Good Riddance January!

Good Morning Friends!

Any one else as excited to see January go as I am.  Carrie's fabulous post from this morning, is what inspired me to write today!  She talked all about how January is about refocusing.  And I couldn't agree more.

But then I realized that I myself, had gotten off track this month.

At the start of the month, I choose to focus on One Little Word to get me through each day of the year: SAVOR.

But I'll be honest, like I commented to Carrie, the only thing I think I savored was my time alone and early bedtimes. OK...and maybe I savored my Ghirardelli chocolate squares and wine a few nights!

The first of the year things are fresh and new and filled with hope!  You face it believing that this year is going to be the BEST EVER!  Or maybe that's the New Year's Prosecco talking?!?

Then the holidays are over, you go back to work, the hustle and bustle of the passed couple of hectic months die down and the cold reality that is January settles in.  And I was back to my old habits! The days are short and by 4:30 it's dark...that doesn't make me want to do anything but head to bed.  I think this is the downside to solitary life.  I think I just go to bed because their really isn't anything else to do!

Even when I did go out and do things, this might have been me.....

I saw this on Saturday and thought it was just the funniest...but oh so true!!

So now with renewed vigor, I'm reaffirming my commitment to my one little word. Bidding January goodbye and welcoming February...the month of love and my birthday month, with excitement.  It's 28 days are going to be filled with good, kindness, love and fun!  And I'm going to savor every second of it!

Monday Musings II

Back with another edition of Monday Musings!  Recapping the good and random  in an otherwise blah day!!

Woke up early!  Quite simply because I don't sleep anymore!  But it gives me the chance to do a quick run through of social media in bed with coffee before I actually have to get up, and inevitably start running around..lol

Today my usual uniform of leggings and boots was replaced with pants and sneakers, because I'm walking home later.  I like to wear sneakers when I walk...commuter style!  So at a quarter to six, I ran my pants through the steam fresh in my dryer.  I'm not sure if my neighbors can hear this but oh well...because WARM PANTS!!  LOL

Is it weird that I do my best cleaning in the five minutes I had between being ready and waiting for my ride to come??  Because I did...and I felt good about it!

Snacks in the faculty room got me feeling like YAY!  But BOO at the same time...because I can't resist.  I should really eat breakfast.


Today was the first day of Catholic Schools Week. In our Community.  It was a quiet day with the exception of a quick assembly after lunch.  Actually it was really nice!  Prayers and songs  for reflection.  But I will say...my principal has an affinity for the funeral songs...Amazing Grace, Eagle's Wings!  Way to keep it upbeat buddy!!  But honestly, this is a fun week for us.  We are not "doing" as much as in the past, but if I can dress down twice this week...I'm happy!!  :)  Up tomorrow is Vocation Day.  Clergy and family will discuss their vacations and careers with the students.

The sun was shining today so that's always a plus and puts me in a better mood.  But it's still too cold for my blood.  A Kindergartner asked me while walking over to the assembly why I was running and sounding like I was out of breath...."Because i t's COLD CHILD!!"  I told him I was not meant for this weather...I like sunny and 80's!

Really excited for The Blended Blog's Virtual Book Club! I have been reading like a mad woman to get ready.  I even brought my book to school.  Didn't get to read much during the day but plan on getting cozy and reading awhile before bed.  I've set a goal of 100 pages a day to be able to get through it before reviewing it later in February on the blog.  There's still time to get in on the fun!!  Sign up here!

Speaking of February, it's around the corner and today my birthday (and all February birthdays)  was posted in the faculty room for all to see! Great!! I got a lot of questions about what "we" were doing from faculty friends! LOL  I told them I had plans with my sisters on that night but all were welcome to Sunday Funday on the 19th!  Not really sure what came over me!! Not a birthday celebration...just Sunday Funday!

Today I seriously considered buying myself a desktop computer!  I get so much done at my desktop computer at school.  At home it's so easy to keep the laptop shut!  Outta sight, outta mind!  But for now, I'll just have to wait!  It's just not in the budget!

 Tonight finds me with quesadillas for dinner and getting the house set for company tomorrow and for the month of February!

