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what i'm loving wednesday!

Hurray!  Wednesday is finally here!  I swear, yesterday, the ENTIRE day, I thought was Wednesday. It's time to link up with Jamie at This Kind of Love to share What I'm Loving Wednesday! :)  There are so many great things to be loving this week! 

Starting off, I'm loving February.  This is the month of love, after all!  Thanks to some of my super creative and thoughtful blogging friends, I have a few surprises in store for Rob this month! :)

I'm also loving Harry Potter!  Everyone said I would love it and I was so incredibly skeptical.  I finished the first book in about a day and a half.  I only have a few pages left of the second one and I plan on starting the third one right away!

I'm loving that I am getting my hair cut this morning!  I haven't completely decided on the haircut I am going to get, but I will be sure to let you all know soon--I am just thrilled to be getting it done. :)

I'm loving the very impromptu date night I had with Rob last night!  When he came home from work, we decided to grab sushi and do a little shopping!  Rob also completely indulged me and went to see a total chick flick with me.  I was so excited to go to the movies with him!  It is truly one of my favorite things to do together as a couple.  "One for the Money" was just about what I expected--a fun girly movie!  I love Katherine Heigl, even after all of the Grey's drama!

I'm loving the cute new dresses I found at Francesca's!  They were having a sale on some of their dresses so I scooped up two new pretty ones!  I bought this pretty blue one and another one with feathers on it.  I couldn't find a picture online, but I will be sure to snag a picture of it soon.  So so cute!

 

And always, I am loving my sweet husband!  He definitely treated me to a completely unexpected night out and for that I am so thankful.  :)

valentine's day decor!

Do you decorate your home for Valentine's Day?  After all of the decorations we had up for Christmas, I just had a few things around our home--a wreath, a few towels in the bathroom, and some red candles.  However, Pinterest has some beautiful options for Valentine's Day decor!  How do you decorate for Valentine's Day?

                                                                                                Source: thetwineryblog.com via Becky on Pinterest

            

                                                                                    Source: inspirationforhome.blogspot.com via Becky on Pinterest

                                                                                    Source: casaresidence.com via Becky on Pinterest

                                                                                                        Source: designsponge.com via Becky on Pinterest

                                                                                                                              Source: etsy.com via Becky on Pinterest

    

                                                                    Source: thehouseofsmiths.com via Becky on Pinterest

                                                                                                    Source: myblessedlife.net via Becky on Pinterest

let's talk hair...

So friends, I am due for another haircut.  Last time, I contemplated cutting my hair to my shoulders (right now it's about 3-4 inches below them), but I chickened out.  Big time.  I've had the same hairstyle for pretty much the last 2 + years and while I like it, I think that I am over having long hair for awhile.  It takes SO long to blow dry and I feel like it doesn't have style anymore to it.  Do any of you feel like that that have long hair?  Is it just because I need a haircut?

Here are some hairstyles I've found that I really like...  I think they might all be versions of the same style though! haha!

What do you think?  Have you seen any great hairstyles lately?

my day in numbers...

80 pages read of Jesus:  Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary

30 muffins baked

15 baked potatoes--washed and ready to bake tomorrow!

4 loads of laundry-washed, dried, and folded!

2 loads of dishes in the dishwasher

2 pans of lasagna prepped and ready to go for tomorrow!

1 pan of nutella rice krispie treats

1 pan of brownies

1 huuuuuge crock pot of chili

I have been subbing like crazy lately, but thankfully I took today off from it.  I slept in (which was MUCH needed!), and then got right to work baking, reading, and cleaning.

Tomorrow and Sunday will be spent at an all-day workshop for my church.  I volunteered to prepare food for the 15 or so of us that will be gathered together.  There are sites all over the US that are doing the same workshop via satellite, which is pretty exciting!  

I am hoping to sneak in a fun date night with my husband tonight before the weekend gets all crazy!  What are you planning for this weekend?

big news, friends!

I have some great news to share with you all today!  I know that I am about um.... 8 years behind the times here, but I have decided to start reading the Harry Pottery books! 

Two of my good friends are going to read them with me--and we are going to watch the movies together after we finish the books.  :)  

Have you read them?  Don't give anything away--I haven't even started reading them yet!

what i'm loving wednesday!

