Christmas Challenge

I saw this on one of my favorite blogs...Rockstar Diaries and I just fell in love with the idea. I know it's a tad late, but there is still plenty of time to cross all of these off your list before the 25th! ( I rhymed)

25 christmas challenges...

1. tell someone you love them
2. make a tree decoration that will remind you of Christ
3. in your prayers today, give thanks for every blessing without asking for anything
4. try to be as kind as possible to others today
5. try not to quarrel with family members today
6. do a good deed anonymously
7. make goals for yourself-- seal a copy in an envelope to be opened in a year
8. visit someone sick or lonely or sad
9. do volunteer work for some worthy cause
10. do something fun for a child or younger sibling
11. try to forgive someone who has wronged you, be reconciled
12. make a "give list" instead of a list of gifts you'd like
13. improve yourself in some way to please Jesus
14. quietly reflect and choose uplifting activities vs shopping
15. phone or send a card to an old friend or family member
16. listen to Handel's Messiah
17. make a christmas treat for someone else
18. be a calming influence today and control your temper
19. accept the gift of forgiveness-- pray for some weakness and ask for help in repenting of it
20. look at christmas lights... where does all light come from?
21. sing carols
22. do something nice for someone without their knowing it was you
23. be the first to say hello to people all day
24. ask someone to tell you about a past christmas

Merry Christmas!

Via taza-and-husband.blogspot.com

Golden

I am obsessed yet again. Why does this always happen to me? I get something in my head that I just have to have and it's complete mayhem in my mind until I am living harmoniously together with said desired item. It must be one of those "issues" I'm told I have... whatever those are. I must say though, my clothing expenditures have moderately decreased over the last month being that I can only buy things that I know will cover my growing bump. So in that case I think it should be considered completely acceptable for me to spend a little more on one thing that I really want since all the other little nonsense purchases have gone by the wayside. So in that case, may I introduce you to the Tory Burch Reva flat in GOLD. Such beauties these are. I'm not in any rush though...maybe in a few months.

$195 Neiman Marcus

However, I will say that there are a few pairs of ballet flats out for a much better price that are also completely adore.

The City Flat

Gap.com $39.50

PS-22 Chorus

You just have to check these kids out. It is a public school chorus out of Staten Island, NY and they are incredible. They sing pop songs and they are so talented. Not only that, but I love the way these kids get so into the music...it is bound to put a smile on your face.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mZ1zV1l2KQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

they also have a blog ( http://ps22chorus.blogspot.com/ ) as well as a you tube channel where you can check out all of their performances. These kids rock!!

thanks to Kate at La Petite Choue for turning me on to this! http://lapetitechoue.blogspot.com

our little maple bar

After weeks of looking like the girl who ate too many doughnuts, it finally happened last night. The baby officially stretched out its little, now proportionate limbs, making me look legitimately pregnant! I'm 15 weeks and the hubs and I eagerly await our tiny May blessing. So far the pregnancy has really been great, I must say. No extreme sickness or fatigue...I just have begun to feel a bit like an ostrich, in which my behind is three times the size of the rest of my body.

wanted on the high seas

I'm not sure what this blog title really means...it just sounded interesting, so I went with it. This weekend, whilst perusing possible new boots I couldn't quite seem to shake the undeniable desire that plagued me for the Frye Melissa Boot. They really are quite extraordinarily hot looking, but they come with a hefty price tag...$318. While I love my clothes, and I love to shop, I am also a bit of a bargain huntress, so I just knew I could find something similar out there for a much friendlier price. So here they are...the Wanted Stirrup boot. However, they seem to be selling out everywhere, so hurry and scoop this babies up before they are out for good!


Melissa Frye Boot- $318 at Nordstrom.com

Wanted Stirrup Boot- $79.99

You're a Mean One...Mr. Grinch

As a little follow up to the earth shaking story I left you with last week, yes, my husband came through yet again, as he always does, and did indeed purchase a simply delectable Mac for me this past weekend. I'm stoked to the hundreth degree to say the least. In other breaking news...I have been listening to Christmas Music non-stop ( that is, when I am not rocking out to T. Swift's new audible treat of an album), and I have to share with you the ever-so-cleverly detailed lyrics of the ago old favorite..."You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch." The words of this song are so amazingly witty that I find myself cracking up every time I pass it on the radio...you just have to read these...and imagine your own version of old Mr. Grinch while you're at it.

You're a mean one, Mister Grinch

You really are a heel,

You're as cuddly as a cactus,

you're as charming as an eel, Mister Grinch,

You're a bad banana with a greasy black peel!

