Christmas :: 2014

A little recap about the Christmas week, with not a lot of pictures. (:

It all started on Monday the 22nd. I ran errands in the morning, and then I spent the afternoon getting some cleaning and baking {brownies & chai snickerdoodles} done at home. I did some laundry, wrapped Christmas presents, and watched 16 & Pregnant on Hulu as well. While I was in the middle of painting my nails, my mom came over and we watched on FaceTime as my sister got married in Washington.

Christmas Eve included a nice lunch (kale apple salad + crème brûlée at the Bluefront Café) with my aunt, and then a few hours later, my whole family got together at my grandparents' house, as we do every year. My little cousin was so adorable passing out gifts and eating cookies. Each of us ladies got a box of that plastic wrap because my dad's girlfriend was so obsessed with it last year. It's from Costco, and even I can use it! (; My dad gave me that vintage Muffinaide that was in his car for months, apparently.

I don't have any pictures from Christmas, but I went to Mass and lunch with my mom in the morning before going to work in the afternoon. It was a pretty boring day at the motel, and then I met up with some friends for ginger lime martinis afterwards. I stayed out way too late.

It was a pretty typical weekend, and then on Monday the 29th, I met up with some friends from high school for a late lunch at the Red Room. The martini had to be pictured (though my arm looks invisible because my sweater matched the bar) because I was pressured into it by Kyle, Erin, and Heather, and the bartender who bought it for me. It was definitely not as good as the ginger lime one from the other night, because this one was way too strong! It was so wonderful to see them though.

xoxo.

that's not my name

a couple weeks ago, Meghan did a really cute post about nicknames, and I wanted to do one too!

I don't really have any nicknames that just anyone is allowed to call me, but certain people are allowed to call me certain things, so here goes.

Ursula - back in elementary school, one of the boys in our class decided that some of us girls did something to lose letters in our name. somehow I gained an "L" in there too. mine stuck (while the others didn't), and I still have a friend who calls me that today.

Urse - this one goes along with the one above, and Cassy actually usually calls me Urse instead of Ursula.

Terese - it's a very bad idea to call me this (or Treese, which is much worse). only Elise can get away with it and she usually pronounces it Tuh-REESE. haha.

Terese Louise - somehow the girls in my gym class sophomore year started calling me this.

Treesa - just like Theresa is a misspelling that makes me angry, Treesa is a mispronunciation that drives me crazy!

Miss Teresa - this doesn't really count as a nickname, but this is what the kids and church and the Y typically call me, and therefore the other women I teach with call me that. sometimes my manager at the motel calls me this.

Little Miss - I'm not 100% sure why, but Ruby calls me Little Miss every time she sees me!

Crimson Chin (later shortened to Chin) - once I started attending public school in 8th grade, I befriended these two girls named Erin and Heather, and they (along with a few others) liked to make fun of my "sideways butt chin." in high school, the two of them, along with our friend Kyle, started calling me the Crimson Chin, like the character from the Fairly Odd Parents (right?). it has since been shortened to Chin. I put up with it from them.

Erin and one of her drawings, September 2011 in Intro to Mac class

T - you have to really be close with me for me to let this one slide. I really like this one, but I just don't let anyone call me that. it has to be initiated by me signing something with just a T for me to be okay with it. although, Barrett starting calling me that randomly, and I think melanie picked up on it from him, but I don't really mind from the two of them.

xoxo.

51/52 2014

another average week with working and working, but I got to go to a concert on Friday night, and I had Monday off from both jobs. I ran errands that day and got a lot done at home too, including baking and wrapping Christmas presents. my sister got married out in Washington, and my mom and I got to FaceTime in to see it happen.

Wednesday 17 December // day three hundred fifty-one :: ready for the last classes of the session before Christmas! our books for the day were: If You Take a Mouse to the Movies, Mrs. Wishy-Washy's Christmas, Pete the Cat Saves Christmas, and Olivia Helps with Christmas. my socks are from Target (;

Thursday 18 December // day three hundred fifty-two :: I sometimes like to leave my shoes by the heater to warm up and dry off!

Friday 19 December // day three hundred fifty-three :: such a very special night getting to see a pat mAcdonald solo acoustic show! {and yes, Ruby is wearing a red and leopard print Santa hat!}

Saturday 20 December // day three hundred fifty-four :: all I really wanted for Christmas was this blanket, because I was too cheap to spend the $40 on it and I wasn't brave enough to go to Target on Thanksgiving evening after leaving family stuff to get it for $20. thanks to my sister and her boyfriend, it's now on my bed. (:

Sunday 21 December // day three hundred fifty-five :: a joke Christmas present from one of my friends. I don't even know how it came up, but I had been complaining to her about how my grandma used to always get books about Native Americans for me for my birthday and Christmas, and I so wasn't into it. Susan says that this book is good. {and you know I love showing off my socks}

Monday 22 December // day three hundred fifty-six :: Disney Princess soup for lunch because yes.

