Ghosts of Halloween Past and Present

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

In honor of today, I decided to compile my past four years' Halloween costumes. 

Because what's more fun then taking a trip down memory lane? 

And so, here we begin...

Halloween 2009

This year's theme was superhero's. I'm pretty sure we called ourselves "The Fab Four".

CLASSIC. 

Halloween 2010

HUGE Glee fans in 2010. Like religiously watched every episode and listened to all their covers. So it was really the obvious choice when brainstorming Halloween costume ideas. And incase you can't tell, I'm pregnant Quinn. 

Halloween 2011

Luckily, our roommate happens to resemble Justin Bieber. 

I actually felt a little starstruck...

Halloween 2012

E.T. phone home. 

Now this one was a party HIT! If you're looking for a last minute costume idea, look no further. 

And so, there you have it.

Hope you are having a fabulous Halloween!

Much Love,

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I don't know about you guys, but eating pumpkin seeds is one of my favorite parts of Halloween. Because, fresh pumpkins seeds are really only available once a year, at pumpkin carving time.

So, if you are planning on carving your pumpkin in the next couple days, SAVE THE SEEDS. And turn them into this delicious snack.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:
Pumpkin Seeds (obvi)
Olive Oil
Salt
Garlic Powder

STEP 1: Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.

STEP 2: Remove excess pumpkin guts from seeds and place them in a medium sized bowl. Add in desired amount of olive and stir until all seeds are lightly coated.

STEP 3: Spread a thin layer of seeds onto a baking sheet. Lightly sprinkle salt and garlic powder over seeds.

STEP 4: Bake seeds in oven for 20-25 minutes, stirring the seeds after about 10 minutes.

Bon Apetite!

Much Love,

Halloween Host Guide

Halloween...the best excuse all year to throw a party.

Halloween parties are always the same though. Everyone dresses up in their scariest or most scandalous costume and stands around.
I know you've been there. 

So this year, something a little more original was in order.

Something like a murder mystery party set in Hollywood at the Red Carpet event of the year. 

The Academy Awards. 

The guest list included some of Hollywood's hottest celebrities, directors, and socialites. 

After a good three weeks of planning and decorating, we pulled off an evening to remember. Filled with scandal, blackmail, bribery, and MURDER, it was the perfect way to spend Halloween weekend.

What did you do to celebrate Halloween this weekend?

Much Love,

She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not

OCTOBER EDITION!

Kind of. I tried to stick with this week's post theme, however, there are some things that are great for any time of the year.

She Loves Me...

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1. Candles. In particular, this new candle that I bought if from an adorable boutique in Seattle. I could not be happier with the purchase and it has filled our entire house with its wonderful fragrance this past week. Such a perfect item for the cold and rainy season.

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2. Jesus Calling. If you haven't read it, go buy a copy TODAY. It is an incredible daily devotional that has completely changed my daily walk with the Lord. God-breathed encouragement for every day of the year, backed up with amazing references to scripture. 

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3. Breaking Dawn: Part II. This really has nothing to do with the month of October. But it is coming out soon and I will be counting down the hours until the epic love story of Bella and Edward continues. 

She Loves Me Not...

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1. That Thanksgiving is still so far away. I have to wait one more whole month?! I am so ready to take a break from school and spend some time at home eating. 

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2. That Christmas is even FURTHER away. I am beyond ready to start listening to Christmas music, decorate the house, and make gingerbread cookies. And no, it is not ok to be listening to Christmas music yet. 

What is your favorite thing about this month?

Much Love,

Linking up with Michaela for this month's She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not. 

ERMAHGERD CURPCURKSSS

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

via Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

2 2/3 cup all-purpose flower

3 tbsp. instant espresso

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. salt

1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin puree

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup canola oil

4 large eggs

1/2 cup brewed coffee or espresso

1 can of cream cheese frosting

STEP 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Stir together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixture on low speed, add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing just until incorporated.

STEP 2: Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full. Bake until the cupcakes are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans. While the cupcakes are still warm, brush them two or three times with the coffee or espresso, allowing the first coat to soak in before repeating. Let cool completely.

STEP 3: Frost cupcakes when cooled and sprinkle some cinnamon on top.

STEP 4: Try not to eat all twenty-four cupcakes in one sitting. You think this is a joke, but I actually ate them all in about a day and half...

Much Love,

Coming Attractions

It's Monday again.
Funny how quickly the weekend goes by.

And here's how I spent it...

