Howdy everyone, and TGIF! 
So earlier this week I mentioned that Ben’s turning the big 3-0 this weekend. Guess what he was greeted with when walking up to his desk this morning?!
BAHAHAHAHA! His picture text to me was accompanied with one word: furious. I say, HILARIOUS! Great job, co-workers! 
In addition to tearing 500 post it notes off his desk, Ben and I will also be driving to Chicago this afternoon for the weekend. Check this out – Ben’s favorite team in the entire universe is the University of Miami’s college football team. (Long story short, he formed the love as a young kid and his feelings have only intensified over the years, per this psychotic video I shot of him watching a Miami game several years ago. This, coming from the most mild-mannered man alive.)
Please excuse the sleeveless tee, btw, but please acknowledge the precious Miami flag.
Anyways, they’re in Florida, and we’re in Iowa, so we figured it was going to be awhile before we were ever able to go see them play. WELL, guess who’s playing Notre Dame at Soldier Field, merely 5 hours away, on the weekend of Ben’s 30th birthday??
MIAMI!
The timing was too perfect not to act, and it’s his 30th birthday after all, so I snatched up a pair of tickets 6 months ago and have been holding onto the secret for just as long. It’s been torture. I finally surprised him with the tickets last weekend after his birthday lunch, and I cannot wait to see his face when they kick off on Saturday night. WHEE!
So, open road, here we come!
I hope you have a fun weekend planned too (get out and enjoy those fall leaves and farmers’ markets!) and in the meantime, please enjoy my favorite finds from around the web in this week’s Friday Favorites!
Favorite must-try: Oil-Cleansing Method. I can’t remember the last time I was this excited to try something… I’ve been reading this week about the oil-cleansing method – cleaning your face with oils like castor, olive, and jojoba instead of commercial face wash. It makes SO much sense, and I’m going out later today to collect the supplies to start on Sunday. Has anybody ever tried this method?
Favorite slow cook: Slow Cooked Quinoa Chicken Chili. Whole Foods had a quinoa chili the other day that Ben and I were both drooling over. Bonus that this recipe cooks in a slow cooker.
Favorite recipe: Single Serving Chocolate Chip Cookies. I’ve been attempting to keep sugar consumption low lately, for the aforementioned skin and weight control, but BOY am I glad to have this recipe in my back pocket!
Favorite find: Mercer Tall Boot. OH. EM. GEE!!! Completely obsessed over every single detail in these boots, but equally as devastated that the shaft height is about 1-3/4″ too tall for my short little legs. These are the things us vertically challenged women must deal with.
Favorite bite: Sweet Potato Pulled Pork Slider. The ultimate 2-bite delight. My mouth is totally watering!
Favorite fantasy: Venice. Oh, this.
Favorite wake up: Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls. I would have to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t still dreaming if cough, someone, cough, ever woke me up with a plate of these babies.
Favorite furball. Cute. Overload.
Favorite supper: Pumpkin Coconut Curry. Oh my, you really need to check out this recipe. Thinking I’m going to make this for myself as soon as Ben has a late work night.
Favorite faux: Rachel Faux-Leather Clutch. I saw this at Banana Republic last weekend and was dying to get it. Perfect for a dressier occasion, but still holds a TON of essentials.
Favorite redo: Butternut Squash and Crispy Sage Pizza. A pizza version of my Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Garlic Butter & Sage Sauce! So clever to put these ingredients on a pizza!
Favorite photo. Ahhh, fall. 
Do you have your pumpkins yet? Ben and I still need to get ours. Hoping to pick some up at the Farmers’ Market next weekend.
Favorite treat: Ooey Gooey Caramel Pumpkin Blondies. Speaking of pumpkin…OMG! The ooo, the goo!
Favorite tip: Custom iPhone Covers. This tutorial for creating custom iPhone covers is so clever!
Favorite outfit. I don’t know if I could pull off all the jewelry, but I am still crushing on orange clothes, especially going into fall. Looks so cute with chunky gold jewelry too.
Favorite sip: Honeycrisp Apple Sangria. How refreshing does this look?! Great cinnamon stick stirrer addition too.
Favorite spoonful: Chipotle Apple Turkey Chili. Unique, spicy, smokey, sweet combo. I am of the belief that you can never have too many chili recipes!
Favorite DIY: DIY Media Shelves. What a fun shelving unit – I’ve never seen anything like it, with the chains!
