I love America Ferrera and skirts.

CHECK OUT DAILYCANDY.COM! I haven't checked it all out yet, but it looks promising.

I've been wearing skirts a lot lately. They're lighter than jeans. I wonder how I would look in a paper bag skirt. (Babooshka Boutique)


America Ferrera is absolutely gorgeous. She's on the last page of InStyle magazine this month.








...and Jordin Sparks was a bigger girl too. Look at her now.

D*LISH Design + Studio on Fire!

D*LSH Design's blog is a wedding inspiration. I love it more than those other wedding blogs filled with design boards.

Look what they found! [studioonfire]





Another one from them I like...


Compassion Poster $50

Is this really living social?

There's a new little popular application on facebook called "LivingSocial." You pick your top 5 faves of everything. I thought I would share what I like so much... *not in any order

Ice cream: Ben & Jerry's Karamel Sutra, Helados Mexico, Ben & Jerry's Phish Food, Edy's Dibs, frozen yogurt (tart)

Amusement parks: Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Knott's Berry Farm, Universal Studios Hollywood, Disneyland

Places I want to go: Austin, TX; Portland, OR; Oakland, CA; Toronto, London

Best countries in the world: U.S., Canada, Britain, Ireland, China

Never leave the house without: Blackberry Curve, Juicy Couture Engagement Ring keychain & keys, Ray Ban glasses, green Kate Spade wallet, and Sigg Maharadsha water bottle

Cereals: Smart Start, Blueberry Morning, Special K Chocolatey Delight, Golden Grahams, Trix (when they were shapes)

Web sites I visit: blogger, gmail, facebook, twitter, tumblr

Flowers: poppies, Gerber daisies, tulips, lotus, cherry blossoms

Fast food: Jack in the Box, In N Out, Arby's, Chinese food, and... McDonalds'?

Places to waste money: Target, Urban Outfitters, Barnes and Noble, Forever 21, food

Movies: Love Actually, Father of the Bride, 27 Dresses, The Santa Clause, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Everything You Want

Beers: Lindeman's Lambic Framboise, Purple Haze, UFO Raspberry Hefeweizen, Magic Hat #9, Samuel Adams Octoberfest

TV shows: Dexter, Gossip Girl, CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY

Sports teams: LA Clippers, Boston Celtics, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, UCLA Bruins

Books: East of Eden; Eat, Love, Pray; The Unwanted, Waiting for Snow in Havana; The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm

Liquors: Pimm's No. 1, Remy Red, Grey Goose vodka, Bacardi Light Rum, Jose Cuervo Gold

Board games: Bananagrams, Boggle, Scrabble, Chinese Checkers, Trivial Pursuit

Purse brands: Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Tod's, Hermes

Athletes: BJ Penn, Ryan Lochte, Urijah Faber, The Rock, Nate Diaz

Notebook: Magazine.au

"Gossip Girl" season 1 done. I watched the last two episodes of the season online. Now I'm watching "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" because it's genius. Go watch it!

Okay, so InStyle had this piece on the "Gossip Girl" set. I love the style from "Gossip Girl," very trendy, but I'm not a fancy girl. This is simple enough (the table).


I have a Blackberry, but I want Blair's EnV2.


Notebook Magazine is an Aussie mag that I fell in love with. They have some great decorating tips, food, and fashion ideas.
Perfect Poached Eggs [notebook]


I got a manicure today for $13, but I might try a DIY. [notebook] I'll take a picture of my mani later. :)

While I'm at it, I might as well give myself a pedi. [notebook]

Clean and classic kitchen [notebook]


Chocolate roulade [notebook]


Did I tell you Alex and I are joining Weight Watchers together after seeing this girl's pictures? We are impressed. We're starting this summer. :) Let's do this.

In the city...