Some weeks I don't post a thing, some weeks I post twice in one day!  I posted all about these Cherished Teddies Keepsakes here this morning!

Love ending my day with a laugh!!  #zingoforlife

No wine tonight...I'll save that for tomorrow with my sister, but maybe a little hot chocolate while I read my book!  Looking forward to that and my bed!

Hope you all had a great Monday!

Nuggets for the New Year: Keeping the Keepsakes!

Excited today to be linking up for The Blended Blog's next installment of Nuggets for the New Year!  Last time I joined in on the Planning fun, and although I didn't post about Budgeting or Decluttering, I learned a whole heck of a lot... LOL

But today's link up focuses on Keeping the Keepsakes, and at first thought, I din't think I had much to share.  I don't consider myself a very sentimental person and love throwing things away.  But a second glance around my house, made me realize, I have lots of Keepsakes I've saved over the years and have many things that are precious to me that I intend on keeping forever and ever!


The first few you've seen in my Christmas posts.  This nativity was my Nana's and was part of the original Hummel collections way bay in the 1950's.  After my Nana passed away, my Aunt sent it to me I was the only granddaughter who was not married and had not had her own Hummel nativity started.  HA!  But I was so happy my Nana wanted to gift it to me.  Being sent from far away, then moved numerous times before I actually had a place of my own, I opened it to find, some animal pieces were damaged and broken beyond repair.  But the most most important, Holy Family, Wise Men, and Angels stayed intact.  I am 100% God had a hand in that.  It's a pretty large set and the pieces I were left with fit perfectly where I have them.  Every time I look at the Nativity, I think of my Nana!  Each of her grand daughters also have a number of my Nana's Hummels as well.

The Christmas stocking and tree skirt my mom made me are keepsakes for sure.  My mom put so much time and energy into stitching every last piece.

My mom has always been a sentimentalist. And she wants her daughters to be as well.  So she has stared gifting us handmade items she created. Usually, we get one as a Christmas gift, but this cork wreath she made was a new home gift!  I love it and will keep it forever.   And it's pretty freaking cool!

When I was about 11/12 I received a really fun gift from my best friend Mel.  It was a Cherished Teddies Figurine.  At the time it was a brand new figurine collection (like Precious Moments) of resin teddy bears.  I opened the box to find the Katie Bear with the tagline, " a friend always knows when you need a hug!" 

 It was pretty perfect for us.   Mel gave it to me with the intention that I'd start collecting them.  And did I ever!!  From that day on I collected Cherished Teddies for YEARS!!  I loved them so much I even joined the CLUB!  And Mel, my mom and everyone else, always had something to buy me.  When I lived at home I had shelves filled with Cherished Teddies.  I think I stopped collecting them because I just ran out of room!  

When I moved out and got a place of my own, they stayed packed away for a while!  But then I figured out how to incorporate them into my decor.  I swap out the seasonal/holiday Cherished Teddies and place them on my TV cabinet now that my TV is on the wall, like this...

They've made a few appearances on the blog and in my Insta feed from time to time!

 I also have a few others on shelves in my guest room.  Research for this post led me to find that Cherished Teddies are still around and that kinda has me wanting to pic up a new one for old time sake.  

Ya know after writing this, I am thinking more and more of the many keepsakes I have....I could write for days!  I have a box full of keepsakes from high school. My scrapbook from when I was 6, photo albums from college and lots of cards and things I've kept over the years from students....I guess I'm rather sentimental after all!  :)

Have a Happy Monday!!

Throwback Thursday: Dinner and Drinks!!

Continuing to showcase my top posts of 2016 today!  I laughed when I saw that this was one of my tops!  Part of a blog hop focused on Progressive Dinners, over at TBB, it's no surprise that I got the drinks portion of the meal.  It's kinda my thing!!  Take another peek at Dinner and Drinks!!

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!!  I'm so excited The Blended Blog has started Tasty Tuesdays and is doing a progressive dinner blog hop!  It's so fun and different! Thanks for stopping by today! How yummy did everyone's courses sound!?!?

