Valentine's Day at Mrs Dunn's

{Look at this little nugget! So cute!}

{He named all his strawberries "Jerry, Terry, Larry"}

{I continued to crack up}

If anyone knows me in the least, it's apparent that I like chubby babies. Little kids I find adorable, I call nuggets. No I don't want one, but I love fat fingers on little kids. I know it sounds creepy, but just move past that fact for me. I want to share my experience doing community outreach with our partner charter school at work. We fund their first grade class programs, and go and spend time with the cuties each year a few times on specific holidays (this time was Valentine's Day in particular). I had the best time ever. I had a dance party, some stimulating conversation with the cutest little chubby boy in the room, and have been happy about it all week. Some photos of our strawberry making festivities are included.

{Dance party continues}

{Woo! Hoo! Maybe corporate America isn't for me?}

Best of February List

Hello Friends, 

Just some loose ends that I had to point out before I forgot. 

Best Film of the Month: Cedar Rapids 

Ed Helms plays Tim Lippe, a nerdy tidy whitey wearing Insurance Agent, who find that he has no idea what he's in for when he's sent to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to represent his company at an annual convention. What happens at the convention stays at the convention. Dry humor finished off with witty writing and fantastic characters including John C. Reilly {Chicago native!}. A MUST SEE. I'm excited to purchase this. I don't even buy movie's anymore, that's just how good this one is. 

Best Health Product: Thin Thin Dark Chocolate 100 Calorie Bites
If you have had Think Thin, you know how great these protein bars are. Plus, this is a new flavor. I'm personally very excited about their putting this on shelves. Get these at Whole Foods.

Best Make-Up Product: Benefit Erase Paste  

According to Sephora Online, "Benefit Erase Paste is a concentrated, creamy, blendable concealer that instantly brightens and camouflages all-in-one. It has an innovative formula which makes sure signs of stress and fatigue are a thing of the past. These three brightening neutral shades give every gal correction perfection." I learned about this product when getting my make-up done for my engagement party. I thought it would be a fun thing to do. This was the best product I bought last weekend. 
Sephora Website to Purchase  

Best Song to Run To: You! Me! Dancing! {Los Campesinos}
This is the best song ever. You'll recognize it from a Bud Beer commercial. No, I didn't find this song by myself. I found it via Doug, my hub to all good music. I may regret admitting that, but it's true. I like 80's music and don't really know anything past that other than what he recommends. Get on Groove Shark and listen to this immediately. If you aren't in a dance party within 5 minutes, call me and I'll owe you something. Plus, I suck at lyrics to songs. This chorus has like .001 items to remember "YOU! ME! DANCING!" I can do that. 

Enjoy the rest of the month! 

Cheers, 

Mish

Valentines Day My Way

On Valentine's Day, Doug and I ventured to Hot Chocolate for BRUNCH. We have yet to eat brunch there & let me tell you, it was spectacular. For those of you who don't know about our tradition, it involves eating brunch on or the day before Valentine's Day as close to dinner time as possible. "Brinner" (breakfast for dinner) is my favorite, but unless cooked at home, it's pretty hard to pull off at a restaurant because their menu schedule (unless you are choosing to eat at a diner, which we did do one year, and it was actually excellent--who can beat pancakes and milkshakes for 14 dollars total?). I hate Valentine's Day. It's a made up holiday. The only reason I like it, is because of the flowers. Sorry for partying.

I ordered the smoked fish plate (trout and salmon with cucumbers, capers, and tomatoes, and noodle kuggle on the side!), along with a fresh seasonal fruit plate and Grey Goose Bloody Mary. I was thinking off the joke that Steve Martin tells in "My Blue Heaven" (worst movie ever that the Goldstein family LOVES) when he tells a bartender he "wants the drink from the night that Mary was killed, call the Bloody Mary." Doug ordered a potato pancake dish with Pork Belly and sunny side up eggs. 

{I love capers}

Hot Chocolate on Damen was FULL to the brim when we walked in. To our pleasant surprise, we only waiting about 30 minutes (walked up and down Damen store fronts for 20 minutes then came back and I talked about the cute babies in the restaurant...before we knew it, our table was ready). Doug also surprised me with flowers at my desk at work. So sweet that he knows I only like white flowers. Good boy for listening, Doug! Well done.

{Flowers from Doug on my desk at work}

I also appreciate funny cards to also be included in my Valentine's Day celebrations. I don't think the holiday should be made any worse with tacky cards. I got a Happy Valentine's Day Hot Tamale Card created by this quirky fun print shop in town that hand makes their cards, and additionally gives a good deal of money to helping homeless animals in the city of Chicago {awesome}. Plus I love tamales, not to mention that this card shows the "Tamale Man" that makes his way from Chicago bar to bar with a cooler of home made tamales. Best idea ever.

I hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day and that it involved minimal amount of red roses & Italian food. That's just way to expected in my opinion! 

By the way, here are some resources: 
La Familia Green Card Collection Website
Hot Chocolate Restaurant Website

xoxo,
Mish