Imagine that moving scene in Toy Story where they’re all running after the moving truck and Woody and Buzz are hanging onto the bumper for dear life… okay, so it’s not that dramatic. And there aren’t any talking toys, that I know of…
But, I have moved! And I hope to see you at the new site!
It was time for a change after all.
ClassworkAndWanderlust.blogspot.com
See you soon?
Much love!
We live in a society where new, shiny, and remote controlled is better.
This is a problem, because I feel like people today often view tradition as obsolete, boring, cheesy, or even cliche.
Christmas is a time of tradition. Nostalgia. Remembrance. Fellowship. Friendship. Seeing family members that you’re really glad you only see once or twice a year, eating too much sugar and washing it all down with hot chocolate. It’s a time for crafts, and cookies, and Christmas carols. Cheesy holiday movies. Baking. Making memories. Shopping the crowded stores, with a smile on your face because despite the rush… it’s Christmas.
Tomorrow, over the river and through the woods, to my grandmother’s house I go. Since I could talk, my sister and I have spent a December weekend making merry Christmas magic with my Grandma. We will do all of the cliche Christmas activities. We will bake cookies, and do a Christmas craft to give to my parents. We will watch solely cheesy Christmas movies. Most likely the same ones we watched last year, and the year before that, and the year before that. We will drink hot chocolate, with as many marshmallows as I can cram into the mug.
Today, with my Santa hat and Christmas Pandora station, I write this letter… I’m wishing you a cliche Christmas of good old fashioned holiday magic.
Don’t be afraid to go out in your Santa hat. Bake cookies. Wear a Christmas apron. Take pictures, document, blog, instagram, and facebook… later. Don’t spend the whole time obsessing over what hashtag you can use for what photo or where your double chin is least apparent. Watch cheesy Christmas movies, start a fire, play in the snow… or dirt (#TexasProbs, amiright?).
Randomly act out in ways of kindness, compassion and Christmas spirit. Santa isn’t the only one watching.
Merry Christmas. Now go out there and be cliche my darlings,
Well. It’s Thanksgiving. That means it is time for our thankfulness lists. Made tradition by some overworked, stressed out, and ready to sleep in elementary school teachers, this is now a staple of the American Thanksgiving.
Some of you overachievers have been telling me something you’re thankful for everyday this month on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. #Blessed, ya’ll.
So, I thought I’d show you how to make this nifty plate here. I ran to the dollar store, picked up a ceramic glass plate, bought a black sharpie, and began. Which means this is a three dollar project. The cheapskate in me is thrilled.
Write whatever you’re thankful for, I wrote all about baseball pants and indoor plumbing all the way to God himself. And everything between.
Don’t judge. Trust me, you will be running low on ideas, you’ll get to the point of writing down “toilet paper”… Embrace it.
So, write your lists, thank God for Dr. Pepper and the Hemsworth brothers… When you’re done, stick your plate in your unpreheated oven, and heat it to 425. Let them sit for 30-45 minutes, no exact science. Then turn your oven off and let your plate cool completely while it is in the oven.
Hand wash lightly, mine has held up pretty well… But results aren’t guaranteed, it might end up a one time use kinda thing.
But what an adorable one time it’ll be.
Millions of Blessings,
You may have figured it out, perceptive beings that you are… But if you haven’t, I’d like to just take a minute to be honest with you…
I admit it. I confess.
I am a…bookworm.
If there’s not a book in my hand, it’s probably stashed into my purse or backpack or my car glove box. Maybe there’s one in each of those spots. There are probably at least three books in my trunk, and I usually can find one stashed in every room of my house. They. Are. Everywhere.
(Random: I recently just took about fifty books to the used book store, which was only a sad farewell until I got more store credit. I am almost always looking for another read. I love me a good cheap book. Because, dang, books are anything but cheap. And… I’m typically a flat tire away from broke at any given time.)
I literally took a book to the Mockingjay movie premiere to read for the hour before the movie started. I’m that person.
For some people it’s salt and pepper shakers or creepy porcelain dolls or I Love Lucy memorabilia. Some people hoard cats or pin cushions or old National Geographic magazines. But for me, it’s books. Fantasy, Christian Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Comedy, Mystery.
Which is why I’m pathetically excited to tell you that… drumrolllllllllll… I’ll be adding a “Current Read” page to the blog. Which probably feels a bit anticlimactic to you… But. That’s life. Build a bridge and get over it.
If you have any snazzier titles than “Current Read” for this page, give me a shout out in the comments. I plan to have it up in the next week.
Anyone else currently listening to Christmas music… I am unashamedly best friends with my Classic Christmas pandora station right now. Pandora Christmas never treats me wrong. It’s probably one of few stations that me skipping a song is actually rare. (#PandoraProbs, am i right?).
I dare you. Go. Christmas Radio on Pandora. Right Now. Santa is watching, don’t disappoint!
