I Wish...

Dress: Ruche / Sweater, Bracelet: F21 / Shoes: Endless.com (C. Label) / Belt: Consigned at Periwinkle / Watch: Gift (Fossil) / Tights: We Love Colors / Earrings, Purse: Gabes (Monet)

I wish I could wake up early and feel energized enough to go running. I wish I could come home right after work, flop on the bed with the Husband and Hound, enjoy a quick nap with the breeze floating in, wake up refreshed and ready to make a healthy meal, dine out on the deck, then spend the evening reading, relaxing with the Husband, and crafting { ha, like I know how to craft...but I do have hobbies, you know...or I used to, at least } until time for a candlelit bath and then bed.

But I can't. Because it's cold outside and running, warm breezes, and dining outside don't work too well in the cold. And because since I'm utterly exhausted from school and always stay late, we're more likely to have something frozen or quick to eat anyway. And instead of having fun or relaxing in the evenings, I spend them grading papers and planning lessons. Because I'm a first year teacher for the 3rd time. And I teach 5 different classes, 180 different students, and all levels.

Also, I'm not some pampered elf like Liv Tyler's pre-Aragorn { the Husband made me add that part } character from Lord of the Rings. Why didn't anyone tell me I couldn't be her when I grew up, living in the land of waterfalls and bliss?

P.S. In case any magical genies are out there reading this, I also wish that Hounds didn't shed. Just sayin'.

P.P.S.  Sorry for the gripe-fest. Sometimes I get overwhelmed. But then I wake up to scenes like this, with golden light illuminating the fog-shrouded mountain across the lake, and remember how lucky I really am. 

Don't mind our Hound cover on the sofa, with the pile of pillows underneath so she can prop up and enjoy the view.  

Sometimes I just need to step back and enjoy the view myself. Profite du jour*!

Linked up to G-Rated's Sunday Best again and The Pleated Poppy's What I Wore!

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*Profite du jour = Seize the day 

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Thanks to Ruche for featuring this outfit on Ruche's Style File!

10 Points to the Hound

Sweater: Ross ($7!) / Skirt: YesStyle / Boots: Ugg / Belt: UO / Tights: WalMart / Earrings: Gabes (Monet) / Necklace: Ruche / Bracelets: Christmas Gift (J Crew)

This afternoon, as the Husband and I moved towards the door to go snap these shots, the Hound eagerly followed, thinking she was getting another walk. The Husband, a bit annoyed since she'd just been out, told her to get out of the way and motioned for her to move. She bowed her head, put her tail between her legs, and slank away with a hurt expression.

Then, of course, the Husband felt bad. So he made a cozy nest of her favorite fuzzy blanket, put her in it, and got one of her favorite treats, a dried piece of yam wrapped in chicken jerky.

I've never seen her turn down one of these. Ever. But that's just what she did. She wouldn't take it, so he placed it before her and she didn't even sniff it. Not one tiny whiff. She just stared with the most woefully forlorn look you've ever seen.  

Absolutely heartbreaking. 

He patted and reassured her that she wasn't in trouble, but she still wouldn't take the treat. I told him she must be sick. She hadn't eaten her food that morning, and her tummy had been grumbling. Yes, that was it. She must be terribly ill. So we caressed and coddled her, trying to get her to lie down or try bits of the treat, to no avail.

Then, feeling bad that she was obviously not well and had wanted to go outside, we realized that perhaps she needed to go out again, so he said, "Okay, let's go," and motioned for her to come.

And at that sign of surrender, she picked up the treat, trotted to the door, tail wagging happily, and gulped it down before jumping up to have her leash attached. Booyah, suckers!

What should've been a 2 minute trip outside for us turned into a treat and a walk for her. So there you have example #935 of how Slurpee has cunningly achieved virtual carte blanche* in our home.

Oh my. We're in for some serious trouble when kids enter the picture.

P.S. The Husband calls this my Pancho Villa outfit. Mexican revolutionary references aside, it's not my favorite outfit, but it was quite a cozy church ensemble on such a blustery day.

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*Carte blanche = the license to do whatever she wants (i.e.: have her way)

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Dear Weekend: I Love You

 Sweater: H&M / Jeans, Earrings: AE sale / Boots: TJ Maxx / Necklaces: Maurices / Bracelet: DC Street Market / Glasses: BonLook

Oh, how I love the weekends. Oh, how I love a break from school.  This is my life right now.

Two more weeks till the end of the semester. It can't come fast enough. Two more weeks...

In other news, I shamelessly caved to the promotion of all the cool and popular blogs out there and got a pair of hipster glasses. And I kind of love them. The timing was perfect because the Husband just gave me a new prescription, and Bonlook is having a sale for $10 off your first pair. They also have a really nifty virtual try-on feature that makes it easy to select a pair, and they have free shipping.

I first got glasses in the 2nd grade. A horrid pair of thin purple plastic that covered the entire top two-thirds of my head...Like all the other myopes out there, I recall the amazement that I could see, from the ground, the individual leaves of trees. Even the ones that were far away! That day, I rode home seeing a whole new world of wonder from the back of my dad's pick-up. It was the early 90s...My joy was promptly over the second we got home and my brother made fun of my new 4-eyed look. He had issues being the only boy with 4 sisters.
 
