Peaches 'n Cream Bread

Ok, all I can say about today's post is holy cow. Abby (the blogger behind Little City Adventures) is sharing this recipe for Peaches 'n Cream Bread and it looks pretty much ah-mazing! Abby is one of the sweetest bloggers I know...she's so genuine lucky for me, lives just a hop, skip, and a jump away! Welcome Abby to the blog and be sure to make her Peaches 'n Cream Bread soon!

I am so excited to be sharing a recipe on Heavens To Betsy while my dear friend is busy gettin' hitched! I for one can't wait to see her wedding photos, the little "previews" she's posted on Instagram have been adorable! Makes me wish my husband and I could through ourselves another wedding just so I could steal some of Betsy's ideas!

I run a little lifestyle and food blog called Little City Adventures and I'm always looking for ways to incorporate fresh produce from Market into baked goods (like in this strawberry, basil, and feta galette). I find some beautiful peaches on a recent market trip and I decided to chop 'em up and try them in some bread. And cream is a common combo you see with peaches so I decided to try out Peaches 'n Cream Bread (obviously, ha!). I went into this having never made anything quite like this before so I was just experimenting first time around...but it turned out delicious on the first try! It's seriously so good you guys.

This is THE most moist bread that I have ever eaten. You will definitely need to keep this in the fridge because of the heavy creamy, which is used for the "cream" part, and pretty much the only healthy thing about this is the peaches. But it's worth all of the calories because it's sweet, but not too sweet, and moist while not being mushy. 

I recommend making it no more than one 24 hours before serving. It lasts longer than 24 hours but I did notice that it tastes significantly better in that first time window.

You also have the option of simply drizzling the icing on top or icing the top of the bread, almost like you would a cake. I opted for drizzling since there was already so much cream in the bread so I used the extra icing to turn these Lemon Citrus Shortbread Cookies into sandwich cookies. But I won't judge if you just eat the extra icing with a spoon. 

Peaches 'n Cream Bread

Yields: 1 9x5" loaf          Prep Time: 20 minutes          Bake Time: 1 hour          Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients
bread
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups peaches (about 4), peeled and diced
cream for bread
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg yolk

crumb topping
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup all-purpose flour

icing
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2-4 Tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9x5" loaf pan with cooking spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl, creamy together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

3. Add in eggs, milk, and vanilla, mixing in between each addition. Set aside.

4. In another bowl, mix together dry ingredients until combined. Add dry ingredients to wet, being careful not to over mix.

5. Using a spatula, gently fold in peaches. Pour 1/2 the batter into prepared pan. Set aside the pan and the remaining batter while you prepare the cream.

6. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together cream heavy cream, cream cheese, and sugar. Add in vanilla and egg yolk and whisk for several minutes until you are just about at the consistency of whipped cream.

7. Drop spoonfuls of the cream mixture on top of the batter in the pan. Using a knife, swirl the cream into the bread batter. Spread the remaining batter on top.

8. Next, prepare the crumb topping. Place all of the crumb topping into a medium bowl and use your hands to work it into a coarse crumb texture. Sprinkle the crumb mixture on top of the bread batter.

9. Place the pan into the oven for 1 hour, rotating pan halfway through baking. Check again after 40-45 minutes and if the top is getting too brown, cover with aluminum foil for the last ten minutes. Remove from the oven and let bread cool in the pan until the pan is cool to the touch. Then, dump the brush out onto a wire cooling rack, and flip back over so that the crumb topping is on top. Let cool completely.

10.. Meanwhile, prepare the icing. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix all of the icing ingredients until the icing is thick enough to just slowly drip off a spoon. Either drizzle the icing over the bread or cover it in icing.

If you liked this recipe, you may also like:
Vegan Apple Cinnamon Streusel Bread  |  Coconut Oil Banana Bread  | Lemon Lavender Muffins

For more from Abby, be sure to follow her on social media:
Instagram  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Pinterest

Taylor's Makeup Wishlist

One of the biggest things I struggled with for my wedding day was what makeup to wear!  Today, Taylor from Dear Friends is taking over the blog to talk about what's on her makeup wish list!  Thanks Taylor for popping in!

Hey friends!

My name is Taylor Lanier and I am taking over the blog for Betsy today! I have a beauty and lifestyle blog over on Dear Friends, so come and check me out when you get the chance! Today, I want to share with you all the top 5 things that are on my makeup wishlist. This is a super random post, but I wanted to share it with you friends anyways. Let me know in the comments section below if you have tried any of these things that I am about to mention! I would love to hear other poeple's opinions about these products!

Let's jump in to my wishlist!

1 // The Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette
This is something that has been on my wishlist...practically since the first one came out. I absolutely adore the Milk Chocolate bronzer, so I assume that this is no exception to the Too Faced chocolate train.

