Laina Turner's Blog, page 36
June 9, 2016
Weekend Traffic Jam link up
Hello everyone! Thanks for stopping by the Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party.
We are happy to have you with us this week. Please spread #trafficjamweekend love on social media. Come on in, link up, share, and learn something!
WELCOME TO
TRAFFIC JAM WEEKEND
LINKY PARTY #48!
For any newcomers to Traffic Jam Weekend, this weekly linky party is all about linking up your old posts so you can get some new comments and traffic. To the frequent TJW visitors, thanks for always linking up.
The lovely ladies bringing this fabulous party to you:
Pictured above on top row (from left to right):
Kimberly from Being A Wordsmith | Facebook (site) | Facebook (book series) | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Laina from LainaTurner.com | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Pictured above on bottom row (from left to right):
Gail from Frugal and Coupon Crazy | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Natasha from Epic Mommy Adventures | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
These are the featured posts from
Traffic Jam Weekend #47…
Gail chose When Budgeting Isn’t the Problem by Living in Mommywood. “I liked her point of view and personal take on budgeting.”
Kimberly chose Cool Movies for Families That You Forgot About or Didn’t Know Existed. “The How-To Guru gave us a great list of family-friendly movie picks. Some of my childhood faves are among them.”
The post with the most views was Writers Quote Wednesday-Inspiration by The Writer Next Door.
Thank you guys for sharing! Your posts have been pinned to the Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party Pinterest board. Please grab a special Traffic Jam Weekend featured button below to display on your blog.
Just a few rules for the party…
Grab a Traffic Jam Weekend button below for your site
Link up as many of your old posts as you like below
Take some time and visit the other posts
Create some traffic jam for the hosts of this party
Share this party on social media with the hashtag #trafficjamweekend
Follow Being A Wordsmith’s board Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party on Pinterest.*Disclaimer: Adding your link to this linky party gives permission to Being A Wordsmith and co-hosts to share your posts and pictures via social media with a link back to the original source. It also gives Being A Wordsmith and co-hosts permission to contact you via e-mail or social media for networking purposes.
An InLinkz Link-up
The post Weekend Traffic Jam link up appeared first on Laina Turner.
June 8, 2016
Tasty Chocolate Cupcakes
Before St. Patrick’s day I came across this fabulous recipe at Just A Pinch for Guinness chocolate cake. I finally had the time to make it and I am so glad I did. The whole family loved it. I swear it was the best batter and cake I had ever tasted and trust me, I’ve tasted a LOT of cake.
First I gathered the cake ingredients from this amazing recipe at Just A Pinch.
I then poured the Guinness in the saucepan – OMG – amazing smell. Then added butter and once melted whisked in cocoa and sugar.
In another bowl, I took the sour cream, mixed with the eggs and vanilla.
Once mixed pour the mixture in the saucepan. Then mix in the flour and baking soda.
Stir until you get this creamy goodness. The smell was once again was AMAZING, as was the little taste(s) I took. I could have eaten this out of the saucepan. Forget actually cooking it.
I chose to make cupcakes instead of a cake just because I love cupcakes.
If you want to save some calories then grab a copy of ebook or audio of Cupcakes Aren’t Just For Eating. You’ll never think of a red velvet cupcake the same again!
Cupcakes To Die For
Ingredients
1 c guinness draft beer
3/4 c sour cream
1 stick unsalted butter (add 2 tbsp if you’d like)
2 eggs
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa
2 c all purpose flour
3 c confectioner’s sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and line a 9 inch springform pan.
Pour the Guinness into a large wide saucepan; add the butter – in spoons or slices – and heat until the butter’s melted. Whisk in the cocoa and sugar.
Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla and then pour into the saucepan; whisk in the flour and baking soda.
Pour the cake batter into the greased and lined pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour.
Leave to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack.
3.3.3077
For this recipe, I recommend:
The post Tasty Chocolate Cupcakes appeared first on Laina Turner.
June 6, 2016
Casual Khaki and Grey
While I love to dress up (I would love several dress changes for my wedding like the stars do) I spend way more of my time in a casual environment. You might say below casual on the fashion totem pole. I spend 50% of my time at sporting practices or games for my kids or playing chauffeur. Neither scenario requires anything more than yoga pants, but I get tired of feeling like a frumpy, no fashion, middle-aged, mom at these things because there’s always that one mom who looks like a million bucks.