Favorite indulgence: No-Bake Stuffed Cookie Dough Bites. UMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m pretty sure these are outlawed in 19 states – good thing Iowa’s not one of ‘em!
Happy weekend, everyone!
Thanks for featuring my sangria!
Oh. My. Gosh. We wanted to go to the UM game!!! But its on our five year anniversary. And well, we couldn’t get tickets, lol! Enjoy! My hubby is a UM alumn!!
Its all about the U!
I want to try that oil cleansing method someday too. I haven’t gotten my pumpkins yet. But I’m going home next weekend so that is my number one task!
Have fun in Chicago this weekend! Chicago is one of my favorite cities!
Watch out for road closures on Sunday, the Chicago marathon is this weekend(my husband is running in it.)
Kristin, what an AWESOME surprise!! Have fun! (LOVE Ben’s desk!)
Happy B-day to Ben!
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls…drooling…
I look forward to your friday favorites every week! another great list
xo Rach
rachiecakes-rachael.blogspot.com
Bring your warm clothes, girl! Chicago got COLD last night and this weekend is going to be the coldest it has been since MARCH! And the Chicago marathon is Sunday, so there will be so many people downtown!! Enjoy the game!
I got so many great ideas from this post! Especially that pumpkin coconut curry
YUM!
As an ND grad I have to say GO IRISH! But so totally jealous you’ll be at the game – all my friends are there and I just couldn’t swing it. Hope it’s a blast!
The oil cleansing method really does work! I have super sensitive skin and have always battled acne, so I was hesitant to try it. It actually improved my skin and left if feeling SO soft. Not to mention, its super cheap! The only drawback is that it is kind of messy.
Great features! I LOVE the pumpkin picture so much! Thanks for including my cookies:0)
yes! i’ve tried {and loved} the oil cleanse method. a few things…
* i used 2 parts olive oil, 1 part castor oil, and a few drops of tea tree oil for my acne prone/combo skin. olive=moisturizing, castor=cleansing, tea tree= anti bacterial, anti inflammatory
* it’s best to steam your face with it on, use a hot washcloth, lay on your face until it gets cool, repeat, and then gently wipe off!
* my skin feels SO soft & really cleared up! {i need to get back into this routine}.
also, just for fun, a REALLY great DIY eye make up remover is: 1 part witch hazel + 1 part olive oil. it’s AMAZING!!!!!!
<3
happy homemade skin care!
erica
Hahah I died laughing at the picture of his desk and then proceeded to watch the video, too funny. Those stuffed cookie bites look deliiiiish
Chicago Marathon weekend as well!!! Hope you get out and watch us runners take down the streets of Chicago =) !!!!
I should also mention the resturants are pretty much booked up because of the marathon so if you need some spots see email I sent you a few months back about some Ravenswood hot spots!
I use the OCM! I have been doing it a couple months and really enjoy it. I use a mix of 1:3 Castor to Olive Oil with some added drops of tea tree (bc of adult acne). I keep it in a small travel size container and only remix about every 3-4 weeks. I have noticed a huge improvement in my acne especially.
I also recommend not using anything after you wipe your face with a wet wash cloth. I have extremely dry skin and it is enough moisture even for me. (Except when I get a tad over zealous wiping it all off… in which case I use a bit of moisturizer when my skin feels tight).
Those boots are ridiculous!! LOVE!
I am very curious about the OCM! Please let us know what your results are!
Chili = perfect Autumn dinner! Thanks for the tip!
omgosh the desk is too hilarious. i’ve got to remember that sometime! also, definitely am going to need to try these sweet potato pulled pork sliders. they look freaking amazing.
The puppy looks just like my Morkie, Miles, all 6 lbs. of him!! Best dog ever!! My Iowa girl turns thirty this weekend too! We moved to Texas when she was two weeks old, but, she still considers Iowa home.
Aw, happy birthday to her!
i use the ocm too and really like it . i started with the olive oil/castor oil at first and now i only use jojoba oil, and like it so much better! good luck!
Oh my gosh…everything food related in this post looks delish!! Love the boots, but like you, I’m vertically challenged.
Have a blast at the game!!
What an awesome birthday present! and kudos to you for keeping it a secret! You guys are sure to have an awesome weekend!
Thanks for featuring my chili.
Those stuffed cookie dough bites look totally worth the diabetes I’d get shoving them into my face. Great round up.
