Feel Good Boxes

I save cards.  I save ones from my best friends, my family, and my students.  I guess you could call the boxes I keep them in "feel good boxes."  Whenever I get a card that has a special message in it, or it is from someone who means a lot to me, I stick the card or note in my feel good boxes.  The boxes are on a shelf in my living room, and most days, I forget about them.  When I do take them out, I usually end up bursting into tears after reading one or two.  They usually hit a nerve of some sort, and  I end up crying.  They aren't sad tears, though.  They're "I feel loved" tears.  

This all started in my senior year of high school.  I started to attend my church's youth group and went on a retreat.  On the retreat, you receive letters from your closest family and friends.  These letters are a surprise.  You have no idea that they were written, and when you read them on the second night, you're completely taken over with a feeling of love.  It was actually a euphoric night, and I can truly say I felt the love of God like never before.  It was an incredible feeling at the age of 17, and I continued to be involved with this particular retreat center for the remaining time I had as a high school student.  

I kept the notes from this time of my life, and continued to collect notes that I received at other times, like birthdays, holidays, and other special times.  As you can see, my blue box has been filling up, and I've now begun to collect student letters in the yellow box.  I keep the basket out, and usually toss all my cards in there throughout the year.  At the end of the year, I'll go through the basket and reread cards I've received, and will keep the ones that I truly love.  

My "feel good boxes" are an incredible way to keep memories alive.  Tonight as I was thumbing through my boxes, I came across two VERY special notes.  All four of my grandparents have passed away.  I came across notes from my grandparents from my dad's side.  The most incredible thing about these notes was that I had one from my grandma and one from my grandpa.  Grandma always sent me letters growing up, but I never had a handwritten note from my grandpa.  In all the years I've fished through these letters, I guess I always missed that one.  As I read his note, I was filled with many emotions.  It wasn't every day that my grandparents took the time to say how proud they were of me.  But in these letters, the words were written.  I'm so incredibly blessed that I will have these love notes forever.

I have loved the surprise letter writing idea so much that I've incorporated it into my classroom. Each week we have one student as the "Star of the Week."  During that week, our class is able to learn about that particular student.  On Wednesday of every week, the Star's parent writes a letter to our class.  It's top secret, and usually arrives at school in a sealed envelope.  Sometimes parents include photos, a dvd photo montage, or just a simple letter or poem.  I read the letter aloud to the class, and usually we all giggle together when we hear about a silly baby story, or gasp in awe saying "wow, you did that??? I didn't know that!!"  It's a memorable moment for the star and the rest of the class.  Whenever I'm finished reading the letter, I always tell the student to put it somewhere safe to keep forever.  

Just like Dawn was saying she'd grab her photos first if anything was to ever happen to her home, I'd have to say that these letter boxes are high on my list of things to grab.  Do you have a letter box?  If you don't, I highly recommend starting one.  If you hold onto those special letters, one day you'll be really happy you can read the words of some special people all over and over again.  

Looking at the boxes that are sitting in front of me, I have to say that I'm very blessed...and very thankful.

Have a sweet night. xoxo

Turning dreams into reality

I'm guilty of getting excited pretty quickly when I'm starting something new.  Beginning this blog just 21 days ago had me all wound up from the time I woke up until the time I went to sleep.  At night, Dawn and I would be talking until the moment my head hit the pillow.  Some days, I'd wake up to text messages from Dawn from the night before.  I'd quickly wake up, grab my phone and see what she'd be reporting to me.  Now that I'm thinking about it...it makes sense that I was exhausted all week!

In any adventure that I embark on, I always need to remember to dream big, but always stay grounded with reality.  It's hard to not get excited, but you have to navigate through any journey, big or small, through life carefully.  At the same time, you need to take in everything you encounter and see all the possibilities it has to offer.

I bought this sign about a year ago when I was feeling like life wasn't where I wanted it to be.  I dreamed of the days that I'm living today.  I never thought the day would come when I'd be settled in a new place, settled at work, socializing more than ever with all my friends, and even going on dates (where I actually enjoy myself!!).  :)  Now here I am, living this incredible life.  I have said this to friends before, but right now, I know I'm right where I belong.  Life feels right, because it is right. 

Life is full of ups and downs, but I can't help but look up toward the stars and wish for all the good things in life.  I am so blessed with so much love and happiness, I can't help but be thankful for all that God has given me.

