We're still here...

Greetings! We are mostly moved into our new apartment (one more load + cleaning before we turn in keys tomorrow), but AT&T is having issues getting our internet and tv set up. Consequently, I am sitting at the pool with my laptop using the complex's wi-fi. It is super nice and relaxing, but an employee just came out and asked if we were using the internet so now I'm worried they will lock it. And that would ruin my relaxing poolside computer experience! The sunset is making me happy.


I am currently loving:

chocolate chip cookies
Brody loving his new home
organization
lots of storage space
a garage to park in!
sandals
summer

The Food :: Scrapbook Layout

Happy Friday! It is definitely so for us, as we get the keys to our new apartment today. Hip hip hooray!

I put together another layout this week--the food from our anniversary trip. I've had a headache pretty much all week (which I am attributing to dehydration and being outside more than usual), and I wasn't feeling very crafty so I "scrap-lifted" from my favorite creative genius, Ali Edwards (see her much more amazing digital layout on her blog here).

Supplies were a random assortment of freebies from Designer Digitals (top paper + index tab), Shabby Princess (Lucky collection: number and ribbon), basic paper alpha, Kesia paper pack (lower paper, recolored), and straight line stitches.

A Conversation with Tyson :: Scrapbook Layout

So I saw this template designed by Cathy Zielske and I totally loved the idea. Of course, we don't have kids...but I thought it might be fun to add to my Project Life and look back on in a few years. I love looking at the products over at Designer Digitals, but let's be honest. I don't have the money to buy templates and items that I'm able to recreate myself (not as stellar as the original, but I'm trying to make it work!). Hopefully one day I will have a scrapbooking budget to spend on the pretty things.

I wonder how Tyson will feel about the pictures I picked...oh well! :o)

Oh and I am totally loving that script font (Lobster)! If you are using it in Photoshop, the font changes to match up with letters better as you type. I don't know if this is a normal thing, but I thought it was pretty awesome.

Summertime for me is a time that I constantly have a book that I'm reading. Lately, I've been obsessed with the Women's Murder Club series by James Patterson. I started reading them on my nook, but the library's waiting list wasn't moving fast enough! Luckily I had a friend with the first 9 books (the 10th one just came out last month) that I was able to borrow.

Yesterday afternoon I read Heaven is for Real, which is about a four year old's experience during a surgery when he enters heaven. I don't know else to describe it, but it was quite interesting. It's a quick read, so if you are able to get your hands on a copy you should check it out.

I also read The Help a few weeks ago. I read the first few pages several months ago and lost interest, but got back into it the first week of summer. I won't give anything away, but it's definitely a great read. The movie is coming out in August (with my fave, Emma Stone), and I'm interested to see how that compares.

Any recommendations I should add to my summer reading list?

It's Summertime!

I thought it might be fun to share a few of my favorite summer items today! I wear very little makeup in the summer: usually just some light eye shadow, Maybelline mascara (I love the brush + find coupons for it in the paper fairly often), and this bronzer by Jane in Fiji. Add a clear lip gloss or chap stick and I'm good to go.

My skin is pretty fickle, but I love this clay mask with oatmeal and avocado. It advertises that it purges clogged pores, so the first time I used it my skin broke out for about a week. I use it once a week though, and it has been great since. I also alternate between Clean & Clear astringent (not pictured) and foaming facial--both very refreshing.

Lastly, my summer scent is Bath & Body Works exotic coconut. We live near an outlet and I picked it up for $3 right after Christmas (and it's on sale again!). I love coconut--the smell, coconut shrimp, and it reminds me of Gilligan's Island.

Happy Monday!

MIA

I have been MIA on the blog lately...we are moving next weekend, and this week I am dog/house sitting in Cypress. Consequently, I had a lot on my plate trying to get my to do list checked off. An afternoon on the phone with AT&T, last minute visits with a friend before she moves away, work outs every day, and plenty of packing and organizing have dominated my last week. I definitely needed to get more packing done, but I ran out of boxes. We're only moving 2 miles down the road though, so I'm thinking I'll just go back and forth with several trips.

I've been trying to buy as little food as possible and use up what we have on hand so there's (slightly) less to move. We had baked potatoes, spaghetti and salad (Seriously, I am perplexed by how much pasta is in our pantry--how does it accumulate?!), pork tenderloin with an impromptu raspberry glaze, and leftovers. Tyson made some killer burgers last weekend and got to enjoy a few more for lunch this week. Lucky.

If you have any tips for moving efficiently, I'd love to hear them!

Random Photo Wednesday

Among the Reasons Why I Love My Husband

• He turned my alarm off this morning and insisted I sleep in.
• He supports my passions and takes an interest in learning more about them (teaching, taking pictures, scrapbooking, my very unfinished quilt).
• He takes Brody on runs pretty much every day.
• He loves Harry Potter (possibly more than I do...)!
• He will sit through watching the Real Housewives with me.
• He has a happy dance when I cook yummy meals.
• He pesters encourages me to work out and be healthy :o)

Random Photo Wednesday

 

Tyson was soo sleepy this weekend!

one year. 365 days. 8,760 hours. 525,600 minutes.

This past Sunday, Tyson and I celebrated our first year of marriage! We dropped Brody off at my parents' and headed up to Chappell Hill to the Southern Rose Ranch for some rest, relaxation, and amazing food. We grilled the most gorgeous (and on sale!) prime rib eyes, corn on the cob, and I made some red mashed potatoes for dinner. Right after we got inside, it started pouring lots and lots of rain with a good dose of thunder.

We woke up on Monday and spent most of the day in the hammock and front porch rocking chairs. Our lovely host made an amazing breakfast of cantaloupe, yogurt, and strawberries, followed by a second course of egg nests with cilantro sauce and citrus salsa and blueberry and chocolate chip scones with a blueberry drizzle. Sooo tasty. Interestingly enough, one of my favorite blogs had a skinny egg white nest recipe to make when we got back.

If you are looking for a relaxing B&B, I highly recommend the Southern Rose Ranch!

Apple Enchiladas

I made apple enchiladas for small group this week, and they were pretty tasty! I got the recipe from a church cookbook, and have looked online for something similar and came up short (most used apple pie filling and tortillas). I usually cut the recipe in half to make 8 and put it in an 8x8 pan. It's not healthy, but it is tasty!

Ingredients
2 cans crescent rolls
2 baking apples (Fuji), peeled, cored, and cut into 8 slices
2 sticks butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
11/2 cups sugar
12 oz. Mountain Dew


Place one slice of an apple in each triangle of dough. Roll from large end to small. Place in 9x13" baking dish. Melt margarine in saucepan, mix in sugar and cinnamon. Pour mixture over enchiladas and then pour Mountain Dew over top. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. We love it with ice cream!

Random Photo Wednesday

This is Puppy, or Dog. She is the resident canine at the Ranch. Puppy is the perfect mix of sass, cuteness, and sweetness. I actually call her Puppy Glinda because when I first met her, I thought she wanted a middle name. And I think I had been listening to the Wicked soundtrack in the car that day.