Was there any doubt that I would be the one providing the drinks?!?  I'm getting a reputation here I think! HA!

If I'm being honest here, I am not one to mix drinks...and by mix I mean going from one to the next to the next, mixing alcohols. Like starting with a prosecco, switching to a red, and ending the night with a martini is no bueno for me.  If I have an after dinner drink with everyone, like a Bailey's on the rocks, that's about as much as I can mix.  I like to start with a drink and stick to it.  And if I was going to pick an drink that goes with Leslie's comfort food, I'd definitely go with wine.  A bottle of wine is so fun and easy to share with your special someone or a group of friends.


I thought I'd share wines today that pair well with chicken and would totally compliment Leslie's chicken pot pie.  Chardonnay is most often paired with chicken, but a white like pinot grigio, would totally work as well.  More often than not, I'm a red girl. So I'd pair a lighter pinot noir with the Pot Pie.   I'm not your typical, strict wine drinker...if I like it, I'll drink it!  But I would admit that a lighter wine is better with Pot Pie and will help offset the deliciousness of the flavors.

I am no wine expert.  I actually most often go on the recommendations of my "wine guy" aka my brother-in-law! I call him my wine guy because he picks up wine for me at this heaven on earth he lives by...a wine warehouse with THE BEST prices, call The Wine Guy. ( We might not be able to buy wine in the grocery store here yet, but we have a Wine Guy and right now that will suffice!)

And just because I wanted to include something fun, I thought I'd share this martini.  It's good, either before the meal or after...for a treat!  If you follow me on instagram, you may have noticed that my new fave is RumChata.  When I told a co-worker this fact, she told me about this drink!  It's definitely a treat...

one part rumchata
one part caramel vodka (I used salted caramel!)
a splash of cream/half and half
Shake vigorously over ice, strain into martini glass and enjoy!

CHEERS!

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If anyone remembers this post and tried this drink, let me know in the comments below!  Actually, not to long ago, I saw this as a shot somewhere online!   Have a great Thursday!  How do you throw it back??

This post originally appeared on the blog on Thursday, November 29, 2016 

Teacher Tuesday!

The first Teacher Tuesday post of 2017 is here!   I figured since last week was a tough week for me teaching-wise, I'd put together a more fun post as a little reminder about why I like doing this all in the first place!!

Sometimes, with winter in full swing, it feels as though I don't do anything other then work.  I leave for work in the dark and most days I come home in the dark!  And by the time I do, I don't wanna do ANYTHING!  I joke that winter is my hibernation....but that really is no joke.  Here and there I do things, but most often begrudgingly.  HA!  It's just too cold!!  So with that being said all my time is spent with my co-workers and students and truth be told, it's never a dull moments!


By far my most favorite thing...Kids say the darndest things, and this little nugget was the cutest. Filed under things I overhear in the library during checkout...

One first grade boy to another - "Oh DIY, don't worry, I'm gonna invite you to my birthday party!"  I replayed that sentence in my head a few times, then I busted out laughing.

This sweet boy meant to say FYI!!!  I just thought that was the cutest!

Other things overheard during checkout....
These kids are getting on my last nerve!  {6 going on 56!}
When I grow up, I'm not driving...I want a chauffeur! 


Being a teacher you get both sides of just about everything!
On the one hand, there's  sweet student telling me that the Martin Luther King activity we did in tech was the most fun ever!  And on the other, you have another telling me, (while putting up the bulletin board), Wow, Miss Mitchell, that actually, looks good!  {To that I thought,  Geez, thanks kid!}

The bulletin board in question...the kids really liked it!!  And it actually does look good!!

I recently had my formal observation (that's never fun!) AND it didn't go as swimmingly as I had hoped!
Being both the library and tech teacher, we often start class in the library and end up in the lab, because the kids drop their stuff and bring themselves and a pen into the lab.  On the day of the observation, I reminded them all profusely to remember to bring a pen/pencil into the lab.  After introducing my lesson and having them get started in the lab, about 10 of them raised their hand to tell me they forgot a pen!!  KILL ME!! On the upside, the principal clearly saw that hardly anyone listens...especially last period on a Friday!  Oh well...I'm still here!!