Have a beautiful night...have you taken a look at those stars tonight? 

High Five for Friday: The Science of Happiness

I found the idea for "High Five For Friday" through The Small Things Blog and recently noticed that her sister started this! Head on over to Lauren Elizabeth for more "High Five for Fridays." I'm taking part in this fun reflection each week. Hopefully you will too! 

My top 5 moments of the week:

1. Watching the Science of Happiness with my students today. Every two weeks, my whole school stops instruction and each class takes part in "Advisory" - a period in which we discuss issues relevant to students' social and emotional development. Recently, our topics have been about gratitude and optimism. A colleague suggested that we watch "The Science of Happiness" to deepen our discussion about gratitude. I could barely hold it together while watching the video with my students. They were so touched also, especially when they reflected with just "one little word." This is where the best part of teaching 6th grade happens. Their little hearts and minds open up; they were extremely  insightful and it was so special sharing this experience with them. PLEASE watch this video now. You need to! You might cry, but that's ok! One of my students connected this experience to a video she recently watched, If Only For a Second. Must see also!! Almost cried my eyes out with this one too. 

2. Early dismissal and 2 hour delay this week! A big snowstorm hit the tristate area on Tuesday and it was verrrryyyy cold, which led to the 2 hour delay on Wednesday. Kids are crazy on early dismissal days... and so are the teachers, who are we kidding? As we were getting ready for dismissal, a few of my boys started chatting about the storm. One of them said, "I hope we have a snow day tomorrow." "Me too," I replied under my breath. They gasped in disbelief and said "You do?! You're the first teacher to ever say that! We thought all teachers hated missing school!" OOPS! 

3. We redesigned our blog template on Sunday evening. Although we consider ourselves tech savvy, it was definitely a whole new language to understand as we made the switch. It was SO exciting and still is every time I click over to www.730moments.com! The picture below will show you what life was like before we transitioned to our new template.

4. FaceTime meeting with Amanda on Tuesday. We've been meeting often to review setting up our social media accounts and to discuss upcoming business opportunities. Our first FaceTime meeting was fun and once again, I was shocked because we didn't get sidetracked with personal stuff; we got a lot accomplished! Tuesday was also our big debut on Facebook. It was SO much fun watching the "likes" climb! We hope you keep sharing our blog with your friends! We have MUCH more coming your way very soon! 

5.  Buying stuff for DIY projects. Tonight I made a trip to Home Depot and Michael's. I have a few really fun DIY projects to share with you. Stay tuned this week! 

Obsessed with my wedding gown

A few days ago, my husband spoke the words that I thought he'd never have the courage to say to me: "I think it's time that you box up your wedding gown." We were rattling off things on our to-do list and he casually slipped this one in there. My first reaction was to gasp... loudly. My eyes grew wide and I stared at him with my mouth open for what seemed like forever. And then these words stumbled out in an incredibly dramatic way, "Are. you. being. serious?" He knew that he struck a bad chord with me and he knew what to do next: walk away.

I nearly cried when we returned from our honeymoon because I stared at my dress  and couldn't work up the courage to inquire about preserving it. My poor husband was the one who had to listen to me cry about this the most. He knew I was upset, so he didn't say anything. Ever. Even those times when I'd be cleaning our apartment and say, "I know I should look into preserving this, but I'm just not ready yet." Still, he would nod (in agreement?!) and walk away. 

And then there was a few days ago, where I'm assuming, the words just slipped out of his mouth without even realizing it. He can be a clean freak...or better yet, a clutter freak and it's probably been eating him alive inside. But like a good husband, he's kept his mouth shut... Until now.

My wedding gown has been hanging in our guest room since we returned from our fairytale wedding weekend. At first, it hung right on the guest room door, visible from our living room. We engaged in many, many staring contests. When the holidays rolled around, I moved it further inside the room, because our tree and other decorations were in the way. 

I just love having it on display. Not because I want everyone to see it, but because I want to see it and stare at it, as often as I'd like. 

Reasons why I'm insane about keeping my dress in sight:

1. I went over a year without being able to see my gown. The day you "say yes to the dress!" is one of the best days of your life and then you dream about it day after day until it arrives for you to be fitted. You finally see it again and can't wear it until the big day. Then the waiting game begins all over again.

