Holiday party!

Hello!

Lauren here.

I am here to bring you some fun blogger holiday cheer!! Some of us have been discussing a holiday party, and we wanted to keep everyone in the loop on what we have up our sleeve. It will be at the home of Dawn on December 14th from 1-4pm. In lieu of a gift exchange we will be collecting hats and mittens to donate to Minnesota families in need.  Besides that, the only thing we need you to bring is yourself, your family (if you want), and a dessert to share. Nothing crazy fancy. Super simple. Be there! Please? Make sure you like the Minnesota Blogger Facebook page so you can RSVP to this fun, laid back get together. Feel free to comment on this post with questions, and Dawn  or I will get back to you as soon as possible. 

We look forward to seeing you!

Minnesota Blogger: Jen from Apartment Wife

Hi I'm Jen and I blog over at Apartment Wife. I'm a newlywed living in uptown Minneapolis and I'm new to the city! The husband and I got engaged in Chicago, and then 2 months later, his job relocated us to Mondovi, Wisconsin -- a town of 2,500. After 9 months, his job relocated us Minneapolis. We're living in Uptown and loving this beautiful city. The blog is about our adventures as newly weds, but also about Random Acts of Happiness. I try to commit a new random act of happiness at least once a week, but sometimes it ends up being more like 5 times :)

Here are five photos that describe me pretty well:

  

You can find me here:
Blog
Pinterest
Facebook

~Jen

Blogger Yoga!

Hey everyone, it's Katie! In case you missed my post this morning, I am here to invite you to a fun yoga class filled with your favorite Minnesota Bloggers!

When: July 21, 10:00 am

Where: Kenwood Park, Minneapolis (directions here.)

Who: You! Feel free to bring friends!

Other details:  I will meet you near the tennis courts and then we can find a good flat spot for our class.  They are easy to spot, if you are looking at Lake of the Isle Lutheran Church from the parkway, just keep looking to the right and you will see them :)  Make sure to bring some water with you as it will be hot!  I will bring some snacks for afterwards!

Hopefully we have good weather, check my blog if there is rain!

Please let me know in the comments if you plan to come!  

Minnesota Blogger: Cassi from Bright Forest

Hello, I am so excited to meet all of you.

My name is Cassi. I am a lifestyle blogger writing and posting lots of pictures at Bright Forest.

What will we talk about when you come for a visit?

Well, we'll discuss marriage

Why? Because its hard and we need support, help and pray.

Of course we'll chat about traveling, camping and geocaching all with pictures included.

Because that is where our passions live and how we build memories as a family.

Now we'll chat about parenting, the joys, the struggles and the blessing it is.

You will learn we call our little one Mouse and that she's had some struggles along the way. Doesn't community, even online, just make the those struggles seem more manageable.

Then we'll just talk. We'll chat about passions like photography, art, crafts and faith.

So stop on by and lets walk this thing we call life together.

Minnesota Blogger: Amy from Limit Reached

My name is Amy and I'm a blogger. I've been writing Limit Reached since 2004. The doodle is my brand or is it my logo? Either way, she works for me. Who am I, really? I'm an 8th generation Californian who is now living in St. Paul, Minnesota. I am writer who blogs. Or am I a blogger who writes? Yes, both.

 

Why am I here? Why not? Minnesota is awesome! Oh, and I fell in love. I met my boyfriend, Paul, via Twitter in August 2011. We chatted online (and text/phone calls) for a year. He came to visit me in California over Labor Day Weekend in 2012 and we've been in love ever since. Yes, it's been a whirlwind romance and I have never been happier in my life. Sometimes life doesn't fit into the molds society creates for us. Are you still with me or has the "romcom" aspect to this post totally turned your stomach? Sorry. Well, not really.

What can you find at my blog? My tagline is centered around frustration. I vent or just noodle through a few thoughts. Sometimes life is just confusing, but it's also amusing. I'm addicted to social media, nail polish and coffee. I love wine, both white and red. And of course, I couldn't live without cheese and chocolate. All of these are topics you'll find on my blog. One of my life goals is to visit all 50 states. I think I'm up to 23 now, so travel, especially road trips/day trips, are on my editorial calendar.

