{pink lemonade}

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You've gotta admit: pink lemonade is just way better than plain-old yellow.

(at least that's what I always said when I was little say ...oh the psychological effect behind colors!)

Well, I actually have a favorite recipe for Pink Lemonade Cupcakes - couldn't be easier!

create these darling recipe cards here!

... use whatever your fave icing is - add in some lemon zest! (maybe even a few drops of red food color for a little, pink blush)

And! What I do ... is stick a drinking straw into each cupcake after I ice them. (use those straws with the bendy-ends ... you'll have to cut the straws to make them shorter) It looks so cute.

(I apologize that I don't have a photo - I need to take a pic the next time I make these!)

- Celeste

{hello!}

Wow.

Can I just stop and say "thank you"?

Thanks to all of you lovely people who make my blogging worthwhile.

Being gone for practically the whole summer has made me realize how much I love to blog!

{source}

{I haven't quite returned to blog-land just yet, but I wanted to pop in to say hello.}

I've been gone from home all summer long, which means I don't have full access to a computer. I can check my email and tweet, fortunately, if you want to keep up with me. I'd love to hear from you!

Celeste will still be here until life returns to normal in a couple of weeks. Hasn't she been doing a fabulous job?! You can read all of her posts here.

I'm currently exhausted and surviving on my sweetheart's love + coffee. It's not the worst place I've been in life. :)

So, tell me. How has your summer been?

{{hugs}} to you all!

P.S. I should be returning to "normal life" the week of August 9th. Be sure to stay tuned - I've got some {color love}, a fun giveaway and a new series planned!

{green grass}

This might sound dorky - but I love grass. One of my dreams is to someday have a home on rolling hills of thick, green grass. Where we live now, we around surrounded by horse farms - and... what I love most is the grass in the fields -- yes, the horses are nice :) but... the grass! I love it. 

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Sadly, looking out the window now - our lawn is sad :(  We haven't been getting much (if any) rain ... and the sprinklers haven't been proving effective. 

... looks like we will be getting some rain soon -- so...I'm thinking I might just pull out the fertilizer-spreader today & give our grass some food! 

told ya I loved grass.

told ya I might be dorky about it too.

- Celeste

{cherries}

 while grocery shopping at Publix the other day - i saw that the cherries were on sale. 

[ by the way - for those of you who do not live in an area where there are Publix grocery stores - i am so sorry. it is pretty much the best grocery store. ever. ] 

so, i got a bag! haven't had fresh cherries in the longest time!

we just ate them as-is. plain. didn't make anything with them - just straight from the bowl.

how do you like fresh cherries?

have a yummy recipe you can share? 

- celeste

p.s. i used to be able to tie cherry stems into a knot in my mouth. emphasis on used to. [little random fact!]

{ thought i'd share }

hello!

thought i'd share a favorite recipe today.

we have a small garden on our property - and we have been getting tons of yummy, yummy squash. 

this is one of my absolute favorite recipes that incorporate squash.

what i love most about this casserole? 

it actually makes me like a casserole!

i am not a casserole-lover.  

never really been a fan of recipes that include cans of "cream of ___" 

and - yes. i am kind of a health-freak - and casseroles are not necessarily the most healthiest things in the world. 

but! i love this recipe.

make it. (i'm making it for dinner tonight)

* you can use turkey instead of chicken.

* i am yet to find picante sauce sold in an 8 oz.can -- i just end up buying a large jar (Pace brand) & only using 8 oz. of it.

* be sure to use a large mixing bowl. believe me. it has to be a big one. 

- celeste