True Love

Don't we all deserve a love that begins like this:

And lasts for decades...

As I said, I'm talking about love this month! The hopeless romantic in me always thinks of this movie whenever I think of love. The Notebook captures true, honest and real love. The kind of love my grandparents shared (on both sides). 

Everyone deserves someone who loves them unconditionally. I hope to be in a relationship like the one that Noah and Allie shared. You may say that my thinking is unrealistic, but I could argue with you forever. 

My grandfather on my mother's side fell in love with my grandma from the moment he set eyes on her. From that moment, he was smitten.  Nothing would get between Andy and Josephine. Absolutely nothing. For more than fifty years, they loved one another more and more each day. The proof is in our family today. When we get everyone together, we are almost 60 people! It's exactly what they wanted. Love and laughs!

The love that my grandparents on my dad's side shared was just as strong. Donald and Virginia fell in love young. My grandpa worked in an ice cream shop, and as he told me, "I noticed her long before she noticed me." My grandma was just 16 years old. Their relationship blossomed soon after, and when the Air Force sent him to Texas as a flight instructor, he and my grandma had a long distance relationship. One day, my grandmother received a diamond engagement ring in the mail, and off she went. At 19, she traveled all alone to be with the man of her dreams. There was no big reception hall, no family. Just friends to witness the ceremony. The big party didn't matter. They just wanted to be together. They were together 63 1/2 years when my grandpa passed away. The two  were only apart for 6 weeks until my grandmother joined my grandpa in heaven. 

Now, if those stories aren't ones to prove that true love does exist, I'm not really sure how I could convince you otherwise.   I know that life had its ups and downs with both couples, but at the core of it they were honest, loyal and compassionate to one another. There was mutual respect. And one thing was for sure: they were in it for the long haul. 

So in honor of true love, I ask you to love the one you're with. And by all means, enjoy the dance of life together. 

Goodnight xoxo

High Five for Friday: My Mom is a Superhero!

1. My Friday post wouldn't be the same without a "high five" mention for a snow day and/or delay. Luckily, we received 2 snow days and a 2 hour delay this week. I know... holy moly macaroni! (My husband stared at me in disbelief when I turned my pajamas inside out on Sunday night. My students told me that's what works when you pray for a snow day...and they were right, it worked! It was the day after the Super Bowl, people...)

2. Meeting with college friends at The Cheesecake Factory! It felt so darn good to catch up, swap stories about our lives, and share laughs... all over sangria! The best therapy! 

3. Receiving a surprise goody bag from my mom. My husband drove my brother home from work the other night because he lost his keys (they work together). As my husband stopped-in to say hi to my parents, he noticed my mom packing a bag of goodies to take home to me. I was so surprised when he walked in the door and said, "your mom packed you a bag of stuff. I have no idea what's in here, but it's heavy!" I was expecting mail, but it was filled with goodies for snacks, stuff to make dinner with, and my favorite hand soap. The biggest smile was immediately plastered on my face and my heart melted. I have the best mom...and did I mention she's a superhero too? :-)

4. Ok, I'm not done about my mom yet. After celebrating her birthday last Saturday night, she sent us (me, my 3 siblings and our significant others) home with Valentine treat bags because she knew she wouldn't see all of us until afterwards. Yeah, you guessed it: my heart melted. She's a superhero, I tell ya! She thinks of everything and SHE ROCKS! I love you, mom! 

5. Sharing the Olympics with my students. The beauty of teaching sixth grade social studies is teaching about ancient civilizations. Ancient Greeks=Olympics. Perfect connection for today! We spent the afternoon watching fun videos about the history of the Olympics and various NBC video clips about the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia. (FYI: NBC has awesome videos on their website!) The kids were so excited! We all couldn't wait to get home to watch the opening ceremonies tonight. I didn't think I'd be home in time to watch, but I turned on the TV just in time to see the USA team march in. So cool!!! I absolutely loved the Ralph Lauren sweaters! 

High Five for Friday: Happiness

We made it through another week!  I don't know about you, but the month of February is flying by!  I can hardly believe that next week is Valentine's Day, and before we know it, March will be right around the corner!  This was a great week! Here are 5 things that stick out from this week that just made me happy!

1.  Taylor Swift on Feeling 22 & Living Life with No Regrets:  This girl may be a bit younger than me, but I look up to her.  She has poise, beauty and class.  I think girls from 5 to 105 could learn a thing or two from this lady.  I watched this video during the week, and I had to share it with you.

