Bake It Pretty!

ok, people, if you like to bake, you really really really need to run over to bake it pretty and fall in love! they have everything you could possible imagine to make your baked goods beautiful! from fun cupcake papers, pretty packaging, molds, and sprinkles galore!

and speaking of sprinkles... which happen to be one of my favorite things!... the bake it pretty blog is doing a contest! click on the mix it up photo below to check it out!

i thought i'd enter the adorable little contest and share my entries with all of you! you can only have three combos... which is good because i think i honestly could have spent all day doing this :) colors AND sprinkles- i'm all over it! here are the combos i came up with- let me know what you think... and try it out for yourself~ you just might win! let me know which three of mine are your favs! i'm waiting to enter....

happy sprinkling!!

#1. pretty in pink

inspired by this photo:

#2. The Hills

inspired by this photo:

#3 sex on the beach (as in the drink...)

inspired by this photo: 

#4 sex and the city 2 (in honor of this summer's movie!!)

inspired by this photo:

the world delayed me...

i know its been a while since i've blogged, and it is not because i haven't wanted to... i've just been in a funk i cant seem to shake... and now this morning i felt great, until i flipped my head over to dry my hair after my shower and then upon flipping my head back up, i felt a horrid shooting pain run the length of my back. now my upper back between my shoulder blades and into my lower neck are in excruciating pain. as i type this i look quite like the hunchback of notre dame, except i'm also sitting a bit sideways. i am not enjoying this, although my mood is super happy today for some reason (i'm NOT complaining!) so, in light of happiness billowing out of my soul, i wanted to share a fun little post i have adapted from a project called a week in the life i saw recently on alie edwards' fabulous site! what would yours say?! '

i am thinking

                  I need to work on bring happier, and how much I am dying to open my own etsy shop!

I am thankful

                  for my amazing hubby who makes me smile, even when he’s sleeping.

I am eating

                  yogurt and granola… with a cup of coffee…mmmmmmm!!!

I am learning

                  to quilt on my mom’s sewing machine. Yes.

I am wearing

                  my usual- tshirt and capris with my birkenstock. i am beginning to think i need a new wardrobe…. a grown-up looking one!

I am creating

                  products i can sell on etsy and i’m working on finishing up a baby gift for my lovely friend, kate who is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her first baby!

I am going

                  to get through this pain. no matter what.

I am reading

                  wicked: the life and times of the wicked witch of the west

I am hoping

                  the roundup i just sprayed all over the weed with thorns in the garden works quickly so i can plant the fun two-tone grass i bought and my lavender!

I am hearing

                  cheesy soap operas on the tv i am not sure why i haven’t yet turned off from the morning news.

I am buying

                  nothing because we are trying to save our money!

I am tweeting

                  about paper n stitch – All Modern Giveaway - A daily dose of handmade, design, and style inspiration http://shar.es/mhyDj

I am blogging

                  this lovely little list to all of you- and hope you’ll make your own and send me a link! hint hint! {wink}

I am texting

                  my hubby as usual… he’s in a really tough class for work right now and i’m sending him little motivations all week long!

I am watching

                  the l word- don’t judge. it’s drama-ridden and saucy and has so much girl-power.

Outside my window

                  are my cutie little barn swallows on the back porch tending to their eggs! i can’t wait for baby birds!! {plus i find it amazingly apropos because i want a vintage-looking swallow as my next tattoo!}

Around the house

                  i have most of my messed cleaned up! yay!!

On my facebook page

                  i am following the demi & ashton foundation and learning about how ohio has become a hot bed for human traffickers. we really need to do something about this.  

One of my favorite things

                        is when my hubby walks through the door after work and gives me his big huge smile and tells me he missed me. {heart melts every time!}

yesterday morning

*our loot*

we went to the local farmer's market here in honolulu. it is held in the parking lot of the community college at the base of diamond head. it's beautiful, and shady and green. there are amazing gardens planted by the students, complete with a billion different types of cactus. as you walk to the main entrance you are immediately greeted by the smell of fresh roasted coffee. there is handmade chocolate, orchids, bird of paradise flowers in buckets, pork sandwiches with yummy coleslaw, and a plethora of organic veggies. a bread shop which had every type of bread you could imagine: kalmata olive, cranberry walnut, herb, rolls, breadsticks, and scones. then there was the naked cow dairy. the name was so cute we couldn't pass up their tiny stall. it was packed with people vying for a front position where they could easily reach a tiny spoon to scoop up the delish-butters, herbed feta, or handmade cream cheese. wow. i could get really fat if i were friends with the girls who ran that place! my hubby was thrilled i brought him home a small container of the feta- that was, until i told him how much it cost. there's quite a premium for organic, fresh, good-for-you food. 


as we were eating some of our loot from the market, a commercial cam on the tv telling everyone about how they could get a double burger from burger king for one dollar. it's any wonder our country is so fat and unhealthy. what a shame. it makes me sad to think that most people would opt for the dollar burger rather than the local food because it's sooooo much cheaper. i think things in america are really backwards- i don't think that crazy healthcare bill is taking this into account. how sad. 


anywho, get your butts to your local market. you will love it. your heart will love it~ and you might find your own naked cows that make your head spin they taste so good! happy farmer's marketing!

*chinese beans~ not sure, but we're gonna try 'em*

*not sure what these flowers actually are, but they smell like paradise itself*

*so yummy*

*more beautiful tropical flowers*

*pork sliders on taro buns*

*fresh sun dried tomatoes*

*okra and the biggest papayas i've ever seen*

*beautiful!!!!!*

absence makes the heart grow fonder

i've been gone for a while because we've been moving from japan back to america. it was a fairly easy trip which is just what i was hoping for and now we're safe and sound in hawaii spending time with the family. we now have the task of figuring out where we'll be living. we are both hoping to end up in texas, but i have to admit, the warm ocean breezes and mid-80 degree weather here right now really makes me want to stick around on this amazing island! i'll be back to blogging regularly here soon! don't think i've forgotten about you all out there! have a fabulous saturday! happy weekending!

