One of those days...

It has been one of those days no...weeks...already....

My students haven't been well behaved the past two days.  

A co-worker of mine seems to think the world revolves around her.

My dad moved away to Savannah, Georgia. (great for him & my mom BUT...that means they are leaving us behind.  Another post about that to come.)

My dogs leave their fur around the house and it annoys me so much.

We had a community project due on Monday and maybe half of my class turned it in.  I then receive emails from parents with excuses.  Does this teach them anything?

I didn't work out at all this past weekend so, I have only worked out one day this week.  Today.

I annoyed my hubby and he got frustrated with me.

I feel asleep during the Bachelor and forgot to tape it.  Annoying.

I have lost my lunchbox for work.  I can't find it anywhere.

I have been tired every morning this week.  Why can I not sleep through the whole night?

Do you ever have weeks like this?  I just have a feeling the week is going to continue to go down this path..but I hope not. Ugh.  I hope everyone is having a better week...

XOXO

 

I love family!

Recently I got the opportunity to go to dinner with my sister and my two cousins.  You are probably wondering...the opportunity?  Well yes, I haven't been able to hang out with my cousins in quite some time.  My aunt has been going through some rough times in her life for the past couple of years and it has really taken a toll on our relationship with my cousins.  In fact, we weren't "allowed" to see them.  This whole mess started back when I was a senior in high school (let's just say...a long time ago) :)  So my cousins, aunt, and uncle really missed out on a lot of important things in my life. (my wedding, graduation, first years teaching, etc.)  

Well, now that my cousin (in the picture below with me) can drive, she reached out to my sister and me.  She decided that she wanted to see us and rekindle the amazing relationship we used to have.  I give her so much credit because my sister and I had simply stopped trying.  We didn't understand why our aunt had forbidden them from seeing us.  So anyways, the four of us all went to dinner recently and had an AMAZING time.

My cousin & I

My cousin & Sister

These aren't the most flattering pictures but, I wanted to share this event.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that we continue to hang out and do things together.  We used to be so close & my sister and I are the only cousins they have.  Love them!

XOXO

Morning Ritual

It's been a few days since I have been able to sit down and actually write a blog post.  This week was crazy busy with work, make up school days, trainings, grad. school.  You name it, I had to do it. However there was one thing that stayed consistent this week and didn't change at all!  I had to have my coffee for breakfast (with a healthy banana on the side).  There is a Caribou coffee on my way to work and this week, I needed it every morning.  I have gotten to know the friendly workers who help me every morning to wake up and feel alive!  They are some of the kindest people I have met and they love working their job.  I walk in and they don't even have to ask me what I want.  It is simple...Vanilla Chocolate Mocha, a medium of course.  That's part of consistency for me.  Thank you to the workers of Caribou for always getting my order right and making sure that I start my morning off with a bang.  

Now to part two of consistency this week.  Every morning while I am waiting for the fabulous Barista (sp?)  to make my coffee I find myself looking at their greeting cards.  The cards don't change from day to day, only for each season.  But for some reason I can reread the same cards every morning and they still make me happy.  They carry the Papyrus brand of cards and they are each so unique and always put a smile on my face.  Here are a few of my favorites...

These are just a couple examples of some of their Valentine's cards but, they have birthday, wedding, moving, thank you's...etc. I think even if I didn't get coffee every morning I could still walk in and read the rack of cards that are for sale.  It has become one of my morning rituals.  As I wait for a nice hot coffee, I turn my hectic morning upside down and take five minutes or less to read someone else's fabulous work.  I love it.  

My mom and aunt used to make their own greeting cards and I always found that to be so cute and artsy.  Then I saw that one of my friends from Texas has her own etsy shop for greeting cards that are adorable.  I don't think I have that artistic gift so, for now...I'll keep reading my Papyrus cards and drinking my coffee!

XOXO

Our New Addition

Meet the New Addition to our Family...

Yes, I finally made a change in my life! I might be the only person on Earth that hasn't upgraded my phone in forever or bought a Kindle or gotten the new Kinect game thing.  Well I decided that I needed to make a change this weekend.  The hubby and I have been on separate cell phone plans for the first two years of our marriage (yes, I guess we have just been lazy) and we spent the weekend crunching numbers to see what would be the cheapest option for us....him coming over to Verizon or me jumping over to Sprint.  Ok, Sprint won hands down (nothing bad to say about Verizon...love them!) and it has the phones we were really wanting!  We went with it because it would save us in the long run!

