Things I love Thursday

Hi Everyone. It's time for another "Things I love Thursday!" :) I hope everyone is having a great week. We have been having beautiful weather and I am thoroughly enjoying it!

This necklace

This necklace

Get out of your comfort zone!

This mirror from Target

Love the lantern

Cute ring

And of course...this weather!! In MARCH!!! :)

Until next time...

Tune In Tuesday

Happy Tuesday! I think Tuesday would have to be my least favorite day of the week. Yes, even over Monday. I don't know what it is, maybe to me it just feels like there is no end in sight to the work week and it always seems like the longest day for me. Music is always something that helps me get through the work week. Heck, lets be honest. It helps me just get through the work day! :)

I'm starting Tune In Tuesday where I will post either some of my favorite "tunes" or music, or if I don't have a specific band/song/album I'll post a recent tv show that I've been into.

For this Tuesday however, it will be music! Good Old War to be exact.

Their latest album titled "Come Back As Rain" (album cover above) has my full attention from the first song to the last. If you like upbeat folk feel good music, this band is definitely for you! There is just something about their music, voices, and harmonies. Eric, myself, and our friend Zach along with his brother Alex went to Chicago two summers ago and saw them play with another great band, The Honorary Title who is now just know as Jarrod Gorbel. (I'll get to him on another post. Another great talent!) Anyway, at the time I had heard Good Old War's album Only Way To Be Alone and I was excited to see them play to say the least. My expectations were nothing compared to what they displayed on that small stage. Such musical talent and emotion and FUN that they put out there for people to enjoy. They were dancing the entire time! It seems these days there is so much "computer" music. Call me old fashioned but I love good, raw, talent. They can sing, they play real instruments, and they look like they are truly enjoying themselves on stage and that they would never want to be anywhere else. I was more than delighted with their album they released after that, which was self titled, but found myself listening to Only Way To Be Alone the majority of the time.

Then recently I saw a tweet on twitter by them stating their album was coming out March 6th. I clicked the link which took me to their *website* where I could stream their album for free. What a great opportunity for people to go explore their music and see what their all about, for free. Free people! Ever since I clicked play on their website I've been hooked on Come Back As Rain. This album is true to their style and sound, and I'm a big fan on it.

One of my favorite songs so far from the album is..."It Hurts Every Time"

I look away and you're gone
Less than a day and you're gone
There's something wrong with me
I can't seem to keep ya
I look away and you're gone, you're gone

I get a ride and you're gone
Less than a night and you're gone
Can someone tell me why it hurts every time?
I look away and you're gone, you're gone

The last time I saw you,
I fell asleep staring at the stars

Can someone tell me why it hurts every time?
I look away and you're gone, you're gone

This album will definitely be one I will have on repeat this summer driving in my car. Yes you can stream this for free on their website, or if you are a Spotify lover like myself, you can listen for free there as well. However, I highly recommend that we all support the things that we love. For me it's music, and I'm willing to pay money to give back to the people that are making something I listen to daily and really enjoy. I urge you to check out this band, and if you enjoy please make a purchase as well. Let's keep real musicians around for a long long time.

Thanks for stopping by.

Until next time...

Recipe Time! Summer Pasta

Ok, ok...it's not summer yet but I couldn't resist breaking out this recipe for a family get together Sunday night with the sun shining and 60 degree weather. This is a simple pasta salad that is so versatile and yummy! I got this recipe from my mom and you can put really whatever you would like in it.

When I went to the store it was so nice I couldn't resist getting an iced drink from Starbucks. mmm perfection.

Anyways, here we go...

What you will need (any brand works):

1 bag of veggie spiral noodles.

1/2 yellow onoin

1 1/2 green peppers

1 bag of pepperoni (I used about 3/4 bag)

1 bottle of Zesty Italian salad dressing (I used almost the entire bottle. It's however wet you want your salad)

Perfect Pinch Salad Supreme seasoning (McCormick)

My mom adds black olives, and tomatoes, but of course you can make this with whatever you want really.

First cook your pasta like you normally would. I usually cook this ahead of time that way the noodles are cooled and ready to add the rest of the ingredients since this is a "cold" salad.

Chop up your peppers, onions, and pepperoni and add them to your cooled pasta.

Add your dressing and seasoning to taste, and set in the fridge for a few hours.