 

California was great. Most of my family still lives there and my roots run very deep...like my family settled most of the major cities in that state deep. Also, wine. Napa is nice, but I always liked going to small wineries in random regions of the state. If you are a wine lover, I encourage you to try wines from Amador, El Dorado and even Sacramento/San Joaquin counties. There are some great wines coming out of the Central Valley and the foothills. Need a recommendation? Just ask!

   

Some of my friends have likened my blog to stand up comedy. I really need to work on my elevator speech when someone asks me what I write about because when you say, "Whatever I feel like," this glazed look appears in their eyes. It's a lifestyle blog. I write about everyday things and seem to find the humor in it on an accidental basis. As for social media, I'm on the Twitter, the Facebook, the Pinterest, the Instagram, the Google+, and the Tumblr. Thanks for reading and feel free to check out my blog anytime. I try to write at least 3 times a week.

See's Candies Recap: #MNBloggersEatChocolate

Last night, the Minnesota Bloggers got together for a fun event at the new See's Candies store at Southdale Mall. It's safe to assume that we all had a great time being swooned with endless chocolate by See's adorably friendly staff, learning about some See's history (the chocolate factory episode of I Love Lucy was actually filmed in a See's factory!), and trying our hands at packing chocolate samplers too!

It was SO kind of See's Candies to invite the Minnesota Bloggers to the event. Their chocolate (which is packaged fresh and preservative free!) was amazingly delicious. We felt special, welcomed, and all left with happy bellies.

Back Row: Carolyn   Zhenya   Becky   Katie   Lauren   Jenn   Leah   Jenn

Middle Row: Kelly   Sarah   Melissa   Dawn's Adorable Daughters   Brittany   Andrea

Bottom Row: Meg   Jenn   Melissa   Dawn

Not shown: Lindsey

It was wonderful to see all of the ladies who attended the event! Carolyn and I hope that you all had a ton of fun and that you don't have a chocolate-induced stomach ache ;-)

<3 Kelly

Minnesota Blogger: Meghan from Whatever Is Lovely

Hello. My name is Meghan!

There are so many beautiful and lovely things happening in the world. My goal is to capture some of those moments!






I love nature and consider myself to be a little bit of a hippie. I enjoy reading everything from classics to cookbooks. I have a bipolar cat who I love dearly. My favorite word is 'eloquent.' I enjoy traveling and exploring. I drink way to much coffee. I am a ballerina in my spare time but can often be found dancing in the kitchen. I love to cook and want my own bakery. My middle name is joy. Handmade and homemade are the best.


Three more tidbits...

1. I am a hopeless wanderer. [waving on the right!]

2. One of my favorite parts of exploring is discovering bakeries!

This cupcake is from Miette in San Francisco.

3. This is my favorite quote, I hope to scatter joy in my life!

I want to document what inspires me and share some of my crazy adventures!
Stay lovely and bright,
Scatter some joy,
keep smiling,
would love to chat,

#MNBloggerYoga Recaps

Hi all! Kelly here. This past Saturday marked our first #MNBloggerYoga event and it was a GREAT time spent with some fabulous ladies!

Katie from Strawberry Halls Forever is a big-time yoga guru and organized the event for anyone who wanted to get together for a fun time getting our namaste on as well as a bit of socializing too! THANK YOU, Katie for your amazing instruction. It was a fantastic little event!

Check out our beautiful Tree poses ;-)

 Katie   Zhenya   Kelly   Melissa   Diana   Brittany   Dawn   Sarah

{Okay ladies, how cute was our little photographer?? You know that a teenager is taking your photo when she tilts the camera in an artsy way LOL ;-)}

And thank you to the girls who were able to find time in their busy schedules to meet up as well! It was fun to meet some new faces and to spend time with good friends.

