Cinnamon Applesauce Banana Muffins

Now that I'm a certified work-from-home lady for the next few weeks, I've brought up my homemaker skills to the next level. My brain is on Central time and my body is on Eastern time while I work my Nashville job from west Michigan, but I am finding more time to get things done around the house now that I'm not commuting to and from work and traveling to client meetings.

Yesterday I kicked ass in the kitchen. Slow-cooked pulled BBQ pork, chocolate cake with buttercream icing, and these delicious cinnamon applesauce banana muffins. I found a pretty generic muffin recipe online and decided to add my own spin on it. I love adding applesauce to muffins for extra moisture and flavor. You can see similar mini-muffins I made last year by clicking here. 

Ingredients:
+ 3 bananas, mashed
+ ½ tsp. salt
+ ¾ sugar
+ 1 egg
+  ⅓ butter, melted
 + ⅓ C. applesauce
+ 1 tsp. cinnamon 
+ 1½ C. all-purpose flour
+ 1 tsp. baking powder
+ 1 tsp. baking soda

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray if you don't have liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. 

2. Combine bananas, sugar, egg, applesauce, cinnamon and melted butter in a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Scoop into muffin pans.

3. Bake in preheated oven. Bake mini muffins for 10 to 15 minutes, and large muffins for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from tray once cooled. 

Makes approximately 6 large muffins or 14-18 mini muffins.

 I'll be eating these bad boys for breakfast all week. 

Enjoy!  

 

Time for a Change

This is certainly a week of change. It was my (Laura's) last day of work at Mlive this past Friday. After more than three years of working there as an account associate, campaign coordinator, and content marketing specialist, I never really pictured the day that I'd be walking out the door for the last time. I loved my job. I loved my coworkers. It was by far one of the most difficult decisions I've had to make so far, and it still feels bittersweet. Some hard choices just have to be made if you're willing to follow your dreams. I'm grateful for the opportunities I was given here in Grand Rapids.

Before we move down to Nashville on May 22nd, there is much to be done. I have quickly transitioned into a work-from-home role while my company awaits my arrival in-office. I started my new position as Content Marketing Associate for a fun startup with a promising future. I'm excited to see where things will go from here.

Katelyn's wearing: Sweater- Modcloth // Dress & Leggings- Target // Shoes- Minnetonka // Watch- Fossil

Alex and I (Katelyn) are officially closing on our house today. We've learned so much from being homeowners, but we are so excited for what's in store for us. We will be out of the house by Thursday and Friday we're taking off to Denver for a few days!

 Laura's wearing: Jeans- Abercrombie & Fitch // Sweater- H&M // Booties- Nordstrom Rack

Necklace- Forever 21 // Belt- Marshalls

Travel Tuesday: Southern Florida

It makes so much sense to me why people in Michigan get seasonal depression. I feel so relaxed, happy and rejuvenated after spending a little under a week in the sunny state of Florida! Since Alex couldn't get the week off for vacation, I invited my mom and step dad to join me on yet another adventure. We flew out of Detroit into Miami & boy was there a difference in temperature! On our first night we decided to get checked into the hotel and venture out for some fresh fish in Key Largo at The Buzzards Roost. We picked this restaurant at random, but it ended up being our favorite! Great atmosphere, great fish & the coconut cake was so freaking good.

My parent's bought a selfie stick while at the Grand Canyon, and I had way too much fun with it! We ventured out to Key West for a day where we ate Conch Fritters, BBQ & more fish. We had to walk to the southern most point in the US and try our selfie stick for the first time & it was a huge success! We waited all day for an epic sunset (even found the perfect bench) and storm clouds rolled out 10 minutes before it was suppose to set. Huge bummer, but we were just so happy to be somewhere with no snow we didn't really care :)

We decided to do a beach day & the front desk at our hotel suggested going to Biscayne National Park. We had to pay a small fee, but the beach was absolutely beautiful. After that we took it easy with a pool day, & our last day we visited the Everglades which was SO awesome!

It was a perfect getaway from our Michigan winter weather full of delicious seafood, sunshine & relaxation. I'm so thankful to work for companies that make it easy for me to live our my passion to travel. There's nothing quite like watching a sunrise in an airplane embarking on a new adventure. Here's to all you wanderers out there, may you never stop.

Laura's Big Announcement

You may or may not have heard me [Laura] mention a few times already that I have some big/exciting news to share. Now that I've shared with my family/friends, I'm excited to tell you all...

We're moving to Nashville! 

 

Steve and I will be taking off sometime next month to pursue our dreams down south and further expand on each of our careers. It was a tough decision to make, but we're so excited we're taking the leap! It will certainly be tough to say goodbye to my friends, family, and fantastic job at Mlive, but west Michigan will always have a giant place in my heart and we'll be back and forth as much as possible. I'm so fortunate to have such supportive people in my life. 

This is bittersweet. 

The possibility of moving down to Tennessee has been an ongoing conversation with Steve and I ever since we got engaged. Nashville is where I spent so much of my childhood, where I'd take family vacations, where I met Steve, and where we'll now live as a married couple. Now we will be starting a new chapter together where he can pursue his career as a songwriter/artist, and I can develop my skills in content writing with a startup that is exciting, refreshing, and fun.

We cannot deny that it'll be difficult being far away from our friends and family, but at the end of the day, we will be living and loving in Nashville, where we once dreamed we'd be together.
We've got this.

Katelyn and I have been and will always be the closest of friends and cousins. As for now, we plan to continue or blogging journey remotely and share our stories with the world as long as people are still interested. Plus, she works for the GRR airport and will hopefully be able to fly down and visit as much as humanly possible. We can't go too long without each other.

I am beyond fortunate and grateful for the opportunities I've been given here in Grand Rapids. Accepting a position at MLive will always be one of the best decisions I've ever made and I can't imagine starting my career anywhere else. They have given me the opportunity to grow and succeed in ways I couldn't have imagined the day I stepped into that office. I've been blessed beyond measure to work with such an amazing team of creative thinkers. I will miss you all dearly.

Timing seems to be everything. Even when things fall into place just the way you want them, it doesn't mean it's always easy. My older sister announced that her and my brother-in-law are expecting their first baby in September. There are mixed emotions constantly flowing through my head and my heart, it'll be so tough being away from my very first niece/nephew, but we know we're doing the right thing for us. The amount of love and compassion I have for my family will never diminish, they are everything to me.

Thank you to everyone who has supported Steve and I along the way. You helped get us here.
We are thrilled.

Nashville, we're coming for you!

"All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney

Auburn Sidewalk

It's been a while. Is it us, or is April already moving waaayyy too quickly? Lots of things have been happening for us, and some big things coming soon [more on that later]. Being busy sure does make the time fly! Katelyn and I have had a hard time finding even a few hours to meet up during our busy weekly schedules. It was great to finally grab a cup of coffee and have her and Alex over for dinner to catch up on the things that have happened in the last few weeks. Spending time together is always the breath of fresh air that I needed. 

 

Laura's wearing: Top- Old Navy // Pants- Gap, Bag- LuLu*s // Shoes- Nordstrom Rack

Necklace- H&M // Bracelet- Forever 21 

 

 Katelyn's wearing: Shoes- Steve Madden // Tights- Target // Sweater, Hat & Necklace- Forever21

Shorts- Kohl's

 

What's everyone doing this weekend?
It's turning out to be a beautiful Saturday in Michigan!