My boyfriend's back....

Is the song stuck in your head now, too? Cuz it was playing on repeat in my head yesterday, especially once I got the text from MG that he had landed and was back safely!

I should've been wearing this shirt
yesterday!
I felt all giddy and antsy at work yesterday, waiting to be able to get home and see him! I'm such a nerd haha
(I seriously have no idea how military wives and girlfriends do this--it was 2 1/2 weeks and it felt like forever. I was always in awe of you guys, and even moreso after trips like this! *insert me bowing down to you here*)

Once I got home, it was SO nice to see him, hear his stories, and just be around him. 

As the afternoon rolled into early evening, he started to fade tho--the time difference and jet lag really caught up to him. It was early to bed, but it was nice to have someone to snuggle up with (other than my little Coop monster).

The best part of having a boyfriend with jet lag? He gets up at 5am, and when you get up at 6:30am, he's making you a full blown breakfast! Wooohoo!

I missed that guy. So glad he's back.

While MG is home recooping, today is gonna be a busy day of meetings for me, and then driving out to meet with my higher up boss to get things straightened out with my teaching license. Apparently something "went wrong" and if we don't re-submit my paperwork, I'm going to be terminated at the end of the school year (simply because of paperwork that apparently "got lost"). No bueno, and not something that a worry-wart like me needs to have on her mind. Cuz stuff like that wakes me up at 2am and then I can't fall back asleep. Wah.

So, wish me luck and let's keep our fingers crossed that everything gets taken care of so that I have a job to come back to next year lol.

After that, I have a sangria date with the boyfriend to look forward to tonight! Woohoo!!
Happy Thursday, lovies!

WILW and Oh How Pinteresting

It's Wednesday and you know what that means!! Time to link up with Jamie and Michelle:

I'm loving (really really loving), that MG comes back home this morning. Two and a half weeks was long enough (military wives, don't laugh at me) So, when I get back home from work today, he will be there! Wooohoo!

I'm loving that in less than a month, MG and I will be going on another adventure (we feel like quite the jet-setters lately), off to Puerto Rico for a week! I'm SO looking forward to days spent exploring and relaxing here:
(Yes, you have permission to give me the evil eye right now. It's ok! :)
I'm loving high-low dresses/skirts. I bought one on-line but it did not work out for me (the top looked like a big bag #ittybittycommittee), but I still have hopes that I'll find a stellar one (perhaps in time for Puerto Rico??).




I'm loving that even though I don't have a HUGE group of endless friends, the friends that I DO have are insanely amazing.  (Especially ones who let me call them at 1am as I'm taking a cab home from DC alone.) I'm lucky to have such quality friends, over quantity.
I'm loving quality time with my parents. They don't live too far away, but during the week, traffic in the DC area makes it almost impossible to go see them. I was glad to have some time to spend with them this weekend!

I'm loving having coworkers who are supportive, and are there when you need to run something by them, vent, etc. It's a nice change from last year where I felt like my own little island.

And, as always, I'm loving Pinterest. It keeps me busy, even when I have things to do :)

This week I've been pinning....
How flipping sweet is that??
Yep, this outfit is most definitely welcome to enter into my closet.
Baked Bang-Bang Shrimp I'm gonna HAVE to try this! 
Tile that looks like wood. Genius! (and I love the color of the bathroom!)
Story of my life! 
hahaha so true! 
Follow Me on Pinterest Check out what else I've been up to!

Nobody likes a green finger...

I bet you're wondering what the heck this post is about, aren't you?

Have you ever had a ring that you absolutely loved, but that darn thing turned your finger green? (I feel like this is starting to sound like an infomercial, lol)

I recently told you guys how I bought a new ring that I really love (it looks like stackable rings, but it's not). I got it for $6--how can you beat it, right?
Tres cute!
Well, that sucker turned my finger green within 30 minutes of wearing it!

I was totally bummed, cuz I didn't even get to enjoy it for a full day before it started changing my skin colors. Drats! I thought about all kinds of things I could do to fix this problem (none of which involved NOT wearing the ring), and after a little Google search I found that one of my thoughts was actually right!

It's actually a quick, easy, and cheap solution if you have this problem.
Clear Nail Polish!

Coat the inside of the ring with a layer of clear nail polish. Let it dry and the voila! No more green finger.

