a healthy baked breakfast

i know i said i would try to make chocolate covered katie's banana butter, and i did try it, but it was early morning and i didn't have time to take a photo before leaving for work. i used a bit more banana than i probably should have for the amount of peanut butter i had left, so it had a strong banana taste. i spread the mixture on my sandwich and had it for lunch, and it tasted like banana bread! yum! ill try this again now that i have more peanut butter. 

feeling more adventurous, i decided to make CCK's cookie dough boatmeal {sounds delicious-i know!}. i made it at night, knowing i had to be in to work at 7am and i also doubled the recipe so husband could try some as well when he woke up {hours after i did}. pictures of my creation below and the recipe can be found here. 

it was moist and delicious

sprinkled with cinnamon

i made it with a banana {maybe ill try applesauce next time i make it}

thanks katie, for all your delicious recipes! i already tried some others too!

ill share mine and tommy's february date night next-we saw the re-lighting of the slc olympic flame and had a camping trip {in our living room}

learning to use my camera

My birthday wish last year (in May 2011) was to get a fancy camera. I chose the Nikon D5100, for no other reason than I had to choose one really. I heard all the arguments about whether Nikon or Canon was better, and I personally liked the feel of the Nikon better than Canon (totally a personal preference).

i got my nikon as an early birthday present in my easter basket

It took a good 8 months before I finally got around to taking a class to learn how to properly use my fancy camera. If anyone in the SLC area is looking to learn how to use their DSLR camera, look into Pictureline. They offer very affordable classes and even give you a $20 gift card at the end of the class that you can use toward purchasing merchandise in the store! 

They taught the simple concepts that most consumers don't really "get" when they buy a DSLR. I now understand that ISO changes the sensor sensitivity to light, the lower the number, the more light is needed. I learned in a low light situation you actually need to turn your flash down (opposite than what you might think) and in bright light you turn your flash up. I learned that all those blurry photos I was getting was caused by my shutter speed being too slow. And that changing your WB (white balance) can make those funky orange, or way too blue colors go away.

Here are some examples of how changing your white balance and ISO can totally change the color and feel of a photo. My husband will probably not appreciate me putting these up... sorry!

before i changed the white balance from auto to incandescent

after i fixed the white balance and turned my ISO up

the winter wonderland we woke up to-a bit blue because my white balance was still set on incandescent 

after changing my white balance to an outdoor setting and turing my ISO down since the light was brighter outside

It is all about learning your camera's settings and then practice, practice, practice... I'm looking forward to eventually being able to pick up my camera and automatically choose a setting based on the situation.

It was my husbands birthday yesterday, so I have been busy trying to surprise him with his BIG present this year and making my mom's delicious pizza cake recipe we got every year on our birthday growing up. Ill share what the BIG surprise was next, as well as the amazing pizza cake recipe!

Our life around the world...

I mentioned in my first post that Tommy and I have travelled the world. We are fortunate enough to be only twenty something and have lived on three different continents. I thought I would share some of my favorite photos from the places I have called home, and adventures we have embarked on. 


I now have a fancy camera, a Nikon 5100 and am determined to learn how to properly use it. I actually just signed up for a photography class this month, so stay tuned for some good photos ahead! These photos do not reflect the photographer that I hope to some day be, but will give you an idea of the journey my life has taken me on.

The Southeast... One of our trips to Hilton Head, S.C., where I grew up going to the beach with my family.

Melbourne, Australia. I fell in love with this city from the minute I arrived.

Phillip Island, Australia... Where Tommy and I got engaged!

Sunshine Coast, Australia... A tropical paradise. 

Brugge, Belgium (we called Belgium home for 6 months).

Paris

Mount Rainer, Washington.

Washington State (our home for one year).

Vancouver, B.C. (one of our adventures).

Utah (the place we currently call home).

Life is and adventure and I am so lucky to get to travel the world with my best friend.


Stay tuned for some more adventures in "pinning". I have some projects in the works, a DIY hair piece for one of my best friends upcoming weddings, a DIY wreath that can be used for any season and trying to organize a closet full of scarves (I have SO many scarves)...

"I was trying to daydream, but my mind kept wandering" Steven Wright

This quote pretty much sums it up for me! I have spent twenty something years daydreaming (or trying to daydream) about everything! I decided to start this blog to gather all those "dreams" of mine and put them to good use. How many of you spend a good part of your days "pinning"? If you know about pinterest, then you surely know what I am talking about. Pinterest is like virtual daydreaming for me and it has sucked me into the vortex as well. I have spent many hours happily "pinning" away. On this blog, I am going to share with you some of those ideas that I am determined to make come to life. I will also share the happenings of mine and Tommy's new life in SLC, and hopefully some of my own ideas and creations too.


Here are some photos of our drive from Gig Harbor, WA to SLC, UT.

We moved to SLC at the end of October 2011. After spending the last six years together traveling back and forth between Georgia, Australia, Belgium and Seattle, we decided to settle our behinds down in SLC, UT of all places! We founds a cute little duplex and I have spent the last two months or so hanging photos, moving furniture and collecting all those items that make a house (or apartment) feel like home. It is still a work in progress, and good practice for when we own a house of our own one day (that I can actually paint and renovate).