Yes!

Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it.

 

- Ella Williams

Lucky Number 17

South Carolina Gamecocks 34 - Clemson Tigers 17

Tennessee Titans 20 - Arizona Cardinals 17

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend!

I am one happy football fan!

Awesomium

Well Said...

(Post from Happy Lady Eats. Image from Erin Jang.)

Two Beautiful Blogs

A Life More Fabulous

AphroChic

When I Grow Up I Want A Bar Cart

(Images courtesy if the beloved Domino, Lonny Magazine, David Jimenez, Thomas Smythe)

Bandwagon

So I stopped at the Exxon this morning to get an extry large, gas station, coffee. Before the lady at the register told me my total she asked would I like a cupcake to go with my coffee? What!? Now Exxon is selling cupcakes? And hocking them at 10 in the morning! Geesh!

Things That Make You Go - Wow! Really?

Wow! Really? Holy Burberry!

(Image courtesy of thisblogrules.com)

Half Full

Find these at CB2

Melt

Find more of these adorable pics on Sharon Montrose Photography Blog

Now Thats Love!

Carla this one's for you!

(Image courtesy of Stacie Joy)

The Truth

Baking Bust

Well my Sunday night baking turned out disastrous! I tried the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bread from Vanilla Sugar. The batter tasted amazing, but the bread wouldn't set up! This recipe is definitely worth trying again though! I just have to figure out what I did wrong. I'll report back.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bread 

By Dawn 

(inspiration from Dinners for a Year) 

¾ cup dark brown sugar

¾ cup peanut butter (I used chunky)

1 TB vanilla

2 eggs, beaten

1 ½ cups buttermilk

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted  (Used 2 ¼  cups of All Purpose Flour instead of wheat.)

1 cup whole wheat flour, sifted

4 ts baking powder

1/2 ts salt

¾ cup of milk choco chunks (I wanted chunks of choco in here) (+ ¼ more)

3 TB of melted butter +/-

Raw sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside. 

In a small bowl mix the buttermilk and eggs together.

In another bowl sift the flours, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl, cream sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla; add in the buttermilk & egg mixture.

Then beat in the flour mixture; beat well until just combined. 

By hand add in the milk chocolate chunks. 

Pour batter into greased loaf pan and bake for 50 - 55 minutes until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan 10 minutes before unmolding. 

**note: on the last 30 minutes of baking I put a bit of melted butter on the top, then sprinkled some raw sugar chunks on the top of the bread, optional, but wonderful**

I Wish I Had Her Closet: Rachel Bilson

I just adore Rachel Bilson's style!

(Images courtest of Just Jared & Look Book)

Vanilla Sugar

The food giant in me LOVES this blog, Vanilla Sugar. I could take a bite (or two) of everything she makes! Yum!

Like You Wanna Hear My Thoughts On Fashion...

What sort of Nashvillian would I be if I didn't have a CMA post! A little fashion review (my humble opinion), though no one really blew me away. My vote is going to Jennifer Nettles on the red carpet. It's safe, but sometimes safe is better! And to Martina McBride for her dress during her performance. Worst goes to Carrie Underwood during her performance. As my Grandma said, "it was a bit inappropriate."

   Kellie Pickler                                              Taylor Swift

Hillary Scott (Lady Antebellum)               Nichol Kidman (Keith Urban)

     Jennifer Nettles (Sugarland)                                  Lee Ann Womack

                              Reba                                 Kimberly & Karen (Little Big Town)

                     Martina McBride (And performing b/c I like this dress more!)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Carrie  Underwood (And performing wearing the worst outfit of the evening. The crotch shots didn't help!)

                                                                            

When Its Too Good To Be True...

I've been house hunting for the last two months. This blog, Lovely Listings pretty much sums up my experience. I laugh, but I'm crying on the inside.

Cute Things, Funny Things

Bird Measuring Spoons

Frozen Smiles

I Understand How Wrong This Is...

This Is Why You're Fat: Where Dreams Become Heart Attack

I understand how wrong this is , but the food giant in me love's this!

Hey Nashvillians!

