My May

May was a pretty busy month for me, between my birthday, strawberry picking, a wedding, going home two out of four weekends, and finishing it up with Memorial Day and a graduation, I'd say that all adds up to a pretty perfect month.

look what my June is shaping up like...

And lastly, a video of someone I am very proud of...

what a poser...

i feel ridiculous. i am an awful at this posing thing. most of the time i want to jump up and down or make a super goofy face, because thats just me. i feel better when i act dumb. shh. dont tell anyone.  like seriously? what is that super serious face to the left? and what kind of hill am i climbing on the right. oh well... i will get better.
shirt, boots, and jeans: Charlotte Russe// cardigan: Gap Outlet

and now for a little weekend update...

i had a little wine-o// tried to explain Girl Scout cookies to HandyAndy (since when do cookies need explaining?)// he also decided to call me goofy, what a romantic guy huh? i actually found it to be pretty sweet// and i found my cat hiding under my Christmas tree, which i finally decided i had to take it down.

i also made a little housewarming present for two of my friends that just purchased their home together. they are getting married in May and i couldn't be more excited for them. i used fabrics and a frame i already had and i am thinking of adding a few of these to my etsy shop as well.

how was your weekend? did you do anything fun?

linking up with

 YOLO Mondays

Weekend Update

instagram... its an obsession

couldn't be more excited to co-host an instagram blog hop today with the lovely ladies below! this is perfect for me to co-host because as you can tell by the following, i am obsessed with instagram. i have included some of my most recent below.

so join us.

i love looking at all your pictures.

 

Welcome to the Instagram Blog Hop! This is a party where you link up your Instagram account, find and follow new Instagram friends, and be continually inspired by what you see in your Instagram feed! No need to have a blog, just an Instagram account!

How to PLAY:

1. Follow your HOSTS on Instagram:

Kimberly | @anightowlblog of A Night Owl 

Emily | @mrsemshhh of The Pink Elephant 

Angie | @angieali of Little Inspiration

2. Follow your CO-HOSTS on Instagram:

Vanessa | @craftyvanessa of See Vanessa Craft

You can find Vanessa here: 

Instagram :: Blog :: Facebook :: Twitter :: Pinterest

 ***

Montana | @saramontanasays of SaraMontana Says

You can find Montana here: 

Instagram :: Blog :: Etsy :: Twitter

3. Check out and follow a couple fellow IGers.

Tell folks you follow that you found them through the Hop!

4. Spread the word!

Tweet

Grab a button HERE for your sidebar!

5. Link up your Instagram Web Profile:

Just link up your new Instagram Web Profile (http://instagram.com/username) -OR- your web viewer of choice in the linky below! 

Note: this URL will not let you choose a profile pic from your feed, so be sure you have a picture you can upload from your computer if you use it! If you get a "Error: The requested URL returned error: 500" error that just means it can't find a picture to use NOT that your link is bad. Just click on "Direct Image URL" if you have one or "Upload from Computer".

Now, link up! Remember to link up your INSTAGRAM account, not your blog.

Go Dawgs! Go Christmas! Go Southern!

I couldn't have been more excited the other afternoon when I looked in my mailbox. I had received a card from my Granny a few weeks ago saying that I would be getting a subscription to Southern Living for the next year. Well guess what! It already started!

To us Southern girls, Southern Living is somewhat of a bible, we get ideas about our homes, new recipes to try and even hear of wonderful places all around the South to visit.

Well this issue was no different, it is filled with lots of wonderful looking recipes, great gift ideas for Christmas and this YUMMY recipe!

It is perfect for Christmas or to take to a tailgate. (a UGA tailgate that is)

Red Velvet Peppermint Swirl Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 (4-oz.) bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
• 3/4 cup butter 
• 2 1/4 cups sugar, divided 
• 4 large eggs 
• 1 (1-oz.) bottle red liquid food coloring
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided 
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened 
• 2 egg whites 
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

• Preparation
• 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of a 13- x 9-inch pan with aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.
• 2. Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk in 2 cups sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition. Add food coloring, peppermint extract, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Gently stir in 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/8 tsp. salt. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• 3. Beat cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg whites and remaining 1 tsp. vanilla, and beat until blended. Stir in 2 Tbsp. flour until smooth. Drop cream cheese mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls over batter in pan; gently swirl with a knife.
• 4. Bake at 350° for 30 to 32 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Lift brownies from pan, using foil sides as handles. Gently remove foil; cut brownies into squares.

