Bites of My Life

Good vibes had me going last week! I found a house to live in next year, I'm making progress on potential jobs, I had good life chats with friends and really enjoyed each and every day. The week really flew by, so I was quickly greeted with the weekend. 

Family time has been mucho recently with all the breaks, holidays and wedding parties. The original five Tucker's were all under the same roof for this version of family time and I couldn't have been happier! We started the weekend with a girls only night with all the bridesmaids. We then showered sis and fiancé with a Tacos and Tequila themed party on Saturday. I love all these reasons to celebrate with my favorite peeps!

-I've tried my hand at making granola, but it never turns out as good as sister's! This lavender granola is top notch. 

-Had avocado toast almost everyday last week. One morning with red pepper flakes, one day with truffle salt, one day with tahini drizzle and pictured here with a poached egg!

-I think I took the phrase "treat yourself" to another level with this sundae the size of my face!

-Grabbed lunch at the cutest market after a fun meeting on Thursday.

-College students by day, pro golfers by night. 

-What the cake said was an inside joke, but what was actually inside the cake was hands down the best thing I've ever had. Us bridesmaids all went back for seconds and for some, thirds on this moist vanilla cake with raspberry filling and cream cheese frosting!

-Co-MOHs and the bride all in the same state!

-Kicked off the wedding festivities with some "tacos and tequila" (and Mexican beer)!

-Squeezed in one last family meal together before oldest sis flew back to NY! I attempted to squeeze this bacon wrapped shrimp and grits into the little room I had left in my stomach after all of the weekend indulgences!

Annie

Advice: What to Know for Post Grad Life

The big bad real world is creeping in on me. I may have found a place to live, but I'm still jobless. If you too are about about to graduate or recently did than you understand the stress it brings. It's a LOT harder to find a job than it seems. I'm so sick of the "so do you have a job yet, what are your plans, do you know what are you doing after graduation?" Isn't graduating college enough for your satisfaction? Why do people have to ask the dreaded question of what your next step is? It only adds to the anxiety of the situation. 

I'm prone to anxiety and like to create unneeded stress. I've honestly had a few minor anxiety attacks during this whole job search thing. It's hard because I'm normally a very confident person and have everything planned out. When it comes to my future plans, it's not so easy to stay confident. To ease my worries I turned to some trusted sources to ask what advice they would give a future or recent college grad. 

1. Your first job doesn't have to be your last job.
Don't be afraid to start somewhere to get experience and then move on to somewhere else. 

So funny story, both of my older sisters sent literally the exact same advice. One had 6+ jobs in 6 months when she first moved to New York and the other took a semester doing random temp jobs while also working at a stationery store until she landed a career position. This isn't throwing them under the bus, but just showing that it's okay if you don't have a steady paycheck right out the door. It will happen eventually. 

2. With that being said, be persistent in your job search.
Don't get discouraged, it will all work out. There are lots of changes ahead, step out of your comfort zone & try new things!

3. Get out, make plans, stay social.
In college all of your friends are at arms length, but in the real world everyone is scattered. It's important to make the effort to make plans so you don’t fall into being that person who goes home right after work, makes dinner and goes to bed by 9 every night. 

4. College is fun but post grad is fun too.
The transition is tough but it will get easier. I feel like I've always been told to enjoy college while you can because the real world is terrible. What kind of motivation to graduate is that? All stages of life are fun just in different ways. Don't fear the world after college, it has its perks (like money)!!

5. Now for some funny, but true advice. 
Your alcohol tolerance will cease to exist, your parents will stop giving you allowance, and you will stop buying going out clothes and only buy work clothes.

Don't stress future grads, we are all in this together! It really is going to be ok.

Annie

Jump Around

(From right to left) 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8

I have a minor obsession with jumpsuits. I currently own four. Not like that's a massive number, but in the world of fashion it's likely to only have one or two hanging in your closet. Jumpsuits are like onesies for grownups. The whole pant and top in-one is my kind of style. That is until you have to go to the bathroom, things get difficult. Pretty much no matter what, if I see a jumpsuit in a store, I'm going to try it on.

I've gathered some of the cuter jumpsuits I've found from around the web. Long or short, and prices high and low! The red and blue one from J.Crew is currently 25% OFF with the code SHOPNOW. So  jump on the jumpsuit train with me and jump around!

Annie

Bites of My Life

Last week was another great one. The weather reaching near 80 degrees pretty much had everyone in the mood to play all day instead of doing anything productive. Fine by me! 

School is really winding down for me (WOOHOO), so I am taking full advantage of the free time! I was complaining to my parents that I was kind of bored this past week because I didn't have much to do. How silly, complaining that I was bored, I should be celebrating!

I went another week with only getting a Bites post out, pathetic. I tried so hard to think of posts last week, but I was fresh out of creative ideas. School isn't getting in the way so that can't really be an excuse, so this week needs to be better.  With all of that being said, any suggestions for what you want to see on Take A Bite? I really want to switch up being so recipe heavy. Send suggestions please!

-Polenta Huevos Rancheros round dos. Monday night dinner on the couch while watching The Voice. I'm obsessed this season.

-Fight or flight? Always flight. A week night beer sampling on our favorite patio.

-I had an itching to bake and a craving for Easter candy. Baked some candy up into cookies then passed them out to all of my friends after I wound up with more than 6 dozen cookies. 

-The cutest little juice truck rolled up to campus this week. I'll be honest, it looks better than it tasted!

-Discovered my favorite mid-day snack-small handful of sesame sticks, raw sunflower seeds and raw pistachios! I've been stocking up from the big tubs of nuts at Sprouts then making my own mixes!

-Ate just about every meal outside this week. 

-Have y'all seen the instagram @ihavethisthingwithfloors? I found myself joining in on the selfeet!

-I feel the need to include at least one real picture to break up the food picture overload in my Bites posts, so here you go.

-More Easter baking! Sis and I whipped up this Lemon Lavender and Vanilla Bean pound cake for our Easter indulging. It was way more successful than the carrot cake catastrophe 2k13.

-Saturday night's dinner masterpiece. Can cross paella off the cooking bucking list.

-I somehow became my own Easter bunny this year, so I brought myself Ina's newest cookbook!

-Why we eat something with devil in the name on a holy day is beyond me, but wowza these deviled eggs rocked! Recipe c/o Joy the Baker.

Annie

Bites of My Life

Another week down, which means fewer weeks until graduation. I apologize for my bites post being so sentimental recently, but it's inevitable so just bare with me for a few more weeks. As more and more days pass I get more and more excited for what the real world holds and more and more sad to leave my favorite people. Big changes are coming my way, so for now I'm just going to keep soaking the present moment in. 

-Last formal of college:(

-Homeade Lavender Lemonade being enjoyed outside in this spring weather we've been having, recipe posted last week.

-The time of year has come where their are lots of lasts and few firsts. Glad I can snatch up all these last times with my best college friends. 

-Happy 20th birthday to the Starbucks frappuccino and happy 22nd to my bestie Meg!

-Spent all weekend outside celebrating a birthday, friends and perfect weather. Soaking up all the time we've got left together! 

-I've found it. The best coconut water. I can barely stomach regular coconut water but this one from Harvest Bay is so delicious! Perfect for post-workout, mid-afternoon or the morning after a fun night out.

-Just a casual run in with Mother Nature at Norman's finest Medieval Fair. Let's be real-I went for the food and people watching. 

Annie