You're a monster, Mister Grinch,

Your heart's an empty hole,

Your brain is full of spiders,

you've got garlic in your soul, Mister Grinch,

I wouldn't touch you with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole!

You're a vile one, Mister Grinch,

You have termites in your smile,

You have all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile, Mister Grinch,

Given a choice between the two of you I'd take the ... seasick crocodile!

You nauseate me, Mister Grinch,

With a nauseous super "naus",

You're a crooked dirty jockey and you drive a crooked hoss, Mister Grinch,

You're a three decker sauerkraut and toadstool sandwich, with arsenic sauce!

You're a foul one, Mister Grinch,

You're a nasty wasty skunk,

Your heart is full of unwashed socks,

your soul is full of gunk, Mister Grinch,

The three words that describe you are as follows, and I quote, "Stink, Stank, Stunk!"

You're a rotter, Mister Grinch,

You're the king of sinful sots,

Your heart's a dead tomato splotched with moldy purple spots, Mister Grinch,

Your soul is an appalling dump heap overflowing with the most disgraceful assortment of rubbish imaginable, mangled up in tangled up knots!

The big dump.

It finally happened. After three straight months of spending 8 hours a day on the laptop, writing countless papers, and editing countless photographs, our family laptop has gone on to a better place. When I turned it on last night I was greeted with a squiggly pin wheel of sorts. Each tap of the mouse made a shade of each color a bit more vibrant, but failed to take me to my desired destination. I was heart broken. I have pictures to take today, and this weekend, and oh how I need my photoshop! I lied in bed last night unable to break free of the quandry that plagued my mind; Mac or PC. The age old question burned fervently in my brain. Ultimately I came to a logical decision. With its glossy white exterior and minimal accoutrements, Macs just look cooler. Decision made.

A couple of recent happenings...

So today I just feel like writing about some pretty inconsequential fixtures in my recent life. You know, the kind of stuff you tell your husband and you have a little chuckle and then you forget about? That kind of stuff. No earth shaking, glass shattering fashion know how or aesthetic epitome, just a few little tidbits. First of all, have you ever encountered the not so mythical, nor very allusive "loud breather?" You know the one...he sits behind you in a meeting and each breath he takes sounds like leaf blower through an aluminum pipe? It sounds like at an moment he may just pass out from all of that heavy breathing, so when there is a blessed reprieve you quickly glance behind you to make sure he is still kicking? Yep. Had one of those today. I really just wanted him to breath through his mouth already. I wasn't sure if I needed to offer him a kleenex or CPR. Anywho, there are worse things, like when you say something really awful in front of 40 fifteen year olds (31 of whom are male) and you really honestly had no intention of doing so. So I'm sure you can guess...yes it was me who made a donkey of myself...yet again. As my rambunctious sophomores were revising their narrative essays for voice and word choice, I had them write down any repetitive sentence beginnings so that they could improve them. One student asked me to read his and after glancing at his paper I loudly responded, "Gees you have a lot of AS!" Just as you can imagine, a roar of laughter ensued and I was left holding, not only my last shred of dignity, but his paper full of "as." Note to self...think before you speak. Have a happy Tuesday Evening : )

O.M.B.

Oh. Michael. Buble. Where have you been all my life? I know, I know...most of you have already known how magnificently sultry this man is, but apparently I'm a little slow. It is only now that I am truly able to appreciate the tall drink of water that is...Michael Buble. That voice just melts me into pool of estrogen. It's like warm honey dripping down the side of a mason jar. There are actually times when I'm listening to his songs that I find myself blushing and covering my face like he's right there or something, holding my hand and asking me if I want to make out. Don't get me wrong, but husband is the absolute best, and sometimes he says these incredibly honest, romantic things that make my heart skip a beat, but we could all use a little celeb crush now and again, right? My favorite song is "Feeling Good" and gosh dang it, I sure do when i hear this song....i feel dang good. So here's to you Buble...keep up the good work.

Could it be?

Has it really been since September that I have posted on my beloved blog? Cheese and rice that's a long time...i apologize. Things have been pretty crazy in our household...and I mean in that in the best possible way. We've been out of town a ton, traveling with friends, and in two weeks we will be in Utah at the Zion National Park for our anniversary! Which leads me to my next garment driven expedition. What to pack to said National Park. With a name like Zion, I kind of feel like I might be traveling to outer space, but I am pretty sure we'll be staying in our solar system at least. And with all of those lions and tigers and bears to impress, why wouldn't my wardrobe choices be the first thing on my mind? Plus...I'm carrying on, so I have to pack very light to ensure that it will all fit into my itty bitty suitcase. Here are some of my ideas for looking "Zion Chic:"

The North Face Crescent Sunshine $85 rei.com

The North Face Quarter Zip Fleece on sale $34.83 rei.com

Puma Complete Nightfox $95 rei.com

The North Face Jester Pack $55 rei.com

Did I mention that I love The North Face for all my outdoor needs? Well I do.

suprise surprise...