I decided this summer I would try a little harder and even though a rugby match or softball game doesn’t require a certain outfit, I would still take more time to wear what was comfortable and appropriate for the field and made me feel good.
Until this past weekend, it’s been cool, especially for those 8 am games, so I wanted a pant but one that was lightweight. These joggers from Ann Taylor loft were perfect. Initially, when I bought these I wasn’t sure I’d like the elastic cuffs at the bottom, but I feel they give a little more pizazz to the outfit than a regular pant leg or Capri.
T-shirts are a main staple in everyone’s wardrobe (my favorites are from Banana Republic) and on warm days outside a basic cotton T is comfy and breathable.
Then I went way outside the box and threw on a sparkly necklace. Why? Because we all need our sparkle, and it takes this outfit from a little on the boring side to fun and cute. Accessories can make or break an outfit. Which is why I added this little clutch. I wouldn’t use it for a game but maybe dinner after?
These shoes were a steal at TJ Maxx, and although they have a high wedge (I just love wedges don’t you), the shoe is amazingly comfortable.
Surprisingly, I didn’t feel too dressed up, and I didn’t feel like a frumpy old lady.
What’s your go-to outfit for kids sporting activities?
You can shop the style below. I added a few more fun things that would compliment a similar outfit. I just couldn’t resist.
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The post Casual Khaki and Grey appeared first on Laina Turner.
June 3, 2016
Fab 5 Friday
Fun things from around the blogosphere!
The Coveteur – May’s Most Coveted
May may have ended, but these trends are here to stay! Whether you’re lucky enough to get the designer styles featured in this post or you’re picking up a fast-fashion replica, these modern, seasonal staples are here for the summer. My personal favorite is the dark lip as it flatters more skin tones than the bright corals that were on trend this time last year.
Gal Meets Glam – Floral Tea Length Skirt
I don’t think I’ve ever been so enchanted by a single skirt! As usual, Gal Meets Glam’s Julia Engel floats about elegantly, this time in a lovely summer ensemble. The photographs alone are enough to make you want to plan a ladies’ brunch, but her breakdown of the outfit’s silhouette and her accessory choices are the cherry on top!
Who What Wear – 8 Creative Summer Outfit Ideas
This post is fabulous in more ways than one. It manages to outline some summer outfit ideas that are equal parts trendy, manageable, and as varied as our bodies are! It’s short and sweet while giving enough detail to create a very similar outfit (or two) should your closet desire.
The Millions – Historical Fiction and the New Literary Taboo
As your summer booklist continues to expand, consider a few of the titles from this post. I’ve always thought historical novels were a great way to get a glimpse into a past era or conflict in a way that’s much more gripping than a textbook account. Definitely check out Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See, such a good read!
SheHeroes – #HerStory 21: Violette Szabo
This blog post links to a podcast which – now that I’ve discovered it – will become one of my go-to podcasts! The #HerStory series features snapshots of remarkable women in history as told by remarkable, contemporary women. Violette Szabo was an incredibly brave agent for England’s special operations division during WWII and her story is definitely worth the listen.
The post Fab 5 Friday appeared first on Laina Turner.
June 2, 2016
Take Action and Achieve Your Goals Part 1
OK, so you’ve been working your side hustle for a while, and you’re thinking
“how can I make a living from this” or at least “how can I make Starbucks money from this?”
The good news is earning a sustainable income from your writing is totally within the realm of possibilities.
It just takes work.
And determination.
And a lot of other things.
What you don’t want to do is go after your dream willy-nilly or you’ll end up with frustration, not results.
You want to be strategic and focused. That calls for a plan. A business plan.
I know you’ve heard the cliché, “Failing to plan, is planning to fail,” and there’s a reason you’ve heard it. Because as trite as it might seem, it’s true.
The business plan is simply a series of steps regarding how you’re going to achieve your dreams. Your plan tells you how you’re going to reach your goals and keeps you on track to them, which is much better than having a nebulous idea of where you are and where you want to be.
You also need to measure results or the lack thereof, and without goals and a plan you can’t accurately do that.
The first step of writing your business plan is to set goals. What is it you really want to accomplish here?