First, links:
I love foreign apartments. [decor8]
City living might not be for me, but I like the apartments. [MadeByGirl]

I slept for 10 hours last night and still came home and fell asleep for 3. :( I wasn't feeling too well today and still don't for some weird reason. I took aspirin, but it didn't help. So after eating some food, I'm watching "Gossip Girls." I might go to the market sometime and walk around soon... after this episode.

Today was my last micro-teaching! :) I'm trying to get a few things done for next week also.

I snapped more pictures of my students. I saw Chris later in the computer lab and he started showing me pictures of his niece and nephew so I started showing him pictures.

Love these guys! Even though one of them has only been here for a semester and so I've only known him for that long, we're tight. That's the difference between my students and the ones I'll have to teach next semester. :( This makes me super sad because I won't get to spend more time with them! :(


I told Tony not to look and actually do work so this is him doing work... hahaha.




He didn't want a picture, but I did. He lost. I love this kid! He's the most hilarious and makes me smile because he's so darn adorable.




This is what we do and John does it well in this picture.

Graduation invitation designs

I want graduation announcements. Good ones. My roommate is a multimedia arts and science major. I think he should help me. He is lazy. :( Maybe I can make them myself. I was once pretty good at that type of thing. Here are some designs I found:

The next 3 are from Tiny Prints:

I found this and I'm in love with it. Is this fancy enough for you Yance? It's even for a girl I know by some guy who went to our school and majored in the same thing as Yancey. He needs to step his game up.

Finally, gorgeous and very much represents me (not too fancy)...

If I had time, I'd remove our Christmas wreath from the door.

First off, I am reading all the back blogs for a minute while I rest from my final and last day of teaching. So today did not go that well. It still went, but I did not cover the Panama Canal. I suppose that compared to Tuesday and Wednesday, today wasn't the best. In any case, the evaluation of my teaching went superbly. I think I proved something - I suck with adults but somehow, I rock with teenagers! :)

Gah, I feel so bad about not covering the Panama Canal enough! I think I'll make them a note sheet about it and about TDR winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

Did you know we still have our wreath? Thus, this article is totally relevant. I love them! Faves:

(As mentioned: Cheerful paper flowers from Wool Paper Sugar and a doily twinkle light wreath as shown in the holiday issue of Martha Stewart Living 2008. You can make this doily wreath: DIY here)

(As mentioned: Cardboard wreaths from Cardboard Safari.)

That is just me catching up on decor8! Ahhh, I still have a paper and to present my research tomorrow. I also have to go back to the high school and give them a quiz (and take up anything else)! Screw this: nap for an hour...

I'd rather be making a rain barrel.

I judged 8-9 hours worth of senior projects. Though I didn't completely understand some of them, I at least saw the projects. One girl hoping to attend NC State constructed a rain barrel that wasn't hideous. She used a fire extinguisher because there was already a spout. Upturned, she placed three steel legs on it. Not only was it cute but it was a good use of a recycled material to well... recycle water.

I thought I'd talked about this because I saw the rain barrel making of This Young House. Good idea right?

Since I can't fit it anywhere, I'm writing it here: I'm teaching 3-1/2 days next week, microteaching, writing a paper, and finally, presenting my thesis research.

Outline of my next 2-weeks:

• Today - paper outline, review Eddie's lit review/biblio, read CC. ch 3-6
• Thursday - panel from 9:20-10am, English paper
• Friday - lit review, annotated biblio
• Saturday - paper, prep for spring symposium
• Sunday - prep for teaching
• Monday - prep for teaching
  
• Tuesday - teaching, microteaching
• Wednesday - teaching, sophs visit (lunch with them), paper
• Thursday - teaching, paper
• Friday - spring symposium

I need 7-8 hours of sleep tonight and every night considering I'm sick! :( So bed needs to be in... well, by 1am but I'm watching "Dexter." I think I can do with a little less sleep since it's Thursday tomorrow... and Thursdays are good.

I want to buy school supplies.

