Couple Shoot // Danielle and Shawn

Here is a shoot I did a couple weeks ago with another wonderful couple. I'll probably say all the couple I photograph are wonderful and adorable and amazing, so I would just get use to that. For this shoot, we climb up a mountain (seriously, we did). The weather was perfect, the background of trees and blue skies was amazing to have and I couldn't have asked for a better outcome. I had so much fun photographing these two, they were such a cute couple. I told you, there it is again. So thanks Danielle and Shawn for walking up a mountain with me just to get some good shots. 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Couple Shoot // Lindsey and Dylan

I'm back everyone! School is finally over (unfortunately only for the summer). I am back on the blogging road and will be blogging all summer long. School was just getting too stressful for me and I didn't have any time to do anything worthy of being posted to the blog. Now I can focus on the blog and enjoy life without having to worry when I'm going to study for the next exam.

This summer is going to be an exciting one. I have a summer full of sessions to help build my photography portfolio. Guys, I couldn't be more excited about this. I've already had the pleasure to shoot two couples that couldn't have been cuter. I have my first family session next week that is going to be super fun. I can't wait to grow my photography experience and learn something new with each shoot. I've already learned so much! Today, for my first post back, I'm sharing with you my second shoot of the summer with Lindsey and Dylan.

I went to high school with these two and have lived down the street from Dylan since elementary school. I haven't seen them in a good four years and it was so nice to see some faces of people I went to high school with. I really don't ever see anyone I went to high school with, that's probably because I only have one friend that I went to high school with. But anywho, we spent the evening in a beautiful park and were blessed with gorgeous weather. The sun was shinning, the river was sparkling, and the grass was a glorious green (which is really good for WI lately).

Alright, let's get on with it.

how a free cat cost me $500

I think it's safe to say, I have always had a cat if not more in my life. We were always adopting cats, getting kittens from the new batch at Grandma's farm, or start out fostering a few and end in adopting those ones too. Right now, I'm in a house with four, 2 kittens and 2 grumpy old cats.

It started with getting my kitten Sylus for Christmas. A girl from work surprised me with him and of course it was love at first sight. As it is most of the time when you see a 3 month old kitten in front of you. About a month later we adopted Pan from the Humane Society and we were back up to a total of 4 felines in the house.

What I do want to talk about today is how cute little FREE Sylus ended up costing me $500. Some people may not realize just how expensive it can be to have pets, especially when you start out with a kitten. When I got Sylus, he came straight from the farm and he never had anything done with him. No vaccines, no surgeries, no nothin'. So we were starting from scratch.
 

Sylus' first bill came from Petco, where I had all his vaccines done with the walk in vet clinic. I decided to do Petco because it was cheaper then going to the actual vet clinic and paying for office visits every time I walked in. The vaccine shots were also cheaper going through Petco. The vets that were there were also extremely nice and always happy to see Sylus. So Sylus got his first 8 week kitten package that included his first set of distempers and his dewormer. This came to a total of $41.

A few weeks down the road I made an appointment at our local vet clinic for his pre-surgery examination. This was mandatory at our clinic for new kittens who have never been there before. Personally I thought it was a bunch of b.s. because it took the doc 2 minutes to check Sylus' butt and heart rate to make sure he was healthy. I could've told him that. This visit was another $40.


Yet another few weeks later, Sylus had his next appointment at Petco. This time he got another set of distempers and dewormers and also the Feline Leukemia test and vaccine. The feline leukemia vaccine isn't mandatory, I chose to get it for him because our last couple of cats died from it. I figured it was the safest bet. This visit cost $98.

Now the time came for Sylus to finally lose his manhood. This was going to be his first overnight stay and he did wonderful. The vets had him out in the office in the morning when I picked him up and he was running around playing with the other cats. During this visit, Sylus got neutered and front claws declawed. Some people may be against the declawing, but Sylus will never be an outside cat so he doesn't need them for protection. Also I was starting to look like a suicide watch victim with all the cuts on my wrists. This visit cost the most at $170.

Sylus' last appointment was to Petco for his last round of shots. Here he got another the last dose of the distempers, dewormers, Feline Leukemia, and also the rabies vaccine which was also another optional one. This visit cost $63.

