10 Things I am Thankful For

I would like to think I'm thankful for things everyday and season, but for some reason Fall makes all of us a little more thankful (it might have something to do with Thanksgiving?)

Here are 10 Wonderful Things I am Thankful for Right Now:

1) Being able to support myself. I have a job, I make money and I can pay my own bills. I can save my money, spend it, feed myself and go places on my own. I know too many people who still depend on their parents for help- and I am very very thankful that for now, I am doing alright on my own.

2) Fall TV- I am oh so happy that TV is back, summer was great with PLL and Royal Pains but nothing is better than some new stuff!

3) Wine. I feel like that one is enough said.

4) My friends! Summer is over and now we are all finally back in town, hanging out as one big group. I love them a lot.

5) Health Insurance- this might be a ding ding alert to me becoming a grown-up but seriously this stuff is amazing and super expensive and I'm still ridiculously thankful I have it. #obamacare

6) Animals- Sadie and Phoenix are the best I could ask for- they snuggle, love me and I adore them. Plus they make really great feet warmers in the fall/winter.

7) The blogging world! I can't believe that I've stuck with this for so long and I'm so happy I did. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting a bunch of new people and finding my voice.

8) A family that doesn't care if I call them at 2 am while I am in Europe. I had a few meltdowns while in Paris. My family was there for every tear and thankfully every phone call I was able to have with them. Thank you!!

9) Red velvet cupcakes from Make My Cake. I seriously need to meet the woman who first started baking these because she may be one of my favorite people. Nom nom- if you ever come to NYC you have to stop here!

10) Technology- which makes it possible for me to write this post to you today. It sure has a come a long way and I can't wait to see where it goes next!

No photos today because I'm a lazy bum- you will just have to envision my thankfulness.

Linking up with The SITS Girls Back to Blogging Challenge!

Fall Photo- Halloween 2013

Halloween has always been a favorite holiday of mine- I mean what's better than going door to door and collecting candy?

Plus you get to dress up and be whatever you want to be.. I like to stick with simple, easy costumes. Especially ones that can be handmade. Last year I was a dinosaur and my little munchkins were a pirate and a race car drive.

For our pirate costume we bought an eye patch, a hat and a sword. I painted a white shirt with blue stripes and he wore black yoga pants. The little race care driver wore a hoodie and sweatpants from American Apparel with his name on the arm, checkered flags and felt glued to the hood and down the legs. Easy peasy. They were comfy, I was comfy and candy was collected.

 

One day I will find all my the awesome pictures of me dressed up as a child- like the year I decided to be a sandwich..

Not sure what are doing yet for Halloween this year but right now the ideas of a pumpkin, volcano and train conductor are on the line..

Linking up with the SITS Girls Back to Blogging Challenge!

Back To School Memory

In Florida, where I grew up, the school year starts relatively early compared to the rest of the country. Usually by mid-August school is up and running, Labor Day as a starting point means nothing. I don't have many vibrant back to school memories but going back to school certainly brought special things.

For elementary school it meant popcorn on Fridays, skating parties at the local rink, hours spent at the dance studio inhaling the smell of sweat, tights, and new ballet shoes (my sister danced for many many years, my mother volunteered a lot and I ran around like a hooligan learning every hiding spot- good times). In fifth grade I was beyond excited for the first day of school because my sister had finally handed down a shirt of hers that I had been coveting for years. Oh it was a great shirt- light blue on the bottom half and navy on the top with a stripe of footprints in alternating colors across the chest. I believe it was from something fantastic like PacSun.

Middle-School brought a whole new adventure, an influx of new students, changing classes- finally having a locker. The first day of 6th grade we had to go to the gym and sit with everyone and wait for our names to be individually called to get our schedules. #awfulsystem

High-school was whatever, our 9th grade building was at a separate campus so you already knew everyone and the deal. By the time you made it to the main campus you weren't the annoying young ninth graders so it didn't matter.

My best back to school memory/story is my senior year of high-school. School started mid-August, as usual, I think around the 12th or 13th of the month. We went to our first and second days, Thursday and Friday, and then over the weekend the state of Florida was hit by a massive hurricane, Charley. School was cancelled- for almost 2 weeks. My own home didn't have power for over 8 days- the streets were filled with trees, power lines down, puddles of water. Our neat backyard turned into a forest. Thankfully my best friend lived on the same powergrid as the fire station so we moved in with her, rented a ton of movies and just waited.

Then school started again, we had a few days of classes and then boom again, another hurricane, Frances. She wasn't as bad as Charley but again- no school for a week! Things clean up a little faster this time, not as many damages- but we are still working on assignments from the first day of school.

We go back, for about another week and it happens again! Hurricane #3, Ivan. Off from school for another week.

It was crazy, one of the worst seasons Florida has ever had. The students loved it- senior year was great. We missed basically the first month of school and then we all got out in early May because we were seniors. Definitely a year I will never forget!

Linking up with The SITS Girls for the Back to Blogging Challenge!

Happy Fall!

Happy Fall! Today is the first day and now I'm all about the pumpkins, sweaters, and adorable boots. Every year I say I'm going to be adventurous and get Fall crazy but I usually end up spending my weekends curled up on the couch under a few layers of cozy blankets catching up with the fall show premieres.. (did anyone watch The Red Band Society last week? It was really good!) This year I'm going to make a solid effort to actually do some of the following things...

My Fall Bucket List for 2014:

1) Try a PSL again- everyone oohs and ahhs over this drink but honestly in the past I haven't been that excited about it. This year I will give it another solid try. I might like it or just going back to my Salted Carmel Mocha and Chai..

..

2) Go Apple Picking! New York has so many fantastic orchards and many are super close to the city- they tend to have mazes, homemade cider and doughnuts as well as tons of delicious,crisp apples. Now to convince my friends..

3) Make a pumpkin pie from scratch. This is one way I tend to enjoy pumpkins- in a pie. In high-school/college I used to be super ambitious and would make one from a sugar pumpkin every year- no cans in my house. Have been a bit lazier though these past few years and want to do it again, it is fun and tasty!

 (anyone else notice that my list revolves around food right now)

4) Have a wine tasting party. I still have an entire case of wine from this past spring when I helped my sister out for an event (remember this?)- what better way to enjoy it but tasting it with my friends!

5) Watch Hocus Pocus- kind of a given since it is the greatest Halloween movie in the world!

6) Find two pairs of great Fall boots. I will succeed this year, I must!

I literally just bought these from Shoemint for $30. If you are a member they are having a sale until Wednesday- first pair of shoes for $30. Sha-bam.

And that is it for now.. I don't want to go crazy, and chances are I still won't complete most of the list, but it is always nice to have goals!!

Now that Fall has officially arrived, what kinds of things do YOU want to do?

Linking up and participating in the Back to Blogging Challenge from The SITS Girls! Check out the link-up here.