H&M 50 states of fashion contest

calling all you fashionistas out there...

today i have the privilege of announcing to you the "H&M 50 states of fashion contest." as you may have heard, H&M is launching their e-commerce here, in the states, today (!!!) august 1. with the launch of their online shop (now open at http://www.hm.com/us/),  you have the chance to win a shopping spree at H&M and a trip to NYC fashion week.

across the U.S. each state has their own H&M style blogger ambassador, and i am super excited to represent south carolina! i read a quote once (on pinterest, i believe): "fashion is a beautiful form of politeness"...i have to agree. the older i've gotten, the more i've come to appreciate fashion and it's expression in simplicity. this is one of the things i so appreciate about H&M...their clothes have an elegant simplicity about them. Plus, nearly all your fashion needs can be met at their store!

How to enter and win!... upload a photo of yourself wearing H&M clothing to instagram using the hashtag #HMShopOnlineSC. when you use this hashtag, your picture will be directed to the official microsite for the contest: hm50statesoffashion.com (if you are not from south carolina, you can go here to find your state's style ambassador). browse the gallery of entries on the site and vote for your favorite outfits by "liking" them. after the three week submission period, the 5 most liked pictures from each state will go on to the next round.

next step: a panel of style blogger judges will pick one semi-finalist from each of the five US regions: northeast, southeast, midwest, southwest, and west. from there, H&M will choose the ultimate grand prize winner. you can find the set of the official contest rules here.

for my first outfit, i decided to spice up a lace dress with a leather jacket. 

this outfit is just perfect for a night out on the town, especially as we get closer to fall and the nights get a bit chillier. I'll be honest, my friends and family don't typically think of me as a fierce person...i'm more prone to a smile and a giggle. but no matter who you are, a leather jacket just screams "fierce!"... add to that some aviators...(a leather jacket totally calls for aviators) and you've got ferocity in the bag! 

outfit details:

leather jacket: H&M c/o; lace dress: similar; black pumps: similar

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you can also follow along with my H&M outfits on instagram, here

don't miss this chance to express your own personal style. go ahead...start posin', and shop at H&M!

what yoga means to me.

my yoga journey started in high school. during an extremely hard time in my high school career, yoga became a safe place for me. i learned that i have control over my thoughts, and through breathing deep i learned to find and live in peace. of course, i brought my own spirituality into all of this, letting yoga be a stomping grounds for me to work through scripture in my mind and meditate on the sweet words. the whole process was very healing, so when i got to college i continued my journey with a level 1 certification through yogafit. i started teaching at the gym on clemson's campus and fell in love with it even more. two years later i got my next yoga certification through yogafit and kept teaching until i graduated.

for now i'm not teaching, although i hope to be again in the future. as much as i miss teaching, this little break has been an opportunity for me to come back to my yoga roots...

a yoga session can completely turn my day around. sometimes i have those days where i just feel down. maybe i'm tired and am having trouble being productive...or i'm ancy from working in the house all day and eat ice cream for lunch (whyyyy???). all it takes is a 60 minute yoga session to release endorphins, balance my hormones, and completely transform my mood. my crappy turns into happy...

yoga causes me to stop and be still. other days i'm up at 7 running around at the hospital...then i'm spending the evening trying to get everything checked off my to-do list. yoga causes me to take a break, slow down, and be still. it helps bring my focus back to the joys of life rather than what i can accomplish in a day's time.

yoga increases my confidence. there is nothing that can make you feel good about yourself like getting that difficult yoga pose you've been practicing for months. once, i was looking at a yoga picture thinking, "wow, i hope i can do that pose one day." the next month, i was doing the pose! my body is constantly surprising me with things it is capable of, and i'm reminded that i am much more equipped than i realize, on my yoga mat and off.

yoga is one of the ways i take care of myself. when i think of taking care of my myself, i think about cooking and eating healthy meals, running, bubble baths, massages, and yoga...when i practice, i know i'm not just taking care of my body, but i'm taking care of my mind too. i'm not just stretching my muscles, but i'm strengthening them. i'm not just balancing my thoughts, but i'm balancing my hormones. i know that through my yoga practice, i can be a better wife and partner and to my husband. i can be a better sister, a better daughter, and a better friend...ultimately, i can be a better me.

yoga demolishes my stress and anxiety. stress...gosh. i've had my experiences with that junk....especially through college. i swear yoga is what kept me sane most of the time. i've often found myself thinking "if i can just make it through this, or just get through that, the stress will be over." but whether i'm in college, moving and unpacking, or starting a new job, the stress is all the same! no matter the season of my life, it seems to follow me....if i let it. i've learned it's not about "surviving" and until the stress passes, but it's about managing it. learning that i have a choice in how i handle anxiety, and that i am not bound to it.

one of the coolest things about yoga is that it has different effects on every person. every body needs something different, and your body is one of the greatest tools in telling you what you need. it will tell you and lead you there, if you let it. it might be through yoga, it might be through cooking, it might be through running. but what ever it is, i encourage you to listen to it...

do you practice yoga? i would love to hear what it has meant to you!

cranberry and chocolate chip cheesecake cookies

and here we are with another food post. this time: cookies...cranberry chocolate chip cheesecake cookies. i followed a recipe for cream cheese cookies a few weeks ago and LOVED them. scofield and i devoured them. i thought i'd make them again for a little family get together, this time with a few twists to the recipe. once again, they didn't last long...

cranberry chocolate chip cheesecake cookies

adapted from how sweet it is

ingredients:

• 2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 6 oz. cream cheese
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg, 2 egg whites
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

preheat the oven to 350 F. while the oven is heating, cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar using a hand mixture. once there is a smooth texture, add the eggs and vanilla extract and continue to mix. in a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix just until combined. fold in the dark chocolate chips and cranberries. scoop the dough onto a prepared cookie sheet and bake for 9 minutes. remove from the oven and let cool about 10 minutes before transferring.

for utmost flavor, store the cookies in the refrigerator :) enjoy!

some call it frittata. we like to call it egg pizza.

one word sums up a frittata: simple. It's a quick and easy dinner that anyone can make. seriously. i am the queen of burning dinners (just ask my husband), but this recipe always comes out perfect. it's a miracle every time. or maybe, it's just a super easy recipe.

 it's also a great way to get a mega-dose of vegetables. you can add as much of your favorite produce as you like: spinach, kale, tomatoes, even asparagus. for this frittata, i decided to use butternut squash and brussels sprouts. it was a big moment for me, considering butternut squash typically intimidates me. but it was a success and i finally feel like i can call butternut squash my friend.

butternut squash and brussels sprouts frittata

ingredients:

• 7 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 1/2 cup chopped brussels sprouts
• 1 cup chopped vidalia onion
• 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• garlic powder, to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste

heat two tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. split the butternut squash in half, lengthwise. using a spoon, scoop out the seeds. next, using a sharp knife, "peel" off the skin of the squash. now you are ready to cut the butternut squash into cubes. unless the squash is relatively small, use about 3/4 of the butternut squash. add it to the skillet and cook until soft, about 15 minutes. while it is cooking, chop the brussels sprouts and the onions. when the squash is soft, season with oregano and add the rest of the vegetables. to keep the vegetables moist, add two more tbsp of olive and oil and mix continually. 

next, whisk all of the eggs together being sure to whisk in a lot of air (makes for a fluffier product!). add garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the egg mixture. transfer the cooked vegetables to the eggs and mix in the parmesan cheese. the oil from the vegetables should be left behind ( to keep the frittata from sticking ) so add the egg and vegetable mixture back to the pan. cook on medium low heat for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. you will know when it is ready when you shake the pan and the middle does not jiggle. 

finally, put the oven on broil and place the frittata into the oven. let it cook for about 10 minutes longer to brown the top of the dish. remove and let cool..

dinner is served!

lake days

days at the lake this summer have been few and far between. it's rained almost every day this month here in south carolina. we've mostly watched a lot of movies and gone out for runs in between thunderstorms. but we finally had a clear weekend and took advantage of it by enjoying some sunshine, lake water, and friends. i'm glad we got it in because once again, rain is on the schedule.

i left the tubing to these goofs. as a kid i LOVED riding on the tube. the bigger the waves the better. i lost part of my adventurous spirit somewhere along the way...maybe it was puberty? but now i much prefer to ride in the boat, feel the breeze, and relax. riding behind a boat on a tube makes my blood pressure shoot through the roof..i feel out of control and like i could be on the brink of a panic attack. so yes, you'll find me watching from the boat, and maybe taking a picture here and there.

around town || swamp rabbit cafe and grocery

me and my man are loving our greenville life. our young hippie spirits are free to thrive. we've been enjoying downtown and eating many a meals at our favorite place--tupelo honey. but for brunch this weekend we decided to try out the swamp rabbit cafe and grocery, right on the swamp rabbit trail that runs through greenville and into traveler's rest (a biker's dream). we heard they had delicious homemade scones, fresh every morning. we can't miss that! 

because of my wheat allergy, i was delighted to see that they had gluten free scones. sometimes gluten free can really let you down....especially when the "regular" baked good have 10 different flavor varieties, and there is only one option that's gluten free. my heart sinks a little every time, because i love trying new flavors. the stranger, the better. but this little cafe was spot on with their blueberry chocolate chip scones.

see you again soon, swamp rabbit cafe. but next time, we'll be on our bikes.

lately.

brunch with friends // yoga in a rainstorm // icecream // new plants // exploring little mountain towns // chopped my hair off // girls night out

surprise!

over the weekend, i surprised scofield with a birthday party for him at our place. he had no idea, which was pretty amazing considering he has guessed about every gift i've ever gotten him. i was so nervous the whole day thinking he was going to figure it out. he was fooled until we were walking up to the house...the smirk on my face and the fact that i couldn't look at him kind of gave it away. but still...success!

    ^^birthday boy.

happy birthday my husband! i hope you enjoyed your party as much as we did; and know that you are so very loved. 

a blackberry and beet chocolate cake for my husband

    my handsome man just had his birthday...and of course i show my love by baking. first it was dark  
    chocolate red wine cookies...yum, except i burnt them. so it was more like "bum." next, it
    was this cake. luckily, it did not burn, but instead it came right out of the oven perfectly...and then
    right into our mouths..

thanks to the beets, this cake has those earthy tones that we all know i love. and if you don't think about all of the cream cheese you are consuming in the icing, then you can totally think about it as "healthy."

blackberry and beet chocolate cake

adapted and inspired from verses from my kitchen

ingredients:

• 2 1/2 sticks brown sugar
• 5 small beets
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt

for the icing:

• 16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 tbsp. heavy cream
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 tsp. vanilla

preheat the oven to 350 F. melt the butter on low heat in a sauce pan. while the butter is melting, puree the beets in a food processor. once the butter has melted, remove from heat and stir in the beets. add the sugar to the mixture and mix well. next, crack the eggs one by one into the pan, whisking as you go. finally, add the  tsp. of vanilla extract. transfer mixture to a medium sized bowl.

in another bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, 1/4 tsp. salt). add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix together. transfer the batter into three 9" cake pans that have been prepared with nonstick cooking spray. cook at 350 F for 25 minutes.

while the cakes are cooking, work on the icing. using a hand mixer, mix together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. add the wet ingredients--heavy cream and vanilla extract. mix until well combined. finally, add the cocoa and powdered sugar. you can add more powdered sugar if you want a thicker icing. chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator while the cake is cooling.

after the cakes have cooled, icing the top of each layer one at a time and stack them on top of each other. use the rest of the icing to cover the outside of the cake.

i was pretty happy with the outcome, and i think you will be too! enjoy!

goat cheese and raspberry banana bread french toast

if you don't believe your ears, believe your eyes.

this recipe was inspired by my good friend michael. he worked on the top goat cheese farm in the country, here in our state of south carolina. i say "top" goat cheese farm, because they supply the goat cheese for more restaurants than i can name off, and they have been ranked number one in the nation for their goat cheese fudge and feta. he brought us some raspberry goat cheese once and recommended we try it on french toast. so i added a little twist with banana bread, fresh raspberries, and voila!

goat cheese and raspberry banana bread french toast

ingredients:

• banana bread [ recipe found here]
• 100% pure maple syrup
• 2 tbsp. crumbled goat cheese
• 1 egg
• splash of milk
• 2 tsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries, rinsed 
• 1/2 tbsp. butter

start by heating 1/2 tbsp. butter on medium high heat. whisk the egg in a wide dish and add a splash of milk and 1 tsp. of brown sugar. dip two slices of the banana bread into the egg mixture, making sure both sides are covered. transfer the banana bread to the pan and heat each side until golden and crispy, about 4 minutes [ keep an eye on them so they do not burn. ] once the french toast is cooked, place the bread on a plate and assemble--sprinkle with the goat cheese and raspberries, topping it off with a tsp. of brown sugar. finally, lather on the good stuff [ maple syrup, that is. ] 

twenty two.

my heart is full with this man by my side. happy birthday to my favorite! i love you scofield.

4th of july weekend

over the weekend, scofield and i joined his family in the mountains for a little holiday vacation. we stayed in the cutest cabin...so cute that it made the rain outside, all weekend, not so bad. i actually enjoyed the rain. there's something peaceful about thunderstorms...especially in the mountains.

       ^we got to hang around pups all weekend while janie [scofield's sister] dog sat.

even with the rain, these two brothers decided to brave the torrential waters and go for a swim on our hike. at this point it was just sprinkling. somehow, the rain always seems to hold out until we finish our adventures. the moment we stepped off the trail and under cover, the downpour resumed...

    ^^this guy.

i think my favorite part of the rain was my yoga session on the back porch. between the rain, view, and the breeze, i was in my own little happy place. it was magical.

some of our other rainy day activities included visiting the market and grabbing some coffee at buck's cafe.

so thankful for this country i call home! we hope everyone else had a lovely 4th!