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Homemade Kahlúa!

Posted on December 22, 2018 by erikamae82

It’s one of my favorite unique gifts to provide during the holiday season. Great for family, friends, neighbors, work partners and my personal favorite, the wrapped gift for a white elephant game!

If you want to get fancy with a long list of ingredients and a lengthy process, I suggest going online and searching recipes. However here, you’ll find a simple list of 4 items and easy approach that’ll make a quality liqueur you’ll be proud to share!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups – Your favorite vodka! (only 1 cup if you want it less strong)

1 1/2cup – Richly roasted dark coffee (I use locally roasted beans)

1 1/2 Cups – Organic cane sugar (use up to 2 cups if you like sweeter)

2 Tablespoons – Organic Vanilla extract (I use Madagascar Vanilla for a rich flavor)

Step 1. Brew your strong coffee.

Step 2. Add the sugar while your coffee is still hot. Stir until sugar is dissolved then add the vanilla.

Step 3. Let cool to to room temperature before adding the vodka.

Step 4. Funnel into a large container (I love using mason jars) so it can marinate as long a you need it to before distributing into adorable bottles that seal. While your masterpiece is developing into beautiful flavors, feel free to create artistic labels. If you’re gifting it, selling it or keeping it, labels just make it seem to take it up a notch. I like to use non adhesive tags so my recipients can re-use the bottle for something different once it’s empty.

So there you have it, a simple and delicious way to spread some love to those around you! I like to let mine sit for at least 48 hours before distributing, however if you’re in “need now” crisis, feel free to enjoy immediately!

Just in case you’ve never experienced the splendor of a coffee liqueur, here are some tasty ways to enjoy your new bottle in the cabinet!

-mix with milk over ice (and a splash more vodka if you want an extra kick!)

-freeze to make cubes and drop in, well, any beverage! Whiskey, chocolate milk, etc.

-top over ice cream

-use with coffee and creamer

-layer in a shot glass starting with Kahlúa, then Baileys and topped with triple sec

-splash with hot cocoa and top with whipped cream

-throw it in a blender with cream, ice, whipped flavored vodka

-add to recipes! Tiramisu, brownies, cheesecake, coffee cake, truffles, cupcakes, cookies, pie, fudge, frozen yogurt… you get it!

Disclaimer: I didn’t make any of the recipes below nor did I take any of the photos. I just want to show you a few of the several variations this delightful drink can provide.

Although most of the ingredients can be purchased at your local grocery store, here are two links to the non-edible items from above.

Glass Flip-top Bottles

Labels with twine

Enjoy! Eat, drink and be Merry!

Categories: Art, Edibles!, Uncategorized | Tags: Christmas, coffee, diy, drinks, gift, kahlua, liqueur, liquor, New Years | 2 Comments

The most selfies I’ve ever taken…ever.

Posted on December 17, 2018 by erikamae82

So I never thought I’d be the first time mom-to-be taking weekly photos of my growing belly. In fact, I refused until I was in my second trimester and finally caved in to the family members who kept requesting updates. Apparently “I feel great!” wasn’t cutting it.

So here we go, the amazing transition the human body is capable of doing without any conscious effort on our part. Call it what you want, but I think it’s incredible!

*the first photo is 21 weeks & the last is current at 36 weeks!

I’ve been fortunate to get friendly comments from strangers and family (so far) verses what others have experienced. I recently read a post of a woman who’s 8 months pregnant and is constantly getting comments referring to how huge she is, how uncomfortable she must be and the ultimate, “you look really tired!”.

I don’t think these types of thoughtless phrases are meant to hurt feelings, but it seems some people forget that, not only are pregnant women still human, they’re also full of hormones! These super-women possibly have been throwing up all day and finally made it to the store. Maybe they’re suffering with excruciating ligament pain, hemorrhoids, sore back or are simply sick of being kicked in the crotch by their sweet bundle of joy. Please take these things into consideration before dropping “are you sure it’s not twins!?” or “you look exhausted”.

Back to the pregnant woman’s post… the best part… dozens of ladies showed their support with how they’ve responded after being fed up with the inconsiderate comments. Some of these are hilarious!

-“I know, right… it was a lot smaller going in!”

-“Yeah, pretty soon we can share clothes”.

-“Holy sh*t, I’m pregnant?!”

-“I AM big, it’s like I’m growing a freakin human in there or something!”

-“Pregnant, who’s pregnant? Congratulations!”

-Suddenly act like you’ve been caught shoplifting… be hysterical… then promise to put it back if they don’t tell on you. Lol!