1. Took a contemporary dance class with some former teammates. Which was a blast! (And for the record, that is NOT me in the picture above. Never in my life will I be able to do that.)
2. Tried out an incredibly delicious new recipe (more details to come this week).
3. Spent some serious time at Chocolati (my favorite place in Seattle to study) working on homework and studying for my upcoming midterms.
4. Quick roadtrip down to LA! Just kidding...but there was some Hollywood-esk activities in my weekend.

Also...

I have some very exciting posts planned for this week!
The theme is October/Fall/Halloween so be sure to stay tuned.

How was your weekend spent?

Much Love,

Friday's Letters

Dear Friday, it's about time you made an appearance. I was beginning to think that you would never come. Dear water pipe that busted, you have caused my housemates and me much stress this week. Dear men who have been working to repair the pipe, YOU MOVE AT THE PACE OF A SNAIL! And I think you have actually created a bigger problem then we had when you started. And you left this big tractor in the middle of the street so no cars can get through. Dear American Horror Story, you are SOOO much scarier than last season. Thank you for giving me nightmares two nights in a row. I will not be watching you again. Dear Jef and Emily, obviously I feel the need to write you a letter. I knew you two wouldn't work out, but breaking off so soon?! Poor Ricky. Poor Jef. Poor Emily. Lucky Ariel. There's still a chance... Dear midterms, I hate you. Dear weekend, I am so looking forward to spending my time drinking tea, doing homework, and listening to the rain on my window.

Have such a wonderful weekend!

Much Love,

    
Linking up with Adventures of Newlyweds for Friday's Letters!

Bittersweet Love Affair

Sweater: Target Skirt: Forever21 Boots: Steve Madden Scarf: Nordstrom

Boots, tights, and scarves are all staples in my closet. I love them. These boots especially.

These boots, however, happen to hate my tights. They have this little gold buckle on the side of them that gets caught on my tights when I cross my legs, proceeding to rip open a big ole' hole! They have managed to ruin three pairs of tights THIS YEAR.
Oh well. One must make sacrifices for the ones they love. 

Also, is it Friday yet??? Yesterday I woke up, fully believing that it was the last day of the week. So you can imagine my frustration when I looked at my phone and saw WEDNESDAY staring back at me.

But now, we have almost made it to the weekend. Two more days of class, 12 more hours of work, and a statistics midterm to go!

What do you have to accomplish before the weekend?

Much Love,

Mantel Magic

A mantel is such a great way to add character to a room. It's the perfect place for just about anything. 

This is what my mantle looks like right now, decorated for fall. We found the frame, owl, and glass lantern at our local thrift store. The pumpkins came straight from the patch. Which we have yet to wash...giving them a more natural, earthy look :)

Decorating for the seasons is one of my favorite things to do! It can change the entire look and feel of a room. And I am so excited to share some of my favorite holiday crafts, decorating tips, and recipes with you over the next few months.

How are you decorating for the season?

Much Love, 

Sponsor Spotlight #2

Here's another round of lovely bloggers for you to check out this week! 

Introducing, the second half of my wonderful sponsor team...

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My name is Ashley and I blog over at prettyladysmiles.com

I talk about the in betweens of life & faith—especially love. I like having my own style & writing things that inspire creative minds. I work in the fashion industry as a photographer when I'm not working on my psychology major. My favorite hobbies are reading & exploring new places. I'd love to get a chance to meet you ;)

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This Beautiful Life is a lifestyle blog about a proud wife, an adoring momma to a Fur Baby, cupcake lover, DIY crafter, passionate blogger, and most importantly, Jesus worshipper.  

Blog || Pinterest || Facebook || Twitter || Instagram

Hi Loves, I'm April.

Through blogging, I want to live my life with joy and bring joy to those around me. I strive to live in the moment and hope to encourage others. I have an insatiable longing to write about my journey of mistakes & triumphs. So this is my heart. Excited to grow as I share. I chase the happy, and crave the heart stopping moments. I'm a girl with a huge heart for family, friends, God and living my absolute best life. I clap my hands when when I get really excited. I smile ALL the time. I thank God for blessing me in ways bigger than my eyes. I have a passion for all things creative. Graphic Design stole my heart and there is no going back. There is no greater way to explain why I love what I do than to say it simply sets my heart & soul on fire. What could be better than that? When I'm not designing, I'm spending time with the Big Guy who makes me laugh like no one else in the world. I'm 100% lucky in love and I'll never take that for granted. When we aren't working, you can probably find us  doing a road trip,wrestling for fun, cuddling & watching movies, spending time with the family, and just loving our life together. I have learned to take flight, to spread my wings, to dream and grow, to do and be. But don’t be surprised if you see other things that continually inspire me!