Note: do not use Top Coat to do this. It chips off the next day when you wear it.
Ask me how I know this!

So, now you can buy all the cheap jewelry you want without having to worry about being mistaken for a relative of Kermit the Frog!

Problem solved :)

Book Review: On the Island

I read this book a while ago, but for some reason I never posted my review. So, without further ado....

I breezed through this book that I read and felt like I should share it with you all.

On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves
{via}

It's a story about a 30 year old teacher, Anna, who agrees to be a tutor over the summer for a 16 year old boy, T.J., who has just recovered from Hodgkin's Disease, to catch him up on his schoolwork. The kicker? It's tutoring over the summer while the family vacations in the Maldives. Not too shabby, right?
A series of events happen, though, and the two end up in a plane crash. They find their way to an island and the book really picks up from there.

It's a great story about survival, relationships, and ultimately, life. 

I thought the book was really easy to read. I started reading it while I was on the elliptical at the gym and suddenly realized I'd read 81 pages. It took me less than a week to finish the book. It had me wanting to read more and more to find out what would happen. Each chapter alternates telling the story from either Anna, or T.J.'s perspective.

I'd definitely recommend this book if you're looking for something that's an easy read, but grips you pretty quickly. 

Maybe don't read it if you're about to take a trip to the Maldives, though. Just sayin' :)

Confessions Friday

It's been a long while since I've done a confessions post, and I figured it's about time for a good 'fess sesh!
I confess that....

....I jokingly told MG the other day that I erased everything on the DVR while he's been gone except for all the episodes of The Bachelor. He did not find this nearly as funny as I did.

.....while MG's been away, my eating habits have gone down the tubes. Usually we plan our weeknight meals, and attempt to make some healthy dishes. But, being out of town two weekends in a row has thrown me for a loop. Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to get my act together a little better and stop making boxed pasta and other random stuff for dinner.

.....I'm thinking of working during the summer, with my current county (I applied yesterday). The days will be 4 hour days (I'd be done by noon) and it's only for a month. I could use the extra dough, that's for sure, just not sure I'm fully ready to not be a lazy lump all summer. Feel bad for me?? I didn't think so...

.....my ex got engaged and it really ticked me off. Good, happy stuff isn't supposed to happen to jerks and cheaters. And definitely not before that good/happy stuff happens to me! What gives, karma? I'm over it now, but the initial shock, and anger, really took me off guard. That's ok, right?

....I'm getting a massage this weekend and I can't wait. Neither can my shoulders, neck and back. I've got Knot-City developing over here...apparently the rent is low, since they just keep moving in!

....I forgot to put on my watch yesterday before I left for work and it drove me crazy ALL DAY! Luckily I still had wall clocks, my phone etc, but it just feels weird not having it on my wrist. (And I never realized how often I look at my watch a day until it wasn't there)

....I'm getting excited for my birthday that's coming up in 2 weeks!

Hope your weekends are awesome and relaxing! Catch ya next week :)

Words I Love

Every so often I stumble across a word that I like. I like the way it sounds, I like the way it's said, I like the meaning. Or sometimes, it's a combination of all three.

Call me a nerd, it's ok. I think it's the speech-pathologist in me coming out. 

Here's a list of some words that I just love...

{via}
-a fuss; commotion. 
What a fun-sounding word for something like a "commotion." I'd much rather someone have a kerfuffle than a fuss.

{via}
-an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.
Not only do I like this movie (ok, I LOVE this movie), but I love the meaning of the word. Who doesn't like a little happy accident?


{via}
-to proclaim; declare; affirm; assert.
This, to me, is just one of those words that sounds cool. You sound smart using it.

{via}
-a bad-tempered, difficult, cantankerous person.
Ok, I don't actually like people who are curmudgeons. But the word is pretty darn sweet.
And so is cantankerous, now that I think about it :)

{via}
The ironic thing here is, I'd probably be too lazy to use the word lackadaisical. Doh!

and I'll leave you with the last word for today...
I'm fairly certain that before I typed this word into Google Images, I had no idea what a kumquat actually looked like. I just like saying it.
And it's one of my mom's nicknames for me (Don't ask me the story behind it because I don't remember.). 
It just makes it extra special :)

Do you have any words that you love the meaning of, to say or to hear? Let me know in the comments!

