chopped

I got my hair cut today. I know, I know--not super exciting. BUT I haven't gotten my cut in the year 2012 yet. Impressed yet? It just sort of didn't happen. Then it was too close to the wedding to get it cut and then it still didn't happen but now that sweet sweet day arrived. My hubs was pretty excited about it. He LOVES my hair short and it had gotten out. of. control. 

BEFORE

AFTER

I basically chopped half of it off and it feels great. No my sweatiness from the heat. I always love the feeling of running my hand through the back of my hair right after I get it cut short. Anyone else love that??

I hope everyone is having a great weekend! 

Time to get things ready to cook my adorable husband a steak dinner to come home to and "surprise" him with my hair! 

About Me

I figured I might as well introduce myself since I wrote my about me section today, but you are in luck cause this is my about me section with commentary. hooray you may say!!

I’m a mid-twenty-something.

^in fact i turn the big 26 in 47 days, yay september babies! {yep closer to 30 than 20, wasn't I just a teenager the other day!?}

I married the best guy I know on May 12, 2012.

^it's true! and you're gonna hear about!! plus i'm going to start sharing all my tips and tricks that i learned from being a bride along with all my handmade details in hopes that they will help someone else one day!

I’m currently a student of learning how to do this whole “being a wife” thing, as well as learning how to running our household. {and when I say household I mean tiny two bedroom apartment with only 3 windows.}

^i'm on day 74 of being a wife and so far so good i think. my husband is still glad he married me and i'm pretty ecstatic about that! i'm learning along the way how to love him more and be supportive to him. plus i'm developing a pretty sick grocery store routine that i will share as i perfect it more and more ;) 

I do love my state of Kentucky, I must admit though I’m partial to southern charm qualities over it’s others. #boarderstateissues

^i do love being a Kentucky girl and i adore southern charm. my dream house would have tall white columns with a large southern porch complete with ceiling fans.

With that being said I’m a fan of hospitality and there is none greater than that of the southern type.

^i dream of throwing dinner parties and gatherings with friends and family and always having my home "open" for others.

One of my greatest strengths and also weaknesses is that I pretty much think I can make anything, there are a lot of successes but also there are failures. 

^it's true. i always see something and think to myself "i can make that!" regardless if i'm successful or not and regardless as if i want to pull my hair out by the end of it.

I cook. A lot. And it’s apparently good. I’ve already spoiled my husband so much he’d rather have me cook something than go out and get that same thing at a restaurant. It’s a blessing and a curse.

^it's true. i'm not even aloud to order pizza! he prefers my pizza. {ok that's partly not 100%, i am allowed to order pizza but he would rather have mine and wishes i wouldn't order pizza, or go to a pizza place}

If something involves Jane Austen I’m in love with it, even if I don’t know what it is.

^truth. need i say more? of course not. i was once wearing my pride and prejudice tee at the grocery story and it started a very long conversation with the girl working the cheese counter in which she made it very difficult for me to stop talking to her and go about my business.

I enjoy a good book and the time to relax with it. 

^yep. i love to read. i love the way books are, feel, and look like. i enjoy reading them and making them well worn in. i dream of a home library {obviously in my dream house} and i love nothing more than all of my books in alphabetical order by author. i love getting cozy in my bed or a nice big comfy chair and reading a good book, give me coffee or tea and a scone and i'm in heaven. 

I’m pretty much in love with the color mustard yellow, I promise it’s a healthy obsession. 

^pretty much anything i pick i pick in this color, and pretty much everything my husband picks is the color blue. so i see lots of blue and yellow in our long life of decorating future. also i in fact have two different pairs of mustard yellow gloves, and i bought them in the same season. 

And last of all my favorite princess/fairytale character is Snow White and I confess that when I make apple pie it makes me feel like I’m am Snow White the only thing missing are my little birdie friends to help use their feet to crimp my pie crust for me. Alas, I just use a fork instead.

^she's awesome. and i even love her in Once Upon a Time, her look, her hair, her home, her style, her sweetness {love her!} and i just so happen to have wear my hair short and black...i promise it's not because of her but you can't help but notice the resemblance ;)

see what i mean?!? 

 

the cozy, shabby chic feel of her little house it perfect! now if only t he husband agreed with me...

That is it kidos!! A little intro into the whole of Erica. Thank for stickin' around :) 

love.