2. I wore my dress for maybe 10 hours. It was surreal. I couldn't believe that I was wearing it then, and as I stare at it today, it still doesn't feel like I wore it. 10 hours just wasn't enough. I joke with my husband that he'll come home to me prancing around in my gown. It hasn't happened...yet.

3. I love staring at the "happy stains" all over it. The bottom is gray and black from it dragging, and there are some little stains here and there, but it reminds me of the incredible, unforgettable moments that we shared that day.

4. I dreamt about this dress for so long, and I don't want to have to continue dreaming about it and only see it in pictures. There's nothing like seeing it in person!

5. Of course my veil is hanging with it, too. I definitely didn't wear my veil enough that day and I love staring at that, as well. I stuck it in my hair the other day and my husband caught me. Maybe that's what encouraged him to speak those words?!

So by now, I know you think I'm clearly insane. I also know that you're probably screaming at me for every comment I've made so far.

-"It's going to turn yellow, Dawn!" 

I know, and I really don't care. If I have a daughter, I don't think she'd ever want to wear it, anyway. 

-"Those stains will never come out, it's been sitting for too long." 

It's ok! They're happy stains!

I've heard of many brides holding onto their dresses. As a matter of fact Molly Mesnick, from the Bachelor, tweeted a few months ago that she keeps her gown in her guest room, too. She even has it on a mannequin and displays it as a piece of art. Hmmm, now that's a great idea! 

You can call me crazy, but please try to cut me some slack, my wedding was only 5 months ago. I'm sure you can tell that I've been in mourning about our big day being over. I'm holding onto whatever I can! 

I will try to keep you updated on what happens. Please feel free to leave me a comment about your dress obsession. I know I'm not alone! :) 

Friendship, Memories, and Inside Jokes

Why are the shortest weeks sometimes the weeks that feel like the longest?  I have been feeling so tired this week!  The change in schedules with delays and closings, I think my sleep clock is all messed up!  I came home tonight, and once I was settled, I sat down at my computer and I wasn't really sure what to write about.  I looked over my big 3-0 photo collage, and then I went over to a basket in my living room.  I have photo albums, scrapbooks, and memory books.  My eyes glanced over this book, and they grew wide!  I knew exactly what tonight's post was going to be about: the pink book you see in the picture above.

This book was made and given to me by Dawn in May 2007.  Six years ago, Dawn and I entered our fifth year of college where we were to complete our master's program in Literacy.  As fate would have it, the two of us were placed to student teach together in the same school, with the same mentor teacher. We walked into the situation open-minded, and were interested to see what the placement would be like.  

Well...let's just say we had a LOT of laughs.  We had so many laughs, Dawn was able to put all of our inside jokes inside this book.  Six and a half years later, to this day, I can pull out this book and laugh out loud.  I sometimes laugh so hard that my stomach hurts!  This student teaching placement drew us together, and our friendship became stronger.  I have to say, this was when Dawn truly became one of my most treasured friends.  When I looked back at this book, I noticed the letter she had written me and pasted inside the book.  I focused on one part of the letter:

If there was no date on this letter, I would have thought Dawn had written this letter yesterday.  I still wonder how we made it through the toughest year of college. One thing is for sure, my friendship with Dawn is one that has helped me through a lot of times.  I'm not really quite sure what I would do without her!  I do know, like she said, twenty years from now, we'll STILL be saying....."How did we make it??!?!" 

Making a memory book like this isn't difficult.  The book was purchased from a craft store, and Dawn was able to paste in quotes and memories right into the book.  She was also able to include embellishments like stickers to decorate each page.  This type of book is a great idea for friends to share memories and record moments that they never want to forget!

Have a beautiful night! xo

Chicken Soup for the Soul

Tonight, I stood at the kitchen counter chopping vegetables for my homemade chicken noodle soup. My husband, who's not feeling well, stood by my side and watched, as we told stories about our day. Our conversation quickly turned to recipes and I asked him if he knew about a specific soup recipe that my great grandfather made when I was a little girl. One thing led to the next, and I found myself sharing memories about my great grandparents (my mom's grandparents). They were such a huge part of our lives growing up and it seemed like they were at our house almost every Sunday. 

When I think of my great grandparents, (we called them Nanny and Pop), many of my memories revolve around being in the kitchen surrounded by food. Pop would bring bags of groceries and cooked for what seemed like hours and Nanny would sit at our kitchen table and play cards. 

