recent loves

Book - I cannot stop reading Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. I'm totally hooked! Perfect for anyone who likes mysteries and/or chick lit.

Source: thephantomparagrapher.blogspot.com via Kelly on Pinterest

TV Show - I'm loving the show White Collar. The characters are endearing, hilarious, strong, and smart, the acting is excellent, and the writing is fun and engaging. I highly recommend it if you like shows like Bones, Body of Proof, In Plain Sight, etc.

Source: amazon.com via Kelly on Pinterest

App - I've had Instagram for several months now, but I've just recently become really hooked. Recording and sharing the small but meaningful parts of life adds a little extra celebration and positivity to each day. Plus, the photos of other users are so fun and inspiring!

Source: instagr.am via Kelly on Pinterest

Beauty - As I've mentioned, I'm getting more and more interested in the world of beauty, particularly nail polish. Right now I'm really loving Nicki Minaj for OPI Metallic 4 Life.

Source: aluxabeauty.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Snack - Lots of people adore cake. I'm not typically one of them. However, I do enjoy cupcakes and cake pops. As a result, I tried Starbucks's new cake pop, raspberry truffle - and fell in love. Delicious!

Source: starbucks.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Workout - Have you ever tried Zumba? If not, you must! I truly love it. It's fun, and a really is a great workout without even feeling like it. I've been going to a class once a week most weeks for the past couple weeks. I'd love to increase that number or pick up the DVDs.

Source: shape.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Quote - I find quotes by First Ladies to be particularly inspiring and wise. This sentiment by Martha Washington is no exception.

Source: Uploaded by user via Kelly on Pinterest

What have you been loving lately?

my life: happy birthday daniel

Today is my fiance Dan's birthday! I am so lucky, blessed, and grateful that I not only have him in my life, but that I get to marry him! : ) Dan is from Columbus, OH, and we met in college as members of the same teaching program. We worked together as peer facilitators for that program, shared a group of mutual friends, and took the same classes due to having the same major (social studies education). Over time, we became close friends, then best friends, then boyfriend and girlfriend. This past fall, we got engaged and have since began planning a summer 2013 wedding. I am so proud of all Dan does and who he is, and hope he has the best year yet! In celebration of his day and our shared love of history, here's a list of other great things that happened on March 1st. Happy Birthday, Daniel! I love you! : )

• 1692: The Salem Witch Hunt began
• 1781: Articles of Confederation were ratified
• 1790: Congress authorized the first U.S. Census
• 1803: Ohio became the 17th U.S. state (History of Ohio was the first class Dan and I took together!)
• 1845: U.S. President Tyler signed the congressional resolution to annex the Republic of Texas
• 1867: Nebraska became the 37th U.S. state
• 1869: Postage stamps with scenes were issued for the first time
• 1872: Yellowstone National Park was established and became the world's first national park
• 1917: The Zimmerman Note was published in the U.S. (WWI is Dan's favorite topic to research and teach about!)
• 1928: Paul Whitman and his orchestra recorded "Ol' Man River"
• 1936: Hoover Dam completed and turned over to U.S. government
• 1941: FM radio began in Nashville, TN
• 1949: Joe Louis retired
• 1961: Kennedy established the Peach Corps
• 1966: Soviet probe crashed into Venus, becoming the first unmanned spacecraft to land on another planet (Dan loves to learn more about space and the world's space programs!)
• 1968: Johnny Cash and June Carter were married; Elton John's first single was released in England
• 1969: Mickey Mantle retired (Dan proposed to me by writing "Will You Marry Me?" on a baseball we played catch with!)
• 1974: Queen began their first headlining tour in England
• 1987: The Boston Celtics defeated the Detroit Pistons for the 2,235th win (Dan is a big basketball fan!)
• 1995: Yahoo! was incorporated
• 2002: Announced there is a possibility of water on the planet Mars
• 2005: Honda unveiled its new Civic (which is the type of car Dan drives!)
• 2008: The naming of the U.S.S. New York occurred