I’m a firm believer in writing down your goals to make them a reality. I think this step is very important. You may have heard of the Harvard Business School story about writing down goals:
“A study conducted with students in the 1979 Harvard MBA program stated that in that year, the students were asked, “Have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?”
Only three percent of the graduates had written goals and plans; 13 percent had goals, but they were not in writing, and a whopping 84 percent had no specific goals at all.”
Ten years later, the members of the class were interviewed again, and the findings, while somewhat predictable, were nonetheless astonishing. The 13 percent of the class who had goals were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84 percent who had no goals at all. And what about the three percent who had clear, written goals? They were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97 percent put together.”
The moral of the story is it’s not just enough to dream it, but you MUST write it down, imagine it, and believe it can happen, for a better chance of it actually happening. I’m not trying to get all new-agey on you but the mind is a powerful thing, and if you don’t focus your mind on the goal by envisioning your dream as a reality it will have a less likely chance of happening. If you think I’m crazy, then read The Secret or The Law of Attraction. Being positive and focused gets you closer to your dreams.
This is the 1st of a 3 part series on writing your business plan. Between now and next week I want you to write down your goals, using this worksheet, then next week we will talk about putting them in a plan.
Need more direction? I can help. Read more to find out how.
The post Take Action and Achieve Your Goals Part 1 appeared first on Laina Turner.
Weekend Traffic Jam Link Up Party
Hello everyone! Thanks for stopping by the Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party.
We are happy to have you with us this week. Please spread #trafficjamweekend love on social media. Come on in, link up, share, and learn something!
WELCOME TO
TRAFFIC JAM WEEKEND
LINKY PARTY #47!
For any newcomers to Traffic Jam Weekend, this weekly linky party is all about linking up your old posts so you can get some new comments and traffic. To the frequent TJW visitors, thanks for always linking up.
The lovely ladies bringing this fabulous party to you:
Pictured above on top row (from left to right):
Kimberly from Being A Wordsmith | Facebook (site) | Facebook (book series) | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Laina from LainaTurner.com | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Pictured above on bottom row (from left to right):
Gail from Frugal and Coupon Crazy | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Natasha from Epic Mommy Adventures | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
These are the featured posts from
Traffic Jam Weekend #46…
Natasha chose Picking & Choosing Love or Respect by Marriage-Reset. ” ‘Love without respect isn’t really love’- what a powerful message! I love everything about this post – thanks for sharing!”
Kimberly chose this post. “Some great organizations are represented here. I think it is imperative for youth to learn the spirit of charity and volunteering early in life.”
The post with the most views was How to Get Happy and Stay Happy: Learn to Forgive Yourself and Others by Finding My Way Forward.
Thank you guys for sharing! Your posts have been pinned to the Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party Pinterest board. Please grab a special Traffic Jam Weekend featured button below to display on your blog.
Just a few rules for the party…
Grab a Traffic Jam Weekend button below for your site
Link up as many of your old posts as you like below
Take some time and visit the other posts
Create some traffic jam for the hosts of this party
Share this party on social media with the hashtag #trafficjamweekend
Follow Being A Wordsmith’s board Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party on Pinterest.*Disclaimer: Adding your link to this linky party gives permission to Being A Wordsmith and co-hosts to share your posts and pictures via social media with a link back to the original source. It also gives Being A Wordsmith and co-hosts permission to contact you via e-mail or social media for networking purposes.
An InLinkz Link-up
The post Weekend Traffic Jam Link Up Party appeared first on Laina Turner.
June 1, 2016
Wedding Wednesday
What’s the best part about getting married after the dress and the ring?
The bachelorette party of course!
Since I’m not 25, we did forgo the traditional tiara, sash, suckers in the shape of you know what, and instead planned a fun filled weekend.
After shipping Matt off to Minneapolis where his brother was throwing his party, we headed to downtown Indianapolis to the Hyatt.
Matt’s the one with hair. The other guy is Lars (who is not his brother) but I love this picture. They make such a cute couple.
I wanted Friday to be low key. Hang out with my girls (and guy), drink Penny’s amazing sangria, and have them help me with some wedding planning details.
Some might say boring, but it’s rare that we all have a chance to get together like this and simply hang out without someone having to rush out to take a kid somewhere.
