(almost vegan) vanilla cupcakes

i have really been in the mood to bake recently. last night i wanted to bake something sweet so i headed over to these lovely ladies to find a simple dessert. i found this cupcake mixology recipe that had so many variations in one i decided to give it a try. 

well, it wasn't until i had already mixed the dry ingredients and was about to mix the wet ingredients that i realized it was entirely a vegan recipe. darn it! i am no vegan! i like dairy products in my cupcakes! 

so i looked up substitute portions and figured it out. my first batch was way over cooked with too much vegetable oil, so i added another splash of milk and hoped for the best. there is nothing like experimenting in the kitchen to make things interesting!

in the end they turned out awesome and super rich. i made butter cream frosting and peanut butter frosting as well (recipes in the link above). i even filled a few with peanut butter because i was feeling crazy, why not? 

i may have had one (or two) cupcakes for breakfast this morning. they are quite delicious, however, i think next time i will use a non-vegan recipe just to be safe.

happy thursday!

tunes:copeland

photo via::lyrics copeland::font my own

i first heard Copeland my freshmen year at college during a time in my life that i am not proud of and a time filled with lots of pain and confusion. i remember listening to the words and getting lost in the melodic nature, it was there i could see my thoughts clearly because they were the lyrics filling my ears. since then, i have listened to every album dozens of times over.  their voices, melodies, and lyrics were, in a way, my refuge when life around me was uncertain. 

when that period of my life ended i stopped listening to them. it has been 4 years since i have heard this band. but i think i can appreciate the music more now because i have moved on in life and the lyrics no longer echo my inner thoughts and longings. i have endured that dark season and those words no longer apply to me.

i like to think of it as a monument of what i have overcome. that is why i love this band so much. every song and note has meant something to me when i was not sure of anything. 

however, they are no longer my refuge for my Jesus has overcome the world and i find my refuge in Him. 

enjoy. 

p.s. the following is a compilation of my favorites. 

night at the symphony

last Friday, my brother Justin received tickets for the Symphony on the Prairie courtesy of his law firm internship. so he invited Jordan, my dad and i. 

growing up i have been to a handful of concerts at Conner Prairie (a local outdoor theatre and interactive historical learning center) to see the ISO (Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra) and i love it so much every time. they start playing just as the sun is setting and continue playing into the evening with a lit stage. it was the first night all month with tolerable temperatures. it was perfect, really. we enjoyed hearing the best of broadway.   

i made a great spread of food for the four of us. there was a little bit of a lemon recipe making crisis, but it was averted when i settled with lemon puffs. however, those didn't really turn out very good. for all the lemon juice i put into those puppies it was really bland.

 oh well, i won't stop baking with lemon. it's my new favorite. i am a little obsessed, i already made another batch of lemon bars and may have eaten the whole pan myself. 

hope you had a great weekend!
xo

update::the mint herb that could

i was very sad to discover this week that the combination of overwatering and overexposure to extreme tempreatures had produced spots on the leaves, which basically ruined those parts of the plant. 

i am determined not to kill this mint herb, so i transplanted it into new potting soil, pruned the dead leaves, watered it the recommend daily amount, and kept it out of direct sun. i hope that is enough to bring it back to it's former glory.

the good news is that there are new buds growing on the bottom of the stems and the roots are still looking healthy. so it's alive and just needed a little love. 

i have really enjoyed taking care of this little mint herb and look forward to one day having a garden of my own. have you has any gardening adventures this summer?

simple moments captured with my iphone

i have spent the last week or so having quality quiet days, hanging out with Roy and my hubby, and some late night baking.

xo

lazy days

this past Tuesday Jordan and i decided to spend some time by the pool, just the two of us. both of us have been busy this week with work and various responsibilities that we have to be intentional about spending quality time together. we are complete opposites when it comes to personalities, so we have been working on understanding our differences. these have been some great times.

sometimes it’s hard for me to relax and stop thinking about everything that i have to get done. if i am not checking boxes of my to-do list i tend to feel like i have not accomplished anything that day. that is because i am a task-oriented person and for me to feel satisfied i need to see results.

Jordan has been so gracious to me recently in trying to understand how he can get to know me better. The words that mean the most to me are when Jordan is telling me why he fell in love with me. he loves my personality and he thinks i am the greatest, prettiest, funniest girl he has ever met. he lovingly reminds me that i need to live in the moment and not focus so much on the end result.

i have enjoyed some quiet days where i am getting to know my personality and myself better. and while at the same time learning about each others differences and how we can best learn from one other. 

hope you all had a great weekend.

love those lemon dreams

last week i had another urge to cook something, this time it was 10 o'clock at night. (don't know why i keep wanting to bake, but night baking is the best.)

i eventually found a lemon bar recipe, it was one of the only recipes that i already had everything for. plus, it had been a while since i had lemon bars and they are super easy to make. 

i have to say, i was very pleased with the way they turned out. 

here is the recipe i used if you want to make them yourself.