2 // Makeup Geek Foiled Eyeshadows
Another thing that has been on my wishlist for a while. I have heard so many people on YouTube raving about them constantly that I feel as if it is my duty, as a beauty blogger, to try them as soon as I can!

3 // ELF Smudge Pots
ELF is a brand that I have loved for a very long time. (For those who don't know, "ELF" stands for "eyes. lips. face.") They have so many wonderful products that I have had the opportunity to try out, but I still have yet to try a few of the classic items, such as the smudge pots.

4 // Ben Nye Banana Powder
This powder is supposedly one of the best powders to set your under eye area. And, it lasts forever. And, you get a lot of product in the packaging. And, it's super cheap. It's $15 for a HUGE tub of it that you will never be able to use up. I can't wait to add this product to my collection.

5 // Colour Pop Matte Liquid Lipsticks
I love the Colour Pop brand as a whole. I have absolutely no complaints about the brand.

Well.

Okay, I do have one.

Shipping usually takes a while.

Other than that, Colour Pop is by far one of my favorite makeup brands. If you haven't tried anything from the brand, you're missing out, my friend! The liquid lipsticks are something completely new to the brand and I can't wait to get my hands on some of them!

That's it today, dear friends. I hope you enjoyed my super random guest post! Let us know in the comments section below, what are the top 5 things on your makeup wishlist? Have you tried any of the things that are on my wishlist? If so, are they worth it?

I can't wait to read your answers! And be sure to come and hangout out with me for a little while over in my corner, Dear Friends. I can't wait to see y'all there!

Taylor

Forever Fick

Just popping in to say that we're getting married today!  

Eeep!  It's crazy to me that this day is finally here, and I'm so excited to walk down the aisle, say "I do," and start a marriage with AJ!  

Thank you all so much for your well wishes, love, and putting up with my crazy Instagram countdown over the past few days!  I love this community and all of you and I'm so excited to become Mrs. Fick and share all of the beautiful details of our day with you guys in a few weeks!  

See you in September!

The Guys Behind the Blog // August Edition

Hey friends!  I'm taking a break from all of these awesome guest posts (thanks SOOO much to these girls!) and dropping in with this month's Guys Behind the Blog!  I'm so excited to be marrying AJ tomorrow.  (Holy. Cow.), and so in the spirit of celebrating wedding week, Laura and I decided to theme this month's questions around love!  So grab your guy and join us this week for our fun little link-up! 



1. How did you meet your significant other?
We met working at our church! We worked in the youth department and we were a great team.. So we figured that that would translate well into a relationship. It was all business and I was very cool/smooth the whole time it was all developing... of course ��

2. What is your top love language? What is your significant other's love language?
I don’t even really remember. But since it IS wedding week for us, I will say that it was Betsy. #BrowniePoints

3. If you're engaged or married, how did you propose? If you are not, how did you ask your girl out?
My love languages are Quality time and Physical touch, and Betsy’s are Quality time and Acts of Service.

4. Share a funny wedding story with us - it could be from your own or one you attended.
This was not funny at the time, and is still not funny to me... But we went to the wedding of a few church friends a while back and during the bouquet toss, Betsy of course was in the right place at the right time and caught the flying flowers. Being extroverted as she is, of course, when they had called for the ladies to come up for the toss she went up without much hassle. After she caught the bouquet and the newly married couple were preparing for that weird garter thing that people do, I was putting up a fight and very adamant that I wouldn’t play along. Right as they were about to start, I thought I was home free still sitting at our table when all of a sudden Betsy’s uncle yelled out in front of like 200 people calling me out and making me the center of attention... which I hate. OF COURSE I ended up with the garter, after everyone else in the group of guys dodged it.. Worst Wedding Experience EVER. 

(Can you tell he's an introvert?)

5. On the topic of love, who was your childhood crush?
I hired a team of people (aka family) to help convert our church’s worship center after the last Christmas eve service. It was all decked out and pretty and stuff and we added tons of candles down the aisle to make it super nice and fire hazardy. We had my aunt, who is Betsy’s boss, send her off on some mindless task far away from that room so that she didn’t stumble in... and I played some pretty music through the speakers. Then we called her down into the worship center, she didn’t realize what was happening at first, and then immediately started crying haha. It was a lot of fun to plan and I had a lot of great people and family members convert the room as fast as possible ... all so I could stumble over my words and only pray that Betsy understood the words coming out of my mouth.


We want to hear from you! What are you dying to know about the guys behind the blogs? What is a funny question you want us to ask your guy? What is your favorite ice breaker question? September's questions for The Guys Behind the Blog will be completely reader submitted so get your thinking caps on and ask away. Please submit your questions using the form below or here.We will choose our favorites and announce the top five questions on Monday, September 14th if you'd like to link-up with us on Thursday, September 24th.

