Oh boy, Mother Nature’s at it again!
She’s lucky she makes such a beautiful mess, otherwise I’d be a little more miffed about waking up to 4+ inches of snow this morning. 
I think I’ll take the day to skip the slick roads and cold winds to stay indoors and gasp! actually get my taxes together. It has to be done!
In the meantime, I hope you have fabu Friday, and please enjoy my favorite finds from around the web and beyond in this week’s Friday Favorites! 
Favorite treat: Monster Cookie Dough Cupcakes. Innncredible. Peanut butter chocolate chip cupcakes with a scoop of raw, eggless MONSTER cookie dough on top? Sign me up!
Favorite someday: Treehouse Hotel in Costa Rica. Ben and were originally going to go to Costa Rica instead of Negril this spring but, (very) long story short, we picked Negril because this Treehouse Hotel in CR wasn’t available on the dates we wanted. Well yesterday I got an email from the hotel letting us know our desired dates had just opened up. D’OHHHHHHH!!!!! Oh well, someday!
Favorite snack: Basil Pesto Parm Popcorn. I busted out my popcorn maker last week to start making crunchy, healthy snacks at night. I love this idea for jazzing up the plain kernels.
Favorite all around item: $!utty Brownies (respelled for spam purposes). I MEAN!!
Favorite accent: Pottery Barn Multipanel Mirror. I love how this mirror can look either vintage or new, depending on how you style the area.
Favorite fresh bite: Cranberry-Avocado Salad with Candied Spiced Almonds and Sweet White Balsamic Vinaigrette. The name just keeps getting better and better!
Favorite new (to me) show: The Big Bang Theory. I don’t know how or why Ben and I started watching TBBT a couple weeks ago, but it. is. HIGHlarious. One of the only shows I actually laugh out loud to. Who knew?!
Favorite feature: Built in Kitchen Storage Column. I am sooooo obsessed with the built in shelves in this brick column. So convenient – I NEED this in my next house!
Favorite naughty/nice side: Roasted Bacon & Broccoli. The best of both worlds!
Favorite idea: Light Switch Time Capsule. Leave a note hidden behind a light switch when you move for another owner to find sometime in the future. Super clever.
Favorite fit: 6 Core Truths. 6 ab workouts that supposedly work your deepest abdominal muscles. I’m intrigued…
Favorite find: Essie Matte Overcoat. Makes any manicure matte. Very unique!
Favorite twist: Pizza Potato Skins. These would be really fun to personalize for everyone in the family.
Favorite view. Ohhhh, I hope I have a chance to do this someday!!!
Favorite read: 30 Things to Start Doing for Yourself. A great, motivating read!
Favorite fake-out: Orange Chicken. As much as I love me some Trader Joe’s Orange Chicken (aka last night’s dinner), several funky pieces left me feeling kind of gaggy. This recipe looks exactly the same and sooooo delish.
Favorite funny: Aerating Wine Glass. Can you imagine setting these out at a nice dinner party?! I’d love to see the look on the guest’s faces.
Favorite flashback: Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread. My Mom used to make me Cinnamon Sugar Toast all the time when I was growing up. This updated twist is making my mouth water!
Favorite pooch: Maddie on Things. If you liked the Food on my Dog Blog from last week, you will hoot at this pup!
Favorite sip: Black & Blue Mojito. I had a mojito a few weeks ago and that fresh, crisp mint flavor had me craving summertime. This kicked up version looks uber refreshing.
Favorite accent: Mia Oversized Clutch. This is the perfect size, and I love the Springy color and design.
Favorite photo and treat: Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting. Absolute perfection in a picture!
Have an amazing weekend everyone!
Awesome Friday Faves post! That avocado salad looks AMAZING and I looove the clutch.
Big Bang Theory is my fave! I don’t just laugh out loud, i HOLLER. hilarious. so glad you guys finally got into it!!!
I love it that much too! I started watching from the beginning back in 2008. So gland you jumped on the bandwagon with us haha!
I always love your friday favorites! I assume you find most of them on Pinterest–can you link to your boards so that I can follow them??
I do find a lot of them on Pinterest, but I’m more guilty of browsing than actually pinning! http://pinterest.com/iowagirleats/
Oh my god!!! That dog is so similar to my Addison Lucille! While my Addi-Lu has shorter legs they must be from the same line. “Bambi” freckled fur, a white lightning strip on the head, and the longest nails ever on a dog (but cant be cut due to a long quick)! Best Friday Favorites!
We love The Big Bang Theory! We don’t have “real” cable at our new house yet so it has been a lifesaver
and we had never watched it before, either.
Every time you post a kitchen in these, I get insanely jealous of whoever is lucky enough to have those amazing spaces!
Always love your Friday Favorites! That column in the kitchen is amazing. The only requirement I have for my first house is a PHENOMENAL kitchen… that one would do
We just had a popcorn week at Food Matters Project- check out my blog and link to it! Maybe you can find some other great combinations!
Love that lightswitch time capsule idea!
I just started watching Big Bang Theory about a month ago and I cannot believe what I have been missing out on all these years. I swear it is one of the best shows EVER.
i am TOTALLY with you on the TJs orange chicken — yucky pieces in there!!! but i found some frozen orange chicken at Costco recently that is really good, just chicken breast so none of that funkiness
and the hubs and i just recently discovered TBBT too, we cant get enough of it!
