Friday Faves

OK, so it's not Friday and this is not a list of my favorites from the week because it's been a long week and honestly, it doesn't feel right trying to come up with a few little moments to make this week make sense and rationalize everything that is going on in my life. Instead, here's a list of the 5 songs I've had on repeat on my IPod this week. Sometimes music just makes everything better and even when it doesn't, it brings me peace for a few moments. Life is confusing these days and I don't know what the days ahead hold for me but I know that now more than ever, I need to remember that goals are just road maps to where you want to be in life but they aren't the only way to get there.

1. Gary Allen- Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)

2. Rascal Flatts- Unstoppable

3. Grey's Anatomy Cast- Grace

4. Clay Walker- She Won't Be Lonely Long


5. Eric Church- Hell On The Heart

Wednesday Writings

The worst Thanksgiving dish you ever had.

Green bean casserole is hands down the yuckiest thing I’ve ever tasted.  Who wants their green beans covered in cream of mushroom soup? Why not just eat the damn beans? They are pretty tasty as regular beans not topped with French fried onions. Soup makes them mushy and I don’t like onions or mushrooms anyways! Sadly the worst version of green beans I have ever encountered I made myself. The problem with giving the casserole hater the casserole is they really don’t care to find a decent way to make it. I didn’t know you had to thaw the beans or cook it longer. I just cooked it according to the directions I found on the side of the French fried onion can. It didn’t say anything about thawing the beans first! But it’s OK because I redeemed myself the year later by making parmesan roasted green beans.

French Toast Dumplings

Breakfast food and I are good friends. IHop knows me too well. And above all else, french toast and I share a special bond. I just love french toast. It is so yummy. So when I ran across french toast dumplings, I told Joe they had to happen. So I do have to give you some tips because the recipe was not easy as it looks. Here is are the finished dumplings.

Don't they look yummy?

This batch was super mushy. Lesson learned: less than a minute on each side.

The only word I have for this batch is goo. They disintegrated as I pulled them out. Use a bigger pan and don't over crowd it.

Perfect! Cooked for a minute on each side. I also had a lot of space around each dumpling when I dropped them in.

My biggest tips for success: Big pot and work in batches, no more than a minute and a half on each side, keep your heat very low, and let them sit for a few minutes once you coat them in cinnamon sugar. It really makes a difference in the texture. But even the mushy batch was tasty. Maybe just because of the relationship I have french toast.

Easter Eggs

Here's the first from the spring bucket list. One thing I didn't remember about dying Easter eggs is how long it takes. I also did not know that you should buy egg dye from the dollar store. It didn't make for great colors. But it was a blast! And the best part? We made deviled eggs. :) It was a good time.

Lemon Pie Bars

Joe loves lemon anything. I think I could make lemon flavored grass candy and Joe would at least try it.  I first made this for Joe when he moved into the house he lives in now. He had his parents over for dinner and I made these for desserts. They are so light and tasty. They are the perfect spring treat and they are perfect for my spring bucket list. Their crust is like pie crust but thicker, more like shortbread. Joe and I have always talked about adding blueberries so maybe we will do that this summer and try it again. They are super simple, the prep time is next nothing, and Joe has all of the ingredients all of the time. They are just perfect.

Friday Faves

I have no intro this week. It's just been a long week again. Balls.

1. Scholarship Paddle

I was awarded the scholarship paddle at Sunday's meeting! I was so excited because we have a couple of weekly awards and I've never received one so to get one for something I work hard at.

2. Chili Afternoon

I spent a lovely afternoon eating Joe's homemade chili and reading for my history classes. Well and I fell asleep after my chili was gone but that still made for a lovely afternoon.

3. Poetry Slam with the Fam

I went to a poetry slam with my little and grand littles this week. Emily and Mary Kate were just too precious, snapping like you see in the movies. It was a great time!

4. Registering For My Last Year Of Classes

I can't believe I'm all registered for my last year of classes. It just doesn't seem real that in one year, I'll be graduating. Buckle up kids, it's going to be a fun ride.

5. Jessica!

Jessica came home with me today and she will be here all weekend! YAY!

Wednesday Writings

What can happen in a second?

You could give an awkward peck on the cheek to a girl you know likes you but you don’t like her back.

You could slip on some ice.

You could crush someone’s whole world by breaking up with them in a text message.

You could say something that is terribly cruel.

You could instantly regret that cruel thing.

You could be honest.

You could dance a super short dance.

You could burn the cookies.

You could drop that heavy couch on your dad’s foot.

