With the warmer weather comes relaxing afternoons on the patio with margaritas and fresh guacamole. Make the guac even more fresh by making your own! This tasty snack is remarkably easy to prepare, and universally loved by all your friends. (and for any stragglers who don't love it, that just means there's more for you!)

As a beginning myself, this was my first time making guacamole. And, with this recipe I must share a confession and fun/vital fact: a "clove" of garlic is not actually the entire garlic head. Go figure! It's actually just one removable segment of the garlic. If you already knew that, well then you're already ahead of me! This little mishap ruined my first batch, as I'm sure you can imagine (there wasn't enough mouthwash in the world to help!!) But never fear - the next batch came out crisp, creamy and perfectly balanced with avocado & spice. 

My sister and I just took our first trip abroad, to Cancun, Mexico. It was a little bit nerve wracking, not only to be out of the country, but to be out of the country alone. In preparation for our vacation, we received a variety of tips from friends, family and our travel agent. After collecting all of this advice, I've also added my own recommendations from our experience. For anyone planning to take an international trip soon, particularly to Mexico, here are some pieces of advice you should consider:

This Valentine's Day, I'm reminded of how incredibly lucky I am. Not only do I have love in my life, but I've been blessed enough to have had a happy relationship for more than three years with an amazing man. I'm no expert on relationships; I'm on this crazy ride called love, and I'm still experiencing the ups and downs like anyone else. But over the years, I've learned a few things about myself and about my relationship. 

While Valentine's Day is a nice excuse for date night and flowers, it shouldn't actually mean anything significant to you if you are already in a long-term, committed relationship. Valentine's Day is just another one of the 365 days a year when you get to express your love. With that in mind, below are my 8 tips for maintaining a happy and healthy relationship all year round. 

It's that time of year for "pumpkin-spiced-fill-in-the-blank," and I'm just as caught up in the season as anyone! If you're looking for a festive treat to bring tailgating or to a bonfire, or if you're just ready to try anything that tastes like October, look no further. The pumpkin cookie recipe below is a thick batter of pumpkin filling that not only creates heavenly cookies, but it also works great for cupcakes & muffins (just put the dough into cups instead of onto the cookie sheet). And if the words "homemade glazed-topped pumpkin spiced cookies" don't get your mouth watering, then I'm not sure you know the definition of autumn bliss... 

With the Fourth of July right around the corner, you may be struggling to decide on the perfect side dish to bring to your picnic or BBQ. With a vested interest in all things sweet, I've put together a list of my 5 favorite sweet appetizers & desserts, all of which are quick and easy to prepare. Any one of these options is sure to be a hit at your Fourth of July party!

When you start to break out the sundresses and sandals, don't leave your hair undone. This warmer weather is a great time to explore fresh, new styles to dress up each outfit. I'm not a hairdresser, and I've never been particularly skilled at getting every strand to lay just right. But, I've done my share of practicing and searching for new styles to try. Luckily for me, a little mess isn't a bad thing - it's actually in style! So even if you're not an expert, you can still try out some new styles without worrying that those random kinks will ruin the look.