Weekending + A GIVEAWAY!!!

So yeah, I kind of took an unplanned little break from blogging the last part of the last week. Adam was out of town from Wednesday to Saturday and it just got really busy the last part of the week so blogging took a back seat. But I'm back today to recap the weekend fun! This weekend went way too fast but I'm comforting myself with the thought that we get next Monday off, woo hoo!

*After reading my ramblings make sure you enter to win some adorable Chloe and Isabel earrings below!*

Thursday after work since Adam was out of town I figured I was entitled to a little shopping (Girl logic) and I wanted a fun new dress and sandals for a graduation party I was going to on Saurday, so I went to Forever 21 and found the prettiest dress and sandals for such a great price!

The picture doesn't show it, but these sandals are actually a gorgeous rose gold color, LOVE. I wish I could find the dress and sandals on the website to link them but they are nowhere to be found! 

Then I came home and watched The Good Wife and enjoyed popcorn and blueberry soda, which is my new favorite thing.

On Friday night I went with a friend and her family to dinner and a movie to celebrate her sister's birthday. We had 4 Rivers BBQ for dinner and then saw Avengers: Age of Ultron, which was really good even though I haven't see the other Avenger movies and I felt a little lost at times.

I was super impressed with the theater, they recently remodeled and had these really nice, cushy seats that reclined! My BFF and I were joking about falling asleep, they were so comfy! Plus the movie started at 10:15, this old lady can't remember the last time she saw a movie in the theater that late!



I didn't get home till 1:30 and didn't get to bed till 2:30ish, and then had to get up at 6:30 the next morning so I was dragging for a while on Saturday!

Saturday morning I cleaned the house and made Chicken Chili for the graduation party. Unfortunately I don't have any pics for the grad party to share, the hostess took some though and hopefully I can steal them off of Facebook soon!

Adam got back into town Saturday afternoon and we had dinner with friends that night, it was so good to have him home!

Sunday we slept in and went to a realllllly late lunch, in which I had breakfast food because why not?

So all in all a pretty fun weekend!

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And now for a GIVEAWAY! Check out the deets below!

1. Can you tell us a little about Chloe + Isabel?
The Chloe + Isabel Brand was inspired by a concept we call "The Friendship Philosophy" - the idea of two best friends with different personalities and styles, united by their passion for style and self-expression. Chloe and Isabel are names that represent the two personalities we see in our customers, our Merchandisers, and ourselves.
“Chloe” is a fearless fashionista, always in search of the season’s hottest trends, while “Isabel” appreciates, above all, timeless, beautifully-crafted pieces. Whether you're a Chloe, an Isabel, or a Chloe-bel (that's a bit of both!), we are a destination for all women!

2. What made you decide to start working with Chloe + Isabel? 
I decided to start working with Chloe + Isabel because I'm not completely fulfilled in my current position and I was looking for another way to generate income and see where building a business would take me. I hosted an online party with my friend who is a merchandizer for Chloe + Isabel. My party did very well and I got free jewelry. I love fashion & jewelry so it just made sense.

3. What are your favorite pieces?
The c+i jewelry is awesome. Some of the really nice features are that all pieces are hypoallergenic, nickel-free, and lead safe. We offer a lifetime replacement and 30-day money back guarantee on every piece. From timeless to fashion-driven, our pieces start at just $18. They have a really unique concept called convertibles, where the pieces are multifunctional.

Some of my favorite pieces are Bouquet Rouge Double Pendant Necklace, Gilded Reeds Aventurine Long Pendant, Heirloom Tortoise Link Necklace, Color Code Crystal Bracelet, Starburst + Seed Pearl Long Pendant

4. What advice do you have to give to someone who is considering getting started in a venture like C + I? 
Feel free to reach out to me! I would love to answer any questions you may have. I would definitely recommend this company and opportunity to anyone who is looking for a little more financial freedom and would also love a few new piece of lifetime guaranteed jewelry.

If you just want to purchase some beautiful jewelry, visit my boutique!

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Today along with some of my favorite bloggy friends are giving away a pair of the gorgeous teeny tortoise stud earrings! These are the CUTEST studs (I might have to order a pair for myself)!

Hosted by Beautiful Things | Katie Elizabeth | Grace Makes New | The New Mrs.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Must be a US Resident & All Entries will be verified!

Butterscotch Blondies

Y'all. These are the bomb.com. I've tried other blondie recipes before that were just ok, but the flavor didn't wow me, or they were too dry. These are just the right texture, striking the balance between chewy and cakey, not too gooey and not too dry. Plus they are super easy, and you probably already have most of the ingredients in your pantry/fridge! So just make them ok?

