Another one of those life updates

Life has been a whirl wind lately. Every now and then I have to remember to stop, take a breath, and relax! 

Work has been eventful! I love working for a company that is continuously tackling new projects and new goals, it keeps me on my toes and I feel like I learn something new every single day! 

Where to even begin, what we have been up to the past couple weeks! 

Philip and I took some time to go on a double date with our favorite couple, Joey and Carissa and went bowling! We learned that, we shouldn't make fun of Philip for asking people to wax his ball, because it actually does make him bowl better, Joey and Carissa are the ultimate kings of hot sauce and I am pretty sure don't have working taste buds! And last but not least, I SUCK AT BOWLING. 

Shortly after that, we went to the Safety Harbor Seafood Festival with my Mom, Sister, and her best friend Rebecca (who might as well be my sister because we have known her since the day she was born). 

It was a really fun event, and the weather was beautiful so we didn't completely boil under the Florida sun! We spent the day walking the festival, trying some really good seafood, listening to good music, and checking out the set up shops that were there. 

I got seriously the ultimate hook up, what you see here is the world's best crab cake, piled on top of yellow rice and craw fish, with a Greek salad! 

It was a really fun day! I love all of these local festivals and want to make a point to go to more in the future. 

Shortly after that, Phil and I went out to celebrate...

For those of you who don't know, over the last couple of weeks, Philip has been transitioning his career and has put in his notice with his current company and will be starting a new career path a week from today! & it just so happens, we are going to be working together! Yup, that's right, Philip got a job with my company! He will be at one of our branches, and I am at the corporate office so while we won't work together very much, it's still very cool to work towards the same goal and vision. 

We just recently attended our first work event together and it was so much fun! Each year our company, in partners with one of our vendors, hosts a Day at the Races! It turns out to be such a great event, where I think it was safe to say everyone had a really great time! 

I of course jumped at the opportunity to wear a pretty dress and feel a little bit like one of the Blue Bells for a day! 

So handsome! 

Well, family and friends, and hopefully some blog readers. That is it! That is what life has been like in our household lately. With the change of jobs, we are already excited to start looking a little deeper into the future at houses, and have a more specific location in mind now! 

As March comes to a close, I again can't help but look back and think about how much changes in our lives over the matter of years, months, even days! 

If only now I could queue: "On the Ride" ....

 Just sing it in your head! haha

XO.

Life has moments hard to describe
Feeling great and feeling alive
Never coming down from this
Mountain we're on

Always knowing we're gonna be fine
Feeling great and feeling alive
Never coming down from this
Mountain were on
The view is so clear
And it's crazy up here
Life is amazing with you on the ride

Spring Cleaning Series: The base boards!

Hello there! 

Today I decided to tackle my...

Base Boards

If you have animals, much like myself, then you know your base boards become a place of just complete disaster. That is the place where the dog hair just LOVES to pile up! 

I read a helpful hint on http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ that using dryer sheets can help to really clean them up, so I thought I would give it a try...  (check out their website - pretty awesome tips and lots of DIY's)

Survey Says...

IT WORKS! It really does get all the crap off your base boards especially the pet hair and dander! Not to mention it left my house smelling like I had just done a ton of laundry! 

If you are having some trouble spots on your base boards go ahead and give this a try! Dryer sheets are so cheap you can get them at the grocery store for $1.99 a pack! Worth every penny! 

XO.  

Happy National Puppy Day!

Dogs are so very near and dear to my heart! I look at my dogs sometimes, and yes this might sound very strange, but look to them for guidance on how to live my life. 

They have unconditional love.

They are always happy to see and meet new people. 

They enjoy every single day! 

They don't ask for much nor do they need much, they are content just being. 

They don't hold grudges and forgive fairly easily. 

They are loyal to the ones that treat them proper. 

We could all learn a thing or two from our four legged friends!  

Love you Balto & Ollie! Happy National Puppy Day! 

XO. 

Spring Cleaning Series: The Living Room!

Happy Sunday! 

Day 2 of Spring Cleaning and I decided to tackle the next room, my living room!

