jessica shae summer adventure // part one

 "The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it."

-Robert Bach

Well, I know I'm having a lovely time, and I know I can speak for all the other girls at Jessica Shae's 2013 Summer Adventure. More to come! :)

just a few

A few of my favorites from last year, these bring back some good memories. :) 

lyssa // portraits (spontaneous)

This photo shoot was a bit spontaneous, and that's how it normally goes. ;) We grabbed our bikes and cameras, and then drifted to the end of the road while the sun was setting. The lighting was pretty great, so I kind of drug Lyssa over to a nice spot and started snapping pictures.  This is what came of it.

Are you spontaneous?

"My life is spontaneous and things just kind of happen."

 Henry Connick Jr.

pinteresting wednesday

(all photos via pinterest)

homemade thin mints (recipe)

Ingredients
-8 ounces butter
-1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-1 cup powdered sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-¾ teaspoon salt
-1 ½ cups all purpose flour
-For the coating:
-10 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate
-1 ½ teaspoon peppermint extract (make sure to get peppermint, not spearmint)

Directions
   Preheat oven to 350° degrees. Cream butter until light and fluffy, then add the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Stir in the salt, vanilla and cocoa powder. Mix until the cocoa powder is integrated and the batter resembles a thick frosting. Add the flour and mix just until it is combined, making sure to not over mix.
   Form dough into a ball. Knead a few times to bring together, then flatten into a disk between half an inch and one inch thick, cover in plastic wrap then place in freezer for 15 minutes.
   Remove dough from the freezer and roll it out really thin on a floured surface, about 1/8-inch. Cut cookies using 1 ½ inch cutter
   Place cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack. While the cookies bake, make the peppermint coating. Chop the baking chocolate into very small, thin pieces. Place over a double boiler, and stir every so often until it is completely melted. Stir in the peppermint extract. Feel free to add more peppermint as you see fit, but I thought the amount called for was perfect. :)
   Gently drop the cookies, one at a time, into the chocolate coating. Turn to coat entirely, then lift the cookie out of the chocolate with the fork and tilt against the side of the bowl until the extra coating drips off. Place on a parchment or plastic wrap-lined baking sheet, and repeat for the rest of the cookies. Place the cookies in the refrigerator or freezer to set.
   Viola, now you have Thin Mint cookies!

 I think I just earned my baking badge, oh yes...