...festive favorites! Happy 4th of July, Y'all!

This fourth of July, my family celebrated our independence with a good ole fashioned grill out and a day long marathon of The Twilight Zone (courtesy of Syfy network). As with any good grill out we made hand-formed burgers, grilled veggies and a cake. Now, you may not think this seems like a very fussy celebration, and to be honest I didn't think so either! So I decided to jazz up our burgers Paula Deen style y'all and add a little (OK a lot of...) butter to the patties, stuffed 'em with some American Cheese and turned an OK American classic into a show-stopping, moist, and delicious super burger that would knock anyone's socks off from sea to shining sea...But don't think that's the end of my festive food frenzy, no ma'am! I fancied up our boring little cake and transformed it into a deliciously fresh and oh so sweet ode to Betsy Ross's finest work. So strike up a chorus of America The Beautiful, say a thanks to our troops and read along for a delicious and easy way to celebrate our nations independence!

For the burgers, don't you be thinking I was kidding when I say I added butter and stuffed those bad boys with cheese because I'm as serious as a heart attack (and if you're not careful, you may just get one from these burgers!)

What you'll need:

1 1/2 lbs ground chuck

4+ slices of American cheese (I prefer Boars Head brand but you can use what ever is available, after all, its still cheese)!

6 Tbs room temperature salted butter (cut into small cubes)

splash of garlic powder

pinch of onion powder

dash of Italian herb seasoning

Take your ground chuck in a large mixing bowl and add your spices to taste. I prefer to use the ground chuck because its a lot more lean than other ground beef so it doesn't shrivel up and lose as much size in the process of grilling. After you have incorporated the spices, add all of the room temperature butter into the ground beef and combine until most of the butter is incorporated. Form the mixture into large meatballs then make an indentation in the middle and put one slice of cheese in the indentation and close the cheese in the middle, flatten into desired thickness and shape for your patties, then grill. This should yield about 4 large patties. Put the burgers onto a nice soft bun and top with grilled veggies and enjoy the moist, buttery, and cheesy taste!

For the cake I just made a regular store-bought cake mix according to the instructions on the box and let cool on top of the oven for a good hour or more. While the batter was in the oven I took one package of fresh strawberries and sliced them and put them into a Tupperware container with fresh blueberries and sprinkled them with about 1/2-3/4 c. sugar and stirred the fruit to coat. I put this into the fridge for the remaining time of the baking and cooling process. Adding the sugar to the berries and cooling them will make a really sweet and fruity syrup because the juice from the strawberries will moisten the sugar and make some delicious magic happen. :) Once the cake is cool enough, I frost it in the pan with store brand vanilla frosting then add the berry and sugar mixture on top. This simple fix to an ordinary cake is perfect for a summertime celebration and perfect for being festive and fun and will always be a holiday favorite!

Hope you've enjoyed reading today's easy and festive twists on old favorites! I know you will enjoy trying them out for your next get together! As always thank you for reading and pass it along if you've had as much fun reading as I have writing. If you have any family favorites, classic crowd pleasers, or inventive solutions give me shout, I would love to try out and add some new recipes to my cookbook! :)

thank you food network for letting me steal your ideas! for full recipe go to

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/big-mike-burger-recipe/index.html

...summer playlist! turn up the iPod, put the windows down and let the wind blow through your hair!

They say music can impact your mood, and I believe that to be true in every way and I know I'm not alone. To me, summer is made up of the precious few (and annoyingly brief) 3 months of the year where I can finally kick back, relax, and enjoy myself so why not have fun dance-along music to make me enjoy that time all the more? Sit back, grab some sweet tea, a towel, and an iPod and head for the beach (or in my case my grassy front yard), and listen along with me as I divulge my top 40 (yes 40) newest must-haves, favorite oldie but goodies, and embarrassing go to's.

1. Wipe Out by Surfaris
2. Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles
3. California Girls by The Beach Boys
4. Rolling in the Deep by Adele
5. Dancing in the Streets by Martha & The Vandellas
6. Kiss the Girl from The Little Mermaid
7. I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas
8. Tiny Dancer by Elton John
9. Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers
10. Yellow by Coldplay
11. California Girls (the other one) by Katy Perry
12. Kids by MGMT
13. My Girl by The Temptations
14. You Make Me Feel by Aretha Franklin
15. The Girl by City and Colour
16. Shark in the Water by V.V. Brown
17. Beautiful Day by U2
18. Man, I Feel Like a Woman by Shania Twain
19. I'm Gonna Be by The Proclaimers
20. Viva la Vida by Coldplay
21. Wouldn't it be Nice by The Beach Boys
22. Float On by Modest Mouse
23. Don't Go Breakin' My Heart by Elton John
24. I'm Yours by Jason Mraz
25. Rain on Your Parade by Duffy
26. Bad to the Bone by George Thorogood
27. Save the Last Dance for Me by Michael Buble
28. A Kiss to Build a Dream On by Louis Armstrong
29. Gimme That Girl by Joe Nichols
30. Wind it Up by Gwen Stephani
31. Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus-I know, I know... but its a fun one!
32. Boy With a Coin by Iron and Wine
33. Like a G6 by Far East Movement
34. Bennie and the Jets by Elton John
35. Glass of Water by Coldplay
36. We Found Each Other in the Dark by City and Colour
37. We're Young and Beautiful by Carrie Underwood
38. Short Skirt, Long Jacket by Cake
39. Vienna by Billy Joel
40. Don't Wanna Miss a Thing by Aerosmith