So let's just say I have spent the past twenty four hours learning how to use this new phone and learning all about downloading apps and all that jazz!

Wish me luck!

XOXO

Snow Snow Go Away

Time to rant and rave for a minute.  Here in good 'ol North Carolina school has been canceled for the third day in a row.  And for what?  Snow and ice.  This means that as spring time comes, we will have zero days off of work until the middle of April when it is spring break.  C'mon teachers...we all know that spring is when we want the days off of work.  We have so many days off in the fall and then we crave the days in the spring.  I guess I can say how thankful I am for my class this year.  We will be spending a lot of time together, in fact more time than we will spend with our loved ones back at home.

The roads weren't even that bad today.  My friend Ashley and I were able to venture out to the gym this morning (dedication, huh?) and make it home without slipping and sliding on the roads.  I did, however notice the neighborhood roads were a bit icy.  I guess that's why the buses can't run tomorrow?  WHAT do schools up North do when they get tons of snow and ice?  I mean they can't possibly take off days and days and days.   Whatever they are doing up North, we should be doing down here in the South (or at least be prepared to do so).  THEN we wouldn't have to spend our spring days off now, when we just had two weeks off for the holidays.

So, it looks like us Charlotte teachers have a two hour delay for a Teacher Workday tomorrow and let's just remember we already have a teacher workday next Friday. Oh and please go and read the Charlotte Observer website because parents are already pissed we are using MLK Day for a makeup day.  Seriously?!?  In my opinion (sorry if this offends anyone) but who cares?!?!  What is more important? Education or taking a day off of work to do...NOTHING?

Anyways...enough of my negativeness..it will be better tomorrow..unless they call for day four of no work! Keeping my fingers crossed.

XOXO

Bachelor Drama continues..

And The Bachelor Continues...

So all my Bachelor fans out there...did you watch last night's episode?  Let's start from the beginning.

Date one took place with Ashley H. and they had the surprise carnival.  I think Ashley H. is so adorable and I like how Brad and her really had some things in common and they seemed to have a lot of fun together!  I was happy to see that she got a rose on their date.

Date two was crazy!  I can't believe Brad took 15 women on a date to do PSA's for the Red Cross.  What I came out of the date with was that Michelle is crazy.  Did anyone else care that it was her birthday?  I mean if I had to listen to that anymore I was going to punch the t.v screen.  She was actually on my list of girls that I liked after night one but, I must say that I don't think she is on my top list anymore.  Overall I liked the date and think they worked for a great cause however, I don't like all the kissing and stuff that Brad was doing in the episode. Yuck!

Date three was with Jackie and boy was she spoiled on her date!  I think Jackie was the BEST person he could have taken on this date.  She was classy and very thankful she was getting the opportunity.  I like her a lot and I was also glad to see that she got a rose.

Ok, was anyone else tired of hearing from Rachel and Melissa?  What were they even fighting about?  I almost changed the channel because I was sick of watching them cry, whine, and fight like little kids.  I was glad that Brad sent both of them home!  Serves them right for causing unneccessary drama in the "Bachelorette Pad".

The rose list is as follows:

Ashley H. (love her!)

MIchelle (ugh...)

Jackie (love her!)

Emily (really like her...even though I have heard some CRAZY things about her.)

Shantel O. (don't know too much about)

Sara (again..don't know her)

Alli (don't know her)

Kimberly (don't know her)

Shawntel (one of my favs)

Stacey (like her)

Ashley S. (adorable!)

Madison (fang girl)

Lisa (don't know)

Marissa (like her)

Megan

Lindsay

& Britt

I really don't know too much about a lot of these girls and I know it is just episode two so I am excited to continue the journey along with these ladies!

Tata for now my Bachelor Lovas

XOXO

Blog Award

Welp...I was wrong about the snow!  Here I am blogging away, watching Saved by the Bell, and watching the snow fall away in my backyard.  Although there is something peaceful about snow falling and the beautiful white color spread across the yard....I still can't wait for warm weather.  On a fabulous note I have to thank Ashley Lauren at Texas Prep for awarding me with my first blog award of my new and improved blog. 