At least once a week I praise Jesus for the fact that I don't have any children of my own and the only thing waiting for me when I get home is WINE!

Sometimes, children see you walking down the street, or headed into a restaurant...or bar...whatever!  Teachers are people, too kids!
Just today, the students heard some faculty planning to go to a movie together and were shocked that we actually did things outside of school!  LOL

I often think numerous times throughout the day, that it's be great if Bailey's or Rum Chata was allowed in my coffee!!  I'd be more awake and probably a lot more fun!

As with any job, some days are not always easy, but its the days when a sweet child comes up to me and unexpectedly hugs me, that make it all worth it...I guess I'll keep at it!  LOL

Hope whatever you do each day, you find a little nugget of happiness in it!!

Some week's all I do is throw it back...

Happy Thursday friends!  How is it Thursday already?!?  This is both a good and a great thing!  HA!  But some week's just really get away from me!  Life's been busy this week!  But I didn't want a Thursday to go by without sharing a Throwback to one of my top posts of 2016.  This one made me smile, too.  Since I've bought and moved into my own home, thus living even a more Solitary Life, I've been sharing what life's been like in a post the blog every year!  This past August was year three, and I shared some of my favorite happenings!

Take another peek....

A lil Throwback...From a Monday!

On Thursdays this January, I am sharing top posts from 2016...as chosen by the readers!  Last Thursday, I shared the most viewed post of last year, 36 is....

Today I'm sharing another top post, Monday, Monday, Monday!  Seeing this as one of the most read posts of the year made my smile.  It detailed my time with my bloggy buddy, Deena!

Hope you enjoy this post this time around, too!

Netflix and Chill with Adore Me!

Ahhh...Winter the perfect time to just stay in, get cozy, clear out the DVR and binge watch shows on Netflix!

So that's what I did this past Saturday when Mother Nature dumped almost a foot of snow in my neck of the woods!!  (But I'm not gonna lie....on any given Saturday I may or may not be doing this!)  But Snow Days are the perfect Netflix and Chill Days for sure!

I was supposed to go out, but was super excited when those plans got cancelled due to the weather!  So I settled in for a day at home.  The morning found me sipping coffee in my cozy pj's on my couch, under a blanket catching up on the Blue Bloods I missed the night before!

By noon, I was fairly productive, getting all the fixin's ready for minestrone and throwing it all into the crockpot to spend the day cooking!  The house smelled DELISH!!  While that was cooking I Netflixed a few fun movies!  Serendipity and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days...Total Classics to me!!

Randomly, I had a friend venture out into the snow and arrive at my house with cheese from my favorite cheese shop in town!  Perfect snack for before the minestrone was ready and to share with a neighbor friend I had over for a while.

And did I wine a little??  Well of course I did!!

Spend the day alone I did not!  And any time I see people, snow or not, a bra is required!  LOL  If I had to wear a bra, I suppose it's a good thing it was a comfy one!!  And any of my bras from Adore Me  are always my go-to's these days!

I've been a fan of Adore Me for almost two years now!  Bras, pjs, bathing suits, I've gotten them all at Adore Me.

Ideally, it's a monthly subscription company but skipping the month is always an option.  Shipping is fast and easy and returns are a breeze! I've never been disappointed in Adore Me.  I like that I feel comfortable and confident in their bras and panties!  And I like that I can just hang out in them...on a day where I have no company of course!!

All in all, I'd say it was a successful snow day indeed!!

Planning in the New Year!

You'd think for a post on  planning, I'd be on time!  But me being me....

Yesterday the The Blended Blog started a new link up, called Nuggets for the New Year. A fun series that will run on Mondays this year, with great ideas posted by our contributors about various topics. Check out all the deets here!  Yesterday a few of the ladies shared their ideas for planning and organizing life!  And since I'm a planner now, I wanted to join in on the fun!  A day late and all!!


I'll be honest, I wasn't really a big planner until a few years a ago!  As a teacher, yes, I plan my lessons, but my life notsomuch!  


