These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things: Washington DC

Hey long lost friends!

I know I've been MIA for like the whole month of December. Probably because this month has been CRAZY for me between work, studying for my OCN in the new year, and getting ready for Christmas. It's been hard to find time to experiment with crafts and baking, travel, or even read something non-textbook lately. However I did take time out of my busy schedule to surprise Madi with a quick overnight trip to Washington DC this past weekend! Madi had never been into the city, and since his favorite team the wizards was playing my favorite team the clippers, I thought it would be the perfect Christmas surprise! And it turns out I was right! We had a fantastic weekend. Here were some of our favorite things and things we highly recommend doing in DC:

1) DC Tours By Foot

We found this tour company on Trip Advisor. The great part about this tour: ITS FREE. Well it's name your own price, but not a binding contract of how much you have to pay. They have different tours on different days and times, but we found the 2 hour National Mall tour to be plenty long and had lots of great information. We recommend this company!

2) The Commissary

An eatery in Logan's Circle that was such a chill hipster vibe but also a decently priced brunch in the city. For us it was about a mile out of the way, which meant extra steps, but it was worth the hike! Madi loved their Energy Breakfast, which consisted of egg whites, chicken, and spinach with wheat toast. I stuck to my pancakes and bacon, also delicious! 

3) The Verizon Center

If you can, go see a Wizards or Capitals game at the Verizon Center. They have a chick-fil-a inside, making it 100% amazing to eat at too! Except we went on a Sunday. Darn.

4) Matchbox 360

They have multiple locations of this restaurant throughout DC, but we went to the Chinatown location. YUM. They have brick oven woodfired pizza  and a whole other section of their menu with regular food that is equally delicious. 

5) Georgetown Cupcakes

We didn't make a stop on this trip, and it is SUPER touristy, but you have to go to Georgetown Cupcakes if you have never been. This is the home of the DC Cupcakes show on TLC. The cupcakes are not THE BEST EVER but they're pretty darn good. Worth the extra steps and you get to see Georgetown. #winning

So there you have it! Our trip couldn't have been much better. We were blessed with great cool weather, and although it was supposed to rain it was more just overcast. We stayed near Chinatown and the Verizon center and got a great deal about a month out on Hotels.com! Love that site!! We're here in Florida now for family time and a wedding, excited to get some sunshine and warmth before heading back to chilly NC. Hoping to get back into blogging about our life adventures, projects, eats and reads more often in January, but I still will be studying so we shall see! 

Have a safe and Happy New Year everyone!
- Olivia :)

My Random Addictions: Movies Based on a True Story

Hey everyone,

Last night we went and saw Hacksaw Ridge, a new movie that came out a few weeks ago with Andrew Garfield. Madi picked it and it won the choice with my family over my pick, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (was this good anyone?). I am SO glad that it won the movie choice! It made me think about how much I LOVE movies based on true stories, and how much I love looking up fact vs. fiction afterwards. So I compiled a list of Based on a True Story (BOATS) movies that I love and have researched to find the facts and the fiction!

1. Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Andrew Garfield and a very random choice Vince Vaughn play in this BOATS historical replay movie about a man and his commitment to the Ten Commandments, especially "though shall not kill" while enlisting in the army and going into a battlefield during World War II. What an INCREDIBLE attestation to faith and staying true to your values. And it's pretty much factual! They even left out some real pieces of what happened because it seemed too unrealistic... yeah this guy Dodson Doss was incredible. You should see this movie and then compare it to the facts. AHmazing. It was SUPER SUPER SUPER graphic, which is not my cup of tea but it was so real. I'd be curious to read a veteran's perspective on this movie! 

2. Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

Okay so Disney favorite Mary Poppins was based on the book written by P.L. Travers. This movie explores what went on when creating the hit and award winning movie, and it is not what you would expect. I love the honestly shown about movie making and how it isn't all a piece of cake to put together an author's creation and make it into a director's vision. As a kind-of author, I can only imagine how hard it would be to hand over your characters to Hollywood and let them divulge your vision into their own and put it out there for millions to see. The accuracy of this movie is somewhat correct, with certain details not being exact. However the story in general was an interesting one, and it was cool how they had actual audio recordings of Disney's work with P.L. Travers at the end of the film. I still find this movie fascinating even though I've seen it probably ten times. 

3. American Sniper (2015)

Disclaimer: I knew the ending of this movie before I saw it, so the whole movie I wasn't as enticed in. However it is a fascinating story of another incredible veteran, Christ Kyle who wrote the book that helped create this movie. Capturing what it was like for America's greatest sniper, this movie helps you really see the struggle from veteran's who re-enlist and family members who are left behind when they choose too. Also very graphic, however it is worth watching, and worth reading about Chris Kyle's life story. 

4) Remember the Titans (2000)
This will always be one of my BOATS favorites. This movie is super inspiring and it is crazy to think that it happened in 1971 and that wasn't that long ago! It does make you think that the high school was the only school integrating in the area, which wasn't true. But the whole process was definitely interesting. Denzel Washington was also an amazing pick as the coach, and according to statements the actual coach was just as harsh (but not quite as caring) and really did cause people to quit the team.


5) The Vow (2012)
So if you read the book written by the couple that the movie is based off of, you will realize that there are slim similarities from the book to the movie besides the accident and the main character forgetting who her husband was. The book was really inspiring and another incredible testament to faith and learning to love someone who you don't remember even knowing. But Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams' story is pretty good too even if it is mostly fiction.

So many fascinating BOATS movies, which are your favorites? I would love to check them out and check for historical accuracy.

Thanks for reading,
- Olivia :)

DIY: Banana and Pumpkin Spice Mini Muffins

Hello everyone!

This weekend I prepared for Thanksgiving by making my co-workers bags of mini muffins to celebrate the holidays! I had some extra bananas, so I made enough for everyone to have two banana and one pumpkin. I think they turned out adorable! I bought the cellophane bags at Michaels last night as well as the twine string. Super easy! I also made the tags myself using the Sweet Pea font, which you can find for free online! Here's how to make the muffins:

Banana Muffins- makes 44 mini muffins
- 1 1/2 cups of flour

- 1 egg

- 1 tsp vanilla 

- 1 tablespoon cinnamon

- 4 overripe bananas (mashed)

- 1/2 cup of vegetable or olive oil

- 1 cup granulated sugar

- 1/4 cup brown sugar

-1 tsp baking soda

- 2 tsp baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Mix together the dry ingredients in one bowl, mix together wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
3. Combine both wet and dry ingredients and beat until well combined
4. Spray your mini muffin tins
5. Bake for 14 minutes or until edges are golden brown
6. Let cool for 10 minutes

Pumpkin Spice- makes 44 mini muffins
- 1 3/4 cups of flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 can pumpkin
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/8 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Mix together the dry ingredients in one bowl, mix together wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
3. Combine both wet and dry ingredients and beat until well combined
4. Spray your mini muffin tins
5. Bake for 14 minutes or until edges are golden brown
6. Let cool for 10 minutes

I am super happy with how they turned out, and hopefully people will enjoy them tomorrow at work! We're gearing up for Thanksgiving, and Christmas is right around the corner so keep your eye out for more goodie bag recipes in December!

Thanks for keeping up with us,
- Olivia :)

#BookWorm: All the Light We Cannot See

Hello fellow readers!

It has been WAY too long since I have had a #BookWorm post. That's because October and November have been CRAZY busy. Like working 45+ hours every week, having events every weekend, and no free time, busy. But alas, I finally got to cozy up in this cool weather with a winner! All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doer was definitely a book that helped me jump start my reading kick again. It takes place during WWII. The main characters being Werner, a German boy and Marie-Laure, a French girl who turns blind in her childhood. It follows the two of them through their lives, Marie-Laure and what happens are the Germans approach France. Werner, and his struggle with joining the military group or being left out. Also the ending was actually not what I thought it would be. The story goes back and forth between the war and prior to the war, which got confusing to me at times. The beginning got me hooked, but the middle slowed down quite a bit, however towards the end was worth it again! It was pretty long, over 500 pages, but it helped really capture what went on during those times. If you're into historical fiction, this is for you. It was a Pulitzer prize winner, and well deserving in my opinion! Overall I would give it an 8/10. It wouldn't say it was the MOST INCREDIBLE book ever, but it was pretty good for it's length and historical references.

My ever-growing list keeps growing and growing. I did have to pick up the new Nicholas Sparks book, and that is what I will read next! Hoping to finish this one in quicker time than the last, but my schedule doesn't seem to be slowing down much with basketball season kicking into full gear! Keep letting me know suggestions of things to read, I keep an ongoing list!

Thanks for reading with me!
- Olivia :)

{Real Talk}: 2016 Election Season

*BARF* that is literally my thoughts when it comes to this election. America if this was ever the time to send an SOS (don't wanna second guess this is the bottom line its true♫) it would be NOW. I don't care who you are voting for, I don't care about Hillary or Trump. At this point there is a high chance that one of these two will be our next president. That's scary. SO scary. Either way. It's SO SO scary guys. I really wanted to write about my personal opinions dealing with abortion and foreign policy, but that isn't the point of this post. I'd be glad to discuss them with you at another time, but right now there is something way more important that people need to hear.

Last month at church our pastor put it the best I've heard thus far. He talked about how no matter who people are voting for we shouldn't let it tear Christian's apart. That people can be Democratic or Republican and still be Christian either way. I think that is something a lot of people don't accept, and something that people who are non-believers don't recognize. Just because you are a Christian, doesn't mean you are a Republican. And just because you check Republican on your affiliated party doesn't mean you support Trump, or that you will vote for him or Hillary. But the one important thing is that no matter which one wins this month, Christians should stand together and keep fighting the good fight and the only fight that really matters: showing people the love of Jesus. Because even though I am one of those people who would write on my ballot "PLEASE Jesus come back now and save us from these loons!" we will not know the time that he is coming. But we know one thing for sure: He is greater than this and his love overcomes whoever is going to be our president. No matter who wins in this season of life, HE will reign forever. I think I found great comfort in hearing that. I knew it, but felt much better after hearing it again. So I hope that gives you peace. And if you aren't a believer, think about it. If you live in NC come to church with Madi and I! We have a great church with great worship and a great pastor! If you don't live near us, try out a local church or feel free to talk to us about your thoughts or feelings, because guys His love is what matters. No matter what happens, that is the real message and your eternal life matters more than what happens in this world. 

"For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.- 1 John 5:4"

Thanks for reading, 
- Olivia :)

My Random Addictions: Not-So-Scary Halloween Movies

HAPPY ALMOST HALLOWEEN!

If you haven't figured it out yet, I LOVE HALLOWEEN! It is my favorite holiday. So many people ask: "don't you love all the creepy stuff about Halloween?" That's a negative. "oh okay so since you love Halloween, don't you love scary movies?" No. I like the pumpkin carving, candy corn, dressing up, non-scary Halloween movies parts of Halloween. So here is a compiled list of Halloween movies that are appropriate for most ages and are some of my favorites to watch this time of year!

1) Halloweentown
Duh, who doesn't love this movie? You know you legit can go to Halloweentown where they filmed some of the movie in Oregon? Kimberly Brown has gone before too! AMAZING.

2) Under Wraps
A mummy awakens from the dead and goes to live with some kids for a week. What could get better than that?

3) It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown
"I got a rock". I remember watching this when I was a little kid with my family. It's a classic. And a must watch.

4) Tower of Terror
Because it's my favorite ride of all time, and I always wish that I could walk around behind the scenes there and everything would be just like the movie. Minus the creepy as heck old lady.

5) Haunted Mansion
A funny twist on a Disney classic. I wasn't sure about Eddie Murphy playing in this movie before it came out, but I actually love it. And I got to visit the set at Disney World as a kid so I thought that was so cool.

6) Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein
The songs alone make this movie worth watching. If you can handle the chipmunks voices that is.

There are so many more, but those are my absolute favorites. You still have time to squeeze a few in before Halloween on Monday. Which movies did I leave out that you also love? Last night we had our annual Halloween party, and it was a blast! We love having friends over for games and a good time, but it's even better in costume! This year we decided to be the Incredibles (Nike included :) ).

Have a great and Happy Halloween!
- Olivia :)

{RealTalk}: The Struggles of an Oncology Nurse

October is breast cancer awareness month. Why does that matter to me? People who know me would say, duh because you're a nurse who works in oncology. People who know me well would say, duh because your mom battled that beast. Yes and yes. But also this month is always a time of reflection for me, not just about breast cancer, but about ALL types of cancer. And it's my personal favorite time of year to say: WAKE UP PEOPLE. I'll tell you why I say that, and why I'm so passionate about it. It's because of what I do and what I see every. single. day.

In my department we see about two hundred people per day, give or take. Whether that is people on treatment, people coming for follow up visits, or people who are walking in our doors for the first time ever. Since working with the sarcoma group and at Duke in general, I have seen too many people, from kids to ninety year olds, pass away from this terrible disease. I honestly don't think I have ever been so frustrated or saddened than I have in the past year. It's bad enough these people have to go through this terrible thing once, being diagnosed the first time is awful. But then, some of them go through it all over again. From getting close to these patients, seeing them week by week, having them ask for you by name when they come into the clinic, and then sitting there with them when they get the worse news possible: their cancer has come back, there's nothing we can do except cross our fingers for a clinical trial or a new drug. It's terrible. It's heart-wrenching. And its a struggle that I deal with and happens way too often. Some of them have this disease by pure genetic chance, some by unknown reasons, and some by lifestyle choices they have made in their lives. 

So I'm getting up on my soapbox as I do every year at this time to BEG you, PLEAD to you: change what you can in your life to eliminate putting yourself through these awful conversations and leaving your family members behind because YOU made these choices over and over again. Tobacco is the leading cause of cancer and death from cancer. You can quote me on that, it's published just about everywhere. I honestly don't even know how this crap is still being used. But I guess we could say that about a lot of things. You're not just hurting yourselves you're hurting people around you. Your kids, your family, your friends. Even if you go smoke outside, unless you burn your clothes before coming in, you're giving them secondhand smoke. If you're going to use marijuana, even though its still illegal, put it in some brownies and eat it, don't smoke it. You're still damaging your lungs and increasing your chance of head and neck cancer, as well as other kinds. And if you smoke cigarettes or marijuana AND drink in the same period of time, you're just asking for head and neck cancer. Want to know why head and neck cancer sucks so much? Google some pictures, you'll regret it. I send pictures to my friends who tell me they smoke and drink. Yep, hope I ruined your "fun time". You'll be having a real "fun time" when you're in your 50's or 60's getting surgery and facial reconstruction because of your "fun times" in the good old days. You can Google some pictures of that too. And get used to not eating, because that delicious food you love so much, now you'll be having a feeding tube for longer than patients with these kinds of cancers who didn't smoke or drink. Yum liquid diet. Yum thick mucous that is so hard to swallow you usually vomit when you try it. DELICIOUS! 

Anyways I could go on for hours about this, but you catch my drift: smoking and excessive drinking is stupid. Don't ruin your life or the people around you. Watching people die from cancer is bad enough when the reason is unknown or can't be controlled, but when it could have been prevented, that is when it is even worse. So your "imma do me" attitude about life is really saying "imma end up killing my lungs, possibly getting some kind of cancer, and possibly giving the people around me cancer as well". Just don't do it. There are so many ways to get help to STOP smoking! GET THE HELP YOU NEED AND DO IT TODAY. And BONUS, you'll save TONS of money by not binge drinking at the bar or at home and by not buying cigarettes. And you may save your life? Who could ask for more of a win-win? But when you get to that point no matter what caused your disease, nurses will treat you with compassion and take care of you until the end, whether that is death or remission. That is one of the biggest struggles. Watching people regret their past choices and then watching the same people walk out the door and smoke a cigarette. It's hard guys, but I DO treat my patients the same no matter what, I'd just rather not watch people make a CHOICE to have cancer. Some people don't get to choose, and end up with it anyways.

Another one of the struggles of being an oncology nurse is being frustrated with our great advancing modern medicine that isn't advancing quite fast enough to help save people from going through this. So support the American Cancer Society, local cancer research, or whatever you are passionate about related to cancer! It DOES make a difference. And keep praying that soon we find a cure or at least a way to help prevent this disease. I know I am.

Thanks for reading my annual rant and PSA! Make good choices friends!

- Olivia :)

Wifey Wednesday: Disney Movie Club- Deal or No Deal?

Hello fellow and future wives!

Okay, so basically anyone who uses the internet and is reading this blog has heard of the Disney Movie Club. I probably see five ads for it per week online. And I've always wondered the following things: 1) Is this legit? If yes then: 2) Is this a deal? If yes then: 3) Is it worth it? So after receiving some birthday money, I decided to try it; and here is what I did and what my outcome was.

1) Pay attention to the first deal on your first order.
Some of the "attention grabbing" deals they post, aren't the best deal. Look for something better, it's probably out there. For example most of the time you see "4 Disney Blu-rays or DVDs for $1 each". But I was able to find a deal for 5 Disney Blu-rays for $1 total AND a free kid's Olaf blanket. Better deal up front, better deal over all.
#1: Ratatouille Blu-ray + DVD $0.20
#2: Fox & the Hound 1+2 Blu-ray +DVD $0.20
#3: Pocahontas 1+2 Blu-ray + DVD $0.20
#4: Pollyanna 55th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray $0.20
#5: Swiss Family Robinson Blu-Ray $0.20
Total for this order: see below, #6 & #7 on this order

2) Order the second two discounted movies, it's worth it.
On my initial order they offered a second deal, movie #6 for $14.95 and movie #7 for $9.95. If you do this, you are ultimately saving money. Especially since the movie #6 counts as 1/4 of your "full price" fulfillment movies.
#6: Return of Jafar & King of Thieves Blu-ray+DVD+ Digital Copy $14.95 *FULFILLMENT MOVIE
#7: Up Blu-ray + DVD $9.95
Total for this order: $21.90 (free shipping)

3) You have to pay full price for 4 movies in 2 years, look for deals when you buy those movies
You are going to have to plan to pay $29.95 each for 4 Blu-rays or $24.95 each for 4 DVDs. So when you buy these movies, find a "deal" at that time and order extra movies at a discounted price. See what I did below:
#8: Finding Dory Pre-Order Blu-Ray + DVD + Digital Copy $24.95 *FULFILLMENT MOVIE
#9: Alice and Wonderland Blu-Ray + DVD + Digital Copy $14.97
#10: Mary Poppins Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy $11.97
Total for this order: $58.86 (Shipping $6.93 included in total)

#11: Beauty and the Beast Enchanted Christmas Pre-Order Blu-Ray + DVD + Digital Copy $22.95 *FULFILLMENT MOVIE
#12: Rescue Rangers Volume 1 $4.95
#13: Bolt Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD $12.48
#14: Zootopia Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD $29.95*FULFILLMENT MOVIE
Total for this order: $73.82 ($8.42 shipping included in total)

4) Remember to cancel your monthly featured title

Unless you want it, remember to log onto your account and cancel your featured title. You can do this online or they will also mail you a card to send back, online is way easier. So far I haven't missed on or been wrongly charged.

5) Sign up for Disney Movie Rewards

You know those little inserts in the front of movies that have a code? Sign up for DMR and use them! With my 14 movies I got two more free from DMR! They have other cool rewards too!

#15: The Lone Ranger Blu-Ray+DVD- Free

#16: Tarzan Blu-Ray+DVD+Digital HD- Free

So overall, I ordered 14 movies, 4 of them being my "full price" fulfillment movies, and got two for free from DMR. The total I paid, was $154.58. Total value if you bought these on Amazon: $260.78. In the end I ended up saving about: $106.20. Yeah, as a Disney obsessed person, I would say this is 100% worth it.There are movies that you can get in no other place yet like Return of Jafar/Aladdin and the King of Theives, or Beauty and the Beast Enchanted Christmas. Like I said, you have to be a big Disney freak for this to be worth it. And if you don't already own a ton of Disney movies, like I do, then it is even more worth it because you can get tons of good deals on them and have first access to originals when they come out of the vault. Also, you can stay a member after you complete your fulfillment movies so you can keep getting discounts, you just have to remember to cancel your monthly title. So what do you think? Have an extra $150? Are you a big Disney fan? Think about it, it is SO worth it.

Thanks for reading,
- Olivia :)

DIY: Mini-Pumpkin Decorations

Hey everyone!

Since the weather has officially cooled off, to me fall has finally begun! Even if it technically started a few weeks ago, and yes our house was fully decorated, including these awesome leaf candles I made with my mom last year and some of our free Yankee Candle minis! Also my favorite picture of fall in NC, featuring Madi and Nike on the trail :). October is my FAVORITE month of the year, for many reasons. The cool weather, beautiful change in colors, Halloween, pumpkin flavored baked goods, and the start of college basketball. There is not a better time of year, in my opinion. This year I added some cute mini pumpkins to our front door outside decorations! And they only costed $5 to make, not kidding!

Here's what you'll need:

- 2 foam pumpkins from dollar tree

- 1 bottle of cream paint (or color of your choice)

- 1 foam brush

- 1 bronze permanent marker

- Pencil

Step One: Paint the pumpkins the color of your choice, it will probably take about 2-5 layers depending on if you go light or dark with the paint color. 

Step Two: Let dry over night

Step Three: Draw out your calligraphy letter or choice of font onto the pumpkin and then on top use the bronze permanent marker to go over it.

There you have it! I LOVE the way these turned out and now our fall outdoor decor is fabulous! October is going to be a busy month for us between work, school, people visiting, and basketball season. It's exciting!

Thanks for keeping up with us!

- Olivia :)

#BookWorm: The Kill Order

Hello fellow readers,

The latest book I finished up was The Kill Order by James Daschner.  This was a prequel to The Maze Runner. So the series itself was a challenge for me to get through until book three, The Death Cure. Well The Kill Order actually had me interested almost the whole way through! I really enjoyed the plot, figuring out what caused the flare and the events leading up to it! Basically the story starts off with two main characters, Mark and Trina, and their friends Alec and Lana. They all have experienced the flare and made it through. Now they are trying to survive when a ship comes out of the sky shooting needles of who knows what into people. People start to get really sick, so the four friends try to unhinge what is happening and what was in the needles. The book is adventurous, and switches between their journey post and pre-flare.

These science fiction type books usually don't keep my interest, but James Daschner does a good job! He is coming out with a new book that is in between this book and The Maze Runner so still a prequel. Which is great because the ending of The Kill Order was kind of confusing... Anyways, I'm also super excited for The Death Cure movie (the 3rd book of the Maze Runner series) that is supposed to come out in February 2017! It feels we've been waiting SO long for this one due to Dylan O'Brian getting injured badly enough to be hospitalized. Must be one crazy movie!

Thanks for reading with me,

- Olivia :)

DIY Cinnamon Coffee Cafe Muffins

Hello everyone!

Talk about YUM! After trying a few Pinterest recipes (and failing greatly) I decided to experiment and combine some recipes and came up with this! It makes 12 regular sized muffins which I feel is perfect, not too much not too little! And you can easily double the recipe.

Here's What You'll Need
- Muffin tin
- Cooking spray
- Kitchen Aid* great, but not required
- Measuring cups
- Mixing bowl

For the muffins
- 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 3/4 cup milk
- 2 large eggs

For the crumble
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 1 1/4 cup flour

For the glaze
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 tsp milk (and add by the 1/2 tsp PRN)

1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Spray cooking spray in the muffin tin.
2) Combine all the dry ingredients for the muffins in a mixing bowl and then add in the wet ingredients after sifting together well.
3) For the crumble combine all ingredients except the butter, then using a whisk add the butter half at a time. It should crumble easily in between your fingers.
4) Fill the muffin tin spots halfway up with the muffin mix. Fill the other half with the crumble (to the top of the tins).
5) Bake for 14-16 minutes or until a fork comes out clean.
6) Let cool for 10 minutes then place on a cooling rack with parchment paper below it.
7) Take the glaze and sprinkle over the tops of the muffins.

There you have it! They turned out looking pretty darn good, and don't taste bad either ;)! I was so happy to finally have a recipe that works. Have you made these types of muffins before? Do you think there is anything else I could add to make it even better? Let me know! And of course while I was trying to get pictures of the muffins this little cutie had to be a model ;).

Thanks for reading!
- Olivia :)

#BookWorm: Infinite in Between

Hello fellow readers,

On one of my trips to the library recently I picked up this random book called Infinite In Between based on an Amazon recommended read (yes seriously love their recommendations list) and it turned out to be enjoyable. This book was nothing super special in itself, nothing life altering or crazy ending, but an easy, get your mind off of life and just read kind of book. The premise was about five teenage freshmen who got randomly lumped together on their first day of high school in a group project. They all wrote letters to themselves and made a pact to read them on their graduation day.

Over all this book was pretty predictable and happy-go-lucky.  Everything seemed to work out the way you would think for the most part for the characters and I loved how they all connected back to each other in the end since in the beginning they were unknown to each other. Somewhere I read something about how in this book this crazy ending happened that brought them all back together, but to me it wasn't really so crazy. One thing I did like about this book was that the school actually made kids do an activity together in separate groups and I think the letter idea would have been interesting for kids to take part in. I guess if everyone did it, it would lose its meaning, but I love looking back at things from high school and shaking my head at my thirteen to sixteen year old self wondering what the heck I was thinking and how dramatic I thought life was back then. You grow up and you learn and its good to have things like journals and notes to look back on to see that you actually have come a long way even though it may not feel like it. Rating for this book would be a 7/10. Nothing spectacular, a good read, but not the most amazing story ever.

Loving the books I've been finding at our local library lately! Next read is James Dashner's prequel to The Maze Runner, The Kill Order. Can't wait to keep knocking books off my "to read" list! Have you read Infinite In Between? What did you think of it? Any books you're looking forward to read this fall?

Thanks for keeping up,
- Olivia :)

{Real Talk}: French Toast with a Side of Bacon

"I'll have French toast and a side of bacon." That is my usual answer to the question "what will you be having today" at any breakfast or brunch place. I like things unchanging. I rarely sway from my normal patterns of life (including what I order for the first meal of the day if we go out to eat). A year ago I stepped out of my comfort zone, and moved away from all of my friends and family to North Carolina with my new husband. Knowing only one person in the entire state of North Carolina. Yeah, talk about being out of your comfort zone. I posted my blog post on changes (read that one here), having a daily freak out about being far away from home in an unknown place and how scary that was to me. Me and my "French toast and bacon" comfort zone was not readily available. Then the changes kept on coming; a death in the family, a car accident with broken bones, new family members, parents and friends in new relationships, health problems, all while being isolated from the ones we love. Yeah it was hard. There were times I would want to pack my bags and take the first flight back to Florida where everything was "French toast and bacon", except as we found out when we went home last April, things had changed there too. As I wrote in my blog post about what I learned in year one of marriage, I truly had to depend on Madi to be there through all these struggles, which wasn't always easy with both of our schedules being so tight. And yet... 

We LOVE it in Durham. God has blessed us beyond belief with this opportunity to grow together and individually. Looking back on the last year, I wouldn't rather be anywhere else. We've found an awesome church and gotten involved with their ministries weekly, gotten to see the beauty of four seasons, had the chance to work for and go to school at one of the best places in the nation (even if they are the devils), and meet new people who have become friends. I remember around Christmas time being invited to different Christmas events and thinking, "wow people here are so welcoming and friendly!" They really are! I got so lucky with the job I'm in, having great co-workers next to me on the daily, working with some of the most prestigious doctors, and seeing some amazing research take place right before my eyes. So I'm glad I gave Durham a chance, sometimes God's work through change surprises you in the most amazing ways. 

Yeah I still follow patterns, and like things to be complacent. But when things do go for a spin I've been trying to get better on relying on God and trusting in him and his plan through the changes. Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." But in the spirit of adapting and growing in change maybe the next time I go to brunch, I'll order something different than French toast and bacon. Who knows, I may just go crazy and adventure out to pancakes ;)

Thanks for keeping up with us,

- Olivia :)

#BookWorm: After You

Hello fellow readers,

Ugh the frustrations of After You by Jojo Moyes. After reading Me, Before, You and falling in love with it's story, characters, and moral questions, I heard there was a sequel called After You. I wasn't going  to read it, because you honestly can't get better than the first one. But my stupid curiosity got the best of me. Warning: If you didn't read the first book or see the movie, the rest of  this will be spoilers for Me Before You. It didn't start off so bad, a lot of Lousia's new and exciting life in London after traveling the world and how she was dealing with losing Will. She goes through a hard time and then... a big surprise happens: Will has a daughter. You find this out within the first thirty pages or so. Like really Jojo Moyes? He has a secret kid? That's the best thing you could have thought of? Ugh. The rest of the book is about Lousia bonding with Will's daughter and trying to learn how to fall in love again.

The book in itself is good. But more unrealistic and frustrating. As a follow up to one of the best books I've ever read? Not great. Disappointing. I wasn't thrilled with it, and could have lived without reading it. 7/10 at best. Like I said as an original book on it's own I may have loved it more, but I didn't love it. It kind of seemed like a way for Moyes to give her fans of Me Before You some insight to how Lousia could go on after Will.

Have you read this sequel yet? What do you think? Am I being too hard on the author? As summer comes to an end and my favorite season fall begins, I've come up with another big pile of books to add to my ever growing list of books to read. Including Harry Potter and The Cursed Child which I have been holding off on reading due to having library books I have to read first. Keep giving me recommendations, I love it!

Thanks for reading with me,
- Olivia :)

These Are A Few of My Favorite Things: Alpena, MI

Hello all!

We recently returned from Northern Michigan small town Alpena. My birthplace! This is the one place that truly always has felt like home. We spent a lot of time visiting with my Grandparents and friends, and got to relax as well. It was perfect! Not many people will find themselves make a trip or taking a vacation to small town Alpena (population 10,000 compared to Durham's 250,000) but if you're looking for a place to get away from it all on your way to the UP or lakeside, check it out! I also thought people who I know that live here or have visited would appreciate this list of our favorite things!

1) Lee's Miniature Golf

The most challenging mini golf course I have ever been too. Always a good time!

2) Mancino's 

Okay this is all over Michigan and has been in alpena for like 30 years but I had never been there until this trip. AMAZING pizza. And isn't a grinder basically like a firehouse sub? Someone explain this to me! 

3) Black Sheep Pub

Another new stop this trip. They have fun things going on each night. We went to see one of my best friends brother play in the open mic night. Good variety of drinks and fun atmosphere!

4) State Theater 

If you've been to a normal movie theatre (who hasn't) then you'll probably think the screens at this one is a joke. But it's cheap for tickets and food and the outside is super cool since its old school!

5) Cobby Goose

Painting classes with an instructor and some on your own! It's a BYO place too which is nice! A lot of fun was had when we went last year and it was my first time doing this type of thing.

6) Mandarin Gardens

YUM. Chinese food that I love. Some people don't like it because it's almost always empty in there but I love it. So delicious. 

So there you have it! The best part about going is truly my Grandparents' houses, both on Lake Huron. The water is awesome when it's warm enough! What do the natives think of this list? Or just those of you who drop by? What would you add? Let me know! And just take a look at the gorgeous moon light on Lake Huron. So amazing. I didn't get to post as much this month due to traveling a lot, but with fall coming up in full gear I have some DIY projects and treats I will be whipping up and posting about. And of course books. Always books! 

Thanks for keeping up,

- Olivia :)

#BookWorm: Luckiest Girl Alive

Hello fellow readers,

Have you heard of the new book on the block Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll? Well, it's pretty much just as good as people have been saying. While compared to Gone Girl, it honestly is nothing like that story, but just as enticing. Luckiest Girl Alive takes the trophy for the book I've read fastest this summer, if I put the hours together it would probably be close to ten hours total of reading over three work days. It was that good. So what is it about? The story focuses on the life of Ani FaNelli, a New York living mid twenty year old woman working at the famous Women's Magazine. Her life is perfect, minus the secrets from her past. But that all comes to the surface after her high school wants to do a documentary on its own past, digging up Ani's ghosts. This book goes back and forth between Ani's high school life and her New York fashionista life. I think that is why it enticed me so much, I like books that go between different times.

You do have to get through the fact that Ani is pretty much the most selfish, petty, brat in the entire world. And there is A LOT of bad language. But the best part about this book? Huge plot twist. The ending was subpar, kind of anticlimactic and predictable but the rest of the book makes the stupid ending okay. Rating 8.5/10. A quick, but worthwhile read if you like mystery and suspenseful books.

I have heard that Reese Witherspoon picked up this book to turn it into a movie, which makes me excited, except I hope they change the ending. Have you read this book or heard any rumors about the movie? What are your thoughts?

Thanks for reading with me,
- Olivia

DIY Sprinkle Sugar Cookies

Hello everyone,

Okay who loves Publix Sprinkled Sugar Cookies? I know I do! So I attempted to make them on my own! I've been on a baking kick as of late, since I've had some free time, and this was a cookie I have been wanting to replicate! Wasn't exactly the same, however not bad for a first attempt!

What you'll need:
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter (1 cup)
- 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups of flour (1/8-1/4 cup of flour on standby)
- 1 extra cup of granulated sugar to roll the dough in
- 1/2 cup of sprinkles

1. Combine the butter, sugar, egg, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and flour together in a mixer.

2. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls

3. Roll the balls of dough into the extra cup of granulated sugar

4. Press the sugared dough into the sprinkles and place them onto cookie sheets

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes.
TIP: Let cool on cooling racks or if you don't have one a plate, not on the cookie sheets. After about 5 minutes of cooling at room temp, transfer the cookies on the rack to the refrigerator for half an hour for best taste. 

Super quick and easy! Total making and baking time is about 30 minutes or less. I am excited to try making these again, next time with more sprinkles ;) Let me know how yours turn out!

Thanks for reading,
- Olivia

#BookWorm: The Light Between Oceans

Hello fellow readers,

I am so lucky to have found such great reads this summer! The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman was my most recent pick, as I had heard from many how good it was. Let me start off by saying yes, I enjoyed this book, however it was not what I expected. It took place back in the early 1900s in Australia. The main characters, Tom the lighthouse keeper and his wife Isabel, find a boat washed up to shore with a man and a baby inside. The man isn't alive, but the baby is. The book deals with their ethical dilemma of what to do with the baby, and why they have such a hard time deliberating on what to do. The book goes back and forth between their lives together, how they met, and when they found the boat. The plot kind of teeters off in the middle, constantly going back and forth between, should we keep this baby or not? So that got a little repetitive. Otherwise I liked the beginning and ending, but the middle was just the same thing happening to me.

Overall I think this writer is really talented. Their research on Australia was interesting, as I didn't know much of Australia's history or information about lighthouse keepers. The characters frustrated me, especially Isabel, but when you're reading there are times where you are feeling for everyone. Worth the read, but not as amazing as I had expected it to be. They are however making it a movie, which will be interesting and I think worth the watch. The movie is set to come out in the US in September 2016, but we will see how many theaters it appears in. Rating? 7/10.

Digging my way through stacks of books, I've come across some great ones this year and am excited for the rest of my stack to dwindle down if only for another reason to head back to the library again. I have a few good ones on my list coming up including All the Light We Cannot See and  After You (which made it's way onto my list per request of some DHTBB frequent readers so we will see ho it goes!) Have you read The Light Between Oceans? What were your thoughts?

Thanks for reading with me,
- Olivia

These Are A Few of My Favorite Things: Wilmington, NC

Hello everyone!

Over the Fourth of July weekend we went to Wilmington, North Carolina for a family vacation. Madi and I had already been here once before we moved to NC in 2013. At that time, we basically spent the whole time finding One Tree Hill and Dawson's Creek locations (see the post here).  If you're a fan of either show, you have to go. It's incredible how much you can see. And it makes it more fun when you go back and watch the shows again after you come back from your trip! This time, we got to see more of the actual city and did some pretty fun stuff! Below is what I would recommend to do if you take a trip to Wilmington!

1) Hollywood Location Walk
We did this in 2013, and although it's cheesy, you get to learn a lot about the movie making process and see just how many movies and TV shows are filmed in Wilmington (FYI it's A LOT).

2) Hell's Kitchen
Basically a bar, but their tacos are dang good. They also have the boat from Dawson's Creek hanging in the bar!

3) Airlie Gardens
What a hidden gem. I wish we would have gone here in 2013 with cooler weather, but I still loved it. Beautiful flowers, a cute little butterfly garden, beach glass sculptures, and a gorgeous area that looks like it was abandoned which they use a lot in Dawson's Creek and a few times in One Tree Hill.

4) UNC-Wilmington
Also a surprising find. We had gone here in 2013, but I did not realize how big the campus is! We only saw the front portion that is up against College Road but it goes back so much farther than I had realized! Gorgeous campus.

5) Mahanaim Adventures
This is a family owned kayaking group that has many different course options, but we did the Cape Fear River. If you haven't kayaked before, it was intense here. The boats create bumpy water and the wind the day we went was 25 knots once we got out. Yeah it was difficult paddling against that. My arms still won't forgive me. But it was beautiful. They provided a nice little dinner and snacks once we got to the island before we paddled back. If you like to kayak, go with them!

6) Wrightsville Beach

Of course, 4th of July weekend it was SUPER crowded. But it is a gorgeous beach. Especially middle of May when no one is there like when we went in 2013! 

Overall Wilmington is such a gorgeous place. Downtown is adorable with lots of cute shops and places to eat. But these were my top favorite things. Have you ever been there? What were your favorite parts? We did have some fails, including a place called Flaming Amy's Bowl which didn't make anyone sick but wasn't what we had expected either. I'm not sure if the chicken was legit or not... Anyways onto our next adventure!

Thanks for keeping up with us,

- Olivia :)