Blogmas Day 11 | FriYAY!

So I tried my hand at blogging for a week and it's A LOT harder than I realized! Being a full-time teacher and graduate school student is more taxing than I anticipated, but nevertheless I'm going to try and keep up with new content for the rest of Blogmas 2015! Here's my 5 for Friday linkup with Doodle Bugs Teaching for the 11th day of Blogmas!

I'm a huge mac&cheese lover, but my body does not appreciate all of the fat and cheesy goodness that goes into a bowl of that magical comfort food. This week I took a healthy spin on the classic with this awesome recipe and made creamy butternut squash mac&cheese! It was really yummy and I think it'll become a staple healthy alternative in my recipe box.

This week, I went to my first ever Paint Nite with one of my best friends from high school. Since we're both avid Star Wars fans, and in light of the new movie coming out, it only seemed fitting for us to choose a painting of the greatest Jedi master of all time. It actually came out a lot better than I thought!

To have a little fun with my favorite nuggets, I made a Winter Reading Packet for them to complete this week in order to earn their Christmas presents and class party reward today! Thanks to my favorite TPT ladies, I printed out some reading comprehension passages and put it together with a few "just print" fluency games to compile this activity set!

I also got started with an Instagram book club of sorts that is reading The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. It's the first book in his Chaos Walking series, and I'm absolutely IN LOVE with it so far! If you want, head over to Instagram and search #tmrdecemberbook15 to see what all the hype is about!

Last but certainly not least, the countdown is on! Less than a week until Christmas Break, and some much-needed relaxation time at my favorite beach. I can't wait!

Happy Friday!

Blogmas Day 9 | Pantone's 2016 Hues

Here in Peepsland, we consider the Pantone color announcement to be the official start of the new year. For 2016, Pantone has selected Serenity, a light blue, and Rose Quartz, a pale dusty pink hue as the colors of the year. Two colors? Seriously, Pantone?! However, after much hemming and hawing, I've decided that I really like Pantone's decision to choose two colors, especially these two. Maybe it was The New York Times' article on Pantone's "political color choices" that won me over, but this girl is all for social equality, whether that be in the form of equal rights for men and women, or starting on a smaller scale and choosing the two most stereotypical gender-specific colors to be the dominating color influencers of an entire calendar year.

To help you all get in the mood to take on these color choices, I've pulled together some of my favorite inspirations from fashion, home interior, and style websites around the web. Although I'm definitely pulling more towards Rose Quartz for my favorite of the two, I really like how seamlessly these two colors can be paired together to make a peaceful color combination. Let me know what y'all think!

xoxo,

Blogmas Day 8 | Under $30 Gifts!

Happy Blogmas Day 8! Budget shopping is definitely a strength of mine, and around the holidays this skill kicks into overdrive. Today I decided to share some of my favorite gift picks for under $30! Here are some suggestions for those *special someones* in your life who you still need to shop for:

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1) Lush Rosy Christmas Gift Box - Lush's line of rose-scented bath products is my all-time fave, perfect for that glamour girl (or guy) in your life!

2) Dot Monogram Flameless Candle - I remember being so upset in college when I couldn't have a small candle in the dorm. I'm a sucker for how beautiful candles look, so this would be great for anyone in an anti-candle/open flame situation!

3) Herschel Supply Co. Duffle Bag - Herschel's bags are of such good quality, and this duffel bag is the perfect weekender size. I may have to snatch one of these up for myself! It's perfect for any guy or girl on your list, especially because most of Herschel's prints are gender neutral.

4) Gimme Gimme Makeup Bag - I'm a firm believer in the idea that you can never have too many makeup bags. Plus since this baby is under $10, why not grab one for yourself! It's the perfect size to hold your on-the-go necessities in your everyday purse.

5) Creativity Fuel Mug - I have a small arsenal of coffee mugs, but this little one is so cute! On some days you need a little more than plain old coffee, so grab a mug of "creativity fuel" and get down with your bad self.

