LOL, pet love edition: the definition of adorable

I now want a bunch of beagle puppies. Luckily I have my own beagle-mix to get me by : )

my life: seven things

The "seven things about me" post has been circulating the blogosphere as of late, so I decided to take a cue from Mackenzie of Design Darling and do my own edition of it. Here we go!

1. I attend Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. I am studying AYA Integrated Social Studies Education (grades 7-12). I am currently student teaching and I love it!

2. Nothing is more important to me than my family. We are a crazy bunch, and we might get on each other's nerves, but we are always there for each other. I am proud of the fact that in addition to an amazing immediate family, I have a huge, close extended family. I wouldn't trade a big family for anything!

3. I love Ohio, and more specifically, Cleveland. Both get a bad rap and are totally underrated. I am incredibly grateful I got to grow up where I did and will always, always love it.

4. I adore holidays - any holiday. I'm a big fan of traditions and holidays are chock full of them (as well as family get togethers)!

5. Music plays a central role in my life. I don't think I go a day without listening to music and I have playlists for every occasion. I actually played alto saxophone for seven years before I started college and didn't have time to anymore with my schedule. (I would love to get back into, but I'm a little stumped as to how when I live in an apartment. Any tips?)

6. In addition to my family, my life would not be complete without my friends. College has definitely taught me a lot about friendship, and I'm so grateful for the caring and fun people I have in my life. Similarly, my life today would not be the same without my own little family, my boyfriend and our dog Madison. I love any time we get to spend together.

7. I love movies and TV. Before I realized I was meant to be a teacher, I planned entering the entertainment industry or becoming a film critic. I love watching both old and new movies and shows, and totally get into trivia, behind-the-scenes material, and award shows.

Photos:

1. Bowling Green campus, fall 2009

2. Family, summer 2009

3. Cleveland skyline as seen from the Flats, summer 2009

4. My dad as Santa Claus, winter 2010

5. My friends Kaylyn and Sarah, along with myself, summer 2007 (at our last marching band event!)

6. Dan and Madison, fall 2010; Elizabeth, Courtney, Katie, Sarah, and myself at Alpha Phi Omega semi-formal, fall 2009

7. Netflix DVD and movie tickets, spring 2011

What are seven things about you? Leave a comment listing them or with a link to your seven things post!

update: month one

Hi, everyone! How was your weekend? Mine was pretty good. I spent time with my friends, boyfriend, and dog, worked, and knocked some things off my to-do list. I did a lot for the blog this weekend, and I have to say, I'm excited for what's coming up the next few weeks! (One big development to note thus far is the movement of my blogroll from the sidebar to a separate page of the blog.)

Today is the first Monday of February, which means it's time for my New Year's, All Year Challenge update! To be honest with you all, I haven't done as well so far on the challenge as I wanted to be doing at this point/thought I would be. However, I know that I am doing well in other parts of my life and I can use that knowledge to inspire and motivate me.

So far, of all my 2011 goals, the ones I have made substantial progress on are as follows:

• Develop blog further through establishing fixed features, etc. - I have started to post humorous stories or videos every Wednesday. How do you all like it so far?
• Cook one new recipe a month - winter salad
• Create and wear wardrobe with intention - got my first pair of Sperrys! I love them, I wear them whenever I can.
• Eat at least two servings of both fruits and veggies every day - my favorites are apples and carrots.
• Go to mass once a week - I've missed a week or two, but I think I've done pretty well so far.
• Teach Madison to stay and give paw - we're making substantial progress with stay!
• Complete at least 40 service hours - I just finished organizing/executing the last curriculum night I will be in charge of for my teaching community

This month, I hope to make further progress on the above goals and progress on the goals I haven't worked much on yet. And it's not too late for you to join the New Year's, All Year Challenge! Any time is a great time for change. If you're going to join the Challenge, leave a comment saying so/linking to your goals, or shoot me an e-mail.

How are you doing with goals you've been working on? Any problems/tips to share?

Photo: author original

taken with Instagram

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.

things that are making me happy

having a third snow day in a row!

being all caught up on grading and planning

having plenty of time to bake

trying a new type of wine

watching episodes of Arrested Development

reading the new People magazine with Reese Witherspoon on the cover

my sweet boyfriend cleaning off my car for me

fun cards from my parents

endless cups of hot tea

watching Madison play in the snow

gaining a fresh perspective on a problem

What things are making you happy this week?

LOL: a pupupine

All right, so now I officially need a porcupine to play with - although I'm not sure how Madison would like it!

(via unruly things)

winter survival guide

In honor of today being the first day of February, and today being a snow day (yay!) due to the almost-blizzard hitting Ohio, I put together a winter survival guide for you all. Enjoy!

• Cherry Chapstick to keep your lips soft and healthy
• Faux fur-lined mittens to keep your fingers toasty
• Scarf to protect your neck and face (and look stylish)
• Boots to adequately navigate the snow
• Hot tea to wake you up and warm you up
• Fluffy robe to lounge around in
• Cozy blankets to snuggle under
• Fitness DVDs to stay in shape and have fun indoors
• Campbell's Chicken and Rice soup for the perfect winter meal
• Netflix subscription with a Roku player to relax and laugh with
• Brightly colored pillows to cheer up your mood and cuddle against
• Reading material to fuel your imagination
• PLUS: tips for avoiding a winter cold

What items make your winter survival guide?