Some famous birthdays on this day: Glenn Miller, bandleader (1904); "Deke" Donald Slayton, astronaut (1924); Robert Clary, actor known for Hogan's Heroes - a show Dan & I love to quote! (1926); Robert Daltry, musician in The Who (1944); Alan Thicke, actor known for Growing Pains (1947); Bryan Winters, basketball player (1952); Ron Howard, producer and actor known for Happy Days (1954); Javier Bardem, actor (1969)

Sources for information: 1, 2, 3

Photo above of Dan & Madison, summer 2011

watch it: big miracle

Source: imdb.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Notable Cast Members: John Krasinski, Drew Barrymore, Ahmaogak Sweeney, Ted Danson, Kristin Bell, Dermot Mulroney, Vinessa Shaw, Rob Riggle, James LeGros

Overall Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (rating rationale)

Plot Summary: In 1988, Adam Carlson (John Krasinski) was on assignment in Barrow, Alaska as part of his "Adam Around Alaska" series for his Anchorage news station. Shortly before Adam was ready to depart, he and his young native Alaskan friend, Nathan, discovered three gray whales - a mom, dad, and baby - trapped in the ice. Adam's ex-girlfriend Rachel (Drew Barrymore), who also happens to be a major Greenpeace activist, immediately begins campaigning for serious rescue efforts. Her cause is helped when NBC picks up the story and airs it nationally. Suddenly, the country is experiencing whale fever. The U.S. government, major oil companies, Barrow locals, and reporters and volunteers from across the U.S. band together to rescue the whales. The movie is based on a true story.

Personal Thoughts: I loved this movie! To be fair, I had a feeling I would going into it as I (a) love John Krasinski, Drew Barrymore, Kristin Bell and Ted Danson, (b) the film takes place in Alaska, a major place on my "To Visit" list, (c) the movie is all about animals, and (d) the film is based on a true story and even features excellent Cold War tension and cheesiness. All that being said, the movie did not disappoint. John Krasinksi and Drew Barrymore had a wonderful chemistry and did excellently in roles that fit them well. Ted Danson was deliciously evil yet human as an oil baron, as was Kristin Bell as an aspiring journalist. All of the greater supporting roles, such as James LeGros and Rob Riggle as helpful inventors, were well-done and enjoyable. The story itself was compelling and poignant. A big softie, I didn't even wear masacra to the theater (despite the fact that I wanted to look cute since it was a date with Dan) because I knew I would cry at some point- which I of course did. The movie definitely ended on a positive note, though, along with some fun credits that included information about what happened to the main players in the rescue once it was completed. Overall, the movie was touching, funny, and interesting, and I highly recommend it.

watch it: red tails

A couple weekends ago Dan came up from Columbus to visit. We love history (we both earned degrees in social studies education), and thought the new movie Red Tails looked interesting, despite its possible cheesiness, so we went to the theaters to see it.

Notable Cast Members: Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Nate Parker, David Oyelowo, Tristan Wilds

Overall Rating: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ (rating rationale)

Plot Summary:

While the Tuskegee program in the military allowed African-Americans the opportunity to be trained as pilots and take part in the U.S.A.'s WWII efforts, it did not initially allow them to participate in missions that put them in direct action against the enemy. Red Tails tells the story of these talented men and how they fought both the Axis powers and segregation within the U.S. military while stationed in Europe.