So I got the absolute BEST surprise yesterday aftenoon. Allow me to set up the situation for you. My sister emailed me mid day...

sis: what classroom are you in?

me: 167. Why?

sis: Don't ask questions.

Fast forward a couple hours to about 2pm. A past student of mine who had graduated a few years back comes into my classroom, as I'm trying to maintain the focus of these little vivacious adolescents, led by the most giant animal I've ever seen in a confined space. There was literally an elephant in the room...well not an actual elephant, but seriously just as big. After trying to wrap my head around what was happening I asked them (the boy and his wildabeast), to go outside so that I had some shred of hope of regaining the attention of my now extrememly curious brood. After getting them back on task the emailing with my sis commenced...

me: so was my surprise a giant dog?

sis: I just fell off my chair I was laughing so hard. No...not a giant dog.

me: I've officially entered an alternate universe.

Fast forward another hour. I've spoken with the boy, apologizing for having to kick the beast outside, but I'm pretty sure it isn't quite legal to have a huge canine in my class room...unless of course it is some mutated version of a drug dog...which initially I thought it might be. However, just as class was ending and the bell rang, this is when the surprise arrived... It was one of my best, dearest, most lovely friends in the world, Jeriann. She was married to her darling Travis last December and they have been living in Kansas City while he is in medical school. I miss her terribly and she completey caught me off guard as she peaked her beautiful face around the corner into my classroom. It literally took me a moment to process. Then I did the unthinkable..the squealy, screechy, high-pitched screamy-talk thing that girls do when they are excited...oh gees, it was quite a sight...or sound actually. Needless to say, it's been really amazing to spend some time with her.

The top photo is us at 15. The bottom was last year at my bachelorette party. The funniest thing is that I am wearing lipstick in both these photos. Gees...I look like Gwen Stefani or something. One would think I wake up, brush my teeth and smear on a heavy layer of NARS dragon lady or something. I seriously never wear lipstick, but apparently Jeriann brings out my inner desire to line my lips with something dark and trampy.

beautiful things.

I just love asthetically pleasing images...those photographs you could just stare at for hours, disecting each little minute detail. I thought these photos were just so beautiful. Ethereal gowns with gauzy layers just beaconing beauty with boisterous babbles. They reminded me of fairies, of woodland nymphs. The kind you aspire to be when you're a little girl. The mythical creatures you imagine living inside of tiny antiquated bird cage houses, creating a luminous glow in oak trees at nightfall. I wish I could dress like this everyday...

The Final Hurrah Sale!

I hope you are all reading this within like an hour of being posted because time is running out! Modcloth.com is holding its "Last Hurrah Sale" and this thing is no joke. All of these amazing vintage inspired items are marked down up to 70%! Seriously...you need to drop the lean cuisine and sceedaddle your way to their website faster than you can say hollabolu!

All of these dresses available of modcloth.com. Prices on these items range from $16-$32. Go...Now!

the twins

When most of us think of the term "the twins" it usually coincides with phrases such as "the girls" or "the boys" or any other term related to the human anatomy. However, when I think of the twins, only two things come to mind...Mary Kate and Ashley. Gone are the days of Michelle Tanner and g-rated straight to VHS films. Although they have moved on from their acting gigs, they are not far from my heart. The wise Chelsea Handler once said, "The Olsen twins said they quit acting, but I'm pretty sure acting said no thanks." Well fashion has definitely said yes please! They now run The Row, an exclusive (and highly overpriced) fashion label that I'm dying to get my paws on. Some may say the Olsen girls resemble a young Grizzly Adams, covered from head to toe with what looks like rags left over from the hand car wash, sewn to the salvaged skins of the occasional Manhattan roadkill. Well you know what i say...genius. I just love them.

All photos taken from http://olsensanonymous.blogspot.com

want...or need?

there is a very fine line distinguishing these two little words. do i need a pair of Tory Burch ballet flats? or do I just want them? i mean, shoes are a obvious necessity if you think about it...how many times do you see that sign in restaurant windows about "no shirt, no shoes, no service?" i would hate to be denied nourishment just because i didn't think i needed these shoes. unfortunately, i tend to blend these two verbs a bit too much, undeniably ending up needing what i want, and buying what i need. here are some things i am very in want of at the moment...Ladies Choice Cardigan- Anthropologie.com $88

Steve Madden Carnee Clog- Endless.com on sale! $87.90

Corse Como Geovana Clog- endless.com $155

Tory Burch Reva Lizard flat - bloomingdales.com $235 (I'm totally dreaming on this one)

at least there's one thing I need, want, and already have. my hot hubby. he was so kind to let me take a few quick photos of him the other night... i've had some fun playing with them in photoshop at night when i need a break from writing my thesis! i would much rather stare at that hunk than my paper anyday.

