Things I Really Miss Right Now

I don't have much of a life right now while I'm student teaching, if that wasn't already apparent by the lack of posts beyond the weekly recaps of teaching. I couldn't even do an "End of the Week Roundup" post if I wanted to since it would literally just recap what I'm already recapping. Anyway, there are a few things that I absolutely miss right now and makes student teaching stretch out a little longer than I'd like it to.

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1. Having a life in general
So while I'm teaching, I'm still working a minimum of 10 hours a week at my regular job. While that may not sound like a lot, couple that with the fact that I never know quite when I'm leaving school each day and it makes for a really tough schedule. Most days I don't leave the school until around 5 and I still have to go home and prep for something with school, meaning I'm working well into the evening on school stuff. To make up for the time, I work every Saturday at my regular job 7-3 and then go into work for an hour two nights a week to make up the rest of the time. Sundays are spent doing school work too. That leaves no time for anything else. Literally.
2. My friends
Since I'm so busy/tired, it's impossible to make any time to hang out with friends let alone text them to see how they're doing/hold a normal adult conversation with them. I really miss all my friends, so much so I've been avoiding most social media since seeing them makes me feel "homesick" for them.
3. Sewing
I haven't stepped foot into my sewing room since the end of August and I really miss the hum of my sewing machine. The one plus side of teaching right now is that I have a creativity outlet so I'm not going insane needing to release my creative energies.
4. Spending money
That's right, I'll admit it. I like to spend money. Who doesn't? I'm not saying it's a great thing, I'm just saying that I like being able to buy a new shirt if I want to or some lipstick I want to try. But when you're living off your savings, spending money on anything that isn't a necessity is not an option. Sometimes I'll log on to my Amazon wish list and just look at all the pretty things I want to buy. 
5. Me time at lunch
Lunch time at my regular job was something I really relished. Whether it was going to Panera, sitting in my car reading, or going for a walk, I could do pretty much whatever I wanted on my lunch break. Now, lunch break consists of either completing school work with my cooperating teacher or helping students out who are oblivious to the idea that their teacher needs to eat too. 
Don't get me wrong, teaching is not all that bad. In fact, it's a good thing I can't spend money right now. It's a lesson in learning how to budget, which I've never properly learned. Plus, the connections I'm building with my students will stay with me forever, and will probably be much more satisfying than most of the "relationships" I have with people I work with. But in general, I miss  a lot of the cozier aspects of my life that I had pre-teaching. Just a few more weeks and I'll have it back and I'll probably be moaning about how much I miss teaching. 

How to Have the Best Lip Sync Battle Party

A few Friday nights ago was my lip sync battle themed 30th birthday party. To say it was fun would be an understatement. Of course in all the excitement I didn't take the time to take proper pictures of the set up (just me and my friends rocking it out), but I still wanted to share with you what I did to pull off this fun party. 

First things first, most importantly you need music! What I did was have as many friends as possible give me the songs they planned to sing at the party and created a YouTube playlist but I also left it open for friends to sign up for songs the night of since many of them saw how much fun it was and wanted to participate. 
I was lucky enough that I had a friend who was a DJ and I borrowed her equipment for the party BUT there are so many other options if you don't have DJ equipment or want to spend the money on a DJ. For example, speakers like this one project amazing sound as well and can be set up for Bluetooth so you can just use your phone!

The next important item on your list is props. You can't have a lip sync battle without microphones (I purchased a pack of toy ones off of amazon)  but you also need fun props for your lip-syncers and the crowd to have too. I went to the dollar store and just walked around and grabbed random items like bead necklaces, glow stick bracelets, glow stick clappers, noisemakers, crowns , feather boas and so much more. I also purchased a 12 pack of sunglasses for everyone to grab while performing or taking pictures. 

The biggest hits of the night were definitely the glow stick hand clappers I bought from the dollar store. If you can't find them, these would work out good too, since my friends just seem to like to make noise. I encouraged everyone to grab some kind of noisemaker at the start of the evening and made sure to make noise after each lip-syncer went so that everyone encouraged everyone else on. 

