Wahoo!! We booked our honeymoon!!!! It's official, I'm so excited!! The fiance and I are headed to a week of pure bliss at an all inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic. We're usually adventurous travelers who like to soak up the local flair of a destination and it's culture, but we figured this is our one and only honeymoon, so it's high time we kick up our heels and relax! Can't wait to bask in the Caribbean sunshine and enjoy our new status of husband and wife!
Wine and cheese party anyone? I love to own a set of these puzzle boards. Grab a baguette or two, an antipasti platter, capped off with a robust white or red, and you've got yourself a party!
Guess what went through the wash last night? My ipod...awesome. I went for a run last week and apparently forgot my ipod in the pocket of my hoodie. Well - I found it! Waterlogged ipod + headphones does not a happy girl make. 
Dinner last night was spicy chicken fried rice with peanuts. This was my first attempt at this type of rice dish, and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was. Initially, I was very paranoid that I'd overcook the rice before the actual stir fry. I must've checked it every 30-seconds for about 5 minutes, but thankfully it turned out just right. The peanuts and water chestnuts are a must and add a variety of textures to this dish. Would make again!
The royal wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William is exactly one month from today! So excited!! I'm planning on watching the wedding, well, maybe not at 4AM which is when it will be debuting Pacific Time. But most likely DVRing and watching at a more reasonable hour. 
This weekend I was craving bananas so I whipped up a batch of Ina Garten's Banana Crunch Muffins. Tres delicious. I added coconut-almond granola and shaved coconut to the tops which added a satisfying crunch. Thanks again Ina! I wonder, does she even have a bad recipe?
This weekend I don't have much on the agenda besides a much needed haircut. And it's been quite a while, so I'm actually pretty excited! And if all goes as planned, we'll have a honeymoon booked by the end of the weekend - crossing my fingers everything works out! More details on that to follow...
Have you ever heard of Temple Grandin? She's a woman with autism who has become wildly successful by revolutionizing machines in the cattle industry by her ability to think in pictures. I read her book, Thinking in Pictures a few years ago, so naturally I was interested in seeing the movie when it debuted. In the HBO movie, Claire Danes stars as the title character, Temple Grandin. Having seen Claire Danes in several other films, I thought she did a fantastic job! As a teacher, I've seen that students with autism have distinct hallmarks behaviors, and Claire Danes was able to capture many of these in her performance. The film and book are really expand and explain some insight into how brains of individuals with autism are wired differently. If you're in to learn something new, check these out! 
Since my fiance is becoming quite the foodie, so it was only fitting that on his birthday, we head to a restaurant guaranteed to deliver delicious cuisine. Kingfish Cafe is a restaurant serving up Southern food and hospitality, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle. The perfect spot for a sunny Saturday brunch. Dining here was a subtle flashback to our recent trip to New Orleans and the glory that is Southern food. 
Thanks again to all my lovely readers who gave me so many awesome book recommendations on my book hunting post a few weeks back! I'll be set for summer for sure! I've bookmarked all of your suggestions, and picked up a few that are currently occupying my night stand. The two I'm reading are Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I highly recommend both! 
Have you ever heard of the Pioneer Woman? If not, you MUST check out her blog. She's a cowgirl extraordinaire, blogging up some culinary love and confessions about living life in the country. That's where I got found the recipe for last night's dinner - Beef with Snow Peas. I made this last night for my fiance and I served over jasmine rice, it was pretty tasty! Thank you Pioneer Woman!! 
I am in love with this leprechaun trap cake! Spotting a leprechaun on St. Patrick's day is the ultimate goal for most of my students, let alone catching one! This cake would be quite a hit on St. Patrick's Day! Note to self for next year...
Thank goodness it's Friday! I don't know about you, but this has been one LONG week! Now, my report cards are in, it's pajama day at school, and I'm ready to sleep in tomorrow! Plus, it's my fiance's birthday tomorrow, so we're excited to celebrate with a Southern brunch, fancy dinner, and drinks with friends. Have a fab weekend!
Are you wearing green? You better be wearing green!! Looking forward to St. Patrick's Day at school, everyone will be pinching each other, filling out assignments on green paper, and keeping an eye out for lucky leprechauns that might dart through our classroom. Cheers! 
"There's always going to be bad stuff out there. But here's the amazing thing -- light trumps darkness, every time. You stick a candle into the dark, but you can't stick the dark into the light."
~ Jodi Picoult
Loving this carnival engagement shoot! Wouldn't that be a fun way to spend a day (and have it all be photographed)? Popcorn, cotton candy, and ferries wheel kisses. :)
I'm on a mission - to find the perfect wedding shoes. Since I'm 5'11" and would like to be shorter than my fiance on the big day, I'm looking for wedding flats in lieu of wedding heels. However, I don't want to skimp on style simply because I'm opting for flats. Having said that, I'm kind of a wimp with shoes, and comfort is important. I mean, I'll probably be wearing these shoes for half the day, so they have to sustain the evening without blisters (if possible). 
My mom made a batch of these cookies for me yesterday evening, and by 7:00 tonight (roughly 24 hours later), I've eaten all but all of them. Oatmeal white chocolate craisin cookies might just be my new favorite cookie! Sweet but with a kick of tartness from the craisins. Wouldn't be surprised if I polished off the entire batch tonight, so much for eating healthy!
While my weekend wasn't too exciting, I did check a few things off my wedding to-do list including finding and ordering our wedding cake - Check! And booking a string trio to play music during the ceremony! - Check!
While I enjoy working out, I'm not a committed gym-goer. On my own time at the gym, I'll usually do the elliptical, bike, and maybe the treadmill if I'm really motivated. As such, I'd noticed my exercise routine was becoming pretty ho-hum.
I don't know about you, but I am sure glad it's Friday. This has been a long, arduous, stressful week at school. I am very much looking forward to tonight and a glass of vino with girlfriends. On another wine note: aren't these etched wine decanters awesome? I would love to buy these and host myself a wine tasting party like this! Want to come?
My book club met Monday night to chat about our latest read - The Help. If you haven't read this book, it's a must! Even my friends in the group who are less than keen on reading every book cover to cover enjoyed it. 
Fat Tuesday coincides with the Polish American celebration, Paczki Day. Paczki (pronounced poonch-key) are essentially jelly donuts. While the donuts don't seem too unique from your ordinary bakery donuts, the holiday gives you an excuse to indulge and bring home a box full of jelly and cream filled pastries. Yum!
Happy Birthday Allie! It's my littlest sisters birthday today. Here's a snapshot of her back in the day, can't believe she is 22 today, that seems too grown up! Have a happy birthday Al!
The season of Lent begins this Wednesday. If you're unfamiliar with Lent, in the Christian tradition, Lent is a period of 40 days preceding Easter. Usually this time is spend investing in sacrifice or almsgiving. For example, many people try and give up something that will help them improve their livelihood; giving up alcohol consumption, avoiding sweets or junk food, or refraining from swearing. Others however use this time to give to others; volunteering, donating books, clothing, or spending more time with loved ones. As a product of the Catholic school system, I always thought of Lent as something mandatory, but I've come to recognize it as a conscious choice to better yourself. 
