Five for Friday

Summer Binge

So, I have taken this whole "summer" thing to a whole new level. I have binge watched Orange is the New Black, HGTV, and  the DIY network. I have been so lazy that the couch has somehow become permanently attached to the rear of my yoga pants. Nutty bars have somehow been magically appearing in my little chubby hands and I have been sleeping in until after 9:00 every day! Oh, how I ADORE summer! Just a few shares of my favorite shows...if you haven't seen these and you're a lazy bum like I am, GET BUSY! OITNB and Breaking Bad are on Netflix, Botched is on E! and the rest are on HGTV! If you haven't watched OITNB or Breaking Bad and you enjoy something a little scandalous, they are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! But be warned...they are, indeed, scandalous!

                                                     

Crowning Glory

I actually did peel myself off of the couch a few days ago and went shopping! This can be dangerous because I haven't been shopping in a few weeks. I tore up Ulta and bought the most AMAZING shampoo. If you're like me, the little things excite you...like getting new shampoo.  You know how you try a new product and you're like, "I like...it works...I think it works...maybe it isn't working." Well, this is the ONLY line of products that I can say I have tried and I have absolutely LOVED. So, I must share it in an effort to fight the frizz war.  If you're like me and have curly hair, you struggle with the frizz. Gels leave my hair crunchy, lotions make it somewhat frizzy and feeling gross. My hair is very long and very thick and I can barely get a brush through it when I get out of the shower. This line eliminates frizz, DETANGLES, and sculpts natural curls. It is an absolute must have.  I bought the wash, rinse, and mousse. So far, so good!

Pinterest Practice

So, while watching all of those amazing shows, what is a girl to do? Blog, of course, or, if you're anything like me, pin on Pinterest like a wild woman! I love learning new hairdos and my big thing now is learning all the different kinds of braids--I had no idea there were so many! I have been practicing on my niece and here are three pictures of my efforts...one is a french braid tucked under on my niece, a dutch braid on my niece and the last is a waterfall braid on me (when my hair is straight)! Practice makes perfect! 

 

Cabinet Facelift 

My fourth share is a cute craft project that anyone can do to spruce up a door in their home. I did this craft with my mom at her condo in North Myrtle Beach. It was very dated and had lots of areas for improvement. In the kitchen there was a plain jane utility closet door. My mom purchased some chalkboard paint at Lowe's and some simple 1 inch trim that you would see around the baseboards or cabinets in a kitchen. She painted the trim white and my dad nailed it onto the door. After, we painted inside the trim with the chalkboard paint, creating a chalkboard on the actual wood of the door. She leaves it to me to decorate the board. I like to write little recipes on it or song lyrics! Below is the quote of the month, Zac Brown Band!

                                                      

Charleston Cheese Dip

I want my last share to be an amazing recipe that I love making for the 4th of July! It is so yummy and easy to make! I have been known to do a number on this dip! It is heated in the oven and it does contain mayo so I wouldn't recommend leaving it sitting out for hours...but honestly, it never lasts longer than 20 minutes in my house! Enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed my Five for Friday! To link up, head over to Doodlebugs Teaching and share some of the fun things you did this week! Happy sharing!

*Chirp Chirp*

Yumm-O

Polka-Dotted "Pie" One of the best parts of having summers off is honing my cooking skills (or lack thereof) and trying some new recipes! I want to share one of my absolute favorite recipes that is always a hit at my house. The hubby loves it and it is a great little casserole to take to any gathering. The best part...it is SUPER simple to do and involves very little brain power. If you can follow a recipe, you can do it! My kind of cooking! I was given this recipe at one of my bridal showers. My friends threw me a recipe shower and every person brought their favorite recipe! This one has become a staple at my house! Drumroll.....

Spaghetti Pie

8oz. box of spaghetti

1 lb. ground beef

1/4 tbs. salt 

1/4 tbs. pepper

Two 8oz. cans tomato sauce

1 1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup chopped green onion

1/4 cup cream cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I like to use the block kind and shred it myself)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the spaghetti on the stove as usual. Drain and place in a 2 quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray.  Cook the hamburger meat in a skillet until it is no longer pink.  Drain. Stir in the salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato sauce into the ground beef.  Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 20 minutes to let the flavors blend. Combine sour cream, green onions, and cream cheese in a bowl--mix together. Spread this mixture over the cooked spaghetti that is in the casserole dish. Spread with a spatula. Top with the meat mixture from the stove. Spread with a spatula. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  Take the foil off and bake for an additional 5 minutes to make the cheese extra bubbly! It is seriously delish! 

