2016

End of 2016

8:00:00 AM



New Year Post

2016. Just as quickly as it began, it ends. A year for gratitude for myself personally. January was the end of a job I held for two years, and I spent the rest of the months until May, searching for a new one. Roommate struggles were had, and soon it was a relief to have them end. I spent most of June in the south, exploring North and South Carolina and briefly Georgia. 


Exciting things happened in 2016. 

I tried out new recipes, like this Cauliflower pizza recipe, and a Cashew Chicken recipe as well. 
Eating healthy was something I really focused on for the most part, 
I went on a family vacation and really realized how much I love family road trips.
Climbing to the top of Chimney Rock in North Carolina to see the Blue Ridge Mountains might have been my favorite part, and eating at Jestine's in Charleston in South Carolina was a special treat after we had been there in 2011, forgot the name and by chance found it again. 
 North Carolina

Oh. I also checked off a major bucket-list item, I went skydiving. And it is still, by far the coolest thing I have ever done. I started my third-to last semester at uni, and then I was also accepted into my study abroad program. 

2016, really left me feeling really really blessed. I just feel like it was a great year. I had a great roommate this past Fall, and that made life at university so much better than it has ever been before. 
Realizing Stuff

As for 2017, I'm going to have 3 and a half days at home until I take a leap across the ocean and start my study abroad program in England. I'll be studying about an hour and a half north of London, and have trips to Ireland, Bath & Stonehenge, Prague and Barcelona planned. I'm excited, and thrilled, and I cannot wait to bring this blog with me! 

Because i'll be abroad until April, I won't be posting every Wednesday and Saturday until maybe May or June, instead, it will be once a week Tuesday's. So make sure to check in on where I'm going! 

As for goals for 2017?
-Have 500 twitter followers
-See as much of Europe as possible
-Live in the moment

If you have any suggestions for weekend trips around Europe please let me know! I cannot wait to share my journey with you! What are some things that made you proud in 2016? Let me know in the comments! 
I hope you all have a great new year! :) 

Along with Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, you will be able to see my European adventures via Snapchat too! Just add kenziedear! And if you haven't noticed, there is a YouTube button in the top right corner where I will be putting videos of my trip! 

Blogmas

Dark Hot Chocolate Cookies

8:30:00 AM


December is a cold month here in Wisconsin, there is a ton of snow and all you really want to do is curl up in front of the fire with a cup of tea or cocoa, or lounge around in the bath. Christmas is also about baking, and while there has been a ton of cookies that have already been whipped up already, I decided to try out a new recipe. 

Because you really cannot have enough cookies. Right? 

Homemade Christmas Cookies


There is an entire can of dark hot chocolate mix in my cupboard and I decided to use some of it up in my favorite form of dessert. Cookies. The first batch I made was awful, and the second was just alright but better and tastier! (They just didn't rise and that's because I didn't chill the dough)

Here's What You'll Need: 
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup hot chocolate mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup powdered sugar 
large bowl
medium shallow bowl

Here's What You do: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Beat butter until smooth
Add sugars and then beat again until light
Add in egg and vanilla

In separate bowl:
Stir flour, hot chocolate mix, baking soda and salt together
Then combine wet and dry ingredients

*Chill up to 3 hours 
(which I didn't and then I redid the recipe and it worked better) 
If you don't then your cookies will be flatter and that's okay! 

Put powdered sugar in shallow bowl
Scoop cookie dough into ball shape and roll in sugar
Place on baking sheets

Bake about 8 minutes
Hot Chocolate Cookies

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you had a great holiday and I'll see you soon with more posts! What did you bake for the holiday?  Let me know in the comments! 



Blogmas

Christmas Eve Outfit

8:30:00 AM

Sweater
Hello everyone! I hope you're getting really excited for Christmas now, I have finished up my exams for the semester and decided to share one thing that I cannot wait for and that's to put on my new Christmas jumper for Christmas Eve. Every year my family goes to Church and then to Christmas dinner at my step-grandma's house. This year, I got my top from target and love it. 
Sweater

It makes me feel so festive and warm! 

Reindeer Sweater

I cannot believe that Christmas is just a few days away and I will finally be able to wear it to the dinner. 

Pullover Christmas

There won't be a new post up on Saturday as it is Christmas Eve, but I will be back with an exciting one a week from today so make sure you stay tuned! I hope you enjoyed this type of post, let me know what you're doing for Christmas in the comments! Merry Christmas!! 
xx 
This post is not sponsored, all thoughts are my own

Christmas Market

Christmas Market

8:30:00 AM

Christmas Banner

The weather was cold at the beginning of the month. My usual weekend mornings begin with a nice warm cup of tea and catching up on everyone else's blogmas posts. I have always lusted and drooled over the European Christmas markets that we don't seem to have anywhere near where I live.
Except the other weekend, when a Facebook event popped up on my page and there was one happening only a few minutes drive from my university!

The market was small, though filled with people. There were cute little stands of cheeses and meats and homemade decorations.
Christmas MarketMarket

Handmade signsChristkindlmarket
Handmade signsUSA


I love wandering around Farmers markets in the summer and fall, and I was excited to go to this one! The cute decorations hanging from each stall made me feel so festive. Even though I have been done with all of my Christmas shopping for everyone this year, there were a few things that I would buy if I had the chance to go back again (which hopefully I will!). 

I hope you enjoyed this post, even though it's quite a quick one! Do you have Christmas markets near you? Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? I am nearly done with this semester (Monday I have one exam to take!) 
Let me know in the comments! 

Blogmas

Top 10 Christmas Movies

8:30:00 AM

Top Ten

Christmas eve is only ten days away, and for ten days you can watch each one of these Christmas films on my list! So just wrap up with your warmest blanket, and fuzziest socks and warm up that cup of cocoa because here is another holiday-themed list post! I hope you don't mind! Let's get to it then!

1.The Santa Clause
2. Polar Express
3. The Holiday
4. Prancer
5. Christmas Under Wraps
6. It's a Wonderful Life
7.Rudolph
8.Miracle on 34th Street
9. The Bridge
10. Northpole

These are just a few of the many Christmas movies that are out there, but definitely my ten favorites! I love throwing on my fuzzy pajamas and fuzzy socks, and watching a hallmark movie at night during the holiday season. There is just something about cheesy-christmas-love stories that get me so much more excited for the actual day!

Do we have some of the same movies on our lists? Which one is your favorite? 
I hope you're enjoying these posts! This one is quite quick, but exam week is upon us so cross your fingers and wish me luck! 
x see you next time! 

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