What I learned this weekend...

* that the more time I spend with my friends the more I adore each and every one of them.

* it never fails that on the one day I'm off from everything and have no obligations, I will get sick and spend most of the day laying on the couch.

* even after graduating college, we can still scare ourselves telling ghost stories and then want to camp out together in the living room so we don't need to spend the night alone (yes, this was my friends and I this weekend)

* that even though I've been driving in winter weather since I've learned to drive, I still get the worst anxiety while driving in the slippery snow... it might actually be getting worse as I'm getting older hehe

* that I can watch Pride and Prejudiced countless times and the movie never gets old.

* that planning a summer vacation somewhere warm and tropical can help combat the winter blues.

so, what did you learn this weekend?

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What I learned this Weekend...

*that listening to Christmas music and seeing the stores all decorated makes shopping just a little more fun (then it already is) hehe 

*that even at the age of 25 it's still possible to have a school girl crush on someone {expect this time we're co-workers, not classmates}

*that being spontaneous and stepping out of the day-to-day routine is refreshing and almost always leads to happiness. 

*that everyone needs to read this inspirational list {39 ways to live, and not merely exists}

*that I'm totally swept up in the spirit of the holiday, and even though we usually wait until after Thanksgiving to decorate for Christmas, seeing the lights up on our house and on our neighbors' homes makes me even more excited for the season. 

*that I have become a workaholic.  Do I really need 3 jobs? (no)

*that sometimes good news for a friend can bring you just as much happiness as it does for them :)

what did you learn this weekend?

[image via my iphone]

OMG! That did not just happen!

what's been on my mind...

(in case you were wondering...) hehe

...who exactly is voting for Bristol Palin on Dancing with The Stars?  I have nothing against the girl, but she just wasn't as good as the other dancers.  come on, Brandy deserves to be in the finals way more then Bristol does.

...Eva Longoria and Tony Parker are not getting a divorce are they?!?! I thought they were so good together.  This makes me sad. :(

 ...on a happy note, I think Kate Middleton will make a wonderful princess.  and what a great love story these two have!  if only I could have met and fell in love with a prince in college, but stuff like that only happens in the movies...

...I still find it odd that Julianna Hough is dating Ryan Seacrest, just as odd as these two, and these two...


...is it really only 1 week until Thanksgiving?!  why is time going by so fast?!  {I think I've just been so busy time is flying by w/o me even knowing it...}

so, what's been on your mind? 

[images via google]

5 Senses Friday

Tasting: sweet apple pie.  I'm a big fan of eating dessert before dinner. ;)

Smelling: the autumn candle I have burning in the living room

Hearing: Oprah on the TV in the background.

Seeing: the orange glow reflecting from the tree leaves outside the window

Feeling: a little overwhelmed.  never enough hours in the day when you're a teacher...

but so happy it's the weekend!  

{what's filling your senses?}

learn more about 5 Senses Friday at abby try again

Happy Friday :)   

[image via mary ruffle]

Today's Musing...

would you ever go out to eat alone? 

while getting dinner with my mom yesterday I saw a girl, maybe a little older then me, sitting, eating and drinking some wine, by herself.  I know of people going to the movies alone, and I suppose I would too if it was a movie I really wanted to see and no one would see it with me, but out to eat dinner?  

to be honest, I was a little jealous.  she seemed quite content to be sitting there alone, in a fabulous restaurant with great music playing in the playground {frank sinatra-esque}. she wasn't lonely, like many would assume she would be {or at least she didn't look it}.  I'd love to have that kind of self-confidence, to be able to go to my favorite restaurant, by myself and eat alone, not caring if the other patrons thought I was some poor lonely girl, because I know I'm not. 

it takes a lot of self-confidence to be able to do something like that.

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Musing On a Rainy Tuesday

* a warm cup of coffee is the perfect companion on a cold and drizzly day.

* Fall is slowly becoming my favorite season (sorry summer).  I'm falling in love with the cool, mild weather, and beautiful colors of nature.

* I love how everyone is decorating outside for Halloween and fall {another reason why I'm loving this season.}

* Dear spiders, I know it's getting chilly outside, but please don't come inside my house.  I really dislike killing you, but I can't stand the thought of going to bed and not knowing where you disappeared to...


* When will Lindsey Lohan finally get her act together?  It doesn't matter how many people want/ are trying to help her, she has to want to help herself first. 

* Why won't these flyaway hairs stay down?!  I've tried everything I could think of, and it works for about 5 seconds, then *ping* they pop back up again.

 * Britney Spears is on Glee tonight!  I'm so pumped.  It reminds me of the time when my friends and I did a dance to 'Baby One More Time' for our eighth grade talent show.  we learned the dance from the video, and bought schoolgirl uniforms to wear to complete the look. :)

* I truly feel blessed to have a job where I make a difference in someone's life.  after seeing previews for this, I know I'm in the right field, and that I can't help everyone (though I wish I could help all those kids), I can do my best to help the kids in my classroom.

* naps are the best.  when I told my students that adults still take naps, and that I did just the other day, my one student looked at me like I was crazy and then asked me who was home with me.  I love their sweet innocence.


