3,405.8 miles later

A tiny smattering of photos, a small fraction of what I took in Texas (including 2 rolls of Diana film that I will eventually develop....)In my car from St. Louis to San Antonio, driving it instead of flying for the first time ever. Lots of niece and nephew time. San Antonio, Fredricksburg, Port Isabel, South Padre....and then 3 straight days of driving from the tip of Texas to the tip of the little finger of Michigan. Thank goodness my spring break is two weeks and I had a second week to recover from the Texas festivities. I understand needing a vacation from one's vacation more clearly now. #firstworldproblems, but true. Road trips are generally fun on the way there, and tiring on the way back. No different with this one. Love, love my fam.

this is not cool.

I'm all for milder temperatures in the winter. But not so mild and wacky that everything blooms early and out of season. The magnolias, redbuds, dogwoods, and fruit blossoms always start blooming right at the end of March when I come back from spring break....just at the right time. It's been so unseasonanly warm that things are starting to bloom now....just as I'm leaving town for two weeks. I'm headed to San Antonio and South Padre Island to visit my sister's family. I'm excited for beachytime, road tripping, Mexican flea markets and food, and just a change of scenery. Perhaps I'll get my spring blooms there. I'm even taking a couple of rolls of film for my Diana camera - haven't used that in a couple of years.

Keep Calm.

The story of this ubiquitous phrase is really interesting. As British as it sounds, I didn't realize it was a particular propaganda poster from World War 2. And as clever as a few of the parodies of the phrase are (many are also ridiculous...I've seen 'Keep Calm and Love the Biebs'), it sort of makes them seem trivial based on the more somber tone of the original intent. found here

Today is a deceiving sunny day. It looks warm, but the wind is cutting. I've underdressed for 2 walks with the dog, which only makes me wish for spring that much more. It's essentially here; it's been an incredibly mild winter often in the 40s and 50s. Regardless, there's something about the mental shift of spring break to make me really think we've turned the corner. Exactly two weeks from today I'll be road tripping it to Texas with some of the fam to visit my sister and her family. San Antonio and South Padre for a few days - I can't wait for lots of beach, sun, souvenir shopping (I love it no matter how tacky) and good Mexican food. Too bad the two weeks are full of meetings, report cards, curriculum work, and oh yeah - teaching.

OH HECK YES.

How have I not seen this? God Bless the person who took two of my favoritest/most pop culturally relevant things and mashed them up. This is my reward for late night websurfing/facebook wall-stalking. Does anyone say websurfing anymore? Season finale tonight, and I've miraculously stayed away from spoilers. Downton Abbeyonce.

hey girl teacher

Hey Girls crack me up. And Ryan Gosling is smoking hot. But these Hey Girls for teachers (full of all the ridiculous jargon that we have to know) are the best

Enough snow to make the trees pretty like this.....

But the roads still look like this....totally driveable. I want my snow day!!

Exactly one month from today my spring break will begin. Can't come soon enough.

Happy Puppy Bowl!

For the first time in many years I am foregoing any Super Bowl parties. I like football but I couldn't care less about either team. I'm finding other things (like adorable puppies and Downton Abbey) to occupy my time.

stackin'

i like this wrist mucho. pinterest.

mid-winter musings

unreal sunset tonight. straight out of camera.

Where did January go? January and February are at the heart of winter, and we're halfway through. Not that you can call what we've had in Saint Louis a winter....highs in the 60s for the next two days. February used to be the dreariest of months for me, but here it always brings the promise of spring that is coming.

waiting for winter

(last winter)


Today has been a rare wintry day....cold and rainy. Just a few degrees above freezing. Which is annoying because a good amount of freezing rain and sleet can usually warrant us a snow day or at least a late start. But this winter has been my mildest in Saint Louis yet. I'd say on average it's been in the 40s, with quite a few days pushing into the 50s. This is quite fine by me. But I do want a snow day (or two). Barring a really poor February, it won't happen. By March, we're in spring here. Which is also fine by me. January has flown and I'm 6 weeks out from spring break. Brilliant.

This weekend I finally made it to the Monet exhibit at the Saint Louis Art Museum - just in time, as it leaves this weekend and is now sold out. There were several of his water lily paintings, but the highlight was seeing the Agapanthus Triptych, which brought together three of his paintings (each normally at a different museum) to create a 50 foot long piece. This is only done every few decades. It was truly breathtaking. I hadn't been to the StL Museum in years and forgot how nice it is - and free! (other than special exhibits). We went only to the Monet exhibit. I can't wait to go back to the rest of the museum soon.

Serve.

Everybody has the blues.
Everybody longs for meaning.
Everybody needs to love and be loved.
-Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

It's been so, so cold the past two days....from unseasonably warm to highs of about 20 degrees (0 with wind chill). I've become weak since leaving Michigan winters....I ponder now if I could make it through a full one without going crazy. Praise the Lord, it's warming up again tomorrow.

mason jars pt. 2

Love this. Maybe I'm obsessed with mason jars? One trend I can get and stay behind. Maybe I'm just dreaming of summer - the 50 degree january weather has me all confused. I'm dreaming of going beyond lemonade with orangeade, iced tea, arnold palmers...

here

mason jar meals

Came across this colorful way to make and store meals using mason jars. It would definitely make the fridge more aesthetical...and while it might cut down on day to day prep time, it would take awhile after shopping to organize and prep everything. I am always exhausted after grocery shopping - it's practically a rule that I eat something that the store prepared after I shop, because I know I won't feel like cooking. Still, it could have a few possibilities....

butterbeer

My delightful family agreed to humor me this Christmas vacation with a Harry Potter marathon (actually we're all quite big fans). I found a recipe forever ago for butterbeer cupcakes here....and finally put it to use. Mine didn't look quite as gourmet as these, hence their picture not mine, but they were pretty tasty. The frosting and ganache are what really made them come together....the cupcake part was fine but didn't blow me away. And used ingredients that I wouldn't normally have, like cream soda and buttermilk. The cupcakes would be just as good with a vanilla or yellow cake recipe. The final movie starts tonight...

123 testing

good grief. it's been awhile. I still find lots of amusement and inspiration in the different blogs I read, pinterest looking (not pinning), and other online stuff. I'm just less inclined to record it I guess...plus I don't take as many photos as I used to...which was one of the impetuses (impeti?) for starting this blog. I still want to keep this up though...it is a good place to record thoughts...it's just part laziness, busyness...whatever. but I'm going to try and post a few things I've been into/doing recently. It is fun to sort of archive my trains of thought, at least for my own benefit. if no one elses.

This was our Christmas eve miracle....after 10 northern Michigan Christmases, it looked like it was going to be a green one. But a few inches unexpectedly fell late on the 23rd and we woke up to white Christmasy trees after all.

need this. random pinterest find.

(the storage thing, not the rusty sink)

Terrific Tents

A fairly new blog, The View from the Tent Door, is amazing. I'm not sure how you sign up to submit, but people post photos of their tent views. Makes me want to go camping asap.