I totally KILLED on my lesson plan presentation. Okay, maybe not totally but not too shabby. I was kind of ticked off because someone asked me in a very interrogation-kind-of-way why I don't want to be at my very country school. Uh, it's the country and I'm not really country DUH. I AM getting used to it and I will like it (I know this), but as for now, I'm still torn especially when I see my lovely kids.

The HR from my kids' school system was talking to them about becoming teachers. I was there all day, I had a good tutoring session with my 11th grade algebra 2 group, and, when I went to visit my 10th graders, they were super receptive towards me so... give me a job HR lady!

It's Friday, which means I got to sleep in! I actually woke up a little earlier, but I forced myself back into bed. I had gone out last night for some food and a couple of LITs. Oh, they had this burrito with potatoes in it like the California burrito! When I came home, I was OUT. I fell asleep on the couch and my tired body was very happy. :)

1. I'm rested, I'm getting ready, I eat, sleep, and breathe - school and my kids... and pretty things.

2. Why do I have be there and not here? This is the ultimate question.

3. How does this semester work, anyway?

4. Every morning, I put my pants on my shoulder so I can change into them for yoga.

5. I consider myself lucky because I've had it pretty easy and I live with a cool roomie.

6. One day we’ll see if I realize my dreams of a sweet teaching job and a pretty house. Maybe someone in my life too, but that's up in the air. How about everyone stop being taken or married? Haha.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to doing work, tomorrow my plans include getting stuff done, and Sunday, I want to not be bogged down in things I didn't get done!

*Wow, I'm pretty nerdy. I need other hobbies... only if I had time for such things.

I'm going to meet my boss and some of my ex-students for lunch today then maybe I'll get to do some work. I want to do other stuff instead like read books I have, get going on pacing guides for next semester (haha), and other nerdy things JUST to avoid my homework. Maybe I can buy some school supplies for teaching next semester... I know that sounds crazy 'cause it's February and I don't student teach until August. Actually that's really only 5-6 months away (it's already the end of February).

FRIDAY

• Watch "A Man for All Seasons" and write a summary.
• Write down info for EDUC380 about my placement.
• Journal about this week's observations.
  

SATURDAY

• Send my EDUC396 prof my research question.
• Read stuff for EDUC380 that he sent us.

SUNDAY

• Read Eng chapter 8 and docs.
• Answer soc study guide questions.

MONDAY/TUESDAY

• Study for soc.

More will be added later... this is a light load this weekend so I should get it done! Wait, maybe I should clean huh? Good idea. I'm going to gather all the books I borrowed but no longer need to return to school right now! Let's get going and get things done!

Past and future

MadeByGirl is not just one of my favorites, it is in my top 3. :) Check out this awesome DIY and the gorgeous frame!

I am not getting much sleep. :( I have observations tomorrow at 7am so I should probably get my 6+ hours of sleep soon. :/

Today wasn't too shabby. I met with my prof to talk about my 20-minute lesson on "Politics of the 1920s." It's pretty darn good. I met with him for like 45 minutes! I hope he's in for next semester when I start student teaching 1 1/2 hour lessons! Haha.

I'm going last on Thursday and we started today. I watched lesson on Latin nouns, which was the best of the three, emotional vocabulary, and France's three estates. Despite my 20-minute lesson, I'm actually going to be doing my 3-day unit on American Imperialism including the Spanish-American War. Uh, I need ideas.

Good thing I have this amazing group to work with in my research class! I love love them! Oh yeah, I was going to go grab drinks if I did poorly on my British history paper, but guess what?! I pulled an A! :) Instead, I got myself some Chinese food to celebrate. Haha. Aw, I'm out of Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies! I like the minty freshness!

But the sad news for today is that I found out someone I met freshman year in college moved away this semester! Aw, he was such a cutie and super nice too! :/ I didn't notice or anything, but I loved seeing him randomly. Speaking of seeing people randomly, I also see another person sometimes when I go to the gym, he'll open the door for me, and smile. :) Aw, cute boys who are nice are the best CLEARLY.

