In other news, I'm sick

I feel like I have been missing in action this week and I sincerely apologize for disappearing for a bit but guys...I.am.so.freaking.sick.  Tim was sick earlier last week and he really didn't seem that bad (I know some women say that men are wimps when they are sick, but Tim is a champ.  I never can tell when he's feeling particularly awful.)  Anyway, I was convinced that I would beat whatever Tim had and then, just as I feared, last Sunday I started feeling sick.  We were out at the hitting range on a little date and I started to get a sore throat.  Well...it's Thursday now and I have no voice, an awful cough, a stuffy nose, body aches..the works! I feel awwwfffffullllllll.  Maggie came over last nice since I'm home house sitting and as a nursing major/best friend she did her best to keep my spirits high.

In other news, I experimented this morning with a new pancake recipe and it was yummy but still missing something.  I added vanilla this time around to give it a little kick but they still feel like they need more!  Do you guys have any suggestions for great pancake recipe's?!

In other other news, I want to take cooking classes for my birthday this year and have been trying to do some research online to find the best place.  Have any of you taken a class in the city and recommend a good place?

So sorry that this was such a random post, but I didn't want to leave you guys hanging while I try and beat this cold!

Buyers remorse

Have you ever bought something for yourself and then totally felt guilty about it for, like, ever?  I have been in shoppers grief for pretty much the last week and a half and I totally can't shake it!  I am not one to buy things for myself on a daily basis since I like to think that I am a pretty practical saver.  Every once in a while I indulge and when I do it's because I really, really, REALLY want what I'm buying and I have the money saved.  This time around, not so much.  I started obsessing over this J.Crew necklace online and it was out of stock and I kept saying "well you deserve it!" and "you just found it on Ebay for only $60!" and "you never buy yourself anything, so shut up and buy it already."  So I did, I bid on it and won it for like $60 and I immediately felt guilty about it.  When I told Tim I had won it he kinda looked at me like "really babe? You just spent how much on a necklace?"  I think that most of the time my purchases are a little more practical, but even so!  Tim is the king on indulgence when he can afford it and so I thought he'd be behind me 100%! I guess I was wrong.  Thennnnn I got home and was like "mom!  I bought a gorgeous necklace for only $60 which is a bargain!" She judged me, like pretty bad guys and so since this incident I have felt guilty about the very pretty necklace hanging on my hook in my room.  I kinda want to just return it (but have taken the tags off.)  To make matters worse, I tried to wear it the other day and it kinda drove me nuts.  Granted Tim was over and I was in a cuddly mood as usual and it was just getting in the way, but still, I hated the purchase even more.

I want to love this thing, I really do.  Does anyone else feel this way after they indulge in themselves?

Kicking off summer!

Yesterday I had to run down to school for the day and asked if Maggie wanted to come with me.  It ended up being a perfect way to kick off summer with good food and my best friend.  

 For all the years we've been best friends we have like one picture...so we decided to take some.

 Cuban Pete's in Montclair serves the besttttt non-alcoholic sangria's...so yum.

 Maggie is an awesome photographer and she is always snapping great pics...I feel like this totally sums up our night!

 Maggie took this and although I totally look chubby...I guess it's cute

 God do I love Cuban food.  I was super excited to show Maggie Cuban Pete's and we ate my favorite disk "Ropa Vieja."  It's pretty traditional Cuban food and it's served with the best freaking plantains I've ever eaten.  We also ordered these crazy good empanadas with cheese and spinach which are just to die for.  Go here everyone, please for the sake of your stomach

 Totally feels like you are walking into an island oasis!

 After dinner we walked it off a bit and headed to get amazing cupcakes at "Cupcakes by Carousel." I had the cutest blue velvet cupcake ever and can we talk about what Maggie had? Look below.

 Cookie dough cupcake...yep...blew my mind

 Can't you tell Maggie took this?  How cute.

 I took Maggie to this park for an amazing view of Essex County.  On a good day you can see all of New York City...to dieeee for!

And a good Instagram photo to end the day!

Guest post: Chickpea Flatbread!

Hey, friends! Claire here. I'm so honored to appear on Hair Bows and Smiles; Ashley and I used to share time at the world's greatest radio station, and it's pretty cool to now be sharing blog posts.

In continuing the sharing trend, this chickpea flatbread would be a perfect contribution to any summer BBQ or potluck dinner with family/friends. With a texture that balances the chewiness of traditional flatbread and the thickness of cornbread, it tastes fantastic dipped in sauces or smothered in gravy (I particularly loved it with a generous drizzle of barbecue sauce). Plus, the use of chickpea flour provides a huge punch of fiber and protein without any saturated fats or added sugars; no need to feel guilty going back for seconds!