-“Oh that, it’s just a pillow”.

-“I’m pregnant, what’s your excuse?”

-“Me, no I’m not pregnant”.

-“Funny you mention appearance, has anyone told you that your boobs have started to sag?”

-“Twinsie’s!” Then rub and pat their belly.

-“Look how big you’re getting stops being a compliment at age 6″

-“Hmm, seems I must feel better than I look. Thank you”.

Categories: Baby Talk, Fitness, Uncategorized | Tags: fat, growing belly, pregnancy, selfie | 1 Comment

You know you’re pregnant when…

Posted on November 29, 2018 by erikamae82

I’m hoping this little post will bring a smile to mothers-to-be, fathers-to-be and to all that have already been there and done that… even to anyone that’s been around a woman expecting a child, I’m sure you can relate!

Photo credit to my amazing husband Matt who snapped the shot on our morning beach walk.

You know you’re pregnant when…

-you sit down to fold the laundry and wake up two hours later laying on your pile of clean clothes.

-you eat a 5 course meal at 6p and go to bed at 9p starving like you haven’t eaten in days!

-you can no longer trust a sneeze.

-full sentences come out of your mouth backwards and only make sense in your head.

-you can sleep anywhere at anytime… except at night… in bed.

-you have no hesitation in itching your belly like a bear out of hibernation.

-crying and laughing are common actions, often done at the same time.

-getting up at 3am to devour fruit is your new norm.

-common vocabulary has completely escaped your brain.

-your boobs are so sore when you wake up, you have to carry them to the shower.

-you suddenly want rare little pets; finger monkey, baby goat, mini pig, etc.

-you have every local public restroom (and their cleanliness) located and memorized.

-you can sniff out a scent that would put a hound dog to shame.

-you find yourself crying for 20 minutes watching facebook baby delivery videos.

-your floors are cleaner than normal because your belly catches it all.

-taking a nap in your car before you go into the store is a true consideration.

-you drive 45 min to get your favorite meal from that special place then give it to your husband because it doesn’t sound good anymore.

-the ankle portion where the foot attaches to the leg is no longer existent.

-being naked is more fun than trying to find something that fits.

-you can relate to a turtle stuck on its back.

-you go from stuffed to starving in seconds.

-you’d forget your own head if it wasn’t attached.

-strangers are extra polite to you.

-you never leave the house without a drink and snack… just in case.

-running 5 miles used to be easy and now going up a flight of stairs leaves you out of breath.

-you literally have to roll out of bed to pee for the 3rd time at night.

-you refuse to wear any shoes that require snapping, zipping, buckling or laces.

-it’s 40 degrees outside, the heater is off, the windows are open and you’re still hot!

-you’re walking on the treadmill at 3mph and the gym security guard asks if you’re ok.

-you use your mid-section as an eating surface.

-walking becomes more of a side to side motion than a forward movement.

-whenever you drop something, you just walk away.

You know your girl is pregnant when…

-you order extra french fries because you know she’ll eat some even though she “doesn’t want any”.

-you quickly learn that waking her up for any reason at all besides the house being on fire will result in laser beams shooting from her eyes and/or instant tears.

-for the first time, her gas over power yours.

– you thought she left for the store an hour ago but find her sleeping upstairs with the keys in her hand.

-you spend $18 at the gas station… on snacks.

-it becomes second nature to give her a boost when she attempts to get off the couch.

-she can smell what the neighbors are cooking for dinner, what soap you washed your hands with and sniffed the fact you had tacos for lunch.

-your back starts to ache from always picking up everything from the floor that she can no longer reach.

-your plate is no longer yours, but a stand-by back up for her.

–you are now crying at mushy movies and blame the pregnancy.

-coming home without the frozen yogurt you suggested is a death wish.

-you finally don’t get smacked for playing with her belly.

-snuggles become mandatory after 8pm.

… and Matt added

-your respect for her grows farther than you thought it could.

-she looks more beautiful than she ever has.

-looking into her eyes, you can see she has grown deeper as a person.

Thank you to all that pitched in to make this list happen! Have something to add? Put it in the comments and I’ll add it to the post!

Now just for giggles!

Categories: Baby Talk, Uncategorized | Tags: funny, hormones, list, memes, pregnancy, symptoms | 4 Comments

We’re all caught up!

Posted on November 26, 2018 by erikamae82

So I’ve wrapped up over a year of this journey in a just a hand full of posts, this one being the last. From this point forward, each article will be present and more detailed while focusing on current situations, thoughts and experiences.

