photoshoot / geddie's family pictures

i got to take this cute family's pictures last week- i loved hanging out with all their boys! they had so much energy- which i'm going to have to get used to with my little boy on the way! we took these pictures at windansea beach. jarman and i have been going here since we moved to san diego, and i was immediately obsessed with the little beach shack. i had been hoping to get to do a photoshoot there, so when the geddie's said they wanted to do their pictures at a beach in la jolla i immediately knew this is where we should do them. 

i still have 5 weeks until baby is due and am starting to get stir crazy. i pretty much have everything ready and now it's just a waiting game! (possibly the worst and least fun game of all!). so contact me if you need any pictures done- i'd love to have something to distract me (and possibly help get things moving along:).

recipe review / part 1

as i've mentioned before- i've been cooking a lot lately. which mean i've been trying lots of new recipes, most of which have been found on other blogs. some are absolutely to die for, some i wouldn't make again. all i didn't follow to the t- i generally make twists or leave things out/ add things. in an attempt to help you choose which recipes to try, and which ones to not i'm going to review these recipes and let you know how they turned out. i'm going to be totally honest- and hope i don't offend any of the originators of these recipes. i am not the best cook in the world so some of my failures are probably completely my fault.

1. spicy pork tacos with peach salsa (from dinner: a love story)

10/10

we make tacos at least once a week. generally they are chicken fajita tacos- always delicious. these pork tacos were a nice break from our regular recipe. they were simply amazing. pork tenderloin is definitely one of my favorite meats so i may be a bit biased. i bought a pre-seasoned pork tenderloin from trader joe's (i think it was peppercorn garlic and was about $7 for one). i didn't have all of the seasonings for the dry rub included in the recipe, but i thought the marinated one was delish- i would definitely get it again (unlike most pre-marinated meats i've tried). i added fresh corn and avocado to the peach salsa. make these as soon as you can.

2. super easy no-boil mac and cheese (from alexandra cooks)

7/10

this was my first time making mac and cheese. earlier last week jarman told me he wanted me to try and cook without carbs for dinner. of course, the next day i had a major craving for mac and cheese (ultimate wife fail). i made this for lunch, and then we ate it for dinner too. it was pretty delicious. it was definitely the best fresh- i had leftover a couple of days later and wasn't feeling it as much. i used fontina rather than fresh mozzarella because that's what i had in the fridge. also, even though this say super easy in the title- it still takes quite a bit of time. a little more than this pregnant girl was looking to spend in the kitchen for an easy lunch.

3. broiled tarragon breasts (from alexandra cooks)

9/10

this is my new favorite way to cook chicken. it is super quick, super moist, and totally delicious. the only reason it got a nine out of 10 is because it uses an ingredient that i'm not totally proud of and would normally scorn. also, i don't have fresh tarragon so i just added dried and think it tastes just fine. i have already made this twice, and will be making it tons more in the future.

4. bulgolgi with cucumber apple pickle (aka korean tacos) (from alexandra cooks)

10/10

these tacos were to die for. i actually only used the cucumber-apple pickle from this recipe, but it inspired our new favorite steak tacos. we marinated a rib-eye in my parents' famous bulgolgi marinade, added the cucumber apple pickle and some sriracha on top of corn tortillas. seriously- make these asap. 

5. cream of tomato basil soup (from chasing delicious)

5/10

this was my first time making tomato soup. i think my first problem was that i expected it to turn out like nordstrom's tomato soup (which is my absolute weakness). this recipe used fresh heirloom tomatoes which you pureed before you add them. it had too much broth and not enough cream. i think it needed to be re-blended after everything had cooked together- the texture was less than appetizing. i just wanted it to be overall creamier. so add much less broth and more cream. (i even tried adding a little cream cheese and parmesan to thicken it up a bit). the flavor was actually fine. it just needs quite a few tweaks.

my [simple] beauty routine

i am not a beauty expert by any means. just ask each one of my sisters who somehow thought i was fit to do their prom/homecoming make up (each one ended up in tears- i know not one thing about eyeshadow which they all wanted). since high school i have perfected my 5 minute make-up routine and have pretty much stuck to it. i really wear only these make up items- though i have a few extras in my bag for when i'm feeling frisky (bronzer, concealer etc.)

1. Clinique Liquid Facial Soap - i start each morning (or let's face it, middle of the day at this point), by washing my face with this clinic face wash. i have notoriously bad skin, and have since high school. i use the oily skin-type wash and it is gentle and fresh.

2. Estée Lauder Daywear - this is probably my biggest indulgence. and i know as a poor college student i have no right spending this much on face cream, which i tell myself every time i run out. so, i usually try to do some other drug store facial cream that is less than $10 and i usually only make it a couple weeks before i run to the nearest nordstrom to buy my beloved moisturizer. i don't know what to say other than it is literally the best face cream on the face of the planet. like if the planet could use this face cream there would be no drought or pollution or world problems.

3. Bare Minerals Original Powder - if i could i wouldn't wear anything on my face, but seeing as it is a greaseball most of the time (except right after washings and using my bff daywear) i have to do something. bare minerals is pretty much the best- it's light and fresh. make sure to get the matte- i don't like the shimmer the original has.

4. Mac Dollymix Blush (and sometimes this Estée Lauder blush )- i love what blush can do for your face. it just makes you look so much happier and more alive. i switch off between the mac hot pink and the estee lauder coral to keep things interesting.

5. bare minerals brow powder - i started using this a couple of years ago and honestly don't go a day without filling my already bushy and crazy eyebrows in. maybe it's my desire to be more like audrey hepburn, but i love me a good dark eyebrow. though i don't like when they look too perfect. i like that this is a powder rather than a pencil because it is more loose and free. (sidebar: my eyebrows are naturally pointy- as are jarman's- we don't try to make them this way we were just born with it. my sisters think i look like cruella deville and won't let me touch their eyebrows because they don't want pointy ones like me. i can't imagine what our baby is going to look like with two pointy eyebrowed parents)

6. Clinique Eyeliner in Chocolate Lustre - i discovered brown eyeliner in high school after many days of putting on way too much black eyeliner that would drain above and beneath my eyes. i have faithfully used this brown eyeliner since. it has a shimmer and makes my eyes pop without looking scary. i generally use it on my bottom lash line, and sometimes on top.

7. Estée Lauder Mascara - i still haven't decided which mascara is my absolute favorite- i feel like there are plenty of good ones out there. i have tried lots of different brands (dior, clinique, mac...) i come back to this one a lot though.

8. Estée Lauder Gel Eyeliner - so this is the only item that i don't wear every day. it's mainly for days when i'm feeling fancy or feel like trying a bit harder. but that doesn't mean that this isn't the best product in my routine. it is simply amazing. it may look a little scary to put on- but it goes on evenly and smootly and stays in place. even when you have notoriously greasy eyelids that can't handle any eyeshadow or other liquid eyeliner. i'm obsessed.

9. YSL #58 Purple Lipstick - and finally, i finish by choosing one of many different bright lipsticks. i just got this ysl one and have been wearing it tons lately. i usually ask jarman to pick a color- red, orange, pink, coral, purple, dark purple, peach etc. he's become an expert at choosing for me when i can't choose for myself.

(ps. see this post for most of my favorite lipsticks)

now booking for october...

i am trying to get in as many photoshoots before i have this baby! if you are interested in senior portraits or family pictures, please email me at brittany.anne.carpenter@gmail.com! senior portraits will be $75, and a family session will be $150. we can do any location you like between temecula and san diego.