This year: Recipes

I had such a fun time blogging food and recipes this year. Trying new recipes has always been one of my favorite things to do and I really like having to be creative with food. Another thing I love about blogging recipes is food photography. It can be difficult to come up with new background and arrangement and props to place with your food. And to get the food to look like it does in real life and to look appetizing is another challenge. But I love it! 

One of my absolute favorite things to blog is food. I can't wait to see what 2013 brings for yummy recipes and as I continue to get better as a food photographer. Does anyone have a favorite recipe?
love, Carlee

This Year: Outfits

I wanted to share with you some of my favorite outfits from this past year. My style is ever changing and growing. I mostly just wear what I feel comfortable in and beautiful in. I am excited to see how my style will change throughout this next year. It is super fun getting to look back through outfit post!

This year has been a great one. I started this blog and it has grown and changed so much over the last year, I am excited for 2013 and to see where my little blog goes in the future. I have always loved reading fashion blogs but that wasn't what I thought my blog would be when I first started. I actually didn't know the direction I was going in when I first started. You can even look back in the archives I was all over the place. But I do feel like I have a direction with my blog being a more 'lifestyle' blog now. I love blogging my outfits, recipes, DIYs, photography. I know my blog will continue to change as I continue to change but I think I have a good foundation and there is always room to grow. It has been a good year.

I also want to say Thank You to all of you that are reading my blog and have supported me. It means the world to me to have people that share my same interests and the friends that I have meet through the blogging community. Sometimes I can't believe that I didn't start a blog sooner.
Thanks again for all the support.
love, Carlee

Christmas Candy

This is a super easy recipe and so fun to do. We decorate each flavor of candy differently and place them all in different mini cups. So fun and festive. We make Christmas candy every year and I am so happy to get to share this recipe with all of you. 

You'll need

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cube margarine

Most of a 2 lb bag of powered sugar. 

Flavors as desired

-maple

-almond

-cherry

-strawberry

-chocolate

-coconut

Milk chocolate 

White chocolate

Sprinkles

Directions

1. Mix the sweetened condensed milk, margarine, and powered sugar together. (Should be consistency of play-do) 2. Divide dough into sections to add flavoring too. 3. Add the different flavors to each dough. Use as much flavoring so the dough taste as desired. 4. Roll small balls of dough. 5. Dip ball into melted chocolate and place into mini baking cup. 6. Add sprinkles as desired. 7. Do this with each flavored until all are done. 8. Let chocolate dry and eat. 

I hope you all enjoy this recipe. Happy holidays to everyone and I am sorry I haven't been blogging as much recently. Clark and I have been busy spending time together! 

love, Carlee

Christmas wishes

I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and I hope everyone is having a great day and week! I am spending it with my family and friends and enjoying every second. This photo is from a little self timer photo shoot Clark and I did the other day. I will be sharing the rest and the best with you later. I really love having some pretty photos together as a couple. Anyways enjoy the holiday season.
love, Carlee

Neutrals on yellow

I found these boots in my mom's closet! They are so awesome and I was amazed that she had this great pair of boots in the back of her closet. I don't think I have never seen her wear them so I think I might have to take them over. . . 

Seems I have been dressing in pretty boring colors these days. I might be subconsciously be dressing to match the weather and the landscape around me. I am thinking my next outfit I need to at some colors and making some prints as well. But I do like this outfit don't get me wrong. It is easy and comfortable. Perfect outfit. 

Clark is in town. Finally. I have missed him so much. It is a really different experience to be a military girlfriend. I plan on spending every moment with him while he is here over the break. And I am sure I will keep you updated on what we have been doing. I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday and spending it with the ones you love.

love, Carlee

Advice for a military girlfriend v.2

....during the holidays.

Holidays are a time that most soldiers get to come home or have some sort of leave. Now this doesn't apply for soldiers that are deployed but if the solider is in the states they most likely get some time off to come home or you can visit them. It is lonely spending the holidays alone so any chance that you can see him or he can visit you is a great thing. This is the first year that Clark has been in the military so for Thanksgiving I flew across the country and spent the holiday with him. It was only 4 days but if you cherish the time and make the most out of it, every minute will be worth it. For Christmas Clark gets to come home for 2 weeks which is so exciting. So here is some advice for the military girlfriend during the holidays.