WILW and Oh How Pinteresting

It's Wednesday, so let's link up with Jamie and Michelle for WILW and Oh How Pinteresting!

I'm loving that it's exactly a week before MG comes back home from his work trip. It's been too long!

I'm loving that I have good friends who are keeping me company while MG is away. I had a lovely sushi date with my buddy P!nky last night, and tomorrow I'm going out to dinner with another girl friend. It's nice to keep busy and get time to catch up with my girls! (and watch all the reality tv that I want! haha)

I'm loving that I had an amazing weekend with one of my besties. It'd been a while since we'd visited, and it was the perfect opportunity to catch up on friend-time. Miss that girl!

I'm loving friends having good news to share, and being able to celebrate exciting life moments!

I'm loving cell phones and email. If not for those, this time apart from MG would be near impossible. Technology can be annoying sometimes, but it's really great for times like this!

And, as usual, I'm loving Pinterest and all of its time-suck awesomeness!
This week I've been pinning...
Is it Spring yet?? Can I have this in my closet??
I love love love this ceiling!
Pesto Shrimp with Snow Peas over Quinoa
 Looks super yum and healthy!
How freaking adorable is this picture?
Hero! :)
hehehe, oh yes, yes you are! :)
Follow Me on Pinterest Check out what else I've been pinning!

Have a happy Wednesday! That much closer to the weekend :)

Long Weekend

Thank goodness for those presidents....cuz I SURE needed that extra day off yesterday.
Not only was it an extra day to relax away from work, but it made it possible for me to go down to VA Beach to spend some quality time with my bestie!

I stayed in on Friday night to rest up from the stress-filled week, and to get packed so I could jump on the road early Saturday morning. I left around 8 and got to VA Beach around 11am. It gave us some time to hang out, let me see her SUPER cute new place, and let my dog and her sister's dog (she was dog-sitting) get acquainted with one another before we went out for the afternoon. 
Once the afternoon hit, we started our girls day by heading to an urban winery with 3 other ladies. The wine flights came in this cool tree (I'd never seen it before), and it looked pretty fancy!


The wines were yummy, and afterwards, we went to get some yummy Mexican food.
Unfortunately the weather kinda put a damper on our evening plans since it was rain/snowing off and on the entire afternoon, so Genna and I headed back to her place for a night in.

Sadly, both of us were exhausted by the time 9:30 hit, and we called it a night pretty early.

Saturday we lazed around until early afternoon and then went shopping. Genna helped me find a cute belt to go with that dress that I bought myself for my birthday, and I got a really cute ring and scarf too:

That afternoon we went over to her sister's place so that I could FINALLY meet her second nephew, and spend some time with her other nephew and her sister. We had dinner together, played with the boys, and ended the night getting some ice cream, then headed back to her place and watched girly shows on tv. Just like old times!
Oh, and we both ended up wearing clothes that day that matched her throw pillows:
Hey, they are the colors of the season! :)

The next morning, we had an early lunch, and then I headed off back home. Traffic was a pain in the butt, especially for a holiday, but I was happy to make it home. 

Cooper was obviously exhausted from his fun weekend away, as evidenced by this picture last night:

The trip was great, overall, and my only complaint is that it went by too quickly! I miss having my buddy in the same town as me, to hang out with and do girl stuff together on a regular basis. But, I'm super glad to have her in my life. And I'd drive through any amount of crap traffic to see her! :) 
  
I love how it's been a while since Genna and I have hung out (or lived together), but as soon as we hang out, it's like no time has passed by. I think it's the sign of a true friendship :)


I hope your weekends were fun-filled, too!

Mexico Recap: Days 3 and 4

I told you I'd be back to recap the last two full days of my trip and here I am!

Can you hear the ocean? Smell the salt air?

The third day of our trip started out really sun-shiney. All 6 of us got beach chairs together right in front of the ocean area and parked ourselves there all day long.



The day was filled with Kindle-reading, jokes, Yahtzee games, yummy food and drinks, and 100% relaxation.

All of us got lunch together, and overall just had a really nice time enjoying being around each other without the distractions of kids and our everyday lives.

That night we tried to have dinner at the Italian restaurant, but one of the hostesses was really rude. EJ's oldest brother-in-law took care of it and we had dinner on the other side of the resort at the Steakhouse (literally it was so far that we had to take golf carts to get there). While waiting for the golf carts to come, we decided it was a good time for a photo op!



