Not everyone is a talented social dancer. By the age of twelve I had done extensive amounts of ballet, tap and jazz dancing, but I still don’t consider myself an excellent social dancer. Thankfully, people are pretty forgiving of those of us who don’t perform an elaborate dance number on our wedding day. My husband and I simply swayed to “The Way You Look Tonight” by Joey McIntyre as our opening dance, and our friends cheered us on….Continue Reading
Archives for November 2014
A Thank-You Note for You
Friends, it’s Thanksgiving! As you probably know, I’m cooking up a storm in my parents’ home in Northern California, and getting ready to feast with beloved family members today. But I wanted to stop in this morning and say what deep gratitude I have for each and every one of you. Thank you for reading SR, for supporting me, encouraging me, challenging me, and inviting me into your lives. I never thought that blogging would connect me with so many amazing individuals, but it really has….Continue Reading
Cooking All Day and Instalately!
Hi Everyone! I usually do a Get To Know Me Better post on Wednesdays, but today I’ll be sharing something a little different. For the next 30+ hours, my husband and I will be cooking up a storm as we get ready for our Thanksgiving feast!…Continue Reading
On Anti-Aging (and 5 tips that won’t break the bank!)
Around the time my mother turned 50, I started hearing from friends and acquaintances that she looked especially youthful and young. And it’s true; you probably would not be able to guess her age just by looking at her. It’s uncanny how little she’s aged.
But lately, I’ve been pondering this notion of anti-aging, common among women from both Eastern and Western cultures. It has nearly become a virtue for a woman (and perhaps man) to look younger than her/his real age. From sipping herbal concoctions to going under the knife, we’ve come to accept that everyone should try to look younger than they really are.…Continue Reading
Wedding Snapshots: Act Naturally
The strange thing about taking couple shots is that a “candid” is hardly ever a pure candid. If you’ve posed for engagement or wedding photographs, then you know what I mean– as much as we try to forget the cameras are there, we can’t….Continue Reading
Linguine with Almond-Kale Pesto, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Shaved Gruyere
I was craving pesto the other day. But if you’ve ever looked into making your own pesto, you also know that pine-nuts are just about the most expensive nuts on the market. So I had to find an alternative. Recently, I’ve been looking for ways to eat more fully-vegetarian meals, and kale is one of my favorite ingredients. So with kale, olive oil, almonds, and some spices, I made a vegan almond-kale pesto (recipe below).
A Letter To My Students
Have you ever wondered why teachers do what they do? My dear blog friend Hannah from Just Bee Blog is taking over today and sharing a letter she would write to her students! Please show Hannah some love, and then head over to her blog to read about why I want to be a teacher. Take it away, Hannah!
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Boys and girls,
Do you know why I teach?
I teach because I care about you.I’m sure you’ve heard your teachers say that before.But there’s more to it than that.
Get To Know Me Better: Vol 4
For those of you just catching up with this series, I’m sharing a few facts about myself every Wednesday and hoping you’ll share something as well! I’ve learned so much about you and am loving it!
Gratitude Pours Forth.
Gratitude has been a buzzword lately. Because Thanksgiving is just around the corner, I am seeing more and more “grateful hearts” and “gratitude lists” than before. And I love it. I love hearing about what people are grateful for– big and small. It brings a smile to my face that we can celebrate those things that bring us joy.
But why does gratitude matter? Beyond a cheerful blog post or hash-tagged Instagram photo, what is the point of being grateful and sharing about it?…Continue Reading
Little Girl Loves
When I was a little girl, I loved all things stereotypically girly. Lace, chiffon, beads, dresses, long hair, jewelry, tights, satin– all of it (though I preferred green over pink)! I was constantly begging my mother to allow me to get my ears pierced, and I even started ballet so that I could wear a tutu. Yup, that was me….Continue Reading
Wedding Snapshots: Not Just About the Bride
Towards the end of our wedding, I toasted our guests. I wanted them to know how truly special they were. I wanted to thank our dear friends and family for not only celebrating us, but for making us for who we were….Continue Reading
For The Kids Who Don’t Have Too Much
Happy Friday, everyone! Today I want to share something with you that is very special to me. If you’re looking to do something a little different this holiday season, then I hope you’ll join me in packing a shoe box for Operation Christmas Child. OCC receives and delivers over 100 million gifts to underprivileged children around the world every year. Want to learn more? Let me begin at the beginning….Continue Reading
4 Reasons to Travel More
Some of us love the idea of jetting off to a new destination. Others of us can’t think of anything more stressful. But however you feel about boarding an airplane, traveling occasionally is extremely important. And I would like to expand the definition of travel beyond passports, carry-ons, boarding passes, and hotel reservations….Continue Reading
Get to know me better: Vol 3
I am loving this series because I’m getting to know so many of YOU! So keep the fun facts coming– you all are such interesting and amazing people. And if you’d like to catch up on previous posts in this series, click here….Continue Reading
Classroom Ready
In Southern California, looking professional while fitting in can be more of a challenge than it seems. Women appear to fill their closets with laid-back attire that is also excruciatingly trendy. While I can appreciate a tasteful crop top or romper, these aren’t pieces I’ll be wearing into a charter school classroom next year. In addition to looking for relaxed yet polished clothing, I’ve also been figuring out how to build a professional capsule wardrobe for teaching….Continue Reading
