood feelings. Is swinging really considered a childhood thing, though? I LOVE to swing! And rock. Nope – childhood can’t have the swings – they’re for everyone – regardless of age.

It’s a Boozy Life for Us

After spending the morning in our childlike fugue, we headed off to Cooper’s Hawk Winery (first time for all of us) to get our grown-up on! And probably end up in a very different type of fugue

As lovely and memorable as the walk down childhood lane was, there ARE certain benefits to adulthood. Namely, wine!

We arrived about 15 minutes prior to our 2:30 reservation and had to wait until our scheduled time to be seated. Which was perfectly fine. The wine tasting area was quite busy, but we found a comfortable bench where we enjoyed the modern and inviting atmosphere.

After we were seated, we all immediately noticed how chilly it was in the restaurant. Truth is, I’m usually the only one of of us who ever gets cold. So, when Jules, Heidi and Teeny complain about being cold, you know there’s an issue.

We started off with drinks – Heidi opted for her usual Bloody Mary, Julie went with beer, Christine chose the white wine sampler and I downed a few glasses of Pinot Noir! Yum. As an added benefit, the booze started to help us warm up a bit, too!

For the appetizers, I picked the October special of Arancini, Julie went with Crispy Brussel Sprouts and Teeny chose a wedge salad. All of the appetizers were extremely tasty and presented in a lovely manner! We were all pretty pleased with our choices!

As we waited for our entrees to arrive, we celebrated our favorite birthday girl – Christine. She opened her gifts and received some interesting goodies, including a lavender towel set with lotions and such, a fingernail/manicure doodad, an adorable plaid, fuzzy bucket hat, jewelry and a leopard print backpack that paired perfectly with her attire.

Our food arrived just as Teeny finished opening her gifts. Julie chose to go simple with a burger and fries, Heidi paired a wedge salad with a bowl of tortilla soup, I picked Soy Glazed Salmon and Christine chose the Trio of Medallions.

Let me start with the good! Christine LOVED her medallions and was a clean-plater! She also loved the wine – see empty glasses in the pic above

As much as it pains me to say, however, the rest of the entrees didn’t quite live up to the amazing appetizers we’d already had.

The flavor of my salmon was fantastic, but it was slightly overcooked, which I absolutely have to attribute to how thin the salmon actually was. It wasn’t any more than 1/2″ thick, which I found extremely unusual. I make salmon at home on a weekly basis and I’ve NEVER seen a fillet of salmon that thin. It was almost as if the fillet had been sliced in half before cooking.

Heidi’s salad was fine (lacking blue cheese), but she wasn’t a fan of her tortilla soup. I gave it a taste, too, and it seemed to have a very dark roux with an overpowering flour taste.

Julie found her burger and fries to be edible, albeit a little crispy around the edges for her liking.

Adding to the mediocrity of the meal was the fact that Julie and I ate our entire meal with nothing to drink except the complimentary water. We had both ordered a second drink when they cleared our appetizer plates, but those drinks didn’t actually arrive until after we’d finished with our entrees. I went ahead and drank my wine (cause I needed more wine), but Jules was a bit miffed (rightly so) and sent hers back.

The Quite Simply Us gals were a bit split on Cooper’s Hawk Winery. Christine would 100% go back for a 2nd visit, while I’m about 50/50, to be honest. I did love the atmosphere, the wine and the appetizer, just not the entree. As for Heidi and Jules, I don’t think either of them would go out of their way to return.

After our meal, we made our way back to the car and Jules took the wheel and got us home. NOTE – she was sober

Of course, being the behind-the-camera girl, I had to shoot a few videos on the drive home. Gotta get those tipsy bits when I can. I was a bit looped too, soo….the videos are certainly not of the highest quality!

Christine and Heidi decided to do some crazy tongue maneuvers? This is what happens when you’ve had four glasses of wine, Christine

An ode to the 70’s, Julie’s wackadoo facial expressions and Christine’s boobs?

I don’t even know what to say, because I have no idea what’s happening in the clip below? Christine, again! She’s quite amusing when she’s tipsy

There was a definite dichotomy between childhood and adulthood during our October girls’ day! We started the day with the youthful activity of making our own teddy bears and ended up with tipsy talk, music and craziness during the drive home. I guess that’s what ya’ get when you combine besties, bears and booze, folks.

But, as always, we made another month of memories, experienced something new and enjoyed being together. That’s what it’s all about!

Until next time, make memories with your friends, take lots of pictures and enjoy your time together – whether you’re making a bear or making yourself a drink Hell, maybe make your bear a drink, too?

The post Besties, Bears and Booze appeared first on Quite Simply Us.

Before we get too far into the blog, I wanted to take a minute to introduce you to the Quite Simply Us gals – my besties! I’m so lucky to have each of them in my life and know that I couldn’t ask for a better group of gal pals! I hope you all have your own group of besties, too!

Up first is Christine. She is elegant, well-spoken and wicked smart. She’s a stickler for proper etiquette and is exceptionally cultured to boot. Don’t let all that fool you, though. She has a crazy ass sense of humor and a quirkiness that only she can pull off. You will often see photos of her with the craziest of faces – mouth open or tongue hanging out are a few of her favs.

She’s always put together and if I could use one word to describe her, it would undoubtedly be effervescent. She exudes a confidence and glow that is unmatched.

You will often hear me refer to her as Teeny, a name I took to calling her some time ago that seems to have stuck.

