Saturday, June 30, 2012

turning a leaf

When I first said I was going to start this blog, I said I would write a new post everyday. Clearly that has not been the case for the past two days. I have been so busy with wrapping up Summer School, helping my mom with her jams and jellies, and accepting a full time job at the school of my dreams (oh yeah, that was my great new from the other day)!

I worked this past school year as a 2nd grade teacher, but unfortunately didn't have a regular contract, including insurance and benefits, and not having a secure job for the upcoming year. I am so excited to finally be able to say that I received a regular contract and will be teaching 1st grade! I'm so happy to know I can make my classroom a real home because I should have a job the following year! I am especially excited because I get to be on the same team as my corresponding teacher from my student teaching experience. She is such an amazing teacher and I am so lucky to learn even more from her. I can't wait to start getting all of my ideas into my room. I'm sure many posts will be about transitioning from my old room to my new room!


I am so excited for the upcoming year and turning a new leaf...

So let's see, today I started my Saturday morning with this...


My favorite drink from Starbucks... Non Fat Iced Carmel Macchiato. Mmmmmm! I then decided to get my nails done because I bite my nails and around my nails... sick I know! So, I'm hoping that maybe this will help. Also, I love how you got to these nail places and they tell you 10 minutes, but really mean 30... I finally got in my chair and waited a little longer. I told the lady, I NEED THEM SHORT, AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE. She laughed and said okay, okay. Well, that did not happen. I couldn't even text on my phone when she was done. I literally needed an electric sander to get them as short as I needed them. 


After grinding away for 20 minutes, I finally got them to a decent length I suppose.

After that, Tony and I headed to my hometown. My sister wanted to get together to get a pedicure (just a total spa day for me!) and go out to eat for a belated birthday! I had a hard time deciding on what color to get, but because I have been into the bright colors lately I decided on this one...


I am happy with it for a nice summer color. Until of course Tony said between my fingers and toes I look like Barney... oh well. He doesn't have to wear the colors! After a relaxing pedicure and good laughs we headed to one of my FAVORITE restaurants ever. I ate so much food. We ended up getting the bruschetta for an appetizer. We also got a delicious dish called Fonduta. It is amazing, my sister did say it was the best thing she has ever had! We then shared a pizza. We were debating on dessert, but I decided on a box of Charleston Chews (again... not none of this was on the diet... or lack there of).


It was ALL so good, but I am definitely feeling huge after that. I also had to get a picture of our sisterly moment. Even though, I sort of interrupted a pretty in depth conversation next to me to have this picture done... I didn't mean to...


Overall, it has been a very busy, but VERY exciting few days. I couldn't be happier with what has happened so far. So much is going on and everything seems to be taking a right turn. I can only hope it keeps going this way!


Wednesday, June 27, 2012

good food. good friends.

Today was quite the warm one. I'm finishing up my week of Summer School and looking forward to officially starting my summer on Monday! I am definitely looking forward to it. 

Tonight, I was able to spend some time with some good friends. Just a little girl's night with some GREAT food (thanks again Jackie) and great conversation. When I moved to Green Bay two years ago, I literally had ZERO friends. Working at my school, I made tons of amazing friends. I look forward going to work because of ALL the people I work with. I have developed some amazing friendships. 

Enough with that though... check out some of this great food we ate!


Andrea made the Woopie Pies. She found the recipe on Pinterest and they were actually pumpkin flavored. Soooooo good! Jackie made a great Strawberry Salad and awesome Sangria from Food Network magazine (I believe). As well as bruschetta (one of my favs). I brought the funny looking one that looks like a block with some orange stuff, but in fact it's one of my favorite (and super easy) appetizers! You just take a block of cream cheese and a jar of Jams, Jellies, and More Fiery Hot Pepper Jelly. My mom and dad actually make ALL of the jams and jellies themselves. It is amazing! Check out all the different flavors. I am lucky (I think...) enough to be able to go and help them cook tomorrow.


Such a nice, relaxing afternoon. Definitely needed that! Especially after some great news I got, more to come on that in a later post.

So... what's YOUR favorite summertime snack?

