Okoboji and Kip Moore (August 16)

In our tentative planning for our fun upcoming weekend away while the boys hang out with Grandma and Grandpa in Worthington, we came across this free concert down at Okoboji with up and coming country music star Kip Moore. And we're a little crazy, so we decided to go for the evening WITH the boys :) We figured that the worst-case scenario is we drag them kicking and screaming home for 45 minutes in the car, which isn't something that hasn't happened before, right? :) But it actually ended up turning out very well, once we settled down after an atrocious (yet successful) attempt to get Cashel down for a nap a few hours earlier.

We made our way down after the boys woke up from naps and stopped for burgers at Drydock Lounge before making our way to where all the crazy was at.

The concert had a huge turnout, and it was a little crazy, but we really had a great time, and the boys loved the music. We were honestly more impressed with the guy opening for Kip Moore - Michael Ray, and were fortunate to be able to make it all the way through his concert and into the first 4 songs of Kip Moore before we made a break for it and got the boys settled in for a sleepy drive home.

Cashel just LOVED the waterfront, and he ended up soaked before Kip Moore even came on, and since I had forgotten a change of clothes in the car, about 3/4 of a mile away, he just chilled out in his diaper the rest of the show lol

The nice part about it being a free concert was that we were able to wander a fair amount and not be worried that we weren't going to miss something. Plus, we didn't feel bad leaving halfway through haha :)

We did have a pretty great time, though! It went much better than I anticipated, so that was a plus. The boys were really great at the restaurant, and they loved dancing and wandering around, AND we didn't end up losing them in the massive crowds, so that made me pretty happy too :)

I'm not sure if we'd go to this specific concert again, but I think we need to start making it an annual thing to go down to ONE of the free concerts at Okoboji each summer. Although, I'm sure in the near future it's going to start costing us a small fortune, as they'll want to hit up Arnold's Park (nearby amusement park) beforehand haha :)

Minerva's Pasta Bar with Angie (April 1)

How I have not known about this incredible pasta bar for the past 8 years, I don't know. YUM!!

My co-worker friend Angie introduced me on April Fools' Day when we had our monthly dinner out together, and can I say for the millionth time: THANK YOU, ANGIE!

The pasta bar was very well stocked with lots of veggies and meats, and they sautee in oil (I'm not sure what kind) and allow you to add seasonings like cajun, garlic and red pepper flakes in that process, then you pick a pasta (fettuccine or penne were the choices) and sauce (alfredo, marinara or the sauce of the night, which happened to be Beer Cheese Sriracha - SO YUMMY!).

Angie said she always goes for about the same: peppers and onions with marinara sauce on penne, and if she loves it, why mess with a good thing? (I think this is why I almost always get sweet & sour chicken at HuHot, btw, and why Mark always gets beef & broccoli).

Being a pasta bar virgin, however, I mixed it up a bit and did try the Beer Cheese Sriracha, and I am SO glad I did - it was out of this world! I chose sausage with tons of veggies, seasoned with lots of garlic and also went with the penne pasta. For my second trip up, I wanted to keep it a little lighter (although when it's fried in oil, how "light" can it really get?) and I went with plain asparagus and mushrooms seasoned with pesto and garlic. SOOOOOOOOOO good!

It has been so nice getting to know Angie on a more personal level instead of just at work, and I so look forward to our little GNOs (Girls' Night Out).

On our way home, we happened to be driving right by Goodie's (who another co-worker/friend Marilyn introduced me to), and we just had to stop to stock up on coffee...and a truffle dessert: SO yummy!

After an insane Easter weekend, we decided to forego our plans out for the end of the month, what with the boys being in the field and all (her hubby farms on the side as well) but are looking forward to our next GNO hopefully around the beginning of May to check out the new Mexican restaurant coming to Windom!