today i want to be here.

This week has gone by super fast, but it was been yet another exhausting week at work. All I want is a few days off to get things in order around the house and just have some down time. But lets be honest that isn't going to happen. A girl can dream right? 

So here is where I'de rather be.....

or i would be content sitting at home staring out the window and this....

sigh...someday right? 

Here's to another busy day! Hope yours is simply more relaxing then mine! 

Wedding Wednesday: Today I'm loving...

Today's Wedding Wednesday is full of random details that I've been loving. So many grand ideas out there. And here are some of them! :) All of these are thanks to the amazing Style Me Pretty Pinterest. 

Let's start with this fun bar made out of wine barrels! What a fantastic rustic idea.

Loving the pin strips for this groom. Classic and different.

How amazing is this cake! Just look at the texture and detail. Stunning!

Obsessed. Candle light ceremony.

Classic dress. Timeless. 

Fun idea for an outdoor evening wedding. Summer nights do tend to get a little chilly!

you know me and mirrors. love. and love all the pink.

And finally one of the most creative "guest book" ideas ever. Help them "create a masterpiece". Having their guests paint a mini picture or wedding wishes on a big white canvas. 

Now that is original and personal. 

Happy Wedding Wednesday! Hope you have a simply wonderful day :) 

Nutella Mania!

Now I must say that if you have never had Nutella you are seriously missing out on the amazing chocolate hazulnut goodness! Sigh...it's so delicious! I will advise you to go right now and try it! You can put it on everything! It's great wit fruit or great to make Nutella bannana sandwiches! And now through the world of Pintrist I have discovered many other goodies you can make with it! And a couple weekends ago I tried one of them out! Here is the recipe for all of you to try out! YUM!  

Nutella Self Frosted Cupcakes

(I called them muffins because I served them for breakfast ) :) 

I am all about super simple easy recipes and this is one of them! What I love even more is that I had everything in the house! It called for the basic ingredients every baker has around the house!

1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup canola or mild vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4-1/2 cup Nutella, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 325F.

In a medium bowl, beat the butter, oil and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the butter mixture and beat on low speed just until combined. The batter will be thick. It needs to be in order to swirl in the Nutella!

Divide the batter between 12 paper-lined muffin cups. Drop a spoonful of Nutella on top of each, and swirl through the batter with the tip of a bamboo skewer, knife or other pointy object. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until springy to the touch. Tilt them in the pan to help them cool. Makes a dozen cupcakes.

Trust me the result is amazing! They are perfect! 

Hope you have a simply wonderful Tuesday!

First Day

Today marks the first day of the new school year. And even though I'm not a student I still wish I could go do a little "back to school" supply shopping. However, I could go shopping for new office supplies. Who doesn't like to have pretty things when sitting at work for 8 hours a day. I'm obsessed with  this purple pen at work and it just makes me happy to use it everyday. But anyways has anyone heard of See Jane Work? It is this amazing office supply site that has the worlds cutest supplies. Here are some of the new things I wish i could start today off with! 

I love this letter holder! so much better then my basic black one I have sitting on my desk.

I really need a couple of these notebooks. Perfect for notes. 

And the cutest paperclips i have seen in forever.

Classic Fleur de Lis clip. 

I don't even use page markers but if I did these would be so fun to have! 

Happy First Day everyone! Hope you have a simply wonderful Monday. 

14 years later

14 years ago my father passed away. didn't mean to start off with something so harsh and real but it's just the facts today. I've never written anything like this, and if I have it wasn't ever going to be made public. But I feel like this blog is a place I can be myself, and talk about my life.
So today's post is very personal.

When September 23rd rolls around it's always this day of... not sadness, but more a day of reflection. A day where I think about him, myself, what he would think of what I have done, or haven't done. It's a day to remember and to look forward at what may be ahead. I often think about what my life would be like if he was still alive. What father daughter things we would do, the conversations we would have. It's almost this foreign concept. I was young. I was only 8. And at the age of 8 I became an adult. His death has greatly contributed to my "mature" ways and thinking.
While others were out playing I was grieving a dad.

There are a couple of distinct things i remember about that day. I remember riding my bike when i saw someone walk outside and to the sidewalk. I remember throwing my bike down in the middle of the street and just knowing why they had come outside. I ran inside to my mother's crying side. It was over, he was gone. From there it was a blur of family and friends. I didn't cry at his funral,
I had to stay strong.