You will need:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cups (10 oz. package) butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9x2 inch baking pan. You can use shortening or butter. I used butter because more butter=better. 

Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs, beat well. 

Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. 

Gradually add to butter mixture, blending well. Stir in butterscotch chips and nuts. 

Look at that goodness. YUM. 

At this point I may have eaten a spoon full of the dough. But I'll never tell. 

Spread into prepared pan. It's more like cookie dough than brownie batter, it's very thick and I ended up using my hands to press it into the pan. 

Bake  for 30 to 35 minutes or until top is golden brown and center is set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. 

Cut into bars. It makes about 36 bars according to the recipe. Or like 10. Depends on how you cut them...

Eat warm with a big ol' glass of milk or a strong cup of coffee. Try not to eat the whole pan in one sitting. That's my serving suggestion anyway. 

Enjoy! 

Ingredients: 
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cups (10 oz. package) butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, blending well. Stir in butterscotch chips and nuts, if desired. Spread into prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until top is golden brown and center is set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Tips: 

• I ran out of butterscotch chips and substituted the remaining amount needed with peanut butter chips. This was a good choice. So if you want to do that intentionally just know that it's delicious! 

• The recipe says to bake for 30-35 minutes, but in my oven they were done in a little under 30 minutes. I think my oven may get a little hot OR it could have been because I used a glass pan. In any case you may want to start your timer conservatively, like at 20-25 minutes  and check with a toothpick in the center until it comes out clean. Don't overbake these, you don't want to dry them out! 

• Make sure you really grease the pan well, don't be stingy with the butter. This way they should come out of the pan easily. Remember, more butter is better. 

• Also, while you do want them to cool before cutting and taking them out of the pan, try not to let them sit for too long or they might stick. 

Weekend Recap

I had a wonderful weekend! I hope all of you did too! 

Friday night we went over to a friend's house for dinner and it was so much fun but I got ZERO pictures, oops! We had such a yummy dinner, too,: steak, sweet potato, broccoli, corn, and sautéed mushrooms! AMAZING yumminess. 

Saturday I spent the morning at home doing the usual cleaning with some relaxing mixed in. Then I got the itch to bake, so I made some goodies and boxed some of them up for a Mother's Day gift for a friend, more on that recipe tomorrow! 

 After that it was time for coffee and pedis with a friend!

S'Mores Frapp for Happy Hour! SO GOOD. Go get you one.

My chosen color- OPI's Toucan Do It If You Try. So perfect for Summer! 

We always get the Hot Stone Pedicure, they massage your legs with hot stones (captain obvious right here), do the paraffin wax on your feet, and then massage oil into your skin. Heaven! 

Absolutely lurve this color, I may need to own this one! 

Saturday night was pizza and a movie with my love. Don't really have any pics from Sunday, we just chilled at home most of the day 'cause we're exciting like that. How was your weekend? 

Friday Favorites

Well. Apparently you all identified with my pet peeves because that is the most comments I have ever gotten on a post! I'm not alone in my peeviness (not a word)! And isn't that what blogging is all about, learning you're not as weird as you thought you were? I say yes. Thank you all for chiming in the other day, I love all my blogging pals! :)

P.S. I suck and got behind yesterday so I have not responded to all of your lovely comments yet, but I promise I will! If you don't get a response, it's because you're a no-reply blogger and I can't find your email anywhere so I can't email you my response! #sadpanda

So it's Friday, hallelu! This week went pretty quick for me, but for some reason yesterday draaaagged, so I'm pretty happy to be on to the weekend!

Here are my favorites for the week:

Favorite Song: 

Jason Derulo- Want to Want Me

This song is SO dang catchy! And I love this AMAZING cover, this girl is incredible!

Favorite video: 

 

Jimmy Fallon and Jack Black recreate the "More Than Words" music video. Epic-ness. 

Favorite Recipe: 

A Hot Southern Mess

This Sriracha Lime Chicken from A Hot Southern Mess! I can't wait to try this! 

Favorite post: 

A Cup of Tay

I cannot wait to try some of these Starbucks drinks that Taylor over at A Cup of Tay shared! I'm so boring when I order Starbucks, I always order the same stuff, right off the menu. I need to branch out! 

Favorite Funnies: 

I mean, you know, whatever gets you through the day...

Oh, Oatmeal. 

This is a legitimate phenomenon. 

Me with pretty much every book and TV series:

Link up with us and share your favs too! Love ya ladies, have a great weekend!