{recipe} creamy autumn trifle

Yum.

Here is a great dessert for fall.  I actually made this for Labor Day even though it wasn't yet really in season, but I could not help myself. 

The recipe was staring at me and so was my trifle bowl.

You can really make this any time, for any occasion, but do not expect there to be leftovers. 
It goes rather quickly because it is so scrumptious.

Ingredients 

1 box yellow cake mix
3.4 oz pkg instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk
15 oz can pumpkin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
16 oz container of cool whip
2 heath candy bars, crushed

Directions

Prepare and bake the cake mix according to package directions.  Cool then tear cake into large chunks and set aside.  Whisk together dry pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes, until thickened; gently stir in pumpkin and cinnamon.  In the trifle bowl, layer half each of the cake, pudding mixture, and cool whip.  Repeat layers, ending with the topping.  Top with crushed candy bars.  Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving. 

life this week.

one. i can't believe they already have christmas decorations out, but they do.  so not ready.
two. i got another piercing this week!  i think this is probably the last in my ears because that makes 9 and i'm running out of space while it still looks classy.
three. pool time. 

four.  my everyday, simple, eye look. tutorial coming soon, i hope.
five. olga's blueberry bread pudding. heavenly.
six. dutch is such a sleepy boy.
seven. outside our condo. the grass is finally a bit greener and i love to watch the fountain in the lake. such a pretty setting.

wed. pins.

i don't know why i haven't linked up in so long, but i'm glad to be returning today to showcase all my latest favorite pins.

Source: nauticalandnice.tumblr.com via Lesley on Pinterest

Source: theyummylife.com via Lesley on Pinterest

Source: gingerleaf.tumblr.com via Lesley on Pinterest

Source: tanwhorez.tumblr.com via Lesley on Pinterest

Source: streetartutopia.com via Lesley on Pinterest

Source: sugarpaper.com via Lesley on Pinterest

the new look.

HAPPY MONDAY!

I love it that I have the day off today, but what I love even more is my new blog design.

What do you think of it?

A couple weeks back I entered to win a free makeover, courtesy of the lovely Kristin, and I ended up winning.  I was elated when I got the email.

I just want to stare at it all day long.  It's beautiful and I think it represents me so well with the flowy letters in the header, the sparkles here and there, and the way it has life in it now.

If you have never been to Kristin's blog, please stop by and say hello, or if you're wanting a fresh update for your blog, she is your girl. 

I am so happy I won because I got a new look, but I have a new friend, as well!  

i'm not giving in to fall just yet.

So Labor Day has come and gone, meaning that summer is moving out and fall is moving in, but I'm not ready!  Where did my summer go?  I'm not ready to give in to fall just yet. 

I still have a beach vacation to go on next month, the temps are still in the 90s, I still have white pants to wear, and my tan is nowhere near where I want it yet.  Summer hours are still in effect, I still like smelling of sunblock, and I haven't done everything I've wanted to...yet.

Secretly, I can't wait for cooler temps and the first frost because that means my allergies will go away; I can wear jeans, boots, and sweaters; it means time for bonfires and roasting marshmallows; and the beautiful changing of the leaves and colors - it sure makes a perfect time for pictures, too.

Summer is a time of positivity for me because the temps are warm, the sun shines, there are places to go and things to see, and it is the best season in my opinion.  Fall is a bit depressing.  Yes, it can be a fun and pretty time, but I know around the corner is a time of deep cold, ice, having to be cooped up in the house, being sick, and dreary, ugly weather.

So for now, I'm boycotting fall until I am ready.

I am not ready to give up on:

But, I cannot wait to for things to come:

All pics via.

isaac's not all that bad.

Happy Saturday.
Enjoy the day and make the best of it. 

Yes, the remnants of Isaac have hit our area and will be putting a big damper on the Labor Day festivities that may or may not include lounging by the pool, eating exquisite foods, sipping on a few margaritas, & pints of beer. There won't be much sun so I think our plans will have to be altered, but now we can get that little 6+ inches of the rain we haven't seen since May. No matter what, I'll enjoy my few days off work. Be safe!

Source: imgfave.com via Lesley on Pinterest

slow down and enjoy life.

I'm really not an ungrateful person at all.  

In fact, I appreciate all aspects of what I have and feel blessed to have been so lucky in life, but at times I think I take it for granted.  Sometimes I feel as though I am never satisfied, always wanting more and feeling that there are parts of me that are lacking and it gets me down

I don't know what my deal has been lately, but I've been kind of feeling depressed.  I'm sure I'll come out of it and I know life will go on, but it's such a bad feeling.  I can't pinpoint one certain thing, but it's just a mixture of things.

My allergies are the worst they have been in my whole life.  I am miserable every day.  The other day I had to remind myself that things could be worse; I could be waking up every morning with cancer and not allergies.  Get over it.  Be glad you are healthy!

