{cookies and cream cupcakes}

Happy Wednesday!

I am starting to get into birthday party planning mode, since both my son and my daughter have birthdays coming up in the next month or so.  While brainstorming about cakes and desserts, I remembered these divine cookies and cream cupcakes that I shared on my family blog forever ago.  I am sharing them here as well because they are SO delicious they deserve a second post (and also because every time I make these someone asks for the recipe, so I can send them here now to find it in all of its glory!)

I of course found this on Pinterest and first made them about a year or so ago...initially I was worried the cupcakes wouldn't turn out because the batter was a little runny, but after baking they looked (and tasted) great.  The frosting...oh the frosting...I had to double the recipe just to ice all of the cupcakes, but man every ounce of that frosting is totally worth making.  It is creamy fluffy Oreo-y goodness...and on top of these moist chocolate cookie cupcakes, it is not for the faint of calories :) but totally worth it on your cheat days!

I will definitely be making these again, and if I ever need to schmooze Aaron I know I could totally win him over with a mint version.  If you missed the link above for the recipe, I typed out the recipe below as well.

Thanks to Chef in Training for sharing this wonderful recipe for all of us to enjoy!

COOKIES AND CREAM CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES 

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa sifted
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 14 Double Stuffed Oreos finely crushed

COOKIES AND CREAM FROSTING 

• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese softened
• 2 Tbsp. butter softened
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 package Dream Whip (this can be found in the baking aisle of the grocery store) dry 
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 6 Double Stuffed Oreos finely crushed

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add the sifted cocoa powder to a medium sized bowl and pour in the cup of hot liquid. Whisk until completely dissolved.
2. Next add the buttermilk to cool down the mixture, then add the sugar and whisk until all is combined.
3. Add the eggs, oil and vanilla and mix again.
4. In a small bowl, stir flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk this into the wet mixture until you no longer see any lumps.
5. Stir in heavy cream until evenly mixed in.
6. Lastly, stir in finely crushed Oreos.
7. Pour into cupcake tins and bake at 350 degrees F for 18-22 minutes or until done. Let cool and chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
8. For Frosting: Beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and blended. Add vanilla and salt and beat until well incorporated. Add Dream Whip and mix well. Add the powdered sugar and beat well. Lastly, add in the crushed Oreos and beat until well incorporated.
9. Let frosting chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
10. Once both cupcakes and frosting has chilled in fridge for at least 30 minutes, pipe frosting on top of cupcakes and enjoy! Store any left over in fridge. 

{winter neutrals}

{sweater: forever 21, the pink one looks so cute too!}

{earrings: purple peridot}

{jeans: LC Lauren Conrad (old), similar here}

{shoes: Target (old), similar here}

These last few days have been FREEZING!  Georgia isn't equipped for this ice and snow, so my little family and I are bunkered down in our home staying warm and dry.  I did manage to snap a few outfit pictures before the weather got crazy though.  

I bought this sweater a few months ago and I wear it constantly!  It is so comfy and warm, and the material is soft (not itchy!).  I bought it in a size up so that it would be extra oversized.  I normally wear it with dark colored jeans and leggings, but I wanted to pair it with these white jeans to lighten the look up a little and transition into spring (even though it seems spring is so far away now…).  I don't usually wear white jeans since I'm a chronic spiller I have children, but I may have to be a little braver and wear them out more this spring and summer :)

Side note: one of my resolutions this year was to learn new braids and how to style my hair.  I followed this tutorial and I love how it turned out!  I am still a little slow at it, and I still need more practice, but it's a start!

xo, Sara

{blush and lace}

xoxo :)

{shirt: forever 21 (old, similar here)}

{leopard jacket: forever 21 (old, similar here)}

{lace skirt: Marshall's (love this one!)}

{shoes: BCBGirls (found at Nordstrom Rack forever ago, but these work too)}

{bracelets: Bauble Bar, Kate Spade, and Nordstrom}

{earrings: Bauble Bar}

It's Friday, and ("officially") Galentine's Day!  