Now enjoy! :)

Eric was playing hockey while I was making this so it was nice that I was able to open our sliding glass door right off the kitchen to occupy Banksy with the noises of birds while I worked in the kitchen.

He is so handsom isn't he?

Thanks for stopping.

xo

Weekend

I hope everyone is having a great weekend. Sunday always comes too fast doesn't it? Gosh dangit! My weekend was pretty low key...lots of snuggle time with the pup and some hockey.

Bought some sunglasses at Target Friday for $10. Can't beat that. I also got green ones. :)

Eric and I had leftovers...Papa Murphy's Chicago pizza that we made Thursday night. mmm...I'm ok with leftovers when they are this yummy!

Here is poor Banksy when we were getting ready for bed Friday night. He was neutered on Monday and has to wear the cone at night and when we are gone during the day for about a week. The darn thing is so big and I hate putting it on him but he licks too much! Just a few more days and he will have his freedom back.

Banksy was all about snuggling this morning! <3

Saturday's high was 60 degrees. In March?! In IOWA?! Really? I'll take it! Banksy and I went for a light walk for about 3o minutes. Nothing crazy because of his surgery but it was nice to get out of the house and enjoy the beautiful weather. It was also nice because Banksy and I came home and took about a 3 hour nap.

**Insert fishy face comment here** I had some time Saturday afternoon before the hockey game to play around in my makeup room. (Click "my makeup room" to see a video on that room) So I took some time to do my makeup and take an obvious stupid photo. You have to do that from time to time right? I'm not really a serious person you will come time find out. :)

Thanks for viewing my little space on the internet. xo

Snap Shot Saturday

Snap Shot Saturday...this is where I will be "dumping" my instagram photos. :)

1.) I love makeup. 2.) my favorite mug from my Grandma Virginia

3.) Banksy's favorite view 4.) Pup after a bath at PetSmart!

5.) Pond 6.) My favorite face.

7.) Me and my favorite guy. 8.) Yes to cucumber!

9.) Fighting Saints Hockey! 10.) My favorite piece of jewelry. :)

xo

TGIF

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THANK GOODNESS IT IS FRIDAY! WHO'S WITH ME?!

Let's make it a good one! :)

Things I love Thursday

Happy Thursday! I thought it would be a good idea to start "Things I love Thursday" to help me get into the routine of writing.

These are the things I'm loving right now...

This necklace! I would love this for the day after the wedding for gift opening. :) **hint hint...Eric**

This cartoon! TRUTH!

How cute is this tattoo!

Adorable nails!

This print

That's all for now. :)

It's been some time

Wow. Can we say slacker? I always write in this blog with hopes of it becoming a routine, and look again...so much time has passed, and so many EVENTS have happened! LIFE has happened! Holy smokes. At the age of 24, I have yet to realize how fast life really does fly by!

The past few months Eric and I have settled into this first home of ours.

We've been working hard to train the cutest puppy ever, Banksy. He warms our hearts and fills them with love everyday. :)

We got engaged. YES! Our 6 year anniversary was October 11th and Eric proposed that Saturday October 15th. Nothing could have been more perfect. :)

Our date is set for September 7th, 2013. The ceremony will take place on my parents land out in the country and I can't wait for that beautiful day!

The following week our besties got engaged too! Their date is set for July 28th of THIS year and Eric and I feel so blessed to have both Justin and Mikaela in our lives, and that they have chosen us to be apart of THEIR special day. We can't wait, it's going to be a great day! :)

The month of February was recently a very difficult time for me. February 20th marked 1 year since my grandmother Virginia passed away. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of her. However, I think everything happens for a reason and her passing has taught me many things about myself, and has brought my family so much closer. I miss her dearly but I like to think of it as her 1 year anniversary reunited with my grandpa that has been gone for so long. She wasn't the same after he had passed and I know a day didn't go by that she didn't miss him dearly. She has taught me to live big, love big, and forgive big. I'm not the most forgiving person, but she has taught me that life is too short to hold a grudge. Love the ones in your life, and love the life you live. I'm finally feeling like I'm starting to LIVE my life. And I know I'm on my journey to LOVE it as well in all aspects.

I hope we all can learn to live each day like the next will never come and to learn to take goofy photos and laugh at ourselves no matter what life has to throw at us. :)

xo