This list took a good amount of time to develop and I am sure I left out a few good ones, but thats what you're here for isn't it? If you think I need to add some or you have your own list you'd like to share let me know! As always, I enjoyed sharing my thoughts with you and if you feel like you are having fun reading my posts and want to share with your friends, please do! The more the merrier!

...makeup!!! -Shadows, foundation and blush! Oh, my! What I keep in my make up box and think you should too.

I don't know about you, but my makeup box is chock full of different of brands, colors, shapes, and textures but there are still those ole favorites I go to no matter how many new eye shadow pallets or lipsticks I buy a month. Today's post will go into detail of my many favorites as well as the ones I feel are perfect for every day use and how I like to use them. (As usual I will post the websites next to the products).

First, I start by cleansing my face and neck with Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser. Its great for really washing away the dirt, oils and makeup that may have been left over from last night, but is still gentle enough to use twice a day like I do. http://www.aveeno.com/facialcare/clear-complexion-foaming-cleanser

Next, I apply a concealer that is just ever so slightly lighter than my actual skin color. I apply it with a foundation brush I bought at Target in the Sonia Kashuk Gold Mine collection. Of the two foundation brushes I own, I prefer this one because the bristles come together in a nice way at the top that allow for really nice, even coverage. I also prefer to use a foundation brush as opposed to a concealer brush because unlike the movie stars out there, I require much more cover up than they do... :) I have tried and tested out a lot of different concealers over the years and the one I am currently using is definitely one of my favorites, it does the job in half the amount of other brands and doesn't leave my skin feeling overly "make up'd" in the areas where I applied it when all is said and done. It's called "Fit Me" by Maybelline New York- http://www.maybelline.com/products/21/face/concealer/fit-me-concealer/20-sand/20?shadeId=133

After my concealer I apply a liquid foundation with the same brush. This particular step in my make up routine has been edited many, many times. It just depends on what kind of coverage I am looking for. Usually during the winter I am more prone to use a powder foundation over a liquid because it feels less heavy when I am wearing a ton of layers but I can see why a lot of women opt for powder in the summer. I like to use a new product that was introduced to me through a local grocery store in the area, they sent out samples in the mail plus a $3 off coupon. After I used it I really liked how it went on evenly and didn't leave my skin looking cakey or over done. Its called CoverGirl Natureluxe. It has a built in sunscreen spf 10, my particular shade is 320 Aspen, for fair skin. After my liquid foundation I apply a powder foundation on top, it makes the flawless look last a lot longer and it gives your skin a nice even finish. I like to use Mineralize Skinfinish Natural by M.A.C. http://www.covergirl.com/natureluxesilkfoundation

-http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/159/1343/Mineralize-Skinfinish-Natural/index.tmpl

Following my foundation I apply a blush using a rather large blush brush by Clinique this thing has been with me since I was about 16. I love that brush. :) I like to swirl the brush in the blush and tap off the excess, then holding the brush as far back as I can while still having control

I swirl the blush in small circular motions on the very top/back of my cheek and blend it in so I get some really nice depth and evenness while still looking natural. Again, I use a M.A.C. blush for this. After I apply the blush I apply a sheer M.A.C. Mineralize Skinfinish on top to add a nice glow. http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/156/329/Powder-Blush/index.tmpl

-http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/869/782/Mineralize-Skinfinish/index.tmpl

Finally, I move to the eyes. As you can tell I am very partial to M.A.C. products (plain and simply M.A..C. offers a quality few can contend with) with my eyes I make no exception. Depending on what kind of day I am going to have I may or may not apply an eye primer before I apply my foundation. (An eye primer can be used when you have a particularly long day ahead and need to have a professional and put together look until the very end or when you have an event such as a wedding or party and want to make sure your makeup lasts through all the hugging, kissing, and dancing. You can also use a face primer for the same effect. Most eye and makeup primers make it so that all the makeup applied after will be waterproof and sweat-proof as well as long lasting).