We were finally done and little Sylus was 100% healthy.  

After all these visits his grand total was $412.

Now, this was just the cost for his vet visits. I said (in the title) that he costs $500, that's because you have to include the cost for food, litter, and toys (because every pet needs toys). I also still live with my mother who buys the food and litter. We fee 4 cats who go through a 20lb bag @ $25 in a few months. If I get the kitties toys, it's usually the 99 cent one that are super shiny and crinkle, because those are their favorites. But really, cat's will play with anything, you don't need to buy fancy toys for them.

I love all my cats and I will probably always have a cat in my life. I'm so thankful to have Sylus, even though he's an asshole sometimes. And that $412 I spent to make sure he was healthy was the best $412 I ever spent.

If your thinking of getting a cat or even a puppy, make sure your ready to hand over a hefty sum of cash. Adopting will also be cheaper. We got Pan for about $200 adopting from the Humane Society and that included everything Sylus had done through the vet and Petco.

I hope this was helpful to those new pet owners and people thinking about getting new pets. Good luck and remember to love your little guy or gal with everything you got!

Recipe // Healthy Carrot and Applesauce Muffins

Check out the jewelry giveaway going on now! 

Today I am sharing another healthy muffin recipe with you. I just posted about the spinach and banana muffins, so don't miss out on that recipe. These carrot and applesauce muffins aren't as healthy as the spinach and banana but they still are just as good! These muffins reminded me of mini carrot cakes. You could definitely just say the hell with it about being healthy and top them off with some cream cheese frosting and make them 10x better. But if you want to be a bit nicer to your stomach, stick to the recipe. 

 Ingredients 

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
2 TBL melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup applesauce (unsweetened or sweetened)
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or other nut

Directions 

1. In a bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. In another bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, applesauce, egg, and vanilla. Stir in carrots and nuts.

2. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and fold the two mixtures until combined. Make sure to stop mixing once the dry ingredients are incorporated otherwise over mixing can make the muffins tough. We want fluffy and light muffins!

3. Grab your muffin tray and either spray it with cooking spray or line it with muffins tins. Fill each tin about 3/4 full. Throw in the oven at 350 degrees for about 18-20 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the middle of the muffin once they're done baking to make sure the middle is cooked.

Recipe // Healthy Spinach and Banana Muffins

Check out the jewelry giveaway going on now!!

I've been on a health kick recently and just trying to eat better, cut out as much sugar as possible, and just be overall healthy. I posted about my sugar addiction a while back and gave a couple sugar free recipes to try out. I wanted a few snacks around the house that would help with my sweet tooth but also be healthy. So I took an afternoon to bake up some healthy muffins that I could eat in the morning with my smoothie or have as a quick snack before bed.

I've been making smoothies like crazy and always put at least a handful of spinach in them. It blends right up and I can't taste it at all, yet I'm still getting all the health benefits of the spinach. I've never had an issue with spinach. I know some people can't stand it, they say it taste disgusting. If you ask me, I'd say spinach has no taste and put it on whatever. It's good for you! I put it in my smoothies, sandwiches, with my eggs, and now my muffins!

If you're one of those people that can't stand spinach I wouldn't recommend these muffins to you. My mom insists on trying everything I make in the kitchen even though I know she won't like any of it. My mother is a very picky eater, the pickest of the picky, but she still tries everything so I give her credit for that. She hates spinach so I wasn't expecting her to even look at these. But of course, she poked her head around the kitchen door and asked if she could try one. I bit into the muffin and without even chewing she spit it out. I rolled me eyes and just continued.

Now if you're like me and don't give a darn, try them! I think they are delicious and I love the fact that I putting something good into my body. So try them out!! 

Ingredients 

1 1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup + 2 TBL brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
dash of salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 TBL canola oil
1/2 cup milk
4 ounces fresh spinach (about the size of a handful)
1 banana
3 TBL peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla

Directions 

1. In a bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

2. Grab your blender and blend together the canola oil, spinach, peanut butter, spinach, banana, milk, and vanilla. Mixing these in the blender will make it a lot easier for the spinach to be mixed together smoothly with the other ingredients. This mixture will also be extremely green!

3. Pour the spinach mixture in the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Make sure to not over mix otherwise you will get tough muffins.