You could type a sentence.

You could kiss your newborn nephew.

You could snort because you were laughing too hard.

You could play a chord on a guitar.

You could pick a flower.

You could pet a kitten.

You could smile at someone.

You could flip someone off.

You could accidently cut yourself cutting up some potatoes.

You could take a breath.

You could say “Hi!”

My Top Ten

So let's just say for a second all my make up disappeared. Like maybe my alien abduction happens while I'm doing my make up so it all gets left on the space ship. These would be the ten items I would run right out and repurchase. I use most of them every day and they are all great products that I get consistently great results from. So let's jump in.

For Yo Face

Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture with SPF 15: Keeps my face nice and moisturized without causing break outs. This stuff is so light on your skin and it really helps my foundation last a little longer. Check it here.

e.l.f. Powder Brush- I love my sister so much for giving me this. It puts powder on better than anything else I own. I seriously would not mind throwing out any other powder brushes I have. I hardly ever use anything else for powder. Plus $3 is not bad if I ever have to replace it. Check it out here.

Covergirl Clean Liquid Makeup for Normal Skin- I have used this foundation for years. It has a great coverage to it and I love the texture. It also has Noxzema ingredients and is really light. Check it out here.

Physicians Formula Youthful Wear Cosmeceutical Youth-Boosting Mattifying Face Powder- This was a cast off from my sister and I fell in love with it. It has a little shimmer to it but I don't notice it. It gives my skin a really nice even tone. It also sits really well. I have used Covergirl powder for years but it always looked a little strange and when I started using this powder I realized the texture of the Covergirl powder made it really visible on top of my skin. This blends really well. Check it out here.

For Yo Eyes

Too Faced Natural Eye Palatte- I seriously use this at least 4 times a week. It is so dang pretty. I'm looking at my next Too Faced purchase to be another palatte because it is just so useful! Check it out here.

Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express Mascara- Jessica and I both love this product. I've been using it for as long as I can remember. Jessica and I both have a love for Maybelline products. I'm not sure why I love them so much except maybe that they just make super useful, versitile stuff and they are a drugstore brand.

Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner- Also a product I've used for years. I love the texture and the color. It goes on really well and it's really workable.

For Yo Lips

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter- I have a freaking obsession with these. Let's not even talk about how many I have. They are just amazing.

eos Lip Balm- Another Jessica cast-off. (Are you seeing a pattern here?) I love the waxy texture before I put on lipgloss. It feels like it lasts longer. 

C.O. Bigelow Organics Moisturizing Lip Shine- This is seriously the best gloss ever and they are dumb for discontinuing it. It's so hydrating!

Well there they are. There are a couple others I'd probably repurchase but those would be my top 10 that I would repurchase the exact brands and colors. 

Easter Mail

Last year, for Liam's first Easter, I mailed him a giant plastic egg with lots of goodies in it. This year, I found an even bigger plastic egg so I could send him the coolest Easter present ever. And it really is the coolest. I want one for myself. I got him... Wait for it... A DOCTOR BUNNY! That's right. This little etsy shop made me an 11th Doctor bunny. I almost kept it. Almost. He's just so soft and cuddly. I just love him.

I got the egg from the Dollar Tree but last year I just bought a big egg from Walmart and pulled the candy out of it. I wasn't sure how much would fit in the egg after the bunny so I just bought the yogurt tube and the socks to start. I like to get Liam practical things because at this age, everyone spoils him with toys but he has lots of toys and his momma always appreciates stuff they buy anyways. Another thought: buy paper grass. Babies can choke on the plastic grass but at least the paper grass falls apart. Although the grass seemed a little pointless this year because there was not a ton of room after I got the stuff in there. Anyways. Check out that little bow tie and suspenders on the bunny. This woman is an artist, I tell you. So this project is pretty self explanatory but just to make sure: seal your edges with packing tape. This egg snaps together really securely but the tape is still smart. Don't want your bunny taking a solo adventure through the post office. So there you have it. I also included pictures from last year's egg. That one had sunglasses, socks, and pacis. 

Homemade Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs

What makes the novelty Reese's so yummy? I think it's the ratio of peanut butter to chocolate. Except at a dollar a pop, they are less than satisfying. So I tried making some myself. The results were super yummy. Not exactly the same but none the less, super tasty. I thought they were pretty rich but Joe thought they were just right. I think next time I might add some more peanut butter and thin my chocolate out a little more but otherwise they were are an extremely tasty treat. If you want a thinner chocolate, go for a double boiler and some wax from the baking aisle instead of shortening or a little more shortening. That might give it a little thinner coat of chocolate. They taste like a big buckeye if you've ever had one of those. Plus they are super cute for Easter. :)

Friday Faves

It's been a really long week. Friday did not get here fast enough.

