If you’re still giving this site clicks, move on over to my new(ish) blog Mushaboom!

xo Haley

good news. bad news.

the bad
i will no longer be using this blog
the good
i will be blogging here!

i decided to make the change because WordPress no longer fulfills my blogging needs ;)
i have used blogger before.. and i didn’t really like it, but i’m giving it another shot. i’ve customized it to how i like it, and i’m gonna stick with it!
so, from here on out you can find me there, but you can still read all of the archives from this blog! they’ll stay here for a while :)

love youuuuuu<3
be sure to click the little "follow" button once you visit the new blog!
xoxo
hay

just because.

I felt the need to blog. Not sure why. Probably because I have nothing else to do?
I have been busy doing absolutely nothing…. so I’m watching Nip/Tuck (what else did you expect?) and journaling and all of that business!
I’ll start with last night.
Cassie and I always have amazing adventures. We first went to the mall… and saw Miss Erin Sunday, hard at work :) After that, we went to Barnes and Noble so I could use up the rest of my gift card (birthday present courtesy of Grandmother Smith) and with that last 15 bucks, I bought this:

“The Wild Things” by Dave Eggers. Basically, as you can probably guess by the cover, is loosely based off of Where The Wild Things Are. and as I’ve read so far, it is very much like the movie. So… we’ll see. But at least the cover is cute right?? :)
Then….. we went to Olive Garden. HA! Seriously, it is my favoriteee restaurant ever. EVER. But… we had the most terrible service ever. Cassie and I felt so completely… humiliated by our waiter, and his little waiter friends. We wanted to leave so, so bad. It was so bad. I really don’t want to go back anytime soon. Cassie is famous for her complaint letters (she’s sent them to a restaurant in St. Charles, MO we went to once and Westboro Baptist Church), so she sent one to Olive Garden, of course. We then went to Target for some late night Starbucks… and shopping for things we definitely don’t need.
I went because I needed a backpack for school. She went because she wanted to buy the Eclipse soundtrack. We DID leave with the backpack… but not the soundtrack. We both, however, left with new denim leggings. DUDE. we bought JEGGINGS. hahaha! Seriously don’t know why I haven’t tried them before! They are sooo comfortable. It like wearing leggings… that look like jeans. Best feeling in the world. I need more. I just might start living in these things! They were only 12 bucks… so I couldn’t pass them up!

Sigh. In. Love. :)
Today I went to Silver Dollar City with Tyler, his mom, and niece,Brylee. It was a lot of fun. The ride home took about twice the time that it was supposed to, but I’m home now and the tears are alllll dried up. So we’re good. I got to see my journalism/Yearbook teacher this evening. It almost made me sad that I won’t be going back to school to be in yearbook again. almost.

Allllright. I’m a sleepy girl, and I’d like to finish two more episodes of Nip/Tuck before bed!
:)) I love you all muchly.
xoxo haley

well.well.

(edit: I just realized, I wrote the first half last night, and saved it to my drafts. Here it is completed! <3)
I am a sleepy girl.
BUT, I am determined to stay awake and finish a painting! All the while, watching Nip/Tuck. I am borderline obsessed with this show. During the operating scenes, I can’t lie.. I do turn my head, and only listen. Usually blood doesn’t frighten me, but goshhhh. NO. This is not ok!
I’m currently on Season 2. I had never even given a thought to watching the show, ever. But Sunday afternoon I was terribly bored, and tired of reading books, so I picked a random TV show available on Instant Netflix, and started watching it. I watched eleven episodes out of the thirteen of the first season. I seriously LOVE this show!

P.s. Haha, for those of you that know what I’m talking about… The dude that plays Sean’s son is in the movie “Teeth”…. As for what happens to him in THAT movie, and what happens to him in the first couple of episodes of Nip/Tuck…. I feel sorry for the kid. ;)

Anyways, back to the point of this.
I’m working on a painting for le boyfriend. A few months back.. he mentioned to me that he liked this:

i did this like 6 months ago in my sketchbook for my art class. i always wanted to make it into a painting, but never really thought much more about it (plus, the execution of it scaresss me. i’m really still unsure how to go about doing the background).
So… the little sketch has become this:

(well, sort of. it’s not done yet!)
but I made this as a little surprise for the boyfriend. He had been pestering me for forever for a painting before I left for college, but now I’m not moving anywhere… so the requests stopped…. jerk. :) Haha I love him.
I start my first day of work at the Tea Room today! I’m so excited. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking… but maybe when I move to Springfield, I’ll get a job at Elsie’s new RVA location… maybe :)