I'm thinking about skipping yoga and aerobics tomorrow, if I can find my syllabi to clarify how problematic that would be. I need to rest and do my microteaching. I promise to be more on top of things later so I won't have to miss class. (Update: I can miss 3 and 2 respectively.)

Coach is launching their new Poppy line of cheaper items! You see anything you like? I like the shoes. Check them out at Trash Bag Aesthetics.

Real house, real cool

Hanna's home in Austin, TX


[Hanna's House Tour via AT: LA]

Products from Umbra :)

Treela Can $16

Mimosa Coffee Table $231; Wallflower Wall Decor $37

Achy breaky

1) Saturday was cool. That afternoon, Yancey and I wanted to eat a late lunch, which ended up being our dinner of course. We had no idea where to go but a few texts and calls and we got Liz, Emily, Alex, and Stephen to join us. Yancey got no calls back from his friends. Okay, he did, but they were all working. Psh. We ate at Early Girl Eatery. I was so hungry and so fulfilled by my Sweet Potato Black Bean cakes. Yeah, weird but absolutely yum. I also realized I hate biscuits and gravy, but I enjoy biscuits with jam. Their food was delish and the place was cute. It's on the best street in Asheville, Wall Street. If every road looked like that, we'd be living in England! Haha.

From the tiny storefront, you could never tell that their dining room was so large!

(via Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project)

Look at their glasses! So vintage-like.

(via their web site)

After dropping Liz and Em off, we did homework till late. I didn't realize it was so late. Jessica came over and Yance, Jessica, Emily, and I went out at 11pm. We headed to Hannah's because they haven't been there. Then to Thirsty Monk to meet Conor and his friends Liz and Bron (weird name, cool guy). I always get a little tipsy at Thirsty Monk. I love that place. This is recent since I only started liking beer in November.

2) Last night, Sunday, we watched the WEC fights. Faber won as I mentioned. Dan Lauzon won the night before and I finally got to watch it online. Because we don't have cable, we went over to Sarah's dorm with Yancey's TV (not the huge one but a fairly large 30" one) and Chinese food. It was like a quick party. Haha.

3) Yoga and aerobics kicked my butt today. My back hurt after. I feel good, but it hurts and I'll feel it tomorrow. The chick at Subway's hates her job for sure. I'm forcing myself to stay up because it's fun to do that, but I'm rather sleepy. Oh yeah, I went to Subway instead of somewhere else I was supposed to go because well, I'm annoyed by a certain someone and no one else wanted to come with. Actually, because I didn't want to go, my friends didn't go.

My unfinished lesson plan (due next Tuesday but I have a meeting with my prof this Wednesday) is already 6 pages with just the input. I don't even know if it's possible to get all that stuff done.

My teaching strategies are done. Tomorrow is going to suck. I'm waking up in less than 5 hours to go to a meeting from 8-9am then I plan on coming home for a nap till noon. I will make sure to cut my student teaching application and go over my six teaching strategies so I can teach them to my classmates. Crap, that's a lot. I'll need the nap. Maybe? No no, I won't take a nap. I'll just drown myself in ice coffee tomorrow.

Good idea: take laptop to school, do homework, go to class till 8:30pm, and get drinks with friends at TGI Fridays. I will then promptly go to bed when I come home. Ahhh, we'll see. I may really need the nap. I haven't slept for only 5 hours in FOREVER. Maybe I have when I sleep at 5am and wake up at 10am. Huh... quite true. Let's do it!

I love this web site/project and wish I loved someone more than _____.

Well, this is good response to that (above):
(via your message here)

Ch-ch-check it out!

New and old blogs I like:

Green Your Decor


Creature Comforts


Mixed Plate Blog


Upstate Fancy


Poppytalk


Uppercasegallery.ca


Something's Hiding in Here