♥ All Things Adorable

Engagement Shoot #2

2012-05-30T15:18:00.003-04:00

Nathan and I had another engagment photo session, and these were our favorites!

Baked Cheesy Garlic Zucchini

2012-05-21T16:13:00.000-04:00

I made this delicious cheesy garlic zucchini very easily in the oven. All you have to do is preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Then, take one whole zucchini and cut it into fourths - once in half and then in half again long ways. Rub a little vegetable oil on the tops, then sprinkle on garlic salt and parmesan or mozzarella cheese, or really whatever cheese you prefer. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and then enjoy!

Camera Necklace

2012-05-10T14:06:00.000-04:00

I found this adorable camera necklace on Pinterest. I really can't wait to get a real camera! I love photography! Check out my Photo Love section to look at some cool pictures I found.

Any other aspiring photographers out there? What is your inspiration? Leave a comment and let me know!

Chicken Rice and Asparagus

2012-05-05T00:06:00.000-04:00

Today I made a chicken flavored rice with asparagus and it was DELISH!

Here's how you make it:

Ingredients (for one serving):
1 1/2 cups Fat Free Chicken Broth
1 cup White Rice
1 Tbs Vegetable Oil
4 stems of Asparagus
1/4 tsp Seasoned Salt

Cut the asparagus into one inch sections. On stove top in one skillet, put 1 cup chicken broth and boil. Once boiling, add in the white rice and simmer on low for 5 minutes. While the rice is simmering, put in a separate skillet the vegetable oil, asparagus, and the remaining chicken broth. Cook on medium heat for two minutes. Sprinkle the seasoned salt over the asparagus and cook for two more minutes. Drain the left over chicken broth from the rice and the asparagus. Combine the rice and asparagus and add more seasoned salt, if desired.

This 7 minute recipe is as tasty as it is easy. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think! Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get updates on the blog.

Vanilla Apple Flatbread

2012-05-02T14:02:00.003-04:00

I just came up with a pretty easy but tasty concoction today for lunch. It is incredibly healthy.

All you need is:

1 apple, thinly sliced
Vanilla Greek Yogurt
1 Whole Grain Sandwich Flatbread

All I did was lightly toast the flatbread to make it a little stiffer. Spread a bit of the vanilla greek yogurt on one side of the flatbread and lay slices of apples on top. The result is delicious!

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Cupcakes!

2012-05-02T03:29:00.002-04:00

Cupcakes! Cupcakes! Cupcakes! They are so adorable and so delicious.. and there are SO many different kinds! I decided to put together a list of the most delicious cupcakes...

Apple Cinnamon Roll

Bailey's Irish Creme

Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Green Tea

Raspberry Lemonade

Mocha Coconut Frappuccino

Nutella

Nutter Butter

Oreo

Pistachio

Strawberry Margarita

Tiramisu

Caramel Toffee Crunch

Vanilla Chai

Feel free to share some of your favorite cupcake flavors! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Wedding Planning Thoughts

2012-05-01T19:56:00.001-04:00

There are a little less than 6 months before my wedding (October 20, 2012) and I never realized how much planning goes into an event like this. I realize that I am not anywhere close to done, but somehow I have not freaked out once. Since a lot of people are probably in my shoes right now, I wanted to share a few tips on how I keep it all together...

1. In the end, it's not about the wedding, it's about the marriage. Too many people get wrapped up in the planning and making sure everything is perfect, down to the last detail. Don't forget to enjoy the time you are engaged growing together and that at the end of the day, that is the person that matters the most on this earth and the one you are going to be with for the rest of your life, not just through that one day.

2. This is YOUR wedding. It's great to get suggestions from others because they can show you new perspectives that you were overlooking. However, don't crack under the pressure of what everyone else wants for your wedding. You only get one chance to have the wedding you want, so make sure it's what YOU want, not just what everyone else wants.

