Linking up with A Happy Wife in New Orleans today about all things wedding related! I linked up to with my first post that I wrote when we returned from our honeymoon. I loved looking at all the pictures and feeling that same excitement. We’ve been married 3 months now and I can honestly say I love this life even more than the day we got married! I’ll take that as a good sign. 😉
Post found here.
Today is a pretty big deal. So we made it an even bigger deal in our classroom! We talked about voting, what it means to vote, and why we vote for our president. I could see all of my kids getting dreamy-eyed about the day they turn 18 and get the right to vote for such an important office.
We read Duck for President and even had our own mini election. We just finished reading Jennifer Murdley’s Toad during our oral reading time as a class and so I put the next book up to a vote…
Matilda won by a landslide.
Well, I’m off to go enjoy a date with a bearded man and watch the votes roll in later!
So I took a little break.
After some comments and conversations I just needed time to clear my head. This time of year school is beyond overwhelming and this space was a creative communication outlet for me. Something that helped ease the stress and give me a new hobby to enjoy. I had been feeling kind of apathetic towards the blog though. What was the point? Who reads this? Who wants to hear my thoughts? Am I really being creative? All I could think was no one. Nobody. Nothing. So I took it all offline for a few weeks. Unplugged.
I really questioned why I was blogging. What was my purpose and what makes it so appealing. Then I came across this post on Aspiring Kennedy. This is a new blog I’ve come across in the past few weeks and her bright and cheery attitude was just what I needed to read.
Blogging is becoming more of a common hobby. It’s something that brings people in an online community. It’s something that fosters creativity for many whether it be through writing, photography, crafting, or raising a family. I’ve wanted to break into the world of blogging for a while. It’s something that has been on my mind since college and I just never really committed the time or effort to such a project. I still don’t think I’ve found my blogging niche but I don’t see any other way of finding it then continuing to write and find my own style. It’s a growing process and growing isn’t always the easiest, but the end result is a beautiful thing.
So here I am. Trying this blogging thing, where it will lead I have no idea but I’m ready to get creating and searching for others who are doing the same.
Happy Monday!
Joining Jen and some other lovely ladies to recap the week in 7 little quickies.
1. Hallowednesday = Hallowcrazy. I feel like Halloween was so much more than just one day this year. We celebrated this weekend with friends (post later!) and continued the fun in the classroom this week with Halloween themed poems and a fun oozing pumpkin science experiment. I can definitely say that I have had my fill of trick or treating excitement, talk of costumes, and sugar buzzed kiddos and am ready to resume a more normal schedule next week. 😉 Above is a sneak peek of some Halloween fun that happened at our apartment last weekend.
2. Hurricane Sandy. I’m sure we’ve all been thinking a lot about those on the East coast. My heart has been with my family out there all week. There are a lot of great rescue and relief efforts going on right now and I saw a great educational website take away their subscriptions for the week. It was all so that kiddos on the East coast could still get some structured education time while being cooped up at home. Snaps for Brainpop Jr. being awesome.
3. Hello, anthro. Hi anthropologie. Hi pretty new things. Hi inspiration upon inspiration in your pretty little pages. Hi…no money in my wallet. Really in love with these, this and this.
4. Getting pinspired. And wanting to get started on a lot of holiday crafts…however, this 90 degree no-where-near-holiday-weather is killing that craft buzz. Hard.
5. Current aches and pains. I have been feeling like I am nearing the ripe old age of 80 all week between my muscles and bones aching away. BUT! I think I’ve figure out my shoulder/arm issues…the bag I carry to and from school is probably almost my body weight and I tend to kind of heave it on my body before heading out the door maybe pulling a muscle in the process. trendyhashtag-teacherproblems.
6. New blogs I’ve found & have been enjoying, maybe you will too:
Aspiring Kennedy
The Vintage Modern Wife
Coffee & Cardigans
7. Sorry for the hiatus…needed time to think. Anddddd (sorry too for starting two sentences in this post with ‘and’ yes, it is bothering me) that will lead into a post that will hopefully surface next week if the crazy subsides for now. I just needed to work some things over in the old noggin and I still am…but more on that later.
Woaaaaah left ya with a cliffhanger! Trying to spice these quickies up!
Have a blissfilled weekend.
This week in third grade we are talking about the solar system (one of my favorite units!). These are songs I use with my kiddos to introduce the solar system, order of the planets, Sun and Moon phases. These are also songs that have been stuck in my head all. week. long.
Enjoy!
Long week, hopefully not so long takes. Joining Jen and the ladies ova here!
This weekend was…busy and awesome. So many wonderful things going on and people to spend time with, celebrate with, and laugh with. I am completely exhausted this morning, but it’s a worthwhile and wonderful feeling.
Here are some pictures from the adventures that were had this weekend:
Friday night we took the train downtown and went to ’til Midnight at the Nasher. It was such a nice relaxing way to end the crazy that was last week. It was also nice to see so many different people in one spot. Young adults, college kids, families of all ages… it was a great time and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Telegraph Canyon was the band of the night. Good, good music – you should definitely check them out if you are in the Dallas area.
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| my train date |
Saturday we celebrated the marriage of a former college ministry friend! What an awesome, awesome wedding. It was also our first wedding to attend at a married couple. Long mushy story short: I like being married. Sosososo good. It was such a great time and we couldn’t be happier for the newly weds! I’m sure they are to accomplish many great and wonderful tasks in their lifetime together.
