Restaurant Reviews: Good Earth

Have you heard that movie "Little Black Book"?  Well Bryan and I have one but not exactly of the same nature.

This is our restaurant review black book. The Twin Cities has tons of great food options, so each time we have something to celebrate, we try to check out a new place.

We rate on a scale of 1-5. You are allowed to use .5's. And the categories are: Service, Food, Atmosphere.

Our restaurant of choice for last week was Good Earth in Edina.

Service - 3.  We are hoping we got a server who is new to her profession because she was awkward!!  Every time she came by I just watched to see what strange comment she would vocalize.  However, we are quite generous with awkward people..we all have our moments.  What really impacted the score?  We got our meals about 15 seconds after the appetizer.  Bad timing.  - 1.5 points.

Food - 5. The food was excellent!  Our Maui flat bread (for the 15 seconds we got to enjoy it) was sweet, crispy, and completely mouth watering. Bryan enjoyed the Bison Burger which hit the spot of the burger-craving that he had been having. I enjoyed the Coconut Curried Chicken and never looked back. The ginger topping provided the perfect mix of flavors with the curried chicken and fresh veggies. The entrees were reasonably priced and good portions. Bryan did get fruit smoothie, which was decent, but we would pass on paying $4 for one again.

Atmosphere - 3.5.  There was nothing special about the building, tables, decor etc.  We don't recall much for music and the tables were fairly close together.  However, Good Earth is known for using local growers, organic foods, and approach food with a sense of "purity".  There approach to creating a "natural" food experience.  This usually leads me to think that food will be boring or bad, but it was awesome.

So, for those of you in the cities. We recommend!  Not an anniversary or super special occasion recommendation..but a nice, relaxed, and healthy nice out occasion would be perfect.

Kitchen Table Redo

Bryan and I inherited the kitchen table that was at my parent's house for years. There are probably dents and scratches that I left on this thing when I was just learning to walk!

The table is great. More durable and hardy than a table I've seen in years....but us Pearsons were ready for a change.

So, we whipped out the sander & primer/paint and went to town.

1 hour of sanding + 6 hours of painting + 2 hours of cleaning = one new kitchen table

Mia finally got to explore the other side of the gate, but of course she attempted to jump back over to our side of the gate for the entire 9 hours. So I guess the grass isn't always greener on the other side :)

Finished product!

Inspired

Spring is always inspiring. When the snow FINALLY disappears and some hot days creep in more regularly, people flood out of the woodwork and the cities come to life. Its awesome!

What have I (we) been inspired to do lately?

- Write a million Thank Yous
- Research and try couponing
- Refinish our kitchen table
- Try our hands at gardening
- Hand-make cards for all occasions
- Reorganize...let me rephrase that..organize recipes
- Begin to look at houses
- Get into a group at church
- Make a bench, reupholster a chair, create a new end table
- Read a book, maybe even finish a book
- Visit our families at different lakes
- Pick up a second job for some extra cash
- Explore options for starting our own business

... and the list could go on.  All this to say, that though I have not been blogging, we have caught spring fever and are making the most of it!

I've has so many ideas flooding in and out of my mind, I've created an inspiration board.

Dog Training

Mia has been featured in more than one blog post, so you probably roll your eyes at the thought of another post featuring a dog.  Trust me, 6 months ago I would too but now I'm invested and I can't help myself.  I love Mia to death on some days but she is spoiled like crazy and completely out of control most of the time.

So last week when Crowd Cut offered an in-home dog training session, I coughed up the $35 bucks without thinking twice. Looking back, I think it was the best $35 that I have spent in a long time.

We had gotten so desperate with Mia's training that she had been wearing diapers for the past few weeks.

I referred to the dog trainer as the "Whisperer" for a week before the appointment and I was prepared to be trained myself instead of the dog. However, it was actually Mia that was focused on and the lady was incredible informative. 

Towards the end of the session I still wasn't sure how to handle the over-night dog potty issue so I asked her. The response rocked my world - crate her!  What a genius idea!  After she left, Bryan and I were on the road in minutes to hit up our closest Fleet and Farm.

Believe it or not Mia loves it too!  We did a little "doggy" shopping spree and also picked up a harness, treats and a yard stake.  The recommendation was to train with her for 5-10 minutes, 5-10 times throughout the day.  Well, for 2 people who had 14 hour workdays a piece yesterday..that did not happen but we are still making some progress.

Now look at our little thang, so on-track and focused.