There are so many great things to be loving this pretty Wednesday!  First and foremost, I got to sleep in just a little this morning, which is something I have been looking forward for SEVERAL days now!  8:30 isn't sleeping in too much--unless you've been getting up at 6 AM for too many days in a row. :/

Now, onto the real good news of things I'm loving!!  One of my friends from high school, Crystal, developed HELLP syndrome in her 28th week of pregnancy.  She delivered this little boy, Graham, who weighed about 2.5 pounds.  He's still in the NICU at Tennessee, but his prognosis is very good!  I know they would absolutely covet your prayers as they live several hours away from the hospital and Crystal was discharged this weekend.  I LOVE this picture--you can see just how in love she is with her little boy! :)

I'm loving my salad for lunch!  I've been trying to cut down on carbs some lately and this was the perfect lunch.  I had two cups of spinach, hard-boiled egg whites, chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, blackberries, a few dried cherries, and some yummy strawberry poppyseed dressing.  Oh and just a little bit of grilled chicken for some extra protein.  This was one HUGE salad and it kept me filled all through the day--even when I was chasing around some crazy second graders. :)

 

I'm loving these izzes I bought at the store this week.  They are SO delicious and such a perfect treat.  I savor these things like nobody's business.  (Sorry the picture is sideways--for some reason typepad is flipping them?!)

I'm loving my new bag.  I swear there are few things in this world that make me feel as happy as a new purse.  I stopped at the outlet yesterday and picked up this pretty bag for 75% off.  That's right 75% off.  I love outlet malls and their amazing sales!! :)  I love the three dividers--it's perfect for compartmentalizing makeup, pens, my wallet, etc.  I can't wait to carry this pretty bag!

I'm loving my sweet, sweet husband.  We just celebrated ten months of marriage and I swear the days have just completely flown by.  I am so thrilled that he still makes me laugh like no one else and that I can't fall asleep at night without him by my side.  We aren't perfect, but he is my very favorite. 

What are you loving this week? :)

miscellany monday!

Hi friends!  I hope you had a great weekend!  I can't believe it's already Monday--why can't we have another four day workweek again this week?  I'm going to be linking up with Carissa for Miscellany Monday again this week to share all of the random things I'm thinking about!

1.  We were supposed to get a really nasty ice storm on Friday night, so Rob and I planned on a nice dinner at home!  We made pork chops, steamed fresh green beans, and this skinny au gratin potato recipe.  I didn't have most of the herbs on hand, so we just improvised and it was WONDERFUL!  I highly recommend it!

2.  We of course watched a bunch of tv this weekend because the weather was pretty yucky!  We caught up on our DVR on Friday night--we watched Castle, Modern Family, and Rob even watched Grey's and Private Practice with me!  Husband of the year, right here! :)  

3.  Saturday night we tried to go to Bonefish, but the weight was almost two hours!  No fun, but we ended up at a Mexican restaurant instead.  We did have some pretty yummy guacamole made right at our table so I can't complain too much!  Rob and I thought about hitting up a movie afterwards, but decided to come home and watch a movie we had Netflixed.  I've been reading a bunch of spy/conspiracy books lately, so we watched The Recruit.  It's not as good as a book, but it was a good movie to watch!

4.  Sunday started out with church and then dinner with Rob's parents.  I love that we live so close to his family--and all of the time we get to spend with them.  I know how so many other couples have forced relationships with their in-laws and this is something I am just so incredibly thankful for!

5.  Instead of going grocery shopping this week, Rob and I are going to just try to eat foods we already have at home.  I know we are going to have to get a few things (like Diet Coke! :) ) but I think we will probably spend under $30 this week in groceries.  Amazing.  I decided to put what we'd normally spend at the grocery into our savings.  That was one of my NY resolutions, remember? :)  I know that we might have a night or two of random meals, but we still have things for a roast, buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, and a pork tenderloin that we need to eat.  Not a bad week's worth of meals for not going grocery shopping!  Our fridge and pantry are so full, we need to eat some of those things up!

6.  I have a very busy week ahead--substituting three days, a work trip on Tuesday, reading a book for a workshop this weekend, plus preparing for a couple of trainings events at work.  All of these things I love doing, but I just know it's going to be a tough week!

How was your weekend?  Tell me what's new in your life! :)

 

valentine's day goodies!

For those of you who saw my post earlier in your Reader, I apologize that you couldn't read it!  There was something crazy going on at my blog today, but I think everything has worked its way out and things are back to normal around here! :)

Also, thank you so much to everyone who has been praying for my family lately.  I am happy to report that my papa's surgery went well and he is recovering for a few days in the hospital before he can come back home.  He's been in almost two weeks so we are excited he will be home soon! :)

I know that we all do so much baking for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but Valentine's Day can be a great time to bake or prepare treats for the people you love in your life! :) Here is some great inspiration I've found on Pinterest....