3. Go days (or a week) without thinking about the wedding. It's really going to be okay if you are not thinking about or planning the wedding every second of every day until the day of the wedding. You need to have some days to take a break from the planning or you will drive yourself insane.

4. Find your support system. Whether it is your family or your best girl friends, you can't forget the importance of having people to share this process with. They will be a great source of support and encouragement, whether it be giving an opinion, doing tedious tasks like tying bows and addressing envelopes, or just being there when you need someone to vent to.

5. Pray. It's such a relief to know that God is unchanging throughout this world of change that I am in. He is my rock through everything, and as long as I keep Him as my focus and not my wedding, everything will work itself out.

I hope these tips help you through this process! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get all our updates.

Top 5 Braided Hairstyles

2012-04-07T21:22:00.002-04:00

In anticipation of my hair growing out, I am looking for ways to style my hair once my hair length goal is achieved. Braids seem to be the most popular of all the long-hair styles this season. The great thing about braids is that there are so many ways to incorporate them into different styles. I decided to once again go to my trusty resource - Pinterest!

Here are my Top 5 Braided Hairstyles:

1. The Classic Fishtail

2. The Braided Bun

3. The Mini Mix

4. The Waterfall

5. The Upside-Down

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Engagement Shoot

2012-04-02T15:00:00.005-04:00

I had our friend Marie take a few snapshots of Nathan and I post-engagement.

I wanted to share our favorites...

I Got Engaged!

2012-03-27T15:06:00.002-04:00

Last week my wonderful boyfriend Nathan proposed to me on

the Riverwalk in Pittsburgh.. I said yes, of course!

I absolutely LOVE my ring! Too bad I had to give it up less than 24 hours

after it was given to me to get re-sized.

The wedding is this October, so I will probably be posting a lot of wedding-related stuff for a while, considering I don't have a whole lot of time and would love to get some opinions!

Keep checking back or add us on Twitter and Facebook to get all our updates and some fun extras!

Upside Down Braid

2012-03-16T12:46:00.002-04:00

This is a hairstyle that I used to do when I played volleyball, because we weren't allowed to wear bobby pins. It kept the back of my hair up since it wasn't long enough to reach into my high bun. My hair is finally long enough again to do it! And yes, I did do this myself!

Dainty Floral

2012-03-14T23:59:00.001-04:00

This dress is so adorable, with the little ruffle at the top and the dainty floral print. I'm ready for spring in this!

It's the little things. I am wearing my favorite nail polish of all time, called Eternal Optimist by Essie.

I had to use my church's bathroom to be able to get the whole dress in the picture :)

Rocking my classic updo...

Let me know what you all think of this outfit and don't forget to follow me on Twitter to get even more updates!

Barnes & Noble Trip

2012-03-13T16:11:00.002-04:00

I was hanging out at Barnes and Noble today and decided to post some of the books I found that look interesting...

This is a book I have been wanting to read for a while.

These books look really cool for organization/re-purposing.

I really like Lauren Conrad, but I had no idea she was an author now!

I also got the chance to skim through some magazines and found a few cool articles...

Very trendy for spring! Found in Cosmo.

I found the following articles in the April issue of Glamour:

I had no idea...

This is just hilarious.

That's all I have to share for today! Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get post updates!

Photo Love: Balloons

2012-03-12T15:16:00.000-04:00

This picture stood out to me because of the balloons. I love that the colors of the balloons are the only colors you can see because of the sunlight shining through them. I think it would be neat to take a picture like this.

I recently stumbled upon a new blog that I love called A Beautiful Mess. There is a lot of photography on the blog, and I have always been interested in photography, so I am becoming obsessed with it again. I just have never had proper equipment to be a photographer. I don't have a camera. Hopefully someday I will be able to afford a good one so I can start bombarding my blog with cool photos!

Together Let's...

2012-03-08T13:51:00.002-05:00

Photo Love: Turtles

2012-03-05T16:09:00.001-05:00

This is honestly one of the cutest things I have ever seen. Turtles are one of the cutest little baby animals and this one is trying to eat a strawberry that is basically as big as its whole body. Who wouldn't think that is the cutest thing ever?!

