Favorite Things Right Now

Hi Everyone!

As I am currently working in the online division of a university (teaching writing) and I am about to start teaching 2 online literature courses I have found myself wanting to throw my computer out the window.  I feel like I live with a keyboard in front of my face at ALL times.  Consequently, in the hour of free times I can squeeze out each day, the LAST place I want to be is in front of my computer. This is why I have been sort of the worst blogger ever lately. SORRY!

However, I am going to try my hardest to be a good little blogger this week! So I am going to begin this week on a positive note–with a list of my current favorite things! There are several things I am REALLY loving right now:

1) Iced Tea:

I am really LOVING iced tea.  I got back on an iced tea kick when I was at the conference with Mumsie last month.  She is an avid tea drinker and it tastes sooo good to me right now.  I have a feeling the unseasonably warm weather right now is definitely adding to the deliciousness!  I think I am going to buy a few limes and try to make lime-infused iced tea tomorrow!

2) Alias:

For some reason I completely missed the ALIAS boat 10 years ago.  However, Chase and I decided to add it to our Netflix queue and Chase and I are officially addicted! It is so good. Jennifer Garner is so stinking cute.  I also love that each episode is like a mini movie. Any other fans out there?

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3) Strawberries: I picked up a GIANT package of strawberries at the store this weekend and they are almost gone.  They taste AMAZING. I feel like I can taste summer in each and every bite.  Have you ever tried coconut butter on strawberries–trust me, you should.

 

4)  Neighborhood Walks:  I have been going on so many walks with the babies lately.  Soaking in a bit of sun is simply wonderful.  Also, having lived in an apartment the last 5 years, I LOVE walking in their neighborhood.  I miss living in a neighborhood.  I love all of the friendly waves and dreaming about which house I would pick.

5) Peeps Store: No, this is not a mirage–this store actually exists and it just opened 3 miles away from us! Since the Peeps factory is in Bethlehem (the city where I live), it is basically the Peep factory of the world.  They JUST opened this store and it is basically Peep heaven!  While I do not actually like the taste of Peeps, I cannot get over how cute they are and the level of adorableness that is this store.

How can you not love a giant Peep Bunny pillow?!

 

What are your favorite things right now?

 

 

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What I am Loving Right Now

Right now I am on a plane headed to Chicago for the Association of Writers & Writing Programs conference.

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While my true love is teaching literature, my full-time job right now is ALL about writing, so I think it will be a valuable weekend.  What is even more important about this conference is that Mumsie will be there, too!  My mom also teaches writing, so we are going to hear a lot of amazing writers talk about their craft, get a TON of free pens (I heart free stuff), and have some quality mother/daughter bonding–YAY!

I will try to blog as much as possible, but I am not sure how much time I will have.  I am excited to explore Chicago, as I have only been there twice.

In the meantime, I thought I would share some of my current favorite things:

1) Reading:

I have decided to fall back in love with reading.  I am making an effort to take time to read–I think all of the plan travel will definitely be a prime opportunity to dive into a book I picked up from the library:

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I have heard nothing but good things about this book, and I feel like a solid non-fiction book is just what I need right now.   Has anyone read Anne Lamott?

2) My bird necklace:

For Valentine’s day, Chase surprised me with this amazing necklace made by a local artist. It has two little Wren birds on a limb.  I am not a big jewelry person–my jewelry box basically consists of 19 variations of pearl necklaces and earrings–that is it.  Every time I wear it, it makes me smile!

3. Fruit and Nut mix:

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Over Christmas, I received individual serving size packages of this amazing mix from Costco–Santa really knows his trail mix! This is actually a perfect Paleo blend–but it is yummy regardless of your eating style–promise!

It is a mixture of  Walnuts, Almonds, Pistachios, cranberries, and dried cherries.  I have a tendency to pick out the cherries and walnuts first, but ultimately I eat it all.  It is a great snack when I am out running errands or just need something to tide me over.

 

What are you loving this week?

Favorite Things: End of January 2012

HAPPY LAST DAY OF JANUARY!!!

