Monday, August 9, 2010


stocking up for winter..
i love myself some strawberries when
it's not strawberry season!
so these are off to the freezer!

tonight my new friend keva is coming over
and we're going to have a lil baking party.
i'm so excited!

Saturday, August 7, 2010



muffins for my new friend: keva
oh how i love her!
first we went to a local coffeehouse..
which has the best chai i've had as of lately!
last night we went to 'inception'
which of course was an amazing movie.

i am SO blessed!
God could not have given me
a better friend right now... seriously!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

mid-week muffin

just some of the ingredients


white chocolate macadamia nut muffins


today is another lovely day outside
and i chose to be inside baking..
with the oven on 400* and now i'm wondering
why i decided to bake on a day like today...

~ perhaps it is because i wanted to use some new muffin liners
(if you look closely you can see little pink muffins)

~ perhaps it is because i LOVE baking..it doesn't matter how hot it is outside.
(right now it is 91* outside!)

~ perhaps it is because i had a new recipe i've been wanting to try.
(it has been calling my name!) and i love myself some white chocolate
macadamia nut cookies...and in a muffin form...yum!

~ perhaps it is because i don't usually bake
with macadamia nuts or vanilla chips and i've had them
in my pantry for some time and been wanting to use them.


one of the longest names of a muffin a might say.
white chocolate macadamia nut muffins.
maybe it should be w.c.m.n. muffins : )

i thought about drizzling a white chocolate glaze on top
(which i still might!) but for now i'm going to see
what my husband thinks of them.

i think they are sweet, just as they are.
but a little white chocolate on top..
would make them look FABULOUS!

Friday, July 30, 2010

my new cookbook




today i checked my mail
and received a lovely package.
i am so excited to have won this cookbook
by Julia Child (my first blog win!)
and it came all the way from Australia!
thanks to the lovely Louisa Janke
who has a wonderful blog, Vintage by Lou Lou

hope you all had an amazing week!

Monday, July 26, 2010

this time last year..


this past weekend marked the first anniversary
of one of my best friends, rachel getting married.
rachel and i met in college but really didn't become
friends until our senior year when all of us girls
lived next door to each other.

we wished that we were as good of friends now
as we were when we first attended NNU.
however, we now have the rest of our lives
to be the best of friends!
and not to mention..our husbands are like
long lost brothers..so it works out perfectly!

rachel was the first of my close friends
to tie the knot...nate is such a lucky guy!
we got to celebrate their 1st anniversary
with them..so i thought i would share some
pictures from their wedding weekend..a year ago!

enjoy!



starbucks run before the rehearsal


gorgeous setting!



lovely friends.


the big day..


rachel's mom, kathy doing her hair


the bridal party.


the reception



the ding-dong tower


Friday, July 23, 2010

ikea love

poppyseed muffins!


muffin liners

some lovely napkins

tonight i realized was i in an Ikea mood!
we were out of napkins..so i looked through my
stash. yes i have a stash of lovely napkins!
most of them were gifts from from my mum.
however, these ones i purchased at Ikea.
my favorite color is purple and i could
not pass up the gray and purple combination!

on another trip to Ikea i purchased these muffin liners.
i bought two packages...one for me and another
for one of my close friends, Rachel, who also enjoys baking.
the liners made a great hostess gift along with some towels!
which leads up to tonight..i finally baked with mine!
i chose to make one of my favorite muffin recipes..
my fat-free poppyseed muffins!
(also a husband favorite!)



chocolate chip bread


yesterday i brought out my bread maker
(courtesy of my grandparents!)
and made some yummy chocolate chip bread!
it was a new recipe, and one that i will definitely
be making again!

my husband had just gotten home last night
just as the bread was done baking..
and there is nothing like taking the baby loaf
out right away and having a warm slice!


Sunday, July 18, 2010

magazine time


i got both my Vogue and Better Homes and Gardens
yesterday in the mail. you know it's going to be a
good day when you get not one..
but two magazines in one day!!
and tonight i'm going to be lazy and enjoy them!