Personal Thoughts below the movie poster & CONTAINS SPOILERS

Source: imdb.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Personal Thoughts (WITH SPOILERS):

I went into the movie knowing there would be cheesy parts based on what I saw in its trailer. I did not mind most of the cheesy parts of the movie. In fact, what could have been the cheesiest parts of the movie were not cheesy at all because of the amazing acting ability of Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Terrence Howard (Gooding, Jr., plays Major Emanuelle Stance, who leads the Red Tails, and Howard plays his commanding officer, Colonel A.J. Bullard). The parts I had the major issues with were the very beginning and the very end of the movie. The beginning of the movie made me cringe. It was poorly done, feeling like an awkward simulation rather than the opening of a story. The ending was just plain terrible. As far as I know, while this movie is inspired by true events, it is not actually based on any real individuals (please correct me if I am wrong!). That being said, I do not understand why the writers of the movie chose to conclude the story the way they did. Killing off the pretty much the only likable character not played by Terrence Howard or Cuba Gooding, Jr., or at least the only other character they clearly wanted you to cheer for, and then abruptly ending the film was like someone unexpectedly splashed my face with cold water. I think I actually turned to Dan in the theater and said, "What the hell?!" I did not feel that was a unnecessary turn of events for the story or the way to let it end. It pretty much ruined the movie for me. All that being said, I would not recommend seeing this movie in theaters. I wouldn't pay for a rental to watch it again, either (although if I had never seen it and had only paid $2 at Redbox to see it I wouldn't have been mad). I might settle in to give it a second chance if I ever happen to come across it on TV.

use it: usps 2012 stamps

Hello, everyone! How was your weekend? Mine was pretty great! I had Starbucks with a friend Friday night, spent literally all of the day Saturday at the conference championship meet with my swimmers (who did AWESOME!), and went to a bridal fair on Sunday.

I really enjoy "snail mail," for various reasons, and this week I plan on sending several cards and letters. Have you seen any of the United States Postal Service's 2012 stamps? I'm excited to head down to the post office and pick up some. My favorite ones are:

Source: beyondtheperf.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Cherry Blossom Centennial

Source: beyondtheperf.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Dogs at Work

Source: beyondtheperf.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Mail a Smile (Disney Pixar)

Source: beyondtheperf.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Bicycling

Source: beyondtheperf.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Earthscapes: Natural

Source: beyondtheperf.com via Kelly on Pinterest

William H. Johnson

Source: beyondtheperf.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Heart Health

Source: beyondtheperf.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Frank Capra

Source: beyondtheperf.com via Kelly on Pinterest

The War of 1812: USS Constitution

Source: beyondtheperf.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Santa and Sleigh

Do you enjoy sending cards and letters to friends? Which of these stamps or other ones listed at the link above do you like?

history lesson: veterans' day

Source: google.com via Stefanie on Pinterest

I love that Veterans' Day in the U.S. is on November 11th for a couple reasons: (1) it makes November even more full of conscious reflections of gratitude and (2) it marks the anniversary of the end of WWI (also known as Armistice Day). I know there's a lot of buzz about making a wish at 11:11 on 11/11/11, which I do think is pretty neat and fun, but whenever I hear "11:11 on 11/11," I can't help but think of how WWI formally ended on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918. I challenge you at that moment, in addition to any personal wish you may be making, to also pause and think of veterans you know or veterans in general. If not at that moment, sometime throughout today. Veterans I know are in my thoughts and prayers more than usual today - my cousin and her husband, another dear cousin of mine, my best friend's sister, the man who was the best man to my maid of honor in a wedding, the man who spoke to my government students last spring, the man who spoke to one of my history classes in college, a man who grew up in Boy Scouts with my brother, two former math teachers, my grandfathers, my great-uncles, and so many others I have interacted with or heard about throughout my lifetime. To all the veterans, I thank you for all you do, have done, and will do for America and its people. You are always in my thoughts and prayers. I hope you have a beautiful day today, and every day.

