Beer Bread

My friend, E.B. recently shared her recipe for EASY beer bread. It only has 3 ingredients, can be thrown together in 5 minutes, and is like manna from heaven. 

Beer Bread

3 Cups Self Rising Flour

1/2 Cup Sugar

1 ROOM TEMP Shiner Bock Beer

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine ingredients in large bowl using a fork.NO KNEADING! 

Grease and flour bread pan.

Evenly plop dough into bread pan.

Bake for about 45 minutes.

Slice and butter the bread while warm and eat it for dinner, who cares about protein or veggies?!

We have become Beer Bread Addicts, it's no wonder my pants are tighter! 

Homemade Christmas in January: a Wreath & Art.

This past Christmas was a very frugal one for us. I wanted to give my inlaws something that they would enjoy, but kept coming up with very expensive gift ideas. I decided to look at Bubbly's Pinterest board for inspiration and found this:

http://pinterest.com/pin/259590365991016365/

Now inspired and excited, I ran to Hobby Lobby and got: a large framed picture on clearance, 2 yards of burlap, a large gold M, white spray paint, and extra hot glue.

Spray paint both the frame & letter.

I doubled up my burlap and just covered the backside of the picture itself. Glue burlap down on all sides to prevent sagging, fold and staple corners.

Insert burlap "picture" into frame. 

Quickly glue the letter into place and apply pressure until completely dry. Distress frame and letter edges with fine grit sandpaper.

I was pretty pleased with the end result, but it just wasn't enough by itself. So, I made a wreath.

I bought another 2 yards of burlap, some wooden letters, and a can of red glitter spray paint.

I cut the burlap into 4 inch wide strips.

 I had a sudden craving for toast and milk. It was de-lish!

Pre-folding burlap into stacks helps to make the threading onto the hanger faster.

At this point, the center of my burlap is threaded onto the hanger, but the hanger sagged under the weight and looked pathetic. I ran out, got a wreath form and wired the two together into a circle. I spray painted my letters glittery red, and wired them to the wreath after drying. 

 Now, I realize that this wreath is in support of Oklahoma football and how sacreligious it was to make in this Texas house, BUT-the things you do for those you love. I will repent and I beg for your forgiveness. 

And since we just gave them their gift this week, even though it's been wrapped for a month:

Merry Christmas in January, Pop & Bubbly!

Airstream Song

Have you ever heard a song that speaks to your soul, one that can sing your heart?  Airstream Song by Miranda Lambert is my favorite. I will play it on repeat over and over again because, it moves me, it knows me better than any person ever has, it makes me feel and breathe. I have never known two and a half minutes to be so cleansing and reassuring, what's your best song?

Listen to Miranda sing Airstream Song here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShgRbLYwreA

 ::I'll always be unsatisfied::

Haircut for Humanity. (really for vanity but humanity sounded better)

I finally cut my hair! I was getting tired of having no specific style, yes it was beautiful hair but I was feeling so blah. After thinking about it for waaaay too long , I was inspired by Kate's cut from http://www.thesmallthingsblog.com/2011/09/my-haircut.html. (I am also now on the Aquage Uplifting Foam bandwagon, this stuff is awesome, no wonder it has a cult following!) My fabulous stylist/therapist KK, rocked my haircut. She was able to cut off 13 inches to donate to sweet little babes with cancer and other illnesses that cause hair loss. Locks of Love accepts UNbleached hair 10 inches or longer to be made into children's wigs, but will also accept shorter and/or grey hair to be sold to help offset costs. Here's my cheesy self portrait in the car prior to my cut, I was pretty nervous!

Look at all of that hair! This marks my third donation!

The new & improved ol' gal:

BOOM!

If you care to make a hair donation of your own, go to http://www.locksoflove.org/, help a child feel just that much more "normal" & gorgeous too!

A Sign In The Yard.

There's a sign in my yard.

So that we don't end up with a stalker, this pic is all you get. I'm still a little nervous after the Craigslist death threat we received. For real. 

We are selling our sweet little house that we JUST finished f*ing remodeling, so that we are able to live together as a married couple. Marriage is hard four hours apart.

This move is both exciting and panic inducing. I've never moved away before, I'm a little scared. I've had so many lunch dates with old pals recently in case "it's the last time I ever get to see you". 

Dramatic? Definitely.

Chris has been working in Ft Worth and commuting home for weekend visits. Gas prices, hotel rooms, and fast food have been terrible on our budget and the distance has taken a toll on my man.  It's time for us to relocate there to be together. I have a job lined up that I am beyond excited about. We have found a neighborhood that is close to work, with a house that we can see making into our longterm home. Cross your fingers that it stays on the market until ours sells.

So many new dreams, goals, and traditions can be made in Ft Worth. For us, it's a city of potential that is just four hours from home if we need a quick hometown fix.  

So, if you are looking for a 3 bed, 2 bath, 1400sq ft patio home with a.maz.ing floors and beautiful bathrooms and so much more, have I got the perfect place for you.....

Ten Random Memories

I recently scanned a bunch of old pictures into the computer. I realize that I am not the most photogenic of gals, I am a master of the sleepy/drunk look, whatev-good or bad, they make me laugh. 

Probably the best photo I have ever taken since the age of 3. Talk about making love to the camera! (shout out to Farrah Fawcett)

As my brother recently inquired, who the hell bought that bathing suit, it barely covers my nips.

Evidence that I was a selfless & giving big sister, trashbag rain protection.

Though it may seem to make perfect fashion sense at the time, besties dressing like twins does not help increase your chances of getting a boyfriend.

Inappropriate biting in a youth group van. Seriously.

My goat, Honey. Can you feel the love?

Always think twice about buying leather pants. And, allowing your college roomie to cut your hair in the front yard of your dorm.

The food in Moscow sucks, so eat pizza & pastries instead. Look like a dumb tourist & then come home lookin' like a fatty......

Aubrey, TX. Population: Awesome.

And just to prove that non-photogenic-ness runs in the family, here's a jewel of Bella.

Football, Shopping, and Food.

To bring 2011 to an end Chris and I met up in Ft Worth for a quick weekend. It began with me flying to DFW Airport on Thursday with a $56 ticket, SCORE! We had a quick dinner & went promptly to sleep at our hotel-like the boring ol' fogies that we are. On Friday, we attended the Armed Forces Bowl featuring Tulsa University VS. BYU at the beautiful SMU campus in Dallas. It was the perfect day for football.

Afterwards we went to Northpark Mall for some big city shopping, trust me-this is a BIG deal when you are stuck with a small town mall back home. Anthropologie, my mothership, beckoned me in right away.
http://www.anthropologie.com

After a long day of much walking I wanted a simple, light dinner. My choice was Central Market and boy, did it hit the spot.

Yum-o!

Convieniently, World Market is located doors away from Central Market, I found two things that I cannot live without.          
http://www.worldmarket.com

Sadly, they remain in the store, and not here with me. Sob.... Please don't feel uncomfortable by my weeping.

Anyways, on Saturday morning we did some other stuff that I'll talk about later, and then drove home to my puppies. I had a crazy terrible migrane, so I hopped into the tub as soon as we parked the truck.  My master bath has been out of operation for the last 9 months, finally being able to take a bath was so, so good.

New Year's eve ended with a Harry Potter movie & going to sleep before midnight. I hope that the end of 2011 was just as satisfying for you. Happy 2012 y'all!