With that said, let’s finish up!

Halloween! I didn’t know what to dress up as since I had this beautiful bump to use as an additional prop. Usually I’m all about DIY costumes and being creative to the fullest but this year I settled for a pre-made outfit that seemed fitting. Why? Because any woman who has surrendered to the physical and emotional changes of carrying a child in her womb should be considering a super hero. So on this holiday, I embraced it!

…and this superwoman works best with a superhero partner by her side!Props to Matt for being brave enough to let me do whatever I want to his hair and super props to me for rockin it out!Thanksgiving was calm and peaceful, full of happy family laughter. Mom, Matt and I went out for brunch (shame on us, we didn’t take a picture!) but had a wonderful time that didn’t include cooking or cleaning, so nice! After that, Matt and I went to his moms house and had dinner there with her family (you can recall them from the post Visitors, a dozen of them!)

After Thanksgiving, Matts mom requested help putting up the beach themed Christmas tree. The colors were so delicate with sand tones and soft ocean blues. The little black poodle in the photo below is the family mascot, Gracie. Clearly she approved of our decor!So that’s it folks, we’re all caught up to the present day and now we can explore the humor of pregnancy, the joy of the holidays and everything in between!

Categories: Fashion from a backpack, Uncategorized | Tags: Birthday, Christmas, Costume, family, halloween, pregnant, Thanksgiving, tree | 2 Comments

Shanti’s final baby shower!

Posted on November 26, 2018 by erikamae82

Once I got back to Florida for the long stay, my mom threw me an intimate baby shower that had all of my favorite childhood food, a “mom-mosa bar” and a group of amazing women.

Planning it and setting up with her was just as memorable as the actual day of celebration. I’ll hold back the details of our hilarious moments considering none would be as funny as they were in the moment, but here’s the final set up before the guests arrived!

Games, gifts, hugs and love… everything was perfect and all one could wish for!

Thank you to all of the women who took time to come and celebrate this new beautiful life about to meet the world. A special thanks to my mom… all of your thought, effort and attention to detail made this event exactly what it was!

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: baby shower, decorations, family, Florida, Mom, Shanti, snacks | Leave a comment

16 flights, 4 states and a lot of love

Posted on November 17, 2018 by erikamae82

Just as quickly as we arrived to our new place of residence, I was packing up to fly back to California for a round of hair for my loyal clients. This trip was a mother-daughter adventure and was packed full of work, food, work, a day out and more work. It was also my little ones first airplane ride!

Without exaggerating, we were in the salon 11 of the 13 days we were in California. My hands were in hair and mom was taking care of everything else for me, such a help! One day we were off early enough to check out one of our old favorite sushi restaurants, Mikunis!

With over 70 salon clients completed and a beautiful bride happy with her hair, we were on the flight back to Florida.

Upon landing back home, I didn’t put my suitcase away since just a month later I was headed back to California! This time with Matt to do a few more weddings and one last round of hair for my clients.

#PregnantGirlWithASkateboard

My dear friends Sandy and Cheryl put on a baby shower for us which was such a sweet surprise surrounding us with so much love and excitement! Tons of hair, 2 weddings and a flight back home puts us back in Florida and into October. Believe it or not, 6 days later I hopped another flight to head to Oklahoma and Arkansas for one last visit to my fathers family before our little girl meets the world.

Oklahoma was peaceful and full of family time which I value so much. If you’re new to this blog, feel free to look back on the older post, New found higher love or Hot with a 92% chance of muggy to get more of an understanding of these precious kids!

While in Oklahoma, my fathers amazing wife threw me a baby shower which was filled with so much love!

Fun and crazy fact, if you were to take the women (about a dozen) at this shower and added up the total amount of children they’ve had combined… it rounds out at 50!

After Oklahoma, my brother Ben and sister Hannah drove me to Arkansas where I got to spend about a week with my dear cousins. Road trip!

Arkansas was wonderful as always and ended with a fun photo to capture my best friend (cousin) and I with our role reversal. These pictures were taken 7 years apart!On my flight back home I realized that our little girl has been on 16 flights since being created and she’s not even born yet! Hopefully this is preparing her for the beautiful journey ahead.

Finally landed back in Florida with my babé where we’ll stay until Shanti Mae is born!

Categories: Accommodations, Uncategorized | Tags: arkansas, baby shower, California, family, flights, hair, Oklahoma, siblings | 1 Comment

On the road again!

