Sunday Social!

1. What is your favorite type of workout to do?

I really love Zumba. I have been taking it off and on for the last 3 1/2 years (way before it was all over the place.) 

2. What is your favorite guilty pleasure candy or sweet?

Peanut butter and chocolate. 

These have the perfect ration of PB and chocolate.

I also really love these

3. What is one thing you continuously forget to do?

I am terrible at taking daily medication. Birth control pills, allergy medication whatever... I just forget. 

4. Do you prefer post-its or phone reminders? Why?

I use a paper planner. And I am all about the post it notes at work. I honestly don't know how to set up a reminder or an alarm on my phone. Maybe if I could, I would remember to take my dumb allergy pills.

5. What is your favorite picture currently on your phone that always makes you smile?

This was in Kauai last summer at Banana Joe's. This was where I first discovered banana "ice cream." Craig absolutely hates this picture, but I love making him stand behind those types of signs :)

Happy Easter everyone!

Sunday Social: Holiday Edition!

I LOVE this week's questions!

1. What is your favorite holiday season tradition?
Ever since I was little, my favorite tradition has always been decorating the tree. I love going through the ornaments and thinking back to where they came from and why we got them. When I got into high school I would tell my mom that I wanted to have a fancy tree like in the magazines, with a theme/color scheme. My first couple of trees when I was on my own were like that, but since the Mister and I have been together, I have loved starting our family tree. One thing that we have done is to buy an ornament for every vacation that we have been on.

Disneyworld 2009, Kauai 2011, Honeymoon/Disneyland 2010, Kauai 2012

2. Do you have a certain holiday movie you watch more than others? If so what is it?

My mom and I would always watch these two. But they have to be the originals and in black and white.

I also try to watch these every year:

3. Show us your favorite decoration or pinterest decoration you wish you could have:
Yesterday I realized we don't have a Nativity set. I have a single wise man (maybe I will share that story later), but I really want a whole set.

I love the Willow Tree collection, and I think this Nativity set is lovely.

4. What is your favorite holiday song?

It's not a very well known song, but hands down it is Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds: Christmas Song.  I legit listen to this year round. 

5. What is your favorite holiday dessert?

6. What is on your wish list this year?

These are things I won't be getting:

1. A fancy pants camera

2. A housekeeper (this is literally on my wish list every year)

3. Frye Riding Boots- aren't they pretty?

4. A trip to Australia

5. This $150,000 Tailgate Trailer from Neiman Marcus. It comes complete with leather furnishings and a flat screen TV. Glamping anyone???

I am posting a more realistic look at my Christmas list tomorrow, but I thought I would have a little fun with this one :)

Sunday Social: The Power of 4

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4 Jobs I have had...
Before I was a teacher I

waitressed, worked at Target, was a housekeeper and worked at a Summer Camp.

4 Movies I would watch over and over

The Mister says I only like mediocre movies. Whatever. These are great. Sweet Home Alabama (or any Reese Movie for that matter), Welcome to Mooseport, Con Air, and Dave. (I also have a soft spot for Sandra Bullock movies.)

4 places you have lived

I grew up in Portland. Moved to Monmouth for college, then Salem after college. Now, I'm in Independence. 

4 of my favorite foods

Asparagus, mac & cheese, zucchini and pumpkin pie. Yummy!

4 things I always have with me...
a pen, phone, extra hair ties, chapstick

4 places I have been on vacation

Disney World, San Diego, Las Vegas, Kauai

What's your favorite vacation spot? Do people make fun of your favorite movies?

Sunday Social: The Book Edition

It's Sunday, and I really like the subject of this week's Sunday Social: Books!

Favorite Childhood Book

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I loved this whole series of books. Every time I open up a brand new tube of toothpaste I think of the part when Ramona takes the new tube of toothpaste and just squeezes it out from the middle. I always thought that would be really satisfying to do.

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Favorite Book Lately

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So good. A guys wife goes missing and he is the prime suspect. The book is told through his point of view, and then through the diary pages of his missing wife. And then it punches you in the throat.