*SURPRISE BONUS*
6) Valentia Glow Eye Cream - Being a full-time teacher makes me exhausted and I cannot go to work with puffiness and under-eye circles! The Valentia Glow Eye Cream keeps those dark circles away and smells amazingly fresh, like valencia oranges! LOVE IT!

Happy shopping!

Blogmas Day 7 | Rose Gold Life

Guys. When Pantone announced their 2016 colors of the year, I nearly had a heart attack. Why? Because Rose Quartz is like the pastel cousin of Rose Gold which means I get to celebrate my favorite color even more! For Day 7 of Blogmas, I'm bringing to you all of my current makeup favorites that help me achieve that beautiful gilded rose look on my face.

Urban Decay Naked 3 and individual shadows in Sin and Half Baked keep my lids gilded for the gods on a daily basis. Half Baked is my main squeeze with just enough shimmer to make me look awake during the day.
NARS Rikugien Satin Lip Pencil is the perfect everyday "nude" color, plus it makes my lips feel so soft!
MAC Springsheen Blush has been a favorite of mine for years. It isn't too shimmery, and I like to think of it as a highlighter and blush combined. All you need is a little bit to get that rose gold hue!
Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow is included because of the beautiful sleek packaging with that little rose gold insignia. Plus brows are a MUST and I'm absolutely in love with how much control the dipbrow and brow brush gives me.
Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb is what I imagine "rose gold" would smell like. I've loved this perfume for years and I'm dying to get my hands on their limited edition holiday bottle.

Happy Blogmas! Have a great week!

Blogmas Day 6 | Peeps vs Fitness

Back in this post, I briefly discussed how I was testing out 5 different wearable fitness trackers from the amazing Lumoid folks to see which one would best fit my lifestyle. I had done my research beforehand and narrowed down my choices to these guys.

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After 2 weeks with the trackers here are my final thoughts...

1) Fitbit Charge HR - Very user-friendly, most accurately counted my steps (logged 100 counted steps as 102 steps). I loved the watch-like band and never felt that it was going to fall off at all. Water resistant, but not waterproof, this tracker is probably one you shouldn't shower with.

2) Jawbone UP3 - I love that this tracker basically looks like a bracelet. The only downsides are that there isn't any screen to tell you how many steps you've taken or what your heartrate is (here's to checking your phone even MORE than you already do) and current Jawbone technology only allows you to record your resting heartrate, when you're not doing any physical activity.

3-5) Moto 360 Gen 1, Striiv Fusion, Garmin Vivosmart - As soon as I opened the box from Lumoid, I instantly knew that I would not be choosing any of these 3 contenders. The Moto 360 is a lot larger than I anticipated, and it felt very cumbersome to wear. The Striiv Fusion and Garmin Vivosmart were thin enough to wear, but I was always worried that they would get snagged on something and ripped off of my wrist during the day due to their lack of secure closure.

Top 2: Jawbone UP3 and Fitbit Charge HR. I'm deciding to go with the UP3 because I'm a diva and like to wear my own watch instead of having one built-in to my tracker. I know that means more things on my wrist, but I'm a big #armcandy supporter. Here's to closing 2015 with health on my mind, and starting off 2016 on the path to a better me!

Blogmas Day 5 | Winter Wardrobe

After a much-needed baecation (see what I did there?) I'm BACK and better than ever to participate in this year's Blogmas extravaganza! For those who have never heard of Blog/Vlogmas, it's a time for bloggers (and vloggers) to post about their favorite holiday items, whether it be traditions, clothing, makeup routines, activities, etc. Today I wanted to share 5 of my favorite wintery treats from the new ASOS and Loft collections!
1) From ASOS, this dress is so sexy and ethereal, and would look perfect with a polished bun and a bold lip or loose flowy curls and gladiators for a more lowkey look.
2) Also from ASOS, this halter/racerback hybrid is such a cute color that would flow perfectly into 2016 considering Pantone's Color of the Year announcement! (squeal!!!)
3) Shoutout to my onesie-wearing adults! This unicorn onesie would be absolutely perfect for keeping me warm next year in New Mexico (hint hint).
4) Loft always has my back when it comes to cute sweaters, and this diamond pointelle pattern on a cream sweater is the perfect addition to my winter wardrobe.
5) Last but not least, this moto jacket from Loft's Lou & Grey collection is my idea of the ultimate cross between edgy and sophisticated.

things i love: one.two.three.four.five

Happy Friday!

