Pinning Party

Here's a glimpse of things I'm loving on Pinterest! I hope everyone has a great day! Half way through the week! 























Monday Again?!

Is it really Monday again? How can that possibly be? 

I had a pretty laid back and relaxing weekend! Friday I went out with my sorority sistas and got my college on (if ya know what I mean) and then Saturday I did a little shopping with a few of my friends! Sunday was a lazy day, I did some homework and laid out, I'm so ready for sunshine all the time! 

My best friend who also happens to be my roommate's boyfriend was here visiting her this weekend. They're so cute and in love...it made me want to throw up. Don't be all kissy and smiley while I'm over here eating pretzels by myself,  missing my boyfriend and pretending to ignore you... just kidding, I'm joking!! (Okay, I may just be a little jealous...) They're actually adorable and fun and I love hanging out with them. I'm glad they got some time together! 
(But March 22nd literally cannot come faster!!!!!) 

A Sunday Sunset from my building!

What did y'all do this weekend? Anything fun?! 





Cherry Pies!

One of my favorite things about coming home from school is using the oven and I'm being completely serious. I love nothing more than baking yummy treats (I'm pretty easy to please, huh?)! This past weekend I decided to get a little wild and switch it up from the usual rotation of brownies, cupcakes, and cookies. So, I made mini cherry pies...crazy, I know. I just can't be tamed!! 


Here's the recipe to the best pie fillin' y'all will ever taste:

1 (14-16 oz) can pitted tart cherries (drained but save the liquid!)
1 (12 oz) package frozen raspberries, thawed, drained, juice reserved
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons softened butter
Combine a half cup of the cherry juice and a half cup of the raspberry juice to make one cup combined and set the cup aside.
Combine both sugars and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Whisk in the 1 cup of fruit juice and cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in almond extract, vanilla and soft butter. Fold in drained cherries and raspberries.


Okay, so I have a secret. I cheated and used a premade pie crust. I literally unwrapped it then used a coffee mug to cut out all of the little crusts.  Then, I put them in the cupcake tin and added the pie filling  (note to self: don't fill them up all the way!). I sliced up the remaining crust and attempted a lattice top on each, some worked more than others. Finally brush the tops with milk and sprinkle some sugar over and put them in the oven at 400˚ for about 20-25 minutes. 
Super easy, super cute, super delicious!!  


Oh, and happy Friday everybody!! This week flew by and I'm definitely not complaining. Any fun plans for the weekend?!

Sunny Days

Normally, I am a fan of the winter time. I think that dressing up for cold weather is fun and I am obsessed with sweaters! I love the rain and when the sky's all gloomy and I can drive my car home and cuddle up next to the fireplace. But, since I don't live in a place with a fireplace anymore and I'm sans car, winter is kinda getting on my nerves not gonna lie. Riding my fender-less bike in the rain leaves me soaking wet with dirt all over my face...which is not my favorite thing, surprisingly. 

So I thought that I'd trick my brain a little to start getting ready for some warmer weather! A little online shopping never hurt a girl, right? Here's a few things that I'm loving for spring/summer! Bring on the sunshine! :) 





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The Countdown is On!

As of today I am half way to seeing Bubs!! Ahhhhh!

One could say that I'm just a little obsessed with countdowns..considering I count down to pretty much everything. Counting down the days until I get to see Steven comforts me in a really strange way. It almost makes it seem like time is going by faster. The countdown app on my phone gets checked daily even though I already know the exact number of days to every event on there.

Spring Break/Colorado to see Steven? 30
San Diego to see Bubs play baseball? 78
Summer? 113
Move into the Alpha Phi house? 204

I also have countdowns to Thanksgiving and Christmas...Who really needs to know the exact number of days to their favorite holidays? Apparently me. But here's where I get really weird, neurotic, creepy, insane, and psychotic, along with any other words that could possibly describe a mentally ill person...

Days until Steven's Graduation (in the year 2016, mind you...)? 1,183...yeah...Clearly this one's coming up pretty quick so I should definitely start getting ready for it, right? Ask him the day that he graduates, he'll have no idea and look at you like you have 7 eyes because it's that far off!


So that's that, but guess what?!?

30 days down, and only 30 more to go! 
And I couldn't be more excited!!! 

Weekend Fun

Happy Tuesday!!

Isn't it nice that the worst day of the week was part of the weekend? Which also means we're already one day closer to Friday! Thanks, Presidents ;)

I went home to see my family this weekend which was so much fun! Friday I got my nails done with my mom and that night I went to dinner with 3 of my best friends and saw the new Nicholas Sparks movie, Safe Haven. I read the book this summer and loved it so I thought that the movie was great. Especially because it followed the storyline really well! (I love any sappy romance movie that makes me cry though)

Saturday I attempted a DIY project that failed miserably...I'll probably blog about that later. I also went out to dinner with my family and grandparents. I love them, they're so cute.

