where in the world is this belle moving?

At our roast last week, we had a presentation with pictures of everyone representing where we're moving for internship. I have to confess...this picture makes me really pumped about my move!

So can you guess where I'm moving??

{Hint--the background is actually a picture of the state where I'm moving...isn't it gorgeous?!}

Donuts + Coffee (and other things that go together)

There are few combinations more comforting than donuts and coffee. I experienced a whole slew of emotions last week as I attended my last classes (EVER!). I also laughed until my face hurt as my cohort was roasted by our faculty and officially sent off on internship. I have a huge stack of boxes sitting in my living room just patiently waiting to be filled and then unpacked again as I start a whole new chapter of my life in a new city. Craziness. So a comforting snack was definitely in order. I whipped up these little homemade powdered sugar donuts, made a big mug of coffee, and curled up on the couch to catch up on the "Real Housewives of New York." There's just something about comfort food and mind-numbing TV that can make all the stress melt away (at least for a little while).

And while we're on the topic of TV, did anyone else happen to catch the new series "Mob Wives" on VH1 last night? Ah-mazing. I am officially hooked.

healthy snackin'

Now that swimsuit season is here, I've been trying to cut back on the cupcakes and potato chips and incorporate more healthy snacks into my diet. I'm always on the look-out for simple healthy recipes that I can easily integrate into my hectic routine.

I'm about to share with you one of my favorites that I recently discovered:

{Strawberries and raspberries topped with 1/4 cup part skim ricotta; drizzle with honey; sprinkle with sliced almonds and natural granola}

What's your favorite healthy snack?

Little things

Hello lovelies!! The past few weeks have been absolutely crazy. I am in my last few weeks of doctor school, and I found out that I will be moving back to the South in less than 2 months. Trying to finish up final projects, working on my dissertation, and planning a major move have made me question my sanity at times. Thank goodness for relaxing bubble baths, reality TV, and other little things that allow my brain to have a quick rest. Here are a few lovely little tidbits that have brought some much needed joy into my life recently:

{A pretty sequined bag that I thrifted from Goodwill}

{Homemade guacamole using a recipe I learned in Guatemala}

{A fun new way to display my make-up brushes}

{Simple suppers of heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and jalapeno focaccia}

What little things are currently bringing you joy?

Red Velvet Funnel Cakes + Maple Bacon Cupcakes = We're going to the fair!!

I simply adore the fair. It brings back so many wonderful memories from my childhood. So naturally I insisted that we attend the Florida State Fair this weekend. We had an amazing time checking out all of the animals and exhibits, exploring the miles of food carts to find the most interesting treats, watching pig races, a grizzly bear show, and agility dog competitions. The maple bacon cupcakes just may have been the most amazing thing I've ever tasted in my life. You can guarantee I'll be trying to recreate them soon.

{Maple bacon cupcakes}

{Red velvet funnel cake}

{Rastafarian banana}

{Freak shows}

{Apparently, anything can be deep fried}

What's your favorite part of the fair?

Love is in the air

A few glimpses from Valentine's Day...

{Homemade Valentines; cupcakes I made for class; roses from my Valentine}

Hope your day was filled with love from family, friends, and sweet little animals with wet noses!

xoxo

In the Mood

Lately, I've been so stressed out that I've just been in the mood to surround myself with stuff I love, whether it's lunch with a dear friend, an extra long game of fetch with Heaven, or things that just bring a smile to my face. This weekend I took a little time to do some self-imposed art therapy. And what more perfect way to brighten my mood than sketches of my little girl and my favorite indulgence?

{Heaven & Cupcake -- oil pastels}

{Cupcake study -- oil pastels}

What's your favorite way to de-stress?

Lip Service

I have been hopelessly obsessed with makeup since I was a little girl, and I still get giddy with excitement when I discover a product that I don't know how I ever lived without. I truly believe that a girl can never have too many lipsticks or eyeshadows. I am currently addicted to lipstains and the Burt's Bees lip shimmers collection, so much so that I just may have purchased 3 more lipstains today.

What beauty product has you obsessed?

Weekend Musings

Now that I'm finally home from 2 months of traveling, I've been in rehab mode...trying to put my apartment and myself back together again. After a long week of catching up on patient reports, dissertation paperwork, and cleaning, I was eager to indulge in a relaxing, low-key weekend. Here are some snippets of what has brought me joy over the last few days:

{Florida strawberries that were promptly turned into a strawberry pie}

{Fleur de lis bookends I found on a quick trip to Home Goods}

{A fresh box of oil pastels}

{Spending time with my sweet baby girl--I love her demure little pose}

{New books I can't wait to devour}

What brought you joy this weekend?

learning to love winter

To a southern girl such as myself, "winter" has always meant temperatures that hover in the 50's, with an occasional bout of sleet every few years that knocks out the power and closes things down for a few days. Since moving to Florida, "winter" means 80 degree days, and panic ensues if the temperature drops to 30. So traveling the country during this time of year has been a totally new experience. I went back to Utah last week and had a blast in the snow. I think I'm falling in love with winter!

{View from the top of the K-120 ski jump at the Olympic training park in Park City}

{Opening night of Sundance Film Festival}

{Bliss on a stick in Park City}

{Sundance posters}

What's your favorite thing about winter?

