music

soaking up summer.

August 8, 2012

HI FRIENDS!

It’s been a week since I’ve been here!

A week of watching the Olympics, and remembering my amazing weekend in New York (more on that to come later), enjoying all things Boston before the summer is over, and devouring books like I haven’t done in years.

Things are pretty good around here, and VERY busy.

I kind of got overwhelmed last night with all the pictures I’ve taken and want to share, and all the things I’ve been wanting to post about but haven’t had the time. It’s safe to say this summer has been crazier than ever, but I also think it’s been my best yet.

Here are a few things I’ve been up to lately…

I visited New York City.

I hadn’t been in a few months, and was down in CT visiting with my parents and the rest of my family, so I decided to take the train into the city one day to do a little walking around and to have dinner with Molly and Colleen. It was so nice to get together with them and when we do get together I always wish we lived in the same city so we could do this all the time. LOVE these girls. They are my favorite.

We went back for another weekend at the Farmhouse.

Usually I only go once a summer (sometimes not even), but this year was meant for a double dose. We didn’t hike a mountain this time, and it rained quite a bit, but it was relaxing all the same. There was still porch sitting and still plenty of time for reading, and there was delicious food and company the whole weekend through.

I saw Ingrid Michaelson!

This one was on my bucket list:

~~25. See Ingrid Michaelson in concert.~~

DONE and DONE. I went with my sister and we dressed up all concert chic and had an awesome time. I only bought the tickets a few days before, but was able to score two front row seats which causes me to believe that it was all just meant to be (silent cheer!). Anyways, the concert was wonderful, Ingrid rocks, and being that close through the whole thing was an experience I’ll never forget.

I went with friends to see Shakespeare in the Park (and drank fine wine and ate cupcakes, too).

This goes on in the Common in Boston every summer, but in my 7 (!) years of living here I had not yet been until last week. I met up with some friends from my book club and we sat on the lawn with juice box wine, pizza, and cupcakes. We chatted and had a great time spending the evening outside. And in truth, we didn’t watch the play at all. Well, maybe a tiny bit of it, but mostly we just sat back and hung out together. And I loved it.

(And even though, I didn’t focus on the Shakespeare I couldn’t help but think how amazing it is that this happens for FREE every night for 3 weeks in the summer. To give people the chance to come out and see a performance that they might not have the opportunity to see otherwise? Pretty cool. Now, if only they could get some ballet to happen. That’s something I could reeeeally get behind.)

I visited the Boston Athenaeum.

Just yesterday! And that one was on my summer bucket list, too.

~~19. Visit the following list of Boston museums:~~

~~Isabella Stewart Gardiner Museum~~

Orchard House (Little Women!)

~~Boston Athenaeum~~

Harvard Museum of Natural History

My friend Rachael (blogger, book-lover, and serious appreciator of Boston), has a membership there, so we decided to get together so she could show me around. We had a great morning strolling through Beacon Hill with our iced coffee, talking about this and that, and eventually making it up to the Athenaeum. It’s absolutely gorgeous inside, and something that I didn’t even know was there until recently. For those of you that don’t know the Athenaeum is a private library and museum (you can walk through the museum part for free) that is truly a hidden gem in Boston. There are beautiful rooms to sit and read, thousands of books at your fingertips, and lovely outdoor terraces where you can relax and catch a glimpse of Boston from above.

Thanks for a great morning, Rachael and Lux! Another win for Boston!

And so, that’s a little bit of what I’ve been up to these last couple of weeks. I still have pictures to share of my week in CT (and some from NYC) and my weekend home in Syracuse. I’ve just spent my last week enjoying this summer in Boston and from here I am heading to Nantucket for a few days before finally spending my last week of summer in the Cape! SIGH. It’s coming to an end, but boy has it been a ride. I have loved getting to spend time with family this summer, and have also felt incredibly lucky to be able to see so many friends as well. Soaking it up, people. Soaking it all up.

I hope you are soaking it up, too!

Until next time, friends! XO!

11 Comments · Filed Under: blogging, boston, food, friends, life, music ·

6 things you should know about on a Friday in June.

June 1, 2012

Happy Friday!!

There is one word and one word only running through my head right now:

Weeeeeeeeeeeekeeeeeeeeeeeend.

A few things have been introduced to me over the past few weeks and I thought I’d share them with you today. 6 things for the sixth month of the year. JUNE is here, can you believe it?

I CAN believe it and I WILL BELIEVE IT.

9 more days of school, people!

Boom. Boom. BOOM.

SO here you go…

6 things you should know about (if you don’t already):

1) This NPR Tiny Desk Concert:

The Tiny Desk Concerts put on by NPR are amazing. And this one by K’Naan is especially SO good. But seriously, so sooo good. My friend Rebecca showed me this when I was in Brooklyn. Listen to it all and listen to it many, many times. I can’t stop because I don’t want to stop. Ever. Go ahead, give a listen.

2) These Trader Joe’s cookies:

{Image source and cookie review}

I’d beg to differ that they are actually cookies because they’re really more like cookie dough in my opinion, but you get the idea. I’m more partial to the latter anyways.

You better be running to your closest Trader Joe’s because these cookies are IIIIIINsane. So chewy! So delicious! Every night after dinner I have two of these bad boys with a glass of milk. Heaven, I say. Heaven.

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3. The maxi dress:

Now I know it’s all the rage, but honestly, do you own one yet? When I’m wearing a maxi dress I feel as if I’m walking around in the coziest blanket of all time. Kind of like I’m in my pajamas, but better. Especially the cotton dresses. I think they’re flattering on all body types too, which is hard to come by with some trends. So really, if you do not have a maxi dress yet, go buy a maxi dress. This weekend!