Sunday morning I went to the farmers market with my mom. Something about that atmosphere is so charming! It makes me want to cook someone a yummy dinner! Then, we attended a family friend's baby shower. She's having a baby girl and oh my gosh was the shower adorable. Everything was pink and girly...I was in love! I can't wait to hold her! I also visited Steven's family which was nice to be able to catch up with them. Then we had some family friends over later that night and just hung out!

Monday I packed up and took my puppy to the park with my brothers. Then I grabbed a quick lunch with them and headed back to school!


My cute grandma and mom...the pretty flowers I got for Valentine's Day...Karl being adorable...Kase and Katy










Lovin' the Love

I love love. I love when I see couples holding hands and kissing. I love when I see a man carrying a bouquet of flowers from the store and knowing that he's going to give them to the woman he loves. I love seeing little old ladies and their husbands out on a date together. I love pictures of people in love. I love airport homecomings when two people run into each others arms with the biggest smiles on their faces.

I also love being in love. I love having someone that I can share everything with. I love that I turn my head to look for my man every time I hear the name Steven. I love having someone who can make me laugh so hard I cry, and comfort me when I need it. I love being in love with my best friend because it's without a doubt the best feeling in the world.

This year, since we couldn't be together, Bubs and I had a little different way of celebrating. Just because we weren't in the same state didn't mean that we could blow off one of the best holidays! So, we had our own little date last night using Google+ (it's pretty much just a version of Skype). It was so much fun because we actually felt like we were together. We laughed and talked about lovey dovey stuff and it was pretty perfect. 

We also gave into the overpriced Valentine's presents this year to make up for the lack of seeing each other...I'd say that it was definitely worth it! Because let's be real, what girl doesn't love flowers??

(We're fond of the kiss on the cheek pose...)

I hope that everyone had a great Valentine's Day, filled with lots of love! xox

Oh, How Pinteresting



I am an avid pinner, so when I found this linkup I thought I'd join in on the Pinterest fun! Here are some of my favorite pins!



                                                                       Source: brittanickel.tumblr.com via Haley on Interest

                                                                    Source: yourcozyhome.blogspot.com via Haley on Pinterest


                                                                           Source: bystephanielynn.com via Haley on Pinterest


                                                                   Source: thebluepeonyblog.blogspot.com via Haley on Pinterest





Source: lyst.com via Haley on Pinterest



Source: ohpioneer.com via Haley on Pinterest





                                                                Source: mojitosandblow.tumblr.com via Haley on Pinterest


                                                                       Source: accessoriesmagazine.com via Haley on Pinterest


                                                                                Source: tumblr.com via Haley on Pinterest

                                                                            Source: etsy.com via Haley on Pinterest




                                                                          Source: creationswap.com via Haley on Pinterest


                                                                         Source: kevinandamanda.com via Haley on Pinterest


                                                                           Source: tumblr.com via Haley on Pinterest



Sorry, I got a little carried away! I could pin for hours on end so it was hard to choose! 




Technologically UN-Savvy

Okay, so I've been blog stalking the past couple days and everyone seems to have the most adorable pages!  Cute about me sections, fun little things that you can click on at the top like home, DIY, contact...you get the idea (I don't even know what to call them!), picture collages, etc.

I decided I'd give it a whirl and try to spruce up my own page thinking that it would be a breeze. Steven can program entire card games on his computer, so I should be able to add some cute little details to my blog, right? How hard could it be? Insanely hard is the answer to that question. I have been trying to get rid of the frames on all my pictures, make a cute about me section, and remove that random bird next to my title (how it got there, I do not know). I mean, I'd say I'm pretty smart and I've done substantial googling on the subject, but I cannot figure it for the life of me!! I think I'm going to call it a night considering I've been attempting for oh, 4 hours. No big. I'm about ready to throw my laptop out the window.

So, the frames are staying for the time being and I am moving on to bigger and better things...like reading my history book and watching last night's episode of the Bachelor!

Hope everyone had a great day!

Sincerely,
Technologically Un-savvy

Easy Popcorn

Popcorn is my favorite food. If I could, I would eat it for every. single. meal. 

The best is when my dad makes it homemade on the stove. However, that takes effort and cleaning...and who really wants to clean? Microwave popcorn is subpar...at best. I mean what is that yellow hydrogenated oily goo even made of? I know it tastes good, but it can't be good for you. Not to mention it's so expensive! So, what's a popcorn lover to do? Find a much simpler, cheaper, healthier and all around better solution, of course!