The service here was incredible. The waiters were nice, and incredibly funny. And since we were finally having dinner all together, we were able to celebrate the birthday boy.

That night we watched the Samba entertainment show, and MAN can those people dance. Holy moly!

After a little more time at the lounge bar, we went back to our side of the hotel and turned in.

~.~.~

We woke up knowing that today was our last full day in this paradise. Five of us had spa appointments in the morning (MG and I both got massages that day) which were incredible. And the rest of the afternoon was spent soaking in the last bits of fun and sun that we could.

That last night, we had dinner at the Italian restaurant. The food was yummy, the company was great, we stuffed ourselves silly, and then headed to the Michael Jackson show for the night.



And then it happened. MG's sister, got picked to go up on stage. To impersonate MJ's dance moves. And she was the only female up there. Best. Night. Ever!  So funny, we were all crying laughing. I'll leave out the emabarassing details and only share one photo with you:



Then, after way too many laughs, we spent the last night the same way we spent the first night, dancing. But, this time, we were all together. And it was an absolute blast!



If you couldn't tell, it was SO much fun. We're a bunch of goofballs, and when we're together, it's just plain ridiculousness. The trip couldn't have ended on a better note.

We all eventually went to bed and the next day it was time to say goodbye to this place:



...and head back to icky 20 degree weather. Brrrr!

Despite getting a mild cold, and having some clouds here and there, it was the perfect getaway.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I absolutely adore MG's family. I've never had sisters, and it's so nice to have MG's sisters treat me like one.

Are you sad that the recap is over? I'm sad that the trip is over, too. But at least we have the pictures to look at, and the memories to share!

If you want to go on a good vacation, I've got a great recommendation for you!

Mexico Recap: Days 1 and 2

It's been a bit, but I finally got all of the pictures from our Mexico trip, which means I'm ready to recap!
Are you ready to re-live the fun and sun with me? Grab your sunscreen and pull up a beach chair!

Thursday MG and I took an early flight and arrived in Mexico and at our hotel (Aventura Spa Palace) at about 3pm to overcast skies. We knew MG's middle sister and her husband (the birthday boy) had gotten there before us but we didn't know where they were. But, when we got to the lobby, they walked right up to us!
We all got our rooms, grabbed a fruity drink and got settled in.
And took advantage of the jacuzzi....in our room!

We all met up for dinner at the Asian restaurant that night which had really yummy sushi and pad thai.
(Can you tell that none of us got sun that day??? :)

After dinner, we went to that night's show which was a breakdancing show on the other side of the resort. And let me tell you, those guys were incredible!
After the show, they opened up the floor to everyone else, so the 4 of us got our groove thangs on.
 After too much dancing, we headed back to our side of the hotel and enjoyed some live music in the lobby. Pretty soon we all realized how delirious we were from our long day of travel and called it a night. At this point I felt like I was starting to come down with a cold. No bueno!
~.~.~.~
The next morning the sun was out, so we grabbed breakfast and hit the beach right away to soak up the sunshine and enjoy the views:

My throat was a little sore but I was able to make it through, luckily.
MG and I both had appointments at the spa to get facials in the early afternoon (I know, you feel bad for me, don't you?), so we went and partook in some pampering. (Did I mention that this was part of the deal there, and totally free?)
I've never gotten a facial before, and let me tell you, it was incredible. I almost fell asleep a few times during it and my skin felt and looked amazing afterwards.

Sadly, the sun decided to go back into hiding by the time we were done, but the up-side was that MG's other sister and brother-in-law had arrived! We all laid out and hoped for the sun, but the sun had other plans:

So, after getting cold from the breeze, back to the room it was, to warm up in the jacuzzi again. 
Oh, darn! (It's a tough life, I swear!)

We got ready to have dinner with MG's sister and brother in law who had just arrived that day. His middle sister had a special beach dinner planned with her hubby for his bday.

Unfortunately, I think I had a slight fever going on that night and ended up having hot flashes all through dinner (I think my fever was breaking at this point). Needless to say, it was an early to bed night for me to try and be back to normal for the rest of the trip.

And that's it for days 1 and 2. Days 3 and 4 were much more sunshiney, healthy, and fun, so come back and share in the relaxation with me on Monday! :)