Winter

wowza! what a winter for Boston! in case you haven't heard, we broke our snow record with 108.6 inches this season. i'm glad we at least got some accomplishment out of all of this. we've had a few springlike days here and there as of lately but the forecast calls for snow showers and a high of 41 degrees today. i've always hated the winter weather here anywhere past Christmas time, but this year it was unusually hard for me. M was gone plowing for a lot of the big storms and i had to shovel out my car by myself and watch netflix all day (#firstworldproblems). on a more positive note, the weather this weekend looks beautiful and hopefully today and tomorrow will be the last trace of winter we will have. here are some spring looks i'm loving:

muscle tanks with girly split neck

relaxed tees

maxi dresses (of course)

oversized beach hat

BRING ON THE SPRING!!!

Abe's Market review

i've been a long time follower of Abe's Market on Instagram and browse their website quite often. Abe's Market sells all natural foods and health products from all different sellers. their website is easy to browse and has lots of customer reviews, which is always helpful. their customer service is great and they even responded to one of my Instagram comments (I felt super special!) i came across a 20% off your order coupon code (often found on their Instagram account) and decided it was time to make my first purchase! here's what I got:

 

Coconut Oil

I originally bought this to use as a moisturizer. I've been using it a few times a week and love it! My face feels so soft in the morning. And it smells like I'm going to bed on a tropical island at night :) I wouldn't use this during the day because it's pretty oily. I can't wait to use it in some baking and cooking. Anyone have any good recipes?

 

Dark Chocolate Coconut Fruit and Nut Almond Butter (say that ten times fast!)

Oh me, oh my! This almond butter is heaven on earth. It isn't overly chocolate and you can really taste the coconut, which I love. It wasn't very oily and I only had to give it one quick stir. I will store this in the fridge and it probably won't need any stirring. I put a tablespoon on top of my oatmeal this morning and it melted quickly and gave it so much flavor. In the future I will definitely be using this on some toast and in some smoothies. YUM!

 

Spinach Hair Shirataki Pasta

You must be warned- these noodles come in a bag with water. So, they feel  bit funny. Easy to make- rinse and boil for about a minute. I ate these with tomato sauce and some chicken but they seemed more of an Asian dish. They have all different varieties. Wonder what I'll try next!

 

Cranberry Pecan Granola

I honestly kind of picked this granola because it was one of the first ones that popped up when I searched for granola on the website. I seriously hit the jack pot with this one! It is not too sweet and the oats weren't too clumped together. There's a generous amount of pecans. I have enjoyed this sprinkled over some yogurt but is delicious enough to snack right out of the bag!

 

Buttermilk Protein Pancake Mix

Super easy to make! All you do is add water and stir. Tastes delicious with great texture! You can try these with a smear of peanut butter or a little bit of syrup. Now I need to invest in a nice griddle!

Now go order some natural whole foods!
((this is not a sponsored post- all opinions are my own))

valentine pairings

long time no post! this coming Saturday (less than a week away, boys!) just so happens to be my favorite holiday! i have been lucky enough to have the very best valentine for the past 7 years, so that could play a part in my opinion. but, ever since i was a little girl, i loved everything about the holiday... making and receiving cards, hearts, candy, red + pink everything, etc. my mom used to leave a little package at my bedside from "Cupid" on the morning of. in middle school, i spent valentine's afternoon analyzing the pre-made, pre-written valentine cards from all the boys, thinking there must be some underlying meaning to the ones they picked. oh, to be little again :)

M and I have made a tradition of cooking our valentine's dinner together every year. we usually pick something that wouldn't normally be on our weekday dinner menu. we will make a dinner and a dessert. this year we have decided on a sausage lasagna and coconut raspberry lemon cake. I'm beyond excited! here are some other yummy pairings!

 

buffalo chicken pizza// chocolate chip cookies

chicken marsala// rich chocolate cake

beef enchiladas// Spanish churros

sausage lasagna// coconut raspberry lemon cake

shrimp scampi// molten lava cake

 

what will you be doing this valentine's day?

just thought I'd share a few good deals circulating the web today! Kate Spade is having 25% off, including sale, with code BEMERRY! i just ordered a few wine/champagne totes. i thought they'd be the perfect gift for a friend. throw in a bottle of bubbly or wine and you have the cutest little present!

Loft is also having 40% off EVERYTHING! all you have to do is sign up for their emails. this is the perfect dress for a holiday party!

enjoy :)

Friday Favs

some things I'm lovin'...

yes, i already whipped out the bath and body works fall scented candles. it's not quite pumpkin season for me yet but this one hits the spot (smells a bit like apple, a bit like heaven)...

 

the.best.facial.cream. hands down. i have combination oily/dry skin and this one isn't too thick, isn't too oily, and blends well. it has been my savior for two years now. i don't usually use it all summer (i just use pure aloe) but now that the days have been getting cooler, i am reminded of how much i love this!

 

 

anddddd... i usually don't eat sugary breakfast cereals but i decided to try a box of these as a treat at night while i'm cuddling up on the couch. they are perfect because they aren't too sweet and made with whole grains. i may or may not have eaten a whole box this week.

 

 

 

enjoy the weekend!

 

products: candle, cream



Easy Fruit Dip

this may be a little silly to make a whole post about but i threw it together the other day and i ate it right up! best thing is, it is SO easy! i'm the type or person who needs to eat right away when they're hungry. so if i can create a healthy snack fast, that's a plus!

Peanut butter Fruit Dip
(seriously, i can hardly call this a recipe)

-Individual plain non-fat Greek yogurt
-Tablespoon of all natural peanut butter (no salt added)
-Fruit of your choice for dipping

Step 1: Stir peanut butter into yogurt cup
Step 2: Dip fruit in, do a little dance, eat it ALL

 

Suggested fruits to pair with dip: pineapple, banana, berries, grapes

 

Told ya it was easy :)

 

being a teacher, I am blessed to have my job always changing. it changes year to year. it changes day to day. of course, you can sense the most drastic change from year to year. this will be my fifth year with my own classroom. i honestly can't believe it's been that long! this will be my second year teaching third grade and i couldn't be more excited. every year, the first week of school, i set classroom goals and rules with my students. sometimes as a class, sometimes as individuals, and sometimes both. i decided to set some "hopes and goals" for myself this year and for my celebration of 5 years of teaching.

 

*hope for happiness for my students in and outside the classroom

*hope to understand the special needs of each individual student

*hope to bring excitement into lessons

*hope that my students feel safe and healthy this year (less colds for me!)

*hope to take more risks with teaching strategies and previous lessons

*hope my students love not only being with their friends, but learning too

*hope to develop a trusting relationship with parents

*not have to buy more than one electric pencil sharpener!

*leave the classroom feeling fulfilled at the end of the day

*reflect more

*read more read-alouds

*pick my battles

*be more ambitious with writing curriculum

*don't leave my cardigans on the back of my chair (i took home FIVE leftover in june)

 

to all my teacher friends and parents- i HOPE you enjoy this year too!