A Belle in the West

I've been jetting all over the country in an attempt to determine where I'll be moving this summer. It's been quite an experience as I'm getting to explore cities and states I've never visited before. Although I'm a Southern girl through and through, I must confess I've become quite enamored by the West. I absolutely fell in love with Utah's crisp cool air and breathtaking scenery.

{Stunning view of the Rockies}

{I couldn't figure out what this odd little contraption was doing in my rental...so I texted a pic of it to hubby and he informed me that it was for scraping snow and ice off my windshield...what?! I'm definitely not in the South anymore!}

{The ultimate comfort food...after discovering a sweet little 50's style diner, I knew I could definitely live in this town for a year}

{Maybe the best part of my trip...this was the diner's idea of a "chocolate shake"...mmmm}

I also had the opportunity to explore the Sundance Resort and drive up into the snowy mountains, but didn't get to take any good pics because it was getting dark. I never realized that Utah was so amazing, and even if I don't end up moving there, I'm so glad I had the opportunity to spend a few days there.

What part of the country are you eager to explore?

Happy New Year!!

{image credit: Bill Watterson}

2010 was one of the busiest, most stressful, years of my life thus far...hence my absence from the blogging world for the majority of the year. The year seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye. I am a bit overwhelmed by 2011 being that I will be traveling across the country the entire month of January and won't find out where I'll be living the rest of the year until late February. It will be a year of great change as I start a new chapter of my life, one in which I'm no longer a student and can finally bear the title "doctor." I'll be moving across the country and starting a new adventure. There is so much uncertainty that lies ahead for this year, so I'm going to spare myself of any lofty resolutions. Instead, I'm just going to set a few simple goals:

1. Ensure that God remains the top priority in my life by actively studying His Word.

2. Find joy in the simple things, like the perfect cup of coffee or kisses from my precious pomeranian.

3. Make a conscious effort to wear bright lipstick more often because, let's face it, there's just something about pretty lipstick that can bring a girl much bliss.

4. Buy less, make more.

5. Actively seek God's Will in my life and be a light in this world for Him.

6. Try not to neglect my blog :)

Wishing you all a very happy new year...I hope that 2011 is the best year yet for all of us.

xoxo

A Recessionista's Guide to...Beauty

A couple of months ago, I started doing a little series of recessionista date night ideas (here and here). But recently I've become a recessionista when it comes to beauty products as well, so I thought I'd share a few of my favorite finds of 2010.

Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer

I really didn't think it was possible to find a tinted moisturizer that could hold it's own to the one from Laura Mercier. But I must confess that I like this version from Sonia Kashuk even better (and who wouldn't love the $13 price tag compared to $42 for Laura Mercier's?!). It gives the perfect amount of coverage and doesn't make my skin shiny at all. Bonus -- it includes SPF 15 to keep your face protected from the sun's mischievous rays.

Proclaim Argan Oil Hair Treatment

I had been contemplating buying a bottle of MoroccanOil for quite some time when I discovered this version from Proclaim at Sally's for only $7. After reading multiple reviews (and discussing personal opinions with friends), the consensus seems to be that it works just as well as the $40 argan oil from MoroccanOil. Sally's even had it on sale for $5 a few weeks ago, so I stocked up! I use it on my hair wet and dry to help with frizz and shine. It also smells wonderful. Definitely one of my favorite recessionista finds of the year!

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

Mascara has always been one of my department store spurges. I have naturally long black lashes, and

I'm always looking to take them to the limit. Unfortunately, drug store brands usually don't do the trick. I don't know what possessed me to try this mascara (I was probably just drawn to the fat purple tube), but I'm sure glad I did. It makes my lashes just as long and voluminous as my favorite department store brands. And $6 a tube certainly beats $25!

Neutrogena Brightening Eye Perfector

What girl hasn't read rave reviews for the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat? Many make-up artists and celebs swear by it, but I just can't bring myself to pay $40 for an eye brightener. So when Neutrogena came out with their version, I just had to try it. I love the stuff so much I'm now on my 3rd tube! It's definitely a must-have for anyone with dark circles or tired eyes. I even use it on my lips (which are naturally very pink) to create a blank canvas prior to putting on lipliner. I'm really not sure how I ever lived without it.

What are your favorite recessionista finds?

lobsters are really just overweight crawfish

A few weeks ago, hubby and I drove over to Orlando to kick off my birthday weekend. Being that I'm a huge seafood/water-creature lover, we decided to grab a bite to eat at Lobster Feast. When eating crustaceans, I ALWAYS choose crawfish over anything else. But since they're not in season right now, lobster was a close substitute.

So the gist of this place is that it's all you can eat lobster and other types of seafood. After sampling a lobster, the first one I've had in years, I decided that lobsters are really just big crawfish...but not nearly as tasty. Something about the smaller size of a crawfish just produces tastier meat. Sorry Lobster...I'm sticking with your smaller cousins from now on.

We still managed to stuff ourselves on crab legs and mounds of fried goodness. Plus the people watching at buffets is always fantastic. I watched a lady at a nearby table consume at least 10 lobsters and at least 5 heaping platters of crab legs. I would have to be rolled out on a gurney if I ate like that! Although this coming from a girl who can easily pack away pounds and pounds of crawfish.

What food can you eat seemingly endless amounts of?