Five Friday Faves

TGIF, people!! I'm so happy it's the end of the week, but I'm stuck for the entire day at a training. Womp womp. At least when it's over, I have the weekend ahead of me, right?

Let's focus on some favorites this week!

Friday Favorites // Friday Favorites // Oh Hey Friday// 5 on Friday

{1}-Piyo

A couple weeks ago I mentioned that I'd ordered Piyo and was just waiting for its arrival. It came last week and I did the intro workout to try and figure out what the heck I was doing and this past week I've done 3 of the workouts and I'm LOVING it. I know I mentioned it yesterday, but it was worth repeating. It's hard but it feels so good! I even got MG to do the intro workout and he seems to like it as well. 

{2} Babies Going Through Tunnels Video
You have to go and watch the video of babies going through tunnels. It cracked me up!
These Babies Are Completely, Understandably Blown Away By Tunnels

{3}-House Project
Are you tired of hearing about doors? Yes? Because I'm tired of painting them!
Thankfully, MG and I finished all the hallway and closet doors, AND we painted the upstairs hallway. What a difference it makes! And with the new hardware it looks even better:

I promise, this will be the last time I post about doors for a very very long time!

{4} Friends

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Knowing that I have some of the best friends in my life to lean on and support me when I need it, is one of my favorites today, and every day. Without the girls I have in my life, I'd be lost. I'm so thankful to have the ladies that I do, in the good times, and the tough times.

{5} These quotes

 The first one I saw Meghan had pinned a couple days ago, and the other one I saw myself. Both resonated with me:

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Something to think about before you complain:

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I'm off to be tortured by hours and hours of talk about one component of my county's speech evaluations. Borrrrrrrrrringggggg! 
Hope you guys make it through Friday and have an excellent weekend!
Here's a funny to start you off right:

{via} this will likely happen to me today lol

Catch ya on Monday!

Currently....

It's been a bit since I did a Currently post, so here I am, and here's what I've been up to...

Feeling... Worked out and proud. I've done two of the Piyo workouts for 2 days this week so far (threw in a different work out yesterday), and might even do one tonight, too and it feels awesome! I'm really proud of myself for trying something new, and working through the parts that are hard for me. I'm a Piyo lover!

Reading... The Last Anniversary by Lianne Moriarty (one of the last ones that I hadn't read of hers). I'm liking it, but the amount of characters in the book has totally confused me. I had to make a chart to remind myself of who was who.

Listening to... my coworker blast music in his office. We're down a narrow hallway, so it echoes into my office and sounds like it's right outside my door. Most mornings another coworker across from me sings gospel to herself. It's nothing but fun around here!

Watching... In addition to my Bravo shows, MG and I are still on a The Good Wife kick. I can't tell you how happy I am that there are 20+ episodes per season and we haven't even finished season 1 yet. So excited that we found another awesome show to watch together!

Thinking about... what it would be like to live somewhere else. And could I do it? 

Working on... the house the past two weeks to get ready for our Superbowl Party this weekend. Trim, doors and upstairs hallway wall are all painted now! Gotta figure out what kinda snack and finger foods to make, next!

Loving... that we had a snow day on Tuesday. It was the perfect day for it because I got to avoid seeing a kid who's been nothing but a pain in my butt this year, and I didn't have to go to my second school. And extra snuggles with Cooper is always a plus!

He stole my blanket and curled himself up into a snuggly ball!

Needing... it to be the end of March so that MG and I can escape this cold and head to Punta Cana for a week of relaxation, sunning, and celebrating our first year of marriage. Bring on the beach vacay!

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Excited about... celebrating my dad's birthday this weekend with my parents and MG. Hopefully my dad will feel up to going out to lunch or dinner so that we can get together! And hosting our first ever SuperBowl party at our house! Luckily I have a teacher workday on Monday so even if it goes a little past my bedtime, it won't be that big of a deal.

What are you up to, currently?

Ooooh, she's crafty!

You guys know I've become something of a DIY'er with all of our house projects, and I've sure learned a lot so far. I now know how to sand, prime and paint kitchen cabinets and doors, all doors throughout a house, along with the trim, the proper way to tape off a room and paint, how to paint a focal point wall without bleeds, how to hang a gallery wall....

and I'm sure there will be a ton more to learn.

But, for now, I thought I'd highlight some of the cool projects and crafts that I've seen on Pinterest and really want to try my hand at (at some point).

