Anthropologie Love

Hello loves!  As you know,  I love spending time in the kitchen.  I have found myself daydreaming about the perfect kitchen a lot lately and even find myself searching online for the perfect accent items!

My dream kitchen would be light in color with stainless steel appliances, have a chandelier, backsplash, double oven, and an island with additional storage.  Oh, and a large pantry too! ;)

Source: hauteindoorcouture.blogspot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Source: 6thstreetdesignschool.blogspot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

If you know me, you know I love color.  So you're probably wondering why I would like a white or light colored kitchen.  The reason is ... I'm all about ACCENTING!   I want to add splashes of color through my kitchen!

Here are some of my favorites from Anthropologie that would be amazing color accents . . .

{Spotty-Dotty Colander}

{Dotted Path Measuring Cups}

{Painted Amaryllis Measuring Cups}

{Zesty Measuring Spoons}

{Cucina Measuring Cups}

{Adam Art Bowls}

{Latte Bowls}

{Adam Art Serving Bowls}

{Calvia Serving Bowl}

I think they would all match my red Kitchen Aid perfectly too! ;)

I am seriously in love with Anthropologie!  I just wish the price tags were a little more budget friendly! 

What do you think of my color accents?  Do you shop at Anthropologie?

Happy Tuesday

Instagram Fun!

Hello lovelies!  To say I'm obsessed with my iPhone 4s and Instagram would be an understatement!  I'm in love! ;)   I had a droid for a few short lived months and liked the photo apps but after having the iPhone ... nothing can compare to it!

Here are a bunch of pictures I've taken over the last week and a half with my new iPhone :) 

{SNOW!!}

{Lots of baking and cooking!  Home fries with chorizo ... homemade pizza ... quinoa fried rice ... banana chocolate chip cookies}

{Brandi ... my nails ... my favorite scarf}

{greek salad with chicken ... lucky charms ... grilled chicken salad}

{pretty flowers ... new pillow for my reading chair ... kisses for Brandi <3}

Are you on instagram?  Look for me . . .  @missblondiexo

{Linking up with Ashley and Savanah}

Happy Monday! xo

The Nail Files

Hello lovelies!  I've become recently obsessed with nail polish and thought it was time for me to share my obsession and link up with Tara and Vicki for The Nail Files!

Here are my nails this week  . . . 

 {I used the new Sally Hansen nail strips!  So fun!}

Join the link-up and share your nails too! :)

Happy Friday! xo

In The Kitchen

Hello lovelies!  One of my goals for the new year was to try more new recipes each month.  I'm going to try and do updates bi-weekly instead of each week {just in case I have a lazy week ;)}.

{You can see my bucket list here.}

{You can also see my first update here.}

Here are a few things I've made since the last update . . . 

I also made 

Source: eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com via Emily on Pinterest

{Broccoli and Cheese Quinoa Casserole}


Next up on the menu . . .

Source: evokingyou.com via Michelle on Pinterest

{Potato Bacon Casserole}

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com via Michelle on Pinterest

{Taco Pasta}

{Chocolate Chip Crumb Muffins}

{White Chocolate Raspberry Bars -- recipe from Hugs & Cookies xoxo}

I'm hosting BUNCO in a few weeks so I'm sure you'll be seeing lots more fun goodies on the future menu! :)

What are you whipping up in the kitchen?

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As always, a lot of my baking and cooking inspiration comes from pinterest!

Are you a pinterest addict?  Join us at Michelle's blog,  The Vintage Apple for Oh, How Pinterest-ing Wednesday!

You can find me on pinterest here. 

If you need an invite to join, comment here with your e-mail address and I'll send you one! :) 

Happy Wednesday!  xo

New Purchases

 Hello lovelies!  Last week, I blogged {here} about my multiple jobs.  I promised that I would stop shopping and focus on paying off my student loan debt since I bought the two things I really wanted. 1:  my iPhone 4S {I am seriously in love with this phone!  It is amazing! More on my iPhone obsession soon!} 2:  Plane ticket to Nashville for CMA Fest   {WOOHOO to see my fave!!  He's excited to see me too ;)} While I've been trying to save,  I did end up purchasing some items.  But . . . they were all bargain priced! Since I'm heading to Nashville in a month,  I thought I needed a few additions to my wardrobe.   {Pattern print belted dress -- $29.50}  {Lace dress -- $15.00 on sale} {Suede flat boot -- $17.70 on sale} {Crochet front cardigan -- $15.00 on sale} and ...  NEW RIDING BOOTS!{Steve Madden Zandora Boots!  -- $59.99 from Amazon!} Okay, so that's really it on the shopping!  Well not exactly, later in the week, I will be sharing the fun goodies I bought my mom for her birthday!  Then that's really it! :) Happy Tuesday! xo