weekly gems

Source: skiptomylou.org via Kelly on Pinterest

• This amazing post on Hello Giggles this week pretty much made my life!!
• Halloween costumes for dogs and cats.
• Dazzled by these gorgeous brooches and this beautiful clutch!
• Definitely want to make: apple cider margaritas, mashed sweet potatoes brulee, slow cooker, apple crumble, and Rosa's lentil salad.
• It probably doesn't sound like it from my description, but the obituary of the last remaining member of Cleveland's first police academy class is a must-read.
• Who else is pumped to see this balloon in the Macy's Parade this year?
• Tips on how to improve your immunity.
• Do you tweet? If so, check out Cosmo's recommendations on who to follow for big laughs!
• I wish I could wear outfits like this one every day.
• Some scary movie suggestions for you this Halloween weekend!
• Green is my favorite color : )
• I'd love to spend a weekend in this cottage.
• Favorite weddings of the week: one, two, and three.

weekly gems

Source: teachingliteracy.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

• I would totally live in this Portland loft.
• Love Matchbook Magazine's wish list for July.
• Can't wait to try these recipes for tuna cobb sandwiches, triple berry crisp, watermelon margaritas, and nectarine and blackberry galette.
• My heart melted when I read this essay about dating a girl who reads.
• Tips for keeping your dog safe in the car.
• Love this doodle-filled interview with my favorite author.
• Ideas for making drinking water less boring.
• What do you think about 3-D movies? I'll sometimes spring for it if I really want to see the movie, but I'm fine without it.
• A slideshow of Prince William and Duchess Kate's Canadian tour.
• Adore these vintage travel posters.
• Ways to avoid annoying your boss.
• Favorite weddings of the week: one, two, three.

things that are making me happy

Afternoon naps followed with a big cup of coffee

The cute photo of Madison up above

Making bow bouquets at bridal showers

Watching movies with my dad

Fresh fruit

Favorite 90s songs on the radio

Inside jokes with my co-workers

Deciding my next nail polish purchase

Trivia about U.S. presidents

Planning my next visit to see Dan

What is making you happy as of late?

the 4th of july

Source: lessthanperfectlifeofbliss.blogspot.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Grill out. Go for a walk. Wave a flag. Light some sparklers. Make s'mores. Swim. See fireworks. Play games. Give thanks. Work in the garden. Drink lemonade. Have a red, white, and blue dessert. Stay safe. Enjoy the day.

memorial day

Lake Erie, 2009

Hello, everyone! I hope you're having a great three-day weekend. So far I am! I spent time with Dan and his family, my family, and today I'm going to the beach with two of my very best friends. Right now, however, I'm going to indulge myself in a social studies teacher moment.

A lot of people don't understand the difference between Veterans' Day and Memorial Day. Quite simply, Veterans' Day is meant to honor those who served/serve in the military, while Memorial Day began to honor those who died in the line of duty. Memorial Day still serves that purpose today, but has also become a time of year that many family and friends take to honor their deceased loved ones.

So while you are relaxing on this day off, take a moment to remember why it was declared a federal holiday in the first place. If you are able to, try to share with a child what this day means. It is never to early to learn "gone, but never forgotten."

a real life fairy-tale

Hello, everyone! How was your weekend? Mine was pretty darn good, an excellent start to my "staycation" in my college's town before graduation this Saturday (student teachers don't have finals, so I'm thankfully getting a week to relax before commencement).

I know I talked quite about about the royal wedding in my last couple posts, but I can't resist one more post about it today! My favorite photos of the royal wedding:

Source: bbc.co.uk via Rene on Pinterest

Love this shot of the double kiss!

Source: wearegoing.tumblr.com via Rene on Pinterest

Beautiful.

Source: royal-wedding.tumblr.com via Rene on Pinterest

Just adorable!

Source: 20thcenturygirl.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Prince Harry fixing his new sister-in-law's train, so sweet.

Other things about the royal wedding that made me swoon: Both of Kate Middleton (now Duchess of Cambridge!)'s gorgeous, timeless, classy gowns; Prince William whispering, "You look beautiful," at the altar; the symbolism behind the bridal bouquet; the simple bridal band made from Welsh gold gifted by the Queen; Pippa Middleton's reception gown; and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's gracious and casual attitude the morning after the wedding.