September Link-Up Questions (the link-up goes live on Thursday, September 24th!)

1 // What's the silliest thing you and your significant other have needed to compromise on?
2 // If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 3 must haves would you bring with you?
3 // Talents aside, what is your dream job?
4 // What are three things on your bucket list?
5 // What kind of date is your favorite to go on with your significant other? (Romantic, fun, spontaneous, etc.)

I hope you'll join in on the fun!  Grab the questions for this month and interview your guy, then link up with us below!

An InLinkz Link-up

He Said, She Said // On Marriage and Love

Ok, I am SO excited about today's guest post!  It's totally fitting with our wedding just two days away (eek!).  Rebecca's interview with there husband about marriage and love is adorable and wise and filled with advice that I'll be taking to heart!  Thanks so much, Rebecca, for taking over the blog in my absence today!



Hi everyone - I'm Rebecca and I'm delighted to be guest posting today for the lovely Betsy! I am so excited for her and AJ getting married this month - I've loved following along with their long distance relationship, seeing their sweet engagement story, and I cannot wait to see the wedding photos. It is truly 'wedding' month - the 17th is my anniversary - so in honor of that I thought it might be fun to talk all things wedding and marriage - with both me and my husband, whom I call M.

M and I met in London, where we were both living at the time, back in 2010. We started dating a few months later and within 2.5 years we were married...it was without a doubt a whirlwind romance!

How long did you date before you got engaged?

• Him:1 year and 5 months, is it?
• Her: (counting on fingers…) Yeah that’s right!
• Him: Boom! Husband’s on fire.

When did you realize that you wanted to marry the other person?

• Him: The first date. I was in total shock, that someone that perfect for me was out there.
• Her: Yep. By the end of the first date! I went home and told my flatmate that I thought I would marry him. She (naturally) thought I was a little bonkers.
• Him: Game, set, match!

How did you realize?

• Him: I couldn’t stop smiling. She just kept surprising me all day. And I knew every day since then - I just couldn’t wait to see her, find out more about her, and every day she was more interesting than the day before. And that’s still happening. 
• Her: I was just amazed at how comfortable I felt with him. I had never felt so at ease being 100% ME, and certainly not on a first date! It's true what they say - we just 'clicked'. I felt it from the very beginning. After that it just became more and more clear; he was the most fun person I'd ever spent time with. We have had some hilarious moments together!

What do you remember of first trips together?

• Him: The New Forest - still one of the best trips ever. Getting lost in The Deverills which we’ve still never even found on a map. Mountain biking together, staying in weird places, not booking anywhere. Blagging our way into a place to stay because I claimed to know a famous footballer (soccer player). The wild horses in the countryside, the windy roads. Arriving at a fancy place with no reservation and being turned away but not caring. And despite all the things going wrong she was still laughing and having fun and I never felt any pressure to impress her. It was that trip that made me realize she just wanted to be with *me* and that was the happiest moment of my life then. Plus we were having so much fun - I never laughed so much in my life.
• Her: Well the New Forest was our first weekend away together and it was a brilliant trip. But Torquay was our first trip out of London together, so that always comes to mind, even if it was only a day trip. That trip showed me just how much I liked him already. It was only our 2nd or 3rd week dating and he texted me in the middle of a weekday saying he had to go out to Torquay - known as 'the English Riviera' - the following day, and did I fancy joining him. I got the all clear from my boss to take a last minute day off and when we caught the train I had all these flutters in my stomach from nerves and excitement. I couldn't remember the last time I'd done something so spontaneous, simply because I wanted to. It POURED the whole time we were there - but we still had fun.

How did it go meeting the other person’s family for the 1st time?

• Him: I met her family first. Rebecca's parents arrived in Canary Wharf, I popped out while I was working. They were so happy to see her because they hadn’t seen her in a while. Oh yea, I remember that I wanted to impress them and didn’t own a car so I rang up EuRopcar rentals and told them I wanted the biggest car they had so we could take them up to Windsor Castle and they gave me a tiny car and they could barely see out the windows in the backseat. And I got lost! And her parents didn’t care, they were just so happy to see their daughter. I’d never met parents like them. They were really welcoming. And I thought you don’t marry a person, you also marry their family, so that sealed the deal really, a big bonus that her family are awesome.
• Her: I think the story of me meeting M's family requires its own blog post...I met them before we planned a trip back. It was at Christmastime, and I got caught in that horrible snowstorm in London and all the flights had been canceled for days, thousands of people were stranded in the London airports because hotels were all booked for the holidays. Your dad managed to get us both on one of the only planes flying out to Ireland and we planned on me trying to get home from Ireland since they hadn't had the snow London had. That visit was FILLED with mishaps galore - funny things out of all of our control - but I think it was better that way. I didn't have the chance to get nervous because it was so impromptu. His parents were so warm and inviting, and they made me feel completely at home. They knew how badly I wanted to see my family for Christmas and did everything they could to make it happen; and yet they made sure I knew that if I couldn't get out to the US, I would be wholly welcomed at their house too. I really felt that, too. I love his family!