Loosing someone so close to you at such a young age will change your life forever. I know that if this life altering event hadn't happened, I wouldn't be who I am today. I wouldn't understand what suffering means, what compassion truly means. And that is something I am thankful for. 

All I think about now, all I hope for now, is that in some small way I have made him proud. I hope that when he looks down on me he isn't disappointed. I hold him in such a tight, closed, locked down place in my heart. He's my dad. And always will be. I can only hope to find someone someday as amazing as he was. I may have been young but he was an amazing father, husband, son, friend, and citizen. He was a business owner. Looks like I'll be taking over that :) ..I may not be building houses but I will be building events. And someday I will marry someone just like him. Someone who will love they way he did, and be able to build me a house..just like he did. :)

Love you daddy. Forever and always. Andrea

fall?

This last week showed the first signs of oregon fall/ rainy season. And although I wish summer could hold on a little longer I can't wait for fall to arrive. It is seriously my favorite season..especially living in Corvallis and working on campus. The huge trees and leaves changing..its just perfection. Along with pumpkin  spice lattes there are also some other things I'm looking forward to...

Essie Gray polish. I'm already obsessed.

Can't wait to be wearing scarves again! and how cute is this gray scarf with the yellow jacket.

Jackets. how cute is this bomber jacket! heart.

Jeans. A great pair trouser jeans will be perfect for fall.

Crockpot baked apples. umm helloooo fall.

Pumpkin! Everything pumpkin! Starting with these Pumpkin Spice pancakes :) 

Great boots and cute fall outfit! 

AMAZING smokey bronze eyes. 

So thats what I'm looking forward to this fall :) Anyone else as excited as I am??

Have a simply wonderful Monday. 

i heart dance scenes

So I have a confession..I am in love with movie dance scenes...and not the crazy intense ones with crazy rountines...i love the soft, slow ones. There is something so romantic about them..something so perfect. I feel like there is such a sense of love, and you can just see and feel it. I know, i know, I am pretty cheesy but apart of me is chessy and girly. I have a top 3. Let's start with number three. Don't laugh to hard at me okay? We all have our guilt pleasures :)

3. (please dont laugh to hard) High School Music 3.  :) Okay...I just LOVE the song Can I have this dance. I think thats also why I love a couple of these scences. I love the music. And i love that they waltz.

2. Enchanted. omg...this movie is awesome! I went to the theaters to see it and didn't have high expectations for it and fell in love with it! It has a beautiful dance scene..and an amazing song called So Close by John McLaughlin. You really should go listen to it...now. 

1. The Notebook. Sigh....i seriously will re-watch the scene where they lay under the street lights then dance over and over and over. It is my all time favorite dance scene. It is SO romantic and I just LOVE it! If any guy ever wanted to dance in the streets with me..i would probably marry him right then and there ..haha It is just beautiful. 

So there you have it. My guilty pleasure. Romantic Dance Scenes. :)

Hope you have a simply wonderful Tuesday. 

a time to remember

Yesterday the world stopped to remember what had happened 10 years ago. September 11th is a date we will never forget. It's one of those days where we remember where we were, and what we were doing the moment that first plane hit. It is a time to really remember how amazingly lucky we are to be living in the country we do, and to remember the people who have and who are currently serving this country. A time to remember those lost in such a horrific act and those who's courage saved others. 

We are so incredibly lucky to have the freedom we have. 

So thank you to those individuals who are constantly protecting us. 

As I was browsing around my blogs yesterday I came upon this picture by Ryan Ray that was posted on Style Me Pretty. It's absolutely beautiful. And says things perfectly.

Remember. 

We will never forget. God Bless America

Have a simply thoughtful Monday. 

Flower Preview

The last couple nights have been filled with flower power! I have been busy running around picking up flowers and more flowers and last night I finally got to make the 12 different flower arrangements i needed to make for a grand opening dinner of a new building here on campus. I was so happy that I didn't run out of flowers...I guess the 13 dozen daliah's I ordered plus what I picked up at the Wednesday Market were enough :) yay! Here are a couple snap shots of what I've been working on. Don't worry I'll have better pics and event pics up soon! 

A combination of white and orange's. OSU colors of course!

 Hope you have a simply wonderful Thursday! 