{Repost} :: She's Country

Hello lovies!  I'm a horrible blogger!  Not only have I been MIA ...  but I forgot to celebrate my one-year blogiversary on January 14th!  I can't believe I missed it and definitely need to make up for it! 

In the mean time, I thought it would be fun to repost a few of my very first blog posts.  Here is a post I wrote on January 16, 2011, where I first introduced my love for Jason Aldean.

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Hey y'all!  I may be a New Yorker ... but I'm a country girl at heart.  I LOVE COUNTRY MUSIC!  My favorite singer is JASON ALDEAN!  To say, I'm mildly obsessed is a serious understatement.  I mean not only do I love his music (and play it in my car 24/7) ... I LOVE HIM! How could you not? I mean look at him...

I have been fortunate enough to see him in concert a bunch of times in the last few months.  I'd love to see him even more, but he doesn't always come close to where I live and I usually have to travel out of state.

Here are some pictures of the last time I saw him in concert ...

{November 2, 2010}

If you're not familiar with Jason, take a listen ...

"My Kinda Party"

My favorite line: "Baby, if you're in mood and you can settle for a one night rodeo. If you can be my tan legged Juliet, I'll be your Redneck Romeo." 

... He can be my Redneck Romeo any day! {hey, I warned you ... I know I have a problem and am working on it ;) hehe}

"She's Country"


... and my current personal fave "Don't You Wanna Stay" ft. Kelly Clarkson

Besides Jason, I love listening to Miranda Lambert, Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Blake Shelton, Sugarland, Carrie Underwood and the list could go on and on....

Any other country fans out there? Who do you listen to?

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Well I think it's safe to safe that not much has changed!  HAHA

Do you go back and look at old blog posts?  Do you see any changes in your writing or style?

Happy Monday! xo


PS:  Jason's song "Fly Over States"  as officially been released as his next single!  I'm so excited!  I knew it was going to be! ;)  You can check out my post and listen to the song here. 

Blogging For You

Hello lovelies!  The other day I read a post that really struck a cord.  I'm usually pretty open with what I share on my blog and DO post what I want to because IT IS MY BLOG...  but I have to admit that SOMETIMES when I hit "publish post",  I am hesitant.  After writing this blog for a year now, I am able to tell what posts will get the a lot pageviews and comments and what won't.  I know it's not about that but sometimes I think maybe it would be best if I don't blog about those topics as much.  

Until I read a post that reminded me not to think that way.    The post that really stuck a cord was From the Heart written by my beautiful friend and namesake, Michelle at The Vintage Apple.

 Here is just a small piece of an amazingly written post...

Blog because you love to.

Blog because you have things you want to say.

Blog because you don't have things to say.

BLOG ABOUT WHATEVER YOU WANT.

People will read what you have to say or they won't. 

Now ... please go read the whole post!  And please follow Michelle too!  She's pretty awesome! ;)

Remember . . . blog for you!  I know I will! ;)

Happy Blogging! xo

Fly Over States

Hello lovelies!  Last week as I was driving to work I heard Jason's song, Fly Over States on Sirius radio.  I was escatic!  Fly Over States is one of my favorite songs off of Jason's album, My Kinda Party!  I was so happy to hear it because it's a new song of Jason's on the radio for people to hear!  Of course, I always love hearing his hit singles, Tattoos On This Town, Dirt Road Anthem, My Kinda Party, and Don't You Wanna Stay and I've loved them since I first heard them in concert in September 2010 but it's really nice to hear another one of his songs getting airplay!