What was your favorite part about your wedding?

• Him:  Two things: one was turning and seeing Rebecca at the end of the church. I was completely gobsmacked and overcome with emotion, and had to tell myself to pull it together. And that moment just before she put the ring on my finger because she looked at me nervously with this grin, biting her bottom lip. Like she didn’t believe it was going to happen until that moment.
• Her:  Absolutely everything. I loved our day so, so much. We both had so much fun celebrating with everyone - we danced all. night. long. The music was wonderful, the food was delicious, the Cathedral looked beautiful, and I LOVED the cake. Seriously - the only thing that could have made the day any better was if my brother and sister could have been there.  

What 3 words describe marriage (so far) for you:

• Him:  United team forever. That’s the thing for me - it’s forever. Knowing that Rebecca is my wife makes me feel solid as a man. This is what I’m supposed to be in life- her husband. And that gives me the confidence to be good in whatever I do.
• Her:  Commitment. Partnership. And Joy. We are fully committed to each other. This is forever, no matter what. And we have to work as partners to support each other in everything - parenting, the household, etc. We work really well together and we will have to do that in everything that comes up in life! And being this team together makes me so happy - I can't imagine how I'd ever have more joy in my life!

What's your favorite thing about being married?

• Him:  Trust. I can rely on her no matter what happens.
• Her:  Nightly foot rubs! Kidding ;)  Knowing that together we can do anything, handle anything that comes our way.

What was the hardest thing to get used to about marriage?

• Him:  It’s only been positive. The things that people say they miss about being single, I don’t miss.
• Her:  I'd say the need for everything to be communicated clearly. It's not new to marriage exactly, it carries through from dating, but living together and especially parenting now means that we really need to communicate constantly, even about little things that I wouldn't have thought about previously.

How do you resolve disagreements?

• Him:  “Happy wife, happy life!” In the times we have had disagreements I can see that I looked to win an argument rather than solve a problem. And that’s the biggest learning - if there’s a problem, it needs solving. It’s not a battle that needs to be won. A successful marriage means me leaving the debating team.
• Her:  We don't disagree often, and when we do it's usually about something small or even silly in hindsight. Sometimes it probably wouldn't even become a disagreement except that we both decide to dig in our heels and try and 'win' for whatever reason. Resolving it means that one of us has realized what we're doing and stopped playing tug of war on the topic. A simple "I'm sorry" goes a long way.

What's been the biggest surprise about marriage?

• Him:  Parenthood. It’s been the most amazing gift. I never knew I wanted to be a dad until I met Rebecca, and then I knew immediately that I wanted to have kids with her.
• Her:  How we can be so cohesive as a unit! I know we joke and call ourselves the team, but truly it surprises me how much we have gotten on the same page about nearly everything, and how I know his mind on topics and how he will react to situations. It's wonderfully unexpected to know someone that well.  

What are your marriage goals?

• Him:  Keep it fresh. Not let it go stale. It happens, people say it’s life, but I’m very conscious of that and want to keep the romance alive. I see my parents, they’re so romantic, and I’d like to aim for that. Go as if to never give up on each other, to always support each other, to always find a way to talk it through. To know when to just shut up - I hope I always know that! And I hope that her writing takes off - I really want to support her in that, no matter what it means, because I can see it makes her happy. I know I joked "happy wife, happy life", but truly "Happy Rebecca; Happy Mike". And I would like to think that I’ll be closer to God at the end of everything. I was close to Him, then I wasn’t, and then we both grew closer to Him together. And I'd like that to be more of a focus in our marriage and our life. The family that prays together stays together.
• Her:  To learn how to be the best wife that I can be. I know that parenting has taken the forefront at the moment, but I want to be a great wife too. I want him to be happy with our life and where it takes us. I want to continue to grow as a couple, not just as parents or a family - I want us to continue to learn about each other, continue to show each other how much we love the other. And yes, I want us to grow together in God's love too, to pray together, to teach our children how to pray as a family. And I want more date nights!! :)  

What advice do you have to anyone just getting married?

