My Etsy Shop!

Hey everyone!  Just a quick post about my new etsy shop I've opened.  Right now it's just earrings, but we'll see how things go and maybe add necklaces as well.  I'm really into the wire-wrapped style.  Here's a sneak peek of what I have and the link for the shop.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LaceyJewels

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read: The Wolf and the Dove (another cheesy romance novel.  Hadn't read one in ages...)
taste: pizza very soon!  So hungry!
see: some blue sky!  Yay!  It's been pretty cloudy the last several days...
hear: Micah listening to his podcasts
smell: clean air (it's pretty windy out and we have all the doors and windows open)
touch: my earrings I'm wearing
think: hoping I'll actually sell something from my shop *fingers crossed*
feel:  hungry
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Weekend in photos

This last weekend we went to a wedding on Saturday.  It was outdoors on a dock on Lake Union.  We were really concerned that it would rain, and it actually poured the morning of, but by 2:30 is cleared up and at 4:30 (when the wedding started) it was gorgeous and sunny. :)  I got some good pics and some not so good pics, but you know, you do what you can.

The wedding was between our friends Amanda and Mitchell.  Congrats to them and may they have a very happy future together! :)

First, a cute kissing picture. :P

Amanda and her father walking down the aisle.  I didn't get the picture in time to catch more of the bride, but she's smiling beautifully, so I thought I'd include it.

See?  Beautiful weather.

The two flower girls had pretty adorable little dresses on.  Wish it wasn't so blurry...

For the couple's dance, she was barefoot and put her feet on his.  He helped her hold up her dress. :P  The second video later shows it better.

The buffet.  It was greek food, mmmmmm.

The cupcake tower.

A lil fashion for you all. 

I hope everyone else had a lovely weekend. :)

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read: beading books and cookbooks
taste: twice baked potatoes
see: clouds, as per usual
hear: the dishwasher
smell: nothing in particular atm
touch: my hair
think: that I really ought to work on my jewelry-making...
feel:  tired *yawn* mid afternoon sleepies?
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First VLOG! :D

Hello!  Here's a vlog update of what's been going on in my life lately.  You will probably have to turn up the sound on your computer.  I will make sure the sound's better adjusted for the next video.  I will have to mess with the visual as well...but hey, a good first try I think. : )

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read: A book about Revelation by Elaine Pagels (can't remember the exact title).
taste: mango mousse (leftover from Father's Day)
see: Take Home Chef on netflix
hear: Kitty meowing at me
smell: my favorite smell today was my fresh herbs (I've bought several different kinds.  I'll have to see if I can get around to showing them to you)
touch: my hair (again)
think: that kitty looks so cute curled up on dad's chair
feel:  A little discouraged about the lack of a job for next schoolyear, but otherwise, excited about upcoming project (etsy shop, growing more herbs, the summer, Quebec, etc.)
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Quarter of a century...

That how old I am today.  A quarter of a century.

Interestingly, I don't seem to have that anxiety many people seem to about getting older.  Maybe it's because I'm only 25, but I'd like to think it's because I'm living life to the fullest.  Why regret the future if so far my life has been so full and rewarding?

Thank you to all of my friends and family for your love and support.  I would not be the same person without you all.  Thank you readers for your support as well. :)

For my birthday we went to Frankies Sat. night, and italian restaurant on the eastside.  Afterwards, I got a hand blender (one of those awesome new ones), pyrex dishes (love those), and Ann Taylor pants (AT is pretty much awesome).  We all came home and ate blueberry cheesecake.  It was a good day.

Yesterday, hubby and I went out shopping and he bought me a skirt and top that are really cute.  I'll see if I can't snag a picture when its warm enough to wear them.  I also bought some socks.  They're pretty essential you know. ;)

On other news, I desperately want another kitty.  If I had my way, I get one today, but I doubt the pet adoption centers would approve of me getting one so soon after my last kitty died.  It's not that I'm desperate to replace Milan, it's just that we have always had a kitty (practically) from the moment we moved in for our first apartment.  Our apartment feels so uncharacteristically empty now and I have so much love to give...

I have promised myself to wait until April 14 before I start looking.  There's a kitty get-together for adoptions that day in the area.  We'll see how well I keep to my promise...

Love to you all!

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read: Mockingjay
taste: nothing yet, must rummage after this quick post
see: all of the wonderful posts on my fb page with birthday wishes. :)
hear: the "beep, beep" of the clock ticking on hubby's show "24"
smell: hmmmm, nothing much?  
touch: my fav. stretch pants.  They're so comfy.
think: kitties!
feel:  happy
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Happy Love Day!

Well, it has been a lovely holiday.  Today is a day to celebrate love in my mind at least.  If you don't happen to be a member of a romantic couple, than you will celebrate differently.  There are no limits to love and therefore no wrong or right way to celebrate.

Micah bought me flowers on Sunday (to beat the rush:P).  So, I've already enjoyed that gift.  Then he bought me some gorgeous amber drop earrings with silver filigree.  I'll wear them sometime and take a pic so you all can see.

I bought Micah a Calvin Klein shirt that was 80% off.  Quite proud of myself for that one.  I also bought him some underwear (he needed them) and toffee crunch chocolate (frango brand, totally addictive) and a papyrus card (those are always so classy and cute).

We had a gift card for PF Chang's, so off we went to dinner.  I dressed up and wore my handmade wedding jewelry for the second time.  We had appetizer, drinks, main meal and even a mini dessert and only paid 2 dollars.  :)  Score again!  I did my best to embarass Micah by asking for kisses in public *gasp*.  He's so funny...  We must've been a cute couple today though because all the servers kept walking by and smiling at us. 