Advice:
Don't just assume: he is coming home because it is a holiday. There are guys that live around the base year round and I am sure he could stay with them. So communicate.
You have to make the effort to: Flights are expensive so you can't just assume that he can afford to buy plane tickets home for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. You need to make the effort to and go to him. He will appreciate it for sure.
Tell your parents: a good deal ahead of time your plans for the holidays. Whether you are going to see him or he is coming to you. This was the first year that I wasn't home for Thanksgiving and my parents felt a little weird about it but I gave them plenty of warning so it wasn't a surprise.
Plan dates: Whether your home or in a different state have things in mind that you might want to do with each other. That way you won't be sitting around bored when your together. It is fun to go on dates and do activities.
Don't over plan: You don't want to be doing something 24/7.You also want time to just cuddle and be together. 

Beware:
You have to share: I know I know. You want him all to yourself. I know I do. But you have to share whether it is will family or friends or your family. Other people are going to want to see him and spend time with him. 
Time flies: The time that you have together will go by super fast. But don't make the mistake of saying that. You don't want to always bring up how many days you have left together, that will put a strain on the time you do have. Just enjoy every second. 

View my first advice post for military girlfriends here.
love, Carlee

Snowgulls

I don't think there is really such a thing as a snowgull. But there should be right. Like a seagull but in the snow. Anyways I am so excited to be back in eastern Washington because that means that there is snow. The ski hill closes to my town opened on Saturday and I am so excited because I haven't been skiing in forever. Seems every winter I was so busy with sports or work that I haven't been able too go. But this winter Clark and I are making specific plans to do so. 

Now lets talk about this dress. It is from eShakti. You don't even know how excited I was that it showed up before the holidays. It is just the perfect holiday dress. There is a little bit of sparkle and the print is super pretty. It also has pockets. When I first put it on and realized it had pockets I was so excited. I have never had a dress with pockets before and when ordering this dress I didn't realize it had them so I was beyond happy. 

Dress c/o: eShakti. Jacket and Boots: Old Navy. Scarf: old. Earrings: gift. 

Also how pretty is it that this dress twirls like this picture above! I love it so much. Clark flies in the next few days and I am going to pick him up at the airport. It has only been about 3 weeks since we have seen each other. That is a really short time for living across the country and being in a military relationship. I feel like I am being spoiled with this time I am going to get to see him. Love it!

love, Carlee

Peppermint bark

This was the first year that I have made peppermint bark. I can't believe it either because it is so easy and it taste so yummy. Here is the recipe. I think it is a much try for sure!

You'll need:

Milk chocolate 

White chocolate

Candy Canes

A cookie sheet

Wax paper

Directions

1. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. 2. In a double boiler or in a bowl in the microwave (either work) melt the milk chocolate. 3. Pour the milk chocolate over the wax paper on the cookie sheet and spread evenly. 4. Put in refrigerator and let harden for about 30 minutes. 5. Unwrap 4 candy canes, put in a ziplock bag, and crush with a meat hammer or something similar. 6.  Once the milk chocolate is hardened. Melt the white chocolate and spread over the milk chocolate evenly. 7. Sprinkle the crushed candy canes over the white chocolate and press in gently with your hands. 8. Place in fridge for 30 minutes. 9. Break them into pieces! 

Do you make peppermint bark every year? I have seen many variations of this recipe. I want to know how others turned out. So let me know.
love, Carlee

Flakes of snow

Okay so it is still a few days out from Christmas but I was so excited yesterday when it started to snow. It'll probably all be melted by tomorrow but a girl can hope that it is not right. I am just glad it is starting now. It is looking promising that we will have a White Christmas this year. And since it is cold enough outside there better be snow on the ground. I hope my blog doesn't turn into to much of a weather report this time of year. 

