Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Rain, rain...go away...and please don't bring any more 'naters!

So this morning while I was getting ready for work, I was looking at my clothing options today for the anticipated rain and tonados..Things didn't look so good and I'm not talking about the weather either. So if you are like me and your rainy day attire needs to be revamped, look no futher. Here's what's on my rainy day wish list!

Banana Republic Trench Coat.
Perfect for brushing off the rain!



Have to have the Sperrys and Wellies!

Of course, One must have a cute umbrella!


 This is the look I would go for...Love the trench!




Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Wow...it's been a while.

So...I did real well on the week of favorites but life is crazy right now. I started this blog because i needed to channel my energy on something...that was in January when it's cold outside and nothing to do. Now there's a million things to do and blogging is getting harder and harder. Pushing through...softball season will be ending soon so I'll have a lot of things to blog about because I'll have my husband back...and he's got a HUGE to-do list waiting for him.

But I would like to share with you my little amazon find. So i love books...i love reading and I love buying books and going to the library...etc...but I was looking around on Amazon the other day at work and found some GREAT deals on some great books. All the books i ordered were under 1.50$. Yes. True story.

So here's what I ordered...some great reads to get me in the mood for summer:





Thanks to College Prep for getting me back into the reading mood by starting a book club. The book we're reading is Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. If you'd like to follow her book club page click HERE!


I'll let you know how the other books are...but I can't imagine you can go wrong with some good old southern stories...

Hope everyone is having a good week!



Thursday, April 21, 2011

Favorite "Something" day 5

My favorite something today is breakfast! It's my favorite meal of the day! This morning I had time to make a real breakfast...muffins and turket bacon!

Usually my go to breakfast meal is...


Every morning, never fails. Two Eggo waffles and a large glass of milk. Morning made!


Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Favorite "something" day 3



Favorite time of the year...Spring. Hands down. It's like life coming back into things. I get into such a winter slump that spring just pulls me out of it. Flowers blowing out, trees coming to life, and yards turning green again. I love the spring decor! Between Pier1, Hobby Lobby and Pottery Barn...my wallet has been woken up as well.

If you need a cute little Easter basket idea, look no futher... Check out these cute Easter basket goodies!

Chick Soap from Bath and Body Works


Polka dot napkins from Pottery Barn


Easter towels and chick salt and pepper shakers from Pier1 (All Easter stiff is 20% off!!)


How could this NOT be the best time of the year?!





Monday, April 18, 2011

Favorite "Something" day 2.

Since I'm wayyy too into this William and Kate movie, I felt posting about favorite movies would be a good topic today.

All time favorite movie goes to "Breakfast at Tiffany's"


Runner up goes to "Grease"


and last but not least, 3rd place goes to...
Now and Then Poster




Sunday, April 17, 2011

My favorite place on earth.

So I think I'm going to declare this week "Favorite Week" and post everyday about my favorite "something". Today my favorite "something" is my favorite place on earth...Tuscaloosa, AL. Now for many gradutes of The University of Alabama, it's special because that's where we went to school, our almater, the place where I partied studied my butt off for the past four years. But it's also the place where I grew up...became an adult. I was (almo$t) independent from my parents, living on my own with roommates, making my own decisions that affected me and only me. Basically, freedom. Best four years of my life. I'm so happy that I can look back and say that was the BEST four years of my life. I wouldn't change a thing about what happened. Every decision made me who I am today. Looking back, there were several things that could have happened...I could have taken that bid to a sorority, I could have taken that summer intership, I could have studied a little more...(duh) or I could stand out and be a non-greek, join Wesley, meet some of the best people IN THE WORLD, and spend the every summer with my sister making sure she had the best time. Thank goodness I married someone who shares the same love-affair with Tuscaloosa as me.

So this past weekend was spent in Tuscaloosa at the Aday game. After battling storms to get there Friday night, we woke up to the best day for a football game against two of the best teams...ha..haha. Walking around on the quad, waiting for the team to come in...sitting in the staduim with some great people...definitly a good time.

In keeping with the theme of the week, allow me to share with you some of my favoites of Tuscaloosa...

Favorite place on Campus
Kind of goes without saying...right?


Favorite "Date Night" Resurant
Nicks in the Sticks. Best. Steak. Ever.

Favorite Meal on "Dinning Dollars"
Buffalo Phils

Favorite Place to shop
The Shirt Shop 
Favorite Place for breakfast
The Waysider..best biscuits

My favorite place to run
The River Walk...ran more miles there than anywhere else.

Favorite Cheap Mexican Food
Taco Casa. Also has the BEST sweet tea.

Hope Y'all have a great week!




Tuesday, April 12, 2011

BigHouse Swimsuit Drive!

I know I've posted before abou BH and their amazing idea for the swimsuit drive...so...SHOW ME YOUR SWIMSUITS! So far I've collected 12 swimsuits and 3 towels (Remember, they need 6000!). I've found a list of the sizes that are needed and wanted to share them with you. If you click HERE it will take you to the sizing list for boys and girls. Please...just think of the smile brought to these kids faces when they get a towel with their name on it and their very own swimsuit. Doesn't that warm your heart?

Let me know if you have anything for me, towels, (new) swimsuits or even a donation and I'll make sure it gets to BigHouse in time.
I'm shipping my stuff on April 22nd but they are trying to have everything collected by April 30th.

If you would like to make a monetary donation online click HERE!
Shoot me an email (ellyn211@hotmail.com), call me (inbox me for cell number) or text me. I will come to you!