Speaking of Christmas, check the new sig… Jealous?
Love always,
Well, again, it’s been awhile my friends.
Why is that? In a word… Life.
We are moving, I am trying to wrap up a semester (including all that entails, like finishing papers the morning they’re due, studying for exams the night before, and somehow reasoning that “one more episode” on netflix won’t hurt anything.), I am trying to help get a house ready for move in, I’ve been painting my room, and all the while trying to plan a cruise I’m not entirely sure will even happen.
Planning imaginary trips is one of my favorite pastimes. I can pick a date, an imaginary budget, and then go wild. It’s so much fun, researching hostels, looking up airline tickets, deciding what the must see things are in each place. The depressing part is when it’s over, and you did all that work for nothing. Thank God for pinterest, I can pin the pretty places and pretend that I will see everyone of them one day (Mission Marry a Millionare is still in the planning stages).
But we are coming to the end of another semester. How do I know this? Well, beyond looking at a calendar (or phone, let’s be honest), I realized that I was out of school supplies Meaning I’ve lost, given away, or used (okay, mostly lost) all of my pens and pencils. That usually means that there are about three weeks left of school. The worst three weeks. Exams. Finals. Papers. Oh my.
Finals Survival Guide to come.
In other news, my new room is painted and while there’s a dandy amount of touch up, I can’t wait to show ya’ll what design I picked.
DIY room projects (and maybe a Christmas gift or two? but don’t hold me to that) to come.
Is it naptime yet?
Cheers,
Gotta love a vague title, right?
What is closing exactly?
We are closing on (and by we I mean my parents) a house today!
You know what that means? A plethora of pinterest projects (alliteration always, ya’ll) are gonna be heading your way via blog posts. I will try to keep you updated on the projects we do around the house, but more importantly my room.
Frugal is the name of the game my darlings, so I’ve got a million and one (only a slight exaggeration) projects up my sleeve to make my room cute, stylish, and crafty… and not in the “that looks homemade” kind of way. While my room has a bit of a 60’s retro feel, I think the projects I have planned are easily adaptable to any decor style, and that’s what makes it fun.
I’m gonna try and have a store bought inspiration picture (if it exists), and the DIY version for comparison. It will be loads of fun. Accent walls, curtains, framed art, vanity. You name it, I will be pinterest guinea pigging out.
Any DIY projects you’ve had good luck with? Any you’re dying to see done? Comment below.
Sorry for the short post, just thought I’d check in with the good news…
Stay Classy,
PS. I’m at twenty followers, this amazes me to no end. Thanks for the love. Ya’ll are the best.
My life just feels like a bunch of questions right now. as much as I would love to instill some timeless wisdom that astounds and amazes… I’m not at that place right now. This blog will just be questions. That’s all. No wit. No wisdom. Why are you even reading this?
Ah, the first question! Shall I go on?
Should I keep blogging?
Do people even read this thing?
How do people get wildly successful from blogging?
Will I ever be wildly successful?
What are the chances I’ll marry a millionare?
What classes do I take next semester?
Do I go ahead and enter the program or put it off one more semester?
I am majoring in the right field, right?
Right?
What if I’m not? Oh, geez.
I mean. Teaching middle school? Am I nuts?
I guess so, because I keep thinking this is a good idea.
I am crazy. Aren’t I? Oh. Well.
I wish I could be crazy abroad. As in study abroad.
Why aren’t there more study abroad options for education majors?
Why is study abroad so expensive?
Why is traveling so expensive?
I’d love to go to Europe. The history, culture, food. (Food, people. Europe makes weight gain classy.)
Will I ever actually get to Europe?
Will my pitiful “Escape Fund” ever amount to anything?
I hope so.
I really hope so.
I just need one of those boyfriends with a family that goes on European jaunts all the time.
Do those exist?
Do boyfriends exist? I mean, in my realm of possibilities.
I feel a bit forever alone over here. I mean, who’s 21 and never even been on a date?
I hope I don’t die alone. That’s depressing.
Is my life a hallmark movie?
At least I can bank on ending up with the guy eventually if that’s the case…
I just hope my list isn’t a lifetime movie… Because then I alone and tragically and end up in a newspaper.
Back to reality… When will I graduate?
Do I have to graduate?
I don’t wanna grow up.
Why is being an adult so stressful?*
Love, Kisses, and Midterm Well Wishes,
*To be continued, in my head, all night long.
If you’ve been living under a rock without wifi for the past week, let me give you a quick run down. If you are nominated, you have 24 hours to video yourself dumping ice water over your head or you may donate $100 dollars towards ALS research.
The naysayers wonder what this accomplishes, and I was a bit skeptical myself. You name a celebrity and they’ve probably done the challenge, every one from RDJ to Taylor Swift to Ashton Kutcher, has completed the challenge and issued it again. But what help is this? I’ve seen it called a “waste” of water.