Ok! Wish me lots of luck with this first day! I’m off to go eat my favoriteee meal at Oriental Inn! :)
Xoxo Haley

i baked last night..

i made the most delicious cupcakes of my life last night!
i made cupcakes using a pound cake recipe, and then made my own double shot latte buttercream icing, and sprinkled cinnamon on top :)
they were soooo yummy. like, seriously. the best cupcakes ever.

here’s the recipe for my icing:
ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (3oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon instant espresso (i used one package of Starbucks’s “Via” instant coffee mix)
1 (16oz) pkg. powdered sugar

prep
1. Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended and smooth after each addition.

The recipe I used called for 3-4 tablespoons of milk, but I didn’t used the milk at all, actually. I also sifted my powdered sugar, when adding it to the mixture. I had more than enough icing left over after making 2 dozen cupcakes.
:)

They were seriously sooo good. I’m going to try them again but with a regular yellow-cake recipe because the pound cake made it all seem so heavy & rich. Like, one cupcake is enough and you’re done. No more after that.
So, I’ll try it again, and let you know the results! :)

love, love
haley

well, dang.

Formspring is a b-word.
From here on out – mine is officially deleted.
Some stuff has been going on, involving some rather immature and silly, silly girls that I know. And after some minor confrontation, I have deleted my formspring and am going to just move on. I do not need such negativity in my life.

God is seriously such an amazing dude for all the wonderful things He’s done in my life recently. Through all of the lame “anonymous” drama, I’ve gotten to have so many good conversations with people that actually care about me. I have theee most wonderful friends in the world.
So, I’m thankful for the people in my life. I’m thankful for the good manners and love that my parents have instilled in me. And.. I’m thankful for the gifts and talents God has so generously blessed me with (and that “people” are just “soooo” jealous of). I can’t wait to actually utilize those talents and make others happy! :)
Speaking of using those lovely talents… my bakery plans are in the works. Its so exciting getting ready for school this fall and knowing that when I go home at the end of the day, my homework will be baking! :) Tyler is definitely a lucky guy.. haha <3
Lately I've been drawing up plans for what I want my "perfect" bakery to look like, what sorts of desserts and yummy things I'd want to sell, and what other fun things I'd want to make available at my little shop. As for location… that's still an iffy question. I've got quite a number of people pushing me to open one up in St. Louis. It's nearing the top of my list. :)
Tonight consists of…

(A show at The Front Porch; It definitely won’t look as exciting as this one, I can promise you that..haha)

(Coffee. Its just about all I can think about right now!)

(book shopping. I’m going to make g.o.o.d. use of this $30 gift card to Barnes & Noble.)

It feels like fall already, based on tonight’s agenda. Goodness me, I’m so ready for Autumn weather, good “Autumn music”, and cozyness.
Cassie and I are heading out in a few hours for a night of fun and sillyness. We only have a good 3 weeks together left, so we’re trying our best to make it count.
GOSH, college SUCKS. ;)

birthday = success

19 is a good age, so far.

I thought I’d post a little “19 before 20” list. :)
1. Read 10 books (MUST read: The Hours, Revolutionary Road, The Bus Driver Who Wanted To Be God)
2. Start OTC, and refine those baking skills. I gotta bakery to open up in 3 years, dude!
3. Move out of my parents’s home.
4. Take a road trip with Colby Kern.
5. Go to some shows with my boyfriend (MUST see: Band of Horses, Kate Nash)
6. Learn to quilt.
7. Make a pen pal, and… keep the pen pal.
8. Send at least 10 cute projects in the mail to Emily (the boyfriend’s 6 year old niece).
9. Plan a wedding (in my head for now..)
10. Do 3 photo shoots with Colby Kern.
11. Get another tattoo (“For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus Christ” on my right side… its gonna huuuurt).
12. Start saving for mine and Tyler’s future.
13. Paint at least twice a month (24 paintings total).
14. Do the “first year of college” Bible study that my youth pastor gave me.
15. Blog more. And with an actual purpose.
16. Find a new coffee shop to become my “regular” spot. Starbucks just ain’t workin’ for meee.
17. Get engaged (not that I can control this, or anything..ha).
18. Restart my Etsy.
19. Remember birthdays, holidays, random gift giving times, etc. (I’m a terrible gift-giver)

:) There ya have it.
I’ll do a check in with this list every 2 months. So, expect an update on September 22!