Posted on November 3, 2018 by erikamae82

After 8 months in Folsom, we were preparing to make our journey from California to Florida. First step was to sell our beloved Toyota 4Runner and purchase a “grownup” vehicle, a family friendly, fuel efficient, safe and reliable Subaru Crosstrek.

In the meantime, we had been looking into renting a Uhaul trailer to tow all of our belongings and after weeks of research, we (he) decided to build a trailer on his own to save cash and have something we can keep… and let’s admit it, it was a cool project for captain construction to have some fun with 😉 I’ll admit I was a little hesitant in the beginning but as time passed it proved to be perfect! I’m so proud.

Ok, so we’re packed, loaded and ready to go! Looking at the car-trailer photo from above makes me giggle knowing that everything we own is in that picture (excluding Matts surf boards). We have so much to be grateful for and so minimal to worry about. Beautiful!

The last time we made this trip (in reverse) we took the northern route through Nevada, Utah, Colorado and then on. This time we chose to go south to visit a few friends along the way and see some new scenery. First stop was in Riverside (Southern California) to see Craigg! You’ll recognize him from his first trip to Barbados, my time in Japan and most recently at our wedding.

Next up was Phoenix to hug Christie and John! Another bundle of joy that you’d recognize from Doing work in the AZ and also our wedding!

There really wasn’t anybody from Arizona to Oklahoma so we just made a quick overnight stop in New Mexico and woke up to get to my dads house for bedtime.

Our time in Oklahoma was short and sweet but allowed for a solid catch up with our family and announce the gender of our little one! We gave all 5 siblings a can of silly string and let them unload on us. Too much fun!

After Oklahoma we made what should of been a quick trip to Arkansas but considering we stopped every hour for the prego to pee, it took us far longer than expected. Sorry babe. The photo below is me attempting to get comfortable with a pregnancy pillow that was gifted to us. Epic fail… but we eventually made it to beautiful Hot Springs!

More cousins and tons of love greeted us on our final extended stay of the trip.

We made it to our last stop of Baton Rouge, Louisiana in which the camera regrettably didn’t leave our bags. I have no picture highlighting our visit with Matts grandparents (Maw Maw and Paw Paw) but it was short, sweet and full of homemade cookin! Early the following morning we said our goodbyes and put home in the GPS. Final destination, Miramar Beach, Florida!

Categories: Accommodations, Travel talk, Uncategorized | Tags: Arizona, arkansas, California, crosstrek, family, Florida, moving, New Mexico, Oklahoma, roadtrip, Subaru, travel | 1 Comment

Back back to Cali Cali!

Posted on October 31, 2018 by erikamae82

So there we were, living in Folsom, California as newlyweds ready to start a foundation for our future. (We only lasted 8 months, but here it was in a nutshell!)

Accommodations: We purchased a 28ft princess palace (aka a travel trailer) in order to live minimally and save to the max. We loved our little home and it served us properly before we sold it to move.

Working: I dove right back into the world of beauty by reopening my hair salon under the new name of “Hair Gypsy”. My loyal clients were so eager to support the return and helped get me back in action!

Matt continued his photography and videography by shooting family photos, senior portraits, weddings and special events. You can check out that gallery by clicking here!

Both of us got a rejuvenating job coaching at Tricks Gymnastics, Matt was working in the Tag program and I was coaching the artistic gymnastics.

(Fun fact: I worked at Tricks from 1997-2005 coaching the competitive team!)

On the side, we also picked up dog sitting which turned into our favorite little paw escape. These pups were so much fun and turned into family!

When we weren’t working, you could usually find us (mainly Matt) on a bike exploring the popular trails that surround the Lake and extend to outer cities.We also took advantage of being surrounded by some incredible destinations and often took day or weekend trips to explore!

Lake Tahoe!Santa Cruz!

San Francisco!Although Northern California has beautiful scenery, unlimited career options and some of my most favorite people in the world… it just wasn’t feeding our souls. A tough decision but a solid one as we decided to move to the Panhandle of Florida.

Just before packing up to move across the states we found out that we were soon to be a party of 3… What a beautiful addition to our already exciting life!

Next journey… road trip back to the East Coast!

Categories: Travel talk, Uncategorized | Tags: California, Folsom, gondola, Gymnastics, Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, skateboard, ski lift, travel trailer, Tricks, work | 1 Comment

Honeymoon Road trip – part 2!

Posted on October 26, 2018 by erikamae82

Our honeymoon happened to overlap with Matts birthday so I wanted our next pitstop to be extra special. Utah or Nevada, hmmm. I searched for hidden jems and popular attractions and didn’t have to look any farther once landing on this beauty….