The recipe is super simple, and I can't wait to start adapting it--maybe with a few herbs thrown in, or thinned out to use as sandwich bread, or perhaps with a swirl of chocolate or cinnamon? The possibilities are endless.

Chickpea Flatbread
Barely adapted from In Pursuit of More
Makes one 8" or 9" pan

1 tbsp olive oil (for oiling the pan)
3 tbsp olive oil (for the batter)
2 1/2 c chickpea flour
3 1/2 c water
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and oil your 8" or 9" pan (square or round will work) with the first tbsp of olive oil.

Place chickpea flour in a large bowl, then gradually stir in water, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add the salt, additional olive oil and whisk until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until golden, about 40 minutes. Remove bread from oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes before slicing. Serve immediately, or refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container (a napkin or paper towel placed directly on top of the slices will absorb any excess moisture, preventing sogginess).

A chalkboard wall, a graduation and a bridal shower!

Happy Wednesday everyone!  I'm currently waiting on Maggie to come over so that we can draw on my newly painted chalkboard wall!  We painted it last week and since you have to let it set for 3 days we are only now getting to draw on it.  I promise to put a picture up of it once there is actually something to look at, right now it's just a black wall.  I woke up last week and just decided that morning that today was the day I was going to paint so of course I enlisted the help of my best friend.  I think we gave my mom a bit of a heart attack but it really did come out nice.

After painting the chalkboard wall I packed my things and headed to Tim's for a very busy weekend.  On Saturday, his very talented sister graduated from college and on Sunday it was her surprise bridal shower (Cinderella themed)!  It was such a fun weekend and I wanted to share some of my favorite photos with all of you (the new pictures of Tim and I are soooo nice).  Make sure to check back tomorrow for our guest post!

 

Why I blog

About two years ago I stumbled upon the blog Tulips and Flight Suits, written by Mary (who is just lovely by the way) and I was hooked.  I loved the idea of having something personal to update and having a space on the internet that felt private, like a tiny community.  From there I found more and more blogs that I loved to read and soon enough I had a daily reading list.  When I made the decision to start Hair Bows and Smiles it was one that was not easily made.  A lot of hard work goes into writing a blog like this as well as a lot of decision making from how transparent you want to be to the content of the blog.  Regardless, Hair Bows and Smile was underway and I began seeking opportunities to grow the blog every day.  I thought about the reasons that I fell in love with the idea of blogs in the first place and it went back to that idea of community.  It was then that I began reaching out to the women on the blogosphere that I admired most.  At first, I thought I wouldn't get a single response, but I did, the emails were (mostly) returned and I remembered why I loved blogging in the first place....that sense of community.  Even though all of us are at different stages of life our blogs bring us together.  We are connected by what we do and with that our community is formed.

This week on Hair Bows and Smiles I am so excited to feature a guest post by Claire from Eat Well. Party Hard.  Claire and I are old college friends and while I am still completing my undergrad, Claire is off doing amazing things.  I've loved reading her blog and was so excited to welcome her onto Hair Bows and Smiles. Since we are trying to be health conscious on our end, I've asked Claire to develop a healthier recipe to put up on my little section of the Internet.  I'm so excited!  It's amazing to include Claire in the blogging community that I hold so close to my heart and I hope you all will welcome her with open arms!  Make sure to come back daily, but especially Thursday to give a big, exciting welcome to Claire!

Becoming my biggest fan

I have always had really bad self-esteem, ever since I was a little girl.  I always wanted to be thinner, to look like the other girls, to fit in the clothes that they were wearing.  It never happened for me and it caused me to really lack self-esteem.  I didn't like a single part of me for a really long time and until recently I accepted that as my situation.

When I met Tim I was overwhelmed with how wonderful he was to me.  There's not a day that goes by that he doesn't tell me how beautiful I am.  I fight him on it all the time and let me tell you, he fights back.  He is determined to show me how beautiful I am.

It got me thinking..."I wan't to see what he sees."  Lately, I have been feeling like I need to find a way to become my own biggest fan.  I need to wake up in the morning with good thoughts about myself otherwise I am going to be my own worst enemy.  How am I ever going to get healthy if I wake up with negative thoughts every morning?!

A couple weeks ago I professed on the blog that I am going to lose weight again and then I didn't, I didn't even try!  I began to self-wallow and as always I ate because of that (I am an emotional eater if you couldn't tell).  When it came time to think about my summer goals and what I wanted to see from myself, I decided there was no better time to start getting healthy than right now.