(You can thank me later.)

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4) The Honest Toddler Blog

I just discovered this and it is HILARious. I’m not even a parent and I think this is too good. Honest Toddler has me laughing out loud and shaking my head yesyesyes. I LOVE when things are ridiculously funny and this blog is it. You can follow Honest Toddler on twitter too! Funny things all the live long day.

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5. The Opposite of Lonliness

You must read this piece, The Opposite of Loneliness, written by Marina Keegan, a Yale 2012 graduate who died tragically in a car crash last Saturday. It’s a horribly sad story about her death, but her writing is so insightful, and above all things makes me realize how unknown this life is and how important it is we keep our connections alive by keeping in touch with those that we love and care about. Make phone calls, go to reunions, visit friends. I feel lucky enough to still feel the opposite of lonliness and I only wish this young girl could have had the opportunity to grow older and experience it too. Life does go on after college, very much so, and I’m hopeful it will keep on the up and up. Life’s not fair sometimes and I get confused and disheartened when there aren’t any answers to these sorts of tragedies. But I do know this: I am humbled by Marina’s writing, saddened for what will never be, and incredibly thoughtful for what I can make of this one precious life.

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6. Caine’s Arcade

And to end on a more uplifting note, watch this video of Caine’s Arcade that I’ve seen around the blog and facebook world the past few weeks. Oh, it will make you smile and cry. The good kind of cry that makes your heart sing.

I remember a childhood filled with imagination and creation and I rejoice in the possibility of it still happening for children out there in this world today. Let’s foster it, okay? As teachers and mentors we have the ability to keep the imagination alive. And keep it alive we must.

Happy weekend, friends.

Happy June!

16 Comments · Filed Under: blogging, children, music, nostalia ·

jams for while I’m away…

April 12, 2012

Well, it’s vacation time again!

Luckyyyyyyy.

This time around I’ll be skittering off to far off places like New York City and Charlotte– warm weather HERE I COME. I’ve got my stripes all packed and my playlist made and ready. I can’t wait for this break and for the time I am going to spend with friends. This week as been longer than long and if it wasn’t for that 90s pop Pandora station I found on Sunday I honestly don’t know if I would have made it through to today.

But here I am, and PUMPED at that.

You guys remember the 90s, right?

Scrunchies and roller skating rinks, puffy paint and mix tapes.

I had trolls, played MASH, and wrote my notes in a Trapper Keeper.

And I could be found in the afternoons snacking on DunkAroos and watching the best Nickelodeon television there ever was.

You might have worn something like this:

Or this:

Or maybe even this:

Or, if you were my sister, you might have worn some something as outrageous as this:

HILAAAAARIOUS.

Every time I look at that last one I die.

Seriously.

CRACKS. ME. UP.

Now, I’m leaving you with something really special while I’m gone. Something to help the time pass, and that you’d be crazy not to love:

15 of my very favorite 90s jams to listen to allllll week long.

Luckyyyyyyyy.

90s Pop! from dearfriend on 8tracks.

Later sk8ters!

ENJOY!

16 Comments · Filed Under: life, music, nostalia ·

weekend!

March 30, 2012

Do you ever just get a feeling that it’s going to be a good weekend? You know that feeling, right?

I have that feeling today. Like nothing can get me down.

I think it’s partially because this week is finally over, partially because of the sunshine, and partially because of this song I discovered:

It’s a good weekend song. I’ve been snapping my fingers and doing my nanner dance to it all week.

Love love love.

“Cause If she wanna rock she rocks, if she wanna roll she rolls… oh na na na na na na na na naaaaaa.”

Yeah, that’s a good happy song. Give it a listen!

– – – – – – – – – – –

HOW precious is he??

I bought my tickets to Charlotte this week!

Little Luke will be just about 5 weeks when I meet him.

!!!!!!!!!!

My heart is still bursting with joy for my friend. And this little guy just MELTS my heart.

– – – – – – – – – – –

I am constantly in awe by all the amazing blogs out there in this world wide web. I keep finding new ones I love and people I connect with and I just can’t get enough. I recently found Nicole and The Neesby Lookbook and she’s hosting a girl party Monday to meet and greet with kindred spirits. Kindred spirits, you say? Sounds like my kind of party!

If you want to join to here’s a link to all the details!

– – – – – – – – – – –

And in some final news, I stayed late last night at school because our Spring Open House is coming real soon and my perfectionism is coming into full swing. This is just something that I’ve accepted about myself and in the teaching sense, I’ve actually decided it’s a good thing. These parent events can be really stressful, but also really exciting because you get to show off all the awesome stuff your class is doing. And it’s worth it, you know?

Anyways, I came up with this ridiculous poem for Open House and I thought I’d share it here. The kids will be coming in with their parents and walking them around the room/showing their best work on display so I came up with this little ditty for fun:

Welcome to our 1st grade classroom where there’s so much to show and tell!

Use these clues to show your families the things you’ve learned so well!

The first stop is the place we meet to greet our friends each day.

We say “good morning”, give high fives, and POP! is a game we play.

The next stop is the board that tells the month and day of the year.

You record the days in school here too– are we far from the end or near?

Next show the box that is filled with books of stories that are “just-right” for you.

Explain the steps of the Daily 5 and show them word work too!

And just in case you want to show how good you are at math

Walk on over to the morning message board and help fill out our graph.

And science too! A table filled with things we’ve learned and done.

Check out your plants, there’s magnets too, and books about clouds and the sun.

There’s so much more! Our walls are filled! So take a look around.

Show off your hard work at your desk, your families should be proud!