Book you wish you could live in

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Hands down I would be a student at Hogwarts. But I don't want any of the bad scary stuff. So I would stick with the Sourcer's Stone book, if I had to pick a single one.

If you could be any character from a book who would it be and why?
One of my favorite characters is Stephanie Plum. Being a bounty hunter would be an exciting job, her best friend Lulu is hilarious and her Grandma is also a hoot. (Really, did I just describe someone as a "hoot?" Plus there's Moreli and Ranger.

Favorite book turned movie?
Do you know what it's not a good book turned movie? One For The Money. That movie was terrible. Which I don't really understand why. It was a good story and had good characters. I blame Katherine Heigl. But, The Help was good.

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Loved it! The movie was good, but obviously not as good as the book. But still it was such a good movie.

Favorite Magazine
A few months ago I got a Groupon for a $5 subscription to Cosmo. Yeah, I still haven't read any of them. Which is crazy, because I used to love it. I guess I'm just old now. The Mister and I have two other subscriptions: I have an e-subscription to Everyday With Rachael Ray on my Nook and we get a quarterly magazine about Oregon, 1859.
                  

Any book suggestions for me?

My Halloween Mantle

Today the lovely ladies hosting Sunday Social have asked us to post about fall. I thought I would show you my Halloween-y themed mantle. It will get changed on November 1 and become more neutral until the big guns come out for Christmas.

Most of this stuff I made last year. I redid my mummy pumpkin this year with a fake pumpkin I bought in January last year for 90% off at Michael's. The post on the giant candy corn is here. The tray they are sitting in is a Goodwill find. I just replace the fabric for each season so you don't see the hot pink inside. Last year I also had some of that spider web stuff inside the tray, but it looked a lot like snow, so I took it out and used it in my Christmas decorations instead. New this year is the mason jars of candy corn. Totally stole that idea from here.

I also switched up my seasonal printable to this one:

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This is not my mantle, its just a picture from the eighteen25 blog
where they have TONS of super cute FREE printables

There are a few more things that I would love to add to my decorations:

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Isn't this wreath so fun?

Here is another wreath that I love:

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This one seems a little to fancy for me and my current mantle, but if I ever get rid of the candy and class things up a bit this would be at the top of my list.

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This would fit nicely in with my current decorations. And, I do have a 3 day weekend coming up...

Honestly, fall was always on the bottom of my favorite seasons list when I was younger, but now that I have matured (and you be mature you have to pronounce it ma-tour) I have really started to enjoy it.

How about you, do you decorate for Halloween? I don't have kids so it seems kind of silly, but every time I look at my mantle I smile.

End of Summer Sunday Social

This is it. It's my last weekend before the kiddos come back to school. The itty bitty 6th graders start on Tuesday, and my big ol' 8th graders come through the door on Wednesday. Secret, I'm kind of ready for the school year to start. I am looking forward to my normal routine, getting to know the kids, and to tryout all the cool Pinterest stuff I pinned to my classroom board. :) So, how fitting is it that the Sunday Social is all about looking back at summer!

1. What was your favorite trip/vacation/activity this summer?

Do I have to say it again? Kauai!

2. What was your favorite outfit look of the summer/clothing item?

During the summer, since I don't work, I wear a lot of what I call "comfy" clothes.

summer comfy by casey-amber featuring racer back tank tops

I will miss wearing a very similar outfit to this every. day. 

3. What is one thing you wish you had gotten to do this summer?

This is the second summer that we have not gone camping. Sad. September usually has pretty good weather, so there is a tiny chance we could still get the tent out this year, but probably not. 

4. What was your favorite song of the summer?

Carly Rae. Is this still cool? Because I freaking love Call Me Maybe.

I also can't get enough of Fun. Some Nights.

5. What was your favorite movie/tv show of the summer?

Because I am off during the summer, I get to watch all the day time trash I want. My favorite (and also kind of embarrassing) is Dog the Bounty Hunter on A&E

I also really like So You Think You Can Dance. 

How was your summer??