We made it! Does anyone else feel like that?  T.S. Eliot had it all wrong–January is the cruelest month.  I feel like it always goes sooo slowly in the aftermath of Christmas and with all of the cold, gray days. However, I am a little biased because I LOVE February (my birthday month! Groundhog Day! Valentine’s Day! Hearts are my favorite), so I always want to get January over with!

In honor of the last day of this month, I wanted to feature four of the items that helped get me through this slow month! Here are my January Favorites:

1)      Amazing Applesauce (From Trader Joe’s…of course)

Seriously y’all, this stuff is INSANE.  I eat some with my breakfast every single morning. I like to eat it straight out of the jar because it feels illicit.  I think it tastes better that way!

While it is SUPER delicious cold. I plan to add a sprinkle of cinnamon and warm it up in the microwave = instant (and totally paleo) apple pie filling!

2)      Tulips (From Chase, By Chase, For Chase)

When we were running errands, Chase picked up this bouquet of tulips and said: “These are NOT for you, they are for me.” Basically, he knew the frugal frog he married would say that we did not need to spend $ on superfluous flowers—he knows me too well.  While I am always resistant to buying flowers because they seem impractical, they add such JOY to our tiny apartment. I need to make it a point to pick up a bouquet more often!

3) Tea!

Sugar cookie tea is my current fave–so yummy.  I have been combining one flavored tea with a regular black tea bag. I am avoiding sweeteners (especially artificial) and the sugar cookie helps add natural sweetness. Nothing warms me up quite so well as hot tea.

4) Williams-Sonoma linens!

Williams-Sonoma had their annual sale and I picked up amazing linens on super sale. I loooove linens.  They make me happy!  I realize I am SUPER lame, but I actually have yet to use them.  I just look at them, all pretty and crisp.  I have been day-dreaming about using them in our new house…if we get it!

What are you loving right now?  Are you a January fan? Do you have a favorite month?

11 Things

The amazing Erica tagged me in her “11 Things” Post! Thanks, darling!

Here are the Rules:

#1: You must post these rules.
#2: Each person must post 11 things about themselves on their blog.
#3: Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.

Here are my 11 Things:

1)      My favorite (and somewhat odd) food combination is cold chicken or turkey with ketchup. Love it. Ketchup is my most favorite condiment ever.

2)      In shopping for a house, the most important thing to me is a sunroom—so stinking impractical, but true! I am going to have it look exactly like this:

3)      Tulips are my favorite flower. I love them with all of my heart.

4)      I have a mild celebrity gossip addiction. I can literally tell you everything about every current celebrity. I. don’t. know. Why. For some reason they just fascinate me.

5)      I really want to want to run another marathon. I love half marathons and I feel like I could love running marathons; however, my last one was so stinking painful and such a time commitment. I am trying to  talk myself into the Marine Corp…

6) I am obsessed with gingham. I love it! I really want gingham curtains or a gingham chair. Love it!

7) My first kiss was when I was 16 and it was SO awkward. I decided that I was going to be a hugger for life. Hugging was MUCH better.

8) Despite growing up in Kentucky, I do not have a Southern accent.  I very deliberately tried not to get an accent, but now I TOTALLY wish I had a Southern drawl a la Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama. Chase wishes it, too!

9) Whenever I get super stressed out I visit Tastespotting and go on a hunt for recipes. Baking soothes me so it is a pretty good system.

10) I have read almost every single book by L.M. Montgomery excepting a bunch of the Anne of Green Gable series. Strange, but true.  I watched the movies so often when I was little that I became uninterested in reading the same tales. However, the 20 other books and series written by L.M. Montgomery that I have read are delightful!

Did anyone else have a GIGANTIC crush on Gilbert Blythe? I was fully prepared to marry him.

11) I am scared of the dentist. I used to brush my teeth too often and too hard so now I have receding gums. I am always terrified that the dentist will be sad at me because of this. Yes, am one of those super guilty/conscientious people.

And here are the answers to Erica’s Questions:

#1: What is your dream vacation locale?

