What I'm Loving #5

Hey, whatsup, hello! Happy Friday to all! This week has FLOWN by for me. Work has been super crazy busy and I am very relieved it's Friday becaaaaaaaause....my birthday is on Sunday! I love birthday's so much (even when it's not mine). I don't have any set plans expect for a family dinner Sunday night at my parents. My mom asked me what I wanted and so I told her I was craving shrimp scampi, asparagus, bread, and salad. All in addition to my triple layer funfetti cake too! ;)
Growing up my mom always baked triple layer cakes for mine and my dads birthday's, so you can't blame me for being use to having a 3 layer cake each year.

As for tonight or Saturday, I'm sure I'll think of something to do. This year isn't as planned as last year was for my 25th birthday.  Last year I had a 1920's murder mystery party that was an absolute blast. Unfortunately, this year I just did not have time to plan anything too structured, but hey! I'll definitely make the most of my birthday weekend and report back on Monday :)

Now on to my favorites of the week!!

                                                        1.) Delicate Marble Necklace

I have been on the hunt for a cute dainty everyday necklace and when I found this one I fell in love. I get so many compliments on it and it's such a cute accessory. I got mine off the online boutique www.madisonandmallory.com. They're currently out of stock of this necklace, but they have so many other cute accessories and clothes! Plus when I ordered this I received it 3 days later and didn't pay extra for shipping. Score!

2.) Fall Boots

These are my favorite books that I got from Francesca's two years ago. I wore them this week for the first time of the season and felt sooooo happy. I wore mine with skinny jeans and a maroon top from Target. Best part of these boots? They're very comfortable!

                                                                 3.) MSU Scarf

Last night I had to work late and when I got home there was a present and card on the table for me. Benson said his mom stopped by earlier to give it to me. Of course when a present is staring me right in the face I couldn't possibly wait until Sunday to open it. Benson convinced me though when he said it would come in handy for Saturday. I opened it up in a heartbeat and discovered this MSU infinity scarf! So cute right!? It's very soft and perfect for college football season (and basketball). Along with this was a gift card to Texas Roadhouse. I'm pumped because I've never been there but have heard excellent things. Isn't that the restaurant that has the best rolls and butter!?

                                             4.) Blueberry Lemon Almond Crunch from CVS

You guys...this stuff is BOMB. I'm telling you, CVS never disappoints! I love the combination of blueberry and lemon so this is right up my alley. PSA: this was on sale for $2.99. Go stock up! I just might have to go again because this bag won't last long. 

          5.) Now I can finally say it...BEING MY BEST FRIEND'S MAID OF HONOR! :)

I said yes! Haha. I am so thrilled to have the honor of being my best friend's MOH. I'm so excited to write a speech, plan a bridal and bachelorette party, go dress shopping, and every other thing that comes along with being a MOH. This wedding is for sure going to be epic. #itsgoingbrownforreal. P.S every time I write out that hash tag I sing the tune to that song in my head. How can you not??

6.) Planning Trips!

In late October, Benson and I are going to visit his cousin Casey and her husband Jakob in Haymarket, VA and we are so excited. Also on the way to visit them we will be spending a night at Alecia and Nick's. I cannot wait to visit everyone and explore what the area has to offer! Then in November, Benson, my cousin Kelsey and I are going to our cousins wedding in VA. So many fun and exciting things happening this fall, I love it!

Hope you enjoyed this weeks "What I'm Loving". Let me know what your favorites of the week are! Anyone have any fun trips planned too? Leave a message in the comments :)

Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie

Hello friends! I hope your week is going as easy as pie....(hint hint)

Today's post tastes like an explosion of fall. Yesterday I test trialed a pumpkin pie protein smoothie and it came out oh so good that I just had to share it with you all. Best part? It's SO easy and simple to make!!

Here is the list of ingredients:

1 frozen banana
1/2 cup vanilla greek yogurt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup your choice of milk
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup ice

Now this is where is get's complicated...(just kidding). Add ingredients to the blender and blend! THAT'S IT! Pour in a glass and top with a little extra pumpkin pie spice and you now have a basic delicious smoothie that's perfect for fall!