16 Before 2016

It's that time of year when we all start to wind down and take stock of our 2015 goals - what we achieved, what we neglected, and the things we think we can still accomplish before the year is done. When I stumbled on Kara's 16 Before 2016 post over at BohoBerry, I couldn't resist it any longer. Here are my 16 goals I'd like to accomplish before the year is done! I'll be checking in periodically to update you all!

To help me get started, I asked myself some questions:

• What "house cleaning" do I need to do so my soul can be ready for a new year?
• Are there any projects still needing to be completed?
• What can I do now to kick off 2016 on the right note?
• Are there things I need to remove or place into my life to make it better?

And then this list quickly formed:

So, there are my 16 goals I need to at least START before the year is done. Wish me luck!

Top 10 Things I'm Thankful For

It really is no surprise to me that I have so much to be thankful for - it was truly difficult trying to come up with my "top 10" because this year has made me realize that I should really be more appreciative of everything in my life, good and bad. Thanks to Stephanie at Tales of Teaching in Heels for this great opportunity to reflect on the top 10 things I'm thankful for this year!

1. MY FAMILY is number one. This year, when my life started to go sideways, I relied so much on them to help me get a solid foundation back and I couldn't be more thankful for the love they give me every day. #familyfirstforever
2. CRAZY COWORKERS get me through each day! My co-teacher in Kindergarten is basically my twin and it is never a dull moment when we're teaching a lesson. No matter what kind of day we're having, as soon as I pop in to teach, the day improves significantly.
3. MUSIC has helped me through the worst days of the year, and I'm so thankful that I have fully functioning ears.
4. NEW BEGINNINGS has basically been the theme of the year. I thought in January that 2015 would begin and end with relatively the same people in my life, and I couldn't have been more incorrect. However, I'm thankful for the people that left my life because they made room for even more extraordinary people and beginnings.
5. LONG DISTANCE BEST FRIENDS are the best and worst things - this summer, I took a much needed soulcation to see my LDBFFs in LA for a week, and it just reminded us how much we love each other. Note to self: make another trip to see them soon!
6. SCB has been my rock throughout the rough patches this year. Although we had a rocky start way back when, I'm so glad that God and the Universe brought us back together. I'm so excited to see her tonight!!!
7. GOD and I have had a strained relationship for years, but this year, in light of all that happened, I made an effort to get back in touch with Him. I'm working on it, but I know that I wouldn't be here today if I hadn't turned to Him.
8. ADVENTURES were so abundant this year! I tallied it up and I essentially took a trip every other month in 2015. I'll write a post about that later, but I have been bitten HARDCORE by the wanderlust bug.
9. MY D7 DINOSAURS make my life so much crazier than I ever expected, but I love them to pieces. I'm thankful for them, but I'm also thankful for this much-needed break that we'll have from each other. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, kiddos.
10. Last but not least, QUALITY TIME WITH LOVED ONES made me realize how amazing my family and best friends really are. I spent a lot of time hanging out with my grandma this year and I can't imagine a world without her. I'm so beyond thankful for the many people I have in my life that I love and who love me just as much in return.

Hope this week is full of thanksgiving for everyone!

Favorite Fridays // Magic E Freebie

Countdown to #SCBinHI clocks in at a total of 3 DAYS! This weekend, I'm going to be stress cleaning and getting a whole bunch of grad school work done so I can just relax when Sienna is here! Here are my favorite things from this week (and a little freebie for you all at the end)!

