Yummery Redux

So ... have you been wondering about my birthday freebies? Well stop wondering and keep reading!

Summary of My Yummery Foodfest.

Starbucks. A free LARGE cup of chai tea with nonfat milk. It's one of my most favorite beverages, especially during the winter, and Starbucks does a good job. But I don't ever get LARGE, making it a real treat, very yummy and where's the bathroom?

Biggby Coffee. (A late arrival in the birthday yummery [after I wrote my post]. I believe this is a midwest company, so some of you may not know it. Just picture a teddy bear version of Starbucks.) A free peppermint stick mocha. They were out of peppermint sticks, but the coffee-making guy promised he make an "extra awesome" drink for me. It was. And still satisfactorily minty, even without the candy.

Qdoba. A buy one get one bday deal. So, fittingly as our birthdays are just a day apart, MCG and I bogoed. The naked chicken burrito with black beans and pico de gallo. Delicioso!

Caribou Coffee. Tried something NEW, a spicy milk chocolate mocha. A little wild, but I figured I could try it for FREE and not feel bad if I hated it. It was actually very good. The spicy wasn't hot like Tabasco sauce hot. It was warm like cinnamon warm. A surprisingly delectable combo.

Cold Stone Creamery. I "dragged" CAG out with me one evening. I got a dark chocolate peppermint ice cream with brownie mix-in. We shared and savored! Yummy ... and I'd highly recommend it (if you can handle ice cream when it's 5 degrees outside).

Burp! I didn't do this all on my birthday, though, as fun and filling as that would've been. Instead MCG and I spent the day taking a soup lunch up to friends and co-workers at P&M to celebrate St. Nicholas Day (and thank them for sending work my way during 2010).

Then we drove straight to school to be mystery readers for GJG's and GMG's classes. (Definitely put more than 80 miles on the car!) We were afraid we'd embarrass the kids, me reading Punk Farm with ENTHUSIASM and MCG playing the guitar (never had a lesson!). But we didn't ... much. Both activities were a lot of fun and filling for our souls!

I didn't get to Noodles and Company, which was the biggest outlier in distance from home base. Bummer. If I had gone, I would've been hard pressed to choose between Penne Rosa and Japanese Pan Noodles. Maybe all for the best.

I still have a "surprise treat" from Panera Bread to redeem. "Surprise" almost puts it on my iffy list. But since they give more time to use their birthday treat, I'm willing to risk it.

As you can see, I'm up to speed for all the delicious eating of the holiday season. (As if I needed help getting up to speed!)