I'd love to have something like this for our basement, as you go down the stairs:

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This would be super cute for the holidays or for Valentine's Day for the front door (or even against a mirror or entry table):

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Another "something" for when we re-do the basement, as something fun for blankets:

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I think this would be adorable (either with a picture of us, or another picture) in a room that had fewer windows. My neighbor actually has a spare window frame/pane in her backyard and every time I pass by, I want to take it and use it to make something crafty like this:

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I'd love to be able to make some kind of personalized art work for our guest bedroom or even a nursery one day, like this:

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These would be adorable for the holidays, and I have a ton of wine glasses at home:

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These would be fun for a gallery wall, or a kid's room with their name:

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Obviously, there are tons and tons of other things I want to do, but some of these seem relatively easy to do. Maybe I'll give one or two a whirl!

What kinds of crafty things have you been wanting to try and DIY?

Recipe: Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta

I've finally been trying out some new recipes lately (check out my chili recipe from last week here if you missed it), and this one was also a big hit in our house! Apparently, based on the Instagram feedback and requests for the recipe, it was a hit there as well! So I'm here to share with you my version of the recipe for Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta (found on Pinterest, of course).

This one is super simple, quick, and packed with flavor!

What You Need:

-1 lb (or more) of shrimp

-a little less than 1lb thin spaghetti or angel hair

-1 Tbsp coconut oil (I used butter instead)

-2 cloves of garlic, minced (or 1 tsp from jar)

-2 tsp paprika

-black pepper to taste

-1 Tbsp dried parsley (for garnish)

For the Sauce:

-1/2 Cup mayo (I used light)

-1/2 Cup Thai sweet chili sauce

-2 cloves of minced garlic (or 1 tsp from jar)

-2 Tbsp lime juice

-1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

What You Do:

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot according to package directions. When done, drain the pasta and return to the pot.

2. While the pasta is cooking, mix together the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.

3. Place the uncooked shrimp into a medium sized bowl (or colander) and add in the paprika, pepper, and 1 tsp of minced garlic. Toss/mix to coat more evenly.

4. Heat the coconut oil (or butter, in my case) on medium heat for a minute, and then add in the shrimp. Heat until cooked through (mine were pre-cooked shrimp so it didn't take long). If pasta is not ready, set aside. 

5. Once pasta is ready, add the shrimp to the pasta, along with the sauce. Toss until evenly combined.

6. Garnish with the parsley flakes and serve!

It may not be the healthiest of meals, but it sure was tasty!

Enjoy!!

Weekend Highlights

It's Monday already?? Where does the time go? I guess that's what happens when you're a busy bee!

My weekend highlights included:

-lazy Friday night which was much needed after a busy week

-watching more episodes of The Good Wife

-sanding and painting 3 more doors for the house to complete the main level doors and the upstairs doors

-adding new doorknobs and hinges to all. Looks SO MUCH BETTER!

-Got the gallery wall/shelves more together (still need to find a few more things, but it's on its way)

-Officially decided to host a Superbowl Party at our house next weekend

-Went out to dinner for our friend's birthday with a bunch of our friends

-Had a great time catching up with everyone

-Headed to Front Page afterwards (a bar we all haven't been to in years)

-Took fun pics with my good friend Em

We were 50 shades of green that night :)

-You know you have a good friend when you have matching purses

Louis Louis!

-Got home at 2am (that's what happens when you go to dinner late and service takes forever and a day)

-Up early Sunday to run errands and a quick trip to Macys

-Got the wall upstairs taped off for painting (probably tonight)

-Sanded, and painted the closet doors for the hallway and guest bedroom

-Relaxed (finally!) and watched Downton Abbey 

-Went to bed praying for a snow day this morning, that I did not get (but might get tomorrow morning from the looks of things)

So, now you can see why my weekend went by in a flash! We were definitely motivated to get it all done so it looks great when we have everyone over next weekend!

Hope your weekend was as relaxing or busy as you wanted it to be!

Linking up with these pretties today:

 

Friday 5 Favorites

Happy Friday! You made it through another week, so give yourself a pat on the back, or a stiff drink (or both)!
This was the first work week since Winter Break that we didn't have any delays or closings, which was actually nice since I got to catch up on work instead of constantly being behind. That doesn't mean I'm not ready for the weekend, because I am! But first, let's talk about some of my faves from the week!

Friday Favorites // Friday Favorites // Oh Hey Friday// 5 on Friday

{1}-The house projects continue...

