Tonight begins with a post...

...and is going to be followed by the longest to-do list ever. My friend Meredith mentioned that she had the blog blahs...well, I think I may fall into that category. Possibly not the blog blahs but the I-barely-have-enough-time-to-teach-therefore-I-suck-at-blogging blahs. (Speaking of Mer, how cute is my new blog title? Created by her!) Regardless, here is my greatest attempt at giving a two week recap along with some random thoughts and a "shout out" to HNH in NYC...personally requested by her.

Jonathan is married...that's where I left off. Since then I've found myself a little blonder (trying out new do's for the wedding), a little more in love with John Krasinski, and so much more determined to get my little booty back to Austin as soon as possible. Speaking of John, here are a few pics of the stud that I took when I was in Austin last weekend for the premier of his directorial debut, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men @ The Alamo Ritz.

While most of the questions asked by the audience were about the movie and serious in nature...Allie and I wanted to ask him if he would tousle his hair for us and how one goes about having his babies. (I wanted the hair, Allie wanted the babies...just to clarify.) Anywho, the movie was good, won a lot of Sundance accolades and appealed to the indy audience that Austin brings.

Another fun fact/tidbit...the LPGA Tour Championship is taking place in my very own backyard this week. It's neat to see such a huge event where I used to work in college, where my parents are both club champions and where I spend afternoons every once in a while driving around a golf cart pretending I'm a country club kind of girl. Some pics below of the view out of my backyard...

I realize this isn't much of an update but I've got quite a list of wonderful things coming up that will hopefully provide more blogable material:

• Trip to Austin this weekend (again) for some El Rancho, watching my girl's soccer tourney, Texas vs. Kansas game (it's senior day!), Austin Stone Partnership Lunch (yes, I am STILL a partner...don't take the Stone away from me, Houston.)
• Thanksgiving, hosted by yours truly.
• Family girl's trip to Fredericksburg the weekend after Thanksgiving.
• Trip BACK to Austin in December for our annual Thanksmas celebration.
• More WISH LISTS!

Before I jump off to paint my nails this beautiful shade of OPI Russian Navy and bake my kids funfetti cupcakes, I want to wish one of my absolute favorite people a big congratulations on her gorgeous family and their recent finalized adoption TODAY! Sjolseth family, I love you all very much and am so blessed to know you. If you want a 5th child, I am up for adoption.

XOXO for now.

Wedding recap and other thoughts!

Where do I even begin?! How about...MY BROTHER IS A MARRIED MAN! My one and only sibling, Jonathan (1 1/2 years older than me), just married the most amazing, kind, God loving, patient, gorgeous woman, Elizabeth. Their wedding day was nothing short of perfect and magical. We had family in from the furthest ends of the USA: Florida to California to Alaska. I am so blessed to have a sister as well as the entire Jones family join ours. It was a celebration of abounding love, sweet tears, perfect toasts, delicious food and lots of dancing! The mental image I have of my brother when he first saw Elizabeth walk down the aisle will be in my head forever. I could go on and on and gush over so many things, but I think I'll let some pictures tell the story. In no particular order...

This is sweet Elizabeth as she finishes getting ready! Her dress was gorgeous and she hand-beaded her own veil. I would kill for her hair.
Here's my brother watching E walk down the aisle. I hope you can see the slight redness in his cheeks!

My mother (center) with her two gorgeous sisters, Julie and Cathy. Two of the greatest aunts a girl could ever have and three great role models of Godly women.

Two sweet cousins, Samantha and Madelyn. They were a junior bridesmaid and flower girl, respectively. Brunettes just look dashing in brown.

My brother and I before the wedding as he gets ready! This was before the tears came.

My HOT mama and I before the wedding. She looked just stunning!

Hot mama's hot red shoes. Check out the pewter polish...she looked quite fabulous.

My parents - very happy to have married Jonathan off to such an amazing woman!

The love of my life...soon to be Mr. and Mrs!

Snapshot of the wedding party.

My family: Dan, myself, Elizabeth, Jonathan, Mom Laurie and Dad David.
Announcing Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Hudson!
Jonathan giving a toast - quite touching...the perfect words.
My cousin Owen, could be be any cuter or happier?
My fabulous cousins and greatest friends a girl could ask for: THE Brooke and Mel I speak of so often.