Lastly, what's a party without party favors? Everyone got one of these  party favors, because everyone participated, those who chose not to lip sync got to be the judges to determine who won the award that I bought for the winner, which wasn't the greatest of awards but it was still pretty fantastic. 

Throw in some good food and drinks, fun friends, and good music and I promise you will have the best lip sync party ever! 

By The Numbers

I borrowed this post from Steph at Life According to Steph, thank you very much!

1 1/2- Number of weeks I have left before I student teach

1,000,000- Number of butterflies that flutter in my stomach every time I think about it

154,605 - Miles on my car

2- Number of times I've been ziplining

42 - Books I've read so far in 2015. I'm on number 43 and 44 as we speak.

47 - Books I read in 2014

21 - Books I read in 2013

4- The number of siblings I have

9 - The day of the month that I got married

11- Number of States Dave and I have visited together. 

4- My favorite number, also the day of my birthday

44- My field hockey number when I played for a year in 8th grade. I thought doubling my favorite number would bring me luck. I consider not breaking any bones lucky, so I guessed it worked. 

1- Number of years and sports I ever played in my life

0 - Broken bones 

6- Number of years it took me to complete my bachelors degree

Care to share some of yourself by the numbers?

5 Shows that Should Have Ended Already

One of my favorite things about this time of year is reading the "cancelled TV shows" articles. I'm not sure why, it's just a guilty pleasure of mine. There's a few shows I think belong on this year's list and I thought I'd share them with you!

1. 2 Broke Girls

I used to really like this show when it came out a few years ago. Now the show seems to go for crude jokes versus funny jokes. Plus, the girls' shtick is getting kind of old. It'd be nice if they could catch a break, and then go away. Plus, the pearl necklace that Caroline still insists on wearing every once in a while (she used to wear it nonstop) needs to be lost for good. 

2. Bones

I've always really enjoyed Bones but it's been on for over 10 years (or at least it feels like it) and it's just getting old. I don't look forward to the shows anymore, because it's the same thing over and over again. Plus I think I read somewhere that you can always tell who the killer is, but I can't remember where. 

Runner Up: Pretty much any of those CSI:NCIS:ACRONYM shows. Except Castle, that's still a pretty good show. 

3. Supernatural

This was a tough one to put on this list because I love Supernatural and still do, however my big problem is that the show has lost its focus. I'm so sick of the series long story arcs that don't make any sense. I miss the days where the shows focused on making you laugh while going after different creatures. How many more times can Dean or Sam be dragged to hell or marked with something before the writers realized they already wrote it? 

Runner Up: Vampire Diaries. I don't watch this show but I'm pretty sure we're all past the vampires at this point. 

4. Once Upon a Time

I loved this show when it originally aired but now they're scraping the bottom of the barrel for story lines. I'm pretty sure the writers had no idea what they were going to write about past season 1 and they've been pulling everything else out of their ass. 

This is their logo right?

5. Keeping up with the Kardashians

I never watched this show, however I strongly feel that the Kardashians 15 minutes of fame was up....ten years ago. Can they go away already?

Runner Up: Any "reality" show. They're all fake anymore. 

What are some shows you would like to see go away?

Places I Dream About Moving To

Jenn from Much to My Delight recently posted her top 8 places she'd live other than NYC and I really liked the idea so I'm borrowing it. I love where I live right now, it's where I've grown up, where I met Dave and married him, so I don't have any intentions on moving away but I do often dream about setting up a new life somewhere new every once in a while. Here's the places I daydream about moving to:

1. Tennessee

Dave and I honeymooned in Gatlinburg, TN and I fell in love with that state. It kinda helps that I'm obsessed with the notion of the South: southern food, hospitality, comfort, etc. I even talked about longing for TN on the blog, two years ago!

2. NYC

In high school, I swore as soon as I graduated I was going to pack up and move to NYC. I was obsessed with Sex and the City and I was obsessed with city life. Quite frankly, I'm sure if I did, the city would have chewed me up and spit me out. Still, it would be nice to answer the question, what is it like to live in the city? 

