On a cold and snowy day...

the wonderful Kim of Anthroholic is giving away a pair of sunglasses!
Some of you may not know my love of sunnies (a term I picked up from my Aussie/Kiwi friends) but they are a necessity. I work at a camp over the summer, and while it's obvious I need them for sunny days, sometimes those cloudy mornings require them too...
Anyway, I'm down to one pair (which is shocking for me) mainly due to small children taking them and either breaking or not returning them. Oh the children. And this giveaway sponsored by Kensie would be fantabulous for me to win. :)
xoxoxo

Hoot hoot!

Lately I have been loving this retro owl trend. I think I first started noticing it last year, but it's really taken off recently...
At Papyrus, we have a ton of cute stationary...

The Owl and Quail

the Sweet Owl

And so many Etsy sellers have absolutely adorable items, especially the jewelry...I've been wanting a large owl pendant for quite some time, and I may have to treat myself just a little bit since I've finally been paid... :)

adorable pendant by jaemade

love the University of Michigan colors by RachelleD

a little simpler, but still super cute necklace by wattlebird

I also have a deep and abiding love for lockets (by CosmicGirl)

Would it be weird to own more than one owl necklace? Because all of these are just too-hoo cute!

Love, love, love

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!

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Although I've never dated anyone over Valentine's Day, I made the decision while I was in high school not to let that stop me from celebrating. I really, really love holidays, so I just make this one about my friends and family. I sent out beautiful cards to my family, went to a little V-Day event my RA had, and am getting together with a study abroad friend tonight for wine, chocolate, and a movie. We're having a wonderfully stereotypical single girl Valentine's Day.

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I spent early high school basically being miserable that I didn't have a boyfriend. I had a huge crush on a friend of mine that was never returned and let that (and various other silly dramas) embitter me towards Valentine's Day. My senior year, however, a friend of mine and I decided we would be each other's Valentines, so we got gifts and went to a movie...and had a wonderful time. Ever since then, I have just had fun with it. This year, my mom was my Valentine!

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I sent her the Porn for Women book (I promise, it's not dirty at all, and I linked so you wouldn't have to search), some yummy truffles, and cheapo heart jewelry. She sent me dark chocolate hearts, the Vosges Black Pearl chocolate bar, cupcake/heart window decals, stickers, and Valentine socks. My mom is the best Valentine ever! :)

Hope y'all have as love-filled a day as I have...

xoxoxo

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Winter Olympics!

Woohoo! I don't know about y'all, but I'm definitely most excited for the figure skating. It's so beautiful and precise...and the pairs skating requires such ridiculous strength. In preparation for it, tonight my dorm is showing Cool Runnings then the Opening Ceremonies. Plus free food :)

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I've also been watching Blades of Glory. Oh man I'd forgotten how funny it is. I'm usually not a fan of these kind of movies at all-and I mean at all-but the actors all interact so perfectly. And the team of Stranz and Fairchild...too hilarious.

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Are all y'all watching the Opening Ceremonies tonight? What's your favorite winter sport? I personally am happy to watch them all while wrapped in a blanket, drinking tea or hot cocoa :)

xoxoxo

Snow Day

We had a snow day yesterday woohoo! I mean, I was already on campus when they decided to cancel classes after 12:30, but hey...I'll take it. I used the time to mail my Valentine cards, put together the box for my Valentine (ie my fabulous mommy), do laundry, cook a real dinner, and bake cookies! What a productive day :)

I made pan fried tofu and rice with green curry sauce. Yum. It really needed some bamboo shoots but good job, Trader Joe's, on your green curry sauce.

The cookies are kind of an amalgamation of whatever I had in my pantry. Hence they are chai-toffee-chocolate chunk...thankfully a good combination of flavors. A friend of mine who lives in the dorm and my RA both stopped by and enjoyed some, as well as my roomies and another friend who came over today.

Oh and while my good camp friend Danni was visiting we made some delicious sun dried tomato risotto and arugala-goat cheese-pecan sald. Mmmmm.

Today I got to make some paper flowers for Valentine's Day :) Mark (a friend from church) and I went to Kate's Paperie in Soho, where they were having a demo on how to make them. I am quite possibly the least crafty person out there, but even mine didn't turn out too badly.

I have such an intense love-hate relationship with Valentine's Day. Love everything about it except being alone. But hey, my friends and family are so great I don't even mind that so much.

Oh, p.s. I got my beautiful new coat. :)

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Except mine is not slouchy like that...it is very fitted. I love it.

I live in a freezer

It was in the low teens today. And yesterday. Every time I went outside, I thought to myself, "Oh, I can't wait to get back in my room where it's warm!" Well. Yes, it is warmer than outside, but not nearly warm enough. I'm not one of those people who needs to have my room feel like a tropical rainforest but I don't appreciate having to wear a long sleeve tee + 2 sweatshirts and leggings + sweats. I think if I put on any more clothes I wouldn't be able to move. The odd thing is that my heat is on...maybe it's just down really low? I have a sneaking suspicion that it is mainly the windows, though-I can feel a constant draft through them. Anyway, I sent NYU a work request and hopefully they'll fix it tomorrow...cause I'm turning into a popsicle!
In other news...I'm still working and going to class...exciting, huh. I'm learning a lot at work and will be closing on my own soon-eek! Not really excited for that. I think nervous/dreading it would be the words I'm looking for. Oh well.
I keep reminding myself that this job is going to enable me to have a social life, for which I am too tired/busy for at the moment. Hopefully soon I'll readjust to the intense scheduling that is my life here. Then I can afford yummy dinners and fun shows and movies and shopping! I am going to go ahead and buy a new winter coat since the one I've been lusting after since last year has gone on sale...I'll show you once I get it :)
Oh and P.S. My friend Danni is coming to visit Monday! I'm trying to get all my work done ahead of time so I don't have to do it while she's here...can't wait. We have soooo much fun together!
xoxoxo

I do enjoy cooking...

and so I would love to with the Magic Bullet To Go! The wonderful Marcy is giving five away on her oh-so-great blog, Stretching a Buck. You should head over there ASAP and check it out...you'll get great deals all the time :)