Friday Favorites: Red & Aqua

My all time favorite color combination is bright red and aqua (aka turquoise/tiffany blue). Lately it's been popping up all over the place and I'm loving it! First my friend Alana shared her ADORABLE red, white, and aqua winter ONEderland party for her son's first birthday (you can see her decor here and all the yummy food here) and then the amazing Kelle Hampton shared HER daughters first birthday party (found here) with the same color theme! Therefore, it was decided that this week I would feature all of the red and aqua fabulousness that is on Etsy for this week's Friday Favorites!




Aren't these red aqua cream bobby pins sweet?



I love this vintage inspired brass cuff bracelet.



Yet another stunning True Love burlap banner. I can't get enough of these!



I love this orginal painting 'THE WRITER with black cat'. If I had a baby girl I would put it in her nursery!



I'm a sucker for damask and this red and white decorative pillow is no exception.



I love anything with a big red bow and this design your own clutch is too perfect!

I hope you enjoyed! What's your favorite color combination?

6 months old.

It's hard to believe that 6 months has already gone by. In this 6 months I have transformed from a woman into a mother. My priority list has shifted. My goals have changed. I have changed. I feel like I'm finally the person I was meant to be.

This week since he turned 6 months has been a week of milestones. He's sitting on his own which means he can sit in the stroller without being in the bucket seat. He can sit in a high chair. He can sit on the floor and play with his toys. I don't know why it's so bizarre to me that he's sitting. I guess he just seems so much more independent.

We have also seen our first tooth! It just started poking out and I'm still working on getting a decent picture. He is such an easy, happy baby even when teething.

We celebrated 6 month's with his first meal (organic brown rice cereal to ease his tummy into solids) and a trip to the zoo! It's so funny watching someone learn to eat. It takes patience and dedication on both ends. Later we tried peas which he LOVED. I've discovered that he likes feeding himself versus spoon feeding (which doesn't surprise me) so I'm letting him explore with the spoon.

He can now get in crawl position. He's mimicking our voice tones and facial expressions. I can't even leave him alone for 5 minutes because he scoots and rolls all over the place. He gives us big, belly laughs. He's a complete daddy's boy, but he reached for me first.

These 6 months have been the best, most life-changing months of my life. And I can't wait for the next 6 months.

Recipe - Easy Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches

We've been blessed with GORGEOUS weather in Southern California lately. Our days have been between 70-80 degrees and have felt more like summer than mid-January. Normally I love winter and the cooler weather, but it's been nice to get a break from it all and throw on a tank top!

Hot days always make me crave BBQ so as soon as the temperature started to rise I began thinking up a summer-inspired meal to cook. Because I've recently started experimenting with my new crock pot I decided it was the perfect time to make some pulled pork BBQ sandwiches I've had my eye on. All you need is a crock pot and 4 easy ingredients and you're ready to go!

(Photo source)

Easy Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches

You will need:

• 2 lb pork tenderloin (make sure to trim well and remove the silver skin)
• 1 can (12 ounces) root beer
• 1 bottle (18 ounces) BBQ sauce. My favorite is Sweet Baby Rays.
• 8 Hamburger buns
  

Directions: Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker and pour the root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low 7 hours. Drain well. Stir in barbecue sauce. Serve over toasted hamburger buns.

Easy and SO yummy! I served with baked beans and cornbread. Enjoy!

Friday Favorites: Let's get organized

We're moving! Mando, Cayden and I have been spending our evenings and weekends looking for a new home. Our lease is up at the end of February which means we need to find a place by the end of next week in order to give notice on time! We've been trying to get into a particular neighborhood for the past 2 years and unfortunately we haven't had any luck so far. (It's next to a big, very busy university so all the small houses and apartments get snatched up quickly!) If all else fails we'll end up moving into a bigger, downstairs apartment in the same complex we're in now. Which is fine; I love where we live! It's a peaceful, quiet, very safe neighborhood. I just hate being so far away from my family!

With that being said, you can imagine how busy I've been getting the house ready. Boxes need to be packed and I need to get organized! Luckily, I'm naturally a very organized person, but since Cayden was born I've let things go a little bit and clutter has started to accumulate. Therefore, I've dedicated Friday Favorites to all the creative storage and organization solutions Etsy has to offer!


I absolutely adore this distressed wall mail key organizer. Mando and I have bills, letters, and keys thrown over the kitchen counter and this is a genius solution to tidy things up.




My mom has recently started giving me all her magazines when she's through when them. That means I have a towering stack of about 100 magazines in my apartment. Trust me when I say that I need this magazine holder!




Let me just get it out... I LOVE BASKETS! I think it is the cutest way to store things like toys, magazines, or books. These vintage berry baskets are perfect for that pile of clutter you want hidden.




