Flower nail tutorial by LC.

So I've been more than a bit MIA since I have started my new job as a full day Pre-K teacher. Attempting to teach 12 or so four year olds five days a week is what I imagine have multiple sets of children to be like. Now I know why Kate plus 8 was a little wacky. ;)

The one thing I try and do for myself when I am not out shopping for classroom supplies or scouring pinterest for lessons plans, is paint my nails. It's a small thing, but no matter how busy life gets, you have to take time for yourself.

It's also a bit sad that I only have the time to blog because I took a sick day.  I broke a tooth and had an emergency temp filling done last night, and I felt nauseas all night and today. I have to be on the couch all day but I am certainly enjoying that peace and calm despite feeling awful.

So for today I though I would share with you a cute video I was e-mailed through laurenconrad.com on a cute way to do a floral manni.

Happy Hump Day!

No more job hunting!

I haven't been blogging very much, or communicating with anyone since I started my new job. But the good news is, I finally found a job! Three months is a long and stressful time to be surviving off of one income. At first I was enjoying my lazy days when I could sleep in until whenever, but I was sick and tired of the job hunting.

I am officially a full day Pre-K teacher at a local church! This monday will be my first day teaching the kids without their past teacher with me. I have moved their room all around to create a more structured learning environment, and I am ready to bring all of my new learning ideas to the table!

So if I have been MIA lately, it's because I have had trainings to go to the past two weeks, and lessons to plan. I am so excited to embark on this new adventure! (Having two incomes is nice as well!)

I am super excited for Spring to role around so I can take the kids outside more, and be outside more myself!

The other downside to starting at a new center, is I have been struck with kid crud. I thought this wouldn't happen since I had already caught a bout of this when I started at my last center, but alas, I cannot breathe out of my nose, and I am sore all over my body with a painful sore throat. Hooray for germs! (Not)

p.s. Do me a favor, if you have children, please teach them to wash their hands for at least 10 seconds and teach them to wash after they touch anything discusting. Thank you! ;)

I can't wait to see the trees blooming like this again! Happy March everyone!

My Valentine

So, I'am a bit behind posting about my Valentines Day, but I traveled home this weekend for my best friend's engagement party, and as always, my schedule when I visit my hometown is always packed to the last minute. Alas, my Valentines Day blog is put off until today!

I hope everyone had a nice Valentines Day!

This year I decided it would be romantic to cook a dinner together at home. The older I get the less I am interested in going out and fighting the crowds, having to spend extra money to leave a tip for your meal, pay for every overpriced drink and meal. Don't get me wrong, we like to go out to eat sometimes, but it gets expensive to do it on a regular basis. I also knew that every restaurant would be packed on Valentines Day seeing as this year it fell in the middle of week. I am sure not cooking on a work night sounds wonderful to a lot of people, but we enjoy cooking together more than having just one of us cook for us both.

We bought lobster and wine, and made a vegetable recipe to go with it that we found on the back of our organic red potatoes bag. We mixed zucchini, squash and red potatoes with garlic and onion powder, and lemon juice.

Side note, expired lemon juice becomes extremely sour! Word to the wise, don't use it! ;)

The lobsters were frozen. No screaming.

I wanted this little stuffed owl guy so badly! He is the best!

Roses, Wine, Dripping candles, and a home cooked meal. Very Romantic!

We ended the night sitting by the fireplace and watching Glee! I totally recommend staying in! Have a Marvelous Monday everyone! 

Ballet Barre Workout

Today's workout features a Barre Workout I found via Facebook from Whole Living. 

You can follow that link to see all 7 moves by clicking the orange arrows, or scroll down on this post and see all 7 moves in one place!

Let me just say, I realized after the first move I have some stretching to do!

Let me know if you give them a try!

PHOTO: RAYMOND HOM

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Penche

Get the lithe legs, lean core, and toned tush -- plus the poise -- of a dancer with this DIY workout. 

This "barre burner" challenges your balance and strengthens your core, hips, and legs. Rest your fingertips on a chair or table, and don't pinch your back or lean too heavily on your "barre": You'll miss the benefits.

What It Does: Works the entire lower body; builds balance and stability.

