Chocolate Mug Cake – The Recipe

| The Bee Life

Happy Friday! Ever craving an after dinner sweet, but don’t have anything baked or sweets to pull from? I’ve got a recipe that pulls from ingredients that are easy to store and have around the house, and perfect for those sweets cravings! Plus it has a low ‘bake’ time – since it’s all done in the microwave, yeap, it’s that easy… not to mention mouth-watering and delicious!Chocolate Cake Mug Recipe - the bee lifeWhat You’ll Need:
– 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
– 3 tablespoons sugar
– 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
– 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
– 3 tablespoons of almond milk
– 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
– 12 oz. microwave safe mug
– Splash of vanilla extract <optional>
– Pinch of salt <optional>
– 3 tablespoons of chocolate chips <optional>

Step-by-Step:
1.  First measure out the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into your mug, and blend together with a fork.
2. Next add the milk, vegetable oil and vanilla, blend together until smooth finish.  If you’re using chocolate chips, stir these in last!
3. Microwave on high for 90-seconds – let cool for 2-3 minutes before eating! Your cake should be moist and delicious!
4. Enjoy!
Chocolate Cake RecipeThis is a great option for a dinner party, for individual serving sizes for your guests, or even splitting one to share!  This would be great paired with raspberries, ice cream or whip cream as additional toppings, enjoy!

Weekend Recap – Dresses & Cake

| The Bee Life

This past weekend was a whirlwind, but boy was it fun.

Friday started with an early AM workout, even though I took the day off.  It was good to get the day kick started on the right track.  From there, made a quick Starbucks run and then home to take Moz for a walk with the neighbors.  It was 50’s and sunny, so it was perfect to get Moz out and tired before we hit the road! Just before one, we were on the road headed to Mom & Dad’s house for the weekend.  We arrived just in time for dinner!

Saturday, Mom and I got an early start to meet up with Kates to go dress shopping! We had three places lined up, so we had a full day ahead of us.  The first shop ended up being a dud. The second place, was a dud.  And finally the third place, I felt like we were getting somewhere, but still no real luck. But it was good to see what was out there and start figuring out what looked good as far as color and style.  My mom also got a feel for what style she might like. It wasn’t as successful as we had all hoped, but we definitely made progress! So after all the appointments were finished, we stopped for a drink and some snacks to detox from all the dresses.

That night, we had a little birthday party at my parents! Kates & Travis came over, along with my brother and sister-in-law.  We had pizza and salad, plenty of Moscato D’Asti and Champagne and of course homemade spice cake wit’s cream cheese frosting, YUM! We played some games and caught up with everyone, it was fun having my favorite people in one place.

I think it’s safe to say, that the birthday celebrating is officially over, but it was nice to do it with the family.  I can’t believe that was the last full weekend in March, this month has flown by. Here’s to another fun weekend full of friends and family!

XO –

Fitness Friday 03.17

| The Bee Life

Happy Friday!!

I am nearly 2-full months back into the grind; that’s 28 workouts in the last 7-weeks; which is just about 4 workouts a week, whereas I was virtually doing zero before. Within those 7-weeks, I’ve been able to do a 4-week assessment, meaning I’ve started to actually see payoff and results in number form! Woo!! Although it’s been small progress, I’ve dropped measurements across the board, I can’t wait to see the results kicked up as the time continues and I continue to incorporate more cross-training between my cross-training.

The biggest eye opener and progress was my BMI number; when I first got that assessed my number was 24, still considered in the “healthy” zone; but the last notch on the “healthy” zone.  Yikes, that was definitely a red flag and hurt a bit. Well after 4-weeks my number was down to 19!  My trainer said that was the most impressive part of all the progress to date. That was a definite victory!
Fitness Friday 03.17I know I still have a lot of work to do, but I’ve been picking up the pace, working to make workouts fit even when plans might question it. I’ve even been incorporating some runs in on my off days from boot camp!  The main area I need to keep working on is FOOD. I’ve been meal prepping the last few weeks and really buckled down on my breakfast choices (switched from bagels/toast to eggs/chicken/tomatoes).

Every workout is progress, even if its a few inches. And it’s important to remember that and keep pushing yourself harder and stronger. Because it will pay off and you will reach your goals! *muscle emoji*

Cheers to hitting goals and making progress!

Wedding Planning – Shower Dresses

| The Bee Life

Happy First Day of Spring!