I have to admit, this was a bit of a process! There were so many steps that needed decluttering that I thought I would walk you through each one. If it applies to your house, great! If not, skip past it! 

The Living Room! 

First things first, I went around the room item by item in a line, so the first thing I started with was, the boys toy basket! Sadly, I went through and threw away all the toys that were shredded, dismembered, and just plain old! They made this quite difficult because they keep stealing things and running away from me haha! Balto is so attached to his ducks! 

Don't feel bad for them! They have plenty! 

Next I was on to the entertainment center. I started first by taking everything off it, except for obviously the TV. I wiped our TV down with some electronic screen cleaner, I like to use: DI Screen Dr Professional. It's ammonia free and safe on pretty much any electronic you can think of! I use it for all of our TV's, Computers, Phones, and to clean my glasses! Then I used my favorite cleaner, Method, to wipe down the entire piece. I love Method products because they are safe to use on pretty much every surface but are also non-toxic, plant based cleaners so they are safe around my fur-babies! 

The Lime and Sea Salt is my favorite! 

After wiping the entire thing down, I emptied out every single pesky drawer and cabinet and ended up with three full trash bags! We had cords upon cords that went to NOTHING! Philip play's XBOX and I promise you I found 50+ dead batteries in the drawers! 

Another helpful hint, because we are pretty big movie buffs and have quite the collection, rather than having all of the DVD cases that take up a ton of space, purchase a DVD Sleeve Organizer! We got ours at Best Buy for a really great deal and they hold 72 DVD's and take up as much space as like 4 DVD cases! 

I wiped down all of my decorative accents and put them back in their place and I was on to the next stop! We have a ladder bookshelf that we use for storage and what not so I made sure to wipe that down really good, once again with Method, and clean the decorative accents. If you have any suggestion for what I could use the bottom shelf for, I would love that!! 

The couches and seating are leather so there is not much I can do but I did wash the blankets and pillows that we keep on them. 

The coffee and side tables were next and I cleared them off and wiped them down! Philip and I are notorious for losing our remotes so I purchased a white tray from home goods for a couple dollars as a chic remote caddy! I wiped down my decorative accents, threw away any old magazines and garbage and my room was pretty much done! 

The only thing that was left was the floor! I vacuumed the carpet and noticed, God! Does my carpet have some serious stains! After vacuuming I went in with probably the best purchase I have ever made! 

I picked up the Resolve Easy Clean Carpet Kit a couple months ago and all you have to do is purchase the carpet cleaning bottle and it's just as good as one of those steam cleaners! Basically, you just screw on a new canister of carpet cleaner and brush it into your carpet! One can will last me the entire room. If I want to do multiple rooms, I would need to purchase more! You let the solution sit for about 30 minutes and then you vacuum it up and voila! Your carpet looks BRAND NEW! 

That's it, now my living room is spick and span and clutter free! 

Thanks for taking the time to clean with me! 

Oh and by the way! How cute is this pillow we got as a gift from my mom??

XO. 

Spring Cleaning Series: My front entryway!

Hey cleaning people! 

It's Day 1 for me and I thought I would tackle something that has been driving me crazy for probably over a year now...

Our Front Entry Closet! 

This is our closet that should be used for things like shoes, jackets, umbrellas, things you need to grab when you are on your way out the door and on your way back in. Well, sadly, this has not been the case with our closet. I wish I had snapped a before photo but I was slightly too embarrassed! It had turned into a closet that consisted of... the leaning tower of mismatched shoes, all of my holiday decorations, tons of empty boxes?! and just plain crap. Do you remember the place in the movie "Halloweentown" where all things go when they are lost, well that was this closet! 

I started by just literally taking EVERYTHING OUT! I like to start with a blank canvas. From there, I wiped down the walls and vacuumed the carpet. Then, Philip helped me by separating all of our shoes into pairs, and anything that didn't have a pair met the garbage can! 

Our living room floor was covered in shoes! haha

Next, I purchased a 6 shelf organizer from Target for $12.99 that fit WAY more than 6 pairs of shoes! I organized them so that I got the top 3 and he got the bottom 3! 

