Beer, Bugs & Pizza

I met two friends for lunch over the weekend. It was a gorgeous Wisconsin fall day, filled with outdoor dining, catching up and laughing.

Here’s what was on the menu for me.

What can I say? My cravings have gotten out-of-control and pretty disgusting. And I’m talking about the O’Douls, not the bugs. Just kidding! I have not gone bug-avore and starting scarfing insects. One of my friends found these on a road trip and thought it would be amusing to bring them to our lunch. I love the flavors – Bacon and Cheese Crickets? Probably the best way to enjoy them, cause you know bacon and cheese can do wonders for any dish.

The O’Douls? My friends were sipping on Spotted Cow and Guinness and I was literally salivating as I watched them. After completing almost 2 pregnancies, I had never tried an NA beer before, assuming it wouldn’t come close to the real thing. But I had to do something to prevent a puddle of drool from forming on the table in front of me.

I specifically requested a bottle, not a glass, just to prevent surrounding diners from freaking out about an obviously pregnant woman boozing it up. The “beer” was okay. I give it a big, “Meh.” I still can’t wait for the real thing.

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That evening was filled with more great food – homemade grilled pizza compliments of my sister and brother-in-law and an incredible bonfire in the woods adjacent from their home.

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Chef James, hard at work. That’s a from -scratch pizza crust, FYI.
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My dad, donning an adorable pink fire hat, compliments of his granddaughter, Adeline, takes a turn.
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Time to add toppings. Sorry, crappy picture. Erin and James had 4 different cheeses, multiple selections of veggies, meats, olives, herbs and more for us to choose from.
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Us, after devouring amazing pizza and preparing to stroll to the bonfire. Did you know my face is actually carrying the baby now instead of my belly? This is an awful photo of Joey and me (he looks like he’s sleeping, I look shocked that my uber-swollen face can still contort itself into a smile), but Addy has such a great grin going, I had to post it.
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Erin and James own a few wooded acres and they’ve cut a clearing deep into them. It’s like meandering through a forest and stumbling upon an oasis of awesomeness, complete with fire pit, a creek, lounge chairs and tiki torches.

It was a great day, filled with some of my most favorite things in the world – friends, family, the outdoors and great food.

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