As I am planning my wedding, I can’t help but try and find the perfect dresses for other wedding festivities, like the Bridal Shower, Bachelorette, and the Rehearsal! Since most of these festivities are in the spring/summer the clothes and options are starting to become endless and the decision is going to be tough!

Although I haven’t found my perfect dress(es) yet; I’ve pulled some looks that are serving as my inspiration, as there are a few different routes that I could go and you might be in the same boat!
Bridal Shower Dress Inpiration - the bee life
01 | 02 | 03 | 04

If you’re like me and already started your hunt, consider the following…

All White: This is definitely an easy way to go and a classic option, wearing all white at any one of these festivities keeps you as the bride and truly the focal point!

Make A Statement: With a bright color! Showing up in a bright pink or patterned dress will help keep the focus on you.  This might be a fun way to show off a bit of your personality too!

Know Your Venue: Is your shower/rehearsal a sophisticated backyard soiree? Or is it a casual setting at a family members house? Or maybe a tea party theme at a local country club? Be sure that you’re standing out but also dressing to your venue to keep the theme of the day/night on point.

Will You Wear It Again? Ask yourself this question as your picking out the dress. You’ll want to make sure you can wear it again for a date night,  the honeymoon, a friends shower or family function! That way you won’t feel so bad if you invest a little more money that you were planning!

Happy Shopping!

Wednesday Reminders – Birthdays

| The Bee Life

Birthday 2017Who knew that at the age of three, I would photograph a photo that would summarize so many of my current feelings about birthdays, mean people, awkward situations and sometimes just life and adulting!

As another year of my life comes and goes, I am very reflective on my past years and how I’ve grown and changed through the years, especially of late.  I can’t say that I’m ever a fan of my age changing, but I have been a fan of changing with age. This next year of my life is definitely going to have some BIG milestones that I am so looking forward too, so not everything is too terrible with age. I’ve never liked getting old, but I hope in the next few years I become content with getting older.

This next year, I hope to be a bit more relaxed, get a bit more toned and have a hell of a lot of fun doing all of that.

Cheers to 27!

 

 

5-Miler Race Recap

| The Bee Life

This weekend marked a mini milestone already this year; we finished our first race! And boy, is March the perfect month to get outside and run. *smiles*

I’d always wanted to run the St. Malachi race, because it’s always in March right around my birthday plus it’s Irish themed! Well this year we finally signed up, and although there was no finishers medal as a consolation prize, we thought it’d be the perfect jump-start to our 2017 running year.

The morning of, I was laying in bed checking the weather, while I knew it was going to be cold, I didn’t think it would “feel like 4” … my comforter seemed that much bigger and warmer than it already was. But we got out of bed and started bundling. When you run in a cold weather race it’s always that fine line of what’s too much and what’s not enough, clothing wise. And standing at the start waiting to go, it definitely felt like not enough especially with the big gusts of wind, but as we ran my outfit choice seemed to be alright and plenty warm with my layers.

B and I stuck together most of the race and for running 5-miles in “feels like 4” weather it went relatively quickly and before you knew it we were crossing the finish line together! We then, awkwardly posed for a photo and immediately wanted more clothes and shelter! We ended up brunching with B’s brother and some of their friends afterwards at a nearby spot, the food was excellent plus lots of hot coffee! We were home early enough and able to relax the rest of the afternoon.

It was nice to get a race in the books so early in the year! Our next race is the 10-miler in April, so we are looking forward to that and seeing how we can improve in our 3rd year running it!

Happy Running!

Easy St. Pat’s Day Decor

| The Bee Life

Top of the morning, to ya! If you’re like me and wanting to spruce up your place for the next week before Easter, here are a few easy ways to add a touch of green in your home, remember – the main tip is green.  No need to go crazy with St. Patrick’s Day specific pieces, reuse existing greenery pieces you have, or do these simple DIY’s to add a touch of luck.

Front Door: This is one of my favorite spots to switch out and add a statement and pop of color! If you don’t decorate your house, the easiest way to add a touch of green to your home is with a great wreath or sign on your front door!

Banners: These banners from Ella Claire Inspired are super cute, because (1) they’re printable and free! (2) you can still make them and feel like you accomplished something without going crazy! Drape across your mantle or large opening between rooms.

