Five for Friday!

Happy Friday Fellow Bloggers! 

I hope you all have had a fabulous week and are enjoying the fall season! It is still 88-90 degrees here but, we're making it work! 

I am linking up again with Kacey from Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for Friday! 

I received my second SLANTBOX on Wednesday from Christine at Glitter, Gadgets, and Grade School! I had such a blast getting to know her and I think that she is just a fabulous teacher, person, mother, she is just great and has an awesome teaching story! One of my favorite things about Christine is a quote that she has said many times to me, in her instagram videos and on her blog: "you matter". Although this is a simple two word phrase, I think it carries so much behind it! 

I had every intention of listing the items she picked out for me but, she is so amazing that she made a video for me about my SLANTBOX and I just don't think I could top this so, here you go: 

As you know, this house is 100% Pats territory! We found out this past weekend that the Patriots have a PatriotsPETriot contest for 'pet of the month'.. obviously, we jumped right on this! 

The cuteness will never fade! 

So, although it is like 100 degrees here still, we are breaking out the Fall Beers and Ciders! 

Have you had Pumpkin Cider? Well I can say that the Woodchuck Pumpkin Cider is delicious! 

Welllll surprise surprise, I dyed my hair again! This time, it actually turned out how it was suppose to the first time! 

Bright Burgundy! Hello, Fall! 

My best friend and sister has been up in Massachusetts at college for the past two years. She is a rock star and has been taking advanced classes, extra classes, and summer/winter break classes so, we haven't been able to see each other too much but, yesterday, I got FABULOUS news that she will be home for Thanksgiving this year! 

I can not even explain how overjoyed and excited I am! 

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend! Thanks for stopping by! 

It's That Time Again!

SEPTEMBER SLANTBOXES

After last month, I am just in love with the whole idea and mission behind SLANTbox. Jameson at Lessons with Coffee started this awesome networking exchange. Last month, I had a blast getting to know Angela from Fun in Fourth and Kristy from The Librarian Life. The whole experience was just awesome. 

This month, I am matched up with Alissa from Fun in Fifth to send to and Christina from Glitter, Gadgets and Grade School to receive from. 

I am so excited to get to know these two ladies! 

My First SLANT BOX Review!

Oh my goodness! I am so so so excited to finally be sharing my first SLANT box experience. When mustering up the motivation to start blogging again, I came across the #SLANTbox. Naturally, I keep clicking and clicking and reading more posts and reviews until I was practically obsessed. If you haven't heard of SLANTbox, click here. Jameson, the SLANTbox originator, is a rockstar! She takes the time out of her personal life to come up with awesome themes and match over 200 teachers with two partners. Each teacher sends to one person and receives from another, how cool?! 

In August, I was paired up with Angela Gatt from Fun in Fourth to send to. Angela lives in Canada. She is so incredibly sweet and I had an awesome time getting to know her and pick out items that I hope she will love. 

I was matched up with Kristy Fasano from Librarian Life to receive from. Kristy lives in New York. Although we didn't speak much, the gifts I received were pretty spot on to my personality. 

Super cute NY--> FL 

Birthday/Hello Note

All my awesome items! Including:

Blueberry preserves (yum!)

purple glitter pencils

purple stamp pad

lots and lots of stickers

jeweled nail file

heart and star cut-outs

washi tape

a gorgeous purple and turquoise necklace

several keepsake boxes

a compact mirror

letter stamps

Thanks Kristy! 

I can not wait for September's match ups! 

Five for Friday!

Happy August Y'all! I am linking up again with Doodle Bugs Teaching for the first Five for Friday of August! 

I love the month of August. It brings so much excitement from Back to School, My Birthday and the continuation of amazing summer concerts here in the bay area! I am pretty excited to share with you what I am excited about! 

First off, Jameson at Lessons With Coffee finally posted the SLANT BOX match ups for this month. (If you don't know what that is, I HIGHLY recommend for you to click that link!) I can not even express how excited I am! I first came across SLANT boxes in June as I was creeping researching IG hashtags. I was very sad to also find out that I was too late to sign up for the June/July boxes so I just continued to stalk look at all of the posts in envy. But! The second Jameson opened up the August sign ups, I hoped on the bandwagon. I was matched up with Angela from Fun in Fourth to send to and Kristy from The Librarian Life to receive from and I can not wait to get to know them and to start my shopping/crafting! 

Yesterday, the 31st, J's two younger brothers started their drive down here from Massachusetts. They are stopping along the way but think that they will arrive on Sunday. They will be staying with us until the 12th and I can not wait! O is 18 and going into the Air Force in September and K is 16 and a Junior in high school. I have always wanted a brother but was instead blessed with a sister. O and K made me feel welcome before I even met them! They are the goofy, protective, crazy brothers I never had and they get absolutely spoiled when they come here! I have taken a few days off work so that we can all spend time together. Although we don't have any set plans, I am SURE we will have a blast! 

So many do not know this but August 14 is actually a national holiday! Yep, it is true! It happens to be my birthday! I can't believe I am turning 23 (even more insane is that my sister turns 21 in December) I spent four hours the other night looking at old photo albums and boxes with my momma and it is so crazy to see how much I have changed since high school! [insert photo montage here:]

Circa 1991

2010-oh heyyy college! 

2013 

2014

Call me lame but, I found a new chocolate chip cookie recipe the other day and I tried it out...oh my goodness! Holy deliciousness! I tried a batch of two dozen out on J and they were gone within an hour! (who doesn't love a classic chocolate chip cookie though?) Anyways, since O and K are coming into town and both sets of their grandparents live within 20 minutes of us, I see a few family get togethers and dinners. J and I...I am usually responsible for bringing desserts and this will be perfect! 

Recipe? 

Here ya go:

• 1 Cup melted butter
• 1 Cup white sugar
• 1 Cup brown sugar
• 2 Eggs (room temp)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp hot water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 Cups of flour 
• 2-2 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients well. Drop tsp sized cookies about 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350*

Finally, we currently live in an apartment complex with a community pool. We have been in that pool two times since we moved here 8 months ago. I just feel uncomfortable in the same water as all these strangers haha! Luckily for us, my parents live 15 minutes away and have a pool on their back lanai! We have been banned from the pool for the past two months because some freak disease has inhibited Florida waters (look it up here) and my parents have a salt water pool so it had to be tested by a lab 4 cities over. We finally got the "all clear" on monday! If you need us, we will be lounging poolside all day Saturday and possibly Sunday until the boys get here! 

Have a fabulous weekend and thanks for stopping by!