Amidst all my Internet searches of the royal wedding, I found this photo:

Source: 30.media.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

After 64 years of marriage, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip still look at each other the same way. Here's wishing Prince William and Kate Middleton that same lasting love and happiness!

(belated) weekly gems

Hello, everyone! How was your week? Mine was crazily busy - my last day of student teaching was Friday! So bittersweet. I'm going to miss it a lot, but I sure am excited to be done and graduating! My amazing boyfriend Dan sent roses to my school on my last day : ) a wonderful surprise, followed by dinner at one of our favorite local restaurants, El Zarape. It was a great way to kick off this weekend, which is being spent working and relaxing. What are you doing this weekend?

• I adore the couches and coordinated throw pillows in this post!
• Inspired by Taylor's excellent attitude.
• Need to try this chocolate rum cake.
• Loving this assortment of ideas for a rainy day.
• I cannot read enough about the royal wedding, and People definitely has the best coverage. My favorite features? The official wedding photos, the photos of the two public kisses, the best hats slideshow, and the photos of the new Duchess's wedding look.
• I still need to try Sally Hansen's nail strips, and these new patterns only motivate me more!
• Enjoyed Refinery 29's interview with Matchbook Magazine's Katie Armour! And speaking of Katie Armour, love these bags she posted about!
• The Lord of the Rings trilogy is returning to theaters this summer - extended editions! Are you going? I will be!
• Some quick and cheap ways to chill out.

royal wedding

Hey, everyone! Sorry for my absence this week. It's my last week of student teaching and things have been craaaaaazy (as well as bittersweet). I am looking forward to returning to the blog full-force next week!

Are you excited for the royal wedding this Friday? I most certainly am! After all, it combines things I love - history, tradition, weddings, royalty, Britain, Kate Middleton's style, etc. I won't be watching live - I have that pesky last day of student teaching ; ) I will be making my family DVR it for me, though, and fully plan to watch it while drinking English breakfast tea & eating scones. In the spirit of the royal wedding, here's some fun memorabilia that's floating about:

Source: my-wedding-concierge.com via Phyllis on Pinterest

Wedgewood china and tin...

Source: 2sistersblog.com via Lisa on Pinterest

...a tea towel...

Source: people.com via Emily on Pinterest

...and my personal favorite, PEZ dispensers : )

For awesome royal wedding coverage, I recommend you check out People & Glamour, along with the official wedding website! Can't wait to see Kate's dress!

(belated) weekly gems

Hello, everyone. How was your weekend? Mine was great! I saw Baldwin-Wallace College's fantastic production of RENT, which one of my best friends Sarah stage managed, and followed it up with a super fun sleepover with Sarah and our friend Kaylyn. I also saw my sister Jackie participate in Tri-C West's Student Theatre Showcase, which was hilarious. My family took my boyfriend out to dinner at Champp's for an early birthday celebration. It was delicious! Other than that, I did some teaching things and took plenty of naps.

I must apologize to you all a thousand times over for the spotty posting last week. I thought things were going to be less crazy, but apparently they were still settling down. Thanks again for your patience and understanding. To make it up to you, I'm doing two posts today: this one, a belated mini-weekly gems list, and another one that's - well, you will have to come back later to see! ; )

• Love this tribute to Presidents' Day!
• As sad as I am that Steve Carell is leaving The Office, I'm excited for his upcoming projects.
• Inspired by the story of a flea.
• Laura is awesome - loved her posts on taxi wisdom and reading.
• Both of these recipes by Framed Cooks look tasty - egg sandwich with spinach, brie, and maple bacon & Vermont cheddar soup.
• What a adorable ad campaign!
• Kate Spade's Live Colorfully color for February? Pink, of course!

