Icky, Gross, and Gloomy

Florida weather that is! It's driving me crazy that I can't spend any time outside. Looks like my Fourth of July will be a rainy one :(

      

Hope y'all are having a sunny Thursday!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Go link up with Jamie!

I am loving my sweet boyfriend. I just came back from lunch with him and all we do is eat and watch the Casey Anthony Trial. NERDS :)

I am loving that tonight I gave my shift away! I am going to take a relaxing bubble bath and spend the rest of my day baking. Rusty has been begging for an apple pie and then I'll probably bake some cupcakes and maybe something with bananas?

How cute are these??

I am loving that there is a 3-day weekend. Fourth of July is on Monday!

I am loving that there is only one month until we (fam & boy) leave for our Caribbean cruise!

Have a lovely Wednesday!

Miscellany Monday!

one. I am kind of dreading this week because I work sooo much this week. I have six shifts this week. Ugh.

two. But a week from today is Fourth of July! My boyfriend and I are going to his cousin's housewarming party which should be fun.

I can't wait to make these!

three. Speaking of houses, I have been looking nonstop at stores for cute and inexpensive decorations for my boyfriend's future home.

Here is one bathroom set I found:

  

Owls. Enough said.

Okay that might just be wishful thinking...

four. I am in LOVE with these new colors from China Glaze because they are perfect for summer. I currently have the second pink color on my nails :)

five. I better go get dressed because I am going to see the boyfriend for lunch today. I have leftover Chinese food from last night. Let's just say dumplings are freaking delicious.

Happy Monday ladies!

Corn-on-the-Cobcakes

I saw this lovely recipe the other day when I received my Woman's Day magazine in the mail. I can't get over how adorable it is and I will definitely be making them for Fourth of July!

  

Recipe Ingredients

   

• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 1 1/4 cups plus 5 Tbsp whole milk
• 3 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp plus pinch kosher salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 16-oz box confectioners’ sugar
• 16 corn holders, assorted yellow and white jelly beans, 4 yellow fruit chews (such as Starburst), black and white sanding sugar, for decorating

Recipe Preparation

      

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with yellow or white paper liners. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, 1 1/4 cups of the milk and 2 tsp of the vanilla. 3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cornmeal, baking powder and 1/2 tsp of the salt; make a well in the center. Add the milk mixture and stir until fully incorporated. 4. Divide the batter among the muffin cups (about 1/4 cup each) and bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 5. Meanwhile, make the frosting: Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, then cook, swirling the pan until the butter begins to brown and smell nutty, 3 to 4 minutes; remove from heat. 6. Using an electric mixer, beat the browned butter, confectioners’ sugar, pinch of salt and the remaining 5 Tbsp milk and tsp vanilla until fluffy, 3 minutes. 7. To decorate: Working with 3 cupcakes at a time, frost, then arrange rows of jelly beans close together on each cupcake. Place them side by side on a plate or platter and insert the corn holders at each end so they resemble an ear of corn. Cut a fruit chew horizontally in half; flatten one half slightly and place on top of the corn to resemble a pat of butter. Sprinkle with the sanding sugars to mimic salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes.

I can't wait to show y'all how mine turn out! :)

Thoughtless Thursday

Go link up!

It's Thursday and I am so excited because the boyfriend and I have the night off.

But right now he is at work (his first job) and I am at home twiddling my thumbs.

So I am going to go outside in the Florida heat and tan.

   

With no makeup! Yikes!



So that hopefully I can look like this...

Last summer I was a bronze goddess ;) haha

Man this makes me want to go to the beach...

BUT I don't have to wait long because next month, I have three amazing things to look forward to!

1. Fourth of July spent with family...lots of cooking and baking!

2. July 5th will be exactly a year and a half that my boyfriend and I have been together :)

3. July 30th is the day I leave for my cruise with the boyfriend and family!

Have a wonderful day friends!



Miscellany on Monday

                                     

one. I am back at home and things are back to normal since my boyfriend's uncle came home yesterday and we are no longer house-sitting. I miss Katie (uncle's dog) already. How could I not with that precious face???

                                                                                    

two. My boyfriend is in the process of purchasing a house and I can't contain my excitement about it! I LOVE decorating and to have an entire house to decorate is going to be a blast. I got him this rug a few days ago except of course it has his name...

                                              
three. I don't know if any of you are following the Casey Anthony Trial but watching the defense try to present their case is nauseating. Jose Baez, Casey's lawyer is beyond annoying and immature and I think that as of now, I have made up my mind about whether she is guilty or not. GUILTY.

four. I am so eager to go on my cruise next month! I have slowly been doing some shopping to acquire more cruise-appropriate clothing and accessories. Or maybe it's just an excuse to go shopping but oh well. It makes me happy :)

Some of the things on my shopping list:

1. A floppy hat

2. Romper

  

3. Maxi Dress

*already have a few but I want MORE

All of these items were found at Forever 21.

five. Happy Belated Father's Day! I felt bad because yesterday the boyfriend and I spent our entire day driving to and from Jacksonville, FL because my cousin was giving away his King mattress. Hello bigger bed! But it sucked not spending Father's Day with either of our dads.

Have a wonderful Monday ladies!



Meet Katie!

My boyfriend has been house-sitting for his uncle this week and I am absolutely in love with his Golden Retriever, Katie. She is the biggest lap dog I have ever seen...and I mean that literally. She seriously thinks she is the size of a toy poodle or something. And she is so affectionate and loving. Just too cute! 

Laying right on top of me while I was watching television.

               

Laying on top of Rusty.

      

I caught her dead asleep laying like this. Such a lady...haha.

      

I have now come to the conclusion that I will be getting a Golden Retriever once I move out on my own :)

Blog Makeover!

Doesn't it look so much better? My blog had a makeover from the lovely Brea over at Utterly Chaotic Designs. She was amazing to work with and did a fantastic job! I couldn't be happier :) Thanks Brea!