Madewell...the name says it all

My new obsesh is to have a wardrobe consisting entirely of J.Crew, Banana Republic, Madewell, and Anthro. Ha! It's even more hilariously unattainable in writing. Oh well..a girl can dream, can't she? Here are the items I'm fervently searching for on Ebay from Madewell, J.Crew's little bit edgier, trendier sister...I like to think of these two brands as the Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen of clothing...both completely amazing.

Madewell Cambridge Cardigan $68 madewell.com

Madewell sweatshirt sweater $58 madewell.com. I feel like this sweatshirt is kinda like this one on Stefanie Pratt below, which is super cute for a casual night out.

and, drum roll please...I am so in lust with these boots...and that is how it will forever stay.

The Archive Leather Boot from Madewell.com $298...like I said...never. gonna. happen.

the Posse

This past weekend we partook in a second helping of wine tasting in Paso. But this time we brought back-up. We had SO much fun...I'm pretty sure I lost every single calorie I drank because we were laughing so hard the entire day. I mean, the six of us go together like the rippin' and the tearin'...the rippin' and the tearin' (yes, you had to be there). I am so incredibly grateful to have all of you in my life.

Maryland is for lovers...

reading for fun?

I haven't known that term for seven months now as I feverishly consume every piece of academic literature in my sight. If it weren't for the hallucinogenic rants of Allen Ginsberg, I think I might go postal. However, whilst on the Outer Banks in North Carolina, I was able to endulge in a little guilty pleasure reading thanks to my sis-in-law for providing the sustinance of course...in the form of Candance Bushnell. I read The Carrie Diaries in about 2.5 seconds, truthfully it was 2.5 days, but either way it was way too quick. I wasn't ready for it to be over. That's when you know you are really enjoying a good read, when you think about the characters when you aren't reading like they are real people, hoping that they will be alright from the aweful break-up or heavy night of partying. Then you slap yourself right in the kisser for being so lame. This book was so great. It was everything I want my pleasure reading to be. Shallow, easy, and a little slutty... basically the three adjectives you should refrain from putting in a job resume, unless of course it's for Harrison Ford. It's all about Carrie Bradshaw her Senior year of high school...before Big and Aiden, and comic book guy, and jazz guy, and all of the other men she gave her..ahem..resume to. So anyways, I highly recommend it...almost as much as I would recommend my own novel...if it were published.

Another book I'm currently reading is Chelsea Handler's Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang. I read Are you There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea, when we were on our honeymoon and it was hilar. But I must say, My Horizontal Life fell a little short of my raging expectations. But this one made up for it in a real big way. She's really stinking hilarious. Seriously.

What happened to July?

Beats me. All I know is that it's gone, and August is quickly following suit. Well the good news is, the painting is done, and my sanity is still partially intact...the doctor says I should make a full recovery. AND I'm only 2 1/2 weeks away from completing my master's. This summer has been a whirlwind. We spent 10 days on vacay where we went to DC for a few, Maryland, Virginia, and spent 6 days on North Carolina's Outer Banks...OBX fo life yo. That's right, I said it. The beach was beautiful, although there were excess amounts of large bulbous jelly filled sacks in the water...It thought Hiedi Pratt had exploded or something. Turns out they were just jellyfish...of the non-stinging persuasion. Oh and my sweet hubs bought me the greatest grad gift ever...the Nikon D3000..oh yah.

On a different note, while in DC we went to the Newseum. It was really incredible. Every time I turned to a new exhibit I found tears rolling down my cheeks. There was an exhibit there that showed all of the Pulitzer Prize winning Photos and gave a brief explanation about each picture. I don't even have words to describe what I saw and felt...it was just really something. If you are ever in DC I highly recommend checking it out.

Then we walked up the street to a rather delicious lunch.

More photos from DC...

Watching the sun rise out of the ocean has got to be one of the most amazing experiences. I say experience instead of sight because there is more to it than seeing it. The fine grains of sand under your feet, the cool briny air whirling across your skin, the rhythm of the waves coming to rest on the shore, all while holding the hand of the person you love most...it's pure bliss.

and they lived tanily ever after...