Enjoy! 

What I'm Loving #4

Hey hey it's Friday! I apologize for not getting a post up on Wednesday. This week has been so busy with work and such. I have some fun plans this coming weekend and hope you do too! Tomorrow I will be getting my new to me Canon camera from Kayla and I'm so excited! I'll officially feel like a real blogger now. Also, my best friend Alecia and her FIANCE! (I'm still so excited and happy and every other positive emotion over them getting engaged) will be coming into town and Benson and I will be hanging out with them. Tomorrow we plan to look around at some possible venues which will be really fun. Maybe we can even go to a winery "just to look" and happen to do a wine tasting....you know, since we'll already be there!

SO here is this week's edition of "What I'm Loving". There are quite a few fall favorites and while I said in a previous post that I'm not ready for summer to be over I have to admit that I'm a sucker for anything fall....basic, I know ;)


                                 1.) Homemade pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

You guys....these....are....INCREDIBLE. I made them last night for my bosses birthday today. She loves pumpkin (and let's be honest, so do I) so I decided to ditch the box and do everything from scratch. These came out so good and I was so proud of them. Of course I had to add sprinkles for a little birthday flare. Definitely a favorite for the week. Annnnd probably all of fall. 

2.) Homemade Fall Sangria (Sorry for picture quality)

Benson and I made this sangria on Tuesday - because Sangria Tuesday's anyone? Can that become a thing? Anyways, it made a TON. We've been drinking it all week. What you'll need to make this yourself (which I highly recommend) is : 1 bottle of Fireball Whiskey, 1 bottle of a cheap pinot grigio, 1/2 gallon apple cider, 1 liter club soda, cinnamon, apples and pears. First you chop the apples and pears and add the fireball. Then you put that combination in the fridge for 2 hours. Next, add the wine, apple cider, and soda, then top with cinnamon sticks. You'll feel like a fancy bartender serving this up to your friends.

                                               3.) Pumpkin Iced Coffee from Dunkin Donuts

Yes, I used a professional picture for this one because every time I order this it's when I'm driving and it's usually mostly gone by the time I get to work. This weeks third item is another fall/pumpkin one and I'm not mad about it. Dunkin's pumpkin iced coffees to me are better than Starbucks...and cheaper!

                                 4.) America's Got Talent & Dancing with the Stars

I have never watched AGT until I saw it on Hulu this season, but I was hooked. Such a cool show! I was happy Grace won but she wasn't my first pick. All of the top 10 finalists were amazing but I think my favorite was Jon Dorenbos and Linkin Bridge. I can't wait for next season!

As for DWTS, last season was the first season I watched so I'm pumped it's back already. I love pro dancer Sharna Burgess so I'm rooting for her and James Hinchcliffe.

                                                   5.) Peanut Butter Fingers Blog

I just recently discovered Julie's blog and I love it! I love reading other lifestyle blogs and coming across new to me blogs. Hers features family, travel, food, fitness and more! Check out her blog at: http://www.pbfingers.com/


That's a wrap for this weeks favorites! Can't wait to report back next week with pictures from my new camera!! Enjoy the weekend everyone!

A Night Full of Wine & Apps!

Hi guys! I am SO excited about this post. On Friday night, my friend Amanda, her husband Nick and I did a crostini and wine night. We chose three different recipes we found to try and make for ourselves while paring them with different wines. We had so much fun making these and taking pictures for my blog and for Amanda to use when she starts her blog soon! These appetizers came out so well and it was fun to see what we all thought of the food by itself and then paired with a wine. We decided that we need to do theme nights like these more often because it was such a blast. Now without further ado - let's get into the crostinis!

                                                         Crostini #1: Pear & Brie

Our first appetizer was a pear, brie, and thyme crostini paired with a chardonnay. This one required the least amount of prep work and was all of our favorites (although they were all delicious - it was hard to pick our favorite!). The ingredients we used for this one were hard crostini's - we got ours from Wegmans, brie cheese, green & red pears, thyme, and drizzled balsamic vinegar.  