I know that there were many bloggers who were interested but not able to come due to Mother's Day, Graduation plans, or prior commitments... Personally, I hope that we can have many more #MNBloggerYoga get togethers-- maybe quarterly? It was such a fun time! :-)

If you plan on writing about the event or mentioning it in a weekend recap post, feel free to link up this week!

Minnesota Blogger's Private Event at See's Candies

Hi ladies! Kelly and Carolyn here to tell you about a fun upcoming event!

See's Candies has invited the Minnesota Bloggers to our own private event at their newest shop. What could be better than great company, chocolate samples, free gift bags, door prizes, games, and more chocolate? ;-)

Additionally, Carolyn and I think that this event would be the perfect get together for new bloggers to attend-- no painting or cooking skills unnecessary, tacky sweater requirement, or favorite things gift to bring! ;-) The only stipulation is to show up prepared to meet other fabulous bloggers and to sample some chocolate. Easy, fun, and delicious!!

Minnesota Bloggers See's Candies Event Details:

Who: Any Minnesota Blogger PLUS ONE GUEST! (5+ older please)

Where: See's Candies in Southdale Center (Center Court near The Gap)

When: Thursday, May 30th at 7pm

Please RSVP before May 24th
(If you'd like to attend, please leave a comment with your email address so that we may send out the formal invitation from See's Candies)

Bring a hungry stomach, a guest of your choosing, your digital camera (naturally ;-)) and be ready to have fun! We would love love love to see many of you there, especially a few new faces! It goes without saying that we have ALL been "new" before so no need to be (too) scared or nervous to attend your first get together; we'd all love to meet you!

Any questions, feel free to email us at minnesotabloggers@gmail.com

Thanks, ladies!

#MNBloggersCookingClass Recaps!

On Friday the 26th we had a fun MN Bloggers Cooking Class! 

We had so much fun, I really don't think that this will be the last one!

If you were able to attend this meetup, be sure to link up your recap below!

If you had to miss out, be sure check out everyone's blogs and see what kind of fun there is to be had at the next cooking class!

MN Blogger Yoga!

Hey MN Bloggers!  It's Katie from Strawberry Halls Forever, and I am so excited to ask you to join me for a yoga class on May 11th! I will be teaching a class from 11:30-12:30 and we will have an hour at the end of class to socialize and get to know each other!

The class will be located at the recreation center at Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis.  Directions can be found here.

This is a free class, but a small fee will be collected to cover the cost of the room rental.  I will also be collecting donations for a community service project that I am involved in (more info to follow), but this is completely up to you if you want to donate.  Please rsvp to mnbloggeryoga@gmail.com if you plan to attend!

I'm also asking for volunteers to bring refreshments for after the class- nothing fancy, just some easy snacks/drinks.  Let me know if you are able to do this.

You will need to bring your own yoga mat and any props that you want to have.  I will not be including any poses that require props, but you are more than welcome to use them if you wish.  

**I am not a pre-natal yoga instructor, but you are more than welcome to attend if you are pregnant. I can offer basic modifications to you, and you will never be asked to practice a pose you aren't comfortable with.**

Email me at mnbloggeryoga@gmail.com with any questions!!

Thanks everyone!

Katie :)

#MNBloggersCookingClass: DATE ANNOUNCED!

Hello- it's me Andrea, again! As promised I am back with a date for our 

 

Date: FRIDAY - APRIL 26th, 2013 @ 7:00pm

a reminder about class details...

• Class is very casual & hands on- so be prepared to cook & arrive hungry! ;)
• Cost is $20/person (pay when you arrive)
• Class is located in Columbus, MN please send an email to MNBloggerCookingClass@gmail.com for the address & directions
• Class Menu/Theme is "Lettuce" Have Fun!

a couple of very important notes...

**IMPORTANT**  

If you picked Friday as the day that works best for you, I assume that you PLAN TO ATTEND. If this is incorrect and you are not able to join us- I must know in advance so that we can be sure class will be accommodating as far as both food and space.