They gave us 6 fortune cookies, so I'm sitting here now dunking them into my Earl Grey tea and munching them.  My fortunes so far are:  "You are imaginative in using your skills.  Apply this next week." and "Your efforts are budding - results will appear soon".  Can you be any more generic? Ah well, even cliché positivity is still nice now and then.

These days I've been a regular sub, meaning you just accept whatever random job pops up online.  I've taught 4 special ed. classes, 4th and 6th grade so far.  I teach science tomorrow and then math I believe the rest of the week.  I think I've been doing a pretty good job considering, since just walking in and maintaining control and getting the chilluns to learn is a challenge.  Next week is midwinter break though, so I'll be twiddling my thumbs trying to entertain myself.  Perhaps I'll blog more! :P

The only other big thing these days going on is that I've been gaining too much weight.  If I don't curb the weight gain I may have to get a whole new wardrobe, and that's just not something I can afford right now, soooooo, I'm trying to get in shape and eat more reasonable portions.  I'm notoriously sedentary, and considering all the research lately that talks about how being sedentary seriously up your chances of cancer and heart disease, this needs to change.  I spend way too much time at my computer.  I've been playing KINECT Adventures to do my cardio and have bought weights.  I'm just saving up a little more so I can buy a fitness kinect program and then I'll be getting my butt in gear.

Oh!  One last thing, either I'm going to need glasses, or my eyes are so strained from staring at a computer screen that I can't read writing on the whiteboard very well at all if I'm in the back of a classroom.  I'll have to do some research to see if its actually nearsightedness or eye strain.

Well, I'm off to bed to read and hopefully give my eyes something different to look at.

I'd love to hear how all of you spent your Love Day!



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read: Cold Mage
taste: Earl Grey tea
see:  too much of my computer screen, evidentally
hear: Micah playing Terraria
smell: Our citrus candle (smells like raspberries to me interestingly though)
touch: fortune cookies!
think: my hubby is a sweetie
feel:  reasonably content, just need to exercise and spend less time on fb/blogs/interest/pinterest
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My kids...

En lieu of having actual children right now, I have my students, well I did.  Such is the joys and trepidations of temporary teaching jobs.  Today was the last day of my contract (1st semester only) and I was quite sad to leave.  My colleagues were friendly and helpful.  I fit in easily, considering I was only there for the 1st half.  The teacher I replaced was extremely accomodating and helpful.  My students...

My students are truly a great bunch of young people.  Sure I had a very few who refused to do homework, a couple who had an "attitude" issue (which we had to deal with on a few occasions), and 2 "sleepers", but they were mine and we learned and laughed and played and ate (french food, bien sûr) and learned some more.

I only relinquished them because I had to.  So, I said my last "au revoir" to each class and watched them go, perhaps for the last time.

My first year of teaching was pretty good, but my 2nd year was 10 times better.

I have no idea what's next for me.  I'm signed up to be a regular sub, so I may end up back at my old school now and then, but there are no guarantees.  I may find another long-term sub position elsewhere as well.

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read: Cold Magic, can't remember the author atm
taste: hot chocolate
see: a computer screen I've been at for too long
hear: just the noise of electronics running right now
smell: ink from the stamps I used in my classroom (they are sitting on my desk at home now)
touch:  my hair, I constantly play with my hair...
think: getting too tired to think straight
feel: saying goodbye is so bittersweet
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This week will be busy.  I have a inservice day I'm going to this week for school, my classes are singing French Christmas Carols for other classes, I'm having company over for fondue on Wed. and a regular full week of school.  My family is having a cookie/candy making night Tuesday as well.  Hopefully I'll be motivated enough with my rather outdated digital camera to take some pictures for some posts this week.

This last weekend we celebrated an early Christmas with my in-laws as they are out of town through Christmas visiting family on the east coast.  We had a lovely time.  The 2-inch thick hoar-frost really made it feel like Christmas too.  We saw our weekly Patriots Game and they won, as expected, though with not nearly the lead we were expecting.

That's all for now.  I'm rather boring atm anyway...

I added a new blog ending to give a snapshot to what I'm doing right now via Bohemian Twilight, one of the blogs I follow.

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read: Turn Right at Machu Picchu, very easy reading and fascinating
taste: Red Curry from Thai Won On.
see: Milan sleeping in her corner by the tree
hear: My husband's computer game's sound effects
smell: lavendar
touch: My plush cozy blanket
think:  pulled in so many directions, yet too tired to be too concerned
feel:   fuzzy-headed
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General updates . . .

The entire family (my side) including my sister, her husband, my parents, us, and my Aunt are leaving for an Alaskan Cruise tomorrow morning!   I have no idea what the internet will be like or what we'll be able to afford (because I'm sure its extra on the ship).  This is Micah's first cruise, which will be fun to see him experience.

We have a new car.  My old one's transmission started going out and then ended up with enough other problems to make it undrivable within 3 weeks.  Sadly, we didn't get much out of selling it.  We now have a Toyota Yaris, which I really like.  It's just a lil (very lil) economy car to hopefully last us more than 5 years or so.

Our cousin is very pregnant with twins and is expected to go into labor any day.  I can't wait to post all of the pictures that I'm going to do my best to get once it happens.  She's made it about 36 weeks already, so the babies are no longer high risk, blessedly.

I've gone to my first couple meetings for the new school year and I'm quite impressed with the efficiency and technology that will be available in my new classroom.  It seems like a very nice district, not to mention a brand new high school.  I'm so looking forward to my 2nd year, the 1st is always the most challenging . . .

So, hopefully I'll have some pictures or something interesting to talk about for the cruise.  Until later than all.