Then last year I discovered the Erin Condren Life Planner and that helped kick my planning into high gear!

My 2017 Planner!

I like the Erin Condren planner because it offers both the horizontal and vertical options. The vertical works best for me, this way I am able to separate out and keep track of my own activities (the home), my school activities (work) and the blog!

 Not only do I plan, but I sticker as well!   And I stickered so much in 2016, I have a ton leftover to use for this year, so I'm saving money.  I've talked about it before on the blog and if you've seen my instagram, you know just how far my obsession goes!  HA!  Follow Me @solitarylife


I would have to say for me, planning is not a chore, it's more FUN! I love adding events to it, making lists in it and crossing things off!  And as the year goes on, looking back at all the the things I've done.

I got my sister into it too!  We schedule planning nights where we eat sushi, drink wine, and plan!

The ladies of the Blog had awesome ideas and tips! I don't think I can really share any planning tips persay, except maybe, just make your planner work for you!!  Not everyone does good with a paper planner. nowadays many people use an app or calendar on their phones! Or some might even need a separate planner for each aspect of their life!  But this works for me and filling it in has become part of my routine for the week which I enjoy.

And I'll be honest, this year when I finished my planner I really did have a good time looking back at it...my many activities, my cancelled plans, blog posts and scribbled notes.  When I put it on my shelf for safe keeping I thought, 2016 wasn't a bad year at all!!

Here's to all that 2017 has in store!

Monday Musings!

I've decided to start something new on the blog today!  I'm pretty excited...it's kinda random and will probably always post later but I'm into it.  Monday Musings is going to be a plethora of random thoughts and feelings I may have throughout the day...the dreaded Monday!  For so many Mondays are rough...for me too!  I think this might help to make them better, or at least make me laugh!  Hope you do too!!

I woke up this morning thinking, 4 day weeks feel as long as 5 day weeks!  I wouldn't mind having every Monday off!

And let's be honest...I should have been hopping outta bed!  Thanks to almost a foot of snow on Saturday, I had a pretty nice, relaxing day and weekend as a whole!  But I didn't do as much as I should have!!  Laundry went undone, beds went unmade, and the storage room might still have a sign on it that says....

But isn't that what snow days are for anyway....binge watching shows and chilling out when it so chilly outside.  I was really upset with myself though, that I didn't read more!!  And by more, I mean at all!  Starting tonight, I am reading a chapter before I go to bed, each night!  I'm not a Monday night TV watcher!!  I received two books for Christmas...I'm going to eeeeny meeeny miney moe them!


Today's Monday was especially rough thanks to the Golden Globes!  I stayed up late watching.  My sister text me that she thought they were a little bit of a mess, and I have to agree! But that's why I watch.  I enjoyed Jimmy Fallon, but would have love to see him MORE!  Did you watch? Let me know what you thought in the comments below.

via
These two were one of my favorite couples of the night.  I just love that Justin and Jimmy are BFF! They make me laugh!

I've tried since the new year began to only have one cup of coffee a day, I've been pretty good at it (9 days in ha!) until today!  It's so cold I just felt I needed a cup to warm up!  My schedule didn't allow me to make one during the day so I held off! And am having a glass of wine wrapped up in a blanket as I type this to keep warm!  HA!! Wine of the lesser of the two evils...coffee at 4:30 might have very well kept me up tonight!  :)

Every Monday Morning I wake up and think to myself...."You will not have a drink tonight!, and even I know that's a lie!!
Because Monday happens, people happens and inevitably, something goes wrong.  It's Monday after all!


I'm also smelling the yummy crockpot...I made minestrone in the crockpot during the snow storm Saturday and had planned to have another meal yeasterday but that never worked out, so I thought I'd make one tonight to eat tomorrow and for the rest of the week!  Cooking it on high for for three and a half hours has it finishing 9.  So I'm looking forward to trying it....even if it's 9 o'clock!

Since it's coming on 9 o'clock, I'm going to end this first edition of Monday Musings, and wish you all a great week!  With Monday down, we are that much closer to the weekend!  Woo Hoo!  Thanks for reading all my random tonight!