Sunday, November 8, 2009 was absolute perfection. Jonathan and Elizabeth - I love you both so much and cannot wait until the day you move back to Texas. You two are meant to be together for the rest of your lives. You will be so blessed beyond your imaginations.

And on to my other thoughts that are very minimal in comparison to the above...

As if my amazing fiance wasn't perfect enough...he had to surprise me with a wonderful gift that he knows could possibly lead to the demise of our relationship...a one and only night with John Krasinski. Yes, ladies...Jim Halpert. John will be at Alamo Drafthouse in Austin on Friday night previewing his directorial debut of "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men" and I have two sold out tickets! So on Friday night I'll be booking it out of Houston to meet my one and only, Jim/John Halpert/Krasinski. My lovely friend, Allie, will be joining me in the drool fest.

Let's see...what else...I have the sincere privilege of cooking my family Thanksgiving Dinner this year! My mom will be working on Thanksgiving Day and Dan's family will be out of town so I found myself at a severe lack of turkey and stuffing. I will NOT miss my favorite holiday. I am the one and only chef (and will get a bit of help from Sous Chef Dan) and will enjoy the stiff undertaking this is.

Other than the above...not too much else is going on! I'm looking forward to a dinner tomorrow night with sweet Jenn over at Love, Life and Laughter and Glee night with a friend on Wednesday. Friday will take me to Austin and Sunday I'll be spending some time with some precious little girls. The following weekend takes me back to Austin AGAIN for the football game as well as my girl's soccer tourney and some much longed for Austin Stone time.

So, adieu for now...hug your family, tell them you love them and treasure all of the special moments you have with them.

Two other things...

New blog to check out for frugal fashionistas and just every day fabulous people:

Tipsy Society

Second...in need of a new blog header...love my current one by Mer but also fun to update once in a while...any cute designers out there?

All of my pictures are from school...

...and that's okay, right?! I mean...my life currently is consumed by school so of course the only pictures my camera gets are at school. I'm just going to pretend we're all okay with this.

So first, I'll give a quick update on school before I get on to more exciting things...as if I have any?! We had a GREAT Halloween celebration and Fall Festival at school on Friday and the kids had a blast dressing up. Here are all of my costumed kiddos. I had quite a few princesses, some wolverines, a *super* adorable T-rex and even a Mexican cartoon character.

Although I mention quite often that my life is consumed by school...it is NEVER as a complaint. I love my job, I love serving these children and I love the school I work at. I am so blessed to be at Davila Elementary and to be a teacher in HISD.

My own personal Halloween did NOT involve costumes of any kind or passing out candy...unless you count the costumes I saw in the movie Where The Wild Things Are (yes, I finally saw it)! Sweet Dan took me on my perfect date...to Alamo Drafthouse (yes, they exist in Houston) to drink sangria and watch a flick. Then we caught the last of the Horns game...Hook Em! NC bound for sure. Prior to my movie date, I headed to the Premier Outlets in Cypress with my dynamic duo cousins, Brooke and Mel, where we did a bit of damage on some wonderful must haves. My bags included a cute top from Gap, nice pants from Ann Taylor, some trouser jeans from Loft, a wallet and some accessories! Not a bad trip for a girl who can get much use out of all items!

Here's a brief list of some things I am looking forward to...

• MY BROTHER IS GETTING MARRIED IN 6 DAYS! On November 8, I will FINALLY have the most fabulous sister ever and I cannot wait!
• A trip to Austin to see my much missed friends and watch my old soccer girls take on the tournament coached by the best coach ever, Allie!
• Horns game on November 21st...another trip to Austin.
• Thanksmas celebration with more of my much missed friends on December 5th...another trip to Austin.
• The end to my FIRST semester ever as a teacher!

One day soon, I promise to post about things that are NOT related to school. How about Wish List #2?

P.S. Update on Wish List #1...I am finally the proud owner of the Dijon corduroy jacket from Gap...and by owner, I mean at one point I owned THREE. (Ordered a size S online because I thought I couldn't find an XS anywhere...then found the XS in the Village...then Dan bought me the jacket as a surprise in an XS as well. Two were returned and I now own the perfect size.)