--- Friday 4/26: #MNBloggerCookingClass List ---
JJ (Dexter Morgan's Mama)
Lauren "Lo" (Our Crazy Ever After)
Sarah (Midwest Pillow Talk)
Melissa (i carry your heart)
Lindsey (Life on Countryside)
Dawn (Mom-a-Logues)
Kelly B. (kellybjd)
Brittany (Blissfully Britt)
myself, Andrea (Keeping up with The Sonneks)
--- the following girls preferred Wednesday but did not exactly rule out Friday ---
Syndal (Synfully Delicious)
Carolyn (life, live and puppy prints)
Sally (Splash of Whine)

Thank you Bridget & Kelly for also responding! I am sad that Wednesday didn't work out for group majority. We will miss you this meet up!


**DUALLY AS IMPORTANT**

If you see your name on the list and YUP you will be there- great!

If you DO NOT see your name on the list and you DO want to attend, 

shoot MNBloggerCookingClass@gmail an email and count yourself in!

If you see your name on the list and NOPE you will not be there- 

please let me know this ASAP as well.



Thank you ladies for your cooperation thus far, I am REALLY looking forward to hosting this class and getting to cook with some of my favorite MN blogger girls!!

*Last thing... get a email out to MNBloggerCookingClass@gmail.com today so that you're included in a group email for directions and any additional follow-up details leading up to class day!

See you ladies on Friday the 26th!!

Minnesota Blogger: Brianne at Avalanches In My Heart

Why hello there! I’m Brianne.

The little things in life give me the most happiness. 

I love the smell of freshly ground coffee in the morning and a glass of wine in the evening. 

I am passionate about photography and travel. 

I love how pictures allow you to capture moments and feelings.

You could say I’ve got an extreme case of wanderlust.

 If I could do one thing for the rest of my life, 

I would gladly live out of my suitcase and explore the world with my camera.

 I am new to the blogger scene and hope to fill my blog with chronicles of my adventures, day-to-day occurrences and random thoughts about anything and everything. 

Four things that give me the most joy:

1. Taking Pictures

 

2. Travel

When I went hiking in Scotland.

3. Coffee Coffee Coffee!

 

4. Disney

My sister and I at Disney World.

Join me!

My Blog

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

Pinterest

I would LOVE to hear from you!

MN Bloggers Cooking Class

Hello MN Bloggers! It's Andrea from Keeping up w/ The Sonneks and I am happy to be hosting an April cooking class for anyone that loves to cook as much as I do!

Each month I personally attend a cooking class, hosted by my Mom- an AMAZING creator & teacher in the kitchen! I then recap class on my blog- check out what we had cooking last month for March HERE.

A little bit of background on the class. My Mom has been apart of the Pampered Chef & Wildtree community for many years! Instead of visiting your home to do a "show" she turned her passion for time spent in the kitchen to hosting a cooking class each month in her home. She is currently on her 4th year- and this concept has been very successful for her and so much fun! Please know that there is NEVER any pressure to buy any products- but rather the convenience of getting to cook with ANY Pampered Chef kitchen item that you wish- she has EVERYTHING! Also- each class features a "take home product" from Wildtree, more details on that below.

With the expressed interest for a MNBloggers "Cooking Class" I have decided to organize a class for this month. Class will be exclusive to MNBloggers- so that we can all take pictures of the food without any complaints about the food getting cold! **we bloggers LOVE our pictures!!**

Class Details...

• Due to the 'in-home' class atmosphere, class is very casual! It is hands on and you'll get to eat [enjoy] EVERYTHING that's prepared!
• Class is $20/person, this $20 includes the featured Wildtree "Product of the Month" & recipes for each dish prepared.
• Class for April will be held on either Wednesday April 24th OR Friday April 26th starting at 7:00pm and located in Columbus, MN (Forest Lake/Lino Lakes area)
• The Menu for meals will be a variety of salads with the theme being "Lettuce" Have Fun! which is perfect as we all anticipate warmer temps ahead of us for both Spring & Summer!

 If this sounds like something you would be interested in attending- please comment on this post with the class date (4/24 or 4/26) that best fits your schedule. 

With enough response a date will then be picked to accommodate the majority of attendees. 