• Him:  My advice to a newlywed: remember your vows. It is a promise - in front of friends, and in front of God. To me I’m married forever - until death do us part - and that is my intention. Remember that this is new to the other person too. Talk about things, about your feelings, about any doubts or insecurities. If there’s ever mistrust, talk about it before it becomes something big. If you’re unhappy about anything, talk about it. It sounds so simple but communication is the key! Always remember why you married this person - even in times of upset or frustration. Life is short. Make every day count! Surprise each other. Blog together. ;) Love each other.
• Her:  Remember that you're always on the same side! To M's point on the disagreements, you're a team. No matter what happens, you've got to solve the problem together. Always have that in mind. If you haven't done premarital counseling, talk about all the big stuff ahead of time - i.e. joint or separate bank accounts, how you will discipline any potential children, who will handle what chores, even where you will spend Christmas. It sounds pretty simple but you can assume you know the other's answer on little things like that and then be surprised- figure it all out now together! Figure out what makes the other person laugh and do it often. I find that nothing breaks the ice more than laughing together.

Thank you so much Betsy for having me today - wishing you and AJ all the best for a beautiful wedding day and a lifetime of happiness, love, and laughter!!  

You can find more of Rebecca over at The Adventures of Bug and Boo  and on Instagram       Twitter  Pinterest  

Community Within The Blogging World

Well friends, I'm super excited to have one of my blogging besties taking over today while I'm continuing the last-minute wedding madness!  Emily is so sweet...I honestly don't even remember how we crossed paths, but I do remember Emily emailing me one day asking if I had any tips on how to help a link-up gain momentum, and over a year later, her Grateful Heart Mondays is kicking butt!  You definitely need to check it out if you never have.  Additionally, Em and I have spent a bunch of time emailing or tweeting or texting and she's my go-to on all things Nashville, where she currently resides with her husband and where AJ and I plan to relocate to someday!  Em's here to talk about one of my favorite things...community!  So give her a warm welcome and enjoy her super practical tips on how to find community in the world of blogging!

Hello, dear HTB readers! I'm so excited to be over here with you all while our sweet Betsy is celebrating all things MRS! 

Being a full-time blogger, I'm often asked (especially by non-bloggers) what I like the most about my "job." This, of course, after their first question: What is a blog? ;) Aside from the fact that I honestly just love to write, my response tends to always lead back to my love for the blogging community. Never in a million years did I imagine I'd make the friendships I've made in the blogging world. Was it something I hoped for? Definitely, but I didn't know just how genuine and real and close some of those friendships would be. Today, I thought I'd share some of the benefits of being part of a blogging community, as well as various ways to find it.

I took a quick poll on Twitter and asked the question, "Dear Bloggers, what is your favorite thing about the Blogging Community?" Here are some of the responses I received:

  

 

 

 

 

  

Here are three of my own personal favorite things about the Blogging Community: 

• No explanations needed. These people, while you may not see them in person everyday (or ever, for that matter), do understand what goes into blogging, what it takes to balance it all, the frustrations you feel when you reach the blogging burnout or fall into a writing rut, as well as your excitement to write about the most random things. They get it, whereas your IRL (in real life) friends may not always understand. There are no explanations needed with your blogging community. 

• Support/Help. Not only are these people there for you when you go through all blogging-related moments, but they are also your biggest fans, regular readers, promoters, and technical helpers. I can't tell you how many times I have emailed Anne to ask her a blogging or technical question. Half the time I swear neither of us has the answer but two is better than one and somehow we find the solution together. (I will say though, if you're ever looking for a how-to for anything blogging related, Anne's blog is your place to go.) The blogging community on Twitter is also something fierce. Within minutes of tweeting a question, you'll have many answers - case in point in my Twitter question above!

• Self improvement. A great blogging community will make you want to be a better blogger. This is not to be confused with comparing your work to someone else's, but I believe that when you surround yourself with other creatives, especially in your field, if you can maintain a positive mindset it will only propel you to work harder, try new things, and inspire you to create from a deeper place. 

So how do you find community within the blogging world? Here are some good places to start:

• Read other blogs, comment on posts you connect to, and respond to the comments on your own blog posts. My close friendships in the blogging world all started by reading their blogs, commenting, and responding to their own comments on my blog posts. To keep track of the blogs I aim to read on a daily or weekly basis, I use Bloglovin'. (This is also a great and easy way for others to follow your blog.)

• Facebook groups & Twitter chats. Betsy has done an incredible job building the community in The Peony Project, a Facebook group where you can share your posts and social media, as well as get to know other bloggers. There is so much encouragement given by this group of gals! Twitter chats are also a great place to 'make new friends' within the blogging world and can be a fun way to introduce yourself as you answer the questions in the chats. 

• Sponsor other blogs. Yes, you usually have to pay to sponsor another blog but what better way to be introduced to a group of bloggers/readers you've never "met" before than having someone else promote you? When you sponsor another blogger, your picture/ad will be sitting pretty on the side of their blog and, depending on how you're sponsoring them, you may also get your own feature/guest post. I really recommend choosing an ad spot that includes a guest post or an introduction of sorts so that the blogger can introduce you personally to her readers. This spot may also include social media shout outs, or the blogger sharing your posts with her followers throughout the month.  