Ben’s desk looks awesome, way to go co-workers and Happy Birthday Ben!
I haven’t tried the oil cleansing method but I have switched over to a highly minimalistic approach to skin care & it’s been doing wonders on my acne-prone skin. I basically use Cetaphil to wash my face in the shower every day, then moisturize post shower. At the end of the day, I wash my face with warm water, moisturize, Before bed, I wash my face with warm water, moisturize. I’ve been on every acne medication under the sun over the years & my skin seriously feels the best it ever has.
LOVE LOVE LOVE what they did to Ben’s desk. sooooo funny
I see we share a love for Picky Palate’s blog. I pinned those cookie dough bites yesterday! I cleansed my skin with olive oil awhile back when I friend said her grandmother did it and had wonderful skin. I used a oil from an online shop, but I might try it again!
OMG! My hubby is the exact same as Ben about the Miami Hurricanes and we are headed there this weekend also! It’s a bit ridiculous the amount of Miami Hurricanes clothing that is packed and will be worn. Go U! My friend Lindsay Woods says hey! Any favorite places you plan on eating at while you’re there? I’m obsessed with finding as many gourmet cupcake places as I can.
How was your weekend? It was a gorgeous couple of days – too bad the game was a bust!
OCM is awesome! I use a very similar method to erica (above) except I use almond oil instead of olive oil. I find the olive oil is too heavy for my skin. The results are incredible – your skin gets soooo soft.
One word of caution though: don’t do this every day, especially at first. There is definitely a transition period that your skin goes through and I can only use the OCM 2-3 times a week. If you use it too frequently you can get weird little bumps all over your face and they take FOREVER to go away. I was on the main OCM chat page and I guess this happens to a lot of people if you dive into OCM head first. It can also happen if your moisturizing oil is too heavy.
Good luck!
Thanks for the butternut squash ideas. We received 2 large squash in our CSA and wasn’t sure what to do with them. Now I can roast them up over the weekend and whip up something yummy!
Yum!!! I’m repinning the crockpot quinoa chili
I’m always looking for new crockpot recipes- who doesn’t love tossing everything in a bowl and having a house smelling wonderfully and dinner ready when they get home?!
That is one of the best birthday gags ever. Oh I would of love to have done that for a few co-workers of mine. I hope you have a great weekend. I am sure you and your hubby will have a blast at the game.
1 – Poor Ben!
2 – As a fellow 5’2″-er I feel your pain on those boots. I want this VS Cardi so bad but it will probably come down to my shins and just look silly.
http://www.victoriassecret.com/clothing/cardigans-and-sweatercoats/the-flirty-cardi-sweater?ProductID=50454&CatalogueType=OLS&search=true
3 – Love the orange outfit, but definitely too much jewelry!
My girlfriend was wearing something similar this weekend – she’s 5’10, btw – and looked adorable in it. It would have looked like a blanket on me. Sigh!
I look forward to your Friday Favorites list all week! Have a great weekend Kristin, and happy birthday to Ben!
I’ll be in Chicago this weekend too! Running in the Chicago marathon, my first!! Should be a great weekend to visit!
Oh my gosh – congratulations!! How did it go??
I’m going to the UM vs. ND game!! I’m a senior at ND but I’m from Miami, born and raised a Canes fan! Awkward? But I’m SO excited! Maybe I’ll run into you! Don’t be freaked out if I come say hi!
What a bummer of a game, right?! Hope you stayed warm!
Hey Kristin! This is going to be long, but I’ve used oil cleansing for awhile so I thought I’d chime in. The way I do it is not the same as the oil method detailed in that link. I don’t mix oils (too much work), and use either jojoba or rice bran oil. (I have combination skin, fyi)
1: rub a few drops on my face concentrating on the eye area to take off makeup then wipe off with a cotton pad(s). Step 2: a few drops massaged onto my face while it’s dry, then I wet hands and continue massaging to emulsify the oil, and then rinse. 3: sometimes I stop there, but if I still feel like I need a moisturizer I add a few more drops of the oil. I give my face a deeper clean with a regular cleanser once a week, and do the other 6 days a week. If you don’t wear makeup you can skip step 1, but if you do it prevents the dirty washcloth problem as your face will be clean when you towel off after step 2.
Have a nice weekend and Happy 30 to Ben!