4. Line a muffin tray with tins or spray with cooking spray. Fill tins about 2/3 full with batter. Throw in the oven at 350 degrees for about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Makes about 13 muffins.

Can I haz one?

If you try these muffins out, please let me know what you think of them!

<3

Kirameku Jewelry Designs and Giveaway

 I'm letting a very special guest take over the blog for me today and please enjoy. Maxime is an amazing jewelry designer and makes some of the cutest pieces. Make sure to check out her Etsy shop and stay tuned for a pretty stinkin' great giveaway at the end!

<3

-----------------------------

Hi everyone :) My name is Maxime, I'm the proud owner of Kirameku and I love everything that shines! :) Kelly had the wonderful idea of a guest post (thanks Kelly!) and asked me to tell you more about my handmade shop. Kirameku is glad to offer a wide selection of colourful and sparkling creations, from handmade jewelry to one of a kind artwork. Kirameku specializes in cocktail jewelry, unique statment pieces as well as custom orders. We are based in Montreal, Canada. I make everything myself, from graphic design to jewelry making.

How did it all start? Very simple: when I was out shopping for jewerly, I could never find a piece that would fit my taste or budget. I've been an artist for as long as I can remember, so my first reflex was to start sketching what I had in mind. Then I went to a craft store, bought supplies and started to make my own jewelry. I did many tests and eventually discovered the "berries" that you see at Kirameku's todays. My friends and family loved my designs, asked for custom pieces and always wanted something new. One of my friends suggested Etsy and that's how I discovered this venue. I opened Kirameku back in 2009 because I wanted to share my creations with women around the world who are looking for this perfect piece of jewelry just like I was. I create unique, feminie pieces that fir any budget so that you can treat yourself without breaking your pgiiy bank. I want to make jewelry that makes you happy to sparkle.

I've introduced many new collections to the "Berries Series," like the Mother of Pearl Earrings and the wedding necklaces in 2013. and I have to say I l-o-v-e making wedding jewelry. Weddings are so beautiful! I'm crazy for celebrations of love and happiness! I hope that expanding my wedding collection will bring forward that perfect statement piece for your perfect day. :)

The part I love most about my job - besides making you happy and gorgeous, is making a custom piece just for you. I feel so privileged to be able to make your wish come true! So please, never hesitate to ask me to create something new, creation is all my life is about.

--------------------------------------

And now for the giveaway! Maxime was so gracious to offer this beautiful set of dangle and drop earrings for one lucky winner!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Blogmopolitan Quiz

I woke up and found Erin's version of this and sat in bed for a good 30 minutes reading everyone who linked up. Of course I had to tag along and do one. The quiz they do in Cosmo is one of my favorite parts to read in the mag and it was so fun to fill out my own.

I also wanted to state how crappy I have been at blogging lately. Forgive me people, being a college student sucks and it wipes my brain free of any original ideas. So I can't promise anything until summer starts up, which needs to soon because this -30 degree crap Wisconsin is throwing at us is getting old. You hear me Wisconsin!? Cut this shit out.

However, I've had all week off because of my job hates me, so I've had some time to put together some semi-cool posts. You can look forward to seeing a couple healthy muffins recipes that I am so excited to share because they turned out delicious! Also there is a wonderful giveaway coming your way so keep a look out for that.

Talk soon!

<3

my addiction.....to sugar

Guys, we have a problem. I'm addicted to sugar. Like I crave that wonderful sweet nectar of the gods almost everyday. I constantly want candy after every meal, when I'm bored, when I'm watching a movie, when I'm not watching a movie, even when I think about whether I want to watch or not. It's terrible!! And it's gotten worse! I blame my addiction on growing up and always having a dessert after your meal. That's how it always was. You ate your lunch, you got a cookie. You ate your whole dinner and you got a piece of cake. It's been carved into my brain that I must have something sweet to finish off whatever the hell I just ate.

I went to the dentist the other day for my 6 month cleaning and I had 3 cavities! That's 3 little sugar demons I have renting out my teeth and not paying rent. I haven't had 3 cavities since I was 3, probably, I don't really know, but it's been a long time. I was so angry with myself, because I brush my teeth twice a day and rinse with mouthwash! The only lie I ever tell them is that I floss everyday when in reality it's only after I eat popcorn. Now I have to get 3 fillings, all because I couldn't control myself with the damn candy bags.

