Sweet Escape

I realized that it's been a long while since I've posted about houses or decorating. Although, our NYC apartment will limit my decorating desires :( I still love to look and since there (hopefully) will be one day where I will actually get to decorate a real house I'll some inspiration!!! Here are some outdoor living space that just call out "Hello Weekend!" I hope everyone has a wonderful relaxing weekend!

I'm pretty sure I could relax here...

I love the white curtains! Can you imagine this view at night with the hillside city lights?

This just reminds me of home with all the Florida bright colors (minus the bamboo)

And then retreat here for a beverage and some ice cream here in the cabana...

28th Cookout

Last night and a day late we celebrated Hubs birthday with a cookout. About 20 of our friends came to help us celebrate how wonderful Hubby is and it was so much fun! Have I mentioned how much we're going to miss our friends once we all move after school??? :) Anyway, here are some recipes from last night...

Can you see the baked Mac N Cheese behind the corn salad? Well, here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

8 0z package of elbow Macaroni

8 oz package of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

12 oz container of cottage cheese

8 oz of sour cream

1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to salt

1 cup of dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup of melted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add pasta, and cook until done; drain.
2. In 9x13 inch baking dish, stir together macaroni, shredded Cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together bread crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle topping over macaroni mixture.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden.

Of course, you can substitute to make this a bit healthier...

If you want the recipe to the yummy corn salad go here!

This was Hubs make shift cake with chocolate covered almonds

The cute birthday man in the middle

Fun Finds

There hasn't been a finds post in a while so...

Awesome winged back chair

Target coin purse

Spencer Morgan Designs

Cute Etsy design

Adorable etsy pillow I would like one custom made in my living room colors!

This looks like its a long way away, but once I get 50 followers then I'm doing a giveaway. So tell your friends!!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to the one I love! It's Hubby's birthday today and we just got back from a good ole southern breakfast to start the celebration. Tomorrow we celebrate with a cookout! Hubby is the most wonderful husband I could have prayed for and I'm so honored to be his wife. I love that he makes me laugh when he dances around our apartment like a crazy person...(if only my iphone could take videos- I'll keep working on that.) I also love that he has become a man of integrity and character. Thank you for all you do! Happy Birthday!!!!

Little Hubs

Hubs showing studly skills in high school

Hubs showing studly skills this past weekend

My Man!!

Happy Birthday!!!!

Bye Bye Bradyn

Like I said yesterday, things are winding down here. Yesterday was my last time to watch my friend's cute little boy, Bradyn. I've been watching him since he was 3 months old and crazy as it is he is getting close to a year! I've watched him go through so many stages - infant to baby to becoming a little boy. He's so adorable and so much fun! I'm going to miss him...

I already read my books

I love crawling on her

I'm so big

This is going to be my "Hey Baby, how you doin?" face

Ahhh Gooey

Things around here are definitely winding down. There's a different attitude now than the past 2 years. The guys have jobs and therefore are skipping class to play golf, etc. I have been busy making jewelry for the next couple of months for when we're in limbo and homeless. However, I've somehow caught the relaxed bug as well so I've been working much slower than normal. We're also selling almost every piece of furniture we own on Craigslist. Besides that we have been having lots of get-togethers which means lots of FOOD! So here is another recipe for you...

This one is Monkey Bread - the easiest thing ever! I used to make this for work all the time and Hubby always hoped there was some left over. All you need is 3 cans of grand biscuits, cinnamon, sugar, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of butter.

Quarter your biscuits like so... (I accidentally got some of the buttered biscuits)

mix together the cinnamon and sugar to your liking (I don't measure but I like a lot of cinnamon!)

As you go along place the pieces in a bundt pan and stack

Melt your butter and mix with about a cup of brown sugar and pour over your pieces. Place in oven preheated to 375 for around 45 or so minutes. Take it out and flip!

You'll have an ooey gooey delicious mess!

Our weekend begins later today! We have a wedding and Hubby is running in the Nashville 1/2 marathon! So proud of him.

Thankful:

for planes to make an 8 hour drive into 1.5 hrs.

Happy Birthday Little Bud

It's our little buds birthday today! It's crazy to think that this time last year I had had my bags packed for 2 weeks waiting for Sis' call saying she was in labor so I could jump in the car and make the 9 hour drive to meet our new nephew. The text message came around 9:30 am and I met the little bud around 10 that night. He has completely changed our family's world! He was such an adventurous little boy from the beginning and his adventures have just continued to grow. It's been so fun to see his personality come through, and boy does he have a personality! He is the happiest baby I've ever known (which is a complete 180 from the first month or so of his colicky life.) I can't wait to see he and his cousins play together! I can only imagine how fun they're going to be. :) Happy Birthday Little Bud!!! We love you very much! ( Warning, there are a year's worth of pics below)

From the very beginning...

Meeting in the hospital

Arrived home and a bit confused

Dad is so comfy

3 months later and still like sleeping on chests

4 months and still loves the football hold

Teething on the cup

ribbit ribbit (6 months)

7 months and meeting Great Grandpa!

7 months and already playing golf with dad

9 months and loves pulling out everything in cabinets

10 months playing in the dirt, a regular pastime

Roll it Up

There was a buy one get one free sale on Strawberries last week at our grocery store. So I of course picked up 4! haha I had no idea what I was going to do with them but knew I'd come up with something with that kind of deal. Well, I ended up making Darby's Fruit Roll-Ups and love them! I can't wait to do this kind of stuff once we have kids...in a few years. They're natural (so I don't have to worry about some of that processed unhealthy stuff to give my kids.) When sis and I were young it was always a special treat to get those expensive single sold natural fruit leather things in Publix. Now we all can make them for cheap thanks to Darby! I would tell anyone to try this recipe out - if you like this sort of thing.

Beginning of the End

Well, we are beginning to wind down here in our tiny little southern town. Everyone is starting to pack up their homes in order to move on to the next chapter in our working adult lives. While Business School was at first a transition for most of us wives, we'll definitely look back on this time with great memories and friends! This past weekend we hung out by the pool, cooked out and of course laughed hard! This was the last time that this group will be able to get together on a weekend before we all leave... But don't worry some are going to NYC with us!!

The cookout girls! Fun group

Beautiful salad

Julie's yummy yummy cake... Maybe she should guest blog and post the recipe??

My pasta salad from my friend Arden.

Hubs and me

Maybe Sis will load some pics of little guy's 1st bday party?!

Thankful:

Have I mentioned Craigslist?

Strong Hubby who can move furniture up and down stairs!