Vanilla Almond Muffins

I made these a few days ago and thought I'd post the recipe!

well it's not really a recipe cause you pretty much just follow the recipe on this vanilla cake/baking mix from Trader Joes (probably any delicious and not overly sweet vanilla cake mix would do) and add a drop or two of almond extract (I just did it to taste) and approximately 1/4 cup of slivered almonds (incase you couldn't tell, I'm not a big measurer lol!)

To make it pretty I sprinkled some sliced almonds on top of each cupcake BEFORE I cooked them and then sprinkled them with powdered sugar once they were cool

Perfect for Sunday brunch...or anytime really

Last Minute Adventure

So last saturday evening hubs and I were bored and wanted to do something but didn't want to spend much money so at 6:30pm we just decided to go to...

DISNEYLAND!!!

now I know what you're thinking...not much money? Disneyland? Really? But the thing is when my family was in town a few weeks ago B and I picked up these bad boys!

so exciting right?! and if you were wondering his a pic of us from that trip

and from this week:

It was really fun (and totally crazy) to just be able to decide at the spur of the moment to up and go to Disneyland.  We were only there a few hours but it was tons of fun and we definitely weren't bored anymore!

Oh! and the passes we got get us free parking so it really only cost us the gas to get there!

well...

that's not entirely true cause I did have to get some these bad boys:

mmm...beginets

heaven in your mouth!

Socal blogger Meetup Deux

so I know I haven't been around lately but I've been really sick (still am) and have pretty much done nothing but sleep lately

anyway I went to the second socal blogger meetup this past saturday and had so much fun!

the meetup was held at Roppongi in La Jolla and I totally want to go back there for a date night the food was so delicious!

we were outside in their little front patio area and it was just the perfect day!

there were seriously so many amazing sponsors! go check them all out here, really go! I promise you want regret it (though your wallet might, such cute stuff!)

I won this beautiful necklace from The Altered Chain

it's seriously so pretty, dainty, and well made!

and there were tons of goodies and discounts in our gift bags! I totally have some shopping to do!

there were over 60 girls there which was amazing!

and they had so many sponsors donate to the giveaway that not only did everyone win something they put our names back in for the rest of it and I won a photography session with the lovely Karina Irene!  She took these pics of the meetup (my camera battery was dead grr...) and she's so amazing and being a photographer it's something I'm very picky about but can't very easily take pictures of myself so I am so excited!


now it's time for me to get back to sleep

see you in a week or so...? lol!

Things I miss about Texas

So I honestly never thought I' be writing this post.

I spent three months (of summer) in San Antonio, TX and that was more than enough for me! by the end I could not wait to get the heck out of there and back where it was "normal" (my normal, obviously) 

But now that I am happily situated in glorious California again all of the more trumatiac aspects of being in TX have slowly moved to the back of my mind and I am able to look back at my time there with a bit (albeit a tiny bit) of nostalga.  Which is fortunate since its highly likely we'll end up back there (I don't want to talk about it...)

Truthfully though we did have a lot of fun in TX.  

so without further adieu,  things I miss about Texas:

Blue Bell dutch chocolate ice cream. Oh em gee it is seriously heaven in your mouth!!!! they need to start selling it everywhere asap! I can't even get over how delicious it was!

Fresh made tortillas from HEB.  So HEB was like the only grocery store, period, but they had these amazing fresh made flour tortillas in the bakery section (you could legit see them being made on the machine) that were literally the best tortillas I have ever had! I've tried a bunch of mexican stores around here but they only have corn...bleck!

Cracker Barrel!!! specifically their hash brown casserole! most delicious thing ever! I've tried to make it myself (google Cracker Barrel hash brown casserole recipe) and it's good but not exactly the same.  And I know Cracker Barrel is not specific to TX but there are zero in CA! the closest one to us now is in Yuma, Arizona which is basically 3 hours away in the middle of nowhere.  Luckily hub's best friend is about the be stationed at the Marine base there and we can go visit him (and more importantly, get some hash brown casserole!)