As I continued to slice and add ingredients to my chicken soup, I shared stories with my husband. Memories about my great grandparents' famous recipes, memories about the way they walked or talked, and memories of us laughing hysterically with them.

I shared stories for almost 10 minutes, rattling off my most favorite moments with each of them. My husband smiled and laughed along with me the whole time. As I grew quiet and tears started to well up, he looked me in the eyes and said, "You are so lucky that you got to know them. Most people never get that chance, like me." 

I AM so lucky and very fortunate in so many ways, and I honestly believe that these feelings are magnified when you become a teacher. You hear stories about families and witness family relationships that make you sick to your stomach on a daily basis. I leave school each day with the deepest appreciation and gratitude for my parents, grandparents, and great grandparents. They built such a strong and beautiful foundation for our family and I love that my siblings and I will continue to carry this on.

Prior to dinner, I had three other ideas to write about, but I couldn't stop thinking about my grandparents and great grandparents. Naturally, I just had to write about them.

My photo for the night is of my wedding bouquet. It sits on the bureau in our bedroom.  The charm attached is of my other Pop, my mom's father. Pop passed away almost 2 years ago and left a huge void in our lives. I still can't believe he's gone and I will dedicate a post to him soon - there's too much to say and I haven't found the best words to describe what he meant to our family. I miss him more everyday. 

"The love of a family is life's greatest blessing." 

Five of my Favorite Things!

This post is a take off of Dawn's "High Five for Fridays" post.  I decided that every Wednesday, I'll post about five of my current favorite things!  I hope you enjoy!

1.  Yankee Candle Lantern:  I got this lantern at an after Christmas sale, and I'm absolutely loving it!  It holds a large pillar candle, and adds another element of decoration to my apartment living room.   You can find a similar lantern at: www.walmart.com.

2. Pier 1 Coasters:  As part of an amazing birthday gift from a few of my girlfriends, I was given the coasters you see on the table in my living room!  They're made of capiz shells, and they're super light.  I love the color, they're almost iridescent. Looking at them, they remind me of the beach and the summer (which on the coldest days, it's exactly what I need!).  I think you'll love them, too!  You can find the coasters here: www.pier1.com

3.  Target "Threshold" Nesting Tables: I've been holding out on purchasing a coffee table for my apartment, because I don't want my living room to look cluttered.  I want the ability to roll my ottoman over to my  couch and put my feet up, and if I get a coffee table, I won't be able to do that.  I was meandering through Target over the weekend, and I found a nesting table set.  I had an idea!  I placed the nesting table set in front of my couch (which is apartment sized), and they work perfectly! I also love the fact that when I have friends over, I can use the two nesting tables around my living room, so my friends can rest their drinks and snacks wherever they're sitting.  This idea may not last forever, but right now, I'm loving it! You can find the nesting tables here: www.target.com

4. Smith & Hawken Wreath: I purchased this wreath for my apartment door a few weeks before Christmas.  As soon as I spotted it, I absolutely loved it.  It's a winter wreath, so I didn't feel like I had to put it away with the rest of my Christmas decorations.  It's made of ornate curled wood roses.  This particular wreath has a little bit of sparkle, but I just saw one the other day that's more of a peach color.  It is a wreath that does need to be kept inside, as it can be delicate.  You can find the wreath at: www.target.com

5. Origami Owl Personalized Jewelry: I recently designed my very own Origami Owl personalized locket.  Ever since I created my locket, I can't help but want to wear it all the time!  Inside my locket I included charms to represent who I am.  You can add and change charms whenever you want.  The company has just debuted their Valentine's Day lockets which are in the shape of a heart!  I recently became an independent designer.  If you have any questions about Origami Owl, their lockets, or where you can order them, you're more than welcome to contact me.  You can also visit my own personal website at: Origami Owl

I hope you enjoyed my Five Favorite Things this week!  I can't wait to share 5 more things with you next week!!  xo

Party Theme: Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving

On Saturday night, I posted about celebrating Amanda's 30th birthday and I also gave a brief summary about the items that I decorated with. The "Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving" theme was something that I was really excited about and I'm so happy that Amanda loved it.

I found the idea for "Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving" through the movie 13 Going on 30. Since it's one of Amanda's favorite movies, it was a perfect connection. I also loved that it was a positive phrase and theme. So many decorations that I found were incredibly negative. Oh no, the big 3-0! Holy #%@* you are 30! 30 Sucks! 

