Celebrate: Hey Andrew, Happy Birthday!

Can we talk about brothers for a minute? It seems to me that when it comes to sib relationships the ones between sisters get all the press and I totally agree having a sister is great, but let me tell you having a brother is pretty great too!

Today I'm wishing my first brother a very happy birthday! Andrew is loving, caring and thoughtful every girl should be so lucky as to have a brother like him. Happy 28th Drewski, I can't remember life before you and I can't imagine life without you!

In Pictures: July 2013

P.S. You can follow me on Instagram @elizabethpfink

Live: What To Do On Your Long Commute

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A few months ago I started a new job and along with it I started a new, much longer, commute (all the way to Detroit, but that is another story). At first I was really down on the drive, it takes me any where from 40 to 70 minutes to get there and 50 to 70 minutes to get home, but then I decided to try and make the time useful in any way I could and really try and enjoy it. So I came up with a few ways to fill my time and I thought today I'd share a few of those ways with you.

• Listen to books on CD. I think I've have listened to five or six in the last month alone (expect recommendations later this summer). I find for me and my drive a book with about 10 disks works best.
• Call your Grandma. My Grandma loves to talk on the phone, but it can be hard to find the time to chat for 30 or 40 minutes. If I call her right after I hop on the expressway it gives me the prefect time to talk to her. 
• Dig out a some old music and  jam. I pulled out a few mixed cds I made while in college, they are the perfect pick me up at the end of a long day.
• Eat Breakfast or Dinner. That most likely means popcorn and apple slices. And please don't tell my dad I eat in the car, he always hated when we would do that.
• Pray. Why not open up your soul and lay your burdens on the Lord while you drive? Or simply praise Him for sunshine and clear skies!

Do you have any tricks for beating the commuter daze?

Inspire: July

This month I'm diggin':

Eat: Watermelon Slush - Yum!

Read: Dear Friend's, great round up of summer reads - I'm on the library wait list for Where'd You Go, Bernadette.

Listen: The Evolution of Pitch Perfect's "When I'm Gone" - can't stop listening to this song, so good!

Make: Flower crown - very summery.

Give: Gold letter necklaces - great birthday gift. 

Eat: Farmers Market Bruschetta

Here in Michigan Farmers Market season is in full swing and I am loving it! This recipe is my attempt to recreate the meal that Julie and Eric eat at the beginning of Julie and Julia (tell me I'm not the only one that becomes fixated on clothes, home decor or food that movie and tv characters wear, have or eat). Anyway this is an easy and quick recipe and would be great as a starter or as a light meal for a warm summer night.

What you need:
Tomatoes (I had yellow and cherry, but you can use whatever you can find)
Greens (I used arugula, but spinach or swiss chard would work)
Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
Basil
Baguette (I use a multi gran)
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper

What you do:
Slice baguette, toast (I toasted mine in a pan with some olive oil)
Cut cheese and tomatoes into equal sized chunks
Chop the greens and basil
Mix cheese, tomatoes, greens and basil in with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Top toast with mixture and drizzle with vinager.

Enjoy!

Celebrate: Happy Birthday Fred Baby

My little nephew Freddy turns 2 today, he is a joy to know and cute as can be! 

Live: Craft Cabin

Two weekends ago a group of my girlfriends (cousins/sisters/childhood friends) gathered together for our second Craft Cabin adventure. The rules of Craft Cabin are simple, someone has to turn 30 (this time it was me!), there must be a lake, you have to watch a movie (or three), you must eat lots of snacks, there has to be yarn, you must do a lot of laughing and babies are encouraged to come. This year  my cousin Hannah's in-laws let us use their lake house and we were almost out numbered by babies, I think it is safe to say that a great time was had by all.

P.S. we basically took over the hashtag #craftcabin on instagram.

P.P.S. Craft Cabin 2011

July 2013

My goodness July where did you come from? To say that May and June kinda got away from me would be an understatement. So I don't know what to say about July, I'm just going to try and make each day better than the one before and hope that I will end the month a little happier than when I started.