*can't you just feel the breeze?!*

please excuse....

*lacy & i*

my tardiness~ i'm a little bit late on this one, but i wanted to share it with you anywho! a couple of weekends ago, we hopped on a ferry to the island shodoshima known for being very mediterranean-esque. the ferry was huge and we headed up to the tiptop for the best views, not knowing we'd find a kids play area with bouncy things which kept lacy and i totally amused for the ride. i have to admit i was bummed when kids came up and i had to give up my new-found toy! we are such kids at heart, us girls! the views were breathtaking, and i was secretly wishing to one day live on the coast and have to take a ferry boat to work. mcdreamy is so right: there's something utterly romantic about a ferry boat! but i digress....

*workin' the bouncy thing - quintessential me with the coffee*

the reason was the kayaking and it was nothing short of amazing~ to include the workout it ended up being. we started out on a chilly morning; the sea was pretty calm. 

*tiny island shrine*

first stop: a tiny island shrine- we collected sea glass, the boys rough-housed (unbeknownst to them there were a ton of sharp rocks RIGHT off the shore!!) chris walked away with a bloody knee of cuts, which stung like hell when that salt water kicked in! the sun shone beautifully on the water~ and reflected upon us the feeling we had found another little slice of heaven on this earth. 

*so damn cute ~ we can't control ourselves*

*chris searching for his ring - me; thankful chris brought this jacket!*

next stop: pebbly beach further down the coast of the island. we parked the kayaks and got to exploring! there were huge rocks being splashed every few moments by the waves of the sea. tall grass swayed in the breeze. a canal with a very crazy bridge made oddly-shaped concrete slabs. the boys did tai chi on the shore line with the waves trying in vain to throw off their balance. more roughhousing ensued. followed by chris losing his wedding ring in the sea. what color is it? black. murky water plus a black ring, it was a doomed rescue situation from the start. snorkels helped in the rescue, but the searching went on as the waves continued to push the water further up on shore, and moving the rocks endlessly. the guide, yamachan, joined the rescue attempt- he went down a few times, then asked what color it was- down under one more time, and up he comes with the ring! hero of the day! wow... 

*taco rice ~ yamachan and his home brew*

*me making chris' bowl of taco rice yum-o*

the next treat, and the reason we stayed on the beach so long was our lunch. i never would have imagined having one of the best meals in japan on the seashore with the kayaking guide cooking. he had to change the usual menu (likely fish, fish, and more fish) because of chris' allergies *sometimes they come in handy!!* so the lunch for the day turned into okinawa's famous taco rice and mushroom soup. there was home brew and grapefruit juice to wash it all down. HUGE purple grapes for dessert (too bad chris couldn't have those either~ i ate his share!!) so, to explain taco rice a little further: make rice, cook up ground beef just like you would if you were putting them on tacos; seasoning and all. make fresh salsa. chop up lettuce. get the shredded cheese ready. grab a bowl and layer: rice, meat, lettuce, salsa, cheese. pick your pair of chopsticks and revel in the yum-o-ness!!! it was seriously awesome. i can't wait to make this when i get back home. the soup was perfect because we were all a tad chilly at this point, and it made our noses run! the home brew was good and strong, and the bubbles tickled my nose. 


 then there was more kayaking.

*biggest punkin' ever*

stop 3: another beach; this one with a bathroom. score. the potty queens immediately went to check it out. cute gift shop with everything olive-flavored, and plum soft-serve. we found the biggest pumpkin EVER! it was ginormous! lacy and i had more fun on the bouncy things, we are VERY easily amused! 

*the crew, another adventure complete*

back to the kayaks, rounded out the day with our last stretch of now-choppy waters to return us to the base camp. a quick change into warm clothes and we were off to the ferry port. the ferry was great again, this time we got to watch the sunset. ooh-la-la is all i can say. another incredible weekend of friends, and fun. life is good. happy adventuring!

*view from the ferry boat*

*hot, hot, hot*

why...

is volkswagon so genius? because of this: (suzie, this one is especially for you!) check out the rest at the fun theory.

*action-packed weekend~ blog style*

hello last weekend, remember us?

singing. on key. off key.

the ipod shuffle. i heart new music. 

talks about religion. work. life. enlightening. 

eyebrows. the kind you pluck. 

'i've got hurt feelings.' a song. a theme. 

a small man's wet suit. fitting for small men. 

marijuana plants. to decorate your garden?

secret crocodiles. (not alligators) childrens' imaginations.

glow sticks. blinding others with them. 

donjiris. in my parking spot. 

dams. reservoirs. secluded islands. 

beware. falling rocks. 

tallest mountain. climbing it. 

autumn leaves. tree roots. mountain flowers. 

photos of mushrooms. and gunfights. 

god chains. slippery rocks.

steep jog on a mountain trail. 

monks. their temple. conch shell horns. giant bells. 

dangling from a cable. riding through the clouds.

driving at warp speed. starvation kills. 

triple meat yakiniku. love crepe dessert.

boys. video game battles.

steak. chicken. lentil soup. peanut butter cups.

"we're just taking a nap in the car." why. we're waiting for you.

spooky october moon billions of spiders. 

moonlight walks. hand-in-hand.

peace. love. rock & roll. river rafting. 

bonfires. floating candles. 

good times. great friends.

unforgettable adventures.

priceless memories.

*howling at the moon*

beautiful autumn leaves

scary spiders galore!

shrooms of all kinds

this is what moonlight rafting looked like...