1) If you hadn't heard, I'm an obsessive data collector. You should see my planner, journal, and classroom! Fitness trackers have been on my mind for a while now, and I'm finally taking steps to getting one. Head over to my last post to see how I got to test drive 5 fitness trackers of my choosing, and stay tuned for updates in the next few weeks! I'll also be posting periodic updates on my instagram (@perfectlypeeps). Check it out!

2) Since we're working on the Magic E this unit for Wonders, I made a Magic-E Wall for one of my reading intervention centers. So far, the kids absolutely love it, especially because they get to stand up at the whiteboard and play teacher. Too cute!

3) My personal mantra for the month - it has been EXHAUSTING lately in Peeps Land since our SPED Inclusion team is about 4 people, 2 of whom are newbies this year. This means that the other "veteran" SPED inclusion teacher and I have to not only run our own meetings, but also serve as administrator designees for the other two inclusion teachers and help them get situated and accustomed to all of the paperwork and legal matters. Good things come to those who hustle, and boy oh boy have I been hustling hard.

4) Picked up a few favorites this week - including a new candle from Bath & Body Works in their seasonal scent that I love oh so much. Balsam was a close contender, but Spiced Apply Toddy never disappoints. I'm also speed-reading through this book! It's so good, and although I don't have as much free time to read as I would like to, I always make time for a chapter or two before I go to bed.

5) FREEBIE! To help my babies out with their Magic-E words, I made another worksheet/whiteboard type of situation that they've been loving for their word work center. This week was Magic-E with i, so here's the link if you want to get a copy for yourself!

Happy Friday!

Peeps Test Drives Fitness Trackers

I am so convinced that we are slowly being taken over by robots. Everywhere I look, someone is talking into a bluetooth headset, checking their Apple Watch, or walking around with one of these guys on their arm - yes, I'm talking about the increasingly popular wearable fitness tracker. 

When the first wave of these trackers first came out, I was not impressed at all; they were bulky, NOT fashionable, and way too industrial for my taste. Thankfully, the manufacturers became a little wiser and started to make more wearer-friendly trackers for those of us who do not work at 24 Hour Fitness for a living.

I've been looking at getting a tracker for a while now, but really didn't know where to start. This is where the wonderful website Lumoid comes in handy. Lumoid will let you test drive 5 fitness trackers of your choosing for only $30. If you decide to buy one of the trackers, $25 of your "rental fee" goes towards your purchase! If not, you're charged the full $30, but at such a small fee to try out 5 trackers for 2 weeks, how could I say no?!

Above are the trackers I've selected to try (from left to right): Fitbit Charge HR, Jawbone UP3, Moto 360 1st Gen, Striiv Fusion, and Garmin Vivosmart. I can't wait to get this rental box in the mail and share my thoughts with you all!

Friday: The Final Countdown!

Yes, I'm actually singing the song aloud, right now, as my adorable first graders look on with extreme confusion. Do I care? Not really becaaaaause....

IT'S THE FIIIIIIIINAAAAAAAL COOOOUUUUNTDOOOOOWWWWNNNN

until #SCBinHI. 10 days, to be exact, until Sienna arrives, at midnight, nonetheless, which means I'm starting to devolve into a crazy person. Extreme apologies to everyone in my near vicinity. 

1) Since we moved into "Magic E" words this week, I started to practice the a__e sound and related words with my reading intervention kiddos. Feel free to download a copy of these worksheets here! 

2) I got to babysit my favorite brother duo this weekend while their human parents were on a trip. Kona is the smiley pup and Brew is a little more rascal, always trying to annoy his brother. They're the sweetest rottweiler/shepherd/collie mixes and I just love them to pieces!

3) DID YOU SEE THAT MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2 IS COMING OUT?!?!?! I have no other words. I'm so excited #bundtcake.

4) I recently posted about my favorite things to do and eat on Oahu - a quick list of some of the things I'm going to do with Sienna! For anyone who is planning to travel to Hawaii in the near or far future, check this list out! 