I hate this question. I want to go everywhere! My “dream dream” location would probably be England. I adore Victorian literature and given my literature background—I feel like a fraud! I am dying to go to Hilltop, where Beatrix Potter lived. If you have not seen the movie Miss Potter with Renee Zellweger, you MUST!

#2: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Pride and Prejudice—the A&E version which is a deliciously long 6 hours of endless amazingness. I am totally smitten with Colin Firth.

#3: If you could have lunch with any person – dead or alive – who would it be?

I once had to create a 15 minute “Charla” (a conversation entirely in Spanish) about this topic. I believe Lil Bow Wow, Nick Carter, and Jesus were on the list…but that was high school.  Now,  I think I would have to pick Kimberly Williams Paisley. She has been a “Friend in my head” since I first saw Father of the Bride.  For some reason I feel like we could be BFF’s.  She is just so nice!

#4: If you weren’t working in the career field you’re in now, what other occupation would you enjoy?

Chase and I are dying to become Bed and Breakfast owners. He loves chatting with anyone and everyone and I LOVE baking fun breakfasts and “tea time” yummies. I think it would be a blast!

#5: Dog person or cat person?

Dog person. All. The. Way. It is not a coincidence that dog is God spelled backwards. I firmly believe that there will be many dogs in heaven.

#6: What’s one big change you foresee in your life in the next 5 years?

This is a tie between:

House:

And

Babies (2…no more, no less):

#7: What’s your favorite way to get in a workout? (A long gym session, walking the dog, 3 15-minute sessions throughout the day, etc.)

A treadmill run…anywhere from 6-10 miles…watching ridiculous reality television.

#8: What’s the last good book you read?

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. It was brilliant, breathtaking, and devastating.

#9: Are you a sports fanatic?

I am not; however, I really want to be! I do, however, memorize the St. Louis Cardinal line-up each season. It is my wifely duty.

#10: What’s your favorite “special” breakfast? (When you have extra time to prepare something or go out to eat.)

An omelet with caramelized onions and basil—yummmy!

#11: Did you play any sports growing up?

I tried to play basketball for 3 years, but it just wasn’t meant to be. I played soccer for 12 years. I also ran cross country. I rowed for 6 years in high school and college.  think running was my favorite, but I would do all of them again in a heartbeat!

Ok, and here are my questions:

1. What is your favorite meal?

2. How many times have you been in love?

3. What is your Starbuck’s order?

4. Action/Comedy/Drama/ or Romantic Comedy?

5. What was your favorite TV show when you were a kid?

6. Have you ever received an “F?”

7. If you could have three house in three different states, where would you pick?

8. What is your favorite phone app?

9. What TV show/movie/music are you a little embarrassed to admit that you like?

10. What four items are always on your grocery list?

11. What is your favorite dessert?

I am tagging EVERYONE and ANYONE! I love knowing more about people, so if you have a blog–please post! And if you don’t,  you can give your answers in the comments!

My Favorite Things of 2012: Part I

While I had been doing a weekly post on my favorite things, it fell by the wayside in the past two months. However, with the dawning of the new year, I think it is high time to bring it back. This is a completely random assortment of items with no real unifying elements, except that I love them all!

1) Beginners

This Indie movie was released in 2011 and it is super cute, interesting, fascinating, and provocative. It has two intersecting narratives set apart in time about a man dealing with the death of his father and the second story line follows his own love story. It features Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer (from Sound of Music!!!). It is definitely more of a “film” than a movie and I loved it to pieces.

2) The Year of Magical Thinking

This is actually the first book by Joan Didion that I have ever read and it amazed me from beginning to end. It was astounding. This is definitely not a sunny,or  happy book. If you are looking for glorious chick lit, do NOT read this book. The non-fiction book details grief, mourning, and loss surrounding the sudden death of Joan’s husband and the critical illness of  her daughter at the same time. The insight is piercing and brilliant. Since finishing the book I have immediately went out to get every other book written by Didion and her late husband.

3) From the gritty realities of life to the delightful superficialities, I am officially obsessed with chandeliers.

This lovely light is from the Kate Spade dressing room–love.love.love.

This whimsy chandelier is from a cute little boutique in St. Charles, MO.