If I Had A Million Dollars I Would Spend It All... On Furniture

Cascara Coffee Table @ Anthropologie

Flower Child

Beautiful cupcakes, beautiful plate.

(Image courtesy of www.bloomacious.org)

My Honey Sweet Birthday!

Pimpin' the biz... Honey Sweet Baking Co.

How To Take An Efficient Mug Shot

So I had to go to the DMV today and get my drivers licence renewed. I had to go partly because I procrastinated and didn't mail the renewal slip in. The other reason is because my previous drivers licence picture slightly resembled a terrorist's mug shot.

So I got up this morning, showered, blew out my hair, applied a sufficient amount of make-up and headed out to take the best drivers licence picture ever!

Side note: Last night I looked up "how to take a great drivers licence photo". I made myself laugh that I actually Googled that, but the amusement I got in the "how to" was way worth it! (Links below.)

http://www.ehow.com/how_2048973_take-good-drivers-license-picture.html

http://www.bellasugar.com/870406

http://www.howtodothings.com/automotive/a4725-how-to-take-a-good-drivers-license-picture.html

http://lifehacker.com/337454/take-your-best-drivers-license-photo-ever

So back to the DMV. I circled the city blocks 3 times until I found a meter where I cleaned out all the change in my wallet. (Thanks for leaving me with 3 pennies). I walked in, and this is loosely how it went down.

DMV Man: (As he looked over the person he was helping.) (DMV Man is an obvious mutitasker.) 'What are you here for?'

Me: 'I need to renew my drivers licence'

DMV Man: 'You payin' with a credit card?'

Me: 'Yes'

DMV Man: 'Go sit over there at that computer and when you're done I'll get your picture'

I nodded and sat down at the computer. I filled out the information and constantly struggled over the fact that I couldn't take one last look at my bangs that were once so perfectly swept to the side and now falling in to my face. (Why me! Why a falling bang swoop?! Whhhyyy?)

The computer part took 4 minutes, so I stood up and waited for about 37 seconds until once again I was spoken to...

DMV Man: (Again, he looked over the person he was helping and looked at me.) "Hollis" (Thats my last name.)

I looked up.

DMV Man: 'Come sign this over here'

I signed the electronic signature thing with an unrecognizable signature

DMV Man then looked over me to the Staggering Man who had walked up beside me.

DMV Man: 'What are you here for?' (I'm glad I'm not getting special treatment.)

Staggering Man: I need an I.D.

DMV Man: 'You had a Tennessee I.D. before?'

Staggering Man; 'I have a Kentucky I.D. and a Tennessee I.D.

This is where DMV Man realized Staggering Man was not going to be as compliant  as I was.

(My turn again)

DMV Man: 'Go sit over there' (He pointed to the blank wall and small little blue chair.)

I sat

DMV Man: 'Look in to there' (He pointed at the camera lens.)

I tried to focus.

DMV Man: 'Ok thats it... you'll be done in a minute'

(But, but what about my swoop? My pearly whites??)

Lost cause

I stood up

Again, I waited like 37 seconds.

DMV Man: "Hollis"

I walk up to the counter and he hands me my new licence.

DMV Man: 'You need to cut up your old license'

I nodded ok and said, "thank you".

I walked away taking my first glance at my new licences.

Not too bad, no longer a terrorist's mug shot, just more of a regular mug shot.

I walked back to my car, sigh at the fact that I can't get my change back, that the meter has robbed me of , because this whole thing took eleven and a half minutes...

Happy Birthday to me and thanks to the multitasking DVM Man. Way to run a tight ship. A very tight ship!

Goodbye 20's

Today I turn 30. 

So I woke up this morning no longer in my 20's. I am strangely positive. Someone remind me again how awesome your 30's are after I've had a couple of Margaritas tonight and reality sets in! (Or tomorrow when I'm trying to recover!)

Hope

Eat Your Broccoli

I saw these on Cupcakes Take The Cake the other day and thought now these are the perfect cupcakes for my friend Marne! I think her only complaint would be the cake isn't chocolate! :)