Monday, December 2, 2013

TOH - Holiday Card Swap!

Hi from chickluvs2cook!

It's Taste of Home Christmas card time again...and I absolutely love getting all of your cards & recipes in the mail each day!  I can hardly wait to start trying them.  This is my 5th year to participate in this card swap, and I have been waiting anxiously for it to start.

If you have found your way here you have probably received my Christmas postcard. I send postcards because I think they are fun and an easy way to mail Christmas wishes to a lot of people (they also can be saved and used as a recipe card.).  All I have to do then is direct the receiver to my blog and they can get all of my info here. So, here goes...

I still live in Yorkville, IL, which is a suburb of Chicago and is located in what they consider the Fox Valley area. I am married to a great guy named Mike and we have a 4 year old puppy named Kiki that we adopted from a shelter. We don't have kids of our own, but love spending time with our nieces and nephews. They range in age from 8 yrs. old to 26 yrs. old ~ 5 boys and 2 girls. We travel a lot to see them b/c they live in IL, IN, KS, AR and now Thailand (for awhile - we haven't been to see him...yet).

My husband & I have been truly blessed with amazing families and fabulous friends.  They all bring so much happiness and joy to our lives.  We are extremely lucky to have family that are also our very close friends, and friends that feel like family.


I am the General Manager of an environmental consulting firm located in Geneva, IL and enjoy my job (most of the time).  It keeps me busy that's for sure.  My husband of nine years was recently laid-off from his job yet again (2 years ago he was laid-off from his job of 14 years & had only been with this new company for a little over a year).  So, he is on the job hunt again but has been fortunate to find a very nice part-time job to help with the bills while he is searching.  We feel very blessed that I have a good job and we are able to make it until he is gainfully employed again.  The right job is out there...it just the timing thing that frustrates us at times.  But we are confident that it will happen when the time is right and that we will be just fine until then.  Our God is a good & gracious God!

As for hobbies, the main one is cooking...everything and anything about cooking. I collect cookbooks, watch the FoodNetwork every chance I get, and love to try and develop new recipes. I have even won a couple of local contests and  aspire to winning a big one one day. I have been cooking since I was little and would help my grandmother in the kitchen. She taught me so much in our 16 years together.

I was actually just notified that one of my recipes is being considered for publication in Simple & Delicious in the Summer of 2014.  WooHoo...that's a big dream of mine...& it might just happen!  I'll keep you all posted on that big news.  ;)


If you like great community cookbooks, you need to check out the one I helped compile and publish for a local women's club that I am a member of here in Yorkville - www.yorkvillejwc.com.  We had it published a few years ago, but still have some and sell them at any of our big events.  They are still really popular and contain a ton of really awesome recipes.   I have really enjoyed being a part of this group of amazing women all working for the betterment of our community.  Even with all of the hard work we do to raise funds and give of our time we still manage to have a great time, and I have made some wonderful life-long friends. 


My other hobby (like I need one more thing to do) is photography. I take pictures of everything...I'm kind of the family historian shall we say via photos. I find it so amazing to capture a moment in time and have it to look back on whenever I want to remember or relive the memory.  I take literally hundreds of pictures a year and love being able to go back and relieve a year when the mood hits me.

Well, that is about it for me.  I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy New Year!

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette Schroeder (TOH BB - chickluvs2cook)

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Almost...Mr. & Mrs. Stewart

We're heading to Denver tomorrow to celebrate Mike's sister Annette's wedding. I'm so excited I could just about burst! She's marrying an amazing man named Peter Stewart. They truly are a perfect match(.com)! (That's how they met. 😉)




We are so blessed to be able to share in their very special day...and enjoy getting to know our new "family" members from Canada over these next few days.

Can't wait to tell you all about it next week!

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Groupon!

Those of you that know me...know I love a good deal or a coupon for dinner or movies or whatever.  One of my favorite "coupon" sites is Groupon.  They have deals for so many things and we have really been able to enjoy some fun things and eat a some new places, because I got a great deal on Groupon. 

So...if you like a good deal and like to try new things...check out the link below for Groupon...& have some fun!

Check out Groupon...click here!

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette

PS:  There is also a Groupon button to the right, if link doesn't get you to where you want to be.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

I'm too excited to sleep!

My all time favorite Disney commercial is the one of the little boy telling his sister the night before they go to Disney..."I'm too excited to sleep!" Boy do I know how he feels. In just a few short hours we will be leaving for Disney World...& "I'm too excited to sleep!"


Tomorrow we leave to go to Disney World with the McAfees. I think I may be just as excited as the boys...and I've been there before. Of the 6 of us going (4 adults & 2 kids), I'm the only one that has been there before. Grant it it was 21 years ago & without kids, but it was magical. I can only imagine how much better it will be this time...through the eyes of my nephews.

Until next time...from the most magical place on earth no less!

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Taste of Home...Field Editor!


I'm a happy camper...I found out that I have been selected to remain a Field Editor for Taste of Home magazine.  At the beginning of the year, they decided to wipe the slate clean and put all of us (1000+ the USA, Canada & Europe) at point zero and have us all re-apply for the position.



They included more strict guidelines and made it a little more challenging this time around.  They also cut the number allowed in 1/2, so they would now have around 500 total.  Well...I'm very happy to say I made the cut, and I so look forward to representing in my new and expanded capacity! Ok, enough tooting my own horn. ;)

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Spring!

Spring has finally sprung...despite the cooler temps still!

As I was driving home from an errand today - I decided to take the back way & see how things were looking out at Silver Springs State Park - I noticed the timbered area in front of the Farnsworth House had daffodils up & blooming all over. It was such a welcomed site after such a long & dreary winter.


This also means that fresh summer veggies won't be that far off now. I can hardly wait for the cook outs & farmers markets!

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Testing...1, 2, 3...testing...

Getting ready to start some major recipe development & testing. Mike is in for quite a ride!
After four yrs. of being a Field Editor (FE) for Taste of Home magazine, I have to reapply for the position. They are changing some requirements and standards, but I see that as a good thing. There is also a waiting list for others wanting to become FEs, and they feel it's only fair to give them a chance to serve as well.

So wish me luck and say a little prayer...I really want to be selected again. I've really enjoyed my time as a FE and would love to continue as one. Especially now that I have finally stepped down from so much responsibility with the Yorkville Jr. Women's Club and have the time to be more involved as a FE. I'll keep you posted!

Ciao!

Brigette


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