Giving Thanks

Posted on May 21, 2016

This year, I had an unorthodox Thanksgiving, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that I have so much to be thankful for. Even though I’m 3,000 miles away from my family, I know how lucky I am to be where I am, and I’m so grateful for all the blessings this year has brought me. And after all, I did celebrate Thanksgiving – albeit two weeks early. My parents scrambled together all the family they could (not to mention an amazing feast) so that I would be able to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner while I was home back in the beginning of November. I got to do all of my favorite holiday rituals like making the pumpkin pie (although my mom always makes the crust – she’s the best at it!) and setting the table. It was definitely a highlight of my much needed trip home. So whether you’re with or without your family today, reflect on the things you’re grateful for and most of all have a happy Thanksgiving!

tea time

Posted on April 22, 2016

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It’s no secret that I love Anthropologie. In fact, every time I walk into their store I’m taken aback at the whimsical decorations that adorn their walls and the beautifully unique clothes that hang on their racks. I could really spend hours in that store, just looking around and finding inspiration from everything they offer. One of my favorite parts of Anthro are their home goods and lately I’ve been drawn to their super cute teacups. They have so many neat options in beautiful colors and patterns. Here are a few of my favorites:

Ahh this post makes me want to get back in bed with a cup of tea and stay there all day with a good book! Sadly, class and work are calling! Have a good weekend everyone xoxox

happy halloween!

Posted on April 21, 2016

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Georgetown Cupcake 9/15//2009 photos by Dayna Smith

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As a kid, I loved Halloween. I have fond memories of getting dressed up, eating pizza and popcorn balls at my babysitter’s house, and then going door- to-door in her neighborhood because the farm I grew up on wasn’t conducive to trick-or-treating. I remember being so excited when the first children of the night would run up to her door, costumed and elated, and we would get to hand out candy to them before we left to do our own scavenging. Somewhere along the way though, Halloween lost its luster and I’m (sort of) ashamed to say that these days, the only thing I like about Halloween is the candy. Horror films freak me out, carving pumpkins is too messy, and I just don’t particularly like dressing up in costumes. Yes, candy is the only thing about Halloween that I truly enjoy anymore. But don’t fret, I won’t ruin the holiday for those of you who love it with a rant about my anti-Halloween tendencies. Instead, I’ll share these beautiful Halloween-esque photos with you and wish you a safe and happy all Hallow’s Eve!

christmas candy

Posted on April 19, 2016

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Homemade goodies as gifts have always been a winner around the holidays. Nothing says “I love you” or “Thank you” like a delicious, made-from-scratch, treat that can be enjoyed by a whole household. This Christmas, my mom really wants to make homemade caramels to eat, enjoy, and share with our loved ones. I absolutely love the idea and hope to be able to help her! I’ve also been eying these candy recipes to give a go:

Terrfic Tofee

Sweet Cherry Truffles

Oreo Truffles

Peppermint Sticks

Candy Cane Bark

Dark Chocolate Candy Bark

Don’t all of these options inspire you to get baking and making yummy candy for the holiday season? Okay, okay I know not all of us are great in the kitchen (myself included) but regardless, this at least makes me want to eat some candy! Have a sweet day xoxox

back from a break

Posted on April 18, 2016

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Hello! As you could probably tell, I took full advantage of being off from school and took a vacation from everything that required effort, including blogging! So to say the least, I had a very leisurely and lazy Thanksgiving Break and that’s just the way I like it! Here’s a glimpse into some of the things I did:

{took a late afternoon bike ride and was so enamored by the moon that I stopped to take many pictures}

{made these cute little acorn treats}

{and this delicious apple pie – by the way I am the worst apple peeler ever}

{my mom and I crafted these adorable napkin rings from american bittersweet vine and acorns which we spray painted gold}

{i enjoyed one of these and not pictured, my favorite IBC rootbeer}

{took a day trip to VA with my parents – more on that later this week}

{finished knitting this navy blue scarf for my sister!}

{celebrated my sister’s boyfriend’s birthday over dinner}

*not pictured: hours spent on the couch, watching marathons of friends and duck dynasty (sadly, my parents got me hooked), staying in my pajamas all day, eating leftover pie, doing minimal school work, and going shopping yesterday to avoid the black friday rush. Hope you all enjoyed some time off as well! xoxox

thanks givings past

Posted on April 16, 2016

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Happy week of Thanksgiving! It’s a time for food, family, and friends – many of the things I am most thankful for. Typically, my Thanksgiving consists of decorating and setting the table for my family and then socializing and eating the rest of the day. Last year, after finding these great templates from Martha Stewart, I decided we were having a dress up Thanksgiving at my house. I decided who would be a pilgrim and who would be a Native American and then made them their respective hats, bonnets, or headdresses which were waiting for each guest at their place setting. My whole family (especially the kids) loved dressing up and it was truly the most fun Thanksgiving in recent history. Here are some snippets from last year’s celebration:

{the dining room table set with each person’s hat at their place set. I tried to have an equal ratio of pilgrims and Native Americans around the table}

{the place-cards I made from mini gourds, thick brown paper, and cute pins}

{a better look at the mens pilgrim hats}

{my sister, grandma, and uncle donning their hats post-feast}

frozen banana bites

Posted on April 15, 2016

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I have a weird relationship with bananas. I like them, but only if they’re still sorta green. The minute I see ANY brown spots, I can’t eat them. I know this may be unfair to the banana, and to my wallet since I can never go through a whole bundle without throwing at least two away, so I’ve tried using these older bananas in recipes.

I made banana chocolate chip muffins not too long ago and recently I tried freezing bananas. They (people on Pinterest) say this tastes like ice cream but I never really bought into that. But that was before I tried freezing them after they’d be coated in a delicious mixture of peanut butter and chocolate. Enter: frozen banana bites! *Applause*

They may not be vanilla ice cream, but they are super easy, super creamy, and super delightful as a dessert. Plus, they’re still fruit and they still have fiber! So they’re good for you right? Right?!

*side note=these pictures were the best I could take at 8:45 in the morning when I decided to make this recipe even though I was still in my robe with my hair in a towel and I had to be at class in fifteen minutes. So I apologize for their quality but I wanted you to still get the picture, get it?!?!

This recipe is super simple and I sort of just eyeballed it. Start out with these ingredients: bananas (I only used one because that’s all I had on hand but you could definitely use as many as you wanted), chocolate chips, and peanut butter.

Place chocolate chips (I used about half a cup) and peanut butter (I used maybe 1 tbsp) in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for about 1 minute, stopping every 30 seconds to stir.

*Note=learn from my mistake and follow the “stop every 30 seconds to stir” tip. I didn’t do this. I suffered burned fingers as I tried to take the bowl out the microwave after 1 minute. Ouch.

Cut the banana into 1.5 or 2 inch chunks and place on foil, wax, or parchment paper. Stir the chocolate mixture until it’s completely creamy.

Dunk banana chunks in chocolate mixture. I found that it was easiest to dunk and then spoon more chocolate on top of the bananas so they were evenly covered.

Place bananas on foil or wax or parchment paper in an air-tight container and freeze for at least 2 hours. Then enjoy! xoxoxo

my world wednesday

Posted on April 14, 2016

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November November November where are you going? I cannot even believe NEXT WEEK is Thanksgiving. I’m so excited for it though, it’s literally what is keeping me going this week! With this realization also comes the fact that this month means my last Fall semester as a college undergrad is coming to a close. Last week I registered for my last semester of classes. This weekend is my last home football game. Pretty soon, I have to apply for graduation and buy my cap and gown. But enough of this sad talk of finality! Here are some happy glimpses of what’s been happening recently: