strawberry ice cream cake.

does this cake not look delicious?! i'm thinking it's a must on my list of things to make this holiday weekend. the strawberries makes it the most beautiful pink. and it looks so so simple. i'm going to have to make a special trip to costco to load up on fresh berries! recipe found here.

recipe and image via real simple.

summer dress.

i am totally loving this dress from f21. i just need it to be a tad bit longer. it seems like all the dresses this season are so short and it's killing me! i don't want to wear leggings with everything! but nonetheless, i love it and would pair it with a cute tee, leggings and some summer sandals. it would be perfect for the upcoming 4th of july weekend!

i love jacob.

in honor of the release of eclipse tomorrow i thought i would share this picture of ike and i when we were at la push beach back in march. how dare he write that huh! so offensive. he pretends he thinks it's silly but deep down he's a twi-hard just like me. i am so excited to see the movie. i'm not die hard enough to go to the midnight showing {i'm a grandma who really needs my sleep, just ask isaac}, but i'm hoping to get tickets soon. i usually would have bought them already but our weekend plans aren't set in stone and you know i don't want to buy them and not be able to use them! do you have tickets yet?! i can't wait!!!

giveaway.

just cook already reached 700+ followers and is giving away a one year subscription to real simple! head on over and enter for a chance to win! i really really hope i'm the winner though, sorry. we all know i love real simple the most. just kidding just kidding, good luck!

let the countdown begin.

the hubs and i at aj's wedding.

it's monday people, and i only have 5 more mondays until i'm done with nursing school. doesn't that seem close?! aaaaaahh it just feels like forever. i worked 53 hours at the hospital this week and i am dead tired. and today i start another clinical rotation - psychiatric nursing! i'm nervous. but i'm really excited about the site i'll be at and will hopefully learn a lot about children with mental health issues.

guess what! mr. isaac westwood came home on saturday night and i spent approximately 1.5 hours with him before we crashed in bed, i got up at 4:30 am to go to the hospital, and he jetted back to st. george for more business until thursday. can you believe it?! i miss him so much when he's gone. luckily i have school to keep me busy and i'm having a girls night tonight with my best girlies! i'm so excited, i haven't had a night with them in so long. isaac will be back for the 4th of july weekend and i can't wait. we have some fun plans in the works. i can't wait to go to our cabin, do sparklers and fireworks, and eat yummy food. i gotta get planning the treats i'll be making!!

what are your plans for the 4th?!

the bright side.

this week has been seriously rough so i decided i need to borrow my bloggie friend krysten's idea of looking at the bright side and post 10 things that made me happy this week.

1. frozen yogurt in primary children's cafeteria
2. husband having such a successful business trip to st. george
3. getting an 88% on my leadership test {they are so hard!}
4. mini pork salads from costa vida
5. my comfy bed and being able to sleep in today {i'm still lounging in bed, love it}
6. being able to see without contacts/glasses! every night when i can still see i think to myself, "i need to take these contacts out...oh wait!"
7. a darling new pink and white swim suit from old navy {all their stuff is 30% off right now!}
8. my 14 year old brother collin putting my name on our home caller id as "annoying" because he gets annoyed i call to talk to my mom so much. so rude collin, but it made me laugh!
9. reading the help
10. and finally, finding a forgotten gift card from forever 21 so i could purchase this beauty of a tee. doesn't it look like it could be from j crew? love those forever finds. can't wait to get it in the mail!

i guess this week wasn't so bad after all. just can't wait for the hubs to get home tomorrow.
hope you have a fun summery saturday!

my father's day creations.

if you have a peanut butter chocolate lover in your life, make these brownie cupcakes with fluffy peanut butter frosting for them. they will be so pleased with you, i guarantee it. i have a confession...these cupcakes were the first i've made from scratch ever. can you believe that?! i just think the boxed cake mixes are delicious and convenient! and when you always make your own frosting you can't go wrong. so these were a first for me and they were fabulous. i'm going to start making all sorts of cupcakes from scratch from here on out, just you wait. if you're into foodie blogs like me, you must add the novice chef to your list - she always posts the yummiest recipes.

today is friday and it doesn't even feel like it. having to put in school hours on friday/saturday/sunday really ruins the joy of the weekend. plus the hubs will still be in st. george. boo. have a fun weekend for me!

pancakes.

this is what i had for dinner last night. i struggle making pancakes and i don't know why. isaac always makes such good pancakes and mine taste so boring. good thing i had lots of butter and strawberry syrup to smother them with. my hubs is currently in st. george on his very first business trip away. i'll be honest, i'm not loving it. but i am so proud of him for all his hard work, he just started his own business! crazy huh! we're business owners. jk, i definitely have no right calling myself a business owner seeing as i do nothing to contribute to the said business. i just offer my love and support and whimper when he leaves his ill wife for st. george for a few days. i know i know, i'm a big baby.

i hope you all have a lovely thursday, i myself am putting in another 12 hours at the good old children's hospital. here's to hoping i feel better! adios.

a sweet surprise.

look what just came in the mail! my sweet aunt allison sent me these cookbooks as a surprise and i couldn't be more excited! today i'm home sick with a head cold and i'm not very happy about it. there is always so much to do but i guess i should be grateful for the rest. i've been reading through these books and i can't wait to get decorating some cupcakes. thank goodness i'll have some sweet free time in just 6 weeks! can't believe it. find the cookbooks here.

the face.

i make this face so much. and since my dad shot this beauty of a pic of my mom last weekend it has all become clear to me...i get it from my mama. i pull this face and i don't even know it, gaaaaah. hate that. at least we're having fun?!

pink and petite.

i am loving this jacket from j crew. perfect for brisk summer nights. and we all know i'm a sucker for anything pink. can you tell i'm getting excited to make an actual salary as a nurse?!! oh the beauties i shall buy! let's just hope i get a job...the market is so bad right now. i get so stressed when i think about it so i just have to push it out of my mind and do everything i can to make myself valuable at primary children's. i can do it, i can do it.

weekend-o.

my wind blown self, so happy to be wearing sunglasses again.

what a weekend! not only did my surgery take place, but it was also my mother-in-law virlie's birthday! it was so much fun celebrating with her. we went to see toy story 3, and absolutely loved it!! the barbie/ken addition was perfect. i can't wait to see it again. we also had dinner at the dodo in sugarhouse and it was lovely. the desserts there are divine.

on sunday we had two delicious meals with both of our families. we are so lucky to have mothers who are fabulous cooks. virlie made the most tasty meal, we look forward to her food each week. these steak tacos were delish. oh how i love food, life just isn't good without it. am i right or am i right?

my eyes can see!

hello! my lasik surgery was a big success and i'm happier than ever. the surgery went great, quick and pain-free. and they even gave me a warm cookie from the oven while i waited between my 2 procedures. they really know how to please. and i could see 20/20 the next morning! best money ever spent. the only downside...i can't wear eye makeup for 5 days. yikies. i went to church today without it and i got some weird looks...but whateves.

it's been a lovely weekend free of work and school, complete bliss. and i've eaten a whole box of trix cereal in like 3 days. isaac asks me if i want food and i say i want trix - like 3 times a day. now they're gone and i'm bummed. so if anyone has an extra box of trix, send them my way.

today we're spending the day with both our families to celebrate our fathers and i'm loving it. i made the most delicious cupcakes that i can't wait to share with you, you'll love. happy father's day to my sweet dad and father-in-law!!

today is the day!

me at workie work.

today i'm going under the knife. just kidding...the laser. the day of my lasik surgery has finally arrived!! time to say goodbye to my glasses and hello to new eyes. can't wait.

hooray! wish me luck!

reminiscing.

a new favorite blog of mine, busy bee lauren {she is adorable} is doing an old photo challenge and i just had to participate. you know how i just love love love photos.

the story: this photo was taken almost 2 years ago when isaac and i first started dating seriously. he invited me to his mom's birthday and i was so thrilled! it was the first time i was going to meet his whole family and i was nervous. the first time i saw isaac i knew i wanted to get to know him {we officially met at classic skating. yes, classic skating}. i felt so lucky to be there as his girlfriend. for his mom's birthday we went to sundance to ride the ski lift up the mountain. it was a full moon and it was so romantic. this is one of the first real photos of isaac and i together and it is so special to me. we look so happy! who knew we were going to get married! it still amazes me that we found each other. i just love my hubs.

if you do lauren's challenge let me know, i would love to see your photo!

the perfect summer cake.

to all my fellow bakers out there, you have to try this blueberry lemon buttermilk cake. and even if you don't consider yourself a baker, try it! it is one of the easiest, most delicious cakes i've ever made. i've actually made it like 4 times since i discovered the recipe a few weeks ago, that's how good it is. it is the perfect compliment to a summertime meal.

i posted the recipe over at just cook already, go take a looksie. and become a follower! once they hit 700 followers they're giving away a year subscription to my favorite magazine real simple! now that is my kind of giveaway.

a lovely little number.

i absolutely adore this dress. i love it's vintage flair and fluttery sleeves. anthropologie gets me every time. i think my grandma would have loved this on me. i just know it. oh how i miss her.

soccer soccer.

last wednesday our english friend paul was such a sweetie and took isaac and me to the real salt lake soccer game. they were playing la galaxy and won! it was so exciting. we were instant fans and are seriously considering buying season tickets for next year. and we want to get a scooter to drive to the games, so we don't have to go so early and can park super close. good idea huh. i think so.

you won't believe what happened to us! we were just sitting in our seats, enjoying the game and all of the sudden the ball came flying like 100 mph at our heads. no joke. i covered my head and ducked and isaac didn't see it coming until it almost hit him, luckily he dodged it just in time. it was crazy. if it would have hit us it could have caused serious damage. so that was fun! but we had such a great time, and david cook was even there to perform after the game! we didn't stay long for his concert, but i definitely enjoyed screaming his name. i get so star struck...ha!

birthday cake.

{we heart it}

hooray for sunday! the day is just going by too quickly if you ask me. we're spending the evening with the westwood family to celebrate my brother in law's birthday! i made him a special birthday cake {i actually had to make 2 because i didn't spray the pan enough on the first one and it broke in multiple pieces when i tried to get it out...grrrr} but the second one turned out beautifully. thank you isaac for spraying the pan with your magical hand.

i wish i had made these cupcakes instead...it's my dream to spend an afternoon making all different flavors of cupcakes and frosting and decorating them in beautiful ways. and maybe own a cupcake shop?! ooooh i don't know. perhaps when i'm done with nursing school...

thank you mom.

oh goodness. i am so excited to tell you about my latest find. as you know, i'm all about homemade treats and i rarely buy store bought goodies. but my mom started raving about these ice cream cookie sandwiches and i had to try them. they are amazing. the cookies are so soft and fresh and the ice cream is premium. i've been eating one every day the past few days and every time i remember i have them in the freezer i do a little dance. that's how good they are. they're called 600 lb. gorillas and you can find them at costco. they even have a coupon for them right now. buy them, you won't be sorry.

happy happy weekend! i hope it's full of yummy treats!

babies babies babies.

the baby shower we threw for steph was so much fun. the food was delicious and we had a great time talking baby. i never knew all the things you need for a baby, so much stuff. i only think about the tiny clothes...and boy oh boy does target have cute baby clothes. i got steph some winners.

we love her baby bump. my hubs says i look creepy in this picture and i don't even care. i love this baby mama and fetus.

steph is one of my very best friends and she is leaving me to move across the country with her husband and newborn for medical school. how dare she. jk jk, now i just get to plan a trip to chicago!! and i'm pretty excited about it.

oh yes.

i like these shoes. a lot. and they're on sale. target brings me so much joy, from the groceries to the home decor to the clothes/shoes to the spot where everything is a dollar...oh i just love it. and for some reason i'm on a shoe kick. i'm still wishing for teal toms!!

my mantra.

i need this for my kitchen. it is so me, don't you think?

grumpy goose.

yo. i just finished another shift and i'm feeling pretty good about my nursing skills. go me. let's just hope i get a job where i'm interning because i don't want to start all over again at another hospital. and i don't want to work with adults. please no. anyways...i'm supposed to be writing a paper for a presentation tomorrow and i'm just not feeling it. gaaaaah. only 8.5 more weeks. hubs and i are counting down, because let's be honest...i'm kind of a mess. if i don't get enough sleep i get all emotional and grumpy and am no fun to be around. and i married the happiest, sweetest man who handles stress like a champ and he is always so nice to me...i'm working on it. i do not want his nicknames for me to stick. nicknames like turd pants or t.p. for short. not great. so here's to managing my time and getting enough sleep...aka being a nice girl.

{weheartit}

and i want my hair to look like this. are these things too much to ask for?! i think not.

a little news.

{eight year old me all dolled up for a dance recital}

big news my friends. i am officially getting lasik on june 18th. i finally get to say goodbye to glasses/contacts forever! as you can see from the beautiful image above, i've been sporting them for quite some time {luckily not that same pair...} and since i've been having so many problems with contacts we decided it was high time to get me some sweet sweet vision. say goodbye to four eyes forever.

baking.

i love baking. i say that a lot don't i? but it's true! it is so relaxing for me, i love just going in the kitchen and forgetting about school and all the other things that worry me. sometimes i spend too much time baking up treats and then i panic when it's 1o o'clock and i still have piles of homework to do...not good. but at least i have a yummy treat to eat! the cupcakes for steph's baby shower turned out fabulous. the wilton 2D piping tip is my new best friend. it makes such beautiful cupcakes.
this week is going to be a busy one. i have plenty of hours scheduled at primary children's, papers, tests and quizzes to conquer, and isaac's friend from england is here visiting and staying with us! so we're going to try to have some fun as well. i have a few new recipes i hope to try...here's my tentative menu for the week.

monday: bbq - cheeseburgers, baked oven fries, and corn on the cob
tuesday: mango peach chicken over coconut rice
wednesday: baked stuffing coated chicken, mashed potatoes, and veggies
thursday: leftovers {i have to work}
friday: date night

i also really want to try these raspberry almond cupcakes with chocolate ganache. yum.

happy monday! i only have 9 more weeks of nursing school, how excited am i?!

summer summer.

{we heart it}

today when i was out and about running errands the air smelled like summer! it smelled warm and fruity and i had complete deja vu of when i was younger and got out of school for the warm months. i suddenly wanted to hit the pool right then. i love summer. thank goodness this is my last semester of spending the summer at school. i've got all sorts of plans stirring in my head for next year.

right now i'm watching this week's episode of glee and i am loving it. so many funky hits.



i can't wait for the finale next week!

hooray!

guess what! i just won these little lovelies from bijou market and i am so excited. aren't they darling?

if you haven't already heard...the bijou market is tomorrow in orem! so if you're in utah, be there or be square. i went last year and it was fabulous, i got so many unique handmade treasures. unfortunately this year, i'll be a square because i'll be at primary children's for a 12 hour shift. let me tell you, i'm very bummed about it. so go for me and tell me about all the fabulous things you purchase!!

also, hooray for friday! i have the day off and i'll be busy preparing for one of my best friend's baby shower tonight! i have cupcakes to prepare! and a gift to buy! i love picking out baby goods. and then i'm off to a concert with my sweet hubs. thank goodness it's friday.

tommy toms.

i've been wanting a pair of toms for quite some time, but i haven't found the perfect pair for me until now. i think these teal darlings will look super cute on my feeties. i need some new shoes to wear to school. after all...this is my last semester of college forever {i hope}. i should stroll back and forth from the trax train in style, don't you think?!

oreo cheesecake bars.

i don't even know where to start, these oreo cheesecake bars are so delicious. i've made them twice in the past 2 weeks and they are so so easy. and so tasty. it was my first time making cheesecake and i was surprised at how simple it was! make them, you won't be sorry. i love annie's eats and all of her fabulous recipes. the end.

memorial day.

my mom and i visiting my sweet grandma's grave on sunday. don't mind my giant hanes men's t shirt. they are so comfy. i wear them sooo much, just ask isaac. and they're only $9.99 for a pack of 3 at target!

what a weekend. thank goodness for sunday and monday because friday and saturday had me beat. i spent a whole lot of time at primary children's/kidscare and i was exhausted. on sweet memorial day we got both of our families together and had such a good time.

we saw babies at broadway theater and loved it. it was so entertaining. we then dined at the red iguana, we sure do love their mexican food. we even tried their fried ice cream and it was delicious.

next year i think i'm going to throw a big bbq for everyone. i wanted to this year but i just got too caught up in school and then all the sudden memorial day was here! but we all know i love going out to eat just as much.

also, i posted my favorite buttercream frosting recipe i use for my cupcakes over at just cook already...fyi.