3. California

I visited California about 5 years ago with a friend and honestly I haven't stopped thinking about that place since. We traveled up the coastline and everywhere we went the weather was perfect and beautiful. I often dream about moving to CA in the winter. 

4. Turks and Caicos

For my 16th birthday, instead of a sweet 16 party my mom gave me the choice to go to Turks and Caicos which I chose to do. Down there, I learned how to SCUBA dive, and visited a local bar where the owners were Americans who had packed up and moved down there to live a life of rest and relaxation. I decided then and there I wanted to become a SCUBA instructor and move to the islands and live out my life down in the warm, sunny islands. Clearly, that didn't happen but it's still nice to think about where my life would be right now if I had gone in that direction. 

So where do you dream about living?

I Might Still Want These Things....

I was pretty lucky as a kid, my mom did her best to give me everything I asked for. I was always aware of how hard she had to work for what she got, so I was really appreciative of everything she ever gave me. There are a few things however that I never got, going over this list there are a few things I still kinda want....

Talk Girl

I have no idea why I wanted this so bad. It was literally a voice recorder...of which I would have no use for. No wonder my mom didn't waste her money on this. 

A real Tamagotchi or Nano Pet

In fairness to my mom, she did get me one of these electronic pets, but it was a knockoff brand and it had this ridiculous setting that when it wanted to "grow" you had to hit a series of buttons at the exact time it wanted to grow, if you didn't then your pet died. This doesn't really work out well when your in school and you don't want your pet confiscated, so my pet always died. Every time it did I would grumble to myself, I bet a nano pet wouldn't do this....

Nickelodeon Time Blaster Alarm Clock

For a brief moment I thought slime ran through the top of the clock. I guess I'll never really know if that is true or not. 

iMac

I was obsessed with these when they came out. It didn't help that Felicity had one on her TV show and I was obsessed with that too. I would lay up at night and imagine what color I'd get if my mom would let me get one. I look at these computers now, and I'm not going to lie they are still appealing to me. 

What are some things you wanted when you were a kid but never got?

Coveting

I was thinking about doing a currently post that you see every once in a while but then I figured I'd do a "coveting" post instead. I'll probably do the currently post next week, if you're disappointed, haha. These are all items I really want but for one reason or another I haven't had a chance to get it. 

1. Tarte Poppy Picnic Limited Edition Palette 

I love it when Tarte comes out with new palettes, in fact they have another brand new one out right now that I want to but it's exactly like the Rainforest After Dark palette that I already have so I'll "settle" for this one. I love the subtle eye colors and Tarte's blush is my absolute favorite. 

2. Accuquilt Go! Baby Fabric Cutter

I have been lusting after this cutter for months. I made the mistake of not buying it when it was on sale for $89.00. I just assumed it would go back on sale easily. A few months later, it's still sitting at the $129.99 price. I have a great quilt idea that I want to make using the circle pattern from this set and my fingers are itching to buy this and make it. 

3. Maskcara Custom Palette

I would love to buy this but I can't justify the $42 price tag for two reasons: 1. I'm an amateur at highlighting and contouring and I have tons of bronzer and highlighter products already and 2. I'm not a fan of cream products at all. I'd have to really get better at HAC and get more acclimated to cream products before I splurged on this. 

4. The perfect purse. 

There's no link or picture to this yet because I haven't found it. I can't explain what I'm looking for. I need a cute purse that is big enough to hold all my junk but not big enough that I can shove 3 books in it (my back can't take much more!). Right now I'm using a Michael Kors purse I borrowed from my mom and it's a very nice purse but it's not me. If you have any suggestions for good, inexpensive purses let me know, I'm on the lookout for "the one". 

Have you been coveting anything lately?

5 Things Every Adult Should Have

Getting hit by the deer last week made me realize that there are some things that everyone should have once they are an adult. It's things that we don't think about until we absolutely need them, and now that I have needed them, I'm glad I had them. 