I had to stack my boots along the bottom because they did not fit, and the shoes we do not wear very often went in the plastic bin on the bottom! Jackets and coats are hung on the sides of the organizer. I cleared off the top rack for purses I use often so when I am running out the door to work it is a one stop shop! 

Also, just a little tip. I picked up some of those sneaker deodorizer balls at Ross for a couple bucks and stuck one on each shelf so the closet doesn't smell like shoes! 

Day 1 of Spring and I am already feeling pretty darn accomplished haha, this has been a problem area in our house basically since we moved in! So glad to say that is over, now just to keep it that way! 

XO.

Spring Cleaning Series!

Spring has sprung!

Not only is spring about bright colors, floral, and just plain beauty, it also brings with it a sense of cleanse and freshness. Call me crazy, but Spring Time just makes me want to DEEP CLEAN! Out with the old in with the new! 

I figured over the next few weeks I would do a sort of Spring Cleaning Series to not only help others with tips and tricks, but also, to make me stick to Spring Cleaning my own house! It's funny how in your head you can tell yourself over and over you want to do something, but it's not until you share it with others and make it public that makes you feel like you just have to do it! 

I grew up with a Southern Grandma, so trust me honey, I have some tricks up my sleeve and will be seeking guidance from her a lot along this process! Feel free to join me as I Spring Clean my life! 

XO.

DIY Starbucks Inspired Passion Tea Lemonade!

Hellllllo!

If you love Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade, then you are going to love this take on it that you can do in the comfort of your home! 

Start by boiling your water for your tea, I like to fill up my tea kettle all of the way and let it boil. Once it is ready to go, steep a packet of Tazo's Passion Tea. 

Let that steep for a couple minutes, stirring every so often.

Once the tea has steeped a bit you are going to add the juice of half of a lemon! Make sure not to get any of the seeds! 

Then, just fill up the rest of your jug with water and refrigerate! Pour it in a cup over some ice and you will have your very own Passion Tea Lemonade at home! 

Now this version is sugar free! I prefer unsweet tea! If you like sweet tea, add sugar/sweeteners to your liking! 

Bottoms up! 

XO.

Baked Apricot Chicken

Hi everyone! 

So a couple years ago, my mom and I took a day trip to Ft. Myers and discovered their Seminole Gulf Murder Mystery Dinner train. It's a really fun concept and is so different than anything we had ever experienced before. Aside from the awesome entertainment, the food was incredible! They usually have three dinner entree options to pick from, and I was fortunate enough to choose their Baked Apricot Chicken. The BEST chicken I have ever had! Now I am not saying this is an exact replica of theirs but I did my best to put my own spin on it! 

This is Philip's favorite dish of mine! 

For starters, you will need:

• Chicken Drumsticks 
• 1 Lemon
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper (I use Mrs. Dash Table Blend for the Pepper!)
• Apricot Preserve 
• Worcestire Sauce

First things first, I start by slicing up the lemon and arranging the slices on my baking dish. Then I place the drumsticks right on top of them. I bought this pack of chicken at Target for around $7.00 and this is only half of the meat! I saved the other half in the freezer to make this again because Philip literally begs for them! 

Next I just season the chicken with salt and Mrs. Dash Table Blend and some olive oil. 

Then it's time to baste your chicken! I bought the Smuckers Simply Fruit Apricot Preserve. Honestly, because it was all that Target had in the flavor. I might look further in the future for something a little more natural and less sugar but this is still delicious!

Just brush this onto your chicken so that it has a nice glaze. Lastly, I sprinkle some Worcestire Sauce all over as well. 

Now pop your chicken into the oven at 400 degrees for about 50 minutes. 

When you are done, voila! You will have a delicious meal! Pair this with your choice of sides, I typically go with a starch and a veggie and you are good to go! 

Bon Appetite! 

XO. 

March Birchbox - Unveiled!

Hi everyone!

