Resolved

31 December 2012

This year has been quite the whirlwind with celebrating our first year of marriage, starting a new career, starting the blog, diagnosing and treating my hormonal nightmare, adding a new dog to the family, and moving once again. It has brought many successes and joys with a fair share of failures and struggles that I count as learning opportunities.

As always, we hope for more in the new year. 

More success, more peace, more happiness, more joy. Some write lists, some pray, some plan. I have never been much of a resolution type person, but this year, I think I have come up with a few tangible things to start, improve upon, and end.
Hopefully #2 will keep body parts above from blocking out any more light.
  1. Learn to sew
  2. See the inside of a gym at least twice a week
  3. Quit comparing myself to others
  4. Continue and improve the blog
  5. Begin saving for our first home
  6. Take more style risks
  7. Explore new photography skills
  8. Only buy things I love
  9. Stay on top of work documentation
  10. Pay off last bit of school debt
Are you a resolution maker? Are you looking to this new year for improvement? If so, what are some of your resolutions/promises/hopes?

{Britt Bakes} Shiner Bock Beer Cake

30 November 2012

As you know, Micah does the cooking around these parts. I happily oblige, but every now and then have to get my hands a little dirty and whip something up to fulfill that tiny domestic voice that occasionally whispers 'cake' in my ear.

Usually, I'm a big fan of baking from scratch. Most of my recipes are all organic and from another generation. This cake, however, is an easy throw together that can taste homemade with the change of a couple of ingredients. 

Shiner Bock, for you non Texans, is a great dark amber colored beer brewed just north of Austin. To get a similar taste, use a Bock beer. If you're lost on picking a comparable one, ask someone at a local grocery store with a solid beer/wine section or look around for a local brewery. They might be able to point you in the right direction.
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Shiner Cake
Ready for this?

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
Replace the water or milk ingredient with beer

1. Follow directions on box


Shiner Old Fashioned 'Boiled' Icing
 via
 1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup Shiner
2 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Place sugar, cream of tartar or corn syrup, salt, water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler. 

2. Beat with a handheld electric mixer for 1 minute. 

3. Place pan over boiling water, being sure that boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan. (If this happens, it could cause your frosting to become grainy). 

4. Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla.

5. Frost immediately after whipping using rubber spatula and serve.

6. Enjoy!

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Help For Minda

28 November 2012

This isn't something I normally post on, but I firmly believe people are put in your path for a reason. Now it's time for me to return the favor.

About 3 years ago, I did a project that involved doing something unexpected for someone of my generation. I wanted to do something that was maybe considered 'taboo' or 'hush hush' but still stay within the lines of appropriateness. So I signed up for E-Harmony and Match.com. People in my generation are so connected to social media, and it seemed that people's views were imbalanced to the idea of dating online. You order presents online, you can adopt a dog online, get your groceries, find a house, network with business partners, find potential job prospects, etc. So why not see who you aren't meeting while you're busy with all of the other things above?

Anyway, long story short, I signed up in a city where I used to live, and monitored and recorded who was stopping by and what level of communication they used. I never actually met any of the fellows, just wanted to see if it was truly a viable option for someone my age, or if it was just old man predator town. (Results: lots of sugar daddies, but some good guys thrown in the mix). After the project, I took a road trip to Chicago to see family and forgot to shut down the account. The last email I received was from a relatively good looking guy in law school, and once I explained what I had been doing on there, he was intrigued. We emailed back and forth about the project for a couple of weeks, and he eventually furthered communication by finding me on Facebook, which led to 6 hour phone conversations and eventually, a trip to visit.
I was incredibly anxious during my plane ride up, and on the second leg of my trip, I was seated next to a beautiful girl around my age who I immediately felt connected to. As soon as the plane took off, we got to talking and I spilled the reason for my flight. She was instantly curious and I explained the entire story to her, complete with pictures and emails. She doled out advice and encouragement, and offered to be my wingman in case he was actually an ogre. We chatted about her trip, a family reunion of sorts, and I was immediately drawn in to her sweet spirit and warm disposition. Her family seemed like such a strong, bonded group, and part of me wanted to be a fly on the wall at their place! We laughed about the irony of the in flight movie (He's Just Not That Into You) and eagerly anticipated our landing. 
Minda and I ended up staying in touch, and after the law guy and I broke up, she emailed me and we exchanged 'oh wells'. 3 days later, I had a box of custom brownies from a bakery sitting on my doorstep, her friend from afar way of making me feel better. You don't meet people like this every day. She is such a rare find in today's world: a beautiful, confident and radiant woman who loves her family and God. She never allows circumstance to bring her down, this is event is no exception.
Minda Corso, a sweet friend and fellow blogger, has lost everything she owns in an apartment fire while she was out of town for work. She didn't have renter's insurance, and is left with just what she had packed for her trip. She is going to have to replace her entire life. Her furniture, her beloved kitchen supplies, her closet. Now, I hear the blogging community is strong, and this is because we all stay in touch and stick together. I feel like as a friend and blogger, I have a double duty to help Minda, and wanted to call in backup. Blogger backup. If my readers could spread the word, Twitter, Facebook, anything, I would be eternally grateful.
Minda lives in Tallahassee, Florida but is originally from Paris, Texas. If any of you live in the area, or feel compelled to donate, I have included the link below to her donation site. 

RSV... no P

27 November 2012

Sorry folks. 

Tis the season for catching everything under the sun. One of the perks of working in pediatrics is catching everything they have, including the nasty RSV. Think of the lovechild of the flu and a cold, but with the genes from their grandfather Bronchitis. Yeah, that. So give me a couple of days to compile some outfits other than flannel jammies and mismatched wool socks, and I'll be back in the swing of things. A week of snot and coughing and fevers has left me under prepared for blog posts, but over prepared for any Cosby Show trivia games. 

See ya soon.

Turkey Lurkey Day

22 November 2012

via
I'll be on a break for the next week or so, celebrating with family and recovering from a nasty tango with RSV. See you on the other side of turkey.

{How To} Home Made Cake Stand

19 November 2012

 The holiday season is upon us, and I'm not quite ready to dole out a ton of money for decor that's going to be out for 6 weeks. I LOVE Christmas, like cannot get enough, simply adore, amcompletelyobsessed. But I don't love spending money. I made a ton of these for my wedding last year, and then promptly sold them in the name of space and sanity. Now that we've settled and it's time for cakes and tasty goodies to be displayed, I thought I'd whip up another in the name of holiday spirit.

So, while at my local Goodwill last week, I spotted this large china platter for $1.50, and found this mercury glass candle holder for $9 at Marshalls and put two and two together. Literally.


What You'll Need:
Large Plate or Platter
Wide Base Candle Stick
Gorilla Glue

1. Lightly wet bottom surface of plate where candle holder will sit
2. Trace very thin line of Gorilla Glue around edge of top of candle holder
3. Place plate on top of candle holder and top with very heavy book 
4. Leave heavy book on top of plate overnight to ensure strong bond




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