spoiled.

I'm spoiled.

But not like the milk that was in my fridge this morning.

Gross. To think I almost ate my cereal with the gross spoiled milk.

I bought this milk on Monday...and it was spoiled by today.

How can this be?

I'm also spoiled because:

I laughed so hard today, I cried.

I was surrounded by amazing, talented people who made me laugh so hard that I cried.

I went on a fabulous bike ride.

I made friends with a baby bird that I found across the street.

She is so cute, and was just sitting in the street.

After I fed her a small piece of bread she walked away to join her family again.

and lastly I found three tennis balls on my bike ride for my dog Olive. She was very pleased with her present.

I am spoiled but not in a bad way.
xoxo

ALSO
make sure you

Check out the Lyric website to see information about Hairspray and other coming shows! 

Ryan and I are the featured bloggers for the summer.

Swimming.

I'm swimming right now and I wish it were outside in a nice cool pool.
But instead my mind is swimming in the show Hairspray and I can't stop of thinking about the SHOW!

Please HELP me before I drown.

do... do... do... dooo... do...Yeaahhhh, Yeaahhh Yeahhaa!
(that is singing.)

The thing about it is the show is so much fun! Like today we did a "stumble" through of act one and it was amazing to put everything together and discover how much of a show we have! This is what amazes me about Summerstock. You never think the show is going to come together and then somehow it does. It must be the theatre gods working their magic!

Since my mind is a jumbled mess right now and I can't stop thinking about the theatre, how about a theatre treat tip to enjoy at home.

If you like popcorn, which I'm assuming everyone does because it may very well be the best food on the planet,
you should try this kind...

I know you may be skeptical but it really is good!!
Dare I say better than Orville...and Pop Secret.

And trust me. I know my popcorns!

xoxo
Tomorrow is looking like a sweet treat day
any ideas?

Cookie Coma

I'm back.

Literally just came out from a Levain induced cookie coma.

Happy Birthday to me!

Our family birthday banner that makes an appearance every year!

Remember how I said mail order cookies would be something I would spend money on if I had any?
Good thing my birthday was Thursday (June 23) and my AMAZING Aunt and Uncle sent me cookies from Levain bakery. I think every meal has been cookies for the past three days. (Actually, every meal has been cookies, but it is a little embarrassing to admit.)
Levain you do have a way with cookies
and trust me, they taste as good in OKC as they did in NYC.
But for at least one day, I'm putting a chain lock on the freezer with the cookies just so I will have some next week. 


Way to go KB and Bill. You earned some serious "cookie" points with that gift.
way.
to.
go.

Just in case you wondered, I also received some 
Lulu Lemon items which is another one of my addictions.
Just call me Eloise Cookie Lulu Kropp.


and this blender

The holy grail of blenders
This is the Ninja
Like a VitaMix, but $300 cheaper

I made peanut butter in my Ninja.Yes, whole peanuts were made into a smooth, nutty butter.
That was the instant I fell in love.
I. Love. My. Blender.

Anyway...

Remember the picture of my Kitchen Aid a few days ago?
Well, I baked for my birthday!
Three different kinds of cookies
Oatmeal Raisin
Monster Oatmeal
Chocolate Chip
AND peanut butter cookie dough brownies.

The treats were a hit at work.

I know...weird that I baked for myself for MY own birthday. 

But I am weird, and thought of it as a good gift from my mom.

Yes, from my mom.

The gift of her allowing me to completely take over and destroy her kitchen for a whole day.

What could be better than that?

Yummy, delicious, warm, gooey cookies, of course.

Mixing the Oats

These cookies were MONSTER sized!

Baking.
I could hardly let them bake
not only because I like my cookies SUPER doughy
but also  I was just so excited to be baking!

I also made a weekend trip to Wichita to see Finnian's Rainbow at MTW and of course see my FABULOUS roomies and MTW family!

It was one of those trips that when I got there it instantly felt like I had never left. Even though I have been gone for more than two weeks. 

My roomies and I have been playing a fun game of leaving each other daily videos on our Facebook walls, which has been so great. I don't think the phrase:

"I miss you SO much"

has ever been used in the videos ;)

 It was so good to see them in person, instead of via Facebook video!

A video can only do so much. You can't have girl talk or pillow fights over a video.

Teenage girls still have pillow fights if you were wondering. 

Proud of it too.

The roomies at brunch Sunday morning!
We have too much fun together.

Like "soy" much fun. It is kind of unreal.






I'm now back in OKC and we are in the grind of Hairspray. It is the count down to designer run, which is Thursday afternoon so we are flying through everything to get a show together.
Rehearsals are going really well. There is so much music in the show and every number is a PRODUCTION (and about 10 minutes long!) but we are moving along and it has been a blast so far! I have to be a B*%#H the whole show and who knew it could be so tiring! 