I hope if you are reading this you are having an incredible Thursday, or whatever day it happens to fall on when I catch you! The weekend is upon us! There is a Seafood Festival this weekend in Safety Harbor that I think my family and I are going to attend! Should be fun!! 

In other news!  

I just got my March Birchbox, and I have to say, coming home to find that hot pink box waiting for me just never gets old! If you're not familiar with what Birchbox is, basically, it is a $10 monthly subscription that sends you 5-6 sample size products in each box. So far, I have NOT been disappointed! 

In this month's box I received...

- Jouer Luminizing Tinted Sunscreen

- Number 4 Clarifying Shampoo

- Cargo Swimmables Water Resistant Blush in the color Los Cabos - this one specifically I am excited to try because the color is just gorgeous and really pops for Spring! 

- Amika Bombshell Blowout Spray - thank you Birchbox!! This girl needs some serious help with volume!!

-StriVectin Instant Retexturizing Scrub

I am really excited to try this month's samples and will keep you guys posted if anything really has a WOW factor for me! Like I told you guys last time, I purchased the Vasanti Face Scrub from my January Birchbox and am using it like crazy! It's like a facial at home!! From February's box I am getting ready to cash in some of my points and purchase the full size of the sample mascara I got - Benefit's New Roller Lash Mascara, it is killer! 

Also, it came with this super cute card with a fill in the blank! 

Let me know below what gets you guys feeling creative! Life is all about being true to yourself and letting your inner beauty shine! 

XO.

The best darn taco's on this side of the Mississippi River

Philip and I are HUGE fans of Guy's Diners, Drive-In's and Dives. It never fails the second we see it on TV we are hooked, staring aimlessly at the screen, possibly drooling, who knows! You can't blame me, the man has the world's greatest job! 

I found this pretty AWESOME website that touches on all of the different restaurants he visits and allows you to search by city. 

Click here to check it out!

When I saw a place called California Tacos on the list, I knew we had to try it! 

You can check out their episode here, and see how amazingly delicious this meal looks! Which they call "The Guy Special". 

Now when I say this, don't take it lightly. These were some of THE best tacos I have ever had in my life. In fact, Philip and I went there for Lunch and then went to Wire Grass afterwards, and on the way back we almost stopped for dinner! I am pretty sure we would have if I didn't have meat defrosting at home! 

So good!!!

XO.

Grilled Beef Skewers

Like most adults nowadays, Philip and I both work full time jobs. We both spend 40+ hours at work a week. We both work 8 to 5. Now like most, we come home pretty tired from the daily grind. While we could easily pick up food on the way home, order take out, or just go out to eat, we started cooking, pretty much every single night, as soon as we moved in together. Now don't get me wrong, we still go out to eat probably once or twice a week but we leave those times for the weekend when we can splurge and really enjoy ourselves.

I do my best to plan out meals that don't require a ton of ingredients, a ton of prep time, and a ton of cook time, so we can eat delicious healthy, fresh food, not to long after getting home, on a budget! 

I thought I would share some of our meals going forward to show you it's not too hard to cook at night even if you work all day. 

On the menu tonight...

Grilled Steak Skewers! 

Total Time: About 30 minutes including prep and cooking

You will need the following:

• Beef Tips - I bought this at Target on sale for $4.99! There was so much meat! It's the Angus Beef Stew Meat - Philip seasoned this with some all purpose Mrs. Dash seasoning 
• 1 Pineapple
• 1 Red Onion
• Bell Peppers - We used 1 red and 1 yellow and saved the orange for another day
• Wood Skewers - Got these at Target for $2.99

First things first, prep your skewers! We just chopped the fruit and veggies into bite size pieces and assembled them on the skewers. We tried to go Onion, Pepper, Beef, Pineapple, Repeat...

Then we popped them right onto an indoor grill.

We let them cook, and just turned them occasionally until the meat had cooked about medium rare. 

We paired this with some Cilantro Lime Poblano Rice that they sell in the freezer section at Target, and you are ready to chow down! 

After food had settled, I popped some Gluten-Free, Dairy Free (pre-packaged) cookies into the oven and am about to indulge!!!

XO.