4) Justin’s Almond Butter and Hazelnut Butter

The Hazelnut Butter is basically an all-natural/un-processed nutella. It is less sweet, but still amazingly delicious! The Almond Butter is combined with a bit of maple syrup and it positively amazing. Currently, I love both on bananas but I am dreaming up more combinations.

5) Real Simple

My mother-in-law bought me a subscription for Christmas and I am loving every page. From the recipes and decorating ideas to the nifty tips and tricks–love it!

What are your favorite things this week?

My Favorite Things This Week

Last week was nuts and I completely forgot to post about my Favorite Things! While usually my price cap for Favorite Things is $5, but this week I am upping it to $10.

1) Pickles and Ham:

Guys, I am literally LOVING this combination. I divide a slice of ham into three pieces and wrap each piece around a mini dill pickle–Oh. My. Gosh. It is insanely delicious. And, cucumbers are totally vegetables, by the way. I realize that this snack is a bit high in sodium; however that is my intention. I have had crazy low blood pressure lately, which makes me dizzy, so I have been trying to up my salt intake. Every other paleo food I eat is super low in sodium, so it all balances out!

Cost: Way less than $1 per serving

2) Sunless Tanning Lotion

Pamcakes & Coffee just did an excellent post on Jimmy Choos on the Treadmill about sunless tanning. This is something I have decided to embrace whole-heartedly in Chase’s absence. I REFUSE to see him all brown as a berry from his month in California while I am pastey white. This tube is the generic brand of Jergen’s Natural Glow Sunless Tanning. This cost about $7.  This is a small (skin cancer-free) price to pay to prevent Chase from totally showing me up!

3) Antibiotics:

Ok, I realize that this is totally lame, but these antibiotics are SAVING my life (and preventing my pink eye and sinus infection from getting any worse). I am pretty sure the $10 copay was the best money I have spent all week. Don’t get me wrong, they are horse pills and I wish I had been able to throw this nasty infection weeks ago, but my body is crying out for reinforcements and here they are! Woohoo!

4) Selling Things on E-bay

I have been sorting through all of our storage and bringing everything to tip-top organization. However, in this process, I have found items to be e-bayed. I have one item that I am 90% sure I want to post on e-bay, but I need your help in making the final decision.

Ok, the object at hand are these shoes:

These shoes have only been worn once. In fact, they were only worn for 5 hours and then placed in the box where I just found them. You see, I will never wear these shoes again. My taste is shoes is more this:

The only reason that I am slightly hesitating in selling my plain jane shoes are because they are the pair I wore on my wedding day.  However, they were just shoes I picked up from Macy’s at a summer sale a few weeks before my wedding. There was nothing sentimental or memorable of any part of the process.

So, can I just sell them, or does that make me a horrible and unsentimental person? What do you think?

Also, what are the things you are loving this week?

My Favorite Things of the Week

Well, in all honesty, my list of favorite things this week could be very small. I mean the whole having electricity is my most favorite thing in all of the world! However, I do have several things that are making me week extra wonderful! As always, everything you see here is less than $5. In fact, most of them were FREE!

1) Mindless Magazine reading

Reading magazines totally chills me out! I am especially loving Southern Living. I am SO ready to return to the South. I miss porching and magnolias, and people calling me “honey.” I am also enjoying compiling home decor ideas. I have ZERO idea on how to decorate so I need all the help I can get!

2) Nail Polish

Sorry for the glare! This is NYC Battery Park Purple. It cost $1.99 at Target. I just love having pretty nails! It makes me feel so pampered. I also feel very trendy wearing purple polish–a nice change from my normal red!

3) Reading Cookbooks

Lately I have been checking out several cookbooks every time I go to the library. I picked up two different “All Recipe” books and I am LOVING them. They have pictures on almost every page–love it! I always get so many recipe ideas from reading cookbooks. I like to try to Paleo-ize recipes or take notes for recipes I may make for my family for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

4) Sister Wives

Um, has anyone else seen this show on TLC. It is bananas. It is about a polygamist family. There is one husband, four wives, and TWENTY children between them all.  I am completely captivated. They have the entire first season on Instant Netflix and it is so addicting. Seriously, if you have Netflix, you HAVE to check it out. I cannot even imagine  being in a plural marriage. I am trying to figure out if my taste in reality TV is getting better or more pathetic. This seems almost like a documentary…kind of.  Thoughts?