                                                                                                            Source: etsy.com via Becky on Pinterest

                                                                                                        Source: polliblog.com via Becky on Pinterest

 

 

                                                                                    Source: myworldispink.tumblr.com via Becky on Pinterest

 

                                                                                    Source: punkaroonie.blogspot.com via Becky on Pinterest

 

                                                                                                                Source: sweetopia.net via Becky on Pinterest

                                                                                                Source: thedecoratedcookieblog.com via Becky on Pinterest

what i'm loving wednesday! :)

 

Today is my favorite day of blogging--both reading and writing!  I love the positivity out there in blogland! :)

Before I get started into WILW, I'd just like to ask you to offer up a prayer for my papa.  He's having some minor surgery today, but his health has been in a gradual decline for awhile.  They've transferred him to a different hospital because he's high risk. I'd so appreciate your prayers--and I know my papa would too!

Ok--let's get started with the love and happiness out there today! :)  I'm linking up with Jamie at This Kind of Love, as always, for What I'm Loving Wednesday! :)

I'm loving this pretty Valentine's Day wreath!  I have minimal Valentine's Day decorations, but I think they are so pretty!  Isn't this wreath genius?

I'm loving this owl nightlight.  As a Chi Omega, I must have this in my life!  Isn't it so cute?!  

I'm loving Goodread's 2012 Reading Challenge!  I challenged myself to read 52 books and so far this year I have read 4!  I'm about 200 pages into a 900 page book right now so I know my pace is going to slow down a little.  However, I love keeping track of this goal--I feel so accomplished! :)

I'm loving my husband, as always.  I love that he makes me feel incredibly special and so very cherished.  That's the way every woman should feel and I am so thankful for Rob.  He even made dinner last night--which is another thing I'm loving! :)

What are you loving this week?  I'd love to hear! :)

 

my long weekend! :)

On Friday we got lots of snow!  I was so excited to have some finally--we normally have SO much in Columbus and we haven't really had any!  I was substitute  teaching on Friday--and we were one of the only schools within several counties to have school!  However, I loved being out in the snow--it was pretty exciting!

I rented a couple of movies for us to watch on Friday evening because I knew there was no way we'd be going back out!  Rob made us a gluten-free pizza and we enjoyed a nice evening in! We watched Contagion and The Next Three Days.  Both were ok--I was expecting so much more!

On Saturday morning, Rob was sweet enough to go with me to one of my youth's baptism.  Well--now she's a college freshman!  Frannie was baptized at her college, Wittenberg, which is a little over an hour from our house.  The interstate wasn't too bad--but the roads on the way there were kind of sketchy!    Here's pretty Frannie and Alicia posing with me after  Frannie was baptized. :)

Saturday night, we had some friends over to watch football.  I love having friends over and cooking for them!  It was kind of last minute, but it ended up being really fun.  I made my granny's macaroni and cheese, which was a huge hit! :) 

Sunday morning started off with church and a meeting afterwards.  I had a visitation for my great aunt to go to afterwards.  My great aunt, Betty, was such a wonderful person.  It was so nice to see some of my mom's family though.  My sister came home with me for a little bit until my mom came to pick her up for the ride home.  It wasn't nearly enough time to hang out--but I was so happy to get some quality time with her!  

Sunday night, Rob and I headed to our friends' house.  My friend's husband is seriously a gourmet chef!  He made a rack of lamb for us with squash, rosemary roasted potatoes, and a few others sides.  Such a delicious meal!  It's better than anything I've eaten in a restaurant!  

Monday was another jam-packed day!  It started off with brunch and a movie with two of my best girlfriends.  I had a wonderful avocado omelet! :)  We then went to see My Week with Marilyn.  It was an interesting movie--but barely 90 minutes long!  

We also did a little bit of shopping at Old Navy!  Old Navy is a store where I can either find nothing or want to buy the whole entire store!  This time, I wanted to buy everything. :)  I managed to restrain myself and only buy a few things.  One was this pretty dress on sale! :)

Monday evening, Rob and I met up with my cousin and her boyfriend for sushi and ice cream.  This weekend had lots of eating and fun with our friends.  I'm so happy that I was also able to spend time with my family!  And, I am happy to report that even though I ate out several meals and was incredibly lazy, I didn't do too terribly with my calories!  My Fitness Pal makes things so easy to track--so you can either adjust what you're eating or your portions perfectly!  I love the feature where you can exercise to get some extra calories for eating. ;)

How was your weekend?  I hope you enjoyed the extra day off from work!  I know I did! :)