An American Girl's Hot Potato Salad + Picnic Hop Link-Up

An American Girl’s Hot Potato Salad

I started out making a recipe for a potato salad that I found in Women’s Day but I scrapped it and made it my own.  To me it’s really a simpler version of German potato salad. I wish I had more pictures to post along with it but I forgot to take many when I made it.

Ingredients

Salad:

4 lbs of red potatoes

6 strips of bacon

Half of a small red onion

2 ears of corn

Dressing:

1 cup of sugar

½ cup of apple cider vinegar

½ cup of Wesson oil

¼ tsp of pepper

¼ tsp salt

Directions:

1.       Place potatoes in a large pot and bring to boil. When they come to a boil add salt to taste. Keep cooking until they are just tender.

2.       Cook bacon until crisp. I usually just put the bacon in microwave but I think frying them might add better flavor.

3.       Cut up onion into small strips and crumble the bacon.

4.       Remove corn from the cob, the corn doesn’t need to be cooked at all, just taken off.

5.       Whisk all of the ingredients of the dressing together.

6.       When potatoes are done drain them and then chop into rough pieces. I don’t pay attention to size, just small enough that you can get a bite.

7.       Add all of the onion, bacon, and corn into the potatoes.

8.       Mix in dressing and then you’re done!

German potato salad is one of my all-time favorite recipes and this recipe is so much simpler than the normal one I use but you get the same taste. I also love the addition of corn since sweet corn basically means summer in Indiana! If you try the recipe and like it be sure to comment! 

This recipe is part of a #picnichop!

We want to show case anything that reminds you of summer! 

The hosts are:

An American Girl

Midwestern Moms

Ready, Set, Parenthood

iNeed a Playdate

A Year of Homeschooling

You can find their contributions to the linkup along with other amazing posts on their blogs, so check them out! 

OOTD+Night in Myrtle Beach

I've never done an outfit of the day post on here or really posted a lot of pictures of myself but I thought I looked cute last night so here we go! 

 J.Crew Factory Polka Dot Popover, I got it for $16! Everything was on sale for 40-60% off and then I got a student discount. I think they're around $32 now. The shorts are Old Navy. They're the same material as their pixie pants and so comfortable! I was wearing a pair of sandals I got from Target forever ago but they didn't make it in the picture. I thought it was a simple but still put together outfit. 

Last night my family went to a place called Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach. It's a place that has shops, restaurants, and other attractions. Lots of people and very hot but still fun! I did find a couple of cute things too!

 Initial bracelet, $15 from a little boutique called Heart Fire. I wish I had it before so I could have worn it with my outfit!

Simply Southern t-shirt. I just loved the colors and the turtle too. Haha. $21 at Heart Fire also. It was perfect to wear to breakfast this morning with J.Crew shorts and pink sandals. 

My sisters and I our on way to go shopping. They look so much alike and I look nothing like either of them. I'm glad I got the dark hair though!

I hope everyone is having a great week, I have some exciting things to share with everyone soon! 

Playing catch up..

I feel like it has been FOREVER since I posted on here but I didn't just disappear! With a cross country move in about two and a half weeks, I spent the week after my last post trying to see friends who were going on long trips and relatives who were only in town for the week and then July 5th my family left for South Carolina! It's so great to be back and be down here with my family! I have been dying to post on here and have come up with so many ideas but really wanted to focus this time for just my family. I'll be back with regular posts next week, so stay tuned! 

My view for the week!

Budget Friendly Finds- Week One

I did a little bit of shopping over the weekend and found so many good deals! This really is a great time to find pieces for fall because most of it marked down drastically. I am a big time bargain shopper and I thought maybe it was time to start sharing some of my finds on my blog, so this post was born! I plan on making this a recurring series so we'll see how this first post goes!

For this post I hit up TJ Maxx, my local Goody's, and Kohls. I was honestly surprised by the things I found at Kohl's and couldn't believe the prices. Here are some of my finds:

First up are these adorable Mint shorts that I found at TJ Maxx for $12.99. They are so adorable on and I can't wait to wear them in South Carolina next week. I found them in white and pink also but I love navy!

This A. Byer top is from Goody's. I know that a lot of places don't have them but Beall's and all Stage stores are the same I believe. This shirt was on sale for $9 and then as a card holder I get coupons that I can use over and over until they expire, so an extra 20% off and it was down to around $7. I'm planning on wearing this with some black dress shorts for family dinners in Pawleys Island.

This adorable ELLE sweater is from Kohls and I got if for $5.40! I got it for 90% off.

I found this Jennifer Lopez sweater for $5.40 at Kohls also. It is so soft and the back is sheer and a light pink. I think it's perfect for going out in the winter. 

Last but not least, my favorite thing I found this weekend, this gorgeous Rock and Republic shirt for $9! Not quite as discounted but definitely too good to pass up. I cannot wait to wear this in the fall. I love the color and the faux leather details. 

If you know of any good sales or have any finds of your own to share feel free to share them in the comments!

Moving Mayhem: Closet Purging

One of my favorite things to do is clean out my closet. Yes, I know that's really weird but it's almost therapeutic for me. Getting rid of the old and making room for the new! In this case I am just trying to get rid of everything I don't absolutely love since I'm moving. 

Closet purging can be difficult for some people. You develop a sentimental attachment to things, have things saved for just the right occasion, the list goes on and on! I am a closet purge veteran. Any of my close friends know that I do it almost every three months. It's something that comes easy to me and I want to share my fool proof strategies that are easy and painless! 

Before you start make sure you have lots of trash bags or containers ready so you can get the items to their final destination, and probably some good music too! 