1. Weekend at Home

I went home for the weekend to spend some time with Liam, get my car all fixed up (valve stem on a tire replaced, headlights replaced, oil change, vacuumed out, and windows washed), and see Grandpa for his 84th birthday! I got to go with Liam for his 18 month pictures and I even got to be in a few. I can't wait to see them. Another great Sunday Funday was spent with coconut cake and teaching Liam to give kisses.

2. Productivity

I was on a role this week. I got a whole lot of homework done. It was insane! I'm so proud of myself.

3. Sorority Spa Night

We had a spa night social with the lovely ladies of Delta Phi Lambda.  We painted nails and laughed hysterically at the sister who got conned into a face masque. It was a blast!

4. German History Class

I've been having so much fun in my German history class! Sometimes it's really sad but mostly it's really interesting and I could sit through that class every night this week.

5. Thrift Shop

I don't know why I love this song but I do. I've listened to it a million times in the last two weeks.

Wednesday Writings

Your favorite jeans

Skinny. Dark blue. Makes my ass look great. They are perfect. I would wash them every day if I had the time. With the right top, I look fabulous. I love to wear them with my favorite black heels. They make my day amazing. I have bought two more pairs just because they make me feel so great. I love that they are the perfect length since it is so hard to pants for short people. And the size doesn't make me feel fat. Sometimes the number can make you sad but 10 is such an acceptable number that I don't feel bad about it. And the fact that I can go out and buy a dozen more exactly like them makes them that much better.

South Western Egg Rolls

Do you know what my favorite single ingredient is? Black beans. I am obsessed. I feel like I say that a lot. But it's true. I love me some black beans. I've been contemplating asking the lovely folks at Q'Doba to skip the meat and double the beans. But I feel like they might be confused why some crazy person wants a tortilla with beans and rice. So I haven't tried it... yet. Anyways, I was looking for some tasty black bean recipes and I found this. I just love that these egg rolls are baked. They are full of yummy healthy food. I found the same recipe copied somewhere else cited as "Weight Watcher" egg rolls. Apparently that means they are good for you. I don't believe in Weight Watchers but they are full of veggies and good-for-you stuff. So I'm seriously considering making a double batch and trying to freeze some. The best part about these little yummys are they reheat marvelously in a 300 degree toaster oven for 5-8 minutes. My new favorite snack/quick dinner? I think so. You can find the recipe here.

Influenster Beauty Blogger: NYC Prize

Finally FINALLY my NYC prize showed up. It wasn't was I was expecting but after nearly eight weeks of waiting, I was happy to get anything. NYC sent me their Liquid Lip Shine in City's Clear  which isn't terribly exciting but it's nice to have since I don't buy clear gloss. It's got a really nice smooth texture and it's not super gooey or anything. I also really like the applicator. It's more of like a flexible longer version of a regular applicator. There is no tip at the end you have to use. It contours to your lip a bit. I'll definitely continue to use it but NYC is not my favorite brand for lip products so I probably won't repurchase. Enjoy this lovely picture of me running late to meeting.

My Vera Bradley Collection

I am obsessed with Vera Bradley. Can someone explain to me what about it is so addicting? The patterns are beautiful and the colors are always right on trend and I just love all their stuff. I am just obsessed. Jessica asked me to do a post to show my whole collection. I tried to get it all into a picture and then I realized that is a joke. It's too hard and with all the patterns and colors, it was looking crazy. So I made a collage. I have a long wish list and an enabling amazing group of family and friends that know what I love so I'm sure I'll be updating this list soon but still. Luke is even super sweet and supportive. It helps that his sisters and his mom love Vera too. He even took his IPad in and had the girls in the Hallmark store look at my list to pick something. He is pretty cute.

1. Zip ID Case in Symphony in Hues (Gift from the Piersons)

2. Hipster in Baroque

3. All-in-One Wristlet in Twirly Birds Navy

4. Show and Tell in Baroque (Aunt Jennifer's Day Gift 2012)

5. 17" Laptop Sleeve in Lime's Up

6. Large Duffle in Suzani

7. Student Agenda in Paisley Meets Plaid

8. Study Buddy in Paisley Meets Plaid

9. Loop Key Chain in Rhapsody in Blue

10. Mandy in Provencal (Gift from Luke)

11. Turn Lock Wallet in Provencal (Gift from Luke)

12. Mini Hipster in Baroque (Gift from Jessica)

Friday Faves

What a week. I was hoping to make this exclusively all about my trip to Kentucky but there are other things that happened that made it less than perfect. So instead this is just a normal Friday Faves. I'm not bitter...

