Top Knot, Chambray, & Teal Pants.

Chambray: AMERICAN EAGLE,  Belt: Thrifted,  Feather Earrings: F21,  Pants: F21, Sandals: Old Navy  Bracelets: H&M

It's finally starting to warm up here in Utah.  The past few weeks have been cold and rainy.  I guess I haven't quite adjusted from the warm Hawaii/New Mexico weather.  Daniel and I have been enjoying our time here visiting my family.  We've also been catching up with old friends.  We've officially stuffed ourselves with food we've missed since we've been gone (Zupas, Cafe Rio, In-N-Out Burger).  Every city in the world should have a Cafe Rio.  For those of you who have experienced a delicious sweet pork salad, don't you agree?
This weekend we have some friends from Hawaii that are here visiting.  More about that later!

My Beauty Basics.

1.  PURMINERALS BLUSH  This blush gives your cheeks the perfect looking rosiness.  The marbled effect of this blush gives your cheeks a natural looking glow and doesn't go on too dark or harsh.  I love it!
2.  NARS EYESHADOW DUO: BROUSSE  (Thanks Kass!)  This is the best eyeshadow I have ever had!  It goes on smoothly and blends amazingly.  I love the brown and dark violet colors, which really compliment my eye color.
3.  ELF EYELID PRIMER  I have recently discovered how amazing eyelid primer is.  It makes a huge difference!  It helps your eyeshadow go on smoother and allows your eyeshadow to last longer throughout the day.  This ELF eyelid primer is only one dollar.  You can't go wrong with a price like that!
4.  CLINQUE DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT MOISTURIZING LOTION  I've used this lotion for years and I've never found anything better.  It leaves your face perfectly moisturized (not at all greasy).  It's a bit more pricey than regular drugstore moisturizers, but you won't regret spending a little extra!
5.  MAYBELLINE DEFINE-A-LASH, WATERPROOF  I don't know about you, but I've spent years finding the perfect mascara.  I've gone through countless tubes of mascara and have been disappointed many times.  Strangely enough, I finally found TWO mascaras that I like, but I only like them when I use them both together.  Define-A-Lash is great for lengthening your lashes!  I use this one first.
6.  MAYBELLINE VOLUM' EXPRESS FALSIES, WATERPROOF  I use this one after the Define-A-Lash mascara is applied and has dried.  I like this Falsies mascara because it adds thickness and volume to my lashes.  I have "barely there" lashes so I need all the help I can get!
7.  TWEEZERMAN TWEEZERS  These are the best tweezers!  They grab every hair every time.  I never thought that there was a big difference in tweezer brands.  How different could tweezers be anyway?  But there is a difference!  Trust me, Tweezerman is a great investment.
8.  CREST WHITE STRIPS  This is a quick and easy way to keep your smile glowing.  I use these once every few months.  You can notice a difference after just once use!
9.  GOODY SPIN PINS  These pins are so handy!  Just two of these spin pins does the job of twelve (or something like that) bobby pins.  You just twist one pin through the top of your bun and one from the bottom.  And Voila!  Your bun will stay in tight and secure.
10.  MAC EYESHADOW: JEST  This is a really great eyeshadow highlighter.  I use this on my underbrows and inner corners of my eyes.  I love the light shimmer it gives off.  It's the perfect finishing look to your eye makeup.
11.  AVON: POPPY LOVE  Lipstick is a fun accessory to add some color to your look.  Recently I've been into the tangy, orangey red color.  This lipstick color is just that!  It's a great color for summertime.

Beard.

This is a post solely dedicated to my brother-in-law's beard.  Have you ever seen a beard as wildly awesome as this?  Just look at the color and texture of it.  It truly is a piece of art.  Our cousin Bethy wanted me to take some pictures of the beard so she could hang it up on her wall.  Not a bad idea.  I think I might do the same.

Ombre.