I've never had a red pear, and to be honest until we went to Wegmans to get pairs I had never even seen a red pear. Surprisingly, we all loved the red pear more than the green one. You were able to get more flavor from the red ones. Since this crostini had brie cheese we paired it with a chardonnay to that was able to enhance the butteryness of the cheese. Again, this one was the most simple out of the three we made. The only work was cutting up the pear slices, cheese, and reducing the balsamic to drizzle on top. I definitely plan on making these again next time we have a family dinner. I told Amanda that I felt so fancy making these because they're so dainty and cute but taste so sophisticated. Paired with the chardonnay? OUT OF THIS WORLD! 

Crostini #2: Steak & Bleu Cheese

Next up: STEAK! For this appetizer we used soft baguettes, sirloin steak, blue cheese, and parsley on top. Now I'm not the biggest blue cheese fan. You'll only see me dipping my pizza in the blue cheese dressing and that's as far as I'll go, so this one was making me branch out a little bit in buying blue cheese and having it on something other than pizza. 

This one was simple to make as well but required us (or Nick rather) to grill the steak.  First we baked the baguettes with a little seasoning and olive oil to give them a little bit of a crunch so it was able to hold the steak without getting too soft. Next, we spread the baguettes with cheese. The blue cheese we bought we able to spread rather easily - a little goes a long way. Lastly, we topped the baguette with steak pieces and topped with a little bit of parsley. Because this appetizer has steak, we paired it with a Yellow Tail Merlot. This smooth red went perfect with the medium-rare steak. 

Crostini #3: Grilled Caprese with Avocado

Our grand finale crostini was a grilled caprese with avocado on whole grain bread. No surprise that this one took the most time to prepare and make but it was well worth it! Since this crostini had the most ingredients on it and needed to be grilled we ended up buying fresh whole grain bread slices to work with. First we put oil and baked the bread for a couple minutes like we did with the steak one so it would be able to hold all the ingredients while it was on the grill. The second step was to cut the veggies and cheese. We had cherry tomatoes cut in half, avocado, fresh basil, and mozzarella balls cut in half as well. 

Once all the ingredients were prepped it was time to assemble and throw them on the grill. We probably put them on for no more than 10 minutes on a relatively low heat. Once we took them off the grill we added the chopped basil, and drizzled some balsamic vinegar on top and there you go! We paired this one with a sauvignon blanc. The sauvignon blanc wasn't our favorite wine but it worked with the appetizer. I also liked this one with a reisling that we bought too! 

I hope you all enjoyed reading today's post as much as Amanda and I had fun making and taste tasting them! Don't worry, Benson had to work football Friday night but when he came by to Amanda and Nick's after we had a whole plate waiting for him with the crostinis. He was bummed he couldn't be there to help make them but happy that we actually saved him some! ;) I can't wait to see what theme and wines Amanda and I do next! What do you think we should do!? 

What I'm Loving #3: VoxBox Edition

Goooooooood Morning and a happy Friday to you! Is it bad that even though it was a four day work week, I'm so relieved that it's finally Friday??.....yeah, I didn't think so either ;)

Today's "What I'm Loving Friday" theme is the Endless Summer VoxBox I received from Influenster. Last week I mentioned this app and highly recommend that you sign up for it. Basically you link up your social media accounts, write some reviews, and take surveys to be chosen for different VoxBoxes. I received the Endless Summer one with some pretty cool products. Now let's get into the review!

As a disclaimer, I received these products free for testing purposes :)

One more disclaimer: Please bear with me with these iPhone photos! I should be getting my new camera next weekend so until then forgive me with the lack of quality in these pictures.

                                                 1.) Seche Premier Colour Nail Polish 

                                        

The first items I received were the Seche Premier Colour nail polish in the shade "Intrepid" and the mini clear top coat. At first when I saw the color I wasn't too impressed because it looked like just another hot pink. When I put it on my nails however, it looks more of an electric pink if that makes sense. It has a purple undertone to it that makes it different from other hot pink nail polishes I own. Of course I added the top coat on after which is super fast drying! I received compliments on this color and all in all was very happy with the quality of the formula and product itself. I just wish that I had gotten this color earlier in the summer! Since fall is approaching I tend to go for darker colors on my nails (which let's be honest, what girl doesn't?). The price for these nail polishes in store are $9.99 and you can find them at Sally Beauty.

2.) Masterpiece High Precision Liquid Eyeliner and Mascara

The next products I received were the Masterpiece High Precision Liquid Eyeliner and Mascara. I am no expert on applying liquid eyeliner. I always see Instagram photos of girls who can make a cat-eye no problemo! I however look like I rode the struggle bus when I try to do it on myself so it was no surprise that I was a little intimidated when I saw this. The eyeliner has a paddle-shaped tip which is unlike other liquid eyeliners I've used. What I liked about the shape of it is that it allows you to make a thick line and thin line fairly easy. 

As for the mascara, I LOVE this product. It gives my lashes volume and lengthens them a ton. Both the eyeliner and mascara were in the shade black and are $9.99.

Left - Before, Right - After with eyeliner and mascara

3. Not Your Mother's Leave-In Conditioner 

This smells so good! I love spraying it on my hair after I shower. I have noticed it does make my hair easier to brush out as well. We will see if I notice my hair growing faster and stronger! So far though I'm loving this product. You can find it for $7.99 at any drugstore. 

4.) Irontek Essential Protein Sample

I have yet to make this but I'm excited to try it! The full size container is available for $44.99, though I was able to find it on Amazon for a little cheaper. I do have to admit that I wish my sample was chocolate flavored. I'm not a huge vanilla fan, but I'm still excited to taste this. If you have any good vanilla protein shake recipes let me know!

5.) Numi Organic Tea Samples

You can buy these tea's for $7.49 - $29.99 by the box. I have to admit though....I gave these samples away because I do not like tea! I've tried and tasted bunch of different kinds and just have not found one that I like so I cannot give an honest review on these because I did not try them. If you have any teas that you think would sway me to become a tea drinker though let me know! These flavors just did not appeal to me so I gave them to people who I know that drink tea regularly. 

That concludes today's "What I'm Loving Friday!". I was very happy with this VoxBox like I stated before. Go sign up for Influenster so you can be chosen for future boxes as well! Free products delivered to your door at no cost!? Why wouldn't you take advantage of that!?

Have a wonderful weekend! Be on the lookout for Monday's post which I'm super excited about! Tonight Amanda and I will be taste testing and wine drinking some delicious pairings that I will report back to you in a post on Monday ;) 

25 Questions

Welcome back to my blog! Today's post is a tag post that one of my favorite bloggers, Simply Taralynn did. I remember doing these question surveys on Facebook back in the day and how fun they were so I decided to do them on my blog as well! Her post originally is titled "105 Questions". Now 105 questions is an awful lot so I decided to narrow it down to 25. I always enjoy reading these types of posts to get to know others better so here we go!

1. What are your favorite smells?

     Cinnamon rolls, freshly shampooed hair, my little pillow, Wegmans

2.) Who is your celebrity crush?

      Harry Styles

3.) What is your favorite fruit?

      Bananas or apples

4.) Do you curse a lot?

     Guilty....it slips out!

5.) Is there a certain food you crave for no reason?

     I crave sushi or wegmans sub out of no where on the daily

6.) What's the last thing you've done that was crazy?
      Skinny dip!

7.) Have you ever broken a bone?
     NOPE!

8.) How do you like your eggs?
     Over-easy, scrambled, or in a breakfast sandwich

9.) What was the last argument about with who was it with?
      It was most definitely with Benson, and I can't remember the reason...typical

10.) How do you usually feel when you wake up on a morning?
       Benson will tell you first hand, I am not usually a happy camper in the mornings

11.) Vodka or wine?
        Do I even have to say....WINE!

12.) Do you wear socks to bed?
       NO NO NO!

13.) What is currently bugging you?
       My hands are cold!

14.) What are you looking forward to?
        Seeing my newly engaged best friend this weekend!!!

15.) What do you crave for desserts?
        Anything and everything. I'm not really a pie person so basically anything but pie.