Upstairs     and               downstairs (with painted walls)

MG and I spent part of the weekend and then most of the day on Monday painting trim in the upstairs hallway as well as the doors from the main hallway. We also went out and bought doorknobs and hinges for all the doors and are making our way through updating everything. We still have the walls to paint upstairs, and several more doors to do (who knew a house had SO MANY doors??) but it's already looking SO good, and so much better and fresher!

{2}-The Most Comfy Leggings Ever

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I recently bought a pair of fleece-lined leggings on a site called Sassy Steals. They arrived and let me tell you, they're the most comfortable pair of leggings ever and they are SO warm!  They also have a nice finish on the outside which you can totally wear as a dressier pair of leggings (is there such a thing? Yes!) I think the deal ended for them the other day, but in case they come back, go on over and get you a pair. They're only $6.99!!

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{3}-The Good Wife
MG and I have been in the market for a new show to watch together since several of our shows are either on hiatus, or we've already whipped through. Our friends had told us about the show The Good Wife, which I'd heard of, but never really sounded appealing to me even though I had no idea what it was about (it's a legal/political drama in case you didn't know, because I didn't). But, our friends said it was good, so on Wednesday night we watched the first episode. And then the second. And last night we watched the next 4. It's excellent! Highly recommend it if you haven't seen it!

{4}- Downton Abbey spoof

If you haven't seen it yet, apparently the cast of Downton Abbey did a spoof of themselves for a fundraiser called Text Santa. It is so funny and creative--if you're a Downton Abbey fan you'll love it. Here's part one, and a link for part two

{5} Anniversary Trip

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I already shared with you on Monday that MG and I booked our anniversary trip to Punta Cana for the end of March this weekend, and I'd be lying if I told you I didn't spend at least 5 minutes everyday scrolling through pictures of the resort,  day dreaming about being there now. And it's hard to believe that in 2 1/2 months, we'll have been married an entire year. Time really does fly when you're having fun! ;)
P.S. I promise not to talk about this non-stop until the end of March 

And here are a couple of funnies to get you rolling into the weekend....

{via} I wish this was my plan, instead of painting doors haha

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I hope that you're unstoppable this weekend, too, just like T-rex! :)
Catch ya on Monday, lovies!

Honeymoon Recap {Part 2}

I'm back, as promised, to finish my recap of our honeymoon that I was super late posting in the first place, so if you missed part 1, go put on some sunglasses, a swimsuit, grab a tropical drink and get caught up here.

The day after our tour around Antigua, we spent by the pool, relaxing some more, eating the delicious homemade pizza they had poolside, and drinking some tasty tropical beverages. In the afternoon, some of the staff came around in costumes with a band and paraded around the pool to the music. I think it was because of Easter weekend coming up (but I can't remember for sure)

During the day, we took a stroll along the length of the beach, past another resort, just to get a bit of exercise in, and see the views. And take a selfie of course :)

That night, before dinner we decided to grab some drinks and sit by the firepits on the beach, near the ocean and watch the sunset. There is nothing better than having your husband, a dirty martini, and an ocean sunset. There just isnt.

Afterwards, we had dinner at a restaurant on the beach. Eating dinner with your toes in the sand is definitely under-rated. :)

The next day was another lounge-y relaxing one for us. No cares in the world. Quality time, kindle reading, pool swimming. And another sunset viewed from our room. We had dinner and then met up with one of the couples from the other night since it was their last night at the resort before they headed back home.

The next day was Easter Sunday and our last full day on the resort. We soaked up every minute of the day with some walks on the beach and lots of time poolside.

We had on our easter colors for the day!

That night, we'd arranged to go up to Shirley Heights (shown on the Bachelorette during Ali's season) where you can watch the sunset above the entire island. 
Along the way, we stopped at an old fort, and got a great view from up top (along with a lot of wind!):

At Shirley Heights they serve food and drinks, and there's live music playing. It's such a cool experience. We went with a few other couples from our resort, and ended up making friends with two of the couples that evening (who'd both gotten married the same day we did, too)

small panoramic with just my iPhone camera

After the sunset, we stayed and had some food, drinks and danced a bit to the music before it was time to head back.
When we got back to the resort, the 6 of us hung out at the bar for a bit before turning in.

The next morning was our last at the resort, so we wallowed in how sad we were going to be to be leaving such a beautiful place to go back to reality.

My view from our balcony every morning

Hopefully one day we'll get to go back, but if we never do, we made some amazing memories there and got to spend some great quality time together during our first week as husband and wife, we met some great people, and I wouldn't change a thing about the entire trip!