My go-to place for anything fun and crafty? Etsy! Within a few clicks, I fell upon the MakeLifeCute shop. The shop owner, Kristy, designs accessories for every special occasion and of course, had three printables available to match the "Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving" theme. The color scheme was so fun: pink, white,  and gray, along with an adorable preppy pattern. I was drawn to the fun fonts and personalization of Amanda's name and initial. I just knew that she would love the colors and overall design! I had to purchase and print each one!

1. Printable 5x7 signs: I originally planned to follow how Kristy had showcased them in her shop (in a picture frame). However, I quickly decided that I would use large, hot pink clothespins from Michael's instead. I know that this initially sounds weird, but it added a fun touch. Look at the pictures and decide for yourself! I also kept some at the 5x7 size and cut others down to make them stand out.

2. Printable 2" party circles: Kristy showcased these as cupcake toppers which were adorable! I wasn't sure if we would have that dessert option, so I cut them out and scattered them all over the tables. I tried various scrapbook punching tools to make them even more pretty, but I decided that I liked them as a simple square shape. I put one on each place setting, too, to add an extra fun touch!

3. Printable candy stickers: These were photographed with Hershey Kisses on Kristy's shop page.  I just love this idea and I've seen it used so many times at various events, like weddings or showers. I even received them as part of a fun gift at my bachelorette party!  This turned out to be the trickiest printable because I didn't plan ahead. I thought I had seen the sticker sheets for purchase at many local stores, but I was proved wrong. I struck out at every store I went to, except for Michael's. However, even though I found the paper, it wasn't sized correctly to the printable and it was an epic fail. My teacher brain did not let me down though, I used my last resort: shipping labels. My circle craft punch assisted with the extra hassle of cutting each one out and voila! I must admit, my amazing husband came to the rescue and helped me punch, as I stuck them to the bottoms of each kiss.

Again, I envisioned leaving them in a pretty bowl at the celebration, but at the last minute decided to scatter them across the tables. Guests munched on them before, during, and after dinner. It was a cute touch!

Head on over to Etsy's MakeLifeCute shop! You will fall in love! Kristy sent a wonderful email explaining the best way to print and even offered suggestions for the best paper/sticker sheets to use. (Plan ahead next time, Dawn!) 

I'll be heading back to her Etsy shop soon for our next celebration. Let me know if you have any questions about printables, I'd be happy to help! 

www.makelifecute.etsy.com

From the heart of an 8 year old

As a third grade teacher, I deal with the personalities of 8 and 9 year old boys and girls each and every day.  Since I have been working with this age group for give years.   You would think I would be used to their silly humor by now.  My class this year in particular is an incredible group of students.  The chemistry between all of them just "works."  It isn't always like this for any teacher, but when it does happen, you are so thankful for that particular year, the stars have aligned in your favor.  I actually look forward to going to work to see these kids each and every day.  They make teaching fun!

The bond that I have with this group of kids is special.  They are compassionate and so aware of the world.  They are also very much interested in their teacher.  Like any good teacher, you set limits.  They don't need to know everything about you, but just enough to understand that you're human and have a life outside of the walls of the school.  In the beginning of the year, my students had asked me when my birthday was, and how old I was.  I made them guess my age at the time (29), and they told me that 29 is not too old.  I immediately loved them forever! ;)

They knew the great countdown to 30 had begun.  When my birthday arrived, they made sure to have handwritten notes and cards to celebrate my big day.  One of the cards in the picture above highlights a students words of thanks.  She tells me that she'll never forget how I was there for her when her grandmother died, and that I'll always have a special spot in her heart.  My. heart. melted.

We don't give these kids enough credit.  They are so much aware of the world around them.  They know who is going to be on their side and who isn't.  With the outcries against Common Core and everything else attached to the negativity in education at the moment, my question is: when will everyone stop the fighting and realize that each and every data point stands for someone's child?  A son or daughter...someone with an identity who is trying to navigate through this crazy world, grow up into a successful adult and be a contributing member to our society.  Each data point has a life...that data point is living through so much.

This special child's card was the nudge I needed to remember...it's all about the kids.  We all need that reminder every once and a while.

Thank you to the little miss who sits in my class with a smile on her face each day.   She speaks her mind and speaks from her heart.  You are an unforgettable student. xo

Making the BIG 3-0!

