Archives for October 2011

a birthday dinner!

October 17, 2011

So my birthday was a month ago today, and I think it’s probably about time I posted the pics from my dinner out with friends, don’t you think? I’m really just stretching out my birthday as long as I can, obvi! For by birthday I sent a Paperless Post out to a couple of close Boston friends and we had a great night out at Toro (my faaaaaavorite restaurant in Boston). I love this restaurant for the food and the atmosphere. It never fails me and this night was no different. Here are the pics– finally!

All pictures were taken with my Nikon D3100, and then filtered through Instagram. I’m loving the new Amaro filter. Juuuust loving it.

Linking up with a {little} dash of ash…

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Steppin’ Out.

October 16, 2011

This Saturday I headed into Boston to enjoy the gorgeous weather and check out the Boston Book Fair in Copley Square. It was such a beautiful fall day. The air was cool and the sun was shining. Perfection.

Oh, and do you like my jacket? It’s an oldie, but a goodie. During the big move to the new apartment I rediscovered this red blazer that I literally forgot I had. It’s J.Crew circa 2006, but to me it feels like new. I wore it Friday and Saturday of this week and I might even take it another step and throw it on again today. It’s too cute not to. How could I have neglected this piece of gold for so long?!

In other news: Those glasses are fake! I found them at Anthro last summer and I’ve been wanting to wear them for fun, but kept chickening out until now. They’re totally awesome (and dorky), and I’ve always secretly wanted glasses. So there, voila, now I’ve got some. HA!

I loved just walking around Back Bay yesterday. It was packed with people, which I usually don’t like, but something about the book festival made it not so bad. Probably because the crowd was there for a purpose, which was the same reason I was there too. There were tents upon tents filled with books and book lovers, there was live music that put a little skip in my step, and there was this feeling of fall in the air that was so pleasant. At the book fair I made sure to stop at the Drawn and Quarterly booth, where my cousin in-law was working the crowd, and then made my way on over to the new Anthropologie, which always makes me swoon.

All in all a fantastic Saturday. I enjoyed every minute.

Linking up with Harper’s Happenings!

11 Comments · Filed Under: fall, fashion, steppin' out ·

Congrats B + K (and Olive too)!!!

October 14, 2011

It’s not a usual occurrence that you see the color blue on my blog. But today’s a special day…. because my best friend from high school is having a baby and the news is just in: It’s a BOY!

I am so excited to share this news! B is my first close friend to have a baby, so it’s exciting for all of us girls from back home. We’re going to be aunts!! Originally the doctor thought it may be a girl growing in there, but turns out it’s an adorable little boy and I can’t wait to meet him. Good thing I bought books and blankets only so far. Now I can start to keep my eye out for little man clothes. Which are SO CUTE, by the way.

Baby rugby shirts?

Baby overalls?

Baby TOMS?

Oh my goodness. I can’t take it.

CONGRATS again, Bails and Kev. So excited for you guys!

2 Comments · Filed Under: friends ·

on happiness: making time for me.

October 12, 2011

I’ve been really loving the afternoons lately. I love coming home from school and taking walks around town, watching the leaves change colors and grabbing a coffee for kicks. Last year I was so horrible about leaving school at a reasonable hour. I would stay until 5, sometimes 6, then come home exhausted and unmotivated to do anything but sit on the couch in front of the TV with my computer at my lap. I know it was my first year, and the first years of teaching can be tough, but I was going to burn out at the rate I was going. One of the reasons I think I stayed so late is that I am an over-achiever when it comes to the teaching world. I want everything to be “just so” and I sometimes would end up spending hours on the littlest details of a lesson, or the way something was placed around my room.

Maybe it’s because I’m missing summer and all that glorious time I had to myself, the “me time” that I grew so fond of over the passing summer days, that as this school year started, I’ve been wanting to hold on to that time, to savor it for as long as I can keep it. I realized I can still have this time during the school year, but I need to make it happen for myself. I need to leave school after the day is done (I am putting a 1 hour max on the time I spend working after school) and enjoy this beautiful life. My work allows me to have the afternoons to myself, and I’ve realized I’m lucky to have this time as a teacher. But I also know as a teacher, that I deserve this afternoon break. I need to unwind and relax to keep me focused and energized while I am in the classroom. It’ll be no good if I tire myself out at the beginning. I feel more comfortable after my first year, feel as if I can let go of my need to be perfect, and just enjoy what I do.

So, I’ve been getting up earlier in the morning to get stuff done at school, so I can use my afternoons for me. It’s working out great so far. I’m getting outside more and feeling more balanced between work and home. I’m cooking more–last night we made tacos and this Thursday I’m planning to break open my new ice cream maker. And soon, I plan on getting into a more solid groove with yoga. I’m just about finished with The Happiness Project and have found it to be very helpful and informative on how to work on aspects of your life to keep you happier on the whole.

Leaving school early is one of the ways I can keep my happiness high, so this is where I will start.

(image)

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