This magnetic chalkboard spice tray is SO CLEVER! You can use the chalkboard portion to jot down your grocery list, weekly menu, or to-do list! All while keeping your spices organized!


I love these creative chalkboard weekly calendar decals, don't you? You can write your schedule and to-do list for each day and erase it at the end of the week!


I hope this has inspired you to get yourself organized and find creative storage solutions! Now send me some happy house hunting vibes! I'm gonna need it!

Wordless Wednesday - He's getting so big.

Friday Favorites: Anniversary Edition

Mando and I are celebrating our 2 year anniversary this Monday. I'm not quite sure what the plan is yet, but it will probably involve a fancy dinner and flowers. I have finished the scrapbook of our first year together and I'm really excited to give it to him! So because I'm feeling cheesy and lovey-dovey and all that good stuff, I'll dedicate this week's Friday Favorites to looooove! *cue Marvin Gaye music*




I'm kind of obsessing over banners right now, and this IN LOVE banner is so romantic! I love that it is made from burlap, it adds the perfect old school charm.



How sweet is this card? Mando and I are lucky to practically share our anniversary with Valentines Day. We get a double dosage of the over the top mushy stuff.



Okay, so I don't wear jewelry. Really, I just... don't. I've never liked it. But this fingerprint necklace has been on my wish list for years. They send you a mold making kit to make a mold of your fingerprint and cast it on sterling silver for you. How cool is that? Wouldn't it be so sweet with Mando and Cayden's fingerprints?



Seriously? I die for these his&her LO-VE shirts. I love the jeans/chucks combination and I need them now.



And because Mando and I both have a sweet tooth... Isn't this the most adorable box of chocolates you've ever seen?




Happy anniversary, babe. I love you. Thanks for giving me the best present a girl could ask for.

Recipe - Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

Last week was my sister's birthday and I really wanted to bake her something. Because we had literally baked hundreds of cake balls over Christmas I knew a cake was out of the question. I started looking through all of my saved dessert recipes and came across Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes.

To call these cupcakes is a bit of a stretch. To me, they tasted more like bite size cinnamon coffee cakes with glaze frosting. However, they are undeniably delicious. Along with my Chai Spice Cupcakes, I think these are definitely a favorite and everyone who tried them agreed!

Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

You will need:

Cupcakes:

• 1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 sticks of softened, unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 3/4 cups of whole milk
• 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup of packed, light brown sugar

Glaze:

• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 3 teaspoons warm water
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

First, get all your ingredients out and make sure your eggs are at room temperature and that your butter is softened. Then line your muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners and preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Then, using a fork, mix your cinnamon and brown sugar together in a small Tupperware.

Next, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl combine your sugar and butter and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add your egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Then, while mixing at a low speed, alternate the flour mixture and milk. Your dough will be very thick. Pour just enough mixture to cover the bottom of your cupcake liners, and then add a teaspoon of your cinnamon mixture on top.


Using a toothpick, swirl the cinnamon mixture through the batter. Then add more batter on top until 2/3 full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.


While your cupcakes are cooling (about 20 minutes) you can start the glaze! In a small bowl (or in my case Tupperware) combine your powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and warm water. Continue stirring until your mixture is smooth like glaze. Add more water if necessary. Then add in 2 teaspoons of leftover cinnamon mixture and stir until combined.


Lastly, spoon some of the leftover cinnamon mixture onto the cupcakes, and then drizzle them with icing. Ta-da! A yummy and unique birthday present!

ENJOY!

Friday Favorites: Breakfast at Tiffany's.

**I apologize for missing the last 2 weeks of Friday Favorites! I was spending Christmas/New Years Eve with my family!

I love old movies, and Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of my favorites. I adore Audrey Hepburn; I think she is the most beautiful woman in the world. There is something about this film that makes me feel nostalgic. It takes me back to a time where men looked sharp in suits and women wore dresses with pearls and chivalry was alive and well. Today's Friday Favorites is dedicated to a classic movie that has a special place in my heart.



I think this print says it all.




The prettiest shower invitation I ever did see.



Holly Golightly eating breakfast.



The perfect tiffany blue pillow.



I adore this silhouette chalkboard inspired by Miss Hepburn.



I think Miss Hepburn would approve of these earrings, don't you?

Wordless Wednesday - Cayden goes to the aquarium.

It was a cold and rainy day, and none of us were feeling well. We had been cooped up in the house for so long we packed up and got in the car not yet sure where our destination was. After some deliberation and a few U-turns we were off to the Long Beach Aquarium. Cayden had so much fun looking at all the different sea creatures. His alertness and cheerful attitude continues to amaze me.