My 2009 in Pictures

2009 was filled with so many wonderful memories that were only possible because of the amazing family and friends I have in my life. It was a challenging year, but I am very grateful for the experiences and lessons learned. Thank you for everything! I can't wait to see what 2010 holds for us. Happy New Year!

{finding friendships and callings in Belize}

{teaching kids, or more accurately, learning from kids}

{our family in Belize and their new home}

{the house, relationships, and lives built in Belize}

{Delta Gamma formal at Busch Stadium - with my lovely roommates and best friends!}

{"Salad Dressing" Sorority Date Dash}

{sibling bonding in Hawaii}

{backpacking with my brother and sister in Hawaii}

{Lucy}

{last Bid Day!}

{camping adventures}

{getting ready to become teachers!}

{dominoes for Halloween}

Cozying up for Christmas

Isn't this disgusting? When they all get thrown into garbage cans, it's easy to forget how much we consume. According to Cup Kozy, a company that sells a plethora of cozies, 14 billion cups of coffee are wrapped in sleeves every year, generating 2.8 billion pounds of trash! Yikes!

{Image via daily dose of imagery}

Back here, I talked about an easy way to be a little bit greener by using a reusable coffee cozy. So, staying with the homemade Christmas gift theme, I made my mom and dad (who go to Panera every Sunday morning after mass), cozies for their cups. The project was relatively simple, requiring only basic sewing abilities. There are a lot of patterns and tutorials online, but I just dove in and made it up as I went along, using a cardboard Panera sleeve as a size guide.


For my dad's, I cut felt for the inner insulation layer to the exact size of the sleeve and then cut the burlap piece about 1/2 inch wider on all sides. The edges were sewn quickly with a sewing machine (a little crooked because I was going fast, but it works with the rougher feel of the burlap) and then I hand-stitched the edges together.


For my mom, I made a reversible sleeve, one side with cut-out felt hearts and the other with printed pink polka dot felt. I cut both pieces (the grey and the polka dot) to the exact size of the sleeve and then used a blanket stitch to bind them together.


Listening to: "Wait Your Turn" Rihanna
Thought of the Day: "Too much of a good thing can be wonderful." -Mae West

Counting Down the Days

I know it isn't even January 1st yet, but I'm already sick of the cold weather. Don't get me wrong, I like snow, but only when it is falling and I am sitting inside watching it. And I don't mind sledding, snow ball fights, and making snow men (I made one this past week with my little cousin!), but after the first day of snow on the ground, I'm ready for it to melt away and for the sun to bring back some warmth. So while I wait for the next couple dreary months to pass, I'm going to dream of being in warmer places with cheery, girly dresses like these by Thread Social.



Listening to: "Woke up in a Car" Something Corporate
Thought of the Day: "The only reward of virtue is virtue; the only way to have a friend is to be one." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Basic Blazer

I went shopping for some pieces I can wear for student teaching next semester and I kept having the problem that everything was too stiff and not very versatile. Everything made me feel like a little kid playing dress up in my businesswoman mom's closet.... not that my mom's a business woman, but if she were a workaholic executive, these were the pieces she would wear. So rather than sticking with my basic cardigans everyday, maybe a black blazer like this one would provide a bit more style in the outfit rotation.

{Forever 21, $28.80}

{Gap, $88}

Not only would it look great during the work day,
but I also love this look of a clean blazer over a flirty party dress.

{Dresses: Camilla and Marc, Preen, Herve Leger}

Listening to: "Winter Paradise" -Destiny's Child
Thought of the Day: Giving people self-confidence is by far the most important thing that I can do. Because then they will act." -Jack Welch

Magical Lights

Christmas lights are so magical.
I love driving around town looking at the colorful, twinkling glow, soaking up the Christmas spirit.





Listening to: "Joy to the World" Mariah Carey

Thought of the Day: "Give what you have to somebody; it may be better than you think." -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

{Images via weheartit, flickr}

Happy Friday!

Isn't this tree gorgeous?

I hope you have a great weekend! I'll be traveling with my family to Kansas to spend the week of Christmas with my grandparents. Oddly enough, I am actually looking forward to the 11 hour drive. While we do get a little sick of each other, it's always fun to talk with my sister and play the license plate game and name games with my little brother.

Listening to: "Already Gone" Sugarland
Thought of the Day: "If you wish to experience peace, provide peace for another." -Tenzin Gyatso

{Image via This is Glamourous}

Christmas Memories

Today I helped out in the lunchroom of my little brother's grade school (also my former school). It was weird to be back and seeing old teachers and classrooms brought back some memories. Tomorrow his 4th grade is having their Christmas party and at lunch some of the kids were telling me about the plans. It was so cute hearing them get so excited about their secret Santas, homemade snow globes, and Christmas treats. Some favorite Christmas childhood memories of mine include:

{sledding on my grandparents' farm in Kansas}

{the smell of hot spicy apple cider throughout my grandma's house}

{lying under our tree looking up at the twinkling lights}

{candy cane reindeer}

Listening to: "Crash into Me" - Dave Matthews Band
Thought of the Day: "Life is a gift and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more." Anthony Robbins

{images via: Martha Stewart, flickr, CBYSparkle}