A project that involves photos? Check!

A project that involves DIY skills? Check!

A project that tells a complete story? Check!

This was the project for me and I was determined to make it, whether my husband thought I was crazy or not. He tends to smile and shake his head when I get into these frenzies. I simply smile back and mumble the words, "you'll see, it's going to be great" as I scurry around with craft supplies strewn about from one room to the next. 

I stumbled upon the 30 photo collage idea when googling decoration ideas for Amanda's surprise birthday dinner. I immediately fell in love. I couldn't find the greatest "directions" on how to make the collage, as it's pretty self explanatory, so I tapped into my DIY skills and off I went...

I wanted the number cut-outs to be precise and didn't want to waste time sketching and erasing the number over and over again. So I went to Staples and had them print each number for me. My only requirement was that it had to be at least 2 feet high and wide. 

I brought them home, cut out the numbers, and started to arrange pictures to see how many would fit. This was my first attempt at seeing the project come together. 

I then traced the numbers onto cardboard. I used Elmer's tri-fold display boards, as they were the largest to accommodate each number. I also felt that these were the sturdiest. It was really easy cutting them out with scissors and an X-acto knife. 

I arranged the pictures again. I cut many pictures down and layered many on top of each other. Honestly, this took most of the time, as I was playing with many design opportunities. I also wanted to mix and match pictures of Amanda's childhood years with present day memories. 

Gluing was the scariest part, as it was the final step and permanent. I thought about using various forms of adhesive, but decided to stick with my go-to: glue sticks. 

I was really happy with the final product. It didn't come out exactly as I'd seen on Google, but it was close enough! :-) 

One of my favorite parts of the project was cutting up the pictures that Amanda's mom and sister sent me, as I incorporated them into the design. Each photo told a story and I wanted to hear more about each one. It brought back so many memories of my childhood, as my mom captured some of the same moments too, like walking off the school bus on the first day of school. :-) 

I recommend trying this DIY project for your friends, family members, or significant others birthday or anniversary. It's a lot of fun and very easy! Message me or leave a comment below if you need any help! :-)

A Best Friend's Birthday Gift

I have been posting a lot about my 30th birthday celebration, but I wanted to post about the thoughtful gift that Dawn put together for me. In addition to all of her amazing touches at the party, she put a ton of thought into her gift!

With each Alex and Ani bracelet, she wrote me a personal message on the back of those cute little note cards.  Each of the bracelets has a meaning, and she made each one even more personal by writing a little note to go with it. It was a really beautiful touch to an already thoughtful gift.  

I love Alex and Ani bracelets because of the special meaning each one has. I have a few already, some given to me by students, and others by family members. This birthday, I have added 4 more to my collection.  As any girl knows, you can NEVER have too many of them!! 

Thank you, Dawn, for your beautiful, thoughtful gift!! 

Bargain Hunting

I went shopping with my grandma and sister today. I absolutely adore these days and treasure them completely. We often plan shopping dates and have shared these special moments since I was a little girl. Our dates have almost always been just the three of us, only sometimes would Pop tag along, and most of the time he'd veer off and do his own thing. 

Our dates always start with lunch, because a girl's gotta eat and have energy before bargain hunting! 

Our dates always involve food...multiple stops along the way for something cold to drink and something sweet to reenergize with. 

Our dates always involve the sharing of good stories... Gram has the best storytelling voice. She can hook you in and stop you in your tracks, even mid-bite as you're eating. 

Our dates always involve creating a map or route of where we need to go... such as, which stores we'll hit first and last.

Our dates always involve losing each other... sometimes for a few minutes and sometimes for more than thirty minutes. When this happens, we yell each other's names throughout the store. It's not that embarrassing! ;-)

Our dates always involve bringing a coupon or gift card... It adds to the thrill of getting a deal, or being able to tell someone else in the family, "it was originally $89 and we got it for $22!" 

Our dates always involve shopping the sale racks and finding the best bargain possible... as a little girl, I would hate scouring the racks for the best find, but it has become a favorite part of the date for me: finding the golden bargain deal. Sometimes it takes getting lost in the racks.

Our dates always involve Gram ever so nicely asking the cashier to separate our items into "two bags please"... and then she follows it up with requesting a paper shopping bag versus plastic, because "plastic hurts your arm too much."

Our dates always, always, always involve laughing and giggle fits... until we can't breathe, until our stomachs hurt, or until we pee in our pants. Yes. All three have happened. 

