if you ask me what I like.

On Monday, I am a bear. Like every other person, I grumble as I crawl out of bed and try to make myself presentable. As a way of combating the Monday ickiness I feel, I make it my mission to be extra productive. I often plan my entire next week of school on Mondays. At the end of the day, I leave feeling thoroughly exhausted but satisfied that I did something to make this day worthwhile. 

During the week, I'm immersed in work. Complacent because I know there are several days left in which I have to share my time with work. While I love my job, I also love having time to do things like sleep, drink more than a cup of coffee, and spend my time how I choose.

By the time Friday rolls around, I'm actually giddy. Giddy with anticipation of 2 whole days that I get to fill with anything I damn well please! Two full days in which I get to sleep in, drink litres of coffee (yea health!), watch bad tv early in the morning, and eat candy for breakfast. Long live Hot Tamales.

So, in celebration of weekend awesomeness here are some cool things that I like at random. 

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Ok. So. This shirt is amazing. I mean, let me count the reasons! Mint. Peter Pan collar allusion. SPACE. I think that the internet should gift it to me as a reward. For stuff. 

I ordered these jeans from urban last week. Every day I look in/beside the mailbox with hope - come soon pants. Your awesome high waist and retro-feel seams do things to me.

Tell me you've read this story. The accompanying gif is... allllll kinds of awesome. I cackled to myself on the bus when I saw it. For like, 20 minutes. Then, I sent it to Derek. What a party.

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I recently purchased a cat shirt from a local boutique. I love it. It has reignited my love for all things feline. Like the shirt above. I need this in order to properly welcome spring/summer - cat style!

Every now and then I like to read through the archives of some of my favourite blogs. I'm recently reading through this amazing blog, and it's giving me even more reasons to admire this stellar lady.

And hey, you know what doesn't get much play? The chickpea. While reading the aforementioned blog, this post made me want to grab all of my cloth shopping bags and go and fill them with cans of chickpeas. So I can make all of these recipes. Especially the roasted chickpeas. Yum.

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Sigh. Leah Goren strikes again. When I look at this shirt, my brain is all, "It's a crop top. A crop top! It will expose your midriff. You don't need to do that." But then I throw reason and logic to the curb and fawn all over the colour scheme. Also, with high waisted jeans? Come now.

I did a math problem featuring Peeps this week. (Sometimes I type these things and it's like... wow.) Multiplication allows for good times, folks. The best part of this moment was explaining to 25 children what Peeps are. And then realizing... they really aren't good for you. (But, they ARE good for your soul. You heard it here first.)

(You are doing yourself a dis-service by failing to click on that Peeps website link. That site is my 8 year old self's daydream.)

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Man. I heart this dress. It cements the truth of the fact that I am indeed in love with all things 90's. Babydoll length, slouchy neckline... s'all good. 

Lately, I've been in a painting rut. The idea of putting brush to canvas makes me feel... disinterested. On the flip side, I know I need to do something creative. Excess creative energy with no outlet makes me... crazylike. So in a rut I remain. This lady is so talented. And I'm inspired by her.

Also: Anya from Buffy? Super. I keep forgetting how amazing that character is. But I think she is officially my favourite character. Aside from Willow. Why must I choose. This tumbler is awesome.

Ok! Wow. I have lots of disjointed things to say, huh?

In closing, let me link to this fantastic song that my beloved shared with me the other day.

Lovelove. This band.

Happy weekend!

<3 S

couch islands.

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A lot of blogs focus on making the time for the simple things. On taking time to unplug, recharge, disconnect so we can reconnect.

Easier said than done.

Look out your window. It's 2013 (maybe there's a sign that's literally just outside your window proclaiming this - how cool would that be!). Technology is a part of our everyday. It's not going away. This is something I've been thinking a lot about lately.

It's easy to sit beside someone literally everyday and not really have a real conversation all that often. I'm guilty. I often sit beside a very handsome bearded fellow, and we romantically text/tweet/facebook/hilariouscatyoutubevideo other people as we sit centimeters apart. But you know what? We enjoy technology. For us, it's a part of how we unwind, and how we keep in contact with friends and family we love that are far away. For us, technology is important.

