Tessacotton
The musings and experiments of a mercurial twenty-something currently living in the southern USA.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Great Times at Annie's Wedding!
Saturday, May 18, 2013
$75 Target Giveaway and Upcoming Recipe Swap
In other exciting news, I'm helping sponsor a $50 Target giveaway for Kelley at The Grant Life for her blog-a-versary! Enter below to win.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Friday, May 17, 2013
The Alchemist - 52 books in 52 weeks
Thanks for tuning in to another edition of my 52 books in 52 weeks challenge. I'm tracking my progress on Goodreads, an awesome website that you should definitely check out, and maybe start your own reading challenge!
I think this might have been a case where I was over-sold on this book. I'd just heard SO many great things, about how it was life-changing and stunningly written and the most profound thing to happen in the 21st century etc.
Maybe it was the fact that the novel was translated from its original language, but the writing style felt more contrived and heavy-handed than inspired, to me. I kept waiting for the book to delve deeper than the surface-level fable that prevailed. I wish that I hadn't been expecting so much, because I ended up feeling kind of preached-at and
So, while my life wasn't exactly changed, I did enjoy and appreciate this book for what it was: a well-told translation of a dramatic and epic fairy-tale story.
3/5 Stars
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Bloglovin' Collective Party 5/16
Tessa @ Tessacotton
Sarah @ Dreaming About Baby
Jacquelyn @ Just Jacq
Chrissy @ Parlo and Logi
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Quick and easy dessert fix!
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Private Selection. All opinions are 100% mine.
Confession: I have a total sweet tooth.
My evening meal just isn't complete unless there's a treat at the end of it. I don't know about you, but creating a delicious and handmade dessert is often nowhere on my to-do list - especially after a long day. I put so much effort into eating healthy, homemade meals that it's difficult to find the time to make a yummy dessert.
Thankfully, Kroger has the solution! Private Collection is a premium brand carried exclusively by Kroger Family of Stores (including Baker's, City Market, Dillons, Fry's, Gerbes, Pay Less, QFC, JayC, King Soopers, Owen's, Ralphs, Smith's and Fred Mayer). Right now they're offering a $1.00 off coupon for their delicious Private Selection Upside Down cakes.
Private Selection Upside Down Cakes coupon
These cakes are perfect for a packed and busy weekday when the last thing on your mind is how you're going to find time to make dessert. The upside down cakes come in three delicious flavors - so there's one that's just right for every taste! I follow Private Selection Upside Down Cakes on Pinterest, and I encourage you to do the same! They have some delicious cooking and entertaining inspiration.

I'm always waiting until the last minute to make food for potluck, and I hate when I have to resort to buying an obviously store-bought dish and bringing it to church. These cakes are the perfect fix - I can just heat it, flip it, and serve it. Because Private Selection only uses the best ingredients, they taste just like homemade. I can be proud to contribute something delicious without having wake up extra early or worry about my recipe not turning out. There's a Kroger that's just up the street from my house, which makes this the absolute easiest way to get a fast and yummy dessert on my table. Here's where you can find the Kroger store nearest you - so you'll never have to worry about getting caught unprepared after dinner again.
Here's an extra bonus for you: if you share the coupon Private Selection Upside Down Cakes on Facebook you'll receive a $2.00 off coupon to use yourself, which will double your savings! This is an awesome deal because these upside down cakes are already premium quiality without having to pay a premium price.
Here are the coupon details:
Coupon ends 6/2/13. Official Rules. In order to load these coupons onto your card, you will need to sign into your Kroger account or set up a Kroger account and enter your card number. Limit one use per digital coupon. Digital offers are not eligible on Manager's Special, cannot be combined with manufacturer paper coupons on the purchase of a single item, and do not double. Not all items are available in all stores. A limit of 150 coupons can be loaded per household at one time.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Mothers Day 2013
Yesterday we joined together as a family and celebrated my beautiful mom, Cynthia. I'm so blessed to have been raised in a two-parent family with a mom who is truly an amazing example of the kind of person I someday hope to be.
My mom is seriously a super-mom! She works full time as the chair of the dance department at Belhaven University. She's an amazing wife to my dad, who is a pastor, and is basically a mom to our whole church. She raised and home-schooled us three (and we turned out pretty great, if I do say so myself). In case you can't tell, I'm immensely proud to be her daughter.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Be Good - 52 books in 52 weeks
The author attempts to approach everything from an objective point of view, which was interesting to read! Each section starts with a reader's question and is followed by the author's response. It was enjoyable to read the queries, form my own opinion, and then see what Cohen's take on the matter was.
3/5 Stars
Hello Spring! - Treasury Thursday
'Hello Spring!' by byNeri
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
New Spring Flats - WIWW
I'm in love with dress that I found at The Orange Peel, our local consignment store. It's insanely comfy and with the side-slits it's easier to kick around with the kids in than your average maxi. Plus I consign my clothes at TOP all the time so I had enough store credit to cover everything I bought last time, including this dress! It's probably a vicious cycle, but I love not having to pay out of pocket for new (to me!) clothes.
Cardi - Old Navy
Dress - Orange Peel
Shoes - DSW
Earrings - Etsy