2. Seeing my girls: I saw a few of my closest friends tonight from college.  We all said that we loved the fact that we could not see one another for months, and pick up like we saw one another yesterday. It's so wonderful to see that we're all living incredible lives, doing incredible things, and can be incredible friends to one another all at the same time.  I'm blessed to have good people in my life.  xo

3.  I had TWO snow days this week! It was absolutely incredible.  I was able to sleep in both days until an embarrassingly late hour (11:30...or later maybe!), and got a ton of stuff done around my apartment...which included reading two books!  What made it even better is that I live in a complex where my car is garaged, and I don't have to shovel.  Makes paying the rent a whole lot easier in the winter! :)

4. My Thirty-One Bags Arrived! I ordered a few Thirty-One bags from my friend Jen this week to carry some of my Origami Owl supplies to parties.  This utility tote came in, and I absolutely LOVE it!  It's just big enough, and has a wire around the top so it stays open and sturdy!  I love the design and the personalization!  I can't wait for my parties to begin!

5. The United States at the Olympics Opening Ceremonies: Watching the athletes smile with excitement and joy as they celebrate the moments they have been working toward their entire life.  It was beautiful to watch tonight.  I couldn't help but snap some photos of my television as I watched.  The entire Opening Ceremony was great, but I couldn't help but showcase the Americans.  We are so lucky to be represented by such talented athletes!

MUST WATCH & READ NOW: Humans of New York

I know I promised another DIY photo project for today, but I have to put that on hold because I can't contain my excitement with what I need to show you.

Before I do that though, I am so embarassed to say that I've clearly been living under a rock and realize that I've completely been missing out on this! Keep reading...

I was laying in bed last night, trying to get sleepy (not gonna happen after a snow day) and I started checking all of my social media apps. I landed on Twitter and saw that someone retweeted something from "Brandon Stanton" and I immediately fell in love with this photo:

I kept moving through the other tweets on my feed but had to go back to that guy. Who was he and why did he have that picture with that caption? I began reading through his tweets, noticed a New York Times article published about him, and then realized he has a project/blog/company, Humans of New York. And I was hooked. I read the article, followed the link to his website, watched his Facebook 10 year movie (shown above), and scoured his website some more. I STILL am hooked and I just can't get enough.

So many of these photos just melt my heart and the captions that he creates are hilarious. (The ones I chose here happen to be of kids, because they are so darn cute. I work with 6th graders all day... and they're not cute.)  

I'm ordering his book from Amazon tonight. Being that Amanda and I are from NY and the city is a hop-skip-and-a-jump -away from us, I'm captivated by this idea. I love that Brandon focuses on the stories of random people in NY, I love that he captures the every day moments that so many of us pass by, and I really love that every moment he captures immediately plasters a smile on his reader's faces. Absolute. genius. idea.

Now, I know I was living under a rock and that I hadn't heard about any of this, but now I'm curious to know how many of our readers DID know about HONY- Humans of New York? "Like" this post on Facebook or leave us a simple comment saying "I DID! Wake up, Dawn!" If you didn't know about this, like me, please share and spread the word! It will certainly make someone's day! :-)


 Here are the links to his social media accounts, so that you can follow him!

Twitter = @humansofny
Facebook = facebook.com/humansofnewyork
Instagram = humansofny
Website = www.humansofnewyork.com



Dating 101: How to Score a Good First Date

I can't believe I'm actually writing this post.  I'm no dating expert...but ever since I entered the single world again almost two years ago, I've had my share of experiences in this area.  Once I started dating again and sharing stories with my best friends, I've been told I could write a book.  I won't be sharing specific stories, but I will share what I have learned. 

The first thing you should know is that you will not be single forever.  Please get this dumb thinking out of your head.  When I was living through the dark days of heartbreak, this swirled through my head like a tornado.  Thank God I had good friends and family who were there to catch me when I felt like my world was upside down. Don't get me wrong, beware of the people who just say the dumbest things to you.  A "close friend" told me right after my breakup "Oh...well you know...you're just going to have to get used to being alone."  Yeah, don't worry.  We aren't friends anymore.  But seriously...you're going to be okay.  

