Links for Your Weekend

Wahoo it's Friday! I have a spontaneous trip to Fort Worth planned for the weekend! I'm looking forward to lot's of girl time, laying by the pool, and good food! I'm sure my Instagram will be constantly uploaded with pictures over the weekend! For now, enjoy some links to things I'm loving around the web this week!

1. Emily's roundup of her favorite Fourth of July treats! I can't resist the sweet and salty combo of a chocolate dipped pretzel!

2. Yesterday The Everygirl showed how-to style wire shelves. If you are like me, you probably had one of these in your dorm room. Use this how-to to transform it into your current space!

3. 10 ways to style cut-offs. Cut-offs are a summer staple in my wardrobe. To my mother's despair, my favorites are an old pair high waisted ones from Goodwill! 

4. I recently subscribed to The Skimm. It is a daily email that sends you the short version of the important news headlines. They also break it down in terms that make it easy to understand!

5. 5 ways to perfect the art of a brain freeze. Call me crazy but I love brain freezes because brain freezes mean ice cream, and popsicles, and milkshakes etc!

6. Target's summer Pinterest board #summerup! All things summery in one place.

7. Ashely Brooke's newest mug design! Too legit to quit.

xo annie

Dear Diary...

Yes, I'll admit I keep a diary. Instead I like to refer to it as a journal. A journal doesn't sound as middle school drama queen as a diary does. 

-quick disclosure- 

Go ahead and just excuse my sappy diary like post today. Instead, just sit back while I "journal" real quick. My blog is definitely not as personal as some, but a little more personal than others. I like it that way, but today I'm feeling the need to just chat about life.

  I am feeling so refreshed lately. This summer has treated me right and I have never felt so happy-go-lucky. I love my     internship, I love the times spent with friends, I love the time spent with family, I love the opportunities and experiences     I've been having, I've loved blogging etc.

image via pinterest

{how could you not love life if this was your backyard?}

After catching up with a new friend last night, who seems like an old friend because we can't get together without talking for hours, I knew this post was going to be about how much I've been loving life lately. We were on the same page about everything and everything the future holds. I feel like so many people these days are so narrow minded about life and what's ahead. Go to college, get a degree, get a job in that field, get married, and go on your way. Um hello boring. (If that's your future there is nothing wrong with that, it just isn't for me.) I'm not saying I'm about to drop out of school to go travel the world and never look back, I just want to keep things exciting. I realize more and more how important it is to me to have fun, try new things, see new place and fill my life with only things and people I love because really there is no reason to waste my time doing anything I don't love. 

I get anxious and giddy when I think about what I want to do in the future. Is it own my own business, move far away, work at a company I love? Who knows, but I know I won't settle for anything less. 

College in general has really made me think about life; like it does for most. Everyday I get more inspired from things which make me confident everyday that I am in charge of what my life holds, so I'm going to do whatever it takes to make it great. 

So here's to loving the people around you, the things around you, and the opportunities around you. Love your life people because I am loving mine!

-end of sappy and obnoxious love everything post-

xo annie

2 in 1 One Recipe Post

Today I have a round up of a couple recipes I made the past two weekends. You may have seen them on my instagram. They are both delicious and completely dad approved (as well as being approved by the rest of my family). I made a Bourbon Bread Pudding for Father's Day and Carrot Cake for my dad's birthday this past weekend. I highly recommend both recipes!

First up, the bread pudding. This was a classic bread pudding using french bread, raisins and spices like nutmeg which gave it awesome flavor! It was then topped with a bourbon sauce to send it over the edge.

{Bourbon Bread Pudding}

Bread pudding may seem daunting, but this recipe was far from complicated! 

Next is carrot cake! Yum yum yum is all I have to say about this cake. You can't go wrong when the recipe is The Pioneer Woman's. She shows the cake being baked in a sheet pan, but for visual effect I baked it in a bundt pan! After I smothered it with a pecan cream cheese frosting, we dove in to this delicious birthday treat! It was so good, my family and I decided it was a perfectly acceptable dinner. Nothing like cake for dinner, and breakfast, and lunch, and probably an afternoon snack!

{Carrot Cake}

Use this recipe and it won't disappoint! We had a slight carrot cake disaster at Easter, so it was nice to find this recipe that I believe is foolproof!

There you have, 2 recipes in 1 post. Now excuse me while I slip into a sweets coma. 

xo annie

Simplifying

Have you noticed the re-design going on, on the blog? I changed up the header and some icons to make  the overall look more simple. I loved my navy and mint theme, but it also felt a little cheesy to me. I wanted something more streamlined that was still fun! I want the focus to be on the posts and content, not everything going on in the background. 

vs.

What do you guys think? Do you like the new look? I'm still working on it a bit and want to get a new picture up. I like where it is going though! 

xo annie

Bites of My Life

Last week was a good one. I'll let the pictures do the talking. Good times at work, with friends and family, good food and good weather! I also have some "bites" of things I'm loving lately!

{Bites of My Life}

{right to left}

-Easy taco salad made with leftover chicken and cabbage.

-I can't go home without making a stop at Chirps and Cheers. The cutest stationery store in the world, and the scene of my first job!

-A poached egg over oatmeal is becoming my breakfast staple. With a couple dashes of hot sauce, you just can't beat it.

-Summer nights call for a round of bocce ball. My parents won...

-The New Yorkers heading off to a wedding, loved having them home this weekend!

-Happy 55th Pops!

{Bites of what I'm lovin'}

{images via Pinterest}

-Boho braid. Perfect for hot summer days.

-Horizontal stipe walls and a photo gallery for a focal point.

-Need to make this strawberry cake. For your birthday Kathleen?

-My jeanie suit, as my dad called it. My oldest sister brought home this American Apparel romper this weekend. I couldn't take it off, so I had to order my own.

Lastly, if you haven't heard OneRepublic's new song "Counting Stars," take a listen. I can't get it out of my head, but I don't mind one bit!

Enjoy your last week of June!

xo annie