Now for the real question, do they offer in-home child-training session for $35?  I have been scanning the Crowd Cut deals and have come up empty handed so far :)

Certified Personal Trainer

Its official!  After hours of studying..especially in the last two weeks...the test is over and I have passed.  I rolled into the testing center around 1:00 this afternoon full of nerves but they were all relieved by 2:45 when I received my test results.

I'm ACSM CPT - so now what?  Good question. I will be sure to let you know when I find out.

Garage sale find & my amazing bargaining skills

Last weekend I was on a Saturday morning run when I breezed through a garage sale and came across this beauty.

 I halted in my steps and went to check her out. The price tag?  $10!!!  There was a bit of dirt around the bottom so I bent over and tried to scratch it off with my nail. As I looked back up I was surrounded by 3 gawking women, "That will come right off honey!"  "Isn't this piece just beautiful?"  "And $10, what a great deal!"

My response was nothing but positive, I was impressed with the price - but, before I could ask to buy it the ladies had talked themselves down in price!  "You know what?  We can give it to you for $8, does that sound okay?"  I again offered to pay the $10 but they insisted. I learned a valuable lesson, bargaining is all in the way you look at the treasure, no words necessary!

Some day I imagine it will be perfect in a nursery, for now it is going to brighten up our dining room area.  Five minutes of wiping it down & two minutes of nailing a piece back on that my precious father broke off - now she is as good as new!

So...what do you think about a gallery wall around the mirror?  I'm thinkin' its a perfect place to display some candids from the wedding!

DIY Mossy "P"

I saw a super neat project in another blog and wanted to give it a try. Check out my inspiration here.

The project required a trip to Hobby Lobby and a giant piece of Styrofoam from my dad's shed.

First, I printed off a large "P" from Miscrosoft Word. The curvy portion wasn't big enough, so I went with a "D" and traced it into a "P".  P is for Pearson, in case you were wondering.

 

My original thought was to use scissors to cut but I quickly resorted to this bad boy. 

 

I clamped the Styrofoam between my legs and sawed away.  Don't worry, I pointed the saw AWAY from myself.  Thank goodness for having brothers who were boy scouts. Unfortunately I got a little carried away with the saw and sawed OFF the loop of the "P".

 

Nothing some hot glue couldn't fix!  At Hobby Lobby I found some bright green moss. 2 packages for $8, if I were better at planning ahead I would have printed a coupon offline. 

 

After tearing the pieces off and fitting them over the "P"...

 

You end up with this!  My camera doesn't do it justice, I promise. It is cute, homey and was made for the grand total of $8!

Unruly

Unruly, describes the picture perfectly, right?  Well, it also describes Bryan and I's last couple of weeks.  Things have been really great, they have just been busy!  

Our floors look as if they have never been swept, there are heaps of laundry seeping out of the closet, and at this point...Mia smells better than I do!

But Bryan and I are happier than we have ever been. We are LOVING all of the "firsts" we are getting to experience and we have so many things to look forward to.

I've also got a couple of things to share - come back tomorrow for a DIY "Mossy P" and you'll never believe what I got garage saling last weekend!

Our Wedding Video

We got our wedding video this past weekend and LOVE IT!!  In case you are interested, here is a link.

I think we've watched it a dozen times...or maybe a hundred :)

All credit goes to Nels & Ole Productions. Thanks Adam & Jami. You two did a great job, we really appreciate it!

Green Grass!

I grew grass!! It worked!

What a fabulous pop of color, don't you think?

Now for the master bedroom.

Our bedrooms aren't very big. Therefore Bryan and I have a bed, nightstand, and one dresser. Guess where things get piled and pockets get emptied?  The dresser. It didn't help that my jewelry was sprawled all in heaps.

In this picture Bryan had already left for work, taking with him his dresser-top contribution.

I have an old shelf that I got from Goodwill for a few bucks. It is still painted bright yellow to match my old room but nothing a little spray paint can't help with!

It is nice to finally have something on the walls in the bedroom and I love the way I can organize my little trinkets on the shelf.

Yeah decorating!

The Travel Room

I have never been one for themed rooms...but I have ALWAYS been one for traveling. This past weekend I had some fun gathering souvenirs that I have collected along the way and organizing them on a shelf...then I found myself whipping out the world map and using other gifts from China to add a little something to the desk. And here you have the travel-themed guest bedroom!

When I have some down time I find myself browsing through design blogs. They have SO many great ideas and the final products all look amazing...but rarely do I find one that has that many memories packed onto one shelf. I love it.

Spring Centerpiece

Do you all remember those Chia pets that were popular not too long ago?  Well, I never had one, so now I am diving into an "adult chia" experiment. I love the way that a natural, bright green can cheer up a room and I'm looking forward to trying this with a centerpiece.