Cute Ring

2012-03-05T15:58:00.001-05:00

Just got a really cute ring from Forever 21!

Date Night in a Jar

2012-02-27T14:02:00.001-05:00

I got this idea on Life in the Green House.

Start with big popsicle sticks in three different colors of your choice. I used red, pink and white. Each color will represent a different spending range of dates.

The first color have more expensive dates on them that require planning.

Here are some ideas:

Bed and Breakfast
Dinner at a fancy restaurant
Hotel stay for the night
Steelers game
Concert and dinner (his choice)
Concert and dinner (my choice)
Groupon or LivingSocial escape
Couples Massage
Shopping Trip (we love shopping together)

The second color have at-home dates.

Some ideas:

Chopped Challenge (like the television show on FoodNetwork)
Fondue and Almost Famous
Takeout and board games
1,000 piece puzzle and pizza
Football game and nachos
Popcorn (or candy if you are sugar fans) and her choice movie
Crosswords and breakfast for dinner
Make a dessert together
Friends marathon
Homemade pizzas and and his choice movie

The third color has dates to do away from home but are less expensive and don't require much planning.

Some ideas:

Dinner and a movie (my choice dinner his choice movie or vice versa)
Laser tag and go carts
Mexican night
Drive-In date
Dessert only date
Window shopping for the house
Bowling
The Melting Pot
Coffee Date

Make a key so you know what you're reaching for.

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The Perfect Trench

2012-02-27T13:40:00.001-05:00

The search for my perfect trench is over! Today must be my lucky day, because I am finding items that I have been seeking for what seems like forever!

I have been looking for a fitted khaki colored trench coat that is not too long and not too short, and today I found one for $128 at Victoria's Secret. I am extremely picky about details when it comes to clothes, and pretty much everything else now that I think about it, but this one is absolutely PERFECT!

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Coffee Cake in a Cup

2012-02-27T11:21:00.005-05:00

I found this awesome article from Prudent Baby... I must try soon!

How to Make Five Minute Microwave Coffee Cake in a Coffee Cup

Ingredients:

2 Tb Butter

2 Tb Sugar

1/2 Egg

2 Tb Sour Cream

Vanilla

1/4 c Flour (2 Tb extra for Crumb Topping)

1/9 tsp Baking Powder

1 Tb Brown Sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon

Well, first you’ll need a cup. If you want it to puff up over the top of the cup, use a small one. Or if you want to dig into the cup, use a big one. It matters not.

Add a tablespoon of butter.

Soften it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Don’t melt, just soften.

Stir in 2 tablespoons of sugar until it’s fluffy and creamy, maybe 30 seconds.

Now you can add some egg. you don’t have to, but without egg it’s more crumbly and less cake-y. You can do a whole egg, but I like to break the egg into a ramekin and stir it up, then split it between two cups of coffee cake, or just use half for one coffee cake. But really, play it by ear. Try it out and see what tastes best to you.

Then stir in 2 tablespoons of sour cream and a few drops of vanilla. We’re talking droplets here, don’t add too much.

Stir in 1/4 cup of flour and 1/8 teaspoon baking powder.

If you want some crumb topping (you know you do), in a separate ramekin or bowl add 1 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Smoosh it together with your fingers for a few.

Now back to your cup. Your ingredients are all mixed up, so…

Add the crumb topping mixture to the cup…

Then microwave it. Start with 1 minute, then do 10 seconds more until it’s done to your liking. For my microwave, a minute 20 seconds does it perfectly.

It will be REALLY HOT when you take it out of the microwave.

Let it cool down for a few seconds, then dig in.

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I Found Oxfords!

2012-02-27T11:06:00.004-05:00

I have been looking for cute oxfords for over a year now and I have not found ones that were particularly interesting or worth buying... until now!!