Blog || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook

Hey! I'm Rachael and I blog at heldbyHishand. I'm an 18-year-old Jesus-loving pre-service teacher, nanny (to triplets!) and big sister to 9 beautiful kiddos. I blog about the God things that happen in my life, with a little bit of random, a dash of craziness and a whole lot of Pinterest going on! 

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Hello! I'm Tyler from Rays of Purple! I live in Arizona with my high school sweetheart turned husband. My blog is about a little bit of everything, really. From love and life adventures to DIY projects, and trying out new recipes. Please stop by and say hi, I would love to meet you!

Happy Tuesday!

Much Love,

On Top Of It

I learned early into my college years that life gets really overwhelming really fast. There is just too much to remember! Assignments, coffee dates, exams, work schedules, club retreats, holidays, dance practices....so, a planner became a must in my life. Without one, I would be lost. Literally. 

So, here's to you, planner. 

With me through thick and thin. 

Open to my life and everything in it. 

You hold me accountable and make me a better person. 

With you, I'm always in the know. 

And you always know what day it is. 

Of course, there are so many other creative and effective ways to stay organized. And as bloggers, we tend to be pretty good at finding them ;)

How do you stay organized?

Much Love,

Sponsor Spotlight #1 & GIVEAWAY WINNER

Today's post is dedicated to introducing you to some of my amazing and wonderful sponsors! They are all such beautiful and supportive women who I would love for you to get to know. So hop on over to their blogs and tell them I sent you ;)

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Hi I'm Becky and I'm a creative lifestyle blogger from Australia. I'm a full time Graphic Design student who loves to cook, craft and make my own beauty products. My blog focuses on these passions as well as a few aspects of my day to day life. I love to chat to my readers and fellow bloggers so if you are ever curious about something, would like a request or just want to say hi feel free to comment on my posts, email me and tweet!

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My name is Rachel and I'm a 20-something from upstate NY. I blog over at Life Unsweetened, my lifestyle, fashion and beauty blog- without the sugar coating. I enjoy chocolate, cats, humor and music. When I'm not blogging, you can find me spending time with my boyfriend and friends, writing for freelance projects and watching trashy television. 

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Hi! I'm Courtney and I live in the Big Apple. I'm currently in college, finishing up my liberal arts degree and next summer I plan on going into the music business. I love music, it's a huge passion of mine. I also like baking, traveling, crafting, DIY-ing, reading, going to concerts, etc. Chase All Your Dreams is a lifestyle blog about my life inside and outside of college, my likes/dislikes, my thoughts and opinions, and whatever else pops into my head. So stop by and say hi! I'd love to meet to you! 

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i am Bonnie (lovingly referred to as B, by my friends!). when you stop by feeling bloggy, you will find my heart on my sleeve. i love sharing my life here, through bits and pieces of my perspective on faith, a little bit of fashion here and there, life as a newlywed Army wife with my wonderful husband currently deployed, my love of cooking, baking and eating, my struggle with wanting to be a morning person, but failing miserably! i love to dwell on and look for the beautiful things in life, and i find beauty in even broken things and unlikely places. i pray that my words in this space and in my life would be uplifting and inspiring, but intentional, true and real. my life is certainly not perfect, but i thank Jesus for the blessing of every new beautiful day. i find joy in sharing my story with you all. i pray that you would leave my space feeling better than you did before you got here. 

Blog || Bloglovin' || Facebook || Twitter || Pinterest

Hi I'm Amanda from Eloquent English, the husband is Joe, our kitties are Norman and Contessa. This is our blog about real life, style and stuff that's interesting to us.

Blog 

Hey. Hey. Hey. I am SarahJane and I blog over at Just the Two of Us. My cute husband and I recently moved away from everything we have ever known in the good state of Utah to... the sunshine state! He is going to graduate school at the University of Florida and I am a nanny. Our blog is about anything and everything- basically whatever comes to mind that day. I would love for you to stop by and give us some love. 

So go say hello! 

And finally, the announcement of the Three Bird Nest headband giveaway winner. To see if its YOU, click here. And congratulations! I'll be email you with specifics.

Have an absolutely wonderful weekend.

Much Love,