I savor these moments. Always have, always will. Gram is such a huge part of my life in so many ways. I cherish every minute we spend together. I want to hold onto every minute and never let them go! I love you Ro & Gram! Xoxo

Feeling Blessed

Yesterday was the most amazing birthday I've ever had. I think I've made that very clear. My sister, my mom and best friend made sure that my thirtieth birthday was celebrated in the best way possible, and they succeeded! 

The above picture was included for today, because after I woke up this morning at my parents house and played with my niece, I came home. I emptied my car of my luggage (yes, luggage, I had no clue what to pack for my exciting birthday!), my photo collage, and all of my birthday gifts. 

After getting settled, I decided that I should open my presents. I began opening each one, reading every word written in every card, and I was completely touched. The first present i opened was from my very close family friend and her husband. She is the woman who inspired me to teach. In a sense, she's a "super woman" in my eyes, someone who I constantly strive to be like professionally. Anyway, the words she wrote touched me more than any present could have...and I began to cry tears of joy! Well....this led into crying at each card and gift! I'm giggling now because if I was in the company of others, I'm sure I would have looked like a nut!

The thing is, those tears were tears of joy and tears of freedom. Tears of success and excitement. I'm thirty and living my life just how I would hope to. My life is incredible and I am so blessed to have such amazing, talented people in my life whom I love so much. I'm so thankful for each and every word and thought that went into making my birthday so special, it was one that I will never forget!

Celebrating thirty with Amanda

Tonight we celebrated Amanda's 30th birthday with a surprise dinner at an amazing Italian restaurant. The table was overflowing with love. Amanda was glowing. It was so beautiful!

Amanda's sister, Ally, had approached me over the summer about planning a birthday surprise for Amanda. We went back and forth about possible ideas and as it got closer, we finalized the little details. After experiencing tonight, I couldn't imagine celebrating in any other way and I know Amanda feels the same. I can't wait to hear about everything from her point of view. I'm sure she'll be sharing some of it on this blog soon!

As I sat down to write a blog post each night this week, I really wanted to write about what I was working on for Amanda's surprise dinner. I was working on different decorations each night, but couldn't share anything and it was killing me! I especially wanted to share things with her and obviously couldn't. But... now I can!! :-)

I will dedicate a few posts this week to decorations that I made, but in the meantime I'll summarize them here:

- After researching 30th birthday decorations, I came across a 30 photo montage. I immediately fell in love! And of course, with my obsession to photos and capturing memories, I knew that I had to make something like this for her. I asked her mom and sister to send me some pictures of her over the years and I worked on putting it together each night. It was fun!

- A few months ago, while hanging out at Amanda's apartment, she turned on "13 Going on 30" and declared it her favorite movie. In the movie, the main character says, "I just want to be thirty, flirty and thriving." I loved this line and decided to make it the theme of the decorations. I found amazing printables on Etsy (which I'll blog about soon) that completely matched my idea. The printables included personalized signs and cards, which I used to decorate the table, and Hershey Kiss labels, to help with a sweet treat for before, during, and after dinner. I printed these and cut them out throughout the week. The Hershey kisses were the trickiest! My husband even helped with these! :-) 

I will continue to blog and share pictures of my projects throughout the week. I hope I succeeded at making the decorations fun and uplifting. So many decorations emphasized how "30 sucks" and we certainly didn't need to send that message because it's not true! 

Happy Birthday Amanda!! You had a beautiful start to your thirties tonight and this year is going to be the most magnificent of them all! 

Thirty, flirty and thriving

Tonight I don't know if I have a ton of energy to write, but I will tell you that this was by far, the best birthday that I've ever had. Thanks to Dawn, my sister and my parents, I couldn't have imagined my thirtieth birthday would ever have been as good as it was. 

It began with a snowy drive to my parents house. My mom and I ventured out for some shopping, and then went to a spa for a massage. We then got dressed up and went to a restaurant for dinner. 

When we arrived at the restaurant, I was led into the dining room, with a table filled with my most treasured friends and family. The night was filled with good laughs, amazing food and lots of love! 

As I write this, I'm sitting in my parents living room chatting with my sister and my mom. My life is filled with so many good things, and thirty is better than I could have ever imagined.

Thank you to Dawn and my parents and sister for the best birthday ever! Xoxo