Let me know how you like Monday Musings below!!!

Sweet Dreams Sweet Readers, and thanks for stopping by!

And don't forget to stop by TBB today!  We are launching a new series today, Nuggets for the New Year!  The girls are sharing their great ideas for planing and organizing in the New Year!!  Check it out here!!

Fri-YAY!

Friday is here!  After all the hub-bub of the holidays, most everyone was back into the swing of things this week...well, except my lucky bestie, Mel, who had to work a few days last week and took a few more off this week! I know I have a lot of days off as a teacher but I'm kinda jealous of people who can take the odd day off here and there!  They can shop and avoid crowds, go to the movies and avoid crowds and even travel freely, when it's NOT a holiday and the price is not jacked up!  LOL
But anyway...back to Friday goodness...

It's always the shortest weeks that feel the longest right?  I am so glad Friday's finally here!  Glad to be back sharing some of my faves for this first week of the new year!


/ONE/ One Word
After seeing and hearing so much about one little word on Instagram in the days leading up to the new year, I thought I'd give it a go in 2017.  I am not one to make many resolutions because I always break them.  But with the one word movement, you choose a word to guide you throughout the year.  I had a lot of fun thinking of words and rationalizing them for me but ultimately I chose the word savor.  Savor has many meanings and I hope to include each of these into aspects of my life in the coming year.  I want to savor the moments rather than letting them fly by, I want to savor and add a little spice to my life too.  And from the word savor comes save!  And who couldn't do more of that each year!?!  Do you use one word to guide you through the year?  Let me know what it is in the comments below!!

/TWO/ Toronto with TBB!
This week I booked my trip to Toronto!  I'm going there later this year to meet up with and really MEET the ladies of The Blended Blog!  I AM SO EXCITED!!  I may have screamed as the payment was processing.  I've known these lovely ladies for over two years now, but to actually meet them will be a whole new level of fun!!

/THREE/ Pennies a Day!
Speaking of saving,I'm joining my bloggy bud, Leslie and trying the Penny a Day savings challenge.  The first day of the year you save 1 cent, the next day 2, the next three and so one.  At the end of the year, your saving should be $667.95.  That is a good chunk of change!  I started it yesterday but was able to get enough change to catch up for me and a friend!  We are both going to try it this year!!

/FOUR/ My Sleep Revolution
I am starting of the year on the right foot, sleep wise!  Every night this week I've gone to bed early and fallen asleep early as well.  I don't know if it's this week or this cold I have that just kicking my ass and making me so tired, but I like it!  HA!  I wake well rested and haven;t minded getting up at all!  And I know this being Friday night, and the first week back, I may be in bed by 8:30 again tonight!

/FIVE/ This...just this!!

This is by far my most favorite of the the 2017 goodies I've seen online this week!  It's by my pal Whitney and I LOVE it!!  I am so all over this list this year!!

Have a great Friday and a fun weekend ahead!!

Linking up with Erika and the girls today for Friday Favorites!

Throwback Thursday is back!

Happy First Thursday in January!  I thought in this new year, I'd bring back my Throwback Thursday posts for awhile!  The #TBT theme for January is Top Posts of 2016.  I'll be sharing posts from the blog with the top hits from the course of the year! 
This weeks post, is actually one of the top two posts of all time and that, humbles me, because it's my birthday post!  I turned 36 this year and shared 36 fun facts about myself!  I was happy and surprised so many read it and shared it.  Sadly in a few short weeks I'll be 37!  EKKKKKK!! Enjoy 36 is....once again if you missed it!

New Year Styled!

Happy New Year!

After a nice week off, I am back at work and still trying to get back into the swing if things!  I'm not gonna lie, ya'll!!  It's tough!  But since it's Wednesday and a brand new year, my friends and I are debuting a new fashion series, that I want to share with you!  Head on over to The Blended Blog to learn all about it and link up your fashion post!

 My fashion sense these days is not much to write home about but link up with the beautiful ladies of The Blended Blog, scope out their fabulous posts, and take a peek at a few more of the lovelies that link up here!