Tuesday 23 December // day three hundred fifty-seven :: I love children's books, and I love Oliver Jeffers' illustrations! and look, I went to a different (worse lit) part of my apartment so that it wasn't the same background as two other pictures this week. haha.

xoxo.

50/52 2014

I'm still learning how to use LightRoom over here... the pictures look kind of weird once they're in the post. I'm not too sure about it yet, and it's a definite learning process for me since I never really did a whole lot with the PhotoShop Elements that I have. I'm doing a video tutorial, but it's hard because the guy has all of these incredible photos that he is editing.

I spelled so many words wrong while typing this post...

Wednesday 10 December // day three hundred forty-four :: books for class - The Lonesome Polar Bear, Stella Queen of the Snow, There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow!, and Holly's Red Boots. they were all hits!

Thursday 11 December // day three hundred forty-five :: I burned this candle for the first time the night before (because I finally bought matches; I've had the candle for almost three years), and I thought that the wick looked like a winter tree!

Friday 12 December // day three hundred forty-six :: sparkle.

Saturday 13 December // day three hundred forty-seven :: cat-sitting.

Sunday 14 December // day three hundred forty-eight :: bathroom mirror reminders.

Monday 15 December // day three hundred forty-nine :: a wonderful reminder.

Tuesday 16 December // day three hundred fifty :: possible outfit for a show on Friday - velvet pencil skirt from Forever 21 + leopard front sweater from Target

xoxo.

survey says... I'm terrible at titles and answering questions.

I totally stole this from someone's tumblr so that I would have something else to post this week. (:

    1. If you could have chosen your own birth name, what would it be?

I don't know! it's hard because I already know what my name is and I think that it works, so... I was almost a Zoey though!

    2. Do you have a piece of jewelry you wear every single day?

yes, I have a little gold ring in the shape of a heart (it's kind of pretzel-looking) with a diamond in it. my parents gave it to me for my seventeenth birthday. they did this with my sister as well because my mom wanted my dad to be the first man to give us a diamond! it's a right hand ring that I wear on my ring finger and it frames a freckle absolutely perfectly.

I also pretty much wear the same earrings (some round faux diamonds from Lia Sophia) because I am too lazy to change them!

99% of the jewelry you will see me wear (which is rarely anything other than these pieces) is gold.

    3. Do you collect anything? If so, what? If not, what would you collect if you had the money/resources?

I used to collect stickers when I was younger and I had a whole notebook full of them! I don't really think I collect anything now. I take a lot of pictures though if that counts, and I do tend to save cute little notes and things that make me smile.

    4. What's your favorite video game console and your favorite game for that console?

my sister and I shared a GameBoy Color when we were younger, and my favorite games were Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (except ours wouldn't save, so I don't think either of us ever got through the whole thing) and we had a Backstreet Boys one that I liked.

    5. Yogurt or pudding?

to me, yogurt is more of a breakfast/snack item (love it with granola and an apple) and pudding is more of a dessert, so both?

    6. If you could get one tattoo without any pain for free, would you? What would you get and where on your body?

I already have two tattoos, so yes yes yes! I have a few more that I want to get, one of which is a peacock feather on my side.

    7. Do you still talk to the friends you had when you were a child?

nope

    8. If you could take over a country, what country would it be?

Genovia (;

    9. Do you prefer your Ramen as a pasta with less broth, or more like a soup with more broth?

it has been forever since (the one time) I had ramen! I would say soup though.

    10. Do you have an accent? If so, what kind?

 I don't think so... maybe ask someone who isn't from around here and they would say I have a northern/midwestern accent.

    11. How do you pronounce pecan?

puh-KON usually

    12. Did you have a blankie or stuffed animal you carried everywhere as a toddler?

not that I am aware of

    13. Sunrise or sunset?

both! though I never catch one when I try

    14. Are you good at card games?

I don't think so

    15. Favorite kind of Poptarts?

cinnamon brown sugar. no wait, red velvet.

    16. Rainy weather, snowy weather, or sunny weather?

that really depends on where I am, what I'm doing, and my mood! {I am not answering these questions very well...}

    17. Are/were you in any after school activities in school? If so, what one(s)?

I was in swimming when I was younger, but I would not do it competitively (I refused). I was also a part of Peer Ministry my junior year of high school, which was a really great group of people. they meant a lot to me than I realized at the time. during my senior year, I also helped manage the boys' swim team, but to this day I question my motive for that one.