1. Pine Mountain Settlement School

It was simply life changing. I wouldn't trade seeing that community in person for anything. I am so amazed at how much this school does with so little.

2. Nationals

We stopped in Indy at nationals on our way back from Kentucky. It was so cool. Sorority-girl-squeals worthy. The building is absolutely gorgeous. Definitely a highlight of my time as a collegian.

3. Changes

I don't know how to describe the feelings I'm feeling these days. It's like when you prepare for the worst and it doesn't happen. I'm just sitting there, expecting to screw my whole life up again and when it doesn't happen, I'm left sitting there wondering how that happened and how do I manage to continue not screwing it up. 

4. French Toast Dumplings

I feel a little bad showing you these, knowing the post won't go up until the end of the month. They are little balls of love. This will happen in my life again.

5. Retail Therapy

I was going to take a pic but that's work so I found this picture instead. I drug Joe through JC Penny's last weekend and it was absolutely amazing. I don't care how superficial it is. I love trying on clothes. And then I walked around Target for like 2 hours today. It's spring break. I don't care if you judge me.

Wednesday Writings

Describe each person in your family with just one word.

"Real" Family:
Mom: Weeble
Dad: Stereotypical
Jessica: Anchor
Matt: Fourteen
Liam: Giggles
Uriah: Nerd
Joe: Doctor

Greek Family:
Amanda: Quiet
Grace: Mature
Emily: Hermione
Claire: Sweetheart
Mary Kate: Grand

What to Wear: Formal

It's formal season! Yay! The most wonderful time of the year in sorority land! Dressing for formal can be the harder than that midterm you pulled an all-nighter to study for. The biggest mistake a girl can make going to formal is to dress like a whore. Isn't the point to have fun and celebrate your chapter's accomplishments with all of your sisters, active and alumnae? So why must you dress like a street walker? Exactly. So I put together these super cute options that range from sweet to a little sexy but all classy. Note that none of these options are super low cut or super short. They are all a great length and fun. They aren't grandma-y but they give you enough coverage so that if you are having a good time, you aren't going to be flashing the whole chapter. So now that we've discussed classiness, let's talk about expenses. The other problem is that we are college students. We are notoriously poor. So all of these dresses are from ModCloth  and with the exception of the neon, are all $50. The neon is $100 but it was too cute to exclude. The shoes are all Payless of course. Each set of accessories comes from a different store that I thought matched the style of the girl I was going for so that you would probably already have the accessories already. The fun style accessories are all Betsy Johnson. The sexy classy style accessories all all from Nordstrom and the preppy classic style accessories are from J.Crew. The sweet style accessories are from Claire's.  You don't have to go out and buy all new accessories for formal. Pick a dress that already goes with your style and then you can spend a little more on the dress and use jewelry and hairpieces you already have. So those are my tips for dressing for formal. Most importantly, have a blast, stay safe, and remember that you are always wearing your letters!

Spring Bucket List

I'm ready for the snow to be gone. Snow is silly. Spring is so pretty. Flowers and fresh grass. Sun dresses and cardigans. Being outside again. I'm ready for the winter to be over. So once again, I present a bucket list for the change of seasons. Joe and I are ready to be back outside again so everything except cleaning may end up in some way outside. If you can't tell, I love spring. I just love that winter is over. I miss my dresses and short sleeve tops and seeing the sun. So I'm ready for this to happen ASAP.

Friday Faves

Well, this week has been a long one.

1. Haircut and Sister Love

Saturday, I went home and saw my lovely family. I got a haircut which was desperately needed and I got to love on my sister, also desperately needed. I miss having some Jessica in my life.

2. Little Man Haircut

Just look at that drool-y  little guy. Little man was so into his sucker. His haircut just made him look so much like a little man that I can't get over it.

3. Playtime

Is there anything more necessary in life that playtime with your nephew. I think not. We rocked on Tigger for a while and then Liam brought me his baby and had me hug his baby and then he hugged his baby. And then spiked it like a football. No one said 18 month olds are good at parenting. 

4. Best Friend

If it wasn't for Joe, I'd fall apart daily. 

5. AST!

Wednesday night, we had a recruitment workshop and then the spring break group got together to discuss details. I am just on an AST high this week.