Everyone is super busy with work and kids and in fact, that’s why we had the party so early. When we planned this in January, it was the only weekend we all had free between March and the wedding.
I would be lost without my girlfriends to help me with this wedding. To bounce ideas off of, to talk me off the ledge when I wonder why I’m doing this again, and to be ready to shop for a last minute wedding dress if I get to a week out and mine doesn’t fit.
They did take me on a horse carriage ride which I’ve always wanted to do downtown, and I LOVED it!
Saturday morning was a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, who incidentally had the best fruit on their buffet ever.
Then we headed to get mani/pedis (well except Chris. As much as we try we just can’t girl him up).
We shopped for my wedding shoes and SCORE found them at Carson’s I am so excited about them. They are super sparkly and just the right heel.
Though after the official dances are over (the ones we’re taking dance lessons for) I’m changing to my sparkly Chuck Taylors, which I keep forgetting to order.
We may have had a couple cocktails during this part of the day, but I like to pretend I didn’t start drinking at noon.
I had set up a photo shoot for all of us which was the thing I was most excited for. While it’s still somewhat uncomfortable getting my picture was taken (which seems nuts at this point), I love photographs and lifestyle shoots which show us humans in our natural state (through very careful staging).
My normal photographer Ashley was busy, but I found another completely AMAZING gal, Casey, who delivered beyond my expectations.
The original plan was to do the shoot outside downtown for kind of an urban nightlife scene. Well, Mother Nature was having none of that, and it was cold and rainy. So Casey suggested a hotel called The Alexander and WOW was it gorgeous. It was the perfect indoor venue for what I was envisioning.
We had so much fun taking these pictures. Even though a couple of people in the party didn’t meet until picture time, you couldn’t tell. Nothing like an intimate photo shoot to bond people.
Kind of like this one where we highjacked another wedding party and took a picture.
I can’t show you all the pictures I love from this event, because it would make this post way too long, but here are some of my super favorites. I had been a little nervous that my dress wouldn’t photograph well because it was print but I wore it anyways because I loved it so much. I needn’t have worried because Casey made it look fantastic.
I love White House/Black Market.
Can you tell I love black and white photos?!
Casey had them write down where they met me. I promise you neither of these are true:)
This was just hysterical. My impression of a southern belle having the vapors.
Yum, yum…chocolate martini shots.
We ended the night at Howl at the Moon which is a fun, over the top, piano bar. The fact that they serve buckets of alcohol (86oz) made it even better.
We danced the night away, and I even got called up on stage. I was prepared to be embarrassed, but it was hilarious and not that embarrassing.
I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend. It took all the stress away from the planning of the wedding and worrying about what details I was forgetting or how to pay for everything and allowed me to relax and have fun with my besties.
Only 59 days until the big event #thecountdownisreal
And becasue I LOVE balck and white dresses here are a few of my favs!
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The post Wedding Wednesday appeared first on Laina Turner.
May 29, 2016
Are You an Amateur or a Pro?
If you’ve never heard of an author by the name of Steven Pressfield you’re missing out and totally, need to go look him up. He’s a very prolific author who is probably best known for The Legend of Baggar Vance. I knew of him but really got to know him when I watch a Marie Forleo video that talked about him and his book Turning Pro (you can watch that video here…it’s awesome, she’s awesome).
Turning Pro was a game changer for me. It talks about the difference in being an amateur and a pro as an entrepreneur which in my case is as an author/blogger. It discusses how entrepreneurs can easily find excuses as to why they aren’t following their true passion by ‘hiding’ behind what’s safe (and I am paraphrasing here). Which I hate to admit I’ve done. It took me years before I could confidently say I was an author and blogger to that common question, “what do you do for a living?”
It can be so difficult to take that leap of faith on your abilities. I say that because when you have a job, presumably the person who hired you thought you would be good at it, or they wouldn’t have hired you. When you’re earning an income from your own hustle, it’s YOU who has to think you are good at something, and that is a lot harder to swallow.
Pressfield gives a ton of great advice, but there were a few things that really called out to me that I wanted to share with you all.
Learn more about the book Goal Setting: In Pursuit of Fabulous.
The post Are You an Amateur or a Pro? appeared first on Laina Turner.
May 26, 2016
Weekend Traffic Jam Link up
Hello everyone! The Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party hosts had a difficult time picking just ONE favorite to feature from the last party. There were so many great ones!