I made the $*utty Brownies…if you could healthify them that would be great! But maybe somethings should just be left as they are
They were phenom!
http://foodonmydog.tumblr.com/
Love the treehouse. My DH and I really want to go to the Tree Sphere’s in BC Canada which are similar but much cooler if I do say so myself http://freespiritspheres.com/
I want that dog! So cute. And those cookie dough cupcakes look amazing!!!!!!!!!
Happy Friday
That cinnamon pull apart bread is making me crave it, like now! Thanks for sharing! Friday favorites are always fun to check out
Have a great weekend!
I was directed over here by Copacetic In Carolina and I love your blog! We just found Big Bang Theory too and we love it! I can’t wait to try that popcorn recipe!
I fell into BBT a few months ago, too. I love it! Sheldon is hilarious.
Also, I can’t wait to try different ways to dress up popcorn. I never grew up with an air popper, but my husband introduced me to it a last month and it has quickly become my favorite, guilt-free evening snack.
I would like you to consider dusting that Built In Kitchen Storage Column. My first thought was, “Swiffer be darned! You’d have to move all those bottles!”
I’ve never had the TJ’s regular Orange Chicken, but my entire family (kids and husband) like the Orange “Chicken” Morsels. They get nice and crispy in a frying pan!
I love the Big Bang Theory. It is my obsession. I love that it’s so smart and funny. I’m glad that you like it.
lucky you. we are under a tornado watch here in NC.
My family LOVES Big Bang Theory! I got my Dad Season 1 & 2 on DVD for Christmas and he literally squealed when he opened it. A grown man (54, to be exact) squealed! Made my day.
OMGosh!! GO TO TARGET NOW!!! They have very similar looking clutches in amazing colors and looks just like the one you posted!!!! you must do this!!!
Awesome! I’ll go today!
The black n blue mojitos! I must have them tonight!
Why did you show me that mirror?????
I know, right?! Too bad it’s like a million dollars.
I just got back from Costa Rica on Monday. It was amazing! We spent 3 days in Arenal (jungle/valcano) and then drove to Tamarindo (beach) for 5 days. Costa Rica has been my favorite tropical vacation so far. Such a safe, beautiful and relaxing country. Deffinetly go when you have a chance!
That was going to be our exact itinerary! Someday, definitely.
I love that you have found Big Bang Theory. My husband and I love it!!! Penny! Penny! Penny!
The Big Bang Theory is one of my personal favorites. It seriously cracks me up! Also, I really want a treehouse now.
Just got the Eagan Mirror large ! Love it!!!
I love the “30 Things to Start Doing for Yourself” article! So motivating
My parents love to watch Big Bang Theory – did you know that Leonard is the son from National Lampoons Christmas Vacation? I was in shock when I found that out, but you can totally tell it’s him!
Waking up to a few inches of snow… yay! Being your ‘neighbor to the west in Nebraska, it just has not seemed like winter around here this year! Oh my goodness… my husband and I laugh out loud to TBBT too! Love it!
I wanted to tell you, I positively LOVE your Friday Favorites posts! Such great gems!
I always love your Friday Favorites, and all your posts! I tagged you in my 11 Random Things, thinking you might have fun with it too!
http://mylifeaccordingtoshoes.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/11-random-things/
Have a great weekend!
We’re new to Big Bang Theory, too (thank you TBS) and LOVE it! To be honest, my husband and I didn’t want to like it, but we checked it out and were hooked. We now own the first four seasons on DVD. So funny!
I’m not sure which I am more entranced by, the monster cookie dough cupcakes or the pesto popcorn. Amazing!
Totally with you on TBBT, just discovered it at the end of last year and I am actually in love. So funny and sweet
I have seen that brownie around the web and seriously???? Looks so good. Like my three favorite treats ALL in one. Love the multi panel mirror also – what a neat look.
I just started watching the big bang theory in the last month too, and agree totally! My husband came in the livingroom the other day to see what I was laughing like a hyena about
there are SO many things in this post that i just adore!!! that clutch is amazingggg, such a pretty color and seriously need that aerating wine glass like it’s my job haha. happy saturday and thnx for always showing me some great new stuff on your friday posts – they are awesome!
my husband and i also recently started watching the big bang theory. i’m usually a laugh-to-myself kind of person but that show is a different story! i can’t help myself
We LOVE TBBT! Originally our daughter was the one hooked. We gave her all the available seasons on DVD but then we watched with her and can’t get enough. Reruns on TBS Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Love your Friday posts … and love that orange purse (and orange chicken too).
Pizza potato skins sound awesome! My fiance and I have tuned into The Big Bang Theory a couple of times and can’t seem to get into it BUT we have heard that it really is hit or miss [depending on the episode]?!
So many good recipes! Thank you. I think I’m going to have to make the cookie dough cupcakes for my kids. What a great idea.
[...] this recipe is indulgent in the extreme and when I saw the link to it on Kristin’s blog I very nearly fell off my [...]
[...] {cranberry-avocado salad} [...]
Kristin! I JUST got back from my honeymoon in Costa Rica, and while we did NOt stay in a jungle tree house, we had THE BEST time and I actually thought it was a place I could see IGE traveling to! If you ever decide to go, I have lots of recommendations! We loved the La Fortuna area!