things that are making me happy

• Spending lots of time with family this weekend
• Day off yesterday due to Presidents' Day (in honor of George Washington & Abraham Lincoln's birthdays!)
• Having a day off today due to bad weather
• My boyfriend and our dog being okay after getting into an accident yesterday
• Knocking lots of things off my to-do list
• Having electricity (it went out this weekend due to the storm!)
• Coffee and dinner plans with friends this week
• Girls' night with childhood best friends this weekend
• Parks and Recreation marathons
• New teaching clothes
• New magazines to read that were delivered while I was away from home
• An adorable cupcake-making gift bag from my boyfriend's mom
• Getting enough sleep : )

What things are making you happy?

weekly gems

the loves of my life cuddling away!

This week has been crazy: full of teaching ups and downs, a sore throat, two-hour delays due to low wind chills, and multiple trips to Starbucks. I am ready for the weekend! I plan on sleeping, crafting, getting my haircut, having dinner with friends, planning lessons/grading, job searching, and watching movies. What are your plans for this weekend?

A small list of weekly gems for you all...

• Entertainment news: article on the casting of a new Lois Lane, Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher, full list of pilots ordered by the major TV networks, and Julia Roberts as Snow White's evil queen.
• Kate Spade has a tumblr. Be still, my heart!!
• Definitely enjoyed this interview with the Matchbook Magazine founders and this one with just Katie Armour.
• It's interesting to see what celebrities were once roommates.
• Love the Makeunder My Finances series on MML.
• Have you heard of the Google Art Project? You must check it out. Incredible.
• This to-do list of Johnny Cash's brought a smile to my face.

weekly gems

On Snow Day 2 of 3, Dan, Madison and I climbed the mountain of plowed snow in my apartment complex's parking lot. We could slam dunk!

How was everyone's week this week? Mine was awesome! I had school Monday, but thanks to the crazy blizzard that hit so many states this week, school was closed Tuesday-Thursday! I got all caught up on the things I was behind on, and now I can use this weekend to relax and get ahead. What are your plans for the weekend?

• I want pretty much all of these love posters.
• Definitely looking forward to reading the magazine High Gloss this weekend!
• I loved The Dark Knight, so I've been excited for The Dark Knight Rises. Then I heard about Anne Hathaway joining the case. And now Joseph Gordon-Levitt is, too? So pumped!
• Fascinating article about Swedish surnames.
• My awesome friend Kaylyn hooked me up with this interesting "Which Founding Father are you?" quiz. (If you take it, make sure you tell me what you got in a comment!)
• Totally obsessed with Scholastic's You Are What You Read.
• I definitely enjoyed this slideshow of top romantic movies.
• Love this quote post.
• Favorite weddings of the week: one, two, three.
• Like this idea for a resource party.
• Interesting (and brief article) about the Oscar curse.

dr. martin luther king, jr.

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Mine was okay, busy with family visiting and planning for student teaching. I was super excited to hear all the results of the Golden Globes - totally pumped about Glee's wins and The Social Network getting Best Drama!

I'm a huge fan of three-day weekends. I'm also a huge fan of history, and as a future social studies teacher, I would be remiss if I didn't take some time today to reflect on the life of the man this day is honoring - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Today is the 25th anniversary of this federal holiday!)

I've always thought MLK was an amazing man. In History Club in high school (yes, I was in History Club...or may have co-founded it...), I nominated him for the most influential American who was never president. I would still argue that claim today. He was an extraordinary man who did extraordinary things. Yes, there are some allegations regarding MLK's personal life that are disappointing/negative in nature, but I don't feel they should deter people from recognizing and honoring MLK for his astounding and important legacy.

At my college, the office of service learning organizes the MLK Day of Service every year. The motto is usually something like, "Make it a day on instead of a day off." I think it's a wonderful example of how MLK inspires people to take initiative and make a difference in their communities.

I'm going to wrap up with a favorite MLK quote: "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

I hope you have a great day today : )

Photo credit