Please comment ASAP to ensure a date gets picked. 

**IMPORTANT**  

For the sake of space and food planning- be sure that you are interested in attending 100% before commenting with a date.

Send any questions you may have to the EMAIL address MNBloggerCookingClass@gmail.com 

Looking forward to seeing many of you there! Please don't forget to respond via comment with an "RSVP'd date" and watch for the final details and date to be picked by April 9th (one week from today).

This class will be a fun, unique & interactive opportunity to meet & visit with some of our favorite MNBloggers!

Minnesota Blogger: Abby from Abby Talsma Blog

Hey there! My name is Abby, and I am so excited to get to share a bit about my life and blog with you. As I have only been blogging since November, I am fairly new on the scene. It all started as a way to communicate with family and friends while my husband and I spent a few months volunteering in Ecuador this past winter.

But it has become so. much. more.

Writing has allowed me to slow down the constant swirl of thoughts going on in my head. To take a closer look at how I want to live my life. With purpose. With love. With a heart geared toward serving others.

So I write about just that. Life. I don't focus solely on one area, but an array of topics weave themselves through my stories. 

Other things that hold a place in my heart are...

1   my husband. We got married last summer. Which did, in fact, bring me here to good ol' Minnesota. I'm originally an Iowa girl, have dabbled in Minnesota living since graduating college, and will call Minnesota my permanent-for-now home. 

2   traveling. The quote below pretty much sums this one up.

I always wonder why birds stay in the same place when they can fly anywhere on the earth. Then I ask myself the same question.

       -Harun Yahya

3 community. I believe that living in community is essential. While I would love for you to come over and check out what I'm writing about, even more so, I hope to get to know you in the process. Whether our communities are formed in our neighborhoods, or online, I believe they are the heart beat of life. 

So join me on...
 

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

My Blog

Minnesota Blogger: Jaime from It's Gotta Be Here Somewhere

Hello to all of my fellow MN Bloggers!

I'm Jaime and I run the blog It's Gotta Be Here Somewhere.

I haven't had this blog up and running very long but not to worry, 

it will fill up soon with my never ending ramblings, stories, and confessions. I write about obsessions, guilty pleasures, the kids, The Rocky Road to Healthy, and other stuff. I am slightly opinionated (ha) but I do try to be nice about it.

I moved to MN 5 years ago this month (has it been 5 already?) to be with 

my now husband and his two children, Button and Peanut.

This is us having family photos done in Fall 2011:

Button is about to turn 10 and is in the 4th grade. She's a sweet girl that is usually more 

worried about other people being happy then herself. And yes, she's quite animated.

Peanut turned 7 in January and is in the 1st grade. This is a weird child. And she will proudly tell you that she is the weirdest of us all. Some days, it's like there is a 30 year old trapped in a 7 year old body. The next day, there's a 4 year old in there wrecking havoc.

I have a page on my blog, Kid Quotes, that can give you a glimpse into the laughs these two provide.

The girls live with us full time and we are a pretty tight family of 4. (Nope, no plans to add to the family now... or ever. We are 4 strong and we all like it that way.)

My husband and I were married June 12, 2010 in downtown Minneapolis. The girls were our flower girls and they were ADORABLE in their dresses. They amazed everyone with their manners and how well they behaved. (Yay! We are doing something right!)

I make nail polish and jewelry and sell both on Etsy. (At the moment, both shops are closed. But photos of what I have created can be found on the blogs and for the polish, on FB. I also add photos of nail art that I have done to my own nails.)

Red Carpet Lacquer

shop: www.etsy.com/shop/RedCarpetLacquer

blog: www.redcarpetlacquer.com

FB: www.facebook.com/RedCarpetLacquer

 

Designs by JW: 

shop: www.etsy.com/shop/DesignsByJW

blog: www.jmwdesignsjmw.blogspot.com/

You can follow me on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Himay_Jme

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/itsgottabehere/

FB: www.facebook.com/ItsGottaBeHereSomewhere

I hope you can stop by, say hello, and follow along as we try to navigate this ever changing world.

-Jaime