• Join/Host linkups. There are a number of fabulous linkups out there, a place where you can not only share your own posts with others but can also get to know other bloggers. Here are some of my favorites that happen weekly: 

 MONDAY- Grateful Heart (eh hem, this is my linkup so I may be biased but this one is all about starting your week out on a positive by focusing on what to be grateful for.), Meet Up Monday (share any post!)

 TUESDAY- Creative Closet (Weekly fashion prompts), Tuesday Talk (share any recent post!) 

 WEDNESDAY- Bloggers Give it 100 (join Kendra, Lora & Melissa as they provide encouragement for all things fitness), The Wednesday Showcase (link up DIY's, recipes, tips and tricks, travel inspiration and more!)  

 THURSDAY- Makeup Mixup (weekly makeup prompts)  

 FRIDAY- Blogger Love (a time for you to share your favorite posts written by other bloggers), Friday Favorites (self explanatory!) 

*There are also MONTHLY LINKUPS: The Golden Vlog (get in front of the camera to answer Faith's fun monthly questions!), The Awesome Linkup (share 10 awesome things about the past month), Conversations (share your most favorite conversation of the past month), The Guys Behind the Blog (interview your guy and share the results - so funny), Twelve Months of Bliss (also mine! ;) We're already in month two of this twelve month linkup but it's never too late to join in!), Between the Lines (a blogger's book club!) 

What do you love the most about the blogging community?

Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Don't be a stranger!

Want more blogging advice? Check out these posts:

General Tips //
Blogging 101:   Getting Started
Blogging 102:  Taking It to the Next Level
10 Go-To Post Ideas
5 Ways to Get More Comments on Your Blog Posts
5 Things Every Awesome Blog Post Has
Organize Your Blog + DIY Blog Binder

Sponsors, Income, & Legal //
How to Make Money Blogging
Managing Blog Sponsorships with Passionfruit
3 Laws You Might Be Breaking as a Blogger
Writing Sponsored Content:  Why You Shouldn't Work for Free

Photography & Design // 
Blogging + Photography
Customizing Your Blog:  Changing the Case of Your Date & Post Headers
Adding Text to Your Blog Images

Social Media //

Utilizing Social Media to Grow Your Blog

How to Boost Engagement on Your Blog's Facebook Page

Community //

Blog with Purpose:  Creating and Engaging a Community Through Your Blog

Dear Blogger, Advice From a Friend
The Blogging Game:  Why We Do What We Do

Broccoli Grape Salad

Today's post has my mouth watering as Kendra from Open Spaces brings you a yummy-looking recipe for Broccoli Grape Salad!  Broccoli Salad is a staple at any Gettis picnic, but I can't say that I've ever added grapes to it...genius!  Kendra is such a sweetheart and I'm excited to share her writing and photography skills with you today...her easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step photos will have you whipping up this salad and being the hit of the party at your next cookout!  Thanks Kendra!

Hey guys I'm so excited to be guest posting for Betsy, so that she can go enjoy married life with some ease :) You can typically find me blogging over at Open Spaces, but today I'm excited to be sharing this family recipe for the first time. With a few simple changes we made this into a "healthier" version of it's former self. 

This recipe has been passed down from family member to family member. I love being at my mom's house because you can ask her for any recipe and she pulls out adorable boxes of recipe cards just like this one. There are adorable notations and variations marked all over each card. The character and stories behind each card are irreplaceable. 

BROCCOLI GRAPE SALAD RECIPE:

Ingredients:

-1 cup plain yogurt (original recipe calls for mayo)
- 2 Tbs honey (original recipe calls for sugar)
- 1 Tbs vinegar
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 bunch broccoli flowerets (I usually add a bit more)
- 1 cup red grapes, halved
- 1/2 cup cooked, chopped bacon
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 1 package slivered almonds, toasted

Once you gather all of your ingredients you want to start mixing all of your liquid ingredients together. After you mix your liquid ingredients together, add your raisins, this allows the raisins to soften a bit. 

Next, prepare the rest of your ingredients and combine them together into a separate bowl.  

After you have allowed your raisins to rest in your sauce mixture (ideally an hour or so, but if I'm in a rush I only allow them to soak while I'm chopping everything else up)

Once your sauce & raisin mixture has combined, stir it into the rest of your prepared ingredients. Now this is the best part, all of the delicious aromas will be begging you to begin putting your fingers in and pull out a bite, but resist all temptations....

Because if you begin eating already you will be missing one of my favorite parts, the toasted almonds. 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit, then lay out your slivered almonds onto a baking sheet and toast for 5-10 minutes. Keep an eye on them because they can over cook quickly if you get distracted for too long... I'm speaking from experience :) 

After everything is combined, almonds included, allow your salad to chill before serving. When the flavors are well combined you will be drooling over your healthy summer salad. 