*Five for Friday Linky Party!*

The most exciting start to my week was visiting my new school! I got to see my new classroom and I gathered up all of my materials so that I can learn the curriculum that my district uses for third grade. I still can not believe that I am going to be a third grade teacher! EEEK! I am partly excited/nervous/scared/anxious/curious. I definitely know that it will be completely different from kindergarten...which will be an adjustment for sure. I also know that I have never been one to turn down an adventure, so I am ready for it. I spent most of my day today revamping my classroom management system. After talking to a fellow teacher at the school and listening to her great ideas, I changed my system a little....it's still cute and still polka dots...and still birds...but it's a little bit more "grown up" (*tear) than my old one. It's very similar to several that I have found on Pinterest. I, of course, had to create my own.

Basically, the kiddos start on blue and can move up to the birdhouse or they can move down. Let's hope we do a lot more moving up! 

My husband and I are thrilled about signing the contract on our new build! We picked out a house plan, ordered the blueprints and have met with he contractor and signed a contract! We couldn't be more excited! In the meantime, we are living with my parents (oh, boy) and counting down the days...which will be a little more than we planned for. Our builder said it will take around eight months! Let's hope we can stand it for that long! Here is a picture of what our finished home will look like:

Having recently moved back home from one of my favorite cities, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the hurt that I've felt this week watching the coverage from Charleston. My heart aches for the families and friends of the victims and I will never understand the hatred that one person can have towards others. I'm glad I can't understand it, because to me, it is unfathomable and completely senseless. I found this beautiful picture and although it doesn't heal the hurt, it does remind me of the beautiful city I just left and of the strong community that remains there. 

With summer finally here, I have been lucky enough to have gone to the beach (North Myrtle) and have been able to soak up some rays. I did happen to get sunburnt, but who can complain about that when this was my view? The clouds look like cotton don't they?

My last Five for Friday share is a picture of my fur baby, Oliver. He is adjusting somewhat well to the move, but he has gotten himself into trouble lately. Just two days ago I was horrified to see that he peed (yes, peed) on the blueprints to our new house (the one you saw in #2). He is a spiteful little turd sometimes. Any time I leave him home and go somewhere with my mom or husband he gets so jealous. Keep in mind that he is completely potty-trained. He does it out of spite. I could create an entire list of things he has peed on out of jealousy...in fact, I think I will:

1.) My husband's couch when he moved into our first house after we got married.

2.) My husband's boxer shorts after he moved in.

3.) My favorite Anthropologie dish towel that he pulled off the oven handle and peed on when I left him to get my hair done one day after school. 

4.) My parent's golden retriever's food bowls.

5.) My parent's kitchen table one night when Ryan and I went on a date.

6.) My husband's side of the bed after he returned from a business trip and was no longer allowed to sleep with mommy.

7.) Our $800.00 house plans---that coincidentally were sitting in the middle of my parent's kitchen table. He did this after my parents and I left to go for ice cream one night after dinner. He is so bad. 

Can you believe this dog is so rotten?

If he weren't so damn cute and love me so much, we might have a problem. He is the most spoiled Yorkie that has walked the earth.

Well guys, I hope you enjoyed my Five for Friday. I didn't have many creative things to share, just a few things near and dear to me at the moment. If you want, share a few comments and don't forget to follow me! Thanks for reading and don't forget to LINK UP to the party. You can get there by clicking here or clicking the banner at the top: Five for Friday Linky Party!

*Chirp, Chirp!*

*Big Changes*

To say my blog has taken a "backseat" is a bit of an understatement.   Unknowingly, 2015 has brought about some big changes for me and my husband, Ryan. In October he accepted a position 3 hours from Charleston in our hometown of Cheraw, South Carolina. Deciding to leave the Holy City was a hard choice to make, but being close to family and friends has been wonderful. 

With the big move came some even bigger changes for me. I have taught kindergarten for the past 7 years. At my school I made lifelong friendships with my fellow teachers and had the pleasure of being with the sweetest children I have ever met. Leaving all of those people behind was, by far, the most difficult part. Saying goodbye is never easy and even thinking about searching for another job made me shudder. Luckily for me, I accepted a position at a great little school and I am excited for a new adventure---in 3rd grade (eek!). We shall see how it goes... :) At least now I have my mom close by to help me decorate my classroom! Unbeknownst to her....

Ryan and I are in the process of building another house in a sweet little neighborhood in Cheraw. We chose a floor plan and recently signed a contract with a local builder to get it started. I am excited for this new phase in our lives!