At that point, my sight wasn't too terrible, so I could get away without wearing them if I sat in the front of the classroom to see the board.  In other words, I sacrificed the privilege to see leaves for the sake of style and went without. These days, I can't even see that the that the board is there. Here's looking at you, -6.25. Actually, I can't see you without you.

For a long time I was quite bitter about my need for myopic correction. Both of my parents, in their 50s now, still see at 20/15. "C'est pas juste!" I whined { In my memories, I whined in French. Makes it seem more pithy. }  And I vividly remember my doctors telling me that eventually my eyes would stop getting worse as I matured and reached adulthood. Whelp, guess I missed that mark...But now that glasses are popular, I suppose I really oughtn't complain anymore, and be glad that I'm not forced to suffer the indecision of whether to pay for spectacles I don't need in the name of accessorizing.

And today, ladies and gents, after boring you with this ridiculous diatribe about my eyes, I'll conclude by admitting that these days I'm grateful for my abnormally long eyeballs. Their habit of continual elongation provides me many an opportunity to keep up with the world of fashionable eye-wear.

Also, it's fun to look at Christmas trees without them. What? You don't keep yours up till Valentine's?

P.S. Linked up to The Pleated Poppy's WIWW!

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*C'est pas juste = Ce n'est pas juste = It's not fair!

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Christmas, in a Chestnut-Shell

Top: Old Navy / Jeans: Guess via Macy's / Boots: Born / Bracelets: Christmas Gift (J Crew) / Watch: Christmas Gift (Fossil) / Scarf: Christmas Gift

*The Hound got to be in the Snow Flake Parade as we chaperoned my school's float. The Husband made her wave to all the kids. They shouted with joy,  trilling "Look, that doggie is waving at me!" She just wanted to lick them. I'm not sure whether Husband or Hound had more fun.

*We roasted plenty of chestnuts while listening to Christmas music. I may be addicted...

*We went to see two of my students debut in our town's musical production of  A Christmas Carol. 

*We continued to sleep by the warmth of our fire and under the lights of our Christmas tree. Lights per Husband's request, on behalf of his childhood :)



*Then, we headed East to spend the holiday with my family.  First, we stayed with my cousin in DC where we enjoyed PB&J cupcakes while catching up and playing with her baby boy.  PB&J cupcakes. Genius.

*The next day we hit up Dupont Circle, visited a holiday street market and the National Archives, and checked out all the city's sapins de Noël*. First we saw the tree at the capitol, then passed by the White House, and then we met up with my brother and his girlfriend, who'd flown in from Cali, at the National Tree. Oh, Christmas Tree...

*That night we stayed with my uncle and his adorable family in Chesapeake Beach, where we enjoyed playing with our little cousins.  The next morning we walked the Mall and took in the Cosmic Collisions show in the planetarium of the Air and Space Museum before heading to Georgetown. Husband used the show as an opportunity for a nap, which he blamed on the McD's oatmeal we'd had just before. Food comas are his thing.

*We enjoyed loads of festive decorations and lights. The owl tree in the Smithsonian Castle made me want to experience Christmas at Hogwarts. Geek, I know.

*There may also have been some shopping, vintage ogling, and cupcake hunting. Details later! 



*On our way to WV, we stopped to see the lights at the DC Temple, where we were married. Breathtaking. Merveilleux. Incroyable.

 
*There was a really neat exhibit of nativities from around the world in the visitor's center. The Husband's favorite was one from South Africa, which was made of Coke cans. Big. Surprise. I personally preferred their beaded version.

*Our first stop in WV was Morgantown, our old college town where Scott and I met. There was supposed to be a walk down memory lane, which just so happens to be the tree-lined lane leading to Friendship Hill, our favorite park. But it was raining dreadfully. So instead, there may have been more shopping. At Gabes. Where I found Express liquid leggings for $7. Merry Christmas to me!

*We made our way to OH where we enjoyed Christmas Eve at my sister's house and the boys laughed as the girls took turns shooting her bow. Turns out you need muscle to even pull the darn thing back.

*At home in WV, my mom made our traditional Christmas morning breakfast of Cocoa Wheats and toast. Do you know what Cocoa Wheats are? Heavenly, that's what.

*After opening presents, we had Christmas dinner at my Grandpa's with cousins and aunts and uncles and plenty of sweets. Did you catch my sparkly new watch up top? Ha- how could you not with all that smarmsing going on? { If you can smile with your eyes, you can with your arms...} I finally joined the trend after admiring my sister's version from her bf. 

*Despite the fact that we got a wet Christmas, rather than the preferred white, it was a jolly good way to spend the holiday. I hope yours was just as merry and bright!

P.S. I just realized I have no photos with my family. They need to get over their photo aversions. New Years Resolution: Stop taking so many photos of yourself and take a few with others...

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*sapins de Noël = Christmas trees

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