These ones from Nordstrom are only $60 and they are possibly the cutest shoes I have ever laid my eyes on! I had a hard time finding oxfords that were not too manly and that would be good for the summer. I love the color of these and I like that they were lower cut, and of course the bow is to die for!

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Top 5 Items for Summer

2012-02-27T10:50:00.000-05:00

So, I know summer is not quite even close to being here, yet. But spring is! And the items you buy for spring, you want to be able to carry them into summer! I searched my Pinterest and came up with the top 5 items you need for your Spring/Summer closet...

1. A Maxi Dress

Maxi dresses are extremely versatile and can be thrown on so quick when you are running out the door. I found this one for about $70 at Victoria's Secret. You want to get one that is a basic color that can be worn with different colored jackets or cardigans and lots of accessories!

2. White Pants

White pants are super cute for summer and look really good with bright colored tops. This pair I found at Macy's for only $39! I personally am drawn toward skinny or legging jeans for this style because they are more flattering on me, but any style will do.

3. Something off-the-shoulder

You're gonna want to show off your newly tanned skin with an off-the-shoulder shirt or tee. This one is again from Victoria's Secret (can you tell I like that store?) for about $30.

4. Bright Shorts

Bright shorts are a great trend for this summer. These ones from Express ($60) are adorable and come in a lot of colors.

5. Romper

Rompers are super cute for this summer. They can be dressed up or down with playful accessories or blazers. This one is from Lulu's for $74. I would go for one that is a solid color, so you can mix and match with colorful accessories.

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Valentine's Date

2012-02-17T01:02:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! I wanted to share my date outfit with you (and a little bit of the date!) because the whole evening was great!

This is my incredible boyfriend Nathan! Isn't he cute?

The details in this dress were really pretty and feminine!

It's from Ann Taylor Loft.

I created this hairstyle!

Earrings to go along...

Of course some pretty pink nail polish!

He got me two roses, one for each Valentine's Day we've been together. Super sweet. He wrote in the card that he plans to someday give me 50 ♥♥♥

Here I am at the end of the night, happy as a clam and so in love! God has blessed me so much! Happy Valentine's Week everyone!

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Vanilla Olive Oil Scrub

2012-02-15T20:24:00.001-05:00

I found this recipe for a vanilla brown sugar body scrub on Pinterest a while ago and it seemed to be one of the more popular recipes. I wanted to try it out to see if it was as good as it sounded.

The only ingredients you need are:

Brown Sugar

White Sugar

Olive Oil

Vanilla

First, find the jar you will use to store this scrub, then measure out equal parts brown sugar and white sugar so that it will fill the jar completely. While mason jars look the cutest if you are giving this mixture as a gift, they are not the most functional for reaching your hand in. I used this VersaGlass jar made by Ziploc (these are new and so functional! I love them!)

Mix the two sugars well in a large mixing bowl, and once you're done, pour the mixture back into the jar. Next, you are ready for the olive oil. You want to pour it and let it bubble down to the bottom. You can mix it with a spoon if you're impatient... You basically use enough so that the sugar is moist, but not drenched. Then, just add as much vanilla as you deem necessary for the desired scent. The smell of the olive oil will be extremely overpowering at this stage, but don't fret! When you actually use it in the shower your skin will be left smelling only like vanilla, and will feel softer than ever before!

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What to Wear: Ballet-Inspired

2012-02-15T15:42:00.000-05:00

So, I got a request yesterday for a "ballet-inpired" What to Wear article, so I scoured my Pinterest boards and came up with my Top Six wardrobe pieces...

Of course, when you think ballet, you think pink. However, this is not always the case. Mix and match colors, but stick with neutrals or pastels. Chiffon is a definite go-to when you want your outfit to have a dancer vibe. And of course, you must have the hair to go along with it...

This is a modern twist on the ballerina bun
Just braid your ponytail and twist it up into a bun!

And throw in some accessories, too while you're at it!

This is actually my ring I found at Charming Charlie!

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