wedding anniversaries

next week the husband and i will be celebrating our four year wedding anniversary.

 

it seems like only a few months ago, i was a teenage girl walking down the aisle to say "i do" to my handsome man.  our wedding day was like a dream and i still can't get over how fun it was.

 

it was epic.

 

with our four year anniversary coming up, i googled to see what the traditional four year anniversary gift was.  turns out its fruits & flowers....uhhhh what?!?!

 

after thinking it over for a bit, i decided this could turn out to be a really cool gift with a lot of possibilities.

 

so mr. b, if you want to stick with tradition, here are some ideas:

 

diy terraniums.

i've been on a plant buying frenzy recently and i think it would be so much fun to make one of these with ethan.

 

make some jam.

this strawberry freezer jam is looking pretty tasty...and easy.

 

 

flower rug.

i've loved this ikea rug for ages now and for only $20, it's quite a steal!

 

 

 

 

a product from apple.

alright...i know this is a bit of a stretch, but apple is a fruit so i think it applies.

 

gold leaf terracotta pots.

sounds like a fun saturday project to me.

 

i really could keep going with ideas, but i'll stop here because i don't want to have a post that never ends.

 

toodles.

 

 

 

 

 



the best homemade pizza you've EVER had

yes, i said it.  this is going to be the best homemade pizza you've ever had, even though me and your taste buds aren't buds.  just trust me with this one...it really is the best homemade pizza ever.  no lie.  when it comes to pizza, this household does not mess around.  after all, we even served stuffed pizza at our wedding {which by the way, we were told by numerous guests that it was the best wedding food in the world}.

 

anyway,  i knew i couldn't keep this a secret.  it's so good i just have to share it with the world.

 

 

{yields 2 pizzas}

3/4 cups warm water {around 110 degrees is good, don't go any hotter or else the yeast will die}

1 envelope instant yeast {2 and 1/4 teaspoons}

4 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

corn meal, for sprinkling

sauce

mozzarella cheese

 

pour water into a large mixing bowl, then sprinkle yeast on top.  add flour, salt and olive oil and mix until a dough forms.  then on a floured surface, knead the dough for a few minutes.  put dough in a lightly oiled bowl.  cover the bowl and allow to rest for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

 

place the dough on a lightly floured surface and divide dough into 2 equal sized balls.  cover with a damp cloth and let sit for 10 minutes.

 

preheat over to 500 degrees.
 

lightly grease pizza pan and sprinkle with corn meal.  flatten and shape dough onto pan, the lightly brush with olive oil.  add sauce, cheese and additional toppings.  bake for 10 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.

 

i like to add fresh garlic to the sauce, then sprinkle with italian seasoning.  use fresh mozzarella, not shredded, for best taste.

 

 

modified from: Rachel Schultz Blog

 

 

 

long hair problems ... it's a hair-mergency



you know you have long hair when...your hair gets stuck while shutting a door.  this happens to me regularly in my car.  it hurts, so don't try this at home.

 

you know you have long hair when...it's hard to throw it up in a messy bun. last i checked it's called a messy bun for a reason, so it shouldn't be so hard, right? welp - when you got super long and thick hair, it can turn out bad...real bad.

 

you know you have long hair when...your dog burrows in a blanket of hair to keep warm.

you know you have long hair when...you spend more money on hair products than you do putting gas in the car.  man, i hope the husband doesn't read this.

you know you have long hair when...you randomly find bobbie pins in your hair and the last time you used bobbie pins was a few days ago.  everytime i wash my hair, its like i hit the jackpot of bobbie pins.

you know you have long hair when...you can use your ponytail as a form of self defense.  whip it, whip it real good.

you know you have long hair when...people tell you a million times daily that you have such long hair.  really?  because i haven't noticed.  thanks for making me aware of whats on my head.

 

what's the point of this list?

 

wellllll....i'm thinking about chopping off my long hair.

summer is coming up and i want something easy to manage and honestly i'm just ready for a new look.

 

here's some hair inspo for us to swoon over:

 

 

 

 

via.

 

 

via.

 

 

 

 

via.

 

via.

 

 

 

what do you guys think to cutting it off?

 

yes.

 

no.

 

maybe so?

