Some of you have been reading my blog for the past fifteen years, and you know I spent much of my childhood and teen years in Iowa. My parents were military, and when my dad retired, we settled in my mom’s hometown of Ottumwa, Iowa. Even though I don’t live there anymore, I still love Ottumwa. It’s not the same as when I was a kid, but it always fills me with nostalgia when I visit. We always make sure to stop by my favorite spots like Grahams, The Canteen, and my grandma’s house.
I’m excited to share this travel recap blog with you today because it’s about one of my favorite places. Next month, I’ll be sharing blogs from Germany and Italy, but deep down, I know they won’t be as special as this one—a place that will always hold a special place in my heart.
Watch this blog come to life in my video diary!
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My mother-in-law flew in on Wednesday to help care for my son while Kyle worked. My mom and I headed to the airport at 4:45 AM for a Des Moines, Iowa flight! I used my flight points with Southwest, which meant we had to take a flight with a stop in Denver. It’s not always easy to find direct flights into Iowa with Southwest. However, my mom and I had fun traveling together, giving me time to drink coffee, read my book, catch up on blogs, and relax. I don’t get much of that as a mom at home; I’m either working or handling mom duties. It was a nice break!
I started A Court of Wings and Ruin and love it so far. Many people told me they didn’t like the third book, but it has hooked me. There is so much to soak in while reading this series, so I’m trying to take my time and savor every chapter. Another girl was reading this book on my flight, and we totally gave each other that look, like we were both wearing the same team shirt.
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When we landed in Denver, we had a few hours to waste. I planned on editing my apple crisp recipe, and we picked up some breakfast to split since we were both getting hungry. We stopped at Modern Market Eatery and ordered the omelet with cheddar cheese, kale, peppers, tomatoes, bacon, ham, toast, and potatoes. Their lunch menu looked really good, so I highly recommend stopping there if you’re in the Denver airport.
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Surety Hotel in Downtown Des Moines, Iowa
In the late afternoon, we finally made it to Des Moines, Iowa, and headed to the Surety Hotel Downtown for the night. We planned to grab dinner and hit the pillow early to wake up, work out, and get ready for a road trip to Ottumwa, Iowa, to see my grandma.
Happy New Year friends! Are you all ready for 2018? I definitely am! 2017 was an incredible, super special year for me and The Petite Cook. I'm incredibly happy to have been able to share with you all loads of new exciting experiences, travels and delicious recipes, and even managed to make a revamp of the blog.
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HELLO FRIENDS. Today, I am coming to you live from a brand! new! site!! If you’re an OG and have been here for a while (or a new friend – HI!), you’ll know that I’ve been blogging for about 8 years now (wow I feel old saying that ha). Throughout those years, this website has always been my home and such a fun place for me to connect with you. Over time though, my page wasn’t inspiring me the way that it used to, so I decided I wanted a fresh new look for us all! I also figured my profile photo from 2012 could probably be changed by now haha. Like everything in life, it was time for a facelift LOL, and my blog got her very own makeover!
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Happy weekend friends! I’m so excited to share with you the most epic The Petite Cook giveaway EVER, just in time for the Christmas holidays! I’ve teamed up with the amazing team at Vorwerk, to offer you the chance to win one of their incredible Thermomix® TM5!! Mine is irreplaceable, and I've been using it for making the most delicious food, so I'm super excited to give you the chance to enjoy this incredible device too! If you're not familiar with it just yet, the new Thermomix is one of the smartest devices on the market, combining 12 essential appliances into one to save you time, money, and stress - especially over the holiday season!
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If you follow me over on Instagram, you know that I am prettyyyyyy low maintenance. While I like to dress up and pamper a bit, I like it to take no less than 10 minutes LOL. Really, who has time for more? We’re busy PEOPLE! As someone who likes to live life on the *lazy but fashionable* side, I turn to simple routines I know are foolproof. Daily outfits that are comfy yet functional, a simple beauty routine that freshens but doesn’t take too long, and of course, hairstyles that will make my 3-day old hair look brand new.
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