Today we blocked the dodge ball scene and let me say it is a good thing we are only "pretending" to play dodge ball and not really playing because to quote Liz, who is Tracy:

"You throw like a girl!"

The scene makes me glad that I am in music theatre and not trying to persue a career as a professional dodge ball player.

haha

But I'm back to blogging again. 
Off to the dodgeball courts!
xoxo
Thinking of blueberry crisp
and organizing my life.

I like the idea of making crisp first.
:)

beat wave

i.
am.
beat.
And not just from the extreme temperatures we had today.

107 degrees
so
hot
all day.

I am beat from an amazing day at my first "Hairspray" rehearsal! So many wonderful people working together on a fun show. Could there be anything better?

I'm already having a blast at my new "home" for the summer. And to think I get paid for doing this!

"home"

Since I had such a great day I decided to bring something amazing to someone I know who deserved a goodie. 

So, I brought cupcakes to my sister who was at her dress rehearsal for the show that she is guest performing in this weekend. She had been there all day and was in for a long night. I knew she could use a sugar pick me-up.

Famous Boom Boom Pow from Cuppies and Joe in OKC.
A vanilla bean cupcake with chocolate buttercream, carmel and sea salt.

There is no better way to surprise someone than with a sweet treat.
Of course, that is my personal opinion.

I'm off to watch So You Think You Can Dance and practice the Madison.

Not sure what the Madison is? 

Watch this clip!

Now go practice so you can impress everyone at your next party!

haha

xoxo

Enjoy many sweets tomorrow

It is Eloise Day

(otherwise known as my BIRTHDAY!)

Closet.

Today was one of those days when I walked into my closet and wished it looked like this

Carrie's closet from Sex In the City
I. Love. Carrie. Bradshaw.
and her clothes.
but who doesn't?

But instead of my closet looking like that...mine looks like this

Ok just kidding, my closet doesn't look like this

but it feels like it does!

So what do you do when nothing you have looks good to wear?

Go shopping?

I wish...

or

you can pull out your sewing machine and redesign what you already have!

So I did!

I took a dress which I hadn't worn in about 2 years...that I had put on earlier thinking 

"I have not worn this in awhile..."

I soon found out why I had not worn it.

It was way too short and barely covered my bum.

I guess I have grown a few inches.  Yay for me! 

So, I cut the bottom ruffle off and made the dress into a fun, flirty top!

Much improved right?

Silly mirror picture
I apologize.

I also adjusted the straps on my favorite denim dress that I have had for about 3 years

but have never hemmed the straps before.

Lazy.

And lastly, I took this romper which I had purchased from Wal-Mart for $2.50 last summer and decided to make it into a halter.

I never wore it before because the straps never stayed on my shoulders.

It is from the Miley Cyrus line at 

Wal-Mart...Miley almost got it right. haha

So it was a productive day and

 tomorrow I start my job 

FINALLY!!

YAY!

xoxo

Preview of my Kitchen-Aid.

She is Artisan 

and red.

You'll meet her soon. 

:) yum.

I did.

I baked.

But not the cookies I planned to bake at my house for my birthday

on Thursday.

These were for someone special...

Kiki

I would use the "G" word to give you a better description but she DESPISES that word 

more than I despise touching meat...

Yes, she despises it that much

that's why we call her Kiki.

Anyway,

for as much as I love baking I could not have picked a worse family because nobody will eat my sweets.

No, not any of them!

I could slave over a 12 layer chocolate cake with seven minute frosting and fondant decorations and it would just sit in my house for months...

years...

Sad I know.

There is one person in my family though who appreciates my baking and that is Kiki.

Whenever I go over to her house I always bake her a batch of chocolate chip cookies.

Nothing fancy

just simple Tollhouse cookies (with a few secret ingredients of course)

but she freezes them so she can nibble on them late at night!

I love baking for Kiki because she actually eats my cookies!

What a concept.

She always calls me a few hours after I leave and leaves me the sweetest message that never fail to make my day.

 It usually goes like this:

"Oh, Eloise, you have outdone yourself again. These may be the best batch of cookies you have ever made. Yummy, yummy ,yummy! Thank you so much for coming over, it was wonderful to see you and thank you again for baking. I love it when my freezer is stocked full of goodies! Hugs and kisses! I love you so much"

Not to brag about how good of a baker I am because it is not really me bragging when it is Kiki doing all the talking :)

So what did I make?

chocolate chip cookies of course

'/.;l

and these creations...
Cinnamon sugar, angel food cupcakes with a cinnamon glaze and white chocolate drizzle
(which Kiki tasted and said they tasted similar to a cinnamon roll!)

YUM!





A productive day of baking!!
Time to relax... someone is waiting for me.

xoxo

                                                                
                                                      

D.A.D.

Decisions.