Here's my new hair!  Ombre/color melting is a fun new trend that I am totally obsessed with.  I love this sun kissed look for summer time.  I've been going to the same hairdresser for years.  My friend Mindy does wonders!  Salt Lake City peeps, call her up at Capelli Hair  801-274-1400.  She'll make your hair look fab!
And here's my completely thrifted outfit.  I found this amazing navy dress for $12 in mint condition!  I got my shoes for $3 and my belt for $2.  Thrift stores have the best belts and there are always tons of them!

Santa Fe.

We spent our last weekend in New Mexico exploring the Santa Fe area (we are in Utah now by the way!).  It was fun walking around through different shops and art galleries.  We especially loved the candy shop.  Daniel bought some bacon dark chocolate, which was so so good!  I wanted to buy EVERYTHING I saw in Santa Fe!  Almost everything was handmade or imported from cool places from all over the world.  We enjoyed the live music and food.  I would definitely recommend checking out Santa Fe if you ever get the chance!

Blue skies and cactus flowers.

We went on another beautiful hike this past weekend.  It was very deserty with rocks and cactus plants everywhere.  We saw a ton of butterflies fluttering around and I was lucky enough to capture a picture of one!  We had a fun filled weekend so stay tuned for more pics.  Next post:  Santa Fe!

Vermont Maple Blueberry Salad.

I am absolutely obsessed with this salad!  You'll know what I mean once you take a bite.  My favorite part about this salad is the maple dressing, or maybe it's the crunch of the cinnamon almonds.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  This salad will make your taste buds dance.

Ingredients:
1 head romaine lettuce
2 granny smith apples chopped into small bite size cubes
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese or blue cheese (I used feta)
1/4 cup crushed cinnamon almonds (I bought them by the pound at SUNFLOWER MARKET or you can make your own.  Click HERE to learn how).

Dressing Ingredients:
1 small clove of garlic
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Blend all of the dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender until completely smooth.

Toss all of the salad ingredients together then drizzle the maple dressing on top right before serving! Taste it, you'll love it!

Try some of my other ZUPAS inspired recipes:  SUMMER CHICKEN SALAD & WISCONSIN CAULIFLOWER SOUP

Desert Hiking.

Just a few things:
1.  Daniel and I hadn't seen snow in quite some time (since before we lived in Hawaii).  The first time we see snow is in New Mexico in May.  Who would have thought!
2.  This hike had a lot more plants and greenery than expected, considering how dry and desert-y it is here.
3.  My brother-in-law has an awesome beard.
4.  Push up pops and hiking make a great combo.  Especially the blue raspberry flavor that turns your mouth completely blue.  The kids (and Daniel) went crazy for them.
5.  Hiking with a two year old is extremely ideal.  The stop and go pace gave me a lot of opportunities to stop and take pictures of all the beauty, and I didn't feel guilty for slowing down the group.

Penne Rosa.

I've been craving pasta lately and this recipe hit the spot!  Have you ever been to NOODLES & COMPANY?  Well, this is a similar recipe and it's really simple to make.
(Recipe adapted from BACKTOHERROOTS.COM).

Ingredients:
1 box of Penne pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pinch red pepper flakes
8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced (I don't like mushrooms so I omitted it)
2 medium tomatoes chopped
1/3 of an onion chopped
4 cups fresh spinach
2 medium chicken breasts, cubed and cooked.  I seasoned it with garlic powder, salt, and pepper
1 cup marinara sauce
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions:
1.  Cook the penne in boiling water.  Drain and set aside.
2.  Add oil to a skillet.  Cook the chicken.  Add onions and garlic.  Cook until garlic and onions are soft.  Add the red pepper flakes.
3.  Add mushrooms, tomatoes, salt, and pepper.  Cook for 5 minutes or until mushrooms begin to release their water.
4.  Add the spinach.  Cover and let spinach wilt for 2 minutes.
5.  Remove lid and turn heat to low.  Add the penne pasta, sour cream, and marinara sauce.  Mix well until pasta and veggies are coated.  Heat until warmed through.  Serve with parmesan cheese and more pepper flakes if desired.

Try out this recipe and let me know if you like it!  Enjoy!