the whats...

What we are snacking on:
*triscuits + laughing cow wedges (perfect for salty cravings during the office)
*yogurt + granola (this is the granola recipe I used: instead of raisins, I used cranberries)
*banana bread + butter (from a church cookbook--sometimes it's nice to go a little old school)

What we are doing this weekend:
*the inevitable homework + work (must get the blahs out of the way early Saturday)
*sister + nephew coming into town and eating Sunday dinner with us
*oscar night this Sunday. We are keeping the tradition alive and having our 6th annual oscar party.

It's all set: Danielle's bringing the wine, Jenny's bringing the veggie tray, Emily is baking a cake and I'm bringing the 2011 bingo cards. We're all set :)

the guy i love doing what he loves.

There is something to be said when you see your love be completely passionate about one thing he gets to do. For as long as I have known Chad, he has always wanted to be a sports announcer. That is his life-long dream. Imagine watching Joe Buck + Troy Aikman on Fox NFL Sunday...now put Chad in one of their spots.

Now we don't exactly live in the sports media capital of the country (I don't even know where you would consider that to be), so he never thought he would be able to announce any game (even though he always talked about how he could do a much better job than the local baseball announcer). That was until my dad told him one Sunday afternoon that he announces high school basketball games at the school I used to attend, and wanted Chad to help him. You should have seen Chad--he was completely jazzed.

So for the past six weeks, he has driven down to the gym, sat up in a tiny booth with my dad and the very talented cameraman, and been the resident color guy. When we go to bed the night before a big game, he takes his sheets of stats with him and will tell me why this team should win, or the 3-point percentage of this player.

It's completely adorable. But...it's also eye-opening for me. Who's to say that he can't do this for the rest of his life? His passion and talent is so there and it makes him an all-around happier man. In an ideal world, we would move to a city where I can be an incredible teacher who teaches the best children in the world and Chad could go off and work for the NFL being a sports announcer. Oh if only...

But for now, we are content to live here in our small town. Me going to school learning about kids being awesome. And him spending Tuesdays and Thursdays living a little bit of his dream :)

from monday to monday.

Hello darling friends! Let's catch up, shall we? (If we were catching up in real life, I would invite you over to my house for orange-glaze scones and some tea.)

Last week, amongst all the crazy protests (Wisconsin is going through some rough debates re: teacher's unions right now, just in case you didn't know), the PPST (I passed!), two movie nights, and one whirlwind cleaning spree, I was able to whip up this wreath for my dear friend Jackie to hang up in her future house with her future husband Mac.

I credit the completion of this project to a whole night of cutting out fabric circles and this super-simple fabric flowers tutorial.

Seriously, it's a good thing I have a niece on the way...I'll be cranking out fabric flowers like crazy!

P.S. Jackie, I know you read this, so please oblige me and act surprised when I give this to you. :)

true love forever.

My spin on this picture.

Whether you are celebrating Valentine's Day this year or choosing not to, I hope you find comfort in God's true love.

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

-- First John chapter 4 verse 16.

P.S. Happy Valentimes Day (from my preschoolers to you!) :)

12 on the 12th.

So yes, I only have one picture and not twelve. The lighting is terrible in my house today...it's snowing which means it's cloudy (not ideal for taking pictures next to my favorite window). After the weatherman got my hopes up by telling me that the temps were going to be in the 40s this weekend, he forgets to mention that snow was in the forecast. Evil weatherman. So here's what I would've taken pictures of if it was bright + sunny (like it was supposed to be) :)

01. Chad in his new Kenneth Cole charcoal gray coat that he got for 80% off. We likey good deals.
02. My new vintage yellow tray from Hope. I can't wait until spring roles around so that I can dress it up with vases filled with daisies.
03. Arrested Development on Netflix. It's our favorite thing to watch while eating dinner.
04. My Neutrogena powder. Love it--my daily must-have.
05. The hearts in our window. It's so sweet to see them when I walk up the sidewalk into the front door.
06. This week's issue of the Sports Illustrated. One of us is very happy right now.
07. All our meal ideas written on the whiteboard. Am trying to be better about planning things out...
08. Karma sleeping on the back of our chair. One day this past week, she laid there from the time I left for school to the time that Chad got home for work.
09. Bloglovin'. I broke up with Google Reader, and I'm loving my new relationship. Seriously, think about it...
10. Chad has been announcing for high school basketball games and loves it (a little bit of a huge dream is being met here, folks.)
11. My new half-apron. Now I feel like a grown-up housewife in the kitchen.
12. And of course, my long pink scarf. I didn't count, but I think I wore it 4 times this week :)

Enjoy the 12th, friends!

c + a in love.

The very first time I held this cd in my hands, I was seventeen and next to a boy who made my heart flutter. We were celebrating our first Valentine's Day together and I had just given him my gift of cupcakes (with sprinkles) and a stuffed black puppy (which currently sits atop our bookcase). He sweetly got me a card and wrote in his boyish handwriting about how he was happy we're together and even wrote "I love you". And moments later, he leaned in, held my face to his so that our foreheads were touching, and whispered that same phrase (that he now repeats daily).

These songs evolved from new singles for me to listen to in my bright blue cd player to songs that have a rotation in our meal-making play list. We even had some of them in our wedding. These, along with the other four mixes he made me, with be played when we make/eat our Valentine's Day meal on Monday.

If you'd like, here are fourteen songs for your listening pleasure that mean something to the two of us:

pinterest (picks of the week).

With Piper's blessing (and enthusiasm), I'm starting my own version of her feature pinterest picks of the week:

01. bleubird vintage. 02. we love indie. 03. fiskars crafts. 04. flickr.

I didn't want to necessarily make my picks all about this time of year...but apparently the cold + the hearts everywhere just got to me. :)

Happy Wednesday!

v-day mail.

Today at preschool, my students started decorating their Valentine's Day bags for their party. The art table was stocked full with glitter, sequins, feathers, glue, and markers so they could make their bags with their own style. The buzz at was all about what sweet boxes of valentine's they would pick out. (Remember those? In my day we had Power Rangers, and My Little Pony). One little girl whispered to me that she was working with her mother and making her own handmade cards (girl after my own heart) :)

My Valentine's were handmade this year too. Using Martha's template and some cardstock, I created these critter cards for my friends and my swapmates over the weekend.

My V-day Card Swap buddies are:
Stephanie | Light in My Heart
Danielle | Caught Light
Lillian | Unstitched
Sarah | Inoculatted
Emily | E V Love

Hoping some Valentine's cheer comes to your mailbox next week!

sometimes you need a little romance.

Happy Weekend! I'll be hanging out with my love, doing what we love (...not) --homework and tackling the laundry mountain, and watching what he loves.

quote from the ever talented marta.
images from pinterest boards: a whole lotta love. holiday love. be my valentine.

"Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cooooold out there today."

My February is starting out like January--cold, cold, and cold. But, as I said to Chad on Sunday while driving at 5:20 pm, the days are getting longer (the sun was still out! It was setting, but it was still there!).

February is already packed...homework nightly (of course). a martini party thrown by my in-laws. the Superbowl (which one of us is excited for). the PPST (education majors know what I'm talking about...am majorly nervous to take this!). a bridal shower. finally seeing the best friend. crafting more Valentine's Day items. the Bachelor. Oscar night. and food. Lots of food. I can't stop making soup.

P.S. Does anyone else have the traditional Groundhog Day viewing on Groundhog Day?