Sorry these photos are kind of blurry!! I must have been just so excited about the snow. Hope you can forgive me. So I actually had a really boring weekend, I am home from college but all my family was out of town this weekend watching my little brothers play basketball. I definitely should have gone because I was so bored all weekend. My logic for not going was I didn't want to drive all the way there (3 hours) after just having to drive home from Seattle (4 hours). But oh well at least next time I know which path to choose. Go to family event and don't be bored at home.

Jeans: Macys. Jacket: A&F. Shirt: Gap. Boots: Bearpaw. Scarf: old. Hat: the boyfriend.

Anyone else experiencing snow right now?

love, Carlee

Wish list: glasses

Now I have two pairs of glasses view this post and this post for more info on that. But since I need prescription glasses for real and not just for fashion is it fun to have a few pairs to which out. That way I can see, be fashionable and trendy. Well at least in my own head! So here are a few glasses that I have picked from GlassesUSA.com that are on my new wish list for glasses that I would like to have! These glasses are all different styles and colors then the ones I have now. I like trying new frames and seeing how they fit and look on my face. 

I remember the first pair of eyeglasses I owned my mom bought them for me and they were around $300 dollars. With all the great glasses stored these days you don't have to spend a fortune and that is great in my opinion. So check out my stylish and affordable picks below from GlassesUSA.com.Which pair of glasses frames below is your favorite?

1.College Tortoise Shell

2.Clark

3.Reece Jakob 6003 Black-Red

4.Vintage VN108 Tortoise

5.iSee 729 Black

Try out their virutal mirror feature so you can see how the glasses look on you before buying!

This post is sponsored by GlassesUSA.com

P.S. GlassesUSA is offering my readers 15% off + get free shipping storewide on your entire order (orders over $50). Code: FS15 or 10% off any order of prescription glasses. Code: Blog10

love, Carlee

Spritz

Every single year as far back as I can remember we always make Spritz Cookies. They are so yummy. The almond flavor and the fun shapes you get to create. They are probably the most eaten treat at our house during the holidays. We usually have to make 2 to 3 batches. Anyways here is the recipe.


You'll need

Spritz cookie press

Cookie Sheet

Ingredients

1 cup butter (softened)

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Green and red food coloring. 

Sprinkles as desired 

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Mix ingredients together. Split dough in half to make some green and some red. 3. Place dough in cookie press with desired shape (I used trees and flowers and the little star for the wreaths) Press onto cookie sheet. 4. Bake until set but not brown. 6 to 9 minutes. 


-You should clean out the cookie press each time you change the color of the dough. i.e. if you are changing from red to green so the colors don't mix together. 

-On some of the cookies we places sprinkles on them before baking to add holiday decorations. I hope you enjoy the first holiday recipe of many.

love, Carlee

Holiday Giddiness

Yesterday when I got home I was so giddy for the holidays. The tree was up, Christmas lights, cookies in the oven, decorations all over the house, Christmas music on. It was so great. I even made my mom get out the box of ornaments so I could be a few on that they hadn't put up yet. I was so happy. We made some cookies yesterday and I got to put the presents that I had already bought under the tree. The holidays are a great time, I am sure no one will argue with me on that one.

So I picked out this 'Middle Child is Mom's Favorite' ornament a couple of years ago and since I am the middle child I always give my little brother a hard time when Christmas comes every year and it is hanging on the tree. He might be 11 and I am 20 but hey it is still fun to give your siblings a hard time. Oh the joy of the holidays. 

I am really excited to be sharing with all of you some of my favorite holiday recipes. My mom and I make a bunch of cookies and candy every year. I am sure none of the recipes will be ground breaking but I am still excited to share them. Then one day when I have my own kids I can look but on my blog this time of year and make all my favorite recipes without ever having to write anything down on a recipe card. However, I do like a recipe box filled up with recipe cards there is something so cool about a recipe box stuffed to the brim with recipes you have collected over the years. Hopefully someday I will have one, I guess I can start on that now.
Have a wonderful day.
love, Carlee