The first thing I'm going to tell you is that when you think you're ready to date...you aren't.  Give yourself as much time as you need to get back on your feet.  Once you are ready, you'll know it.  Put yourself out there and be open to new experiences.  My group of girlfriends is in a completely different spot than I am.  Most of the girls are married or engaged...they're attached.  I knew I had to meet guys in other ways.  I wasn't going to meet someone at home...and I wasn't going to meet someone at work!

1. Talk to your friends about online dating sites.  See who's met their significant other online, and find out what sites your friends used.  PLEASE don't use a free site.  I can't say this enough.  You get what you pay for.  If you want something real, you have to shell out some cash.  Don't think of it as paying to meet someone.  Think of it as giving yourself enough respect to be sure you're meeting good, genuine guys.

2. When someone says they know someone who is single, be open to it.  You never know how it will work out.  :)

3. Sign up for activities that you like to do.  By going out, you're putting yourself out there doing something you like.  Chances are, you'll meet someone with similar interests.  If anything, you'll gain some new friends!

I have had so many people tell me this...but when you least expect it, things seem to just work out.  Just take it one thing at a time.  Something I do recommend is that you get to know the person before you plan to meet them.  Regardless of where you meet them (online or through a friend), chat with them first to see if your conversations are compatible.  If you're interested, go ahead and make plans! It could be the best thing you could have ever done! 

My next Dating 101 post will be about preparing for the first date!

Wishing you luck in love,

Amanda

If you ever have any dating questions, please post a comment below!  I'll be sure to give you my best advice!

Making Photo Blocks... from the "Mod Podge Queen"

I am a lover of DIY projects, always have been, always will be. I have so many projects on my to-do list and my fingers twitch over the excitement of getting started on them. Sometimes these projects involve furniture, sometimes they involve transforming a room, and sometimes they involve adding little decorative touches with crafts around my home. I crave this fun and really can't wait to share many projects with you over the next few months. I'll start with this one (which I've been promising to share on this blog for over a week):

As you already know, I love photos and I'm always looking for new opportunities to showcase more pictures in my home. Showcasing pictures in frames can get boring! This seemed like a super fun DIY project to me and I couldn't hold myself back from starting. It screamed EASY, INEXPENSIVE, and TRY THIS NOW!

Inspired by ideas from Pinterest, I started at Home Depot. I bought a slab of wood, had a nice man at Home Depot cut it into 4 inch blocks for me, and I was on my way!

I sanded them, painted them, and started preparation for Mod Podge. I gathered my favorite wedding and engagement photos and decided to cover the tops and bottoms with scrapbook paper. I planned out where each picture would go and before I knew it, almost all of my blocks were dry and complete. I immediately proclaimed myself the "Mod Podge Queen" because I very quickly became OBSESSED with this adhesive! I finished them off with painting a letter on each block to spell out LOVE. I wanted my blocks to have the distressed/shabby chic look because many items in my home follow that theme, hence the "imperfectness" with the letters. 

I love these blocks for SO MANY reasons.  Here's what I love most:

-The blocks can be rearranged for different displays in your home. Stand them on top of each other, spread them out, put into a cube of 4...endless ways.

-Depending on where you display them, you can see different photos from different angles. I have them on a counter top that can be seen in our kitchen and living room, so we're able to see all of the pictures depending on the room we're in.

-I love that I can showcase so many photos in one place and in a creative way!

The black and white theme fits the decor of my home, but I've also been playing around with Valentine's Day colors on other blocks. The opportunities for these are endless. They would be a perfect gift for anyone and would really work well at weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, birthdays...anywhere!

I have many ideas in store for my next batch. Did I mention that I got 24 blocks from 1 slab of wood? So awesome! Stay tuned for more ideas and feel free to leave a comment with any questions! 

Coming soon: Another DIY project with photos... surprise, surprise! :-)

5 of My Favorite Things: Things that Make My Life Brighter

I can't believe it's Wednesday already!!!  This week has flown by.  I had a snow day today, and it was completely glorious to be home!  I am starting to get a bit of cabin fever this week.  I'm ready to teach my students 5 days in a row.  We have a lot to get done!

This week, I decided to include five things that make my days brighter and easier.  I hope you'll find something on here that brightens your day, too!