I love to serve this as a side dish or sometimes I just add some grilled chicken and call it a meal. Hope you all enjoy! 

Lunch By the Lake With Jesus

Today, I'm happy to welcome Holly to the blog!  Holly is the girl behind Holly-Loo-Ya, and is such an inspiring and encouraging woman of God!  I met Holly through The Peony Project and I love her heart for Christ and the way she cares for others!  She's also the girl behind Christ Blog RT, which is a Twitter account dedicated to sharing the gospel and promoting faith-based bloggers!  Holly is here today to share her lunch at the lake and how she takes those times to spend with Jesus!

Do you remember the commercials where people got extremely aggravated and lost their cool because they needed a Snickers? Jesus is my Snickers

It is embarrassingly pathetic how obvious it is when I haven’t had my Snickers.

Somehow (and I seriously can’t imagine how) I manage to convince myself that I don't always need my Snickers. That I don't need my Snickers every single day. I'd never openly admit I don't need my Snickers. I don't have to, my actions do all the talking.

So why do I often ignore my longing for the sweet treat that is Jesus? Maybe because when you eat the same thing everyday it can get kinda, well...boring. If Jesus’ mercies are brand new every morning, then it must be me who’s being repetitive. So when I lose my desire to spend quality time with Jesus, I know it’s time for a change. This past Saturday, I packed up a lunch and invited some friends to the lake for a bible study. I wanted to spend time with God in a special way. If I can plan a hike to “get some exercise” then I can plan a lakeside lunch to “get some Jesus.”

I was reminded of the importance of keeping my relationship with Jesus fresh. It shouldn’t always be the same old thing and it doesn’t have to be boring.
My relationship with God is the center of my world. It's the first thing I encounter when I wake up each morning. It's every decision I make, every obstacle I overcome, every sense of comfort and peace. Every breath I take is attributed to the Holy Spirit living within me. They say we only pray as much as we believe prayer works. So by God's grace I am challenging myself to invest in my relationship with Him and always, always remember just how bad I need a Snickers.

5 Things I've Learned from Living in a Small Town

Today I'm welcoming Hannah of Just Bee to the blog!  Hannah lives in a small town and is stopping by today to share some of the things she's learned living in a small community!  I love Hannah's heart and her photography makes me swoon!  So many of these pics are reminiscent of nearby Lancaster, and I love looking at these images from her life and the things she gets to see every day!  Enjoy!



Hi there! My name is Hannah and I blog over at Just Bee. I'm thrilled to be joining you here today at Heavens to Betsy! I have admired Betsy's blog and her heart for a long time, so this is an honor. :)



Just Bee is a lifestyle blog with a unique perspective: I talk about small towns and the country. Quite a bit. I can't help it - I love anything rural, plus it's my reality! Currently, my husband Bjorn and I live in a very small (as in, population 600) town in Minnesota. In fact, it's so small that when we say we're "going to town," we actually mean we're heading about 10 miles over to the larger small town that actually has a grocery store and a Wal-Mart. ;) We're renting a house in town now, but we do have plans to build and live in the country (yup, no neighbors and all). Most of the farm pictures you see on my Instagram account are taken at my in-laws' nearby farm, where we spend a good amount of time! Either way, whether we're hanging out at that farm place or at our house, we're surrounded by beautiful farmland. Acres and acres of corn and soybeans soar out from the road on both sides. So instead of a stunning city skyline, we've got stunning country sunsets. And I'm not complaining!



Coming from an upbringing in the suburbs - in small cities, I've had to adjust a bit to small town life. I'm not here to bash it or glorify it today - I just want to share with you honestly what I've learned thus far.

5 Things I've Learned From Living In a Small Town

1 // Pretty much everyone knows you…but that's okay. You will recognize people, often. And people will recognize you. You will start saying "hi" to people you've never officially been introduced to, because you vaguely know each other's stories anyway! I moved down here as a new teacher in the community, and even if there hadn't been that newspaper article written about the new hires in the district ;) , people still would've known who I was. My husband grew up here so initially I could feel eyes on me everywhere I went, even when people didn't strike up a conversation. I used to be a bit uncomfortable with this fact, considering I felt like I had an image of a put-together, young professional to uphold at all times. Plus, growing up, I was used to running errands at Target with the chance of seeing someone I knew, not the certainty. But after living in this small town for almost 2 years, I've come to realize that people think about you less than you think they do (haha), and most of all, they know you just have to live your life. So gone are the days when I cringe walking into Wal-Mart behind a student and parents I know, because I haven't got makeup on. Gone are the days when I cringe because I'm buying toilet paper and a toothbrush and I'm at the register in front of my co-workers. They know I'm a human and I have to live my life - whether it be a tired-in-the-evening or a makeup-less or an I-just-worked-out life. And you know what? They're humans too. They may be wiped from their day and not all that eager to chat or be recognized either. So I've learned to smile, chat if they'd like, and then just move on. It took a lot of pressure off when I finally realized this.