What are your favorite things this week? What is your favorite magazine? Any cookbook suggestions I should check out next?

Things I am loving: Week 2

Happy Wednesday!

This morning I woke up dreading the rest of the week, so I have decided to think happy thoughts today! This brings me to the list of things I am loving right now! As always, each item will cost less than $5. Holla!

1) Iced Tea

 

I cannot get enough of plain iced tea. I have always been a hot tea addict, but have never embraced its iced counterpart. This is no longer the case! I find myself yearning for an icy glass. I am going to brew a pitcher this morning. It is a great way to stay hydrated and vary up my endless water-drinking!

2) Apples

Seriously, I have an apple addiction. I am up to at least 3-4 apples a day. I cannot get enough! They just taste so yummy! I plan to convince Chase to go apple picking with me this weekend because I need a new supply. This batch is going to be vanquished by Friday.

3) Coconut Flakes

Have you ever tried these? They are simply delightful! I like to snack on them on their own or mixed with some almonds in a nice, simple trail mix. Delish! I got these at Whole Foods for only about $3.

4) Mouse Traps

Oh how I wish I were kidding. I have found terrifying little pellets left by these rodent perpetrators. We live in a first floor apartment, and we have very warm heating vents which mice love and adore. They always visit when Chase is gone and the first encounter I had was in January (Chase was away on active duty).  As much as I wish I could live in harmony with Cinderella’s tiny helpers, I attract the Paris Hilton of mice. The only thing they eat and destroy are fine chocolates, roasted pistachios, and cashmere scarfs. No joke. They turn up their little noses at the  airline peanut packets I have stored in the snack drawer. They don’t look twice at the mountains of Target scarfs I have and they go straight for the luxury items.  This. Means. War. Chase is about to leave for another active duty stint, but working together we are vanquishing the enemy.

I am also pleased to report that you can purchase rodent eliminating devices for under $5. Phew!

I keep trying to imagine pudgy little GusGus from Cinderella living in my walls and it is helping me calm down. However, Walt Disney failed to note the lovely little presents mice tend to leave and the items they destroy!

Speaking of Walt, what is your favorite Disney movie? You can pick old school or Pixar.

I have a three-way-tie between Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty (the plump little fairies KILL me! Who wouldn’t want to be BFFs with Flora, Fauna, and Merriweather?)

Here are a few of my Favorite Things

 

This week has been incredibly stressful and it is only Wednesday! However, there are a couple of items that are bringing me great joy! The best part is that all of these items are less than $5.  I have decided to make this a weekly feature of the blog. Hopefully, it will allow me to focus on the glass half-full approach and spread some gratitude!

My Weekly Favorites:

1) I am seriously loving So Delicious Coconut Milk! I use a cup in my breakfast smoothies each morning and they have been tasting extra yummy this week! I love that coconut milk has some fat (5g) because it gives the smoothies extra staying power!

I bought Elf liquid eyeliner at Target for less than $3 and it is amazing! It is SUPER easy to apply and is long-lasting. Plus, you cannot beat the price!

I bought Maple Pancake candle tarts at Yankee Candle and they smell AMAZING! Go buy this right now. Seriously. I burned this (in a tart burner) for about 30 minutes and our house smelled delicious all day long. To walk in the door after a long day of work to a yummy aroma is just wonderful!

When I was grocery shopping over the weekend I saw a package of Brach’s Milk Maid Caramels. Somehow they hopped into my cart…. These babies are DELICIOUS! I realize they are not strict Paleo, but they are gluten-free and they are tiny, not to mention scrumptious. They are little bites of joy!

From thekatyfiles.blogspot.com

I am addicted to Pinterest and pinning images of rooms in my dream house (see Dream Nursery above!). It is so much fun! If you are not on pinterest, you should be! So. Much. Fun!

What are you loving this week?