My hubby and I have a whole slew of things that we are saving for, so I have committed to decorating on a budget. Let the fun begin!


Ingredients: dirt, grass seed, silver pails (.99 at Ikea)..not too bad for sticking to a budget, right?

Once you have your ingredients, simply layer the dirt with seeds, and top it off with dirt again. It is important for the seeds to get a lot of moisture. I watered the soil before and after planting the seeds.  My watering tactic?  Get a paper towel wet and wring it out over the pail. Repeat. Sounds a bit ridiculous but to me it seems the closest thing to rain :)

My pails are on a tray serving as a centerpiece. Hopefully they will soon be popping with green and adding the perfect burst of color to the dining room. If I'm able to get grass to grow, I may even try my hand at flowers!!

Updated pictures to come soon.Cross your fingers that they include grass and not just more dirt!

How Great Thou Art

Often at work I listen to YouTube videos while typing away. Today I heard Carrie Underwood & Vince Gill perform.

It.Was. Incredible.

Their performance brought tears to my eyes and paralyzed my fingers from doing their work. More than the talent, the lyrics of the song are incredibly breathtaking.  Check it out.

Gel Manicure Review

Before getting manicures and pedicures for the wedding, one of my besties had been raving about getting a gel manicure. Her nails did look great but I was skeptical if it was worth the extra money.

The Friday before our wedding we enjoyed mimosas and got our nails done. I'm reluctant about spending extra money on ANYTHING but this was SO worth it!

This picture was taken 16 days after the manicure. These nails have endured wedding set up & tear down, opening hundreds of boxes, and scrubbing dishes & floors. This manicure has enjoyed the beach & 90 degree-plus weather and has survived the snowfall and bitter Minnesota "spring".

Needless to say, I'm sold. It is worth it.  Thanks Laura for the recommendation, I owe you!

Our heat is back!

We returned from the 90 degree weather in Florida to NO HEAT!!  Not only did we have to adjust from the beaches to snow..we got no relief indoors either. For almost a week we stumbled around in extra layers, stocking caps, and the thickest slippers one has seen.

It wasn't near as tragic as it sounds and Mia was quite entertaining.

She went from this:

She is under there somewhere, I promise.

To this. She loves the heater!

Happy Easter!

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter Sunday. Bryan and I couldn't ask for a more amazing church service. John Piper spoke some great truths and we both left extremely encouraged.

This year was a little different than past holidays as we weren't surrounded by family or Easter egg hunts, instead, Bryan had to work.  However, He is Risen and we don't need traditions to celebrate it.

When Bryan headed off to work after brunch and a long walk, my afternoon was full of a lot of this:

Yup!  Come May 16th I'm getting personal trainer certified. Let the studying begin!

Mr. & Mrs. Pearson

Well, it has been a while since I wrote and A LOT has been going on!

I've undergone an official name change and get to spend night & day with my best friend. Once we get our wedding pictures back I will make sure and share them, but for now, here is a glimpse into a trip to Naples!

The trip started early Monday morning with a ride on the Amtrak. I don't mind the 5AM hour so much but Bryan doesn't see that time of day unless he is just going to bed...it was a bit rough, but we made it!

Our week was FULL of good eating. Bryan and I love going out to ea, critiquing the food, service, and atmosphere.  For the first time in months we got to enjoy some outdoor patios and fresh seafood!

It wouldn't be a trip to South Florida without seeing some gators. This little guy was precious but we also saw some big, feisty gators in the wild!

We did a half day tour of the everglades on an air boat. The whole experience was really neat but my favorite part was the people. Everyone that toured us around was incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about gators, it made the whole day exciting and really educational.

Growing up, miniature golf was always a vacation tradition. Bryan insisted on the buying 36 holes but in the 90 degree heat and humidity, we hardly made it through 18. Poor us, right?!

We cleared an entire day to hit up the legendary Naples Zoo. Within 1.5 hours we had seen all of the animals, ready every sign, and seen their most popular show.  Lucky for me, this left an afternoon free to hit up the outlet mall!

Of course there were many hours spent at the beach.It wouldn't be a honeymoon without a couple of sunburns and hours of complete laziness :)

Absolutely beautiful sunsets.

Our travels home consistent of 10.5 hours in the Fort Myer's Beach Airport. Lucky for my husband, I am a queen of the card game Nertz.  Poor guy had to have lost over a dozen games that day.

 We are happy to be home and get back into "real life". Our home is finally coming together and I have even been trying my hand at cooking!