But I decided to educate myself…
Say what you will, my darlings, about the Ice Bucket Challenge that has virally been issued across the internet but it has accomplished its goal.
It has raised funding and awareness for those stricken by the terrible disease known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s. It has raised awareness. It has brought a little known disease, with no known cause or cure, into the spotlight for awhile.
In the process of watching these hilarious (did you see that girl who the whole bucket fell on?!) videos of countless people experiencing the shock of ice water, I’ve learned about ALS. I’ve read blogs, heard radio reports, and felt my heart go out to the people of this world who struggle daily with ALS. The more you read the more that ALS sounds like being locked up in jail, confined to your own body. I highly suggest catching up with this blog if you want some more information.
Sure, one person dumping a bucket of water on their head doesn’t make much of a difference. But a nation of people dumping buckets of ice water on their heads is a revolution of it’s own, is it not? It is it’s own little wake up call. Should you receive the challenge, and be so inclined, I hope you’ll both don your swim suit and open your wallet for those suffering from ALS.
I won’t pretend to know what these brave men and women are feeling. I won’t spout heart wrenching facts in your ear in hopes that we can understand. I won’t be donating my most recent thousand dollars (I don’t even have a thousand dollars).
But I will be excited for the publicity, love, and support the ALS community has seen in countless buckets of icy water in thousands of yards and bathtubs across America. I will smile thinking of the people informing themselves. I will be dumping ice water over my head and making a donation. I will pray for a cure.
Should you feel led to donate, I toast an icy bucket of water your way. Please visit to officially make a contribution ALSA.org/donate Be on the look out for spam sites, as there are always a few who will take advantage of one’s generosity.
Love always,
Back to that lovely summer bucketlist, yes?
If you’ll remember tie dye was a definite summer must, and we (me and the lovely best friend I dragged into this colorful mess) found a way to use acrylic to tie dye our shirts.
Acrylic has several pros, most obvious of these would be the fact that there are hundreds more colors to choose from, as opposed to the five “tie dye” color packets that Walmart had.
What you’ll need:
-Squirt bottles (in the kitchen supplies, one per color)
-One bottle of acrylic per color you’d like (we got the cheapest little 50 cent bottles, worked like a charm)
-One bottle of fabric medium (found in with the acrylic paint at a craft store) per two colors.
-Whatever you’re dying.
-Clothes that can get colorful permanently (I used old sweats and a black tee, glamorous I know)
Step one: Mix one 2 ounce bottle of acrylic, with half of a 2 ounce bottle of medium, and three (we went a little over three) of the acrylic paint bottles full of water. Carefully mix together, shaken not stirred.
Repeat until all of your colors are done. It won’t be a thick mixture, and it may splatter. Be wary.
Step two: pick a pattern you want to dye. I did a rainbow swirl. There are countless youtube tutorials for you here, so I won’t waste my breath.
Step three: rubber band your Tshirt (or whatever) and begin. We got our shirts from the men’s underwear section, five for ten-ish dollars. Apply your dye liberally and don’t be afraid of mistakes, because there are none. Be conscious of colors that will turn muddy and gross when bleeding into eachother (ie, purple and orange).
(We dyed in an old aluminum paint tin, to keep the dye from colorizing the garage floor… But if your concrete needs a little life, more power to ya.)
Step four: let sit for an hour before revealing your masterpiece. We then allowed ours to hang dry, and then stuck them through the dryer to heat set the shirt.
Definitely a must do for the summer, and including the shirts we spent about $25 dollars and got seven shirts done with the dye. We could’ve gotten another one.
This is a great way to do something different with friends.
If you do this, please share!
Love always,
I think that finding books that can further your walk with the Lord is an important way to add to a book worm’s faith. Sometimes Christian authors can write just the sermon you need to hear, without you even realizing you’ve heard it.
It’s hard to find a good Christian author. You know the ones who so seamlessly weave God into the story that you don’t really even notice. They are not “preachy” or obnoxious. Their characters are not “holier than thou” or ridiculous. And I’ve been on the search. I thought I’d share a few favorite Christian authors with you. Ones who don’t typically have shoving Jesus down your throat as a main plot line.
If you like feel good love stories (you secret Hallmark movie fan, you…)…
Fools Rush In by Janice Thompson
This is a part of the Weddings by Bella series, that I’m determined to finish. I loved this book and the goofy smiles it plastered on my face.
“Bella Rossi may be nearing thirty, but her life is just starting to get interesting. When her Italian turned Texan parents hand over the family wedding planning business, Bella is determined not to let them down. She quickly books a “Boot Scoot’n” wedding that would make any Texan proud.