 

 

 

countless second chances + printable

last week i shared with you one of my current musical obsessions, rend collective experiment.  their music is so joyous and uplifting.  i can't get enough of it. 

 

on their latest album, campfire, they have a song called second chance.  it is absolutely amazing.  my favorite line from it is, "countless second chances we've been given at the cross."  isn't that amazing?  even though i screw up time and time again, the Lord is there to forgive me every single time. 

 

i love that line so much, i made a printable as a daily reminder of how great my God is.

 

you could do the same, too, if you'd like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

if you've never heard the song before, you really should listen to it.  it's beautiful.

 

 

happy monday, friends.  i hope this starts your week off on a good note.

 



happies & crappies

 

 

happies

 

1.  i made a teepee for my doggies.  it is pretty much the coolest thing ever.  i want to make a big one for me and ethan to live in but for some reason he keeps telling me no.  {tutorial to come}

 

 

2.  only 10 days til our 4 year anniversary and 2 weeks til vacation!

 

3.  speaking of vacay, i asked four bloggers to guest post for me while i'm away and they all said yes.  boom.  i'm excited and you should be, too!  you're in for a lovely treat from some really fun, pretty, and talented women!  try to contain yourself.

 

4.  it's warming up outside and it's been gorg out the last few days.  yesterday i spent all afternoon in the sun for a work picnic.  80 degrees and sunny - thank you JESUS!

 

5.  today is a date day with my man.  be still my heart.

 

 

crappies

 

1.  e had to work six nights in a row this week.  i'm a bit husband deprived around here.

 

2.  allergies...i think my head will explode any minute.

 

 

 

have a great weekend, friends!

 



my take on music

so i know this might be slightly scandalous to some, but i think mainstream music today quite frankly sucks.  i think there are way too many famous "musicians" who make millions of dollars a year and are seriously lacking in the talent department.

 

let's talk about lil' wayne...or weezy...or whatever you prefer.  first of all, i think his voice is like nails on a chalkboard.  he receives the award for having THE most annoying voice of ALL TIME.  plus, who raps a line that says, "you say tomato, i say tomata."  REALLY?!?!  however, that is one of the most appropriate things he is EVER said.  pretty much every few line he drops the f-bomb or talks about his "hoes", so talking about tomatoes is actually a HUGE improvement.

 

moving on to macklemore - how did this guy ever become mainstream?  "i'm gonna pop some tags, only got twenty dollas in my pocket."  ok, i will admit, the first time i heard the song i did chuckle and my heart did a little happy dance for mentioning goodwill, but that's before i started hearing it on the radio. 

 

i know lil' wayne and macklemore have more money than i will ever have, so congrats to them for creatively using their lack of talent to make millions.  perhaps the thing that annoys me the most is the fact that they influence so many people, but behave so poorly.  there is not enough soap on the earth to clean up their mouths.

 

recently i discovered a band that i cannot get enough of.  like obsessed.  beyond obsessed.  i want to get up and dance like a flamingo {flamingos dance, trust me} every time I listen to their music.  it is so joyous.  their energy and passion for the Lord is contagious.  it's kind of like a christian version of mumford & sons, but with a woman's voice thrown into the mix, too.

 

the first time i heard one of their songs, i was having a cleaning date with pandora.  the song that came on was "10,000 reasons" and i stopped dead in my tracks.  i just stood their for five minutes listening to the beauty of the song.  it is the best version of the song i ever heard.

 

so enjoy my latest addiction, rend collective experiment.
 

 

click here to listen to more.

 

hope you love them as much as i do.

 

 

 

 

 

easy crockpot applesauce

so you all probably think I eat like crap all the time {as seen here, here, here, here, and here}.  but in all honesty, i try to consume decently healthy foods as well. 
 

case & point: APPLESAUCE.
 

this applesauce is so good.  it tastes healthy, natural and wholesome.  it is just downright delicious.

and easy.
 

and it's made in the crock pot, which makes life like a zillion times easier, too.
 

ANNNND it makes your whole house smell incredible.

 

8 apples - peeled, cored, and sliced

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons brown sugar
 

throw all ingredients into slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

 

once soft, stir until well blended.  or if you desire a smoother texture, mix with a hand mixer or blend in a blender.

 

i've been eating my applesauce with these banana & oatmeal breakfast {or anytime, for that matter} cookies.