This needs to stop. I haven't eaten any extra sugar for 4 days now and I feel like I'm going cold turkey off heroin, if I knew what that felt like. I went out and bought several packs of that Extra Dessert gum and it's been helping a little. I try to eat one every time I have a craving, so really a pack doesn't last that long. I'm trying to train my brain that it doesn't needs sweets after every meal. I read part of an article that says it takes at least 2 weeks for you to stop craving something. That's 2 weeks of dread for me. That's 2 weeks of looking like a caveman searching for food after every time I eat lunch! But I'm sticking to it. I will not let this addiction define me. My name is Kelly and I am recovering from a sugar addiction.

I wanted to share a few dessert recipes I've come across that have no refined sugar in them. I've been trying to switch to desserts that have less or no sugar in them and these next few recipes are to die for! So if your battling a sweet tooth like me, check these out.

Greek Yogurt Blueberry Banana Bread

My mom has been making banana bread for us since we were little. I love when the house fills up with the aroma and baking banana bread. I've made the recipe several times myself before so I know how much sugar goes 1 batch. I've cut out some sugar in the past to see if it would make a difference and I didn't taste any changes, so why not cut it out completely and throw blueberry in it? 

Avocado Brownies

I haven't tried these yet, but I'm dying to. They look so fudgy and gooey and they have avocado in them, so you won't feel guilty after eating more than 1. 

Peanut Butter Cookies

These babies are not only sugar free, they are butter free and flour free. How the heck are these things made then you ask? With only 5 ingredients you would think these cookies are nasty and flavorless, but trust me, they are so good and so easy to make! Being a cookie girl like me, this is a nice alternative to the other cookies that my mother like to make with a few cups of sugar. 

<3

Dry Shampoo: Which one is the best?

I have been going nuts with dry shampoo for the last few years and decided the other day that I should really do a review on all the different ones I've tried. I tried to make these reviews nice and simple to read through for you all, so enjoy! 

Lush No Drought

Cost: $13.95 4.6oz

Pros: 
-Smells great! I loved the smell of the lime, grapefruit, and lemon which helped to open up my senses in the morning.
-A little of the product goes a long way. Since this dry shampoo is a powder and not a spray, I felt it was easier to spread throughout my hair.
-No chalky feel to your hair. This dry shampoo left my hair feeling very soft, almost like I actually washed my hair fully. There was no chalky feel to my hair, so I really liked that.

Cons:
-The cost. To me, $13 is a lot to spend on such a small bottle. I got my bottle for Christmas so I didn't use my money, but it might take me a while to repurchase this one just because of the price.
-It take a bit more time to apply. I found that this product works best if it's left in for about 5 minutes before rubbing in so for some who are in a hurry, this may not be the best choice.

-------------------

Not Your Mothers Clean Freak
This was the very first dry shampoo I had ever use and I used it for a good 3 years after that. It was my favorite for the longest time. I used it almost every day in the summer when I worked early mornings and didn't want to take the time to wash my hair fully.

Cost: $4.74 (at most drugstores) 7 oz

Pros: 
-The spray nozzle on this bottle is great. It sprays the product evenly on my hair.
-No smell. Sometime dry shampoos have funny smells, but this one was odorless.
-Lasts forever. I could use one bottle for a good 4 months before I had to replace it and that was using it almost everyday. So it's cheap and lasts a long time.

Cons:
-White application. It takes a bit of rubbing in and dispersing the product into your hair in order to get rid of the white powder, exspecially if you
-Chalky feel. After applying and rubbing in, my hair was left feeling chalky. I didn't mind to much, because I always wore my hair up in a braid and ponytail for work so it didn't bother me. The feel may bother some if you leave your hair down.

-------------------

Garnier Fructis Volume Extend

Cost: $4.97 (at most drugstores) 3.4 oz

Pros: 
-Smells great. This one has a very nice citrus smell to it. It was a favorite of mine to use in the morning for a quick wake me up and your hair was left smelling like oranges all day long.
-Doubles as a volumenizer. It definitely creates a nice body after using. I have very limp straight hair and when I applied the shampoo straight to my roots it really helped to lift my hair up a little.