How to Do It: With feet and thighs turned out ballerina-style, hinge forward to a flat back and lightly grasp the seat of a chair. Look at the floor to keep the neck long. Lift the right leg straight out behind you, hips open, until it reaches hip height. Then lift as high as you can and lower back to hip height. Repeat 10 to 20 times.

PHOTO: RAYMOND HOM

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Wide Plie

What It Does: Tones quads, inner thighs, and calves.

How to Do It: Stand with legs straight and feet wide apart, toes turned out. Do 10 to 20 deep plies, bending the knees deeply until they're directly over your toes. On the last plie, lift and lower heels together 10 to 20 times.

PHOTO: RAYMOND HOM

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Back Attitude

What It Does: Tones core, hips, and glutes.

How to Do It: With legs turned out, bend both knees slightly and shoot right leg out behind you several inches off the floor, keeping knees bent and torso forward. Lift the leg just high enough that the glutes engage, then return to start. Do 20 lifts; at the top of the last rep, hold and pulse up and down 20 times. Switch legs.

PHOTO: RAYMOND HOM

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Pretzel Extention

What It Does: Tones core, hips, and glutes.

How to Do It: Sit on floor with left knee bent (outer leg on the floor) and right knee bent behind it (inner thigh on the floor). Resting fingertips on either side of the left knee, lift the right leg -- either keeping it bent or extending it straight behind you (as shown). At the top of the last rep, hold and do 10 to 15 mini pulses up and down. Switch legs.

PHOTO: RAYMOND HOM

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<5 of 7>

Kneeling Gate

What It Does: Works upper back, core, hips, and outer thighs.

How to Do It: From a kneeling position, bring left palm to the floor directly under shoulder. Place right hand behind your ear and extend right leg so it's parallel with the floor. Keep toes pointed, knee facing forward (not up). Make 10 small circles in one direction, then 10 in the other. Repeat with the other leg.

PHOTO: RAYMOND HOM

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Plie in First Position

What It Does: Tones legs.

How to Do It: To start, rise onto balls of the feet, heels touching, hips turned out, knees slightly bent. Lower into a deeper plie, then return to start. Do 10 to 20 plies, holding the last one for 20 seconds.

PHOTO: RAYMOND HOM

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Heel Lift

What It Does: Tones hips, glutes of the lifted leg, and quads of the standing leg; strengthens core.

How to Do It: Facing the back of a chair, hinge at hips with a flat back. Extend arms straight out, resting palms on back of chair. Bend right leg and lift to hip height, pushing heel toward the ceiling. Keeping hips square, pump leg up and down 10 to 20 times. Repeat on other leg.

Superbowl Redhead

I hope all of the Superbowl fans enjoyed the show! I would personally like to know what it would take to make Superbowl Sunday move to Superbowl Saturday. It's a late game, where most Americans have a beverage or two and yet we have to wake up early and go to work the next day. I am pretty sure most football fans would be AOkay with moving it to a night that didn't require them waking up early and having to go to work the next morning. Just saying. 

I however, did enjoy leftover Superbowl food the next day for lunch! Yum, yum! 

I made Brownie Cake Pops, and my gloob (fiancé) made buffalo chicken deep.

 (As seen in blue bowl above)

Pay no attention to the non perfectly round shape, they were delicious! 

In other news...

My original red hair color had become noticeably washed out of my hair,

my roots were showing, and my bleach blonde Ombre was poking through 

the once colored red locks. So, I colored it again! I used the same shade

but a different brand and woala! 

What Superbowl food did you make this year, and what was your favorite commercial?? 

Feed the Birds

There are many things in life that will make you feel like an adult.

One of those things, is buying your first bird feeder.

You hit a certain point in your life when you start to settle down and do "grown up" things. Maybe you are thinking, boy she is boring! But for me, that's probably a complement.

For some reason my family seems to think I am wild and out there, I consider myself an individual and brave. But just to show how laid back and not "out there" I actually am, the proof in the more boring side of me.

P.s. My advice is to be yourself, no matter who doesn't like it, and if you think you are a good person, then don't worry about what other people think. That is all.

And for any 30 Day challenge followers, I am still working out. I was planning on writing a great post called Sunset running, but sadly my iphone deleted my gorgeous sunset pictures from running in the park the day we had Spring like weather here. Darn you Apple! I also lost all of my phone numbers! Gee, what a great update! Grr. ;)