Here's how a frugal college student with only a microwave to cook with does it:


Take a plain brown paper bag and fill it with about 1/4 cups of regular popcorn kernels. 
Then, fold the paper bag at the top twice to keep the kernels from flyin' all over the place. 
Put it in the microwave for about 1 and 1/2 to 2 minutes (if the kernels stop popping every 1 or 2 seconds, then take it out earlier!)
Sometimes I just eat it plain, other times I put a little salt and butter in the bag and shake it up. If you're feeling a little crazy, then you can add other things like cinnamon and sugar, parmesan cheese, pepper, anything, really. 
And there ya have it, a snack that's perfect at home or on the go! 





She's Hired!

A couple days ago, my article was on the front page of the paper I write for, the Daily Nexus! It was an unexpected and exciting sight to say the least. The topic of the article could probably bore a person to tears but hey, it was on the cover...and I wrote it!!

Later that night, I got a call from my editor saying that I was officially hired on the staff, meaning now I get paid to do something I really enjoy doing. How awesome is that?! 

It was a pretty good day, I must say!



Please excuse the lovely curling iron burn mark on my neck.
It happened a few days earlier...clearly I did not curl my hair the day I took the picture. Yikes!  




DIY: Coffee Mugs

Bubs and I both have a newfound love of coffee. This new relationship is advantageous when we stay up too late studying or talking to each other and Steven has to wake up at 6am and I have to get my booty out of bed for my 8am classes!

So, when I found a pin on Pinterest for DIY long distance mugs, I thought it appropriate to make them for us! Now, we can sip our coffee in different states and feel a little closer to each other.


The only thing that you'll need to buy for these are the 2 mugs which you can get pretty much anywhere. I bought mine from Homegoods for $2.50 each. 
If you wanted to get fancy, you could get solid color mugs too! I considered getting us some adorable girly yellow ones, but I actually want Steven to use the mug, so I opted for the white instead.



Then, I printed out Colorado and California, so I could use them as an outline. After, I cut the states out and taped them onto the cup. I used a sharpie to trace around the states. You can use any color sharpie that your heart desires.
Colorado is pretty much the best state ever for this because it's a square...California, not so much.



I let the ink dry for a second and then took off the states and darkened the outline.



Then, I drew hearts and a dotted line to connect the two cities! 
You can also add anything else you'd like to the cup...quotes, another drawing...anything!
I wrote a little message on the bottom of the mug too. 






Pop those bad boys into the oven for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees. A perfect gift for any occasion! 
This will make the marker permanent on the mug...you can even put them in the washer!



(You don't have to make these mugs specifically, you can create any type of design that you want...just follow the same easy steps!)



Et, voilĂ ...a finished product!! 



Alpha Phi's Annual Red Dress Ball



Every year, my sorority puts on a huge charity event, called Red Dress Ball, to raise money for women's heart health. Family, friends, and members of the community all come to enjoy the special night! 


This year, the event was held at the Montecito Country Club and the venue was absolutely gorgeous. February is the perfect time for the event because the color red is so festive during this month! A fun, little precursor to Valentine's Day. 

The girls who put on the event did an amazing job. There was a live and silent auction, a fun photo booth to take pictures in, as well as dinner and dessert. Groups of 2-3 girls in the sorority were assigned a basket theme to get donations for. All of the items auctioned off were donated and all of the proceeds go directly to making a difference in women's heart disease, which is the number one killer of women over the age of 20. This year, the event raised $34,000, which was four thousand more than last year! 


Some of the live auction items included a cozy weekend in the mountains, a week in Cancun, a trip to Las Vegas for Valentine's day, tickets to sporting events, a parking spot in the Alpha Phi parking lot where most of us will live next year (a huge hit considering the lot holds about 15 cars for the 50 girls who live there), and the cutest little puppy to ever walk this earth...he didn't really get the chance walk the earth that night because everyone wanted to hold him!  

All in all, it was a very successful and memorable night and I'm so happy that I got to be a part of it!

Red dresses, of course!

Some of the lovely ladies who put on the event!



Here's a short video of what the Alpha Phi Foundation is about. It makes you think about how serious heart disease really is...

Handlebars


Thrill has entered my life once again! 

Last night, I rode a mile and a half home on the handlebars of Kelsey's bike. We literally did not stop laughing the entire time and the stares we got from the people we rode by made it all the more fun. It was a surprisingly fast and easy ride home (especially since I wasn't the one pedaling)! Maybe we'll start riding to school like that...

We were riding back from a play that we saw with our cute friend, Grace. Probably the weirdest play I'll ever see and some parts made me entirely too uncomfortable...specifically at the point the entire cast was running around chanting my least favorite word in the history of the English language. I'm not even going to tell you what it is..yuck. 

But, it was a fun night with two of my favorite ladies nonetheless. One that we'll be able to laugh about for quite a while! 



Gracie snapped the pic