1. A savings account 

Everyone's got an opinion on how much you should have. Some say 3 months worth of income. Dave Ramsey says $1,000 until you have other debts paid off. It doesn't matter what you have, just have something. It's bad enough to get into an accident, it's even worse if you have to figure out how you're going to pay for the deductible. It's nice having the peace of mind. 

2. Rental car coverage on your insurance 

Is your car the only means of transportation you have to get where you need to go? If you live out in the country like I do, the answer is yes. I can't rely on public transportation to get me to and from work. If this the case for you too, then there is no reason why you should not have the rental car coverage on your policy. I pay maybe $10 a year for it on my insurance and that got me $30 a day for a rental. If I didn't have the coverage on my policy I would be scrambling to find a way to and from school and work while my car is in the shop. 

3. A 401k

Knowing I have money for retirement is great, but there's more to it than that. I'm going to say something that goes against popular opinion. I have used my 401k for closing costs on my house and to pay for tuition one semester. Do I think it should be used as a first case scenario? Absolutely not, but I also think that if you're young you should use it if you need it. 

4.  A go to meal you can make

Everybody needs one recipe they can make, whether its a dip for a party, or a dinner for two. You need to know how to make something and contribute. 

5. A solid group of friends

Do I really have to explain myself here? 

What are some other things you think all adults must have?

Replacement List

Back when I had to actively manage my depression, my therapist suggested I create a replacement list. The idea behind a replacement list is that when you start to feel sad you replace those sad thoughts with things that make you happy. I recently stumbled across my replacement list when I was cleaning out my sewing room/library. There's so many fun memories from this list, I thought it'd be fun to share today:

1. Buddy

Buddy was my cat before Nibbler and Squishee. He was a beast in both love and size. 

2. Dave

I  don't really need to elaborate on this one. 

3. Bora-bora (and the ocean huts)

I don't think I need to elaborate on this one either, who doesn't want to visit this place? Replacing bad thoughts with the idea that I may someday vacation there put a smile on my face. 

4. Farmville

It was 2009/2010, I get a pass on this one. 

5. Sewing

I don't think its a surprise to anyone that I love to sew. Seeing a finished project always made me feel so accomplished. 

6. Best Facebook posting ever

I have no idea what this means or what I meant when I wrote it. It's one of life's great mysteries...I really want to know what exactly this meant and I have no freaking clue what it could possibly mean. 

7. Guitar

I was taking guitar lessons at this point, which was always a lifelong dream of mine. I didn't keep up with the lessons much longer after this, which kinda makes me sad. Someday I will learn how to legitimately play the guitar. 

8. Being at the end of a huge book

There aren't many things in life that are more satisfying than finished a really big book, at least for me. 

9. Cow licking his behind

At first glance, I know you're thinking this sounds insane. The story behind this one is that one day I was driving home and I was feeling really down about myself. I live in the country so I was driving past farmland. I prayed to God as I was driving down the road to give me a sign to show me I wasn't alone and that I'd make it through this. At that moment I passed a cow who was trying to lick the side of it's backside. It was the most ridiculously hilarious sight I have seen. The way it's neck was craned, it's eyes bulged, it's massive tongue tried unsuccessfully flopping around, it was just too much for me not to laugh at. I don't know if it was God or coincidence, but I have never seen a cow look so silly since then, so I'd like to think maybe it was a sign from Him. 

10. "Squirrel-munks"

While vacationing in California, my friend and I stopped at a spot along the highway that was right next to the ocean. There you could see seals all along the beach. Up at the lookout point there were these tiny little "squirrel-munks", because they looked exactly like squirrel's but were tiny like chipmunks. They were so friendly and were climbing all over us, I wanted to bring one home so bad. 