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

wanted: motivation

Is it just me... or has anyone else been unmotivated (is that even a word?)
I have been saying since school got out that I was going to start getting by butt in gear and start working out and eating healthy. Well, I would like to tell you that has happened, but it hasn't. The name "motivational wannabe" has really been quite a lie lately. I am so NOT motivated to workout and eat healthy. I can say I have been complaining A LOT about how I have been looking. I'm pretty sure as they all say, "your body changes with age" well what the heck... when does it stop!?

Let's start with example 1... lunch with my 2nd grade team at work...

Just was going to go for a nice little Mexican lunch and that turned into the JUMBO size margarita and a HUGE bean and rice burrito. I stopped about three times and said I was done and then continued to eat and eat. And of course you can't waste a margarita, especially in the summer time. 

Example 2... dinner.

I had great intentions on cooking up a great, healthy dinner using my trusty George Forman Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine (way too long of a name). Instead... after taking a oh maybe 2 hour nap ( I was really tired from my margarita ;)) Tony and I decided to get a pizza.

We discovered this pizza quite awhile ago and let me tell you it is absolutely amazing! It is a pineapple pizza with jalapenos, canadian bacon, regular bacon, and BBQ sauce... TO. DIE. FOR.


I'm drooling over it just looking at it.

So needless to say...
Wanted: I need some motivation. What gets you motivated and how do you stay motivated? Comment and let me know so I can get the "motivated" part right in the name!

Monday, June 25, 2012

wedding season has arrived

It's officially here... that time of the year that tends to get a little crazy (and completely fun!). I am lucky enough to be included in one of my best friend's weddings come this August! This weekend we celebrated her bridal shower and it was absolutely beautiful.

Here's the table setting... 



One of the neatest parts about this table setting is the China. All of the China is from within the family and is very old. I thought it was a great idea and each set was a little different. 


The bridal party minus one beauty who lives in Mexico :) and NO the yellow was not planned! Just some excellent fashion sense.



She's such a beautiful bride-to be. Only two months FROM TODAY she will officially become Mrs. Brayton.


Mmmmm... check out that plate of food. And this is probably the number one reason my diet plan hasn't worked yet! Eh, I guess I got my fruits and veggies in :) Along with my delicious white wine sangria... Jess did an amazing job. It had rhubarb in it which I think did the trick. Here is a recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Sangria, but I'm pretty sure this isn't the one she used... but it still looks great!


One of the gifts we got Jamie was this guest book that have been all over the internet! They are so cute and something that you can have hanging up in the house all the time. I saw the idea on another blog and checked out the lady who made them and sent a message to the other bridesmaids to see if they would want to go in on a tree. Then my DIY friend Jess, again (so creative this one!) said she would probably be able to draw one up and this is what she came up with! It is gorgeous! We also got everything else that is needed so Jamie doesn't have to worry about a thing on the day of the wedding!



Of course after the quaint tea party... we needed to let loose a little bit so we put on our "He put a ring on it" tanks that we used for Jamie's bachelorette party and dove right into the Decker Bar!

Overall, it was such a beautiful day and I am so happy that I was able to be a part of it. Cannot wait for August 25th, it will be a day to remember. 


Sunday, June 24, 2012

the start of something... (hopefully!)

Soooo starting a blog was never something I would have ever thought doing. It wasn't until my boyfriend had given me the idea when I was walking around the apartment complaining about how bored I was. So I decided awhile later that maybe it was something I could do. So of course in order to start a blog... I had to buy a new camera (it's only the 3rd one I have had in like two years... oops!) 

So here is this new (cheap) beauty


Of course along with a new camera... you must always get a new strap! I was going to attempt to make a strap that I had found on Pinterest but... then I remembered my oh so talented friend Andrea and knew she could make me a strap (a lot quicker than I ever could...). So the yellow and gray strap is made by her! She makes everything from purses, to clothes, and now even camera straps :) Check out all of her great stuff!

One of the reasons for even starting this blog was just to try and have people relate to me. I refer to myself as the "motivated wannabe" because like it says I want to cook as good as Giada de Laurentiis... dress like Carrie Bradshaw... and be as fit as Jillian Michaels. However, I am quite far from all of those beautiful ladies, so I'm just a wannabe! But the difference is I am motivated (okay... trying to be motivated) to attempt to be those ladies. So this blog will show you my way of being... okay attempting to be those women.

xoxo