Happy 4th of July!

Happy Independence Day! I woke up at 6 this morning with a giant urge to create something patriotic. I dug through my box of random things I save for emergencies like today and found this old book full of illustrations of US history.

I grabbed my go-to art supplies....

...and came out with a vintage patriotic banner! It was so easy and didn't cost a thing :)

Now I'm loving hanging out with my family and fiancé! 

Yes, we are all matching in florescent orange on Red, White, and Blue day. We were out at the parade promoting our church's upcoming Family Fun Fest this morning :)

Enjoy your weekend! I'm looking forward to watching fireworks at the park where Wes and I got engaged!

Lemon Cake Bars

I loved having Wes' parents here this week! It was fun to have our parents finally meet each other. 

I made these Lemon Cake Bars for dessert :)

They were delicious and so easy to make! No crazy ingredients, I had everything here already. The consistency is similar to a brownie, so not spongy. They are very light and lemony--perfect for Summer!

Slightly adapted from here.

Ingredients
6 Tablespoons butter
1 2/3 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/3 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
2/3 cup sugar   

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F.
Cream butter and sugar.
Stir in eggs.
Stir in lemon extract.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
Stir in milk until well combined.
Pour into a greased and floured 13x9 inch pan.
Bake at 350F for 25 minutes.
Combine lemon juice and sugar in a bowl.
Pour over hot cake.
Bake for 5 additional minutes.
Cut into squares.

Its as easy as that! Enjoy :)

 I love Summer...only 13 more days until my fiancé arrives!

My Bridal Shower: What I Wore

These photos were taken by my sister Samantha. She does an amazing job! Check out her page Samantha Parsons Photography!