Photos on a Friday.

I've been in a "don't waste time in the Internet" phase these last two weeks, so my posts have been sparse. I wanted to give a super fast update on what I've been doing, aside from writing a massive paper that I turned in yesterday. 

Last week I enjoyed a dinner date with my friends, Lindsey and Jared. I was in their wedding last March, and I love, love, love visiting them and living in the same city again. Linds made an insanely good split pea soup... just looking at that photo makes my mouth water. We talked about life and told funny stories over soup, crusty bread, sharp cheddar cheese, grapes, and cold beer. It was a blast. I left so stuffed and happy.

I got in a little soup-making mode myself and whipped up a batch of chickenless noodle soup. It's meat-free and tastes just like chicken noodle soup. It's so warm and cozy and good for when you feel a cold coming on or just need to snuggle and be happy on the inside. Maybe when I make it again this week I'll snap a few photos and do a post for next week. Would any of you be interested? 

While studying, I made sure to take lots of "Matilda breaks," which entailed talking to her like a human and petting her. I also learned how to create a hair bow in my downtime, using this tutorial. I have yet to wear it out in public, but I sure do love to study with it. Made me feel so fancy.

I packed a bag for a spontaneous trip to Destin last weekend. I went over to spend a day there when Harbor was working so I could write a paper in a new location, eat dinner twice with my boyfriend, and look outside and see the sunshine on the water when I needed to clear my mind. The drive helped me get outside of my study zone when I needed it, and I always love spending time with his family. I can't wait to celebrate Thanksgiving with them next month. 

How do you like to make time for special friends and memory-making opportunities when you get swamped with work or homework or your agenda? 

K

Hot Ginger-Apple Cider recipe.

It's been awhile since I've posted, so I decided I couldn't show up empty handed. So tonight I've got a super yummy fall recipe to share. Without further ado...

Hot Ginger-Apple Cider (for adults)

4 cups apple cider, no sugar added
2 cinnamon sticks
1 piece of ginger root, 1-inch, peeled and sliced into thin disks
3 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp brown sugar
6 whole cloves
(and some red wine...)

Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat (but don't let it boil... I left it alone while I was reading and mine boiled a bit). Cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer very slowly for one hour. <-- This was when mine boiled. I recommend reducing to the "warm" setting if yours is looking like it might bubble up. 

I found this recipe on my Weight Watchers app this evening, and since I was already heading to the grocery store, I decided to grab the two ingredients I didn't have at home so I could snuggle up and drink a cozy cider while I studied for my class tomorrow. I hadn't planned on adding any alcohol, but when I read the user comments... well, yeah, it sounded like a really good idea. I'm drinking it right now, and it's just the best thing in the world. I made a half batch, and added a 1/4 cup of red wine to the mix. Next time I'll probably do a 1 to 1 ratio of red wine and apple cider. Yum!

This spicy cider would go really well with a plate of warm pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, I think. <3

Tomorrow I'll share some photos from my life lately. Nothing too exciting, but I haven't shared a photo post in awhile, so I suppose you have something to look forward to. :)

Goodnight! And good luck to any fellow studiers out there. I feel your pain.

K

Things I did today.

Slept in an hour later than I had intended because Matilda was keeping me warm. She's so cute! (If you follow me on Instagram, you'll find lots of photos of her being snuggly.)

Did lots of school work. Drank a delicious dirty chai. I added lots of honey and some cinnamon. And I think that it may have been my first hot drink of the season.

I went shopping! Found lots of great chilly weather gear including a faux leather jacket. (Trust me, I've been looking for awhile now.)

Started my Autumn Playlist. It's a work in progress, but here's what I have so far! Creating a special playlist for fall is a tradition I've done for the last two years, and my little brother gave me the perfect song to start it out with!


Baked a mini tomato, spinach, garlic and onion pizza.

Thought about all the fun I had this weekend in Brevard for Harbor's band's very last show. I really love and miss all of my friends in Central Florida. 

Time to hit the books again. :) What did you do today? And, do you have any songs you love to listen to during the fall? I'm collecting... 

K

Iced coffee, messy hair and naked nails.

This is a draft I've had sitting in my queue since summertime. I guess the title does feel more like a warm weather post than fall one, but it definitely rings true this week. I've been busy, busy! As my school schedule shifts ever-closer to midterms, I've found that I'm doing school-related things most hours of the day. It's really fun, but I've been challenged to find new ways to have fun and take care of myself.

For instance, I recently tried this iced coffee recipe and loved it, so last night I sent an email out sharing it with lots of my friends. Today, I was inundated with reply email updates, photo texts, and Instagram tags of sweet friends who tried it out themselves. I jokingly said to my friend Nichole that it sort of felt like one, big, girly coffee date. So fun.

But, I've found some really sweet ways to slow down and connect with friends lately too. I spent two days in Destin with Harbor's family over the weekend. Played around on the jet ski, (broke the jet ski...), jumped from the second story balcony into the harbor with Harbor (hehe). I've had dinner dates with my sister, and played with my kitty a lot. I've even found time to listen to new bands! Maybe I'm just getting better at time management and integrating my school work into my daily life. Let's hope so.

Now I think I'll finish catching up on blogs for the next 15 minutes while I sip up my tomato soup and peanut butter sandwich.

Then, of course, it's back to the books.

K

An Eisley date.

I got to see one of my favorite bands this Wednesday evening! I've been a fan of Eisley since... gosh, well, I guess since 2005. I would sing "Marvelous Things" and "Trollywood" in the car by myself, or belt out harmonies with my friend Jess on long road trips when I lived in North Carolina. When I was in Austin for SXSW this year, I got to see bits and pieces of their set at the showcase I was working, but in the end, I was sort of bummed that I didn't get to really take it in. The last time I was able to see them live was at Cornerstone a year and a half ago. It was really sweet, actually. Harbor and I were still sort of newly dating, and we both ended up at Cornerstone - his band played a handful of times that week, and I was there with work. Anyway, Eisley played a really late show in the Acoustic Tent one evening, and he and I got to go and relax after a very long, hard day, and just hold hands and sip lattes made in a little "mobile coffee shop" that was set-up in the back. It was really a magical moment, so I was excited to get to see them with him again. 

As an FSU student, most of our shows and campus activities are completely free! So Harbor drove over from Destin to attend the show with me. (What a good dude.) We stayed out pretty late, enjoying the music together, and then splitting a sandwich at 1 o'clock in the morning. I paid for it the next morning in my CBT class, but it was worth it to stay up super late reading my schoolwork to have been able to go to the show. 

Yes. I am that much of a Red Velvet / A Beautiful Mess blog nerd that as soon as Stacy stepped on stage I turned to Harbor and was like, "Ohhh, yay! She's wearing one of the new dresses from the spring line. It's so pretty!" haha. In fact, all three of those girls looks fabulous in their very own, unique way. 

Tomorrow I'm going to Destin for a "study getaway" at Harbor's parents' house. I'm going to ride the jet ski in the Gulf whenever I start to get too antsy from my reading. Or lay out in the sun. I am also especially excited to be able to taste the iced coffee I whipped together this afternoon. Please go and read Vanessa's blog post this instant if you're into yummy homemade coffee drinks like I am. It's so easy, and smells delicious. I hope it's even better than the cinnamon iced coffee I've been making. Mmm. 

Goodnight! Hope you guys have a fun weekend. 

K