Over the last month, I have learned of three ladies my age that have been diagnosed with cancer.  Three??  I just cannot believe it.  That is something that just rocks me and terrifies me.  How awful.  These ladies' lives have been completely turned upside down and changed forever.  Actually, one of them is pregnant with twins.  How sad.

I am lucky.  

I really have nothing to complain about at all.  It is the ugly, selfish, jealous person inside of me that begs for more.  One of these days God is going to give me something to complain about if I don't relax and enjoy the life I have. 

Life's not fair or easy, I do know that. 

I know I am not the only one that feels like this.  How do you all overcome this? 

{DIY} picture frame revamp.

Before we moved, I had found this large picture at Goodwill for $7 that I couldn't leave without.  I loved the picture itself, but I thought the frame was very drab and boring.  I knew I had some blue/green paint at the house for another project and decided to give it a go with a color change. 

I knew the color wouldn't be an exact match or probably look the best, but I'm not really one that likes things to match perfectly, and this actually turned out better than I had hoped.  I think the new color really makes the picture pop and it fits perfectly on the big, bare spot I had on my wall.

It was so easy to do.  All I did was buy a few cans of white primer, sprayed them on to dry, and then painted on a few coats of paint.  It definitely doesn't look professionally done because I had to do this in my garage on a box, in dim light, but it looks good to me.

I wish I had time to do projects everyday, but sadly, I don't.  This was so much fun and totally easy.

a birthday post. my 31 in 31.

Well, today is my birthday.   A whole other year has come and gone so very quickly.

It seems like just last week I was trying to get used to being 30 and here I am a year older.  It's ok; my life keeps getting better and better, but I just wish it wasn't going so fast.

In this next year, I plan to try and knock out the following 31 things.

My 31 in 31.

1. Go to Hawaii for our 5th wedding anniversary.
2. Understand my camera even better.
3. Become a better blogger and grow.
4. Find a church I love and get involved. 
5. Run a mile without stopping.  I still have not mastered this goal from the beginning of the year.
6. Get in better shape and tone up.
7. Manage my anxiety better.
8. Have a baby.
9. Save money.
10. Pay back a chunk of our $100,000 student loans.
11. Start a vacation fund.
12. Be a better nurse.
13. Begin relearning Spanish.
14. Go to at least 5 concerts.
15. Keep a journal. 
16. Complete a photo a day challenge for a whole month. 
17. Use Twitter more and more.
18.  Meet one of my bloggy friends in real life!
19. Travel as much as possible.
20. Pay off one big piece of debt.
21. Increase my optimism and not dwell on the negatives of life.
22. Take better pictures.
23. Read the Bible.
24. Learn to crochet.
25. Join a gym and get back into swimming.
26. Do more makeup/hair tutorials.
27. Repot all my plants.
28. Complete my list of DIY projects.
29. Pay it forward in a drive-thru.
30. Become more patient.
31. Slow down and enjoy this beautiful life!

our anniversary getaway.

Last weekend we headed up to Chicago for the weekend for a much needed escape from reality.  We liked to use the excuse that it was our anniversary, which it was, but we needed to just get away for a couple days.

We had been wanting to do this for a while and I'm glad we finally got to do it. 

Chicago's about a 5 hour drive north of here and although I've lived in Illinois my whole life, I had never really been there.  People from the south really don't like to claim Chicago so it's like being in a whole other state when you're there.

It was a good time. 

We took a bus up there, which I was hoping to have taken the train but waited too long for tickets, so I stumbled across the megabus.  It was less than $80 for both of us round trip, plus it is a double decker bus and it was so neat!

We ate well, walked miles daily looking at all sites and stores, took a boat tour, watched fireworks, and just enjoyed being with each other away from here.

Weekend getaways are so nice, but damn can they be expensive!  Definitely worth it though and I'm already planning my next one (:

 

over there.

Today I'm over at Simply Stacia.

I'm writing about how a really crappy and ugly relationship made me into the happy, beautiful person I am today!

Hopefully it can inspire you in some way! 

our happy 4th year!

Sunday is our anniversary.  Four years to be exact.

I can't believe I have been with the man of my dreams for this long already.  It makes me really sad that time goes by so fast.  We have been through a lot and accomplished so much and I cannot wait to see what the rest of life brings.

Today we are off to celebrate the weekend in Chicago!

This was us on our wedding day in Jamaica.   

[Bit of advice to all destination brides, or really any for that matter: don't think just because there are going to be 20 people at your wedding taking pictures that you don't really need to hire a photographer.  biggest.freaking.mistake.  As picky as I am about picture quality, I still kick myself in the ass for skimping on that.  Needless to say, we have only these kind of pics.  They will have to do, I guess!]