Late Memorial Day Recap

I had a fantastic time in Mexico City with my family and my two best friends from college. After four-and-a-half years, my parents are leaving DF to move back home. That is the longest that they have ever stayed in one place since I was in kindergarten! We had fantastic food, did all of the touristy stuff, walked a lot and had wonderful family/friend time!

Diego Rivera mural in el Palacio Nacional - amazing.

Butternut Lump Soup and a Precious Baby

So I attempted to make my very first batch of Butternut Squash Soup yesterday after smelling how delicious it was at Whole Foods on Sunday.

I bought the squash and went home to research recipes. The diet I am on right now is pretty restrictive so I couldn't add the half and half or cream or milk that most recipes called for. A google search for "healthy butternut squash soup" yielded some disappointing results. So I decided (something I would regret later) to improvise. Not a good idea.

I cut the squash in half and put it in the oven. One recipe said to leave it in there for 30 minutes, so I decided to go for a quick run (not the safest idea, I know, but I was trying to multi-task). I came home and the house smelled wonderful! Just like the soup at Whole Foods. I was optimistic that I would soon be eating sweet, savory soup.

It looks yummy here

Well it all went downhill from there. Too much ginger and too many lumps resulted in a barely edible orange half-liquid half-solid food.

But was this lumpy mess in the end...

I think I'll wait until I can use the Paula Deen recipe (heavy cream included) before I try and attempt it again.

In order to lift my kitchen spirits, I went full force today, baking pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, pumpkin muffins, Rice Krispy treats and Halloweenie cookies all for a colleague bake sale we are having at work tomorrow, the proceeds of which will benefit our Light the Night Walk team (you can see our team page here). I loved filling our home with the smell of pumpkin - the fall is in full swing (even if it is 80 degrees outside still)!

And just to end this post, yesterday our very good friends had their first baby (well technically she had the baby, but you know what I mean). J and I were thrilled to be able to go visit them today! The baby is absolutely precious, so soft, smells good and the sweetest thing to hold. Congrats K+P on your Mattie P!

caramel apple cider martinis, minus the apple cider

I am confident in my decision to have stayed in and watched the TX/OU game. Friends came over, brought us yummy grub from Whole Foods and we didn't have to fight traffic to get home after it was all over. Plus, with one touch of the remote, we were watching Texas Tech's victory over Nebraska!

Last week, Kelly from DesignCrush had a Caramel Apple Cider Martini recipe on her blog that I just had to try (you can see the post here)! As I was making the delicious libation, I realized that I had forgotten the Apple Cider part of the drink. Oops. It actually turned out to taste just fine without it though!

It's the perfect October drink - think candy apple in liquid form!

That night we had friends over for dinner too and baked an absolutely delicious blackberry pie - with fresh blackberries my friend Clint picked up that morning from the farmer's market. They were huge and plump and just perfect for baking into a pie!

It was such a lovely weekend with friends, football and amazing Dallas fall weather!

a very happy birthday indeed

Yesterday I was surrounded by the sweetest of friends as we took in some sun, had great conversation and ate yummy grilled hamburgers and brats! My birthday pool party was a smashing success and I felt overwhelmingly blessed to have such fun, caring amigos. Thank you does not cover what each of you does in my life! I look forward to creating more memories with you in this 27th year of my life!

P.S. My sweet husband read my blog and made me a happy lady with a Holga camera! Can't wait to use it!

All You Need is Love Garland from elizabethwren's Etsy shop

bittersweet goodbye

One of my best friends is moving to Florida on Monday. Shelly, Michelle and I have been best friends since freshman year of college. We were separated for one year post-college and then we all ended up in Dallas. Now, Shelly is chasing her dream of becoming a physician's assistant and heading to school in Orlando. We are having a slumber party tonight to say our see-you-laters. While I am super duper excited for my sweet friend, I'm also sad to know I won't be able to see her whenever I want.

I'm sending her off with prayers and thoughts for success, happiness, strength, patience, grace, good health, safety and for her to be surrounded by good people. I love you Shell Bell!

Photo via Ffffound