My rules for choosing what to get rid of:

1. One of the most popular rules is to get rid of something if you've had it for a year and haven't worn it. I totally agree with this. I had things in my closet that I hadn't worn for almost two years after buying!

2. Special occasion dresses and outfits that you're never going to wear again. My junior prom dress has been hanging in my closet for about four years now and I'm finally getting rid of it. I had been hanging onto it in case someone I knew needed it but that time has come and went, time to purge! Also a super cute dress I got to wear to my student leadership academy which I couldn't attend, tags and all, it's getting ready to go to a new home.

3. My third rule is probably common sense but I was a repeat offender. Multiples. I had four white v-neck tees, about ten bathing suits, twelve pairs of jeans, and three tan sweaters. For me they're usually the first things to go. I mean, I don't need ten bathing suits moving to Montana and taking one beach vacation a year. As for jeans, I know they're a staple but I had multiples of the same pair! 

4. Impulse buys! The downfall of all uncluttered closets. I can't tell you how many times I have bought something just because it was a little cute, I might wear it sometime, and it's only six bucks! You bring them home, realize they are NOT cute, and are stuck with them. You aren't stuck, get rid of them, take them back, do something! 

5. Last but not least are things that just don't fit. I recently lost some weight and went down a couple of sizes. I had so many pieces I loved and didn't want to part with but you've just got to do it. It's the same rule for things too small. Don't keep them around to make you sad you can't fit into them!

Things to keep: 

1. Things you cannot live without. For me that would include my trifecta of riding boots, AE jeggings, and my growing collection of sheer tops. 

2. The basics! Make sure you have cardigans, tanks, plain tees, good skinny and bootcut jeans. Also a must, black flats, a good pencil skirt, tailored shorts, and a good day/night dress.

What to do when you're done:

There are so many options for what you can do with unwanted clothes these days! Taking things to Goodwill isn't the only option, you can make some serious cash on this closet purge.

1. Your local consignment shop. Surprisingly my small town has a really nice one and that's where most of my stuff goes. The only downfall is that you don't receive all of the profit. There are online consignment shops now too. My favorite is http://www.thredup.com. Plato's Closet is also an option if your town has one.

2. eBay! I have made tons of money selling clothes on eBay and most of the time you can find a buyer. The only thing I hate is the hassle of shipping everything. 

3. Facebook groups. Almost every town has one or more resale FB group these days. You can even find them for certain brands and styles of clothing if you take the time to search. The only bad thing I find about these is that it can take longer to sell and people can back out and not be held accountable. 

4. A clothing swap! I think these are really fun and it's a cheap way to get new things for your wardrobe. It's also an excuse to get friends together and drink wine. :) 

5. Last but not least you can always donate them! Goodwill, the Salvation Army, whatever you choose. 

The castoffs from my closet!

As painful as the entire process of cleaning out closets can sound, it doesn't actually have to be. You just have to have good guidelines set up and stick with them. So get some friends together, turn on some Beyonce, grab a bottle of wine, and get to work!

Finish This! My First.

Before I unveil my new posts about Closet Purging and Organization, I decided to participate in a new link up that I found on Life the Way Amber Views it! (Which you should check out because she is awesome!)

Hosted By:

Nicole @ Three 31 http://nicoleandkevin.wordpress.com/

Lisa @ Coastlined http://lisadenoia.com/

Jen @ The Arizona Russums http://www.theazrussums.com/

Becky @ The Java Mama http://www.thejavamama.com/

This weeks prompts are:

1. I have a quarter to use a payphone, I call: This would depend on what I needed. If I was in trouble definitely my Mom or Dad. If I did something stupid I would call my best friend Tiffany.

2. I found $25 in my pocket, I buy: Most likely clothes or shoes. I would probably head to a local store, Goodys, because I always have coupons for there and they have super cute stuff.

3. I have 25 minutes to watch anything on TV, I turn on: Probably House Hunters or Chopped if it's on. I like to make fun of all the petty things people find wrong with houses on House Hunters, and watch Chopped to see all the good food they make while I'm eating a turkey sandwich!

4. A meal I can prepare from start to finish in 25 minutes or less is: Spaghetti. You boil the pasta, heat the sauce..easy!

5. At the age of 25, I wish I had known: Well, I'm not quite to 25 yet but my guess knowing me would be not to worry about stupid stuff so much. 

6. If I drove 25 miles south from my house, I'd be in: I would end up in Rushville. I think I will stay away from there!

A little late but I hope y'all had fun getting to know a little more about me! 

Moving Mayhem: Closet Purging and Organization

As most of you know I am getting ready to move from Indiana to Montana in about a month. It's also no secret that I have a bit of a shopping problem, i.e. I shop at least twice a week. For some people that might not seem like a lot but to me it's excessive because of this I have accumulated a lot of stuff. Clothes, shoes, purses, you name it! Normally I wouldn't even be bothered by it, my philosophy is the more the merrier when it comes to clothes. The kicker is that during my move the only things that will be coming with me is what I can pack into my Jeep Commander. I know I am at least hauling a TV and a couple of my organization pieces, along with books, decorations, etc. So now I am faced with the challenge of my closet and it's going to be a tough one!

I plan on turning this into a two part series. The first part will be about purging your closet. Do I really need four pairs of black heels? Are ten bathing suits practical when I'll be living in Eastern Montana? The answer to both of those questions is probably no.

The second part will be organization. Organizing my closet is something I've been working on for a while and it's been a long process. I've been finding cute organization labels, budget friendly containers, and trying to figure out how to maximize the use of my space.

Stay tuned!