    18. At what age did you develop your first crush? Share a story about it if you wish.

I liked this boy in my class when I was in elementary school. nothing to serious though because my friend liked the same one and I had to change my mind and like his friend instead? anyway... I guess the first time I really "fell" for a guy, I was in high school. nothing came out of it though.

    19. McDonalds or Burger King?

neither, but McDonald's if I really had to choose. I never liked Burger King, but I have many memories of MacDons when I was younger.

    20. White chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate?

milk or dark, as long as it's not Dove dark chocolate.

    21. Coffee or tea and what kind?

 really, neither. I like lattes and mochas, but not straight coffee. and every time I've had tea, I haven't liked it. but a chai tea latte? yes please!

    22. Favorite memory from a sleepover with your best friend?

at a sleepover for one of my friend's birthdays in 5th grade, we watched Mean Girls. it must have just been out on VHS. then we were talking about who we liked and I left the room because I didn't want to admit to liking one of the boys in our class?

    23. Favorite brand of chips? (i.e. Doritos, Lays, Tostidos)

I recently had Boulder Canyon Natural Foods Hickory Barbeque Kettle Chips, and they were really good. Popped! does a sweet potato chip at some point in the year that I really like too.

    24. What's your favorite place to eat out at?

 I don't really go out to eat a lot, but the last couple times I've grabbed lunch while shopping in Green Bay, it's been Noodles & Co. (even though I really wanted Panera)

    25. Favorite scented candle fragrance?

I'm currently burning Amaretto Nog from Whiteout Wicks, and I do like sweeter, bakery-type scents.

    26. When you go to the mall, where's the first place you always seem to go to?

this one is way harder than necessary... I'm going to say World Market when I go to Appleton, even though it's not "in" the mall.

    27. Do you enjoy mosh pits?

the only "most pits" I've been in were at high school dances, so I'm going to go with no.

    28. Favorite sound track from any video game or movie?

I can't say I have one.

    29. Do you prefer to drink out of plastic or glass cups?

glass

    30. Do you prefer minty gum or fruity gum? What's your favorite brand?

 minty, for sure. currently I have Orbit's Sweet Mint, but I like 5 gum as well.

xoxo.

NatureBox :: December 2014

I love when the mailman brings my mail to the door at least once a month because of this little orange box. (:

The descriptions in italics are from NatureBox, but I was not compensated in any way for this post. I just love sharing my snacks every month!

Black Sesame Seed Clusters :: at first when I tried one, it was okay, with a kind of sweet taste, but then I just didn't like them. these were a surprise snack from NatureBox because I didn't have enough items in my pantry.

"When you're in the post-lunch slump, not just any snack will do. It's Black Sesame Seed Clusters to the rescue! Flax seds and almonds are wrapped in black sesame seeds for a crunch that's totally nutty and oh-so-right. Its seedy deliciousness will have you feeling good and snacking better."

Orange Apple Fruit Chews :: I don't eat citrus fruit, and I haven't had orange juice since I was in high school. (Our French teacher would bring us orange juice and doughnuts for final exams.) My first impression of these is that they taste like orange juice. They're not bad, but they're not my favorite either.

"You have a hankering for dessert so you rummage through the cupboard and grab these Orange Apple Fruit Chews. Open up a pouch, take in the sweet orange aroma, and dig in to these fresh-tasting fruit chews. Be sure to browse our Snack Catalog for more fruity snacks!"

Pumpkin Spice Nom Noms :: I didn't get into the whole "pumpkin spice everything" trend, and no, I have never had a pumpkin spice latte. I wanted to try these since they are a seasonal item, and they do have a nice pie spice flavor.

"Our beloved soft-baked Nom Noms get a fall-tastic makeover with this seasonal flavor! Rolled oats, almonds, honey, and a touch of coconut are taken to new heights with the spiced sweetness of homemade pumpkin pie. You're sure to enjoy our classic Nom Noms in Dark Cocoa, Peanut Butter, and Blueberry."

Blueberry Greek Yogurt Pretzels :: When NatureBox introduced three flavors of Greek yogurt pretzels, I knew that I was going to try all of them. I didn't want to overdo it and try them all in the same box, so I did space them out, and since blueberry yogurt is a usual for me, these were the first ones I tried. (The other flavors they do are strawberry and plain.) These are great! I think that they have the perfect amount of a nicely flavored coating on them.

"Next time you hit the trails with your friends, be sure to bring along this berry delicious treat! With no artificial sweeteners, it has the slight tang from Greek yogurt and all the tasty sweetness of blueberries. Check out our other Greek yogurt pretzel flavors."