Tabletop: Keep it simple with your table top, that way you’ll be able to use as a dining room centerpiece or in your living room on coffee or side table. Again an opportunity to reuse/buy something or an easy DIY with some mason jars and paint! Top off with some fresh flowers and you’ve got the perfect touch to your home.

If you haven’t already decorated for St. Patrick’s but your wanting something, remember to keep it simple.  This holiday goes just as quickly as it arrives, so unless your throwing a St. Patrick’s Day bash, there is no need to go crazy buying new decor or spending hours on DIYs! It’ll be taken down within a week.

Cheers!

Sources: Front Door| Banners | Tabletop 

5 Rules for Decorating

| The Bee Life

As I was helping out a friend with some design ideas for her new home, her blank slate, I kept stopping to think of how I could make it as easy as possible for her.  I wanted to sum it up with general, yet specific ‘rules’ to help her as she starts looking and finding pieces for her space.  decorating-rules_the-bee-lifeRule #1: Don’t Rush This might actually be the hardest part.  As a new homeowner your eager to finish rooms and make them feel like you’ve lived in them for 10-years. But the truth is, it takes time and you just need to live in the space to see how you’ll be utilizing it, keeping it functional and practical yet high-end and beautiful.

Rule #2: Multi-Functional Pieces  I like to buy pieces that might be able to work in multiple spaces throughout the house. Personally, I like to rearrange and switch things up every now again, and sometimes that’s with accessories, rugs, or pictures.  Also, if it’s a little more pricey piece, like a rug consider if it’s neutral enough to switch it up, in case you ever decide to paint that room in the future.

Rule #3: Consistency & Flow  It’s okay to have similar pieces in different rooms, whether it be white matte frames, mirrors, or the same color pallets. This creates a consistency and flow to your house, keeping the spaces connected and inviting.  This also will most likely help with those multi-functional pieces and allowing them to work within different spaces throughout your home.

Rule #4: Save & Splurge If your working on a room, look for places where you want to splurge and areas you can save.  This will not only keep you on budget, but will also let your dreams become a reality a bit quicker.  Of course we all want a fully furnished Pottery Barn living room, but sometimes we have to be realistic – and for those with the fully furnished PB room, brava! Be realistic in both areas when you’ll need to shell out some more pennies, or when you can bargain shop and save.
Areas to splurge: curtains, rugs and chairs.
Areas to save: side tables, bedding, accessories/frames

Rule #5: Find Inspiration If you have no clue how you want to decorate, the best way I think, to gain inspiration, is Pinterest! Even if it’s just general searches and scrolling through; “living room” or “side table DIY” you can gain inspiration or maybe find an idea you hadn’t thought about before.  Also, if your fixated on a piece, but it’s a bit out of your price range – try finding a DIY version!

Have decorating questions or want more tips? Comment below or ping me on social @mmariebee!

Weekend Recap – First of March

| The Bee Life

Happy March! For avid Bee readers, you know it’s my favorite month *smiles* and the first weekend of March was a busy but good one.

It started out Friday afternoon, volunteering with my company at a local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. If you’ve never been or heard of one of these, see if you have one near by and check it out. As they explained it, it’s like a Home Depot meets Goodwill store. They offer way more than your typical thrift store; it’s a DIYers dream or perfect for furnishing your first apartment. Not to mention you help the greater cause shopping in these stores! It was a nice way to kick off the weekend.

Momma Bee came into town, so she was at the house by the time I got done volunteering! We were in the mood for meatless tacos for the first Friday of Lent, so we ended up at a nearby spot and ordered a tray full of tacos and a few mojitos. It hit the spot!

Tacos!
At our wedding venue
Saturday dinner & drinks!

Saturday morning we got a jump start on some wedding activities. First and foremost on our agenda was seeing our finished venue.  We first saw it in September, under construction, dusty with no walls or electric and we fell in love. Seeing it again brought back all the feels. It’s so stunning, I can’t imagine a place more perfect! From there we headed to see the hotel and met with a DJ! It was a very productive morning.  After church we headed to one of our favorite spots for all night happy hour, yup, all night. We enjoyed cosmos, dirty martinis, and more delicious food.

Sunday’s highlight was celebrating a dear friend’s baby shower! It was a beautiful afternoon celebrating with her family and friends, and seeing all the adorable little boy outfits and stuffed animals. I can’t wait to meet her little boy.

Celebrating Bekah!
Great friends<3

It’s always hard when these fantastic weekends come to an end, but it’s these fantastic weekends that get me through the work week for more!