I'm not good at making them at all.

Good thing that I didn't have to decide who my father was, that was decided for me. :)

         SO HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO THE                                              GREATEST DAD

                                 mine of course!!

In honor of father's day this post is dedicated to my dad, who has no idea what a blog is or that I have one but who is the hardest, most loving man I know.

He has been one of the greatest influences in my life inspiring me to work hard and convincing me that no goal or dream is to large to achieve.

Lessons learned from my dad...

Never be afraid to express your individual sense of style.

(I'm thinking this is where my love of headbands and other hair accessories comes from.)

Love dogs.

Just a quick note, Olive is my dad's BABY! She is precious and loves me as well, but as soon as my dad gets home from work she follows him around like his keeper. 

It really is the cutest thing, until I become jealous...because who doesn't want an adorable dog to follow them around and sit beside them?

Thanks Dad for being the greatest and allowing me to follow my goals and dreams, no matter how crazy they sound at times.

So take a day off Dad and rest your feet

you deserve it.

xoxo

hug, kiss, love, and grovel to your dad today

P.S

:)

later this week

If i can ever decide what to make!

Gone COOKIES

                                          swoon.

                        

                                  these are real

and

delicious.

Cupcakes may be Cute

but cookies are GOOEY!

If you happen to be in New York City, please PLEASE go to Levain Bakery.

I am not leading you astray I swear...

Think huge, large, big as your face, warm, uncooked, gooey, delicious homemade cookies.

Do you want some now?

If I had large amounts of money to spend on mail order cookies...don't even tempt me. 

So in your free time today

 swoon over these pictures of cookies

or even better go to Levain and GET A COOKIE (or two...or six, eat some for me!)

The little place behind it all! Located on 167 West 74th Street. It is so tiny, I almost couldn't find it!

                                            xoxo

                                  cookie obsessed

Being Productive...sorta

You know those times in life when you are so busy that you can't take a breath...
meaning every day for most people.

I mean so busy that you convince yourself it's ok to not do your homework...
or wash your laundry...

or clean out the trash can otherwise known as your purse...

or brush your hair...

or your teeth (just kidding, that's gross! Please I advise you to brush your teeth even when you are busy!)

or randomly bake cookies for your class at 12:30 in the morning when you should be studying...or sleeping...

and don't even get me started about the TV.  Take it from me it is ok to watch TV when you are busy, I am actually going to tell you to do so. I think of it like "awake" sleeping. Yes, that is an oxymoron but think about it like this. It takes no brain power to watch TV.  Sitting on the couch like a potato requires absolutely no energy, so you are basically sleeping if you ask me.

Exhibit A: my usual position when I am home "watching TV". The only problem is that I usually fall asleep before I can actually enjoy what I am watching.

But it is summer, and I don't start my new job until next week so considering I have a whole week off I should be the most productive person on the planet...right?

Wrong.

I am having the hardest time convincing myself to do anything even semi-productive this week.


Like today. I woke up and other than thinking, OUCH I am sore from jazz class last night, my other thought was:
"I really want to go make pretty earrings to wear today..."

Yes, you read that correctly, I woke up and thought I should go make earrings.

So what did I do,
I did not unpack my clutter (the offer is still available to anyone who wants to unpack it for me)

Instead I went to Hobby Lobby and got supplies to make myself earrings. Which, may I add that all the beads and supplies I purchased were on 50% off for the weekend!!
So that means it was fate.  I planned on buying supplies only when everything was on sale...or that is what I am going to tell myself.


Did I have fun? Yes.
Was It productive? If you say making pretty earrings to wear is productive...then YES! :)

Final Product

xoxo
'Till next time
brush your teeth :)

Things I like Thursday

Ok, so here is the idea. Each Thursday my posts will be filled with lists of things I like. 

Olive, my dog. I guess more like our family's dog. She is seriously the cutest. I know I am bias because she is our dog...but look at that face.  How could you disagree?

                                                          

but I also just like Dogs...

 In general.  I don't care what kind, as long as he/she is friendly.


I like to take lots of pictures of dogs.  The one above is Frosty, our other dog.

 But I don't limit myself to just taking pictures of my dogs...

For example

 precious.

I also like:

My bike. The greatest mode of transportation I own.  There is nothing like hopping on my bike and riding around to where I need to go.

Sami

My best friend, who also happens to be my sister.

She is the greatest, the type of person who knows what I'm thinking before I even have the chance to say it.

She is also super creative...more creative than anyone I know.

I wish some of her creative genes would have been saved for me. haha.

That completes the first edition of

Thursday Things I Like (and Love)

xoxo

And on an ending note...

I really like when clutter empties itself...like all the clutter from my dorm room that has yet to move from this room

Any takers on moving it for me?
If so, you'll be at the top of my like/love list for next Thursday!!!