Tuesday, March 29, 2011

When Life Gives You Lemons

Make Lemon Squares of course! Or even better make lemon cupcakes!

When I was little my favorite treat my Grammie made was lemon squares. Every time we'd go visit her or she'd come visit us I'd ask her to make them. It was my Mom's birthday last week (Happy Birthday Mom!), and she also loves lemons squares so I thought I'd make something a little special for her.


It's a very simple recipe that doesn't take hardly any time to make. Normally you would use a 9x13 pan but I used a regular size cupcake pan. The recipe only makes a dozen, regular size, cupcakes. However if you made them smaller you could make 2 dozen. 

You need: Lemon cake mix (with pudding! which is already in the mix if you're curious). 2 eggs. 1/3 cup of oil. 1 8oz package of cream cheese. 1/3 cup of sugar. 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

Preheat the oven to 350, and prepare your cupcake tins or pan. Mix cake mix, 1 egg, and oil until crumbly. If making cupcakes, fill your tins half full. Otherwise save 1 cup of mix and spread the rest in the pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 350, or until crust turns golden brown.



While your crust is baking mix cream cheese, the other egg, sugar, and lemon juice. I use a mixer, but the little lumps of cream cheese almost never disappear. (( I didn't get a picture of this, oops! ))




When your crust is finished baking you can allow it cool. I personally am far too impatient to ever allow anything to cool. There never seems to be a difference between mine and Grammie's and she always lets it cool, so I think that's a big myth and waste of time. Evenly spread your cream cheese mix over the top of your crust. Use your saved crumbly mix and sprinkle it over the top.

Back in the oven it goes! Bake for another 15-17 minutes, or again, until the crust is golden brown.


Tada! Yum, yum, yum!

If you use my lemon square recipe let me know how you like them!

Ciao!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

It's True Love

Coming up with a title for this post took me a couple minutes. I thought there must be a pun related to wedges, but I couldn't think of it. So I went with how I really feel. Anna has always told me that she loves this pair of shoes, or that pair of shoes, and she can't live without them. I didn't get it at first. How can you love shoes so much? But then...  I've only had shoe love one other time, it was for the Dolce Vita for Target ankle boots. But I've fallen, hard, again for Lela Rose for Payless Bolivar Wedge.


Seriously!? They don't sell them in the store. I wanted to go put them on and just strut around the isle in them. Even take a couple pictures for the blog. I was more than disappointed to not find them. No dress up? No "See how good they look? I need them!"? (( This being said to either my Mom or Matt, as my birthday is a little over a month away. ))

The problem? Their price-tag. I'm cheap. I feel guilty about spending more than $20 on anything and that is a 'splurge'. Most of the shoes I own I received as presents. All but about 2 pairs of them (which have been with me for years) are from Target or Payless and didn't cost more than $30. So how can I convince myself to cough up $50 on shoes?!

OH and did I mention I'm still jobless. Yep! 2 words .. Affirmative Action. I won't know for sure until Wednesday (I was told I'd start this past Monday). So if you pray, or cross fingers, or send positive vibes, I could use them.

Well I'm off to make a cast iron, deep dish, pizza. I saw the recipe on Emma's blog and had to bake one, it looked amazing!

Yum! Photo taken by Emma 

Hope you have a great weekend!
Ciao!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Hello Yellow!

It happened last week, while we were in Tennessee. I looked down at the armload I was carrying, and I realized everything was yellow. 








Everything in this post was thrifted. As for the outfit the shoes are from Target, the rest is thrifted or crafted.

Ciao!

Golden Bambi

You know when you come across an item while thrifting (or shopping)  and you think "I need this!! Shit, it's way over my budget. Shit, I really need it."? Well those were my exact thoughts, and perhaps words, while I was out yesterday with Anna. I saw these two little fawns and fell in love. I wasn't thrilled at the price written on the bottom of these babies, but I went for it. Boy, I'm sure glad I did.

I was cleaning up a couple other items I've bought over the last few weeks when I thought I might try cleaning the fawns. I asked my Dad what kind of metal he thought they were, and he guessed bronze. He said I'd have to go out and buy bronze cleaner. Uh, no.. That's not fast enough. I need to clean them now! So he suggest I try the copper cleaner we used on our old copper bottom pans. The first picture is my test spot, I was thrilled that it worked so well!




Here they are looking a bit dull, and very tarnished.




Look at them now! They are so shinny you can see yourself in them. I can not wait to put them in my own home. But for now they've found a home in my parents living room.



Ciao!

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Spring is in the Air

Yesterday was such a beautiful day. I spent some time outside, both watching Matt skateboard and taking a few outfit photos. The car in these pictures in the guitarist's in Matt's band, Jeremy's. I think it was his car when he was 16 or 17. I've take photos with it and of it several times. I love the color, and the headlights. 




Dress; Italian market, Button-up; Anna's Closet, Tights; Target, Boots; Target, Belt; Goodwill, Necklace; Anna's Closet


And here's a shot of my not-so-willing photographer. But at least his hair is sooo fluffy!

Just a quick update; I quit my job at Red Lobster on Monday. Yesterday I turned in an application to be a secretary at a high school in the city right next to mine. My mom used to work for the school district, called the principal, and BAM! I am now off to sign papers, and looking very professional while doing so. I start on Monday! I can't believe I got the job. I am so excited to work 7-3 Monday-Friday, have full benefits, and weekends off. I have been so ready for a more 'adult' job, that I might be able to do for a while. If this all goes as planned I am hoping to get my degree at the end of the year.. Perhaps in Administration? 

Ciao! 


Sunday, March 6, 2011

America's Pastime

If I didn't already mention this we are in Florida to watch Matt's brother, Andrew, play baseball. He plays for Northern State University, which is in South Dakota. Unfortunately he is hurt right now and can't play. But there are a few photos of his team. 





I may, or may not, be updating this post a couple times with more baseball photos. It's not very exciting to take pictures of people you don't know. However, the games get kind of long, and it is something to do. It would also help to improve my photography skills. Maybe next time I will move out from behind the net.

Ciao!

Vacation Time!

Remember New Years Day when Matt's parents invited me to join them in Florida. We have finally arrived! After being smushed in the middle seat, in the back of a truck, for 15+ hours I am ready to relax (and stretch).

Here are some photos of our fancy townhouse. I have my own room, and bathroom. 






The resort we are staying at has a bunch of pools, a lazy river, and a slide. Today Matt, his sister, and I are all staying back at the hotel to go swimming. The sky is looking a little gray, but the sun is starting to peak through so fingers crossed we can enjoy some poolside fun.

Ciao!