jack-oh-lanterns.

we spent our saturday eve carving the most lovely pumpkins. i obviously am the more talented carver (left) but ben's techy pumpkin (right) is a skillfully designed power symbol. 
happy halloween!

my Love.

I woke up today, made myself a pot of coffee and prepared for- what I thought would be- an extension of my bad week.
-
And then I got a call. 
From my very best friend. 
Who asked me to come outside. 
And handed me these flowers. 
-
"Because youre smart. youre beautiful and you're special." and "I wanted to brighten your day." 
Bad days cant exist, when friends like her are in this world.

extra, extra.. read all about it.

as you all know, im a stress baker. and im stressed. so this is what im making today- a pumpkin spider web cheescake. but tierney and i are on a get-skinny kick. SO this finished product is going out to one of my lucky followers.
the only rules are- 1. you must be following my blog (just click - join this site- under followers- then sign in with an account! hint- miami students, our miami email works as a google address) 2. comment on this post with your halloween costume.
and thats it! i will hand deliver to my favorite costumed follower. im off to get ingredients right now. i cant promise that it will look as great as this picture- but it might! let the games begin. photo courtesy of kraft food recipes. 

update:
its out of the oven and in the fridge for five hours! keep the posts coming!! this cake is looking good!

ida red.

apples apples apples. apple cider, apple pie, apple bread, apple crisp.

as many of you know i had the lovely luck to visit grosse ile michigan this fall break, thanks to the hospitable hunter family. our weekend was lovely: manicures, shopping, tasty food, movies, baking- and my personal favorite- apple picking! 

the weather was perfect, chilly and fall like. we bought a bag for fifteen dollars and filled it to the brim with red ida apples. ally told me "the best apples are at the top" so we each climbed a tree for the most crisp and tangy apples. 

it was the perfect end to a perfect week, fall break is over, and fall is here!

floral eye candy.

floral dresses have been in style for about three years (that ive noticed). ive posted before about the flowers and stripes combination, but these fall florals are taking away my breath.

the two of these are from jcrew, certainly nothing that i can afford since i spent my very last dollars and cents on the planet earth dvd series on a whim last night (a good investment, but quite sad all the same).

since im currently unemployed, and the most broke of college students (soup all day every day) these florals are simply eye candy, but delicious sweets for certain.

masculine meets feminine

shoe-crush.
(available at anthropologie.com)
the fountain spray wing tip:
picture it peeking out of a pair of black skinny legged jeans as you shuffle through the red and yellow leaves falling over campus. or tap-tapping down a city sidewalk.



i might be a girly-girl but ive always had a thing for mens shoes...

butterfly, you float on by

so effortless. beauty transforms to beauty.

taken outside my mothers classroom the last few weeks. i could not pass the chance to put the beauty onto my blog. afterall, i try to catch lifes simple magic. there is nothing more simple or magical than what you see here.

upside-down apple cinnamon

stress baking at its finest. i tried the upside down apple cinnamon muffins today. i found the recipe while i was browzing in my botany class last night, and i couldnt wait to try.

they look kind of funky, but taste like apple pie.

oven- you may see me again soon. midterms are right around the corner.

botany two.forty.four

 

welcome to the jungle.

yesterday i attended my very first nfl football game. i was told following the game that not everyone enters the world of football in such style. but i think theres no better way.

the weather was perfect. the game was a nail biter the bengals won in the last ONE second (literally!) of the game with a field goal (maybe? im not very good with football terminology.. but it was three points). Our seats were killer- in the family section because our dear family friend ryan (pictured to the left) scored us our tickets.

Afterward ben and i made our way down to the family and press waiting area and watched the ben-gals strut out of the locker rooms, tap-tapping their heels and towing their suitcases in perfect unison. They were followed by the players, all of whom were smiling at a game well-played. Children were bent double over the small gate that separated us from the players, trying to get autographs and pictures, hugs and high fives. it was the perfect sunday.

time to work on my football facts, because id like to make a habit out of the nfl. cincinnati-style.. whodey.

a gift for heaven.

a new angel entered heaven last night.
and it became a brighter place in his company.
sorely missed, but forever loved.
our Ray of sunshine.