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!

What Makes a Friend?

okay- this picture is cool! the first was taken about 13 years ago, the second one taken this weekend. you can see we have traded in our pajamas for real clothes, put in the effort to actually style our hair, got a bit taller (okay- A BIT), and maybe the "blue house" was fixed up a bit. but, this picture means so much more. to me, this picture symbolizes true friendship. it can be hard getting older to stay close with friends. the inevitable gets in the way- lives get busier, careers are going full-force, families get started, etc. as i get older, i can fully understand what a friend is.

a friend is:
*someone who can make you laugh until you cry
*someone who understands your quirkiness
*someone you can text at 5am or 11pm
*someone who will listen when you're sad, say nothing, and still make you feels 100 times better
*someone you can eat a whole container of 5-layer Mexican dip, a large pizza, and fried mozzarella sticks with (and help you hide the evidence)
*someone who makes you feel your prettiest, even in sweats- and old navy pajamas
*someone who motivates you in life and your career, and most importantly...
*someone you are proud to stand next to

Iced Tea and a Memory Journal

monday means iced tea and crafting. i've finally mastered ice tea without it being too watery and decided i needed to stop slacking on my memory journal. a few years ago my apartment started getting cluttered with old cards, ticket stubs, maps, and papers that i wanted to keep forever, so i bought a huge blank sketch journal. i started gluing those precious memories in and recently, i haven't been so good about keeping up with the pages. today i have an unexpected day off. i grabbed that huge neglected stack, some glue, and poured myself a tall glass of iced tea. it's the little things!