When a misunderstanding leads her to the DJ (and man) of her dreams, things start falling into place. But with a family like hers, nothing is guaranteed. Can the perfect Texan wedding survive a pizza-making uncle with mob ties, an aunt who is a lawsuit waiting to happen, and a massive delivery of 80 cowboy boots? And will Bella ever get to plan her own wedding?”
If you’re as obsessed as me with a good YA series…
The Summer of Cotton Candy by Debbie Viguie (A Sweet Seasons Novel)
This was one of the first young adult Christian series I fell in love it, I’ve bought and rebought these books. They’re a cheesy, adorable, candy coated YA mess that I adore.
“Most people think The Zone is an amusement park, but Candy Thompson knows it s really a slave labor camp. What else would you call a summer job that requires a sixteen-year-old girl to set aside her whole social life for the privilege of standing out in the hot sun selling cotton candy? Still, there are perks—particularly the mysterious hunk in the Lone Ranger costume. Behind that mask are the most amazing eyes Candy has ever seen. Who is that masked man? But someone else is just as interested. And romantic competition isn t the only problem. Besides being hard work, The Zone is eating up major time. How is Candy supposed to stay involved in church? Worse yet, will she lose her best friend, Tamara, who resents how Candy s job limits their time together? This is NOT the summer Candy hoped for! But as she is about to discover, the summer of cotton candy will be the greatest summer of her life.”
If you like romance, comedy, and a good murder…
I present to you, the very first Christian author I was obsessed with… (Like, read the blog, order the books online, win a signed ARC of her new book obsessed.)
A Charmed Life Series by Jenny B. Jones
She’s hilarious, she’s spunky, and she has great taste in shoes. I couldn’t put this book down. It’s great, and the books that follow only get better. (And it now comes in this snazzy three-in-one set!) The first one is a bit preachy, but I could look past that because… it’s so dang good. I swear.
“New York’s social darling just woke up in a nightmare: Oklahoma. Problem is, it’s right where God wants her.
Bella Kirkwood had it all: A-list friends at her prestigious private school, Broadway in her backyard, and Daddy’s MasterCard in her wallet. Then her father, a plastic surgeon to the stars, decided to trade her mother in for a newer model.
When Bella’s mom falls in love with a man she met on the Internet–a factory worker with two bratty sons–Bella has to pack up and move in with her new family in Truman, Oklahoma. On a farm no less!”
If you like fantasy, time travel, and handsome knights in shining armor…
The River of Time Series by Lisa Bergen
This series follows the life of two sisters who mysteriously find a portal in their mother’s archaeological dig site that transports them to medieval Italy. Now they have to find each other and their way home, luckily one of them has found just the knight in (really hot) shining armor to aid their quest.
Not only did I completely fall in love with this series, but I now have this near obsessive need to visit Italy…
If you like a modern day, murder mystery, CSI-ish story, with a dash of romance…
Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson
I fell so in love with this author, that I went and bought seven books of another series she wrote. Yeah. It was a good time for my book worm heart and a bad time for my college student wallet.
“Ann Silver is a cop’s cop. As the Midwest Homicide Investigator, she is called in to help local law enforcement on the worst of cases, looking for answers to murder. Hers is one of the region’s most trusted investigative positions.
Paul Falcon is the FBI’s top murder cop in the Midwest. If the victim carried a federal badge or had a security clearance, odds are good Paul and his team see the case file or work the murder.
Their lives intersect when Ann arrives to pass a case off her desk and onto his. A car wreck and a suspicious death offer a lead on a hired shooter he is tracking. Paul isn’t expecting to meet someone, the kind that goes on the personal side of the ledger, but Ann Silver has his attention.”
If you like historical fiction, with a touch of romance and sprinkle of mystery…
… look no further than Cathy Marie Hake… Seriously. This woman knows what she’s doing.
I’ve got no less than eight of her books on my shelf.
Fancy Pants by Cathy Marie Hake
There is no beating this series if you like a good historical fiction novel. It’s got some comedy, some romance, some mystery, and some great witty dialogue. You just don’t want it to end.
“When British Lady Sydney Hathwell’s father dies, the American who planned to wed her suddenly reneges. Stranded in America and penniless, Sydney contacts a relative in Texas who, mistaking her male-sounding name, invites his “nephew” to join him on his ranch.
“Big Tim” Creighton, however, is appalled when this mincing fop arrives at Forsaken. He determines he’ll turn Fancy Pants Hathwell into a man before the boss returns home. From the get-go, he has “the kid” mucking stalls, clearing and plowing a field, and assisting with a difficult calving. But when Sydney’s true identity is uncovered, Tim resents being deceived. Yet in time, he also finds that he doesn’t like all the attention Sydney garners now that she’s wearing pretty gowns…”
I’ve got plans for another Your Next Read: Christian Edition…
What are some of your favorite Christian authors? Have you read any of the ones I mentioned?
Love always.
Revelations of Miss Obvious 