XOXO

Monday, October 26, 2009

Have discount? Will shop.

It was recently brought to my attention this weekend during a shopping trip to J. Crew that they are one of the wonderful retailers that give TEACHER DISCOUNTS! Yep...that's right...15% off for teachers just by showing your ID. (I think I made a few people smile right there...) And here's another secret...they give COLLEGE DISCOUNTS as well...show them your college ID, 15% off. (If you're like me, you've saved your ID even though you've been out of school for 3 years for times like these.)

Below are some beauties that would fit quite nicely into my closet:

Wool Flannel Schoolboy Blazer
Wool Ruffle-Front Coat

Silk Pleated Posy Top

Bailey Feather Patent Flats

Molly Flannel Platform Peep Toes (the color says Glazed Pecan but that looks Burnt Orange to me.)

And lastly...to any of you who are going a little online shopping at Gap...enter the code FRIEND at the checkout for the next four days (expires October 29) and receive 20% off!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Wish List, part 1.

What girl doesn't need a wishlist for this time of year? Below are some faves I've found thus far...and that's why my title is Wish List, part 1...cause I am sure there will be a part 2...and 3 and 4...

Sad or no that the most coveted gift I want is my VERY own heavy duty paper cutter? My wonderful cousin has a whole room in her house devoted to crafts and the makings of cute things...I want that too! Might as well get started with my own paper cutter! And don't lie, if you're a teacher, you know you need one too.
I'm a collector of Vera Bradley's Cupcakes Pink collection and have been wishing for their Weekender Tote for a long time! I think this could come in handy for a trip to NYC in January and a honeymoon (destination...no clue...I won't know until 3.13.10) in March!

And if you know me, you know I'm a sucker for Gap, especially their winter clothes. I am in need of this jacket...

And this one too...corduroy jacket in Dijon yellow. Sold out in my size online. I wonder how many stores I'll have to scour for this one.

Every non-horse riding girl needs a pair of riding boots, yes? I've got a pair with slight heels and pointed toes so now I am in *need* of a flat pair with rounded toe. One of the two pairs below from Piperlime might be options. Corso Como - Salvadore and Seychelle's - Broadway, respectively.

Alright...part one complete. Part two will begin within the week...I'm about to make a trip to the Galleria with Dan (for HIM, not me, for once!) but that doesn't mean I can't window shop...yes? Have a great Sunday. XOXO.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

I've become a weekly blogger.

I promise I am not a complacent blogger...I have every intention of coming home every night, reading blogs, posting new happenings, ideas, pics...but my exhaustion and to-do list always get the best of me. So, I've become a weekly blogger...and those bloggers are no fun. Here is my attempt to at least rejoin the blogging world with 2+ posts per week. I'll be back to blog tomorrow about my Christmas/birthday wish list...I keep seeing things I just *need* but forget to write them down...might as well share them on here!

Dan and I had a wonderful (and sick) date night last night...we headed to Benjy's in the Village for dinner (delish!) and had every intention of seeing Where the Wild Things Are afterwards but I just couldn't make it. I've been fighting some sort of congestion/drainage for the past two days and it's made me exhausted! Or the amazing blood orange margarita I had...who knows.
After a long awaited job and paycheck, these beauties below are finally in my possession. I told myself months and months ago that as soon as I get a teaching job and a paycheck, I would treat myself to a new pair of sunglasses...and alas, here they are.

This week in school, my kiddos started working in centers together...and they love it! Here are some cute pics of my "angels" working. (I use the term angels very loosely.)

Also, be sure that you read up on my friend, Jenn's, blog. She's a fabulous girl with great style and cute reads and she's having a giveaway! She and I have SO very much in common and I think she's just wonderful! (Jenn, this is my entry #3!)

Let's see, what's up for this week:

• Preparing for my brother's wedding - I'm doing their programs and I need to pick up my bridesmaid dress from the tailor!
• Davila Elementary Fall Festival on Friday @ my school. Ladies and gents, I am the facepainter.
• Double dinner date on Sunday night with two acquaintances from Austin (whom I hope will become fast friends)...husband goes to school with Dan, wife is a second grade teacher. Match made in couple heaven.

Have a fantastic week! I'll be back on blogger mode tomorrow with some fun goodies that are on my wish list.