Here are the rules:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award

2. Share 7 things about yourself

3. Award 15 recently discovered bloggers

4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award

 

So seven things about me...

1.)  I was born and raised in Houston, Texas and my life would be incomplete without country music.  I am the biggest country music fan alive (at least I tell myself that) and I sure miss the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo that would come every Feb./March.

2.)  I am a dance-aholic!  I used to take dance classes when I was younger and even traveled to New York City to dance when I was in eighth grade.  Ever since dancing at New York Broadway Dance Center, I haven't been able to stop dancing!  I love going to dance classes at the gym, dancing at clubs, at weddings, and playing dance Wii games!

3.)I wish I could open up my own dog rescue. I am love watching Pit bulls and Parolees and Shorty's Dog Rescue on t.v.   There's just something about saving dogs lives that gets me every time. I guess that would explain why the hubs and I have three rescue dogs that have completely taken over our house.

4.)  I am obsessed with reality t.v!  I seriously watch everything that is reality: Bachelor, American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Wipe Out, Minute to Win It, Jersey Shore, Biggest Loser, and the list continues.

5.)  My life goal is to visit all the Caribbean Islands that have people living on them.  I also have a goal to visit 500 out of the 1000 places in my Places to See Before You Die book.  As for the islands...I have been to Turks & Caicos, Bahamas, Antigua, Cayman Islands and this year I will add the Dominican and Grenada to the list!

6.) I met my husband when I was 16, in Junior English Class.  We planned a date to go four-wheeling and to this day, we have never gone!   We dated up until our freshman year in college and then broke up for a little bit!  We got back together our senior year and the rest is history...:)

7.) I become obsessed with things easily.  If I put my mind to one thing, I seriously become obsessed with it until it gets done.  Things I am obsessed with right now?  Going to the gym, putting hardwood floors down in my living room, and planning our trip to the Dominican.

So now the rules are to pass along the award to some of my favorite blogs!  This is the exciting part because it just might make another bloggers day!

1.)  Jackie @ LYMIB (Jackie is my sweet friend from college, sorority sister, and has grown to be one of my best friends)

2.) Shannon @ An Army Wife's Alaskan Adventure (Shannon is also a college friend, although we became better friends from blogging!  She is such a sweetheart!)

3.) Erin @ And Then There Were Three (Erin is a stay at home mom who used to teach first grade at my school!  We started teaching the same year together!)

4.) Angie @ Life Of a Single Gal I have grown to love reading her blog and all her adventures!

5.) Marie @ Pouty Pink Princess Her blog is the BEST! I love reading about her life and hearing her comments on my posts too!

6.)  Beth @ SweetBef's Blog Super sweet and fun to read! :)

Now..on to enjoy the snow day off from work!

XOXO

Summer Lovin'

As everyone sets out to get their bread and milk, I find myself 1.) Wondering if I am going into work tomorrow 2.) Hoping that we don't have to make up these days if in fact we don't have work 3.) Daydreaming about summertime and 4.) Staying warm by the blazing fire in our living room. The husband and I were at the grocery store early this afternoon to simply get our groceries for the week. It is our Sunday tradition and man was Harris Teeter packed!  People had carts fulllll of bread and more milk and eggs than one person should eat.  I still don't know about this snow storm and if it is going to be as bad as the weather forums that my husband reads says it is.  

I have been daydreaming about summertime since the day winter began. Oh yes...allow me to damper the mood for all the winter lovers out there.  I am more of a bathing suit, beach, pool, hot sun kinda gal!  So to make sure I am prepared for summer time, I thought ahead.  See I am just like my friends who stocked up on bread and milk...I just stocked up in a different way!

I went to Target today and saw these two beachy dresses that I couldn't resist...

Cute Navy Anchor dress

Black and white striped dress

I can't wait to wear the dresses already! They are hanging in my closet...right next to my sweaters! (Which I can't wait to pack right back up!)