11. Seal "log" 

Another one from Cali, I climbed down to a beach in San Simeon. Prior to that, a tour guide had mentioned that seals like to bask in the sun on the beach and you had to be careful not to stumble upon them on the beach or one of you might get hurt. I always assumed all seals were brown and that I'd be able to spot it before there was an issue. Anyway, back to me climbing down to this one beach. I was walking along and saw a white log up ahead. I assumed it was driftwood because that's whiter than normal wood. That is until I was right in front of it and realized it was a seal. He realized as soon as I did that we were both there. He hopped up and squawked at me and started scuttling/hopping towards the water while I ran for the cliffs hoping I could climb faster than he could come after me. When he finally hit the water, he turned around for one last defiant squawk as if hurling an insult at me and then disappeared into the water.  It was one of those once in a lifetime, I'll never experience that again moments.

And there you have it friends, my replacement list circa 2010! What would be on your replacement list? 

What if Magic Eye was the Entry Exam to Hogwarts?

Much to my delight, I've got several new readers gracing me with their presence. Hello new friends! 

I thought today it would be good to post a few more tidbits about myself that extends beyond my "About Me" page. 

For example, Dave and I play "The Price is Right" at the grocery store. Meaning that when we check out we both guess how much the bill will be. Whoever gets the closest without going over wins. There isn't a prize or anything its more about the bragging rights, but it is fun when the cashiers get involved, which most of them do because Dave and I trash talk each other the whole time (all in good sport though!). It's a fun way to break up the monotony of checking out at the grocery store. 

Just replace "the contestant" with Dave and you got me when I win

I can't stand Dave Matthews Band. I'm sorry if you're a fan, because then I have to question your taste in music, but I'll let it slide if you will. I can't explain why I hate them so much, there was even one point where I did like them in high school for about a month. But now the minute they come on the radio I have to change the channel. There's even someone who lives a street away from me with "1 DMB FAN" for their license plate and every time I see it want to ram their car. Okay maybe not that bad, but the idea has crossed my mind. 

Source

Since I made fun of you for liking DMB you can make fun of me for this: I love Phil Collins. He was my first concert, I've loved him since I knew what music was. But even I don't freaking know what a ssuu-ssuu-sussudio is. 

#Truth

I order my hot drinks at kids temp. Also, I have no idea what a latte or cappuccino is, no matter how many times a friend explains it to me. Tea and hot chocolate for me, please! I order the drinks at kids temp because I'm impatient and I like to drink my stuff right away, rather than burning the crap out of my mouth, I'll ask for the cooler temps. 

I am completely incapable of seeing the hidden image in the Magic Eye images. I've never been able to do it. Ever. Also, if it was the entry exam to Hogwarts (as per my title), I would have clearly failed. 

And there you have it, some more random facts about me. Do you relate to any of these? 

Beauty Favorites

It's been nearly a year since I've posted a beauty favorites list, so I think we're due. How about you?

1. Too Faced Absolutely Invisible Pressed Powder

This is the last step in my makeup process. I have really oily skin and this powder does a great job keeping my skin matte and fresh looking.

2. Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Hibiscus and Lip Shine in Blush

I got these two in a gift pack last year and I love them together. The lip balm gives a great, subtle color and the lip shine is a great finishing touch that doesn't leave my lips sticky.

3. Real Techniques Setting Brush

I use this brush to apply my highlighting powder. It's the perfect size to accentuate the areas I want to highlight. The brush is soft and durable, I am a fan of Real Techniques brushes!

4. Fabulips Sugar Scrub

My lips have been really dry and cracked this winter, a lot worse than normal. I just started using this scrub and have noticed a big difference. I love the vanilla scent and the soft way my lips feel afterwards!

5. Tarte Amazonian Clay in Dazzled

I love Tarte's blushes so much, if I could own every color I would. My most recent purchase is Dazzled and it's a bit darker than what I normally where but I love the pop of color it gives my cheeks.

6. Burt's Bees Acne Gel Cleanser

Nothing has made my hormonal acne disappear but this gel cleanser has come the closest to giving me clearer skin. 

7. IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream

I was hestitant to try CC cream for the longest time but I tried this travel size cream and fell in love with it. It completely covers up the redness in my face and the acne. A little goes a long way and lasts all day. 

What are some of your beauty favorites?