  1. Fake Up by Benefit Cosmetics: You can probably sympathize with me on this one: you wake up in the morning, and look in the mirror and think to yourself, "Oh my God, I look exhausted!"  Well, in order to brighten up your face and hide those signs of tiredness,  and ahem...aging, I have been using Benefit's Fake Up.  It's hydrating and a crease control concealer, so you can use it under your eyes, over blemishes and discolorations.  It provides that extra moisture that your under eye area needs, and your foundation or tinted moisturizer blends in right on top of it.  The best part is, it comes in three shades and is packaged in a lipstick-like case.  You don't need any special brushes or tools, just dab where you want it and blend.  It's that awesome!

2. Teachers Pay Teachers/Teachers Notebook:  Yes, I admit these two sites make my days brighter. I have downloaded many free files, as well as paid files, from these sites.  I have found center activities, graphics, and supplemental materials on this site to enhance my instruction.  If you're a teacher and you haven't been on either one of these sites, you're really missing out!

www.teacherspayteachers.com  www.teachersnotebook.com 

3. Fresh Cut Flowers: One of the best things I could have done was pick up a bouquet of flowers at Trader Joe's on Saturday afternoon.  Trader Joe's carries beautiful bouquets for a reasonable price.  The lilies in this bouquet I bought are so fragrant, my entire apartment smells like spring!  It's just what I needed over the past few snowy days.  If you have a Trader Joe's by you, you really should pick up a bouquet for yourself!

4. Pier 1 Wine Glasses: These wine glasses were given to me as a gift for my birthday, and I am in love with them!  They come in 5 different colors: purple (shown above), teal, olive, amber, and clear. The best part is, they are on sale!!! Head to Pier1 now to get yours!!  Pier1 Barware

5. Kate Spade 'Deborah' Dot iPhone 5/5s Case: Yes...I love this case.  I love that I can find it in my bag, and it's easy to grip because it's silicone.  I am a fan of pink, but Kate Spade also makes this case in navy blue as well.  It will make your day brighter, too...promise!  Kate Spade iPhone 5/5s Case


Thought I should let you all know that the above items are my favorite things.  I chose to write about these items on my own, and was not compensated to feature the items.  I truly, genuinely love everything I wrote above!

Members Only Sites for your Home

I love home decor....and I love discounted home decor even more!!  I'm always looking for ways to add charm to my apartment, but I hate spending tons of money on trendy accents and furniture that are expensive!  These members-only sites have awesome deals, with beautiful things for your home.  Check them out while you're snowed in!!

1. Joss and Main: Joss and Main was one of the first Members-Only sites I signed up for.  I've purchased different things from them...from the TV-Stand in my living room, to a case for my iPad, I've loved everything I've purchased from them!  Check them out at: Joss and Main

2. One Kings Lane: I've joined this site recently, and I'm impressed with the variety and amount of flash sales that are offered on this site.  Their items can fit an array of budgets and tastes. Check them out at:  One Kings Lane

3. Lulu and Georgia: This is by far, the girliest, most adorable site! I love their products! I'm totally loving their accessories shop.  This site isn't members-only, but you have to sign up for their emails!  You'll get 15% off your first order! Lulu and Georgia

4. Joy & Revelry: Another gorgeous site with unique finds for your home.  Their collections consist of gorgeous finds at discounted prices.  You have to check this one out!! Joy & Revelry



Have a happy snow day!!! xo

Valentine's Day DIY Craft: Crayons & Wax Paper

I blogged about my productive snow day yesterday and how I was sidetracked by two TV shows. The other show that caught my attention was The Chew on ABC. I've only seen this show a few times, and didn't even realize that I had it on in the background. I'm happy that I did though, because I found a great Valentine's Day craft to try out. :-)

The segment, "Clinton's Craft Corner", was featuring how to make a Valentine's Day Paper Garland using crayons and wax paper. 

So cute, right?

Again, I loved how most of these materials are right inside my house, no need to buy anything!