16.) Do you own any pets?
       Riley our 16 pound rat terrier, and Dylan our 16 pound cat (oooo clever I used this question for      number 16!) Haha

17.) Favorite TV Shows?
       The Office, Gilmore Girls, Dancing with the Stars, Grey's Anatomy, and most recently AGT and Stranger Things

18.) Morning or night?
       Both! Even though I'm not the most chipper first thing in the morning, I love when I can get up early and get things accomplished and not feel like I've wasted my whole day. And I love night time because that's when it's acceptable to drink wine ;)

19.) Are you scared of anything?
       Spiders!

20.) Do you believe in aliens?
       Oh yes

21.) Do you believe in ghosts?
       Sure do

22.) Are you allergic to anything?
       Some anti-biotic that breaks me out in hives. Luckily that's the only thing!

23.) Do you usually sleep with your closet door open or closed?
       Closed. Otherwise Dylan will go psycho kitty and jump on our clothes and on the door frame

24.) Ever gotten a speeding ticket?
       One while I was following my dad...don't worry, he got one too!

25.) What is one thing you wish had zero calories?
        This one is SO HARD! But today I'm going to say lobster mac and cheese because I had the best lobster mac a couple weeks ago and have been craving it ever since!


There you have it! The 105 question tag narrowed down to 25. Feel free to pick a couple and post your answers in the comment section!

FYI: I'm so excited for a post coming next week! My friend Amanda and I are getting together Friday night to do a fun project for a blog post. Be sure to be on the lookout for that post coming next Monday! :)

What I'm Loving #2

It's Fridaaaaay Fridaaaaay gotta get down on Fridaaaay! (Bonus points to whoever remembers that song...which is probably everybody)

I am so ready for this long weekend! I'll be spending it at our family cottage enjoying one of the last weekends of summer. This summer has flown by and as much as I love fall, I just am not ready to say goodbye to summer quite yet! Although I have to admit, I did get a pumpkin spice coffee before September 1st....oops!

Now let's get into some of my favorites of the week!

1.) Influenster. If you have not heard of this, download it ASAP! Basically you link up your social media accounts to take surveys and write reveiws on different products to be chosen for different vox boxes. This week I received my third or fourth vox box called the Endless Summer Vox Box with a variety of products to test and review. Be on the lookout next week for a review on the products I received! This was my favorite box yet!

2.) Graze. I am a totally sucker for at-home delivery services. Stitch Fix, Blue Apron, Ipsy, you name it! I recently signed up for a free sampler box from Graze which delivers healthy snacks. My first 4-pack sampler box was free so I highly recommend checking it out! This week I received honey drizzled cashews (LOVED), Eleanor's Apple Crumble, Herby Bread Basket, and Lemon Drizzle Flapjacks (pictured below). I decided to sign up for an 8-pack variety box which is $11.99 per week or however often you choose to order. I can't wait for my next box!

3.) CVS. This might sound like a weird favorite but ever since I got the app and signed up for their extra care card I always save money whenever I go there! I usually buy toiletries there rather than Wegmans because I save more money and get coupons so often sent right to my extra care card that I just show the cashier at checkout. P.S. I feel like a "real" adult when one of my favorites is saving money and getting coupons for things like toothpaste and shampoo....

4.) Survivor Season 1...yes, season 1! 16 years later I'm watching this series again. I remember when the show first came out I was in fourth or fifth grade. Since it's on Hulu I decided one day to re-watch the first season just for an episode or so and am now one episode away from finishing it. Of course I already know how it ends up but it's funny to see the first season again 16 years later! 

5.)  Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta. I made this one pot dinner on Wednesday night and let me tell you...it was AMAZING. If you would like me to do a blog post on this step by step let me know! I already want to make this again. Benson and I cleaned our plates with this one! I made a couple tweaks to the recipe but it still came out delicious.

And there you have it! Round 2 of "What I'm Loving". Be sure to let me know if any of these are your favorites too! I hope you all have a fun Labor Day weekend ahead! My next posting will probably be next Wednesday. I plan on taking full advantage of this 3-day weekend! ;) 

Cheers!