"Humor is the spiciest condiment in the feast of existence. Laugh at your mistakes but learn from them, joke over your troubles but gather strength from them, make a jest of your difficulties but overcome them." ~Lucy Maud Montgomery (from the Anne of Green Gables series).
Are you a book buyer or a library frequenter? Once upon a time, I used to be a book buyer... There's just something about a brand new book, it has that lovely new book smell, the pages are crisp and waiting to be turned, and it looks so esteemed resting on your shelf amidst all your other books after reading... 
I know it doesn't look like much, but this coffee tumbler is AMAZING! Seriously! And I've gone through my fair share of mugs, tumblers, and the like... This new little guy from Starbucks is double walled - translation: it seals in the heat and keeps your beverage warm while the exterior remains cool to the touch. AMAZING, right? 
Dinner last night was Root Vegetable Stew with Gruyere Crostinis. This week my CSA box provided me with a handful of plump carrots, and since I've never been a fan of carrots a la carte, I figured I needed to find some vegetables to accompany them. Since using my CSA produce supports my personal goal to eat more seasonally, what better than to add root vegetables - which have just arrived on the veggie scene. 
The braids are back in town! All over the blogosphere and in magazines, braids seem to be popping up left and right. As a kid, my mom used to French braid my sisters and my hair all the time, and despite much practice, I have never been able to braid my own hair as good as she braided mine. 
Love these! Kate Spade has re-imagined our favorite reads into clever book clutches! This one is my personal fave. Loving the bright lemon yellow as well as the title - Great Gatsby was an AP English favorite of mine!
Happy Birthday Katie! It's my sister's b-day today. Wishing you a day of fun and celebrations in sunny California, wish I could be there!
With fall descending, it's definitely becoming soup season. And to kick off the season of warm comforting soups, I made Loaded Baked Potato soup last night. It turned out great, and was pretty quick and easy. 
As fall descends, I find I'm already looking ahead to fall festivities like Halloween! Don't you love these table ghosties? Such a fun way to liven up your fall with festive ghosties whose faces double as salt and pepper shakers, but remove the cork and enable the pour factor. Excellent!
Right this minute, I'm feeling like this... Tired already by the mere thought of my too-busy schedule today. I'm so tempted to just crawl back into bed and swat the snooze button a few more times... Hoping to gain back some blog inspiration and enthusiasm by tomorrow...
My apologies for the blog-less weekend. My bf and I flew out late Thursday night to Indianapolis, and our schedules were crammed up until our departure. 
My friend sent me this article, it's very entertaining but also makes you wonder... "What if Historical Events had Facebook Statuses?" I sure know that would keep me much more up to speed on current events! Don't you think all those linked into would find themselves that much more aware and in the know about history?
After watching the Top Chef finals in Singapore and Samantha Brown Asia, I'm very interested in the street food culture. We were lucky enough to try some amazing street food in Japan, especially yakitori and takoyaki. And as always, street food is best when cooked right in front of you and eaten standing on a busy city corner! 
What's your skin regimen? Skin care is of the utmost importance to me. I'm a sunscreen "freak," given my fair complexion, and I'm always curious about to learn about and get feedback on new skin care products. Lately I've been trying to be budget conscious and use the Target brand daily renewal cleanser and night cream. However, I'd like to try new products as long as I can confirm they are worth the price. 
I had the opportunity to watch Invictus on the plane ride home from Japan. Granted, I'm a sucker for a good sports movie, but this movie was truly inspiring! Before seeing this movie, I had never heard the story of Nelson Mandela's mission to unite South Africa through the nation's rugby team. Directed by Clint Eastwood, this movie was powerful, moving, and makes you want to get out there and do good! 
Happy Friday! This week has crawled by due to a case of the sniffles. The second week of school and I've already caught a cold, what is going on in the universe! I'm determined to beat this cold away this weekend. My middle sister is coming into town for a quick visit with her bf, so this weekend is all about family time together. Have a good one, cheers!
I joined a CSA! A few of my friends convinced me to make the switch, and I'm now a proud soon-to-be recipient of local organic produce, delivered to my doorstep! How fabulous is that?! I ended up going with this local Seattle company - New Roots Organics, per some great reviews. 
I did it! I got my hair cut...and went back to bangs! It was kind of an impulse move, inspired by this look, keeping my already long hair and adding swoopy bangs. We'll see how my students react today at school when I show up looking totally different! A kid will always give you their honest opinion...(wish me luck!)
With the rain and cold settling in, here in Seattle, it feels more like fall than the tail end of summer. While I'm sad to pack away my shorts and tank tops, I am looking forward to some perks of fall; thick scarves, pumpkin-spice lattes, and series premiers! 
Tonight is my first book club meeting! My sorority friends formed our own book club as a fun way to organize a monthly get-together to see each other, catch up, and enjoy good reads and good company Our first book is a "chick-lit," Heart of the Matter, by Emily Giffin (author of the Something Borrowed, Something Blue series). 
