Harry Potter, Butterbeer Cupcakes, and a new Nikon!

As the big day fast approaches, my stress levels are sky rocketing. Endless check lists, due dates, deposits, and last minute details have really got me down, so what better way to unwind than to curl up with a good fantasy book? Oh, Harry, you're my saving grace.

So, I finished Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone a couple days ago and decided that after each book, I'm going to watch the corresponding movie while baking something Hogwarts related. Yesterday, this was Butterbeer Cupcakes (YUM!). I got the recipe from A Pastry Afair. Baking truly is a science.

So I popped in the movie and got to mixing. And as the smell of butterbeery cupcakes flooded my small apartment, all those previously mentioned troubles just melted away.

Now, I confess, I am NOT a seasoned baker and recently my cupcakes have been coming out less than stellar. Undercooked, deflated and overly-dense cupcakes are just a few of many problems I've had in the kitchen. But these cupcakes... these beautiful, perfectly golden, fluffy morsels came out wonderfuly!

What did I tell you?! Gorgeous! And they tasted amazing.

And I forgot to mention, I bought a new camera yesterday! I've had my FujiFilm FinePix S2 Pro for nearly 10 years now and for the last couple years, one of the sensors has been dead. So, with the wedding coming up (and the honeymoon!), I could think of no better time to buy a new (albeit inexpensive) replacement! My new love is a Nikon D3000. Canon's great and all, but I have an amazing Nikkor 85mm 1.8 lens and just couldn't bear to part with it, so Nikon it is. And here are some of the pictures I took with it yesterday!

How adorable are my girls!?

Anyway, I hope everyone has a great weekend and I'll see you all next week!

Exactly one month!

1 month, 33 minutes, 18 seconds until I walk down the isle towards the love of my life! Can you believe it?! I sure can't. After months of planning, everything is finally coming together. The honeymoon has been booked (squee!), the bridal shower is in two days, my dress zipped up and the final alterations have been made, and the shoes have been broken in! As excited (and nervous!) as I am for the wedding, I keep forgetting about the honeymoon. As if marrying the love of my life wasn't enough, I get to then spend 5 days lounging on the beach with my new hubby. And I SO need the vacation...


In other news, after seeing the last Harry Potter movie, I decided I hadn't had enough of J.K. Rowling's magical world of Hogwarts. Harry has been a part of my life since the release of the first book in 1997. 14 years of fantasy. So, I started rereading the series for the first time. I can't even explain how amazing the books are, even the second time around. As hard as it is, I'm trying to read the series as slowly as possible. I can just see myself getting through all 8 books in a couple months and being so disappointed that I finished it so quickly.


Anyway, I'm sorry this post is so boring, with no photos or anything, but I'm planning on spending a little money on a new camera sometime before the honeymoon. So, PICTURES TO COME!


LOVE!