Materials you'll need:

-crayons (pinks, reds, purples)

-wax paper

-craft paper (or a paper bag)

-iron

-vegetable peeler

-string for hanging

-heart template (Google some!) or heart cookie cutters

Instructions:

1. Cut wax paper about 12x18".

2. Choose crayons in a red, pink, purple color palate.

3. Shave crayon with a vegetable peeler over half of paper.

4. Sprinkle crayon shavings on the wax paper evenly, not too thick.

5. Fold paper over and fold edges to about 1/2 inch to seal.

6. Place sheet of craft paper on top and bottom. Press evenly with iron at medium-high.

7. Once all shavings are melted, allow paper to cool and dry for a few minutes.

8. Trace hearts, or other Valentine's Day shapes, like X and O.

9. Cut out shapes and be careful not to rip the paper!

10. Hang with string or thread, or tape to your windows!

Here's the link to watch the step-by-step process: http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/news/Craft-Corner/140203-valentines-day-paper-garland

Add some color and cheer to your gray, snowy days! I'll post my finished product this week! :-) 

Simple Solutions: Creative and Helpful Household Tips

School was canceled due to the snow today, which meant that I got a lot accomplished around our place. I love days like these because I'm able to cross off a lot on my to-do list. Who am I kidding? I'm one to fully take advantage of snow days and be super lazy. Being productive? That happens sometimes. Sometimes I'm very lazy, but today I was very productive. Woo-hoo!!! :-)

I had the TV on while grading papers and working on other projects, and two things made me run to the TV and watch. I'm blogging about one of those shows today!

The first show that was blaring in the background was The NBC Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda. They featured a segment titled, "Simple Solutions: Creative and Helpful Household Tips." 

The tips were featured from a British blog that I immediately searched and kinda fell in love with: www.glamumous.co.uk

The household tips were awesome, easy, and simple. The best part was that they all used items from around the house. On a tight budget? Use these helpful tips... And don't forget to check out the rest of that blog for more, too! www.glamumous.co.uk/2013/03/101-household-tips-for-every-room-in.html

Here were some of my favorite household tips that they featured: 

1. Use toilet paper rolls to keep your wrapping paper rolls in tact. This sounds funny, but it's an easy fix. Cut one part of the toilet paper roll in half lengthwise so that it acts as a small cover to keep it secure. If you have an especially long roll, use two!

2. Use toilet paper rolls to organize extension cords. Similar to the steps above. So easy! 

3. Use bread bag tags to label your electrical wires for the TV/Computer. This most commonly thrown away item can be used to identify your power cords. Easy identification is key! It's a great idea for power strips and for identifying the cords that don't need to be plugged in all the time aka the energy vampires!

4. Use non-stick cooking spray in votive candle holders to prevent wax from building up. After the candle has burned down, the remaining will slip right out!

5. Use a staple remover to pry open a key ring and add or remove keys! This may be an item that many people don't have around the house, but it fascinated me because I'm always ruining my nails when I change out stuff on my key ring. Great trick! Don't ruin your nails!

Aren't those tips awesome? I'll blog about the other TV show tomorrow. It involves a fun DIY craft that I fell in love with! 

Planning a Baby Shower: Part 2

This is Part 2 in my series, Planning a Baby Shower.  I had an amazing time planning a baby shower in honor of my sister and her baby-to-be.  Knowing that she was having a girl, I was able to focus the entire theme of the shower around things that would make a little girl happy!

I didn't just want to have the shower be ordinary.  I wanted guests to come to the party and feel like the party was celebrating their attendance, too!  One of the ways I did that was having a Onesie Station.  I didn't want to have a onesie station that would be messy with paints and markers.  I wanted to create onesies that my niece would actually wear.  

In the weeks leading up to the shower, I scoured TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Kohls for inexpensive plain onesies.  Every time I visited the store, I'd pick up as many onesies as I could find in many different sizes.  I then made sure to wash them in dye-free, hypoallergenic laundry detergent. 

My solution to creating one-of-a-kind onesies without using paints or markers was to use iron-on appliqués.  I purchased my appliqués from Nana Bleu on Etsy.  These appliqués were absolutely adorable.  I was able to purchase Garden Theme and Pink and Gray Theme appliqués (30 total) and had them within a week! 

At the actual shower, I set up a station with an ironing pad, iron, a basket with the clean onesies and another basket with the appliqués.  I also had cardboard to insert into each onesie during the ironing process.  There were also step-by-step directions laminated on the table.  Each guest was able to decide which onesie they'd like to use, and the appliqué they wanted to add.  They also decided where the appliqué should be placed.

When they were finished, they were able to hang their finished onesie up on the clothesline that was hanging in our living room/dining room area.  The clothesline also served as a great decoration once everyone started to create their adorable onesies!  

I know this onesie station was a truly memorable detail to our shower that guests will remember forever!  I highly recommend that you include a onesie station at your next baby shower!  If you have any questions, leave a comment below!  Happy Baby Shower Planning!!