Teeny is happily married with two grown kiddos and a beautiful granddaughter!

As a fun little exercise in friendship, I concocted a little quiz!

I asked each of the girls (including Christine) the same 10 questions about Christine. Kind of a how well we know our friend sort of thing.

Here’s what we came up with!

• Drink of Choice
  • Pinot Grigio – Lori
  • Diet Grape Soda – Jules
  • Water – Heidi
  • All Adult Beverages – Christine
• Weird Quirk
  • Constantly puts make-up on in car whenever we stop – Lori
  • Hates baby’s breathe because it has a smell – Jules
  • Always puts lipstick on before getting out of car – Heidi
  • Chews gum like a cow chews cud – Christine (I have never actually experienced this particular gum chewing problem, but will now be hyper alert)
• Signature Color
  • Purple – Lori
  • Purple – Jules
  • Purple – Heidi
  • Purple – Christine
• Favorite Clothing Style
  • Billowy blouses & wraps – Lori
  • PJs – Jules
  • Tie-Dye – Heidi
  • Wide-Legged Pants – Christine
• Favorite Type of Cuisine
  • Italian – Lori
  • Italian – Jules
  • Mexican – Heidi
  • Anything Dining Out – Christine
• Favorite Season
  • Spring – Lori
  • Spring – Jules
  • Summer – Heidi
  • Spring – Christine
• 3 Favorite Hobbies
  • OSU Football, shopping, gambling – Lori
  • Hanging with friends, time with family, reading light porn – Jules
  • Family time, crafting, shopping – Heidi
  • Shopping, gambling & sex – Christine
• 1 Thing on Bucket List Still to Do
  • Family Vacay – Lori
  • IDK – Jules
  • Family Vacation – Heidi
  • All Inclusive Resort – Christine
• Go to karaoke song
  • Anything by Prince – Lori
  • Anything by Prince – Julie
  • Purple Rain by Prince – Heidi
  • True Colors by Cyndi Lauper – Christine
• Guilty Pleasure
  • Peanut M&Ms – Lori
  • Her hubby – Jules
  • Carrot Cake – Heidi
  • Watching reality medical shows – Christine

Overall, it seems we all know our girl pretty well. I had no idea about the reality medical shows, so I definitely learned something new. And isn’t that what friendship is all about – continuing to grow, learn and love your friends even more!

Before you leave, don’t forget to pop over and meet the rest of the Quite Simply Us gals.

Until next time, have some fun with your own ‘how well I know my friends’ questionnaire. A few things might just surprise you

The post Meet the Gals – Christine appeared first on Quite Simply Us.

Before I delve into this new blog, I wanted to take a minute to introduce you to the ladies of Quite Simply Us – my best friends!

Julie, also affectionately known as Jules, may be pint-sized, but her personality – not so much. She’s semi-hyper and may actually talk 10,000 miles a minute (wonder if that’s measurable). She’s pretty crafty and likes to make gifts for her friends. Her smile and laugh are infectious and you can’t help but follow suit whenever she does either.

She has an obsession with teddy bears, Hello Kitty and the color pink. She has a huge heart and enjoys helping others, both personally and professionally.

Julie is happily married and is surrounded by a bevy of boys – her sons and a grandson!

I thought it might be interesting to do a little ‘how well do we know our bestie’ exercise, so I devised 10 quick questions to ask the girls about one another. So, below are what we all said about Jules and what she said about herself. Seems we came pretty close on most of them.

• Drink of Choice
  • Anything Crown Apple Based – Lori
  • Blue Moon – Christine
  • Diet Coke- Heidi
  • Coffee – Julie
• Weird Quirk
  • Says ‘you know what I mean’ constantly – Lori
  • When she says ‘You know what I mean’ and we don’t – Christine
  • Always says ‘you know what I mean’ – Heidi
  • Can’t stand smellies – Julie (side note – I have no idea what this means)
• Signature Color
  • Pink – Lori
  • Pink – Christine
  • Purple – Heidi
  • Pink – Julie
• Favorite Clothing Style
  • Comfortable – Lori
  • No Wire Bras – Christine
  • Hoodies – Heidi
  • PJ’s – Julie
• Favorite Type of Cuisine
  • Fruits & Veggies – Lori
  • Fruit – Christine
  • Mexican – Heidi
  • Salmon – Julie
• Favorite Season
  • Summer – Lori
  • Fall – Christine
  • Summer – Heidi
  • Summer – Julie
• 3 Favorite Hobbies
  • Antiquing, crafting & shopping – Lori
  • Crafting, shopping & cruises – Christine
  • Shopping, cruising, swimming – Heidi
  • Antique shopping, swimming, reading – Julie
• 1 Thing on Bucket List Still to Do
  • Hot air balloon ride – Lori
  • Horseback riding on the beach – Christine
  • Hot air balloon ride – Heidi
  • Hot air balloon ride – Julie
• Go to karaoke song
  • Anything Country – Lori
  • Come on Eileen – Christine
  • Before he Cheats – Heidi
  • Sweet Home Alabama – Julie
• Guilty Pleasure
  • Blue Shots – Lori
  • Mani/Pedi’s – Christine
  • Chocolate – Heidi
  • Foot Massage – Julie

Don’t forget to pop on over and meet the rest of the Quite Simply Us gals!

And how about you? How well do you know your best gal pals? Next time you’re together, challenge yourself to ask some in-depth questions to see what they have to say.

Until next time, enjoy your friends and make lots of memories!

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