Freddy's frozen custard! SO much better than ice cream! there is one in CA but it's 2 or so hours away and not on the way to anywhere we would be going, except maybe Vegas.

Jimmy Johns! gosh I miss that #2! so fresh and delicious, I could eat it every day.  Again, there is one in CA but It is also in the middle of nowhere and not on our way to anywhere we'd be going.

Hobby Lobby! Seriously the best craft store ever! Though I am happy to report that these are popping up in CA!!! so exciting!

So that's my list.  Yes I do realize that pretty much everything I miss involves food... does that really surprise anyone?

Life lately according to my iPhone

 

SoCal blogger meetup & giveaway winner!

Ok so I'm finally posting about the blogger meetup! I'm such a slacker blogger I swear! Always behind!

anywho, so obviously I should be the one person who always has their camera with them, but no, not me. I always seem to forget it when it's most important, always!

(I blame being scatter-brained, or the fact that it didn't fit in my purse...also, this is my excuse for being the last one to blog about it...ya...that's it! ;)

So I had to snag all of the forthcoming pics from the photographer for the event Karina Irene, except for the last one of me and Stephanie, that I snagged from Mandey (Thanks Mandey!)

Mandy also gave everyone some super cute earrings in the goody bags and I love mine! Will post about those later!

So I guess pics first and then i'll talk about it? Ya? ...that's what I thought

So clearly it was so much fun and I, for one, cannot wait for the next one!

The event was hosted by Tammy, Olivia, Stephanie, and Kelsey.  I seriously love all four of these ladies to pieces! Such dolls! And since they're all so amazing they obviously put on a terrific event! 

It was at Sip by Flavor Del Mar which was gorgeous and so cool! And the little appetizers they provided for us were delicious! I didn't have any of the wine but they had a ton so if you're in the San Diego area and love wine go here! I'm so glad I discovered this place because I love Del Mar! We take Lulu to the doggie beach there all the time, Stephanie and I have met up there twice for lunch, and B and I even went on our honeymoon there! (that's how we discovered it!) It's seriously the cutest little town and I want to live there so badly one day!

Anyway, back to the meetup. We played blogger bingo which was an awesome way to get to know and meet everyone! We also played that baby shower game where you can't say "baby" but this time it was "blog" or "blogger". I always fail miserably at that game cause I don't pay attention at all an this was no exception! (I am, however, amazing at the melted candy poop game...but that's another story)

We had champagne and I had my first ever sprinkles cupcake (vanilla fyi) and it was obviously delicious! 

But the best part is all the lovely ladies I got to meet! A couple I "knew" before but I was nice to finally meet them in person as well as meet tons of new girls whose blogs I'm now obsessed with! And it was so cool to have stuff in common with nearly every person I talked to (besides blogging obviously!)

Anyway It was seriously so much fun! If there's ever a blog meetup in your area you should definitely go! (or maybe start your own!) and if you're in southern CA you should for sure come to the next one!

Be sure to go here to check out all of my new bloggy friends' posts about the event!

And the winner of my giveaway is #19 lovely Jillian from Iron and Sunshine! yay!!

Email me your address and I'll get your goodies out to you ;)

amandasdailyobsessions@yahoo.com

Things I'm loving lately

don't mind my weird faces mkay? thanks!

San Diego/SoCal Blogger Meetup
Come!!! I'd love to meet you!



Youtube videos I've been obsessing over:

Missglamorazzi
Amarixe
FleurDeForce


sorry! the scarf wasn't online but there are other cute ones!

scrumminess

i made this meal the other day

pan grilled chicken

corn on the cob

and fried okra

no recipe required,,,season and grill the chicken in butter, boil corn, and coat okra in cornmeal and fry in oil...voila! amazingness!

update 2: picnic

so just a day or so after i posted this i got to do all of those things

so i packed up a lunch and and we grabbed a quilt and took lulu for a walk to our nearest park

this is what our yummy meal consisted of:

i love picnics