Farmers Market

I absolutely love traditions. My husband thinks that this equals resistant to change but I don’t think the two to codependent on each other. John isn’t quite as fond of tradition as I am {I believe only because his family did different things each year for the most part, more spontaneous as he calls it.} but whether he’ll admit it or not I believe he’s well on his way to becoming fond of them! 

We’ve only been married just over two months but we have created our first real tradition. On Saturday mornings he set the alarm clock to the early hour of 9am {now I know for most people that isn’t early but in our house it is! I’ve always been a heavy sleeper and my husband works night shift so he’s not agreeable to getting up like he used to be!}. We brew a strong pot of coffee, head out the door, and into out car. Fifteen minutes later we end up at one of our local farmers markets. 

We absolutely love shopping at the farmers market. The food you get is going to be seasonal, fresh, unique, and taster than anything you’ll find at your local supermarket. Plus you get to support your local economy, reduce your carbon footprint, and ensure that farmers get a more fair gain from all their hard work! 

I’m actually surprised at home much my husband loves it. I’ve always loved it once I started going while I was in college {the market where we went to university it absolutely amazing!!}, but figured it wasn’t up his ally. But boy have I been surprised, he loves and it’s one of his favorite times of the week. Plus he loves the fact that it’s “just”, he even tries to get other people to start going. He always said, “it just feels right, I’m not sure if it’s biblical but I know it’s just.” And isn’t our God a just god? 

This past Sunday at church John had a little revelation. One of the verses that was mentioned was Micah 6:8 

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. 

And what does the LORD require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

And to walk humbly with your God.

And for the first time it hit that wonderful hubby of mine. Act justly. God wants us to act justly, in face in says “require”. 

Happy farmers marketing!!

-----> this week the hubs & i picked up a strawberry sized container of fresh blackberries for only $4! yum!

Make Your Own: Hamburger Buns

I must confess that I am TOTALLY obsessed with these hamburger buns! I have made them at least three times so far this summer, for burgers and also for some delicious pulled pork BBQ! You have to try them. The  only reason that take a while to make is because, like any other bread you’ll make, you have to let it sit and rise. Other than that this is really simple and so yummy. Did I mention they are also so pretty?!? 

I found this recipe on Pinterest (where else?!). I am totally obsessed with the search feature because I ALWAYS want a recipe with a picture, this way you can just scroll on through all the pictures and click on a few that look great and check them out. 

This recipe come from the blog Tide and Thyme and you can find the recipe HERE. My only notes are this; you DON’T have to just us sesame seed to top the buns try poppy seeds, minced onions, chives, salt & pepper, garlic...anything you think might be good and any combination. Also I have used whole wheat flour and it turned out great! I actually used whole wheat cause I was doubling the recipe and didn’t have much regular flour left, I used a little over half of the flour at whole wheat and all purpose white for the rest. 

You guys are wonderful, enjoy your summer and take these buns to your next cook out or BBQ! They will be a HIT. And as my husband loves to say when I make these, “I love your buns.”

Honey Custard Blueberry Tart

While my husband is working night shift I tend to find myself with some extra free time and feeling the need to "earn my keep". One such thing I tend to do is bake...and by bake I mean everything I can think of. Plus it's always a nice surprise for the hubby when he comes home in the morning to see some tasty looking new dessert sitting on kitchen table. 

One of my most recent creations was a blueberry tart. I had these tart pans we got from our wedding registry and haven't broken them in yet! They worked out quite fabulously but John said he doesn't want me to use them again cause there are too many parts to rinse. That silly boy!

I found a pie crust recipe and made. Then I searched and found a honey custard tart filling recipe. {Super easy--milk, butter, egg, honey, vanilla} I rolled out small little bits of crust and fitted them into the tart pans, grabbed a handful blueberries and threw in the bottom of the crusts, and then filled the rest of the crust up with the custard filling. After baking until they were firm, let them cool and then I had to dig in!! Yum! Yum! 

John even approved...of course he covered his in whipped cream, while I preferred to eat them as they were. I stored them in the fridge and they were sweet and delicious and cold. 

Happy Fourth!

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July!! 

It didn’t feel like the 4th to me cause the husband was working and we’re celebrating the  4th this weekend! My home town had a great big celebration each year and it’s really great. Normally it’s the weekend before but this year it’s the weekend after! We are heading out there Saturday for the big firework display!

In the spirt of the 4th I wanted to share a wreath that I had made. John and I bought this really ugly 4th of July at Goodwill for $2 so I took the ugliness off and made it brand new!