I have done the OCM too…a 1:3 mixture of castor and olive oil similar to what was described by some others. I love it! It will totally clear up your skin and make it so soft! Also, if you have any stubborn cystic acne, you can dab on straight castor oil, rub it in, and it will clear it up too!! Castor oil is a natural drawing salve, so it works great, but you can definitely use less than the other oils. I agree with the others too, that I only do it 3 times per week or so.
I was hoping you would be around for the Color Run in Des Moines this weekend. Was hoping I could run into you there. (Clearly, I need to get out more).
That aside, the surprise you set up for your husband is really nice. My husband surprised me last year with Pearl Jam tickets for my birthday and it was awesome!
Hope you have fun. Your Friday faves always brighten up my day (and fill up my pinterest account!).
I have used the OCM and should get back to using it. When I do use it those nasty blackheads on my nose actually go away! In an old (cleaned) baby food jar I mix 1 part sunflower oil and 2 parts castor oil (unless I’ve got that ratio switched-Friday brain, sorry!). Pour about a dime size of the oil into clean hands, rub hands together to warm the oil, rub/massage over face while running the water in the sink to warm it. Now take a washcloth and wet it in the now warm water and do not wring it out. Leaning over the sink, hold the washcloth to one area of your face at a time. Do your chin, wring out the washcloth, run under the warm water and repeat on forehead, etc.
A couple tips: 1) do not do this in the shower! It is more convenient as it doesn’t matter if the water runs down your elbows in the shower instead of in front of the sink, but if anyone else in your household takes a shower after you, the tub floor can be slippery. @) I enjoy using hot water and this helps “steam” your pores and remove the oil. Our water heater is set at 108 degrees.
Well, I’m off to round up ingredients for some Ooey Gooey Caramel Pumpkin Blondies!
Enjoy!
HAHA I love that you recorded him! Boys and their sports… My BF isn’t as much into sports as he is nerdy video games, but they all have something don’t they?
I don’t normally use oils on my face, but I *have* noticed lately that when I use my oil-based makeup remover at night, my skin is SO nice and soft in the morning!
My mom made pumpkin curry once and it was prooobably the best curry I’ve ever had. I bought a tiny pumpkin at the grocery store for $1.99 and I’m going to make pumpkin puree soon! Then I’ll buy another one for decoration P
P.S. I’m going to Napa tomorrow! I will say hello for you
Ahhh – have a blast! What wineries did you end up going to?
We went to Domaine Carneros, which is a winery that does mostly champagne
http://www.domainecarneros.com/
I was with the BF’s mom (who lives there) and she was driving, so we only did one winery before we went back so we could both drink in the safety of her home! But it was a beauuutiful, perfect day!
I tried OCM, but it made me break out like CrAZY. I’ve read some places that you have to persist for 2+ weeks as your skin purges itself but I tried it for six weeks and my skin got worse and worse. My face cleared up soon after I stopped – BUMMER! I was so excited for this all natural method. Luckily, my skin is now clear once again ., I’m still a bit traumatized but am not trying to detract you from trying, I’ve heard great things from others and believe it is great for some but just not for me. You have gorgeous skin so I am sure it will be fine. I have sensitive and oily skin and it just made my face freak out.
Omg those cookie bites look SOOOOOOO GOOD! Make a healthified version for me, yeah?
Naw such a good wife- hope you guys have fun. Oh and I love that Iphone case idea! Why have I never thought of that before? Haha so simple but so brilliant.
My husband turns 40 Dec 1. His favorite author also happens to be having a book release party in AZ that very same day. Because I like you, an awesome wife. I bought tickets to the book signing and am flying him to AZ for that weekend.
That is sooo sweet – what a great surprise!
Totally drooling over those caramel apple cinnamon rolls! Happy Friday!
Happy birthday, Ben!!! My husband (and son right now) went/go to UF…so they hate Miami. It’s strange to me. How the heck do you find so many wonderful things in a week…truly amazing. I should not be reading about all these delicious things late at night (and we even split an apple galette and ice cream at dinner tonight!). Cute boots. I LOVE your Friday favs.
PS. My legs are too short, too
Go Canes.
Kristin, keep me posted if you find the perfect riding boots for a shorty. I am 5 ft. tall and am dying to have a pair of fab tall boots but cannot find a shaft height right for me. Thought I found a pair at Macy’s online and received them to find out the web site had wrong shaft height, ugh!
College football is the best!! Love it!!