So not only did I buy two new dresses for summertime, I went ahead and bought some new bathing suits for the upcoming season!  I just love the off season for Victoria's Secret because you can get their bathing suits for dirt cheap!  Anyone else stock up during the off season?

Bathing Suit #1

Bathing Suit #2

Bathing Suit #3

These are also laying out in my closet to remind me of what is to come!  Actually I don't have to wait until summertime...the hubby and I are headed to the Dominican Republic for spring break this year!  We are dying for some R&R time together...away from the hustle and bustle of Charlotte!

So..I guess we will find out if a winter storm is going to blow through this evening...and if so I may have to prance around in a new bathing suit with snow boots! :) NOT!  I suppose I will play with our three fur balls in the snow..IF some actually falls!

Until later...all my summer lovas!

XOXO

Dedication

It has been a week of dedication for Mrs. Pinkture Perfect!  I am proud to say that I make my personal goal this week for gym visits.  I started the week pretty off and I was feeling terrible about my decisions.  Honestly I didn't go to the gym Monday-Wednesday. I had graduate school/Bachelor stuff on Monday.  Then I just honestly didn't feel like it on Tuesday & Wednesday. Pitiful isn't it?  I think it may have been the exhaustion from being back to school for the first week.  So I looked on the Group Fitness class list and found a class that was being offered on Thursday evening called: Core Fitness! Sounded fun to me so I found myself waiting for the teacher to walk in the room of the fitness class!  Yikes- I had no idea what exactly the class was going to be like.  Welp...the first thirty minutes was spent on strictly abs. Ouch!  The second thirty minutes was spent on legs. Yikes!  Let's just say it was brutal and I am paying for it...still.

Well here's where the dedication part comes in.  My friend Ashley wanted me to go get drinks after school today and I made a fabulous choice!  I knew that going out to pay for expensive drinks around where we work didn't fit into my budget and I knew that I really wanted to go to the gym again today.  So I somehow convinced Ashley (who has been complaining about needing to go to the gym) to use her seven day free pass to my gym and come on a FRIDAY NIGHT! What?!?!  Who does that?

Oh yea, Zumba was awesome and the class was really small.  I would imagine that is due to the fact that most people take the night off on Friday nights.  Nope-not this girl! :)  We loved it so much that Ashley and I are getting up (not early) to head to Hip Hop Fitness!  I am really excited about that because I think that dancing is a fabulous way to get back in shape.

How are your New Years Resolutions coming in the first week of the new year?  Success?  Falling behind?  Anyways, I hope everyone had a fabulous week! :)

Until later,

XOXO

My Top Picks

I am so late - thanks for it being the first week back teaching!  Is anyone else exhausted with being back to work?  I have been terrible - no gym, no lasering, no blogging, nothing!  I think after I get used to being back at work and my schedule becomes normal again, I will be back to my old self again.  Boy, I can't wait for that to happen.  So hopefully I didn't miss alllll the Bachelor posts and you guys might still care about Monday nights episode.  Here are my top picks (based on one episode)  Two of my top picks were eliminated already (Ashley, the dentist & Lisa)

In no order, here are my favs...

Ashley S.

Emily (who lives where I do!)  She is friends with one of my best friends, Ashley!  She talked to her over the holiday break but, Miss Emily wouldn't give any details!

Marissa (loves sports)

Melissa

Shawntel

Michelle

Oops and I forgot Stacey!  She is on my top list!  I just really enjoyed these girls and really thought they were down to earth.  I must also admit that Mr. Womack wasn't as bad as I thought.  I thought it was hilarious when Chris Harrison brought back Jenny and Deanna!  He apologized and was a man about what happened in the past!  I think I may like this season more than I thought I would.  Who are your favorites?!  How about the fang-girl? Yikes!

Monday Funday

Oh back to work...Monday Funday...NOT!  I hope everyone had a great day back in the adult world.  My husband got to continue his vacation today to "observe" the New Year!  Can we say lucky?  Anyways, 5:15 came incredibly early this year and the kids came shortly after.  We had a wonderful day back in school today and my class was really well behaved. Surprising!  No but for real..I have the most amazing class this year and it will be sad come June when I have to say goodbye.  So the work day came and went and was followed by graduate school.  Way to go to just jam everything into one day huh?!?  Luckily tonight began the first night of my LAST CLASS as a graduate student.  I am officially finished with my Masters Degree on February 14th!! So stoked!

