i got this new nail polish the other day at target and really love it. its purple but has a tint of gray in it.

target has been kind of a mad house recently with all the kiddos going back to school. i loved shopping for the new school year. pencils, folders, new shoes, new clothes, lunchbox and backpack. everything was newly sharpened and my pencil box was clean. my backpack was picked out with special care and my lunchbox didn't smell like lunch yet. i got to pick out everything while i carried around the list in the store. it was so fun for me. i can't believe that was 15 years ago. life goes by so fast. blah.

scott has been in a "soup" mood recently so who do we rely on when we want to make a hearty soup? Ina of course! my barefoot contessa cookbook has so many great soups including a roasted potato and leek soup. the process was a little involved but well worth it.

recipe!

try it out. even though it is summer it's still hearty and yum.

it truly is an understatement to say that friends really are good for my soul. last weekend i got to spend time with my great friends in destin and it was so relaxing, full of laughing and delicious chocolate cake that i would have bathed in if that weren't awkward. i wasn't there for very long unfortunately but the time i was there was so fun! here's some pictures to recap:

the allie grace.

elaine!

linds :) not so fond of photo ops.

maggie didn't come with me but she is just so darn cute and i love her so much that she deserves to be on my blog anytime i want.

ag, elaine and lindsay....let's make that a tradition shall we?

summer is such a fun time of year for me, and for scott.

it's a mix really, the first half is spent away from our house on summer project and the second half is slower. i really love both, but it has been so nice to have a few things to do here and there and then just do whatever i want to do. i've been able to sleep in, cook a lot, spend time with friends, read and watch a lot of food network to get more cooking inspiration.

this weekend i'm going to the beach to hang out with my summer project staff girls :)

i can't wait! soon enough the school year will start and then it'll be december and i won't remember where the year has gone. this will be my last little hoorah, i think. if something else pops up i won't complain.

so, so hot.

it's hotter than the center of hell here in tallahassee. by 9am you can expect temperatures to be in the high 90's with the humidity reaching 80-90%. this leaves residents like me quite miserable! it's impossible to be outside without a pool within 10 feet for more than half an hour unless you experience things starting to spin or you're plagued with heat exhaustion.

none the less our dog still has to get walked and we can't stay inside all day. so what do we do?

1. we are cooking recipes that don't require the stove or oven on, at least not for very long.

2. we go to the pool around the corner from our house and spend a couple hours relaxing and dipping in every 10 min.

3. we make fruit smoothies to keep us cool.

4. we go to movies on cheap days. last night we saw inception. it's a great movie, tons of thinking involved, lots of action and super fast. 2 1/2 hours felt like 1. i suggest you see it, it's definitely worth it!

5. reading in a coffee shop gets us out of the house but we still get to stay cool all the while continuing on our summer reading list! i've finished 4 books this summer...that's a record people.

scott suggested today that we play in the hose. not a bad idea...

so, these are just a few things we do during the summer to stay hydrated, cool and sane. what do you do?

kool b.e.a.n.z

tonight scott and i went to kool beanz in midtown for dinner. i love this place for several reasons. the menu constantly changes leaving it full of fresh and fun ingredients that are unique to the restaurant. i also love that they have quaint outdoor seating if you'd like to venture into the heat of summer. their wine menu is displayed on an actual empty wine bottle which is super funky! they bring fresh bread and fluffy butter to the table and their menu is clipped on a clip board.

on the menu tonight we saw anything from coffee rubbed pork tenderloin to green tea salmon. every item is paired with yummy sides too, or you can splurge and get a couple appetizers like homemade hummus, falafel or seared shrimp and grits. tonight scott and i shared the artichoke and roasted red pepper hummus and the brie and pear stuffed chicken which came with rosemary-thyme potatoes and asparagus. it was d-e-l-i-s-h. if you live in tallahassee and haven't been, GO! if you're visiting make a stop, you won't be disappointed.

http://www.koolbeanz-cafe.com/

image via google

i'm back to review those cupcakes. they were so delicious! i couldn't taste the difference at all and they were only roughly 200 cal a cupcake. not bad for a little dessert! you should try adding veggies into your dessert in place of butter or oil...you'll be pleasantly surprised! enjoy your monday night. tonight...real housewives of NJ! (my secret smutty addiction)