Christmas in NYC Tips/What to do?

I'll be honest, I've never really had big dreams of experiencing Christmas in New York, yes it's crossed my mind that it would be a future dream goal, but did not see it happening in the near future..

Well a few months ago my mom randomly asked me if I wanted to join my aunt and two cousins in New York on December 17th. Well my first reaction was NO, I graduate from college on the 16th, this is a goal that I have struggled to achieve for many years and I want to enjoy the experience and celebrate all weekend with BD and my friends...  After some re-evaluating of this once in a life time opportunity, mom and I booked our flights and were headed to NYC this Saturday!!!! 

Due to my busy schedule I have not had a lot of time to do research like I normally do when I am going to a new place, I'm the queen of reading reviews, looking at pictures, and just over all doing research...

Soo I need some tips, ideas, suggestions, etc.

Where do we go? What's a must to do? 

I know all the "norm" such as:

Rockefeller Center

Times Square

Radio City

Macy's

Central Park

Fifth Avenue

We are also defiantly going to:

See the Broadway play Wicked

Shop at Canal Street

Visit the 9/11 Memorial

Shop at H&M (we don't have one in Houston yet...)

Go to Kleinfelds (I looked into getting an appointment just for the heck of it, they are booked until Jan. 13.. I don't think they would be too happy if I went in and tried on dresses and really didn't have intentions of buying anyways...ha)

So what else is a must to do in NYC during Christmas time? 

Any tips on how to do something or anything you've experienced while there?

Anything is appreciated!!!!

Life Planner.. Might be the winner!

Remember my post the other day, Do I want A myAgenda? Thank You to those that commented or emailed and gave your thoughts!

I might of found something even better, ok well not better but more beneficial for me personally...

I might seem a little crazy, but I'm pretty excited about this one..
The Life Planner by erincondren.com

If you go to the website and browse around or even watch the video you might either 1. think I'm crazy for caring that much or 2. want one your self :)

Let me share a few reasons why I'm smitten:


Nuff' said!


I love love quotes, especially in simple forms like this.. They just pop up, not necessarily looking at them via online etc...


I love the fun colors, makes it exciting to look ahead at the months to come!


Lined paper within.. Genius!


Workout log, maybe it can help be a motivation!


To do lists and Goals... Is my name written in there already?


Slot inside for extra papers.. I need this in my life!

Now as for my cover...


I'm a sucker for all things photo, but I don't know how I could choose only 6 and if I'm going to have it for a year+, I might get tired of them...


As mentioned above, I love quotes!


I love all things brown, especially with pretty colors mixed in!


How fabulous would it be for me to have these also?
But I'm not that crazy... One thing at a time ;)



Teacher Planner

Wedding Planner

So any suggestions on which one I should get?
Has anyone ever used this planner?

Happy Friday!!!

Do I want a myAgenda?

I might have a mild obsession with having a perfect organizer/planner..
This mild obsession leads to when I get a new planner for the year, I hunt for the perfect one, even if this means going to a few different stores to get "that perfect planner" and when I find this planner, it's like a high....

That being said, the past few years I have grown to like day runner planners, I like that they come in various color/themes and have simple pages with wide day spaces but not broke down by time slots (appointment style.)

I don't like that my planner has these additions:

"Long term to do lists" "another to do lists"
these lists move with me every week when I flip the week and re-clip the pasts weeks..


more to do lists.. One started last week, one started today.. stuck on the front of my planner

I have been eying the momAgenda for many years, well let's be real here, I am clearly not at that point.. SO then when the myAgenda came out, well hello this is perfect! I have just been putting off spending more on a planner.

What I love about the myAgenda:


For my life style the next 5-6 months I can use the 5 different sections to break down things to do for:
Daily/My personal life
Student Teaching
My college classes
Daily Exercise
?


Umm did the makers of this know the selling point for me, or what?
This is essential for me beginning in January!


This is important for me to know!