Wedding Wednesday: Cake Edition

Cutting the Wedding Cake is one of the oldest wedding traditions. It's not a wedding without a delicious treat. The whole concept of wedding cake has evolved greatly over the last few years. We now have dessert bars, cupcake towers and extreme ornate cakes being made. However, it is more then just something pretty to look at and take pictures by. No one likes to bite into a piece of dry, grossly flavored cake. The cake is all about the looks combined with the taste. So be sure to do a tasting, and bring your husband to be with you. A perfect way to include him in the planning and he won't complain about testing cakes and fillings. 

Here are a couple things to think about when picking your dream weddings cake.

1. Take your time picking a baker/ don't just use the neighbor who brought great cupcakes to a BBQ. Once picking your baker make sure you go into detail about your wedding and what your overall vision for the day will be. You wouldn't want a fancy ornate cake for a laid back beach wedding.

2. Flavors: I always think that it is important to have that one layer that will please them all. A red velvet or classic yellow or white cake with a great filling. But this is your wedding cake..so maybe pick a flavor that has some sentiment to it. Or be brave and go with a flavor out of the box. It's amazing what flavor combos they have these days!

3. Saving the top tier. It was once a big tradition to save the top tier of your cake for your first anniversary...however, thankfully bakers have gone into including an anniversary cake in the price of your wedding cake. No more eating frost bitten cake a year later.

4. Cake alternatives. Who says it needs to be a cake!? Cupcakes are all the rage right now...along with mini pies or mini desserts. Regardless you can cut into whatever it is and take that first bite together.

Now time for the fun stuff!

This fun simple colorful cake is a great summer cake. Love the addition of the cake pops as well!

Cake Alternative. Mini pies for everyone! LOVE this idea. Would be great for a country chic wedding!

LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS ONE! I love white on white right now. This is dramatic and beautiful. 

(my all time favorite right now)

 An elegant textured choice. Beautiful. 

Cupcake towers! Can go in so many directions with cupcakes. 

These tiffany blue frosted cupcakes are adorable. 

how fun is this yellow graphic cake.  

Classic scrolling is always beautiful. 

This cake has been one of my all time favorites. I've actually tried to duplicate this cake for my 21st birthday...sadly my baker failed and it looked nothing like this but

 one of these birthdays they will get it right. 

There are so many more but thats all I got for today. Main thing to remember is:

 A. pick a good baker. 

B. make sure the cake goes with the wedding. 

C. Make sure you actually eat a piece at your wedding. 

You paid good money for the damn thing. :)

Hope you have a simply Happy Wedding Wednesday! 

my long weekend in pictures

I heart long weekends. Like I wish every weekend would be 3 days. It's the perfect amount of time to have fun, relax, and be productive. And that is exactly what I did this weekend! So here are some snap shots of the weekend.

Lets start with Martha. Oh Martha Stewart...how you come up with such amazing ideas is beyond me but look at what I found this weekend! Amazing modern stencils. And she has a whole line of paint that works on wood, glass, metal, and fabric! WHhhhatttt!!! I was so excited! And hope to have a completed project using these later this week! 

Also had a little me time this weekend. Gave me self a mani and pedi. Orange on the toes (in honor of my beavers first game this weekend) and Essie Gray on my finger nails. And by the way...new color for fall is this gray! it is AMAZING!!!! im obsessed! 

In my me time I also colored my hair. Sigh..i used to never color my own hair but this Foam coloring system by Nice'n Easy is to die. SO EASY! and my hair looks fantastical! 

Random Moment: Discovered Apple Pie Gum = heaven without the calories 

 Attended my BEAVERS first home game! Sadly not the outcome we wanted in the end but hey..we never win our first game.... maybe next weekend...

But I did get to see my favorite Benny :) 

Sunday I headed to the beach with the fam. We had an amazing lunch with perfectly cooked salmon. TO DIE FOR! 

On our way back we stopped at Spirt Mountain Casino. My first visit to a Casino since i've turned 21. 

My mamma showed me the ropes of the penny slots. It was fun...i sadly didn't win but I can see why people like it. Casino's are so bright and flashy. And when you see your Credits going up and up..a little addicting! 

The rest of the weekend was filled with the productive stuff. I did some major cleaning and organizing, errands for my massive flower arranging I have to do later this week, and started my Martha Stewart art project. A very jam packed but still relaxing fun weekend. Now it's back to reality with a long list of things to do at work...i supposed I should get to those things now.

Hope you have a simply wonderful Tuesday!