That afternoon we ventured out to Addison’s Oktoberfest! This was my first time at this event and it was a pretty good (albeit slightly overwhelming;) time! We went with my former college roommate and a new friend/usher from the wedding! Nothing makes me happier than meeting good, solid people and making new friends. (Sorry for the high res. cell phone pics, don’t be hatin’)
Yesterday was spent catching up on grading (I say that like I’m on top of things and I’m caught up…I’m not, promises), spending time together, and practicing with the band and Mass.
This should be our last crazy weekend for a while…I’m really looking forward to a looser schedule and more flexibility in the hopes that this might mean more sleep.
Monday, monday!
Another week, another set of (probably boring, but for some reason I think they are worth sharing) takes!
Joining Jen and other blog ladies (bladies?) and a few gents over here.
1. I got some serious enjoyment reading Bridget’s post about TGIF. It made me think about TV and making an event out of it rather than turning it on for noise. When I was living alone I did that a lot. I would come home from work, turn the TV on to a random channel and wait until I had something to do or go to. Looking back I feel bad wasting the time and money and not cherishing the silence more. We have yet to decide on cable yet but if we do I really want to make an event out of shows and made a big deal out of it. I remember being a kid, watching TGIF and looking forward to that time all week. I remember it being a great time for family too to just sit, unwind, and have a calm evening…not to mention I may have had a huge crush on Uncle Jesse from Full House…
2. It’s that time of the year. I started feeling not so great this week… but I suppose that’s just a part of the job! I remember getting colds and sickies in elementary school all the time and it’s pretty much the same for teachers. However, as a kid I was always up in that water fountain and being an adult I know better than to drink out of the germtastic sess pool.
3. Apartment progress: yup. I keep telling myself that this is the week we will get it together and really organize and find a place for everything. This wasn’t the week. Maybe next week…or the next… or never.
4. Friend’s wedding this weekend! I’m so excited to join in the celebration of a dear friend’s yes to holy matrimony tomorrow! It’s so weird that this will be the first wedding we get to go to as a married couple! Exciting, weird, and awesome all at the same time.
5. Nasher tonight. We will be heading downtown this evening to hang out with another couple at this lovely event! I’ve never been before and I’m sure it is to be a good time. Deets next week. Also check out all of the awesome things happening in Dallas this week? Fun! Free! Fabulous! Fou should be there! (I wanted to keep it alliterative.)
6. Fitness goals. Now that I am starting to find the groove that is to be had this school year I am starting to think about fitness goals that I want to achieve this school year. I lost a significant amount of weight in college (for me at least) and have kept it off since I hit my goal weight. I have been focusing on building up muscle and hitting other fitness goals. I have never been a lover of running but I feel like the more I do it the more I may be able to tolerate it somewhatmaybe. I am thinking of registering for a fun 5k this year after I get over the dying feel I get every time I start a jog.
7. As I said before, I haven’t been feeling well…but I have a really great bearded guy that lives with me that came home the other night and made this delicious soup for me! So wonderful and it has been super yum to bring to school for lunch the past few days. I’m sure you could also put it in the slow cooker and have it getting yummy all day. Try it, your welcome:
Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana
1. Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
3. Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.
4. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.
6. Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve.
I hope fantastic weekends are had by all!
I have fallen in love with this etsy shop. Thanks to the hub-beardy-bub for finding this wonderful place!
I was gifted by a friend last year for my birthday with this amazingwonderfulheavenly scrub. I love the scent, the way it feels after I wash it off…the only thing I don’t like is the price. My penny pinching pockets cannot justify the regular $70 habit this product entails. Because of this fact, I am always on the search for yummy scrubs and soaps made with ingredients that won’t bother my super sensitive overly emotional irritable skin (constant source of frustration) AND fit my budget.
Cue amazing etsy shop: we first ordered over the summer and tried the Your Morning Cup of Coffee scrub and the Mint & Vanilla Snow Day scrub. I am not ashamed to admit that if it were socially acceptable to eat that mint scrub out of the container with a spoon, I would have. It. smells. delicious. and leaves me feeling similarly to the fresh: Brown Sugar Body Polish but without the guilt of spending over half of our grocery budget. The shop owner send little slices of sample soaps to you when you place an order and with our first we received a little sliver of the Clarifying Activated Charcoal Facial Soap. Gift from God I tell you. I have never found a bar soap that agrees with my skin and I have tried pretty much every magical acne, sensitive skin soap under the sun. This soap is the perfect blend of harsh/gentle. I always feel clean and wonderful afterwards.
We just received our second order yesterday and once again went with the Mint & Vanilla Snow Day scrub and the Sweet Orange & Vanilla Bean body scrub. I also got a full size of the Charcoal Facial Soap. I am super excited to make good use of all of our new goodies and try the samples we received! I think our next order will consist of getting their Golden Pumpkin scrub. Delish.
This is not a sponsored post in any way. I just really love the products from this shop and thought I would share. I love supporting small businesses especially when they sell awesome things for great prices.
Have a splendid Thursday! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
(photo cred: all pictures are from DressGreen’s etsy shop)
Cafe Du Martin 