Aaron and I are going out tonight to celebrate and (hopefully) miss most of the crowds of tomorrow.  We also like staying in together on Valentine's Day, but I would almost never say no to going out for date night :)  So this may not be my actual Valentine's Day outfit, but since I'm going out to celebrate the holiday in it, I'm going to count it.  

While we were taking pictures, my little girl woke up early from her nap super sad and decided to crash the pictures :) even though she is going through her separation anxiety phase, she is still super cute.  

Hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day weekend!

xo, Sara

{valentine's day sweets}

Earlier today I made some Valentine's Day treats to share at a Valentine's party for some little girls I work with at my church.  These cupid's floats and peanut butter "love blossom" cookies were both big hits.  They were super easy to put together too, so if you need some last minute ideas for your kiddos, a party, or just for your sweet tooth, keep reading!

I found the idea for the cupid's float on Pinterest, and it's SO easy!  All you need is cherry 7up soda pop, vanilla ice cream, and red licorice for the straw.  The licorice was great for the age group I was working with, but if you aren't a fan of licorice you can definitely find some cute paper straws to use instead.  

The peanut butter blossom cookies (I called them "peanut butter love blossom" cookies because instead of the typical Hershey's kiss I used a Dove chocolate heart) I just made with a peanut butter cookie mix and followed their directions on the box.  The Dove Chocolates are on sale at Target right now (and on the Target Cartwheel app too!) and I know this because I just went back there today and bought some more, haha!  I'm a sucker for chocolate.  

xo, Sara

{valentine's day giveaway}

Happy Hump Day!

In case you aren't following me on Instagram, I wanted to let you know that I've teamed up with some wonderful up and coming bloggers and Instagramers for a giveaway!  There will be TWO winners selected on Friday, February 13th, so hurry and click here to to find out how you can enter (and hopefully win)!  Because really, who couldn't use some extra money to buy someone (or yourself) something special :)

xo, Sara

{january favorites}

A little while ago, sweet Leesha of Captivating Femininity tagged me on Instagram to share my January favorites.   I had already shared some of my favorite outfits for the month here, but I thought I could share some other things that I have been loving for the last month or so.

Style

Leopard print.  In case you haven't noticed, I've had a current obsession with leopard print.  It's super easy to print mix with it, since basically it's a neutral nowadays.

Hats.  Towards my third (or fourth) day between hair washes, I tend to rock a top knot just so that my long hair isn't pulled on by my curious ten month old daughter.  Even though top knots can look chic in their own way, I love how I can look just as pulled together when I put on a hat.  The hat pictured above I bought from Forever 21 and I get compliments on it every time I wear it.

Bauble Bar.  For some reason I just barely started purchasing jewelry from Bauble Bar and I have loved everything I've gotten!  There is so much variety and plenty of options for whatever kind of look you're going for.  Those crystal drop earrings I bought on sale and they instantly add sparkle to any outfit.

Yosi Samra flats. These flats have been my feet's saving grace.  They are super cute and even after running around with kids all day, my feet still feel fine.  My Habit usually has Yosi Samra flats on sale, so if you're looking to buy a pair but are on a budget I would check there first.  I bought the canvas camouflage ones from there most recently and I hope to get a few more in some spring colors.

Beauty

PMD Personal Microderm tool.  This was my big Christmas gift from my hubby (at my request), but I finally started using it last month.  I was super excited to get it, but I was a little hesitant to use it at first.  I was paranoid it would irritate my skin to the point of no return, but thankfully I got over that fear and it has been amazing!  I've had a constant battle with keratosis pilaris on my arms and legs, and just after one treatment I've already seen a huge improvement! I haven't seen quite as much of a change on my face yet, but it's only been a few weeks and I think I'll see more of a difference after a little longer.  Regardless, it's working on my arms and legs and that alone is worth it (especially come swimsuit season).  

Coconut Oil.  This stuff is wonderful! It has so many uses (besides cooking/baking), and it works miracles!  When my daughter was first born, she had baby acne, eczema, AND cradle cap all over her face!  All at once!  She was always scratching her face and it would always be so red and sad looking.  Putting coconut oil on her face cleared it right up and you would never know her skin was so awful.  I've been using coconut oil for a while on my face and to shave my legs with, but lately I've been putting it on after I use the PMD and I think that it has helped with my skin's rapid improvement.

EOS lip balm.  I got this set for Christmas, and the scents are beautiful!  I love EOS lip balms because they smell so good, they moisturize my lips well, and the lids twist on and off, which is super helpful when I have toddler hands that somehow find themselves sifting through my things.  I like having a lot of these so that I can always find one.

DoTerra Essential Oils.  I was given lemon, peppermint, and lavender oils a while ago, but I just started using them fairly frequently because I am finally learning about all of their wonderful uses!  I use the lemon oil by dabbing a tiny amount on my babies' noses when they have runny or stuffy noses and it helps them to breathe.  I also put a drop or two into a glass of water each morning and it helps my immune system and rid the toxins in my body.  And I just started using the lavender oil in my mascara…for real!  Adding a drop of lavender oil to mascara promotes healthy, fuller, and longer lashes.  I've learned how to use my oils from Michelle.  I got to know her and her family as they were passing through Georgia, and she is the coolest.  There are so many oils with so many uses, and she has made learning how to use my oils so easy.

Entertainment

Friends TV Show.  Anyone else binge watching this on Netflix right now? My husband and I have seen the series countless times, but we love it and watch it together anyway.


I loved putting this post together, and I might try to do a favorites post each month…and maybe I've shared something new that you'll love too.

Happy Monday!

xo, Sara

{shades of pink and chambray}

 Shirt: LC Lauren Conrad (old, similar here and on sale!)

Skirt: ASOS (on sale!)

Necklace: Poppy Gem (on sale also!)

Shoes: Target (old, but love these ones)

Thank goodness it's Friday!  

I feel like a lot of the outfits I've been sharing here lately have pink in them, but I'm not even sorry about it.  I love pink and Valentine's Day has me inspired to add as much pink to my outfits as possible.  This skirt is so bright and cheery in pink, but it's made with a thicker wool blend fabric, so it's perfect for transitioning from winter to spring.  It's also great for twirling, if you're into that sort of thing :)

 Here's to a wonderful weekend!

xo, Sara

{valentine's day gift guide for your man}

Cologne |  Card  |  Boxers  |  Dress Shirt  |  Cuff Links  |  Sunglasses  |
|  Wireless Headphones  |  Book  |  Watch  |  Briefcase (similar and more budget-friendly option here)  |

Always stumped on what to give the man in your life for Valentine's Day?  Unless I'm given specific requests, I usually am!  While trying to figure out what to get my hubby, I put together this inspiration board in case you need a few ideas as well.  I adore the "you are my lobster" card!  It's so fitting since Aaron and I binge watched the Friends series together while we were engaged and continue to watch it periodically and quote it to each other.  Any other Friends nerds fans out there??

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

xo, Sara

{valentine's day wish list}

clutch  |  link bracelet  |  back-up charger  |  watch  |  sunglasses

  pearl arm cuff  |  candle  |  stud earrings

Happy Monday!

Now that it is February, I have a few Valentine's Day inspired posts that I wanted to share because I love love!  I may be a hopeless romantic at times, but I also love holidays so of course we celebrate Valentine's in our home :)

Every time around the gift-giving holidays, my sweet husband asks me what I want and usually I have no ideas to give him!  So I took some time to find a few things that I would love to be "surprised with" this Valentine's (or anytime really), even if I know some aren't going to be mine any time soon...I'm talking to you, gorgeous YSL clutch! And maybe there is something on here you'd be excited to receive as well or give to someone you love.  

xo, Sara