We are happy to have you all with us again this week. Please continue to spread #trafficjamweekend love on social media. Link up, share, and learn something!
WELCOME TO
TRAFFIC JAM WEEKEND
LINKY PARTY #46!
For any newcomers to Traffic Jam Weekend, this weekly linky party is all about linking up your old posts so you can get some new comments and traffic. To the frequent TJW visitors, thanks for always linking up.
The lovely ladies bringing this fabulous party to you:
Pictured above on top row (from left to right):
Kimberly from Being A Wordsmith | Facebook (site) | Facebook (book series) | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Laina from LainaTurner.com | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Pictured above on bottom row (from left to right):
Gail from Frugal and Coupon Crazy | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Natasha from Epic Mommy Adventures | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
These are the featured posts from
Traffic Jam Weekend #45…
Laina chose Stop Apologizing from Living in Mommywood. “This is advice we all could use in our life.”
Natasha chose She’s Choosy, She’s Picky, She’s Single, and She’s Okay from Yvonne Chase. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with being choosy and/or picky when you’re single. I have always had guys show their interest in the past, and typically I would jump at the first person. Look how that worked out! I’m older and wiser now and have a lot to consider when choosing the person that I want to be with. So for me, being choosy and picky when you’re finding a new person is the way to go!”
Kimberly chose this post. “I have one sibling and one child. Therefore, the challenges that large families face are foreign to me. This insightful post is rounded out with a little humor.”
Thank you guys for sharing! Your posts have been pinned to the Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party Pinterest board. Please grab a special Traffic Jam Weekend featured button below to display on your blog.
Just a few rules for the party…
Grab a Traffic Jam Weekend button below for your site
Link up as many of your old posts as you like below
Take some time and visit the other posts
Create some traffic jam for the hosts of this party
Share this party on social media with the hashtag #trafficjamweekend
Follow Being A Wordsmith’s board Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party on Pinterest.*Disclaimer: Adding your link to this linky party gives permission to Being A Wordsmith and co-hosts to share your posts and pictures via social media with a link back to the original source. It also gives Being A Wordsmith and co-hosts permission to contact you via e-mail or social media for networking purposes.
An InLinkz Link-up
The post Weekend Traffic Jam Link up appeared first on Laina Turner.
May 24, 2016
Homemade Ice Cream
I love ice cream. Who doesn’t? I especially love homemade ice cream. It reminds me of summer weekends at my grandparents where my grandma would haul out the ice cream freezer and the rock salt, and we’d wait all day for a taste.
Well, I don’t have an ice cream freezer nor the patience to wait forever for it to freeze so as an adult on my own I’ve never made it but I’ve never forgotten the taste.
I was reading Food and Wine magazine and came across a recipe for ice cream without a freezer and decided to try it. Of course, I randomly took out all the complicated ingredients and steps so there was a 50/50 chance it would actually turn out.
But it did, and it was SO easy.
I made this one with strawberries, but Sydney wants me to try it in peach and blackberry. I would advise to make sure to use a very large bowl for the ice water. As my ice melted I barely saved it from overflowing into my custard.
Easy Homemade Ice Cream 2016-05-24 14:41:46 Super easy, no ice cream freezer needed, ice cream. Write a review
Save Recipe Print Ingredients 7 egg yolks 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1 1/2 cup milk (I used 2% but if you want richer use whole) 3/4 cup sugar 2 tsp vanilla (add more if you like a strong vanilla flavor) 2 cups strawberries (or fruit of your choice)
Instructions Set a medium bowl inside a large bowl of ice water. Beat egg yolks. In a medium saucepan whisk cream, milk, sugar and bring to a simmer. Continue whisking until sugar is dissolved. Gradually whisk 1/2 the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks then take that mixture and whisk into remaining hot mixture. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of your spoon. Don't let it boil. Pour the hot custard into the medium bowl sitting in the ice water until completely cooled (you may need to add ice). Pour into a ziploc and lay flat in the freezer. After a couple hours add the fruit mixture and set back in freezer. After 4-6 hours it should be frozen. I recommend making it the night before you want to eat it. Scoop and enjoy!
Laina Turner http://www.lainaturner.com/
The post Homemade Ice Cream appeared first on Laina Turner.
