The Search for Miss Direction: Bronner's Bound

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Bronner's Bound

Ever since we moved up to Michigan, we've made an annual tradition of making a trip up to Frankenmuth and a trip to Bronner's Christmas store for everyone to get to pick one special ornament. My hope is that someday, when they're off on their own, Thing 1 and Thing 2 will have plenty of ornaments to deck out their own tree. My siblings and I were lucky enough to have grandparents that did this for us every year, and I think it's such a neat thing that I want to make sure NJ and the Bean are well taken care of as well.

As an added bonus, I called my Mom earlier in the week and invited my parents to join us for this year's trip. I was so glad that they were able to make it. (And so were the kids. Mikayla spent a long time lobbying for Papa to just stay, even offering for me to drive him home so Grandma could go home and study. Think they're attached?) Everyone found a special ornament (pictures below) despite the crazy crowds. Apparently we're not the only ones that have such a tradition, it was nuts! We then had lunch at Culver's, did a little bit of shopping at the outlets in Birch Run and headed home. We were all excited to listen to a Lions victory on the way back as well. I can't officially buy into the Super Bowl hype yet, but I am starting to believe we just may have a playoff shot this year. (Shh, don't tell anyone I put it in writing, it'll totally jinx them!)

I had prepped up tonight's dinner of Golden Cheese and Ham Bake yesterday since it had to sit overnight. This was an easy casserole to put together and I knew it'd be an easy sell as well. I have to point out that my favorite part of this recipe, though, is that you are supposed to bake it at 350 for 46 minutes. Not a range, or even 45 - 46. Must be a Utah thing...

Utah which we bid a fond farewell to tomorrow when we kick-off Vermont week. Mmmm, maple syrup, cheddar cheese and Ben and Jerry's! Yeah, and other stuff as well, but a girl's gotta have her priorities in order. Check back tomorrow and I'll tell you all about it. So until then...

Utah Fun Fact of the Day: The gull is considered the state bird of Utah in commemoration of the fact that these gulls saved the people of the State by eating up the Rocky mountain crickets which were destroying the crops in 1848.