Now to the good stuff....two of my favorite shows are back on the air this evening!  I can't tell you how excited I am for both of these although I will have to choose one to actually watch.  Back to work means back to a bedtime.

The first show being...

 Love this show ever since I randomly saw it last season.  I think it is really clever and suspenseful.  Are there any other Pretty Little Liars fans out there?

The second show being...

That's right...The Bachelor!  I think I have watched this show since it started forever many seasons ago.  I'm not sure how much I am going to love this season because we get a "re-do" bachelor, Brad Womack.  Should he really get another chance to find love on National t.v?  I mean yes, everyone gets a second chance at love (that's not what I was getting at) but there are thousands of other fans out there that would love the opportunity to be on the show.  Ok, as much complaining as I am doing...I'm still going to watch every episode.  Addicted, I know!  So, after tonight I will pick my top girls to follow throughout the season and make predictions!  If any others want to do the same I love to read what people think as the season progresses!

Until later...Happy Watching!

XOXO

TMI

 Oh yes...there is nothing better than hairy legs to start off the New Year!  This may be TMI for my readers BUT I seriously have the hardest time shaving my legs on a regular basis.  I mean every time I get in the shower I say, "I really need to shave." The problem is that I think showering is quite boring so I don't want to take the extra time to shave. Ugh I know I may not be the typical chica with this bad habit. Luckily, my father in law owns his own laser business!  He actually used to work full time lasering tattoo's, hair removal, etc.  Now he is retired but works one day at a week at a Plastic Surgeon's office.   Pretty fun job, I'd say!

So, I have always mentioned that I have wanted to laser my leg hair right off because of my anti-shaving attitude.  We always joke around and he tells me that we can set up an appointment to do it anytime.  Ok, I have been waiting for years...yes years.  Well I was in luck this past week.  My father in law came over and brought one of his lasers for me to use! WHAT?!?!?  Oh yes...he spent a long time teaching me about the laser, how it works, and what not to do.  It can actually be quite dangerous. Yikes!

Today I spent a good hour lasering the lower half of my legs!  Boy did it hurt BUT I am one step closer to being hair free on my legs and one day in the near future I won't have to shave ever again.  It takes a couple treatments to completely get rid of the hair but since I have the laser I will be able to do it in no time.  I am so stoked because (even though it is painful) I could see the results as I lasered away.  I tried to do my armpits (again..TMI) but it was wayyy too painful so I am going to have my father in law or sister in law do it for me.  I couldn't put myself through that much pain.

So I have a date on Saturday with my sister in law and the laser.  Hopefully we can help each other laser away what needs to be done so there will be no shaving for us in the future!

A huge thank you to my father in law for saving me time & lots of money!

Until later...your hairless friend,

XOXO

Happy 2011!

Happy 2011 to all my blog friends out there!  I hope everyone rang in the new year in style and did something fun with loved ones.  The hubs and I decided to just have a couple close friends over, cook bbq, dips, and display our star ice sculptures!  Friends started coming over around 7 and then stayed to ring in the New Year with us!  I can't say enough how nice it was to not get dressed up and to just wear something comfortable and not have to worry about waiting in lines for drinks or paying too much money to get in to a club/bar!  Last year we spent about 200 bucks just on New Years! Yikes!  Let's not talk about it.  So here is a look at my New Year's in pictures!

Amber (college roomate), Melissa (sister), ME!, and Megan (my best friend)

Melissa, Megan, Michelle (sister in law), Amber, and ME!

Joe (sister's boyfriend) and my sister

Kristin (friend), Michelle (sister in law), and ME!

Matt (hubby's college friend), HUBBY, and Nick (hubby's college friend)

My parents also stopped by for a couple hours after a wedding that they attended.  We I actually busted out a game and I know everyone was thinking, "Who wants to play a game on New Years?"  Little did they know it was the highlight of the evening.  We played a game called "A Game of Things" and it is hilarious!  We had a blast all playing together and enjoying delicious beverages together!

I hope everyone had a fabulous NEW YEARS as well!

*Cheer to a new and fabulous 2011!*