Phoenix Suns Game

Casey got a call from the dean of his program on Friday asking if we wanted free tickets to the Suns game yesterday. Free NBA tickets? Yes, please! Not only did we score free tickets, but a tour of the US Airways Center where they play, a photo-op during warm ups, and a Suns tote. Nice!

I'll be honest, I'm not a huge basketball fan. But there is just something about going to a pro game of any sport that is so fun. It's an experience. The Suns were actually really fun to watch and they won which was just icing on the cake.

This was the view from one of the swanky private rooms. It had comfy leather couches, it's own bar, and it's own bathroom. Not too shabby, eh?

Here we are smiling, before they told us we didn't get to stay in the suite.

(Just kidding of course - we're grateful for the free tickets!)

This area was the whole reason we got the tickets. The Suns contacted the dean of Casey's program to comission a new gaming experience for this kid zone at the pavillion. This night at the game was for "research."

After we finished playing in the kid zone and finished our tour, we got to sit courtside to watch the Suns warm up. It was pretty sweet.

I'm really glad we had this opportunity - it was superfun and I don't think our time in Arizona would have been complete without it!

Dining Set Redo

Since we got married we've been using a mismatched table and chairs - we have never had a proper dining set. The table is the same one Casey had in his post-college apartment and the chairs were a hand-me-down to me that I used in my first apartment. This never really bothered me - they were perfectly functional and to be honest we rarely eat at our dining table anyway. But as I've become more focused on making our house into a home and making it feel a bit more polished the mismatched set became the perfect opportunity for improvement. Here is what our table and chairs have looked like for the last several years:

It's fine, nothing wrong with it, just a little ho-hum. So after perusing tons of pictures online and convincing Casey that this really was a good idea I got to work. It took a lot more time than I thought it would and I'm pretty sure the friendly folks at our neighborhood Ace think we're now BFF's, but I got it done.

And now, without further ado, here is our "new" dining set:

I really love the overall look, but I'm not happy with the way the finish on the table came out. In fact, that's the part that gave me more grief than anything. I initially used a spray on polyurethane but I just couldn't get it to look even. So I then bought regular polyurethane and tried both brushing and rolling it on, but there were terrible brush and roller marks. So at the suggestion of my awesome father-in-law I sanded it one last time and wiped on the final layer of poly. This looked better than the rolling, but still is not perfect. But I can live with imperfect. Or maybe I'll just have to get busy sewing up several table runners ;-)

I really love the transformation the chairs underwent:

When I first got these chairs my mom and grandma came over to my apartment and helped me recover the awful upholstery with some fun striped fabric. It's been cheery and bright the last few years but I really like this new upgrade:

I'm also glad I decided to use two different fabrics on the chairs. It's a little unexpected and I like that :-)

So there you have it! Hope you enjoyed your peek into our new and improved dining room!

Dining Room Preview

Well, after lots of sweat and a few tears, the dining room set has officially been made over. I don't have time to post it all right now, so I'll leave you with a little preview for now...

Before & After pics to come later today or tomorrow!

Happy Halloween: Owl Cookies!

For as long as I can remember we have had Owl Cookies every fall/ Halloween. My grandma has been diligently making these tasty treats for my brother and me, and then later on my cousin, year after year.

I love these cookies because they aren't too sweet and the saltiness of the cashew really adds something. Plus they are just so fun and cute!

My mom flew down last weekend to help us celebrate Casey's graduation (separate post on that to follow) and lo and behold my grandma had sent the frozen dough for owl cookies with my mom in her suitcase. Because my grandma is so awesome she also sent chocolate chips for eyes and cashews for noses. Love it! Several years ago my grandma copied the recipe for me and I'm a grown up now who is perfectly capable of baking my own fall goodies, but I love that she made them for me. When grandmas make something they just taste better, right? I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks this...

Alright, enough of my wonderful fall memories, here's the recipe:

"Hoot Owl Cookies"

Sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Cream together 3/4 cup butter. Gradually add 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, creaming well.

Add 1 unbeaten egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat well.

Blend in the dry ingredients gradually.

Combine 1 1/2 squares (1 1/2 oz) melted, cooled unsweetened chocolate and 1/4 teaspoon soda.

Remove 2/3 of dough to floured surface. Blend chocolate mixture into remaining dough; chill if desired for easier handling.

Roll our half of light dough to a 10 x 41/4-inch strip. Shape half of dark dough into a roll 10 inches long; place on strip of light dough. Mold sides of light dough around dark; wrap in foil. Repeat with remaining dough. Chill at least 2 hours.

Cut into slices 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick {I like to cut them nice a thick - it makes for a chewier cookie} and place two slices together on a greased baking sheet to resemble an owl. Pinch a corner of each slice to form ears. Place a chocolate chip in the center of each slice for eyes; press a whole cashew nut between slices for a beak.

Bake at 350* for 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from baking sheets immediately. Store cooled cookies between layers of foil in a flat, tightly covered container.

Hope you enjoy these cute little cookies as much as I do!

Yum!

Wahoo Nicki & Donny!!!

My best best best friend is engaged!!!

What a great pair she and Donny are. They will be amazing partners as they journey through life together.

Congratulations Nicki and Donny :D :D :D

(P.S. Yay me for keeping it a secret even though I really, really, really, really wanted to spill the beans!)