Holy moly it’s Thursday already! This week has gone surprisingly fast considering it’s the week after a holiday day. Here are some random comments, thoughts, and links for this gorgeous Thursday morning:

• When I was condo hunting a couple of years ago I had a few basic requirements that I was looking for, one of the most important being that it must have a balcony. Luckily I found one. Now that it’s nice out I utilize it as much as I can. I’m either in the kitchen or on the balcony. The two very best places to be! As a bonus I have a nice little view of downtown Minneapolis, which is especially beautiful during that magic evening hour. It’s just enough to remind me how much I love this city.
• I have been struggling with my running the last couple of weeks. Maybe it’s the heat. Maybe it’s the early mornings (5:30am!). Or maybe I’m just out of shape. Whatever the reason may be I needed something to work towards to keep me positive and motivated before I start marathon training in August. So I signed up for the Urban Wildland Half Marathon on August 2. Also because my friend told me to sign up, so I did (easily influenced).
• I have been thinking about switching up my breakfast routine (on a major smoothie kick right now) and was intrigued by Minimalist Baker’s Simple Vegan Omelet. I am not vegan and love eggs, but was still interested in giving it a go. I multiplied the recipe by 3 so that I could use it for a few breakfasts. I am eating it right now (outside on my balcony) topped with fresh dill and salsa. It is delicious! Try it out if you are up for something new!
• A few weeks ago was Popsicle Week and I thought that was amazing. But people, it gets better. This week is Milkshake Week! Is that not the best thing you have ever heard?! I’m drooling over all of them, but especially this Peanut Butter and Brownie Milkshake, the Birthday Cake Milkshake, and this Cinnamon Toast Crunch Milkshake. Gahhhhh. Milkshakes for dinner are totally acceptable, right?!
• One of the bajillion awesome things about summer is going to outdoor music festivals. The Basilica Block Party has been my summer staple since I moved back to Minneapolis. They always have a bunch of great artists and bands playing and it always such a blast. I love just being with a big group of friends listening to the music, dancing, drinking beers, and being young. I’m excited for another round of that again this year.

Hope your week has been going as fast as mine has! Enjoy the rest of it and continue to soak up the summer.

Have a great day! xo

You know what they always say… knee-high by the 4^th of July! I am at my parent’s house and we are about to head up to our cabin for the weekend. I thought I would share this picture of our corn field. I also thought I would share some things I have been thinking about this week:

• Last weekend was the Pride Festival in Minneapolis. It was so much fun. I kind of felt like I was in Vegas for a second? Love for everyone, people. Love. For. Everyone.
• I just bought these little detachable lenses for my iPhone last week: wide-angle, fisheye, and macro. They are so cute and little and just snap on and off via a magnet. I haven’t played with them too much yet – the above photo was taken with the fisheye lens this morning – but I am excited to experiment more!
• I just started using Bloglovin’ and I loooove it. It’s like a combination of Pinterest and Feedly. #addicting. Check it out and follow me on there!
• I really want to try to grill pizza. Have you done it before? This looks amazing and so does this. Come grill and eat (and drink) with me!
• On Saturday the ladies in my family along our cabin neighbor ladies will be running/walking the Nisswa Firecracker 5K together as the “Bass Lake Bandits”. My mom made all of us matching red, white, and blue headbands. The finish line features a crawfish boil, a free PBR, and a Slip ‘N Slide. So yeah, it’ll be fun.

I had a half-day of work, so I am officially on vacation and ready to head up north. Woop woop! My bag is packed full of miscellaneous red, white, and blue clothing that will hopefully come together is a somewhat matching and stylish patriotic outfit or two. My nails are red. I am ready to go festively celebrate our nation’s birth. I hope you have a great weekend planned! I hope you grill and enjoy some sunshine and wear sunscreen and enjoy time with people you love (or like a lot) and have ice cold beverages and hop into a pool or lake and see fireworks and just have a grand time all around!

Have a great day! xo

I have a couple (5) little thoughts for you on this lovely Thursday evening. Just a couple of things that are intriguing me, inspiring me, and making me happy. I thought it would be nice to share them with you. So. Here you go………

• I am loving this song right now. The lyrics are so fun and summer-y and happy. I’ve listened to it many, many times today. Do you ever do that, listen to a song over and over and over again? There is even a Glee version, so you know it’s good.
• Did you know that it is Popsicle Week?! Check out the list of delicious flavors bloggers are coming up with. Some of the flavor combos are super intriguing. I want to try all of them. I will be posting a fun little popsicle recipe soon, so stay tuned.
• This Spicy Savoury French Toast? So amazing. I don’t know why I have never had (or even heard of!) savory french toast before. My mom and I will be making it for the family 4^th of July weekend at the cabin. Counting down the dayyyyysss.
• I won Take A Megabite’s Driscoll berry giveaway! I AM SO EXCITED. I love berries and they are so beautiful right now. Do you see those strawberries above?! Gorgeous. It’ll be a very berry summer. Also, I am totally making that sconecake.
• My friends and I went to Burch for dinner tonight. It was amaaaazzingggg. Burch has been on my “Must Eat At” restaurant list basically since it opened a year or so-ish ago. I finally gathered a group of friends and made reservations. The restaurant is known for its steaks and delicious sides and James Beard award-winning chef, Isaac Becker. It did not disappoint. I went with four of my favorite ladies and when we all the sat down the waiter asked if we were celebrating anything. We all kind of paused… “Ummm.… Friendship? Happiness? Oh…. A lot of us have new jobs! But mainly friendship….Oh, and love.” He was probably sorry he asked.

That’s it. Have a great night xo