I love the weekly quotes, to bad there wasn't horoscopes also.. ha

I've also heard there is a gift idea section, simply perfect for me!! When I see something or hear about something and it rings a bell as a good gift for a family or friend, I write it down in the back of my planner to refer back to come Christmas time!



I think this is my FAV color to choose from.. Wish they still had the Purple or Silver this year!

SO ladies spill it, what's your favorite planner? Do you have a my/momAgenda? Would you suggest it?

TOMS Wedges

Happy Monday my lovely blog readers!!

I've been eyeing/wanting a pair of the TOM Wedges since I 'heard' they were even going to be making them (probably for a year and half now.)

I have stalked them out online, Nordstrom, and Sun & Ski Sports on various occasions but continued to fight the urge..

While on the Strand in Galveston this weekend with BD, I slipped a pair on just to kill the curious cat anddd I'm SOLD, well not yet because they did not have the color I would like to have but I think I am going to treat myself to a pair now! Just as I heard and as are my TOMS shoes, they are SUPER comfortable!!!
I do not dress up often nor do I ever really wear heels.. Even though Summer is half over I feel that I can be a little more dressed up feeling sometimes with the TOMS wedges :)

These are prob my FAV pair...



I really like these, very clean, simple look but I can't decide if they are too summery...



But I'm leaning towards buying these for more practical reasoning- I can wear them this Summer, into the Fall, in the classroom, etc etc..

So what do you think ladies, the Linen Pinstripe or the Black canvas?

Photobook America... Ya, Eh, or No?

Has anyone ever made a Photobook via Photobook America?

The quality looks great!
The prices look a little on the high side.... But I saw this Groupon which has brought me upon this wondering of the quality of the books published via the photobook maker...
Not that I need to purchase anymore Groupons, I still have 2 that I need to use... Buttt this is something I would use and in the works of needing to begin creating 3 photo books, so perfect timing! ha!

I normally use via MyPublisher to create my Photobooks, and have not been let down by the quality, creativeness, price, coupons, or turn-around time produced via MyPublisher

So I'm leaning towards just continuing to use MyPublisher, but I always enjoy reeving my bloggers feedback!

Happy 4th Of July!!!
Pictures to come tomorrow of my attempt to be crafty and Martha Stewartish this weekend....
Some might find my attempt as an epic fail, but I'm pretty pleased with what I did with the money and time I had to work with :)

4th of July Fun- Food, Favor, or Decor Ideas!!

I'm feeling crafty.....

We have some friends and family coming down to our second home this weekend aka the river house aka my little heaven to celebrate our wonderful freedom!

I want to challenge myself to do something crafty and fun this week as a little party favor for people coming or a yummy treat or even just a little festive decor!
It's not going to be a big party or anything special just a few close friends that I would like to show a little love for coming down.

Here's where you come into play! I need some ideas!!!

My mom and I tried to make this last year for the 4th of July

Let's just say it did not look like this one... After photo documenting the entire process (to blog about...) and my mom and I being so excited about making this cake, we ended up throwing it in the trash (literally) and just making a plain chocolate cake.

So I do not want to try and attempt anything to this affect again... I know I am not a baker and I am OK with that!!!

Here are some things I found that look fabulous and fairly easy:


Chocolate Covered Strawberries


Red White and Blue Ice Pops



The Red White and Blue popcorn looks fairly easy?



I would love to make these as party favors, this might be the kid coming out in me...



This sign makes my heart so happy!!! If only I would of started planning this out a little sooner...



Chocolate Pretzels... Are on my level of do-able!



If we had kids... We WOULD be doing this!!!



If I was going somewhere that I would dress up/cute.. I would love to be wearing this but since I stay in my swim suit 80% of the day, I won't be wearing this.


Soo have any of you ladies made anything fun for this weekend or made anything in the past you would like to share?

Feel free to comment and share :)

Hope everyone has a fun Fourth of July doing whatever brings you happiness and don't forget of those who help us have our freedom!!

Images used: Pinterest and Google Images

Do You Pintrest?

I caved....