Take a listen ;)

Fly Over States lyrics

A couple of guys in first class on a flight
From New York to Los Angeles
Kinda making small talk killin' time
Flirting with the flight attendants
Thirty thousand feet above, could be Oklahoma

Just a bunch of square cornfields and wheat farms
Man, it all looks the same
Miles and miles of back roads and highways
Connecting little towns with funny names
Who'd want to live down there, in the middle of nowhere

They've never drove through Indiana
Met the man who plowed that earth
Planted that seed, busted his ass for you and me
Or caught a harvest moon in Kansas
They'd understand why God made
Those fly over states

I bet that mile long Santa Fe
Freight train engineer's seen it all
Just like that flatbed cowboy
Stacking US Steel on a three day haul
Roads and rails under their feet
Yeah, that sounds like a first class seat

On the plains of Oklahoma
With a windshield sunset in your eyes
Like a watercolored painted sky
You'll think heavens doors have opened
You'll understand why God made
Those fly over states

Take a ride across the badlands
Feel that freedom on your face
Breathe in all that open space
Meet a girl from Amarillo
You'll understand why God made
You might even wanna plant your stakes
In those fly over states

Have you ever been through Indiana
On the plains of Oklahoma
Take a ride

{lyrics via}

I thought I would also share a few of my other favorites from Jason's album, My Kinda Party. . .

Texas Was You

 I Ain't Ready to Quit

See You When I See You

Church Pew or Bar Stool

Heartache That Don't Stop Hurting

Of course, I could keep going! But this is why his album won the CMA award for ALBUM OF THE YEAR!  It's awesome, just like him! <3

36 days till I "fly over states" to see him!  CAN'T WAIT!
What's your favorite song off of My Kinda Party?

PS:  It makes my day when you hear him on the radio and let me know because it reminds you of me! :)

Happy Wednesday! xo

Happy Birthday!

Hello lovies!  Today is a very special day!  Today is my mom's 50th birthday!  {Ssh, don't tell her I told you her age ;)}

My mom is the most amazing person I know!   She is more than a mom, she is my best friend!  I don't know what I would do without her!  I am who I am because of her!  I have everything I have because of her!  She is by far the best person I know and I'm so lucky to be able to call her mom! 

Happy Birthday, Mom!  I love you with all of my heart!

 I don't know anyone else that I'd rather share Jason with! ;)  

 {More to come on all of the 50th birthday celebrations!}

Happy Tuesday! xo

She Works Hard for the Money. . .

Hello lovelies!  I was very close to calling it quits on blogging since I've been so horrible at it lately but a bunch of lovely ladies got me to stick around!  So I'm going to do my best to be around more often.  

2012 has been a very hectic year thus far as I began working more!  I have a lot of debt (all student loans, which is probably mortgage equivalent with its 6 figures ... good thing, I love my job!).  Anywho,  I've been working a lot to try and get it down.   I posted on twitter a few weeks back about my working several jobs and received a lot of responses and questions asking how I manage it all.  Well I'm going to try to explain it all in this post.

For the last 2 1/2 years, I've worked 2 jobs.  You see,  I've been laid off 3 times from teaching over the last few years and even though, I've been lucky enough to always get re-hired back within a few months... I still needed to work to bring in income.  I began working in an office and when I began teaching again, my boss allowed me to work from home.  That made it much easier for me to manage both jobs.

Last summer,  I fell into a waitressing job, which was good extra money that I couldn't turn down.    When the school year began in September,  I decided that I would teach, work for the office, and waitress only when needed on the weekends.  It has worked out great and I have been able to balance it all!

Well up until two weeks ago that is!  When we returned from our holiday break,  I agreed to teach after school!  Enter another job!  The money is just too hard to turn down!  I love everything I'm doing and I just need to find a way to not push myself to hard and keep focused on my priorities.  I've been doing good so far ... just need to find more blogging time!

Working more has been able to buy things that I've really wanted.  

#1  .... the iPhone 4s!

and 

#2 ... a plane ticket and tickets to CMA Fest in Nashville!

 Do you really think I would pass up another opportunity to see my JA and Jesslyn?!

Now that I've bought myself two things {that I think I really deserved ;)}, it is time for me to focus back on my original plan, which was to pay off this student loan debt!  So no more spending ... or maybe once in awhile! ;)

One thing I can say is that it really makes me feel proud and accomplished to know that I've paid for my undergraduate and graduate school education.  It's a good feeling! :)

So that's where I've been hiding.  I haven't been a fan of my recent posts lately either... so if you have anything you'd like to see more of on my blog ... please let me know!   I'm always open to suggestions!

Happy Monday! xo