Minor Annoyances

Nobody's perfect, we all know that. But do you ever do something (or things) consistently that makes you want to punch yourself in the face? Okay maybe not that violent but something along those lines? 

Here's a list of grievances I have against myself, that no matter what I do I probably will not change, complete with corresponding ecards!

1. No need to write this password down anywhere, I'll remember it!

I believe I read somewhere that the average person has to remember 19 passwords. If I took the time to count I'm sure I have triple that number. The important ones, like work related passwords, I....am able to remember (since I'm not going to tell you where I have them at). But simple ones like logins to online stores? Oh pssssh, I'll remember that no problem! Or not. Every. Single. Time. 

2. I don't pay attention at all

Have you ever liked someone's Facebook status about something terrible, like someone died or something bad happened to them? A status that is wholly inappropriate to like? I have. Or, someone will walk by me and wonder why I'm ignoring them. I'm not, I'm just not paying attention. One time Dave drove next to me in a big red truck and he claims I didn't notice for at least a mile and a half until he honked at me. I don't doubt it. 

3.  Being too hard on myself

I think we are all guilty of this, but how many times do you take a picture and think "good lord, I'm hideous!" then go back to the picture a little while later and realize it's actually not that bad? Every time. Every single freaking time. Shame on me.

4. I repeat myself a lot. 

I feel like I never truly get my point across to people. Which is something I really should try to work out before I attempt to become a teacher....Anyway, sometimes if I really want someone to understand something, I'll repeat myself over and over again rewording the phrase a little differently each time. I've gotten a little better over the years by being more self aware of it, but I still do it. 

So that's just a quick roundup of a few things I don't like about myself. Do you have any pet peeves about yourself?

Favorite Podcasts

It takes me a while to get "with the times". I discover something and think it's amazing and then someone will tell me "uh Nicole? This has been around for years." Podcasts would be one of those things. When I upgraded my iPhone, the podcast app was brought to my attention. Now I know podcasts have been around for years but they weren't something I thought I had easy access to until now. 

Now I'm obsessed. I listen to podcasts all day, every day. I'm pretty sure I'm annoying my boss with the whole "huh? what? you're talking to me? ugh hang on let me pause and take my earphones out".

Here are my current favorites:

1. Serial

Is there anyone out there who hasn't heard of Serial? They just wrapped up the final episode of Season 1, and it's become the most popular podcast of all time. I never thought I'd look forward to a Thursday, then Serial came around and I couldn't wait for Thursdays to come so I could listen in to the new episodes. 

2. Screen Junkies: Movie Fights

Screen Junkies is responsible for the hilarious "honest trailers" on YouTube, and their "Movie Fights" podcast is just as entertaining. Each podcasts features debates like "who was the best James Bond" or "What did you think of the new light saber". It's led to some pretty good debates between Dave and I.

3. Risk! True Tales Boldly Told

This is by far my favorite podcast. So much so I've maxed out the storage space on my phone downloading back episodes. I currently have 99 in the queue and a few more that can be downloaded. Risk! is a podcast where people tell stories about themselves that wouldn't be something they'd probably share with others. Fair warning, foul language is abundant in this podcast and some episodes are definitely NC-17-ish. Definitely not for the conservative type.

4. Welcome to Night Vale

Welcome to Night Vale is a fictional podcast about a small town set in a desert. It's a really weird podcast but it's enjoyable if you like to listen to audio books. 

5. Books on the Nightstand

Two people who work in the publishing industry created this podcast to talk about books. If you're the kind of person who likes to get ideas about the next book they should read, what more do you need?

6. The Cracked Podcast

I love Cracked's app, it's just full of random articles that I really enjoy reading. This podcast is an offshoot of their articles, which means once I've scoured through all the most recent articles I can then listen to them talk about it even more. 

7. Stuff You Missed in History Class

As someone who enjoys history, I love hearing about more obscure moments in history that you don't normally hear about. Not only does it give me tidbits of knowledge to share with others, but I'm also learning about things I would have never known about.