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

#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!!

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!

#MNBsFavoriteThings Recaps!

This past weekend, a bunch of amazing Minnesota Bloggers got together for a Favorite Things party! 

Back Row: Daci / Andrea
Middle Row: Becky / Carolyn / Lauren / Kelly B / Dawn / JJ / Bridget / Jess / Melissa
Front Row: Brittany / Lindsey / Syndal / Meg

It was so much fun! 

If you were at the meetup, make sure to link up your blog recap here! If you weren't at the meetup, make sure to go to everyone's blogs and see all the fun you're missed out on!

FAVORITE THINGS PARTY!!!

via

Hello fellow MN bloggers!! :))   It's Dawn from Mom-a-Logues and Lauren from Crazy Ever After here..

We think it's been far too long since we've all gotten together as a group and are anxious to see you all again.  We also look forward to meeting a few new faces, too.

Please join us for a  

FAVORITE THINGS PARTY!!!

When :: 

Saturday, March 16th  from 4-7pm.

Where :: 

Powderhorn Park (Lakeside Room)  

3400 15th Ave. South Minneapolis MN 55407

Please bring 3 items of your favorite thing to share with the group.  (i.e. if your favorite thing is ELF nail polish, bring 3 bottles of ELF nail polish, if your favorite thing is sour patch kids, bring 3 bags of sour patch kids)  The idea is to bring 3 of your favorite things to share and you'll end up taking 3 new favorite things home.  We don't want this to be a financial burden on anyone, so we're keeping the max. dollar amount to $15 (up to $5 per item). 

Also, if you're willing to bring a small appetizer plate or dessert to share.  There will be bottled water and punch served!

We wouldn't typically have you RSVP, but if there gets to be too many of us (which would be GREAT), we'd have to upgrade to a larger room.

Please shoot Lauren or I a quick email saying you'll be there (or if you have any questions)!!

momalogues@gmail.com

lojerle@gmail.com

Thank you, 

Dawn & Lauren

Minnesota Blogger Holiday Party Link Up

Hi Minnesota Girls! Feel free to come here and link up your recaps from last night's Minnesota Blogger Holiday Party. It was a lot of fun to see all of your smiling faces, as well as to laugh at our creative tacky sweater attire. Hope you all had fun :-)

 If you weren't able to join us, then you are definitely missed in this photo above. We'd all love for you to join us at our next get together.

Merry Christmas, all! :-)

Kelly

Secret Santa names have been distributed!

Happy Monday ladies! Hope you're all surviving the first day back from the long weekend!

I just wanted to stop in and let you all know that the names for the Minnesota Blogger Secret Santa have all been distributed, so check your emails! 

Also - get excited! Our Minnesota Blogger Holiday Party is next week! EEK! :)

 For more details on that... head here!

If you have any questions, concerns or didn't get a name, please email Kelly and/or I! 

SANTA!!! I KNOW him!!!

Okay kids, Kristin here! Get out those fancy day planners and your red and green glitter pens because...

...the details for our Minnesota Bloggers Holiday Meet Up have been set.

Here's what you need to know:

WHO: Minnesota Bloggers!

WHAT: A Holiday Get Together!

WHERE: Mall of America!

WHEN: Tuesday, December 4th at 6:00pm

WHY: Why the heck not?!

 

The plan is to meet in the rotunda at 6 o'clock and GET OUR PICTURE TAKEN WITH SANTA!

Yes, I know, it's going to be chaos. It's also going to be hilarious. And super awesome.

That poor old man will have no idea what hit him.

 

From there we will head up to the 4th floor for dinner at drinks at Dick's Last Resort.

 

Here are the requirements to complete (or you WILL be put on the "Naughty List")

1. We need a firm RSVP by November 24th so that we can organize Secret Santas and set a reservation!

 

2. We will be wearing Ugly Christmas Sweaters...so dress accordingly.

 

3. Get excited, it's going to be FUN!

 

And now, I'll turn the mic over to my pal Kelly so she can fill you in on all the Secret Santa deets!

 

Feel free to e-mail me (Kristin), Carolyn or Kelly with any questions! Hope to see YOU at the Holiday Meet Up. Make sure to RSVP by leaving a comment and filling out the Secret Santa survey!

Tis the Season

The stores have their holiday displays out, Santa's elves are working doubles and the Bieb is dusting off his Christmas album.

"Hey girl"

Which means it TIS the season to get a Holiday MN Blogger Festive Meet Up on the calendar before everyone is booked up with family and work parties and last minute shopping.

We have some really fun & festive ideas (including ugly sweaters and a secret santa gift exchange) but first we must pick the special day!

What day would you ladies prefer....

*TUESDAY, December 4th

*WEDNESDAY, December 5th

*SATURDAY, December 15th

or

*SUNDAY, December 16th

and don't be a Grinch, you're going to want to be at this one, it's going to Jingle Bell ROCK your socks off!

Please leave a comment with the date(s) that work best for you!

xoxo,