Over the past few months I have heard the site mentioned and seen various fabulous boards posted on blogs and other social media but I kept telling myself that I did not need to join and fall into the trap of looking at another site daily (I used to look at my blogger daily.. That has been neglected the past few months,) but after finding myself checking out the site more often I decided to give in..

Thanks to MJ over at Teaching In Heels, I got my invite to follow and quickly got signed up!

In case you aren't familiar, here' s a quick overview of what it is:
Pintrest is a web-based place to bookmark all of your favorite images all in one place. You can create different folders for things you may be looking for or for things you want to remember.

Some boards I'm looking forward to creating:
Crafts
Teaching
Wedding Ideas
Fun Girl Time Ideas
Fashion
Beauty
Gift Ideas
and much more....

So are you "Pinning"?
I'm not sure how it all works yet but I know you have to be 'invited' so if you are interested in starting leave me a comment and I'll send you an invite (once I figure out how to...ha.)

Coupon Saving...Help!

I would like to do this: Save Money

By doing this: Easy Coupon Clipping

Without having to do this: Being A Crazy Coupon Lady (w/o being obsessed...)

Without having to do this: Spending Hours/Too Much Time Browsing Online

And Be Able To Do This: Walk Out Of Target The Store Proud Of My Purchases


To sum it up.. I want to know the in's and out's of the coupon world these days. As I mentioned above, I do not want to spend a lot of time, effort, or money just to get the coupons. I do not want to spend hours googling each item I want or use a lot of ink to print all the unnecessary coupons and I also do not want to sign up for a million websites in order to receive their coupons.

I have one website I like going to weekly, it's very organized and updated often. If I know I am going to a certain store, I will check her website to see if she has that stores coupon for the week. I might be a little ashamed to say this but... I have her site book marked and easily accessible, I have looked into the grocery coupon section and it just makes my head spin...
Mommy Saves Big Printable Coupons

So what is the trick my blog friends? How do I save $ without spending too much time etc doing so. What's your trick? What website do you use?

PS- Another thing I hear of people doing is buying a cheaper brand (one they normally don't use) just to use a coupon or they buy way too many of one item just to save.. I don't want to do that either :)

PSS- I might be a little obsessed with Target..

Blog Dashboard: Subcategory

I might be wishing this and there might really be a way to do it.. But I really wish that the google blog dashboard had a sub-category section!!!!!
I would like to be able to break up the blogs I follow into different categories, for instance: I would like to have a 'friends section with people I am close with/personally know' a 'wedding idea section' a 'fellow teachers and teaching inspirations section' etc. Although I enjoy reading all of the blogs I follow, I don't have time to get around to them all everyday but yet there are a select few I enjoy reading every time I get on but yet my dashboard is so full that I get half way thru it and ready to log off... I know you might be saying well delete the ones you don't read, but that's the whole point, I don't want to get rid of any of them but yet I don't have time to look at all the fabulous wedding blogs I follow everyday... Does that make sense?

So if any of you lovely ladies know of a way you can separate out the blogs you follow, please share!!

Blog Book

It seems as though I've had a new outlook on technology, both good and bad...

For the bad part- I feel as though technology can often fail us.. As though it wont' always save everything of might clear out what you do have just randomly one day...

For the good part- Technology is so accessible and advanced and can make tasks so much easier these days!

With that being said, lately I've had a slight fear of not being able to access my blogger one day or to be more exact that eventually my very first post from
March 9 2009 will no longer exist in cyber space...

So I'm wanting to begin creating a 'blog book'

How easy is it? I do not want something that I have to position every box, text, picture etc..

What is the best site?
Pro's and cons...
Blurb.com
Blog2print.com
Blogbooker.com

Or none of the above?

I think making a blog book will be so fun to look back on one day and see all the fun times I've had, the things I've shared, the trends I liked and blogged about etc, and one thing I really look forward to making is something to do with my title page designs..

Check out a few of my FAVS I've had over time Thanks to my sweet friend Danielle
I can't find me first design, but I know I have it saved somewhere :)