Saturday, July 17, 2010

favorites.


Haute Hippie tee
$354.90



3.1 Phillip Lim dress
$224



Collective Concepts tee
$37.90



Calvin Klein Jeans sundress
$52.90



West Kei tunic
$31.90




RJ Graziano necklace
$24.90

Report 'Lem' flat
$46.90

all items can be found at
http://shop.nordstrom.com


as many of you know already..
Nordstrom is having their ANNIVERSARY SALE!!
since there is no Nordstroms nearby..
i was browsing online and checking it all out!
sadly i won't be purchasing anything this time around,
so i picked out some of my favorites to show you
and hope you all are having a great night!




Thursday, July 15, 2010

a glimpse..



some things that i love.

from left to right..
my earrings displayed within a frame;
my gray lamp on top of black and white
photo boxes on my desk.
two of my favorite necklaces hanging on
a room divider (that i have laying flat against the wall)

now it's time to go outside
and enjoy the sunshine!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010


another thing that dean and i both love is yahtzee!
whether it's regular or triple.
it is such a classic game.
we play it when he comes home for lunch
and sometimes (lately!) in the evenings too!

have a wonderful wednesday!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

banana praline muffins



tried a new recipe the other day..
banana praline muffins.
although i didn't have any pecans
so i used walnuts instead.

they turned out so lovely!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

fabulous interiors


AMAZING closet


this chandelier is gorgeous!


all photos courtesy of Elle Decor
photographer: Craig Blankenhorn


I am loving ELLE Decor's spread
of photos from Sex in the City 2's movie set.
the rooms are to die for!

of course the clothes in the movie are amazing
but now seeing the furniture.. oh my!
perhaps i will just buy the movie!

have a lovely weekend!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

LBD


+


isn't this dress lovely?!
it's gorgeous and i love all the ruffles!
this is such a cute cocktail dress
and a perfect little black dress at that!

and loving these shoes..
both of them together = oh my goodness!

oh how i love TOPSHOP
i came to love the store first while i was
studying abroad in England.
(i can't wait to go back and hopefully
someday live there!)

both images courtesy of topshop.com




Sunday, July 4, 2010

happy 4th of July!




happy 4th of july!
today has been a relaxing day
filled with fresh cherries
and laying by the pool.

perhaps i will make some
caramel corn later on.
my mum's recipe is the best!
such good memories of munching
on it while celebrating with friends
and watching the fireworks on the waterfront!

Friday, July 2, 2010

healthy summertime dessert


here is a slice of the angelfood cake
with fresh strawberries and coolwhip (fat free!)
this is one of my favorite summertime desserts!

i should have taken a picture of dean's slice.
he LOVES coolwhip (i've learned since we got married)
so much that he almost used half a tub on one slice!
i couldn't believe it! he managed to cover every bit of cake with coolwhip...
it was quite a masterpiece i must say!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

my kitchenaid!


my new toy!!
it's not the boysenberry (dark purple) one
but black will have to do for now : )
(dean said he would still get me the
boysenberry one! yippie!)

thanks again mum & pops
it's all washed up and ready for action!
now...what to make first?!

mallows!


my dad came home from the store yesterday morning
with these mallows for me!!
i was so surprised! these mallows are hard to find
and more expensive too.
i'm excited...they definitely are extra giant!!
i think this afternoon i will open them up and try a few.
oh and they're pink and white.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

the most amazing jo-jos!!


my parents came to town last night
and we went to one of myself and dean's favorite spots to eat.
bobs burger and brew. they have good burgers..
but they have AMAZING jo-jos.
the portion is huge..perfect for a group!
and the best dipping sauce: sweet baby rays bbq sauce

they also had my favorite soup (of the day)
homemade chicken noodle.
i had it once before and it was so good!

sadly, i didn't even touch my malibu chicken burger.
i was so full! yeah for leftovers : )

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

new dress

the new dress i ordered online!
it should be here in a few days!
i'm so exited..i've been so good lately
without buying clothes..that dean said i could get
this dress..and it was even on sale!