Since I'm posting this in the summer and with no special occasion in mind, I will go ahead and dive on in with my normal everyday routine: first I apply a translucent eyeshadow to my brow bone and the inner corner of my eye, it gives the eye a nice highlighted "awake" look that is natural and cheery. Next I take a slightly darker shade and apply it to the whole eye with the exception of the brow bone, this gives depth and shape, then I apply a complimentary and darker shade to the crease of my eye to give a defined shadowy look and finish up with a medium/dark brown shade to the outside edge of my eye for a teeny bit of drama and color. This simple application makes for a really natural yet colorful look that can be easily transformed into an evening look. My particular shadows of choice (in order or application) are M.A.C. Motif, Satin Taupe, Haux, and Mystery. You can use any colors to make countless variations for any number of different looks. Finally, to top it all off I lightly apply some eyeliner (Walgreens) to my top water line and the corner bottom waterline and liberally apply L'Oreal Mascara. http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/154/363/Eye-Shadow/index.tmpl

I hope you enjoyed taking a closer look into my classic and everyday favs! I know I had fun sharing them with you. If you have any helpful hints or makeup must haves, just holler! Maybe your favs will end up in the next blog! And remember, if you like my blog say so and pass it on! :)

...purse: its whats inside that counts.

There are some things that every woman should never neglect to have in her purse, and for each woman it may be different but at the end of the day it all comes down to variations of the same 10 things. In this post I am going to finally divulge the secret and somewhat personal insides of the ambiguous purse that will make any man scratch his head in confusion. (Beside each product/item I put a link to the particular one(s) I use and recommend).

1. The wallet-Made of a variety of materials from leather to plastic, this quintessential piece of pocketed genius is arguably the most foundational and important item that makes up the most distinctive extension of ourselves. Mine for example always has my debit/credit cards, my VA drivers license, spare cash in case of emergencies, coupons, loyalty cards and a Starbucks gift card. http://www.wetseal.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=46262
2. The cell phone-can you hear me now? http://sprint.com/
3. Chapstick-It is always important to take care of every part of your body, including your lips. But when you're as busy as most women tend to be it can be easy to neglect the small things when running from here to there and back again. Chapstick is compact, easy and quick to use and these days tastes good too...besides, is it ever a bad thing to have your lips ready for a nice long kiss??? http://www.niveausa.com/products/lip-care/Repair-and-Protection or http://www.evolutionofsmooth.com/products_lip_sphere.html
4. The womenlies- all women have to deal with that week long, bloated, achy, emotional, cry fest, so why not make it a little less annoying by always being prepared. I carry a small pink bag in my purse that has my feminine necessaries such as tampons, pads, midol, chocolate (yes, chocolate), and a pack of tissues for those random tears that occur when happening upon a gorgeous pair of shoes. www.hersheys.com , www.kotex.com , www.midol.com
5. Sunglasses-As important as it is to take care of your lips its it equally as important to protect your eyes. Some say the eyes are the window to the soul, if that's true isn't it a good idea to make sure that your eyes are well taken care of? Plus, its always fun to pull an Elton John and have fun with your eye accessories..I prefer Forever 21 sunglasses, they are major crowd pleasers, reeeally inexpensive, and generally pretty durable. http://www.forever21.com/search.asp?keyword=sunglasses
6. Extra hair helpers-I always carry a few extra pony tail holders, bobby pins, and hair clips ect. in my purse in case a sudden gust of wind totally demolishes my curly tendrils that take hours to finish. dang you wind...dang you... http://www.scunci.com/
7. Pen & paper-you just never know...http://www.bicworld.com/
8. Gum-minty fresh breath is a good thing to have. I prefer the new Trident Vitality Rejuv White Tea flavored gum...its so tasty! http://www.tridentgum.com/
9. Bottled water flavor packets-they make it easy to stay hydrated, because lets face it water tastes like...water. Being hydrated is so important because it helps your body to do all the jobs it needs to do such as staving off illness and digesting food. Being hydrated is also really good for your skin, and staying energized. http://www.kraftbrands.com/crystallight/Pages/default.aspx#/home
10. Business cards-I like to carry a few business cards in my purse of businesses, stores, and people who I believe in. My mom is an amazing professional photographer so I always have a few of her cards in my bag so when the chance comes I can do her a solid and recommend her to friends, colleagues, or whoever I encounter. (Side note...go to Facebook and "like" her page, Tommie Milacci Photography!) http://tommiemilacci.com/
11. Per request: My iPod and headphones-how could I have forgotten that?! We all need a soundtrack to our life, why not make it personal? http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac?afid=p219|GOUS&cid=AOS-US-KWG

Hope you enjoyed the post! Maybe you think the list should be longer, or maybe there are things you carry in your purse that you think belong on the list, let me know! I am glad to hear your comments!