I want to become my biggest fan.

Losing weight isn't so much about fitting into the clothes that other girls wear like it was when I was younger. Now, it's about feeling good about myself and having a healthy outlook on life.  Right now, it's my number one goal.

Since being home, I have been following my Weight Watchers plan and working out daily.  Sometimes I wake up and fight myself all day about working out, but I eventually do it and it makes me proud.  It's time to feel good about myself and I hope that I will inspire some of you to do the same.

How do you all stay healthy and build good self-esteem?

Life lately!

I feel like I've been hibernating this past week and I've got to be honest....I needed this.  Summer vacation has always been so easy to embrace in years past but this time it feels like I am waiting for more work to show up!  I think it's because junior year was so hard and overall exhausting, but I survived (and now I'm a senior! whhaaat?!) 

Since I have been home, I took some major needed time to spend with my best friend Maggie which was amazing, but mostly I have been cleaning out my room.  On my summer goals list I noted that I wanted to clean out my room and donate a lot.  Well that goal is completed!  Everything is in boxes ready to be donated and my room is so clean and organized I can't even handle it.  I have to give a huge shout out to my mom who I actually could not have done this without.  It was too overwhelming to do on my own.  I also built a bookcase all by myself...which, um, go me?!

On Tuesday, Tim and I were up with the sun and headed into the city to see the Chew again!  Tim that morning called and convinced me to bring my copy of Relish, Daphne Oz's new book, and boy I am glad that I did!  We got there really early and were the first couple in the door which landed us on the TASTING TABLE.  Holy crap I was so excited guys!  It ended up being so amazing because I got to meet and talk to all of the hosts and Daphne even signed my book!

We spent the rest of the day bumming around some of the stores and stopping at Bouchon Bakery for some coffee and macaroons.

love the new app from BeautifulMess!!! Everyone get it! So cute and fun.

Just stopping by!

Just wanted to pop in and share this picture today!  In April I converted and received full communion in the Catholic Church and I owe it all to the curly-haired guy in the picture.  Watching  him and seeing how important his faith is to him throughout the course of our relationship was so inspirational.  It taught me a lot about myself and I never realized how beautiful it was to have God as a part of a relationship until he came along.  I'm so grateful to have him in my life and I love him like crazy.  

Happy Monday everyone!  

Happy Mother's Day!

This is my favorite picture of us, mainly because I look so much like her and I can't even handle my face.  What a brat!

I wanted to take the time to wish all the momma's out there a very happy and relaxed Mother's Day this weekend!  I, of course, have to give an extra special shout out to my very beautiful mom!  She has been a source of guidance and support my whole life and I am a lucky girl to have had her by my side as my partner in crime.  Her and I are so different but so similar at the same time and while that can cause our personalities to clash, most of the time it is a riot.  I couldn't ask for a better woman to laugh through life with even when the moments aren't so funny.  She'd probably kill me for saying this but the woman has total self esteem issues which never made sense to me.  She is so beautiful, inside and out!  My mom can literally put a smile on anyone's face and leave it to her to chat up every single person she can.  She's the friendliest person out there and as a teenager (because teenagers don't appreciate their parents) I think that used to embarrassed me. It doesn't though, at least not now.  It's her best quality.

As a kid, I used to, tragically, attempt breakfast in bed for her special day but have since learned to stick to some flowers and a nice card.  She never wants much (I think all mom's say this) but we always like to do a little something for her regardless of what she says.

I hope everyone has a beautiful day tomorrow! A very happy Mother's Day to Tim's wonderful momma as well as my grandmother's and aunts!

<3

Summer goals for 2013

Lately I've been talking a lot without really doing a lot.  It fees like my "to do list" in my head is about 10 pages long and I already feel defeated! To avoid further feelings of defeat, I have decided to refer to this daunting "to do list" as my goals for the summer because then we can all throw a party when I accomplish one :)

Anyways, I figured it was time to write it all down so that I can be held accountable for these so-called goals of mine!  Hereeee goes nothing!

1.  Lose 40 pounds by the start of my senior year of college.  Guys, the big year is coming up and I sorta just wanna look fabulous for it.  Most importantly, I wan't to feel good during it.  There's nothing worse than looking back on pictures and thinking "wow, I really don't like how I look here."  You'll never want to look at those pictures and that's a shame.

2.  Room re-do!  I gave my room at home a major overhaul the summer before I left for college and although it seems silly, there isn't much in that room that represents my current style.  A lot changes in 3ish year and I figured now is a great time for a mini-haul.  The plan thus far is to paint a chalkboard wall, build a bookshelf out of crates, give my desk area a total makeover including a new paint job and spruce things up as we go.  I want this to be done cheaply, because I am after all a broke college kid.

3.  Speaking of that room of mine...I need to clean bad.  Never in my life have I felt the need to just throw everything (well mostly everything) away and start over.  There's so much in my room that I don't need anymore and the clutter is becoming unbearable.  Ideally I'd like to donate basically everything and anything I can.  Stay tuned because I imagine this is going to be a hot mess.

4.  Enhance this blogging experience.  As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I have a lot of goals for this here blog.  I just haven't done them yet and Tim keeps lovingly reminding me of that.  I'd like to take this summer and really make this something.

5.  Find an internship for the fall that I will enjoy.  I want to really fall in love with my major again and that means I refuse to settle in the fall.  I want to find something that makes me happy even if it means being picky.

6.  I'd like to work on myself a bit.  I feel like everyone says this, but it's true.  I'd like to take some time to explore myself and figure out how to make myself a better woman.  Being in a relationship has shown me a lot of what I like and don't like about myself and I really want to improve the things that need improving!

7.  I would like to cut down my use of social media.  Lately I have been so aware of how the stupid iPhone (I love you iPhone, don't be mad) interjects into our daily lives.  Sometimes I ban them for the day when Tim and I are together because there is nothing I hate worse than sitting somewhere with him and both of us are constantly checking Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and trying to beat 1,000 levels of Candy Crush Saga.  Give it a rest!  The plan is once I leave school for summer (because how the hell am I going to get through finals without distractions?!) I am going to delete the apps from my iPhone and only check in when I am near a computer or my iPad (which is like never).

That's all I can think of for now, but I feel like this is going to be updated quite frequently!

What are you guys planning to accomplish this summer?!

New Hampshire, I love you

This weekend Tim and I headed to New Hampshire with some friends for a magnificent, relaxing vacation at  our friends beautiful log cabin.  Unfortunately, it's back to reality for all of us college kids tomorrow as we are literally beginning finals week, but it's fine...we all did so much studying this weekend ;)

I'm kidding.  This weekend I did not a single lick of school work and let me tell you it felt great.  I can't tell you the last time I was this sun burnt or this relaxed.  Aside from sightseeing and eating our hearts out from Connecticut to Vermont to New Hampshire, we napped.  Sometimes you forget how good it feels to get away for a while.

I took some pictures, mostly of scenery (actually only of scenery, I don't have a single group shot! ugh!)  If any of you ever feel like getting away to a place you will be able to totally relax, head to New Hampshire.

 This was the sunset on our first night there...it was enough to make me want to stay forever.

 Our friend has three adorable dogs and a cat named Jake...he was fun to hang out with.

 This isn't like a courtesy wave either guys, it's a full on, smile included, wave

 Welcome to the longest candy counter folks, Littleton, NH.  

 So many fudge options...all ridiculously good.

 It makes me sad because these pictures don't do it justice!

 Jake

 Homemade vanilla and caramel swirl ice cream.  Excuse my nails...the last thing on my mind was painting them!

New Hampshire does this thing where when you ask for hot chocolate with whipped cream you get sprinkles on top.  Can I just tell you how obsessed I am with this concept?!

Overall, it was a great little vacation and I could have stayed forever.  I was only a little sad that I didn't get to see a moose.  Okay, maybe a lot sad.

Link Love!

It's hell week over here as we are quickly approaching finals week!  Final papers are due and I am swamped with work, so please excuse my absence on the blog this week.  I wanted to stop by before tomorrow because I am heading to New Hampshire with Tim and some friends for a much needed mini vacation.  I love New Hampshire and am so excited to be heading back.  I'll be sure to take tons of pictures!

For now, here are all the things I am loving on the internet!

1.  Rifle Paper Co. in general.  They have the most adorable stationary and I am dying to buy their recipe tins.  Check them out!
2.  This super cute bracelet from Kate Spade.  Gimmie now, please!

3.  This stunnnnnning necklace from Jeweliq because I am really into statement jewelry these days

4.  Philadelphia's travel website because it is so detailed and so much cooler than the one for New York City...New York, step your game up!  *Planning a trip to Philly!  Anyone have some good ideas?

5.  The website for Monster's University because it's the cutest thing ever and it's also set up like a real university website and it just makes me giggle.  

That's it for now!  See you all soon :)