Cons:
-Doesn't last. This 3.4oz bottle felt like it only lasted me a good 5-6 uses, it was pretty much gone within 2 weeks. I used it normally like any other dry shampoo and it felt to me like the product just vanished. I probably won't repurchase this brand of dry shampoo.

-------------------

Herbal Essences Naked

Cost: $4.97 (at most drugstores) 5 oz

Pros:
-No smell. This dry shampoo had just a nice clean scent to it, nothing overpowering.
-Free of nasty crap. This formula from Herbal Essence is a newer one I believe and it doesn't have any harmful parabens or dyes in it that some people really don't care for.
-Sprays very evenly. I loved the spray nozzle on this one. It sprayed very evenly throughout my hair and I never had any problems with the nozzle getting stuck or clogged from product.

Cons:
-Leaking problems. I did not have fun with this bottle. I used it once and packed it to go see Chris for the weekend. When I unpacked it, the bottle had exploded all over my bag, well more like leaked everywhere, but the whole bottle was pretty much gone after that. This may have been just a issue with this one bottle, but it still really pisses me off.

-------------------

Herbal Essences Body Envy

Cost: $4.97 (at most drugstores) 5 oz

Pros:
-Smells great. This one was another citrus scent of orange. I'm currently using it and I can't get enough of it. I love the fact that my hair smells like an orange orchard all day long.
-Spray nicely and even.
-No chalky feel to your hair. This dry shampoo just sucks the oil right up and makes it feel like you just washed your hair. I didn't have any issues with my hair feeling thick of product or chalky.

Cons:
-Haven't found any yet! I love it!


I hope you guys enjoyed this post and I hope it helps you narrow down your choice for a good dry shampoo. I have quickly become a dry shampoo freak, I absolutely love and cherish it. Some days it is just too much to ask to get me to shower in the morning and I love having a bottle on hand. It also helps when I'm in a hurry. I'll shower but I'll just skip washing my hair and use dry shampoo.

Thanks for stopping by today!

<3 

my wonderful swappers and a giveaway!

blog // instagram // twitter // facebook // pinterest

I'm Amanda and I write about life with my darling fella as we work and live. For the past three years we have been building our own house in West Virginia on top of a mountain in an old abandoned apple orchard, and we just moved in. So many new adventures are sure to happen! 

blog // instagram // twitter // bloglovin

Hey there! My name is Alex and I blog over at Second Thoughts. I love taking lots of photos and sharing what makes me happy. My blog is mostly about daily life, movie and book reviews, photography, outfits, and just everyday musings. Come check it out and see if it's for you....(it probably is)

blog // bloglovin // tumblr // twitter // pinterest // instagram

Hi, my name is Kristen and I only very recently got into blogging. I'm a freshman and a Kappa Alpha Theta at the University of Arizona. I'm a tad obsessed with Pinterest and I'm an alto in an all-female cappella group, so obviously Pitch Perfect is my favorite movie. Like many sorority girls, I also love bows, glitter, and crafting, but I also love curling up with a good book, kickboxing, cooking, and yoga. I'm originally from Reno and I enjoy the infrequent pedicures that I can afford, popcorn at the movies, and singing in the shower. I try to blog about the things I'm passionate about, such as DIY projects and my favorite recipes, so that others can enjoy the same things  I do and hopefully, maybe, not make as many mistakes in the process. 

blog // photography // twitter

My name is Jess and I blog about photography and my day to day experiences in my home town of Las Vegas! I love sharing my current photo works and find blogging to be a great outlet to spark my creativity. If you love photos, animals, and British accents...you'll probably love my blog!

blog // facebook // flickr // tumblr // bloglovin // youtube

I'm Tai Fontana and my blog was launched in 2012 with the purpose of displaying pieces of clothing manufactured by me. In September 2013, with my decision to stop accepting commissions for custom items, came the decision to unite my personal blog to the sales site and therefore posts of personal events were added to the site. In my blog I post about trips, events, and sewing tutorials as well as reviews of products sent by other partner stores. Since it's beginning in 2012, the blog has had over 127,000 visits.


Time for a giveaway!!! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway