The Best Peanut Butter Cookies
Super easy 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies!
Eden
Going on Girls With Anxiety Podcast: My journey with body and food anxieties and becoming gentle with myself.
Last week I had the opportunity to join my friends Heike and Neg on their podcast ‘Girls with Anxiety’. Each week they open up about living with anxiety and touch on different topics and parts of your life that cause it. On this episode we got into my journey with body and food anxieties and getting to a place where I could be gentle with myself.
Our Wedding Day (Video and Photos)
My husband and I got married on September 14th, 2019 on the Harvest Moon, a date that we chose to tie in as our unofficial theme since our first song was “Harvest Moon” and it was our special song since our first date 6.5 years earlier. When we got engaged my husband wanted a quick engagement so with a few Saturdays to choose from in the Fall, it was perfect that one was a Harvest Moon.
We were married at one of my most favorite and special places on earth, my grandparents’ ranch in San Juan Capistrano. It was extra special having my wedding there because my grandma/bff past away just a month before my wedding and all day I could feel her energy. I got ready in her room, where my Mom and Aunts had gotten ready on their wedding days.
Michael and I had our ceremony in front of her chapel and the most magical gust of wind and butterfly came to flutter over us as we said our vows. There’s no doubt that it was her watching over us during that special moment.
It was the best day and I was so lucky to see my dream wedding come to life. With the help of family, friends and my awesome planning team, Stylish Details Events, every last detail and vision that I thought of came to life. From the whimsical flowers to the touches of gold, and my dream cake, it was all perfect.
The day was so relaxing having our ‘day of’ team on site. I didn’t have to worry about anything and really got to enjoy myself so much! Michael and I met at the top of the hill to do our first look, drank a glass of champagne and played games with our MOH and best man before walking down the aisle, and we laughed, ate/drank and danced the night away!
Michael and I took a few dance lessons to choreograph our first dance at Bella Ballroom and it was actually a lot of fun to do and a way to spend some quality time together in the business of the weeks leading up to our big day. Our band, Crowd Theory, totally nailed “Harvest Moon” and the rest of the music all night long and everyone got silly on the dance floor.
We ended the night cutting our cake and snacking on late night fries and sliders before heading to our hotel to crash.
https://vimeo.com/morganhydinger
I found our wedding photographer/videographer after falling in love with a wedding video that I saw on instagram. I didn’t even know the couple getting married and I felt like I was at their wedding and that it captured them beautifully.
I was so happy when I reached out to Morgan Hydinger and she was free for our wedding and I absolutely love how she shot the details and happiness of our wedding day. In our video she lined everything up so well with the songs that we chose, “Poison Cup” by M.Ward and of course, “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young and I am so grateful to have such a special video to rewatch and relive our wedding with. You can watch the video here. She also did our glam beach engagement photos!
Wedding Planning + Design @stylishdetails
Photography + Cinema @morganhydinger
Floral @lavendersflowers
Rentals @sigpartyrentals
Catering @24carrotscatering
Seating Chart @eclairepaperie
Paper Goods @pirouettepapercompany
Hair + Makeup @swellbeauty
Wedding Band @crowdtheoryent
Silk @tonoandco
New Year Jams 2021
A playlist full of upbeat alt songs with catchy choruses to get stuck in your head and play on repeat for a while. Sorry Michael…. This playlist has been going strong since New Years Eve and I am certain that when any song from this …
FALL Y’ALL: A New Playlist
A mellow but festive mix to put on and hang out around the house, outside with friends or while you’re working. A mix of some new finds (Bakar, Caamp, Rayland Baxter) and some old goods (Suzi Quatro, Keith Richards, Jackie DeShannon) Find it below and on my Spotify. Happy Listening!
Weekly Roundup: Hillary Duff’s Home, Bike Shorts and Boating Dogs
My husband and I are dipping our toes into the boating world! We got our dogs their life jackets and tested them out on a rental a few weeks ago in preparation of our own boat. I mean how cute (and safe) do they look!?
If I had any more room for pillows, and my life vest toting dogs wouldn’t destroy them, I’d like to add these and these to my couch.
If you need to smile (who doesn’t?) watch this video.
If you haven’t watched any celebrity home tours on Architectural Digest, I highly recommend getting sucked down the rabbithole on youtube and checking out Hillary Duff’s beautiful home. I love that her house is fun and colorful but lived in and kid friendly, unlike some celeb houses that are way too staged for the tour.
I found her bar online browsing Crate and Barrel and I love it. Adding to the list of home decor items I can not and do not need to buy.
Stumped upon this instagram page and I am a big fan of all the quotes and advice.
It is insanely hot in Southern CA right now, like all month has been in the high 80s and even breaking 100 a few days. Definitely not the sweater weather I am in the mood for. Since it is so hot, I like to wear these Free People bike shorts under skirts or dresses and just on their own at home. They’re super comfy and help me not be a sweaty mess when I need to layer something under sheer looks.
My husband and I took this food sensitivity test this week. I am anxiously awaiting my results and anticipating that cheese will be leaving my life soon. This test was nice because you do it at home on your own time and send it back. But I am a wimp with needles and blood so I found the easy process rather tramatic eventhough my husband did not.
If you’re in the market for a set of decadent dominos this set is for you.
3 Ingredient Fall Cocktail
Quick and easy Fall cocktail. Grab everything you need next time you’re at Trader Joe’s.
Weekly Roundup: Fall Vibes and Some Recent Favorites
Little roundup of some items that caught my eye over the last week and some of my new favorite goodies plus some food for thought via Pattie Boyd.
Summer 2020 Playlist
Happy Summer Solstice folks! Today is the longest day of the year, the official kick off to Summer and the perfect time for me to finally post my Summer 2020 playlist.
I started putting this playlist together through quarantine and here we are 4 months later still in this limbo of social distancing and parts of the world reopening. I think it is safe to say this has been an especially challenging and historic time for many of us, not only being in the midst of a global pandemic but doing our part to learn and advocate for the social injustices facing our nation. Like always music is a much welcomed escape for me. I hope you enjoy!
Check it out on Spotify or listen below!
Why I Recommend Doing A First Look
Our first look ended up being one of my favorite parts of the day. After spending the morning getting ready and the time drawing closer and closer to us walking down the aisle, I was so nervous but so excited to see my fiance one more time before we became husband and wife. I remember driving up to the top of the hill where we were taking pictures to meet him and seeing him standing there facing out towards the sky.
Leap Day Letters
Taking a look down memory lane with my Leap Day letters. Setting goals, asking questions and seeing where 4 years can take you.
Guest Bathroom Remodel : Before & After
Our upstairs guest bathroom needed some major cosmetic upgrading.
We wanted to keep the layout and have a shower tub but wanted something a bit bigger and more sleek. To get the makeover started, this spot was completely gutted so we could replace the floor with tile, smooth and paint the walls and level out the ceiling and change the lighting.
- BEFORE
The ceiling had two different heights and felt closed in over the vanity so we raised it up and got rid of the terrible fluorescent lights. To update the sink area, we swapped one vanity for another that was a few inches longer and had a nice marble counter top. There are some really great vanities on the market that come completely ready to install. We loved the white and clean look of the one we got on Houzz.
The tile work on the floor and the shower walls was the biggest project and also elevated the space the most. For the floor, we fell in love with this geometric flower shaped tile and decided to use it in both the guest and master bathrooms. Under the tile we also had a heating and cooling panel installed to keep the floor warm in the winter and cooler in the summer. The grey and white colors in the tile gave a good color pallet to build off of but we wanted to keep things clean and bright. We went with white and grey to compliment the colors and a simple rectangle shape for the rest of the tile work.
We found a shower tub at Home Depot that had glass doors which was exactly what we were looking for, then tiling and different fixtures customized it. The glass doors made this so much nicer than having a shower curtain but finding this set together helped us cut costs instead of finding a tub and getting custom glass doors. For detail, I love the look of chevron, whether it’s wood or tile, back splash or flooring, and Michael surprised me by having our tile guy lay the shower tile like this. I had no idea how much work goes into measuring, mapping out and laying tile!
Everything was coming together and looking great but top of the vanity was a bit more grey than it appeared online so our tile guy suggested using grey grout to tie in the different tones in the tiles which worked perfectly.
All that was left was choosing a mirror and lighting for the bathroom and we decided to try the old mirror from our apartment. This was above our fireplace there and a major focal point then so I love still getting to see it a lot in here. Plus, the mercury glass in the frame and hexagon shape complemented the silver and geometric shapes in the other details.
Once everything was done, it was fun finding finishing touches to complete the space. I couldn’t believe these towels I found at World Market, they look like they were custom made for the bathroom and the shell coated soap dispenser matched perfectly too!
2019 Year in Review
2019 Year in Review. This was a huge year for me. It was exciting, challenging, fulfilling and will forever be a momentous year in my life. From Michael and I buying our first home, to getting engaged and married, from experiencing loss and facing changes…this year had it all.
How to do Quick and Easy Curls (Tutorial and Video)
An update to my 10 Minute Messy Waves. Check out this tutorial for quick and easy curls using a curling iron as a wand. Awkward video included.
Jalapeño Ranch Dip
Try this jalapeño ranch dip and thank me later!
Onion dip will always have a special place in my heart…or maybe just my appetizer/snack line up but i’ve got a new favorite lately. Spicy jalapeño ranch dip is the perfect thing to make for a snacky afternoon, party appetizer or game day dip. All you need are 3 ingredients and a bag of chips for dipping!
What you need:
⁃ 2 Whole Jalapeños
⁃ 1.5 Cups Sour cream
⁃ 1.5-2 tbsp Ranch Powder
This dip is so easy to make! If you can’t find the ranch powder you can use garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper instead for something similar.
To make:
1. Add sour cream and ranch powder to a bowl and mix thoroughly.
2. Finely chop up two full jalapeños, including the seeds and add to the sour cream.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in fridge for an hour before serving.
**The longer it sets the more the jalapeño flavor soaks into the sour cream. You can make it the day before and it will be extra spicy!
Serve it with ruffles or fresh veggies and enjoy!
Side note about the ranch powder:
When I saw this powder shaker of Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning at the store I was so excited. I’d purchased packs of the flavoring in the past for making salad dressing or dip but this makes it so easy to sprinkle in some flavor to unexpected dishes. We use it on veggies before roasting, over popped popcorn, mixed up for salad dressing… and now in my jalapeño ranch dip.
Christmas Decorating for Your Whole Home
Christmas time is by far my and my husband’s favorite time of the year. Since this is our first holiday season in our own home, we have been starting some new traditions, lighting lots of fires and of course decorating as much as we can. …
How to: A Festive Christmas Table Setting
My tips and tricks for a festive holiday table setting. Check out how I set up our dining table for Christmas and some of my favorite seasonal finds.
Kitchen Remodel: Before and After
There’s a reason people call the kitchen the heart of the home. We spend so much of our time here; trying new recipes, snacking around the island, watching TV from the nook. It’s definitely one of our favorite spaces and I wanted to start here for sharing the first part of our home makeover.
When Michael and I started our house hunt about a year ago, one of our priorities was a great kitchen space since we love to cook. When we decided this house was the one, the kitchen wasn’t quite as big as we were hoping for, but it was a huge upgrade from our apartment and had tons of storage, and a lot of potential with the layout. Another major bonus was the appliances that were staying with the house. The previous owner outfitted the space to be a chef’s kitchen with amazing Viking appliances and we were so excited for all those special features like the warming drawer, bread oven and griddle.
Stylistically, we had a few ideas in mind that we wanted to use no matter the home we ended up with. We knew if we were remodeling the kitchen we wanted to add some color and fun with the cabinets by making half of them blue, but still keep things light and bright with white counters and cabinets. We also wanted to incorporate butcher block somewhere to add some warmth and a little country/rustic style to the space. Since the layout was already good, we were only working on aesthetics. We kept the original custom cabinets and had them painted and replaced the hardware to instantly upgrade the look. The color we went with was Blueprint Blue by Behr.
The kitchen didn’t really have anything wrong with it but it wasn’t our style and felt pretty dated and dark. We couldn’t wait to get rid of the granite and modernize the space with these white quartzite counters that have a bold grey vein running through. We went back and forth on different backsplash ideas for behind the stove but ended up loving our counters so much that we decided to go with the sleek look of keeping everything the same.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
Michael and I both really like the look and functionality of butcher block and decided to do that for the island, and ultimately our kitchen nook too, to tie it into the space as an extension of the kitchen.
The one space that required a lot more work and creativity than the kitchen itself was the kitchen dining. When we bought the house there was a very outdated, and unsafe railing along the edge of the kitchen space above the living room. The way it was staged with a table in the area also made the space feel small and took up too much room. Michael’s mom helped us come up with the idea of built in seating and closing in the railing to be an actual wall for the bench to build on. We wanted a table to tie in to the rest of the kitchen and had this one made to match the look of the cabinets for the base and a butcher block slab on top.
We kept the cushions cream, something neutral we wouldn’t get sick of, and it is the perfect backdrop for my love of colorful pillows. Right now it’s filled with my favorite pillows from World Market that I have on the living room couch too.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
80s Costume Hair and Makeup
The 1980s called and they definitely want me to keep crimping my hair, or at least that’s what I’m telling myself. Keep reading to check out all the goodies I used to pull off this fun 80s hair and makeup look.
Baked Cheesy Pumpkin Ziti
Cheesey Pumpkin Ziti…like mac and cheese, but better. This baked pasta is smothered in a creamy pumpkin cheese sauce, covered with fresh mozzarella and baked to perfection. It is the perfect fall entrée that screams comfort food. Try it out for a fall themed dinner with friends or a cozy night on the couch. You won’t be disappointed.
What you need:
⁃ 1 package of Ziti or tube shaped pasta (we used rigatoni because that’s our favorite)
⁃ 1/2 can pumpkin purée
⁃ 1/2 white onion, diced
⁃ 2 cloves garlic, minced
⁃ Smoked Gouda cheese
⁃ Sharp cheddar cheese
⁃ Parmesan
⁃ Mozzarella
⁃ Flour
⁃ Butter
⁃ Milk
⁃ Salt, Pepper
This dish goes great with my favorite kale salad and the pumpkin spice ginger mules I posted last week.
How to make it:
1. Add 3 tablespoons of butter to a deep pan over medium heat.
2. Add onions and garlic to melted butter and cook until translucent.
3. Add pumpkin purée and season with salt and pepper.
4. Remove mixture and set to the side.
5. While you keep making the sauce, bring water to boil and undercook the pasta by 5 minutes according to instructions. The noodles will keep cooking in the sauce when you bake it.
6. Without cleaning the pan you cooked the pumpkin in, add 3 tablespoons of butter and melt down. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour and mix together to make a roux for bechamel sauce.
7. Whisk in milk and keep stirring till mixture thickens.
8. Slowly stir in handfuls of the shredded cheese until all combined. You will have a thick fondue-like sauce.
9. Mix in about half of the pumpkin purée onion mixture into the cheese sauce and taste. If you want just a hint you’ll be good with this amount, if you want a stronger pumpkin flavor add more.
10. Pour undercooked pasta into the pumpkin cheese sauce and combine thoroughly.
11. Transfer pasta into a baking dish and cover with mozzarella and Parmesan.
12. Cook until cheese bubbles and the edges are golden. About 20 minutes at 350 F.
13. Dig in and enjoy! We served this with my favorite kale salad and the pumpkin ginger mules for a a perfect fall dinner!
If you would rather not bake the pasta, you can fully cook the noodles and combine with the sauce then enjoy straight away. Also, if you want to prep this the day before or in the morning before you plan to serve it that totally works. Just splash some milk over the cheese before putting in the oven, since the noodles soak up the sauce the longer they sit.
Pumpkin Spice Ginger Mule
How to make a pumpkin spice ginger mule, because yes everything does need to be pumpkin flavored in the Fall.
Halloween Dining Table Inspo
Check out the items I used to get our dining table ready for Halloween! Spoiler alert: My new spooky table runner was only $6!
5 Tips for Great Halloween Decor
Can you believe it’s already October? This summer kind of flew by and between renovating our house, finishing up wedding plans, getting married and going on our honeymoon, Spooky Season really snuck up quick!
I’m not complaining though, Fall is my favorite time of year. It starts to cool down, kind of, and I can pull my sweaters and boots out of the closet. Plus, it’s the kick off of the Holiday Season starting with one of my favorites… Halloween/Michael’s bday which means all the Halloween decorations I’ve got resurfaced this week.
This is my first year decorating anything larger than an apartment living room, so I was excited to take on the challenge and get some holiday spirit brewing in our house. I started with the items I had from the past few years and then bought some new ones that I will use for Halloweens to come. I got the new Halloween decorations from Michael’s craft store when I was buying some frames. They had a crazy 50% off sale on their Halloween decorations and they always have great coupons. I would definitely recommend stopping in their if you’re looking for some well made and inexpensive decorations to add to your collection.
Just don’t get too carried away or impulsive buying new stuff! I almost bought 10 large fake pumpkins that were on sale for $10 since I would be able to reuse them every year, but it was going to cost way more, and be silly to store them all year when I could get real pumpkins at Trader Joe’s for $2 and keep them through thanksgiving then put them into the green waste.
Read below for the easy things I like to do for decorating regardless of the season.
1. Stick to a color scheme. I mentioned it on this Instagram post, but choosing two to three colors for all of your decorations is key for a uniform and clean look. Halloween is easy since black and orange take the lead of most decor, but instead of going with purples, greys, greens, etc., I only got decorations that are black and orange with some white. This way it is easy to build your collection and find things you know will look great together.
2. Decorate around your usual decor. By keeping your usual home decor and adding decorations, your house still feels homey and looks like you. It doesn’t have to become a haunted house to be festive and I like to use my usual candles and decorative pieces mixed in with my Halloween stuff. This keeps my house looking the way I like it and I don’t have to put everything away. For the mantle, I kept up my favorite gold flower candles and decorated the dining table by mixing in our salt and pepper dispensers and coasters into the mix. I kept out my favorite pink vase but added an appropriate arrangement to make it Halloween-y.
3. Only buy items you love and will reuse. If you stick with my color guideline it is easy to know that any new decorations you have will work with what you have already. This year I actually needed some more stuff because my stash of Halloween decorations for a 300 sqft apartment living room wasn’t cutting it for our new house. Since I was looking for more black, orange and white decorations I didn’t buy items that wouldn’t match and only bought stuff that was practical for us to use now and for years to come. It can be easy to buy a bunch of stuff, especially when it’s inexpensive or on sale but try to refrain and hang on to stuff to use every year. Now that I have a good amount to decorate most of the house I will only buy something that is super special. Just make sure to store your decorations carefully so all your items last.
4. Versatile decor that can be used multiple ways. If you find something you love and want to decorate your house the same way every year, that’s great! But, it is also fun to make a new look with the same pieces you have which is why I like to get items that can serve multiple purposes and in different locations. The electric plug in pumpkins that I used to put by the fireplace got moved outside this year, by our front door and to decorate the window sills. I was planning to use my black and orange garland on the fireplace, but after I put some of it around the mantle, I realized it would be better on the stair rails this year. Next year I have the option to swap the mantle and stair decor for it to be a little different but still flow! I will also be able to transition some of the pumpkin and fall decor into Thanksgiving like the orange leaves I used by the windows and the pumpkins I bought from Trader Joe’s. I plan to move both closer to the front door and make sort of a Fall harvest entry way.
5. Easy to put up! Things that are easy to install/put up are a must or you won’t be motivated to decorate and use all of your decorations every year. If you can get something that’s easy to put on and makes a big difference it’s so quick to decorate your space. Garland is a total winner here because you can use it around stairs to quickly weave color into a focal point of your house, hang it around a door frame to create a festive entry way, or use a couple command hooks and drape it on your fireplace, I also did that by our front door awning since I had some extra threads and wanted to see more decor from the street. Figuring out where I wanted everything took some time, but actually installing the decorations was a cinch!
If you stick to those decorating tips, your space will look great and come together easily no matter the season or occasion you are decorating for! Happy Halloween!
Tips for Hosting A Great Bridal Shower
Some Tips and Tricks for Hosting A Great Bridal Shower! My Aunt did an amazing job for my special day and I wanted to pass them along!
Bridal Shower Hair & Makeup
Bridal Shower Hair & Makeup! Take a look for the products my wonderful makeup artist used for my playful bridal shower look!
Summer 2019 Playlist : Dan Auerbach, Local Natives & TOPS
This has been my go to playlist for this summer and I thought it was time for someone besides Michael and Beety to listen to it too. Put it on for your next mellow beach day, road trip, or lazy Saturday at home and enjoy! Listen below or on Spotify.
Engagement Photo Shoot, Laguna Beach CA
Some favorites from our engagement photo shoot with the talented Morgan Hydinger.
Eze, France Engagement (5.29.19)
Better late than never! Click to read a little write up and see some photos from my engagement in France.
Weekly Roundup 5: My Skincare Staples
I’ve definitely tried my fair share of skincare products over the last couple of years and I like to mix up certain parts of my skincare routine every now and then. If I run out of a product, I’ll try something new or I’ll ditch something half way if it’s just not doing the trick. Below are a handful of my favorite skin care items that I keep going back to.
This is a new obsession of mine. I actually tried it when someone left a bottle of it at my boyfriend’s parent’s house. I’d never heard of the brand and assumed it was this super expensive skincare line. Not sure why it took me over a year to look into the line… but it’s only $14! This takes off makeup really well and leaves my skin feeling supple and clean. I follow it up with the Lancôme serum and a moisturizer depending on how my skin is feeling. I also bought a night time repair moisturizer from the line and will report back after I use it for a longer time.
2. Lancôme Youth Genifique … $ 78
I got this in a holiday beauty box from Lancôme. On its own it retails at about $80, but during Christmas time they have a promotion where you can spend a certain amount and qualify for the holiday box that only costs a fraction of what it’s worth. So, I wouldn’t have purchased this on its own but after using it morning and night the last few weeks I’ve noticed my skin looking and feeling brighter and smoother. I will definitely be restocking on this serum!
3. Radha Organic Rosehip Oil … $14.95
This is a product I make sure to never run out of. It’s an organic cold pressed rosehip oil that great for moisturizing your whole face, putting on scrapes or rashes, or mixing with other products. I love the dropper application and the dark glass bottle that helps preserve the lifespan of the product. The color is a very bright orange, so I typically only use it at night but you can add a couple drops to your foundation for a dewy finish. When you shop for rosehip oil remember that the darker the color, the better!
4. Fresh Vitamin Nectar Moisture Glow Face Cream … $42
I bought this a few years ago at Sephora and since then make surero never run out. It smells like a tropical vacation and is so soothing to put on in the morning. I feel like it really does brighten my complexion and gives a good layer of moisture that soaks up quickly and doesn’t mess with my makeup application. It’s packed with vitamins and all sorts of natural goodies and works well with my sensitive skin!
5. Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask … $45
This is a super popular and trendy product right now…and for good reason. It smells amazing, goes on feeling super lightweight and refreshing, and works wonders on your skin all while you’re asleep!! There’s an option to layer on a thicker amount and leave it for the duration of a normal face mask, but I prefer to finish my bed time skin routine with this, go to bed, and rinse off in the morning. Make sure you stir or shake it up well before applying because the product does separate a little!
Side Note: Whenever you are using different active ingredients in your skincare routine make sure to mix and layer them safely. I use the Vitamin C moisturizer in the mornings only and don’t mix it with my serums!