 2 // Not "treating yourself" becomes easier. You know the pulled-together Saturday look - I go to yoga class, I get my nails done afterwards, and then I stop by Starbucks on the way home. Although I never got that intense with luxury before, without all of those options around me now, I don't have the opportunity to treat myself to countless little treats/outings I may be tempted to try. And I've learned, "treating myself" doesn't have to be the norm. I never thought I'd say this :) , but living without a Starbucks is actually not the worst thing ever. Incidentally, I've also learned that a frothy, classy drink isn't a "right" I have or something I "deserve" at the end of a hard day. Sure, I really miss it (I spent many years of my life getting in the habit of doing homework or blogging at coffee shops), but I've discovered that simply heading home after work is not only great for my wallet but also for my mentality. We do have a DQ in town, but living 10 miles away makes it a LOT easier to avoid the temptation to drop $5 here and there each day. Instead of Starbucks, I've really learned to settle into our home and allow that to be my quiet, inspirational space to get things done - something that I've struggled with for a long time. It's a breath of fresh air to realize that I'm saving money and enjoying productivity in the comfort of my own home.

 3 // It brings me closer to the Maker. This is my personal experience, because I know that every person's faith journey is different and your relationship with God may be affected by different things. But for me, living out here - every day brings with it a new glorious wonder pointing right back to our Creator! Being this close to the land gives me new opportunities to worship God. All you have to do in rural Minnesota is lift your eyes up, and immediately you're struck with awe. Daily we are blessed with quiet fields, gentle breezes, peaceful dirt roads, hidden creeks, mourning doves, brilliant colors, and endless skies! The heavens and the earth declare His glory!



4 // Driving is totally different. The lack of traffic is amazing. Not having a rush hour is even more wonderful than I had anticipated. Growing up in a city, I've always been accustomed to traffic - whipping around corners, accelerating and braking quickly, rush hour madness… In fact, Bjorn had to reteach me quite a bit when it came to my "city driving" tendencies to rev the vehicle and slam on the brakes, even accelerating when I had to go up a hill to a stoplight! I have to say, my gas mileage is much better now - and I'm being more respectful and responsible with our cars, too! Even parking situations are great in our town. I started out constantly asking Bjorn, "Is it okay if I park here?" "Am I allowed to park on this street?" It turns out, people aren't super uptight about where I park my vehicle, as long as it's out of the way. ;) It's so low-key and it's wonderful not worrying about possibly being towed. My first 2 years of teaching, I had a 30 minute (19 mile) drive to work, and I rarely had to slow down, let alone stop, for the whole drive at 55 mph! I loved that consistency and having absolutely no tension with watching other unpredictable drivers on the on and off ramps. Bjorn and I do still get up to the Twin Cities sometimes for different events, and I'm comfortable driving around larger cities…but the traffic is still just maddening and the hassle of parking can frustrate even the most easygoing driver! So I never considered my long rural drive to be a negative thing (except in the winter), because every morning I had 30 minutes to watch the sun rise and splash oranges and pinks all over the fields surrounding me. Not a bad way to start a work day and get my heart in the right place!



5 // It's a great childhood to have.

Back when Bjorn and I were dating, I'd visit his family's farm for the weekend, and one of his sisters graciously let me stay in her room. And that is when I truly began to fall in love with the land my husband grew up on. Every morning, I'd slide out of bed early and tiptoe to the window so I could look across the fields. Over and over, I'd whisper praises to God for this stunning scenery, sometimes with a pang of jealousy for this rural childhood Bjorn had...but mostly with a desire for my kids to have the same. "What a blessing to have this life," I told myself. "Once I live here, I'll never take it for granted."



My husband and his siblings and cousins grew up playing outdoors, like I did - but they had an entire farmyard to explore and enjoy! They've learned many skills that I didn't - things like showing animals at the fair, taking care of farm animals, riding horses, driving various equipment, and learning a lot about farming just through exposure and experience. Another blessing about childhood in towns like this is that family is often nearby - usually in town, in the area, or a couple hours away. I love this aspect. Family is so valuable to me and I want that same experience for my kids someday! I often find myself thinking, This would be a wonderful place for a kid to grow up! This thought is really encouraging and exciting as we imagine the wide-open, adventurous life we'll get to have with our kids someday!



Thanks for reading along! I hope you learned a few new things about small town life…or perhaps some of these points resonated with you! Do you live in a small town? Or come from one? I'd love to hear about your experiences below! For more glimpses into our rural Minnesota life among other topics like food, tips & tricks, travel, and marriage, come follow along at Just Bee! You can follow Just Bee on Bloglovin’, Facebook, and Instagram!