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Thursday Ten

  

You can catch me over at Taylor's blog, Anticipation, today.  

I'm participating in her weekly series, Thursday Ten! 

Check it out and let me know what you think!!

Life's Soundtrack

Whenever I hear this song I am filled with nostalgia. I think of my time spent growing up in this hometown of mine. My friend's and all the memories we created together until it was time to leave for college. Then I think of those 5 wonderful years I spent in my second home. Sometimes I miss those days so much it hurts. and of course I think of my Dad. He used to love telling us stories of his childhood and the city he grew up in. The city is a lot different now, and whenever I find myself driving through it I try to imagine what it was like back when my dad was a young kid. A bittersweet feeling as I look back on those "Glory Days".

[image from my college days]

So Long Sweet Summer

 Hope you're all enjoying your holiday weekend and the extra days off work!  It's a weekend to take time and relax, take advantage of super sales at the mall, and reflect back on summer.  My summer hasn't been the greatest, for obvious reasons.  Vacations and trips were canceled, and I spent almost all my time by my father's side, something I would never trade.  Despite my summer not being as enjoyable as I had hoped it would be, I did try to make the best of it, and definitely learned a lot.

 What summer taught me...

...that life rarely ever goes as planned... I even think there's a saying

"If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans"

...in the end, family is really all that matters, that includes friends who are family...

...it's important not to take life for granted, because everything can change in an instant...

...movies are a great escape.  I traveled to China, the coast of North Carolina,

Italy {several times}, India, Bali, Vegas, New York and Washington State {just to name a few} this summer...

...taking yourself out of your comfort zone teaches you a lot about yourself...

...that the saying is true, "things go wrong so you appreciate them when they're right"...

basically, life lessons that you hear people talk and write about, but never fully understand until you live them

so, what did summer teach you?

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Today I am Happy

 

because...

* a new school year is about to start, with new students and new possibilities

* the county fair starts this week.  I'm looking forward to fair food and enjoying my last weekend of summer.

* I found a perfect gift for a close friend, whose birthday we'll be celebrating this weekend.

* I have some of the best coworkers ever!  I feel blessed to have a job I love with people I like.

* my sister and I have been getting along great and have really bonded over the summer.

* the season finale of Make It or Break It is on tonight.

* of the New Jersey Housewives.  Did you watch last night's reunion?!  CrAzY!! 

* my friend Ashlee is about to give birth any day now.  I can't wait to welcome little Gavin into the world. :)

side-note: I've been feeling really down recently.  I'm really missing my Dad.  making this list helped me focus on the little things in my life that are bringing me happiness.  I need to focus and choose happiness right now. 

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This and That

Happy Sunday everyone!  Hope your weekend's been great.  
I've been tagged by the lovely Helen at In Elegance for a "This or That" tag! 

Makeup

blusher or bronzer - bronzer
lip gloss or lip stick - lip gloss
eye liner or mascara - both, but if I had to choose just one, definitely mascara
foundation or concealer - foundation
neutral or colour eye shadow - neutral
pressed or loose eye shadow - pressed
brushes or sponges - brushes

Nails

opi or china glaze - opi
long or short - I like to keep mine short
acrylic or natural - natural

brights or darks - brights for summer, darks for fall and winter

Body

perfume or body splash - perfume
lotion or body butter - lotion
body wash or soap - body wash
lush or other bath company - others {lots of others}

Fashion

jeans or sweat pants - jeans
long sleeve or short - depends on the weather ;-)
dresses or skirts - dresses
stripes or plaid - stripes
flip flops or sandals - both
scarves or hats - I don't really wear much of either
studs or dangly earrings - studs
necklaces or bracelets - necklaces
heels or flats - heels
cowboy boots or riding boots - riding boots {looking forward to fall!}
jacket or hoodie - jacket {but I do love hoodies too}

Hair

curly or straight - straight {even though mine is naturally curly}
bun or ponytail - ponytail
bobby pins or butterfly clips - bobby pins
hair spray or gel - spray
long or short - long
light or dark - dark
side sweep bangs or full bangs - neither {i don't look good with bangs}
up or down - down

Random

rain or shine - sunshine
summer or winter - summer
fall or spring - fall
chocolate or vanilla - vanilla {yum}

 so what about you?  join in on the fun and let me know!

[images via weheartit]

Today I Believe...

* a family of birds have made their home under our front porch.
listening to them chirp is a friendly reminder of our new
and unexpected "house-guests".  

* I feel lost not having made it to the beach yet this summer.

further reason why i need to move closer to one.
 
* as humans, we have an uncanny way of knowing when 

something is not right with someone.  even if you haven't 
seen that person in a while. it's like a sixth sense. 

you randomly begin thinking of them and know 
you need to check to make sure they're doing ok.  

my friends have been doing this for me. 

* spotting a rainbow makes you stop and look in wonderment,

filling you with joy at any age, young and old.

* SYTYCD makes me wish I didn't stop my 
dance training after graduating high school.

* that eating fruit after stuffing your face with
ice cream or potato chips totally cancels
out the bad stuff. ;-) 

* on that note, 
it is completely acceptable to eat a meal 
consisting of only fruit, especially on a hot
summer day.





what do you believe?

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