Anyways… going on.
Today, I baked from scratch red velvet cupcakes, and I also made my very own cream cheese icing. Yum, yum, yum. Seriously. I wish you all could come over and eat these delicious cupcakes with me! They are seriously the best I’ve everrr made. There ya go. Proof that I am meant to own a bakery someday ;)
I went to the tea room and had a nice, long, confessional-esque chat with one of my close friends today. She got her first tattoo on Wednesday! She got hers on her ribcage, and its fairly large. For a first tattoo, that’s pretty intense. Brave girl :)
Then, Tyler took me out for dinner, coffee, and a movie. We saw Inception… although I started getting sleepy (it didn’t get out until a little after midnight), I have to say that it has one of the most original plots I’ve seen in the past few years. It was a freaking miiind trip. I loved it though.

Now, I’m just sort of dealing with some anxiety issues, and hopefully heading to bed soon.
This was just a filler blog post because I can’t sleep worth anything… even though that entire ride back home from Springfield, I was OUT. Funny how you can’t sleep once you actually get into bed. :(

Anyways, thank you everyone who wished me a happy birthday. It really was a great one.
Party on, yo.

xoxo Haley

P.s. If you haven’t already hear, my friend Janel is in the process of saving up for adoption! Go check out her blog, where she’s posted links to some other blogs/shops that are helping her out with the fundraising (you can click on the little link below to go to her blog). It’s a wonderfully beautiful cause to support. Every single child deserves a loving home, and Miss Janelly Bean has a golden heart with lots of room for a new baby :) So help her out!
xo.

i’m a birthday girl today.

well, it is this girls 19th birthday today!
i shall spend my wonderful, wonderful birthday baking *homemade* cupcakes, visiting with friends about our new tattoos, and enjoying the day in general.
it is my official last year of teenager-hood. i’m so excited for this next year, it brings sooo much new & exciting stuff for me (college, a very sparkly, pretty ring..? :]).

the boyfriend already gave me my bday present which consisted of a note (he writes me notes and leaves them in my mailbox. he’s cute), a copy of “The Bus Driver Who Wanted To Be God” by Etgar Keret (it is a book of short stories, including Kneller’s Happy Campers which was what the movie Wristcutters, aka favorite movie ever, was based off of), and *drumroll…* the Limited Edition, 70th Anniversary, 3 disc, Blu-Ray Gone with the Wind DVD. HOLY FREAKING COW. I about died. I have been wanting this for sooo long, but I wasn’t about to drop like 80 bucks on a movie I already own. My boyfriend is theee coolest ever :)

birthdays are pretty fun, i guess :)
xoxo hay

Inked.

for real! I have a tattoo now!! :)
Colby was wonderful, he held my hand AND took pictures! True best friend ;)





hahaha, the “pain” photos. :)
and… the finished product:

i am sooo in love with it. hopefully my parents will be fine with it eventually. hopefully.

after that, i went to see miss cassie at the tea room (that i’ll start working at in a few weeks!) and wished her a happy happy 18th birthday. she gets her first tattoo tomorrow! its a feather with scripture curving under it. it’s going to be beautifulllll.
i also took the opportunity to take a few pictures of the adorable, adorable back room that is the “hangout” for our friends at the tea room.


isn’t it just so cute?! :) i can’t wait to work there.

wellllll. i should probably go.
and do something productive.
lovelove
xo hay

cupcakes for all

The other day, Miss Cassie celebrated her 18th birthday (which is actually tomorrow), by having a cupcake decorating party at the tea room in Marshfield! :)
It was so much fun. We shared sooo many laughs and creepy stories, and caught up with the friends we hadn’t seen in a few months.

birthday girl with a birthday cuppycake:)


let me tell you.. I thoroughly enjoyed the homemade buttercream icing :)
Oh and yes… I went to Florida:)


these little campers were evvvverywhere along the road in Seaside, FL. If you ever get the chance to go down there, GO. Seriously the cutest place in.the.world.

my cute little family. :) minus trevor of course. he chose not to come.. lame-o.

also.. i never showed you some of the fourth of July pictures!
:)

Tomorrow is tattoo day. I will officially be inked for the rest of my life. How… scary? And exciting.
:)
Birthday is Thursday!!
Party and cupcakes for everyone.

xoxo hay