These are super easy, although your hands might turn a little red during the process. But they are totally worth it.

They were a hit at Andy's parents house and I finally brought the rest to work so that I would stop eating them. Let me know what you think!

thank·ful

thank·ful

adjective \ˈthaŋk-fəl\

conscious of benefit received <for what we are about to receive make us truly thankful>

for reaching 60 GFC followers, it is crazy to me that complete strangers choose to read about me and the little things I find important.  This blog is a way for me to document things that happen, but also to help me get my ideas out of my head and into a space so  I can figure out the things I want out of life. Y'alls words of encouragement have meant so much.

a sweet boy, who gave me flowers yesterday, my new favorite kind of flowers.

my growing sewing skills, it is so gratifying to be able to figure out something on my own without looking it up, like the lining in this new SaraMontana's clutch

i am thankful for my new iphone, with an un-cracked screen and a bright purple case, if you have any tips for a new iphone user, throw them my way.

being able to turn pears into preserves on a Sunday afternoon, also a plus to get some Christmas gifts made early.

and finally I am thankful for the little moments, the moments when you just know that God is with you. That there is someone smiling down at you. That something is bigger than you could ever imagine.

What are you thankful for today?

its the small things...

This weekend was a full one, but one where I got to stay at home at least.
It was full of small things, but the BEST things.

At work Friday (and Thursday) we made homemade peach ice cream. It was beyond amazing.



Friday night, I cooked some lasagna, made a salad, and enjoyed watching Andy wrestled with my bottle of wine. And he really did wrestle.


We both spent literally 20 minutes trying to get it open. But in the end, Andy persevered.
And I got my wine.

Saturday was spent with my sweet friend, Kelsey.
We spent the day with the rest of her vet school class at the coolest pond. It had a trampoline, zip lines, and giant diving boards. It was so much fun to spend some time in the sun with a good friend.

Saturday night, Andy and I ate at a friends house for dinner. They cooked a HUGE amount of ribs and more homemade ice cream.

Sunday morning was spent at church followed by eating Mexican, being lazy, finding the worlds smallest carrots, and cooking for HA's parents. We even made more homemade ice cream.



So you might notice from this post, that I LOVE ICE CREAM.
Seriously. I am addicted.
So here is the super easy recipe, it is so much better than store-bought and really simple.

Easy Ice Cream

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 cans evaporated milk
1 Tbls vanilla
1/2 gallon milk
fruit 

Now just puree your fruit (I used strawberries and peaches), add the fruit, sugar, evaporated milk, and vanilla to your mixer. Fill to "fill line" with milk.

I made this recipe in a large mixer, the one that you fill with ice on the sides. Churn until the mixer stops on its own. This makes soft-serve like ice cream. You can freeze in the freezer to get it to be more like store-bought, I don't wait that long. I just jump in.

NOTE: I used non-fat evaporated milk, and 1% milk and it turned out great. Some may turn there nose up at this, and say GO FULL FAT. However, I try to cut it back where I can, and I seriously couldn't tell the difference.

What was super fun about your weekend??



Linking up today with Alli, Sami, and Carly!

PS- I have changed my blog email in order to keep things a little separate.
Trying to contact me? Try this!
saramontanasays@gmail.com

instagrammin it...

yes, I realize I made up that word, instagrammin.

get over it.

especially you HA, I know you hate my incorrect grammar.

Here is a little recap of my day off work yesterday, we went to the Mart in Atlanta to look for wholesale items for my mom's business, and also do a little "cash and carry" buying!

I came home with some great deals and sore feet from all the walking! 

Perfect day!

Doing a little linking up with some instagram today...

Join me!!

follow me on instagram too!!