Think about it...these kids have been through horrific things...let's help them feel loved and wanted.

Ellyn

Monday, April 11, 2011

World's best CinnaBuns!

Hello  bloggers! I feel lately I've been distracted and I have not been a good blogger. Hopefully that will be getting better in the next month or so. I spent this past weekend working and all day Sunday crafting with mom. She decided to try this wonderful cinnabun recipe and who in our house said no? No one. It was amazing and I feel the need to share with you. It's super easy (although she made them...I actually had to taste them to make sure it was a good recipe to share. ha!)
Hope you enjoy!

From Scratch Dough
■1 Cup Lukewarm
■2 Large eggs, at room temp
■1/3 C unsalted butter or margarine, cut up
■4 3/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
■1 3/4 tsp Salt
■1/2 C Sugar
■2 1/2 tsp instant or bread machine yeast

Place all of the dough ingredients into the pan of your bread machine in the order listed. Program the machine for dough or manual and press start. After about ten minutes, check the doughs consistency. It should be smooth, not too sticky and not too dry. Adjust it’s consistency with additional flour or water if necessary to allow the machine to complete the kneading.
^The way I would do it because I LOVE my bread machine^

*If not using a bread machine, combine all of the dough ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir until mixture becomes cohesive. Transfer to lightly oiled work surface and knead by hand for five to eight minutes or until it is smooth. The way I think of smooth is…~looks around to make sure no one is listening~ it needs to be like a baby’s bottom.
^The way mom made it Sunday^
Place kneaded dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to grease all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place for one hour, until it is nearly doubled. Transfer to floured work surface and roll into a 16×21 inch rectangle. Spread with 1/2 stick margarine and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Filling:

■1/4 C butter or margarine, softened
■1 C brown sugar, packed
■3 T ground cinnamon

Icing:
(Best cream cheese icing recipe EVER!)
■3 ounce cream cheese, softened
■1/4 C butter or margarine, softened
■1 1/2 C confectioner’s sugar
■1/2 tsp vanilla (optional, I usually just leave it out)

Thanks to Southern Plate for this super easy recipe for Cinnabuns!
 


Sunday, April 10, 2011

An amazing give away from College Prep!

How cute are these rain boots!? Thanks to College Prep for blogging about these cute boots! Do you know what Zoubaby boots are? Well, Zoubaby boots are comfortable and weatherproof so no-nonsense women and kids can get their tasks done in style no matter what the weather. Best of all, Zoubaby boots are custom designed, so everyone can impart their own personal style by choosing the font and color of the monogram! I would love to win a pair from College Prep's give away!




I would pick the traditional front in white!
Check out Zoubaby website!

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

The Bucket List...

So I love to make lists...I have lists for everything. I make lists for things I need to do when I get home, for the weekend, on my off day, grocery lists, Target list, things I want (I know, superficial- sue me), etc, etc, etc…I even have a book dedicated to making lists about things. Good book to give as a gift. Makes you think about things and remember things (boys you’ve kissed, places you’ve traveled too- you get the picture).



However, I wanted to share a special list with you…my bucket list. Some of it is private and between me and God and some of it is open to the world. Before you go thinking crazy thoughts, let me tell you what got me thinking about this tonight. We talked about the coming of Christ in youth tonight and one of the questions I asked my small group was this: “If you knew God was coming tomorrow, what would you do tonight before you went to sleep?” We had the funny answers, brush my teeth, tell my parents “See you on the other side!”…and then one girl said “Read my Bible…I’m not ready for God to come yet- He’s left me too much work to do on Earth and he would be disappointed if he came tomorrow.”

How thought provoking? She’s just barely 13 yet she had a better answer than I had to answer my own question. So I started thinking on my drive home about what God would think if he showed up tomorrow…my walk with Christ is bumping right now…He’s teaching me patience and I’m doing my best to do things my way.

I also started to think about what I’ve done and what I want to do in my life and thus my bucket list came to mind. So here it goes…don’t laugh.



4. Roam the streets of Paris, stand at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower, gasp in its beauty.



9. Walk down Rodeo Drive like a freaking movie star.



13. Sew a quilt, learn to can veggies, grown a huge (and successful) garden. Basically be a good ol’ southern woman. (Learn to sew should really be first)

5. Make a million dollars.

19. Run a marathon. (which would mean I need to run more than once a week! Eek!)



Some things that I have done:

14. Go to an Alabama vs Auburn football game.

1. Marry the man of my dreams.

2. Graduate from college.



The list grows and changes…things are crossed off, my mind changes…but it’s fun. Maybe one day I’ll do everything I ever wanted to do and then some.

What's on your bucket list?


 

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Wedding bells are ringing...

My very best friend got married this past weekend and I'm so excited for her and her husband! Everything was beautiful including the weather! With the crazy storms the past week, I was worried what it would do Saturday. 
It's true what they say, "Time flies when you're having fun". I feel like yesterday we were learning our mulipication tables or saying the Abc's. It's amazing how fast time flys and I'm trying not to take this time for granted. Here's some pictures from the beautiful wedding...

I met Danielle at 8:30 at Terreme for her hair apointment. 

The craziness that ensued when everyone arrived at the church. The room we got ready in was beautiful.

We were total creepers and watched Danielle and Heath take their pictures. I can't wait to actually see them!

I don't know who's idea it was to have ribs in the wedding day...but they were very entertaining!

The little sis...

The best part, the cakes

The best picture of the day.


It was an amazing day for two amazing people. I can't wait to see what the future holds for both of them.