5) This has truly been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week. Honestly, my nickname should be Murphy because everything that could've gone wrong, did go wrong. I won't get too into it, but I'm very excited to spend my weekend curled up and hibernating away from the craziness outside. Excuse me while I indulge in some self-care...

Thankful for Friday...

Hawaii Travel: Oahu To-Do's

In 14 days *cue happy dance*, my girlfriend Sienna will be coming to Hawaii for the first time EVER to meet my family and spend Thanksgiving "playing tourist" with me. I wrote down a few things I'm going to take her around to do, so I thought I'd make a post for those of you who are planning or dreaming of visiting this magical place I call home!
This is a text-heavy post, but I promise it's worth it! Here are my FAVORITE places to eat and things to see or do on Oahu, my home island...

• LOCO MOCO PLATE FROM RAINBOW DRIVE INN: Although not the prettiest plate, this local favorite features two hamburger patties underneath overeasy eggs on top of rice, all smothered in amazingly 'ono (Hawaiian for "delicious") brown gravy. Bonus points if you mix the yolk and gravy in with your mac salad! 
• SHAVE ICE FROM ISLAND SNOW: Many visitors to Oahu make the mistake of traveling all the way to the North Shore for Matsumoto's shave ice. Even though their shave ice is very popular, my personal local favorite is from a little shop in Kailua. Local tip: try the lychee, lilikoi (passion fruit), and guava combination with ice cream and condensed milk! You won't be disappointed. 

• HAWAIIAN FOOD FROM HIGHWAY INN: Located downtown close to Ward, or in Waipahu, this local Hawaiian food joint is definitely the spot to go if you want authentic Hawaiian food made by locals for locals. Try the poke (raw fish cubes seasoned with salt and seaweed) bowl or the kalua pig combo plate!
• GARLIC SHRIMP FROM GIOVANNI'S SHRIMP TRUCK: Tie up your day soaking up the sun on the North Shore by heading back through Haleiwa town to Giovanni's Shrimp Truck (located in the little parking area across the street from the Haleiwa McDonald's) to get their AMAZING garlic shrimp plate. Local tip: ask for an extra plate to throw your shrimp tails, and get choke extra napkins (choke is local slang for "a lot" or "excessive")!

• GUAVA CHIFFON PANCAKES FROM CINNAMON'S RESTAURANT: If you're in Waikiki or Kailua, make sure to check out Cinnamon's Restaurant for breakfast! Get their "island's best" guava chiffon pancakes with a side of fresh, local grown papaya to start your day off maika'i (Hawaiian for "good"). 

• PALI LOOKOUT: A beautiful view of Kaneohe and Kailua awaits you at the top of this lookout! You can drive up the winding road off of the Pali Tunnel to reach the parking lot for the lookout. Park and walk down a paved area to see this gem!
• SUNRISE LANIKAI PILLBOX HIKE: I do this hike at least once every few months just to remind myself of the beautiful place I'm so fortunate to call home. It's a short 20 minute stroll up a mountain, but make sure to bring a flashlight if you're doing this to greet the sun! 

• TOUR OF 'IOLANI PALACE: Want to visit the last restored castle in the United States? This historically rich National Landmark was the home of Hawaii's last reigning monarchs, Queen Lili'uokalani and King David Kalakaua. Take a break from the Hawaiian heat and learn a little about the amazing culture and history of old Hawaii!

• SNORKEL AT HANAUMA BAY: Perfect for families, this snorkel spot will give you up-close encounters with some of the most amazing marine life in Hawaii! Make sure to grab a water-proof camera to snap some photos!

• SPEND THE DAY AT SUNSET BEACH: Make a day out of this adventure! Drive to the North Shore to check out Sunset beach and be sure to stay for the main event - the spectacular sunset! Best done during the week when locals are at work, because this spot fills up quickly on the weekends. You won't want to miss it!

Hope that provides a little sneak peek into the magic of my home. Best of luck to those of you who plan to travel to Oahu in the future, near or far, and stay tuned for the #SCBinHI journals around Thanksgiving to check out what shenanigans Sienna and I get into! 2 weeks to go!