Dried Cherries :: (This was my try at an artistic photo of me pouring them onto a plate.) I know that I can buy dried cherries at so many stores, and I could even very easily find local dried cherries, but I put these in my pantry anyway. I almost bought some at the grocery store the night before these came! I don't really know what to say about them because they're just a typical dried cherry.

"When nothing but a sweet 'n tart fix will do, reach for these Dried Cherries! These little fruits are harvested once a year and then immediately dried to lock in its fruity flavor. With no added sugar, they make for a naturally sweet addition to any snack routine. Add them to your morning cereal or your favorite baked recipe."

xoxo.

49/52 2014

Please bear with me as I learn how to use Lightroom! (:

Christmas is crawling closer and I just can't wait for wrapping presents. I love all of the beautiful displays at the stores and looking around to see what is for sale. There are so many things that I have on a want-but-never-going-to-acquire list. (:

Wednesday 3 December // day three hundred thirty-seven :: I know I've sung praises for Number 2 Pencil's Perfect Single-Serving Chocolate Chip Cookies before, but if you just make one cookie instead of two with that recipe (I bake it for 13 minutes), it is even better.

Thursday 4 December // day three hundred thirty-eight :: Christmas presents waiting to be wrapped.

Friday 5 December // day three hundred thirty-nine :: grocery shopping prep.

Saturday 6 December // day three hundred forty :: clean tablecloth (:

Sunday 7 December // day three hundred forty-one :: I needed a new purse for travel, and while I'm kind of over all of Vera Bradley's bright patterns and colors, I did like the hipster style, and this one sort of matches my car. I wanted the purple leopard one, but it wasn't on sale like this one.

Monday 8 December // day three hundred forty-two :: a little piece of history.

Tuesday 9 December // day three hundred forty-three :: I am getting so excited to wrap Christmas presents! I just can't wait for them to be opened. I feel like I am terrible at picking out gifts, but I think that these people will like what I got them! (:

{the cheetah print wrapping paper and gift bags are both currently being sold at Target}

xoxo.

48/52 2014

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and now it's December. December!! There is less than a month left of this year... I can't comprehend that. So much has happened in the past eleven months. Crazy.

Anyway, here are some {wintery} scenes from this past week.

Wednesday 26 November // day three hundred thirty :: I guess I like taking pictures of squirrels...

Thursday 27 November // day three hundred thirty-one :: so obviously there's a story for this one. it was Thanksgiving morning, and I decided that I should prep the green bean casserole that I had to bring to my grandparents'. I was watching Red Band Society before going to work for a few hours. I realized that I didn't have a can opener, so I tried stabbing the cans with a knife, which clearly didn't work. so I washed the dishes, and as I was drying them and putting them away, thinking about how I would text my mom about borrowing a can opener, I remembered that I did have a blue KitchenAid can opener. I prepped the casserole and baked it later. the people who ate it seemed to like it. the end.

Friday 28 November // day three hundred thirty-two :: still reading.

Saturday 29 November // day three hundred thirty-three :: I hung up a couple more frames in the dining room. I took more of a close-up of the pictures, but then I decided that this was real, so let's just see it all. the middle picture was taken by my dad, but the other two are mine.

Sunday 30 November // day three hundred thirty-four :: I got a new pair of black heels. (: they're the Jayney from Rampage. I just liked that they were less expensive than some at Target, but the little silver logos on the back kind of bother me. (they're really small and no one is going to be looking at that anyway.)

Monday 1 December // day three hundred thirty-five :: it was ten degrees and I practically froze my face off taking this picture.

Tuesday 2 December // day three hundred thirty-six :: one of the things I hope to do this winter is more baking! I received this attachment for my mixer for Christmas two years ago, and it has yet to be taken out of the box!

xoxo.

The Month by iPhone :: November 2014

I should have posted this yesterday, but I forgot until a few hours later, as I was driving to Target. Mondays...

I didn't take too many pictures in November, but here's a peek at what I did take.

the second line parade on Dia de los Muertos... so, so hard. it doesn't even feel real yet. I can't believe that Chris is gone. I know he and Billy are having fun up there (:

it almost looks like an eye, but I just think that it's so pretty.

sometimes I just like to lay under the Christmas tree, okay?

I see this Beetle quite often, with its daisy rear light covers. obviously I had to park next to it since there was an empty spot.

 I love the little bit of peeling paint, the circular window, the tiny little details...

this is like a vintage coffee urn or something that we were loaned.

bookshelf love.

frozen moonroof.

from Thanksgiving - I guess I made a "reserved for Teresa" sign at Christmas many years ago! haha. I must have gotten some new gel pens that year.

xoxo.