You Ask, I Answer! Part III

Here are some more fun Q & A's!

13. What do you love most about living in Michigan/the midwest?

I truly do love living in my state. Among other reasons: the 4 seasons- gorgeous Fall colors, beautiful snowy Christmases, the miles upon miles of beaches & coastline, the breathtaking North Woods,

14. Where would you recommend for a Michigan weekend-away?

There are so many great getaways in Michigan! The awesome thing about living here is that there are so many weekend or "long-weekend" away destinations that are all 5 hours or less away (unless you venture to the Upper Peninsula). We actually just took a little weekend getaway over Easter weekend to a Lake Michigan town called Grand Haven. It is home to the famous Grand Haven Lighthouse and has some of the best restaurants and shopping. Just south of GH is Holland, Michigan which is another getaway favorite of mine. I discovered this adorable town after I met one of my best friends in college who was from Holland. It is another town on Lake Michigan with GREAT shopping. So many home goods shops and that's one of my favorite things!

Some of places that you MUST visit: Traverse City, Sutton's Bay, Charlevoix, Mackinaw Island & City, Ann Arbor, South Haven, and the Au Sable river for a canoe trip. If you're even planning a little trip to/within Michigan, don't hesitate to e-mail me for some ideas! I love my state and would love to share it with you!

15. What are your favorite places to travel within the US?

In case you haven't noticed yet, traveling is one of my favorite things to do. From vacation destinations to road trips to discover and explore new places, I LOVE to travel. There are a few places that Lance and I have traveled to several times, though, just because we love it so much. Those places are Savannah, Georgia; Key West, Florida; and Gatlinburg, Tennessee (and surrounding mountain country). I know that list is only going to get longer as we visit new places in the years to come. And, the unknown of that list is very exciting to me! So many more places to discover and explore!

16. What is your favorite cookbook?

This is an almost impossible question for me to answer. My Grandmother who has a collection of at least 1,000 cookbooks has instilled a love for cooking and cookbooks in me. My collection is tiny compared to hers, but I am always adding to it. The ones that I use the most, though, are the Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook, Giada's Kitchen, The Joy of Cooking, and The Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook. I also like to look up recipes I've seen prepared by my favorite chefs on The Food Network and adding them to my own binder full of recipes that I keep in my kitchen.

New recipes and cookbooks are so exciting for me. I'm looking forward to adding to my collection over the years (I just order The Pioneer Woman Cooks yesterday!) and will cherish the cookbooks that my Grandmother passes down to me :o)

17. What is your idea of the perfect day?

Simple. Waking up next to my husband in a new place, with the whole day open to explore someplace we've never been before. Our little Tilly Mae would be by our sides and we'd spend the day exploring, eating at new places, taking photos, and meeting some new people. We would end it with a picnic in a beautiful spot, and an evening under the stars :o)

18. What was your favorite shower/wedding gift you received?

Oh, registering and receiving gifts at our shower and wedding was so much fun :o) We were so thankful for all of the wonderful things we received from our family and friends for our new life together. My favorite gift, though, was the Pottery Barn Emma China set and serving dishes. I was in love with the design the moment I saw it. Simple, yet elegant :o) I love pulling the serving dishes out when we have family or friends for dinner. Thankfully we received dinnerware sets from 4 people so we have plenty for when we have a full house of people!

19. What was your first car?

My first car was a red Le Baron convertible. I loved it. It only lasted about 2 years, but it was perfect for Junior & Senior year (and some of my college Freshman year). Yes, my friends and I were totally those girls cruising around with the top down and the music blaring.

Happy Friday, everyone!