The Mystic Hot Springs of Monroe Utah!

👉🏽 CLICK HERE to see the video of our adventure at the Springs!

It’s a quaint little community many miles away from well, anything! Although the main attraction was the natural hot springs that bubble up on the property, the selling point for me was the accommodations. You had your choice between a van, covered wagon or old fashion school bus, all which had been converted into lovable spaces. We chose the bus!

The outside had a small patio which was the perfect space for Matt to cook us up some dinner on our camping stove while we sat and took in the ambiance. Inside there was a small dining area, full bed, couch and sink that took up most of the space with a bright tapestry separating the door from the room. The door, mind you, was the original swinging model with no lock or safe way of securing it completely closed. The bright side was being surrounded by people who generally gave off the hippie “one love” vibe with no concern of taking from you. A lot of bare feet, beards, braids and smiles greeted us as we walked the property.

The highlight of our stay was by far the music! We happen to hit the weekend when a female bluegrass brand was passing through. The Sweet Lilies had a magnetic way of drawing you in to their soulful sound and unique style. We were sitting front row and enjoyed every minute! To make it even more memorable, one of the girls had spoke with Matt prior and found out he was a musician as well. This led to them inviting him on stage to jam out for a few songs, what a rare opportunity!

If you’re ever driving through the dessert of Monroe Utah and need some entertainment or place to crash, I highly suggest you take a dip in the springs and walk the grounds barefoot!

The rest of our trip was through the dry desert of Nevada finally landing us in Northern California. Here’s a few more random photos to wrap up the road trip!

Categories: Accommodations, Art, Travel talk, Uncategorized | Tags: Birthday, Bus, California, honeymoon, Monroe Utah, Music, mystic Springs, Nevada, road trip, stateline, sweet Lilies, travel, vacation | 1 Comment

Honeymoon Road trip – part 1!

Posted on October 17, 2018 by erikamae82

Saying goodbye was a bittersweet this time leaving my new found island home. As Matt and I packed up the last of our things, there was a sense of sadness realizing I didn’t have a return flight, yet at the same time excitement filled the air. A new adventure, an unknown journey, something I had never experienced before was just ahead of me! Airport drop off, next chapter… Married and moving to California!

Although the final destination is California, we flew into Florida to kick off our priceless road trip across the states for our honeymoon! This journey alone could of been a dozen posts with videos, hilarious stories and countless photos, but let’s keep in mind the goal is still to catch up to present date. So bare with me as we fly through what was a 3 week expedition from the east coast to the west!

Before we begin, let me just prep you with the underlying vibe this entire trip started out with. I had just asked Matt if I could close my eyes for a bit and of course his angelic new husband answer was something along the lines of, “Of course my dearest love, rest those gorgeous eyes of yours while I drive, I’ll have lunch waiting when you wake up”…. Or maybe he said, “Sure babe”.

Matt truly didn’t know I was filming until half way through the video. Brat:)

We started in West Palm Beach with his (and now my!) brother and family. We stayed long enough to purchase a 4Runner and hit the road towards our new home.

Matts Aunt Jerri and Uncle Wayde happen to be right along the way as we departed Florida. Brunch in Baton Rouge Louisiana started us off properly!

Last time I saw this guy was in Japan! My cousin Brandon and I have managed to stay in touch most of our entire adult lives while never living in the same state or country for the matter! I was so excited for him to meet my new husband and what a wonderful stopping point to eat, laugh and rest up!

Arkansas and Oklahoma consumed us with dozens of my family members eager to greet the newlyweds. It was the perfect half way point to take a week and reconnect with all of them.

My cousins (thank you Lacie and Lana!) surprised us with a wedding reception full of food, games, dancing and gifts. We got to celebrate all over again!

One of our pit stops was Raton New Mexico. This adorable little church house used to be where my dad and his family lived. How lucky were we that they still owned it and got a key for another over night rejuvenation. The sunset photo is at the top of an overlook just outside of town.

👉🏽VIDEO TIME! Click here to see a video of this leg of the trip!

After hitting beautiful New Mexico, we headed north to one of my favorite states… Colorado! Mountains, rivers, lakes, mesas, valleys and fresh air, what’s not to love? I was even more excited finding out that one of Matts long time school friends lived in Vale which meant another purposeful pit stop. A rejuvenating walk, sit down dinner and quality catch up time was the perfect way to start the tale end of our journey.