Red, White, and Boozin'

Happy Labor Day Weekend!!!  As sad as I am to retire my white pants and white jack rogers, I sure do love a holiday weekend!!!  (Plus who am I kidding? I live in Florida...I'll be in summer clothes for a couple more weeks months)  Rob's sister Erin is in town from San Diego so we plan on majorly celebrating at the beach.  So of course I wanted a festive {read: patriotic} cocktail to sip, on the sand.  Luckily I came across this layered drink on the Tieks instagram and knew I needed to figure out how to make my own version! (Hint: the key is patience which is not my strength)  How are you celebrating Labor Day?

Red, White, and Boozin' Cocktail

Ingredients:

Straw-ber-rita

Sobe Pina Colada

Malibu Rum

Blue G2 Gatorade or Powerade Zero

Vodka (Extra points for the 'Murica Party edition!)

Directions:
Pour a layer of Straw-ber-rita on the bottom of a glass.
Fill glass to the top with ice.
Mix Sobe pina colada and Malibu rum.  (Amounts depend on personal taste)
Place a spoon face down in glass and slowly pour white layer onto spoon.  (Check out this video)
Mix blue G2 and vodka and again pour slowly over spoon.

It's Friday, I'm in LOVE!

1. Carry On, Warrior // After Mary and Ashley both recommended reading this book, I couldn't even wait for our tiny library to get a copy, I had to buy it immediately.  And I know this is a huge statement but I think this book may have been one of my favorite books of all time.  Honestly, one minute I would be sobbing crying.  The next, I was cracking up so hard I had to read the whole thing out loud to Rob just so he could laugh too! (Even Rob thinks this book is hilarious and we tell our favorite Tish stories at dinner like we actually know her)  I am not a recovering alcoholic and I've never been bulimic but something about this book, no matter what stage of life you are in, just speaks to people.  It's real and it's honest and I cannot recommend it more!


2. Bacon Torani Syrup // Is this real life?  Has anyone tried this??  I came across it at World Market and was intrigued!  While my first thought was "ew", the more I thought about it, the more potential it had.  I found these recipes for a Morning Martini, Complete Breakfast Latte and Bacon Milkshake and I might need to give this a try!


3. Golfing // Although Rob has officially started flight school, we are still blessed with his very easy schedule (for now, believe me we have heard he has some not fun, long days ahead of him!) so we are soaking up every humid, wonderful Florida minute together.  Which includes me sometimes doing things that Rob loves just because I love him.  Rob is a huge golfer and well, let's just say I'm not headed to the LPGA anytime soon.  But it is fun to get out there and spend sometime quality time with my husband!


4.Orange Is The New Black //  I know this sounds insane but we have been forcing ourselves to watch the season slowly, even though I could easily have watched every episode in one weekend.  Rob and I both LOVE this show and at the end of every episode I swear we just sit there, mouths hanging open, saying "omg no!".  The show has the best episode endings! We have one episode left and I don't know how I am going to survive until season two comes out.


5. Erin's Birthday // It's my sister in law Erin's birthday today!!  Thank goodness she will be here in SIX DAYS so we can celebrate!! Happy Birthday Erin! Love you!

Linking up with Five on Friday

Summer Sips: Passion Lemonade Iced Tea {Skinny Starbucks Copy}

Is it just me or do you always find the best summer things just as summer is coming to a close? Maybe it is just trying to hold on to the last little wonderful bits of summertime. Either way, I found my new obsession summer drink: Passion Lemonade Iced Tea. There is no doubt for the next month you will find me sipping one of these next to the pool every day possible. Whether or not you have tried the Starbucks version, you need to try this Passion Lemonade Iced Tea. It is the perfect amount of sweet and tangy and SO refreshing for these humid August days.

Try not to spill your tea like I did while pouring it!

Don't get me wrong, I like Starbucks as a special occasion, meeting up with friends treat but I just can't justify the price for an every day thing.  Especially not when the copy is so easy and so much healthier! A Grande (16 oz) Passion Lemonade Iced Tea at Starbucks has 33g Carbs (33g of sugar! Ah!) and costs $2.95 compared to 4g carbs and a whopping $0.74 for 16 oz of the homemade version!  Plus Starbucks uses the same Tazo brand Passion tea! (Be sure to pick the teabags up at Wal-Mart instead of Starbucks...they are cheaper there!)

Passion Lemonade Iced Tea

Adapted From: Starbucks

Ingredients:

1 Tazo Passion Tea Bag (I got mine at Wal-Mart)

8 oz. Water

8 oz. Lemonade (I use Minute Maid Just 15)

1/2 t SF Vanilla Syrup (I use Torani)

Ice

Directions:
Place tea bag in boiling water and seep for five minutes*
Place tea in freezer until cold. (Usually 20-30 minutes.  You can do this step in advance to save time)
Fill a shaker** with tea, lemonade, and vanilla syrup.  Fill to the top with ice.
Shake vigorously at like 10 shakes. ::Don't skip this step! Honestly, it does make a difference in the flavor!::
Enjoy over ice...preferably near the pool or ocean ;)


*I must be clueless but when Rob showed me that I could make tea using the Keurig I was shocked!  Simply put water in Keurig like normal and run through into a coffee mug using no filter.  Then seep your tea bag like normal.  So quick and easy!

**Being 100% honest, I normally use a Protein Shake cup without the blender ball instead of a shaker to shake my tea.  It is big enough to fit everything, seals tight to easily shake, and is easier to wash...just not as pretty for pictures ;)

Lulu's in Orange Beach

I was lucky enough to spend the last week shopping and working on my tan with my sweet mom who came to visit.  Her trip came at the perfect time as this was Rob's first week of flight school.  This gave us plenty of time to spend money catch up!  Having a steady stream of visitors has been so fun and we are excited for the ones left on our calendar.  But for now I need to detox from all of the ridiculously unhealthy delicious food like Krispy Kreme Doughnut Bread Pudding from Lulu's and the insane seafood nachos below from Flounder's! ;)

Watermelon Cucumber Salad

Watermelon Cucumber Salad

Adapted From:  Athenos

Ingredients:

1 lb Watermelon, cubed

1/2 Cucumber, chopped

5 Mint Leaves, chopped

1/8 Cup Feta Cheese

2 T Balsamic Vinaigrette

Directions:
Combine watermelon, cucumber, and mint leaves.
Top with feta cheese and balsamic before serving.

D O :: The Wharf

I spent the weekend simply relaxing and soaking up some quality time with my husband.  Who knows when he is going to start flight school, but let's just say I'm completely okay if the wait lasts a couple more weeks!

Our weekend was spent drinking a couple of these and these, reading this (cannot recommend enough!), listening to some of this, and playing some of this.  Now we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of my mom for the week!!!! :)

Linking up with Sami's Weekend Shenanigans