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup confections' sugar, plus 1T for garnish
• 1 cup plus 2T all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 granulated sugar
• 3T freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon, i used lemon juice from the bottle)

1. heat oven to 350F
2. in a mixing, cream butter and 1/3 cup confections' sugar until smooth.
3. add 1cup flour and mix to form a crumbly dough. spread into an ungreased 8-inch square baking pan and press to pack evenly in the bottom of the pan.
4. bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes.
5. meanwhile, beat whole eggs and yolk in a mixing bowl until foamy. add granulated supar and 2T of flour and beat until thick and smooth. add lemon juice and blend.
6. when crust is baked, remove from oven and pour lemon topping over the hot crust. return to oven and bake until topping is set and golden brown, about 15 minutes. 
7. place pan on a rack and let cool; sift 1T confections' sugar evenly over the top.
8. cut into squares and enjoy!

tunes:yesterday

i am so love with this song right now, the harmonies almost bring me to tears it's so beautiful. 

i am becoming more of a fan of adam levine.

it's a quiet day around here. i have been thinking and reflecting a lot recently and this is the perfect background music for that kind of mood.

enjoy.

p.s. this is a cover from the beatles, in case you didn't grow up in the 90's and weren't exposed to the awesomeness of music from the 60's-70's.

record highs

as you have probably noticed most of the US is experiencing drought conditions. i don't think i remember a time where it has been this hot so many days in row. it's kinda ridiculous. at the same time i am so thankful for air conditioning in my apt and my car. 

but i am also reminded of those who are not so fortunate and have been experiencing power loss. and i think of my husband who has to work in such extreme conditions, i am so proud of everything he does for our family. so when you find yourself enjoying your AC at home, i ask that you pray for those who are suffering this heat. and also, pray for my husband to remain strengthened as well. 

i am truly grateful for how blessed we have been.

have a great weekend and stay cool!

guacamole goodness

 last Friday i mentioned that Jordan and i were making homemade guacamole and tortillas as part of our make-dinner-together date nights. i didn't realize how easy guacamole is to make. i used this recipe for the guacamole and this one for the tortillas. 

we had a lot of fun, i am liking this new Friday tradition.  

happy 4th!

yesterday Jordan and i went to Carmelfest with my dad, brother, and future sister-in-law.we came later in the day to avoid the 100 degree temperatures but we were all soaked in sweat by the end of it anyway.

we weaved though crowds of people munching on corn dogs, funnel cakes, and sipping lemon shake-ups, my favorite. John and Kyndall were really excited about getting dip n' dots for whatever reason. i love them. 

we stayed late to see the fireworks display which, i gotta say, was pretty spectacular. i love spending any holiday with my family, they are so much fun to be around and we aways laugh a lot. 

happy birthday America!

sweetie shortcake

last night i had the urge to bake, so i thumbed through my Good House Keeping Cookbook and found a summer classic; strawberry shortcake. i picked up a few ingredients from the store that i needed and made everything from scratch. i think those are the best kinds of recipes.

i had a lot of fun making it and for Jordan not being a dessert person, (he only likes fruity things like fruit pies and cheesecakes), he loved it.

tonight we will be joining the family for fireworks and fun.
happy 4th of July!

join the party

photo via

you know those mornings were you wake up irritated for no reason and are upset about something super lame, and you know it's super lame, which makes you even more upset? that was me this morning, holding on to emotions from the night before.

the lovely kelly ann reminded me to chill out, breathe, and let it go.
so today i am joining the calm down party. 
you are all invited.

tunes::let my cry

good morning! i had a nice, relaxing weekend with the husband and family and was left refreshed after church. i am ready to start a new week and knock out my to-do list.
today's music is from a worship leader at my church. i am always encouraged by his lyrics; he is very talented. i don't yet have his album and this was the only song i can give you streaming, so visit his website for more encouraging music.

happy monday!

happiness in June

June was full of so many happy moments, here are just a few.

my happiness list

1. my church's dedication service
2. wondering around museums with my husband
3. sushi dinners at home
4. so you think you can dance :)
5. family gatherings with my soon to be sisters
6. sunday's by the pool
7. cooking dinner with/for my husband
8. celebrating and reflecting on our first year of marriage
9. tending to my mint plant
10. quiet mornings of cuddling with roy

this month has had it's various challenges with work and sickness and hard times, but i will always try to focus on the beautiful, simple moments that make life sweet and worth living.

hope your June was a happy one too.
xo