This makes me giggle. We want allllll of the technology!

So, I propose a variation on the "unplug to connect" rhetoric that you see everywhere. I propose communicating. Turning to someone and having an actual conversation. Initiating physical contact - fun!

I don't think you need to necessarily unplug. I think you need to be conscious of the world in front of you, and to enjoy all of it, in moderation.

Was that a rant? Maybe? I get tired of people blaming technology for everything. My computer is small and smashable. I win.

Long live the mighty human, keeper of technology, giver of hugs, friend to many.

<3 S

P.s: Wow. This was a weird one.

6 guitars, 3 days off, and 1 beer festival.

This has been a glorious family day weekend!

This time of the year, when the cold encroaches and seeps right inside your (cold! oh so cold!) bones, a little bit of down time goes a really long way. 

I've been trying to get rid of an irritating cold for what seems like ages, and this weekend seems to have almost kicked it. It's also been nice to just chill in and get in a few good runs this weekend. I am a homebody at heart. :)

We kicked off the weekend with a little v-day celebration. Derek and I are so awesome that we each got the other person flowers and a card. Dude has some writing skills! Romance high fives all around!

Guitar baby!

I also had a chance to test out my brand new, lovely yellow ukulele! So pretty! I've always wanted to learn how to play the ukulele, and in the spirit of 2013 being the year of doing things now, I finally picked one up. I was passing by the music store on the bus last week and just spur of the moment pulled the cord to stop. I was in and out of there in less than ten, and it was such a great feeling to just get things rolling. I've realized that I work best when I think less about things I know I want and just act. Thinking is great, but I know when I want things because I feel it and there's no doubt. So, I'm trying to push myself to be impulsive when it's really worth it.

And! Craft Beer Festival! We were lucky enough to swing by a local beer festival downtown with a few lovely friends. It was super fun to wander around and sample and chat! We totally would have stayed longer, but my feet froze. Like blocks of ice. 

But the maple cotton candy was worth it. Sooooo worth it.

All in all a lovely weekend so far. 

Now let's cross our fingers that this week is nice and easy.

Hah.

<3 S

green arrows.

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Liking...

Fuzzy cat cuddles when I wake up oh so early.

Coral everything. Coral is my new happy color.

House finches. I read this post over the weekend and felt all melty-happy inside.

Soft, dense snowfall on an evening walk. (To get beer, and food. Natch.)

Shopping trips with pals who try on pretty dresses. (Boys feel adversely towards the trying on of dresses.)

New books for my classrooms.

Funny things that kids do. ("Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Spongebob." !!!!)

Holding hands with cute bearded men. Well, man. :)

I'm pretty impressed that I wrote this on a Monday morning. February, look what you do to me.

<3 S

risk.

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No, not the game. Although I've actually never played, which fills me with a bit of shame.

Anyhow.

I've decided that 2013 is the year of caution and throwing things like caution to the wind. I think I've been too protective of myself for too long, so this year, all the things shall happen.

But not playing with fire dad, don't worry. I'm not crazy.

Step one of Project Sassypants (just trying that name out...we'll see) will follow soon.

In the meantime, this:

<3 S

cats, and other etsy loves.

Sunday is for many things.

It's for sleeping in, for excessive coffee drinking, for running (especially if you're me), and for laze in general. 

Also, it's for internet shopping.

I get a particular thrill out of sorting through many Etsy duds to find that amazing gem. I love that you can like something. And put it in your shopping cart. And then remove it when you lose the courage to actually spend dollars on said gem. Oh Etsy. You're so special.

The following are Etsy finds that you are not allowed to buy. 

Seriously.

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I quite like cats. 

Today when Cricket wouldn't cuddle with me,

I looked up cute kittens at the Humane Society.

I know he was secretly jealous. 

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Any red dress is a good... dress.. of mine. 

Anyhow.

I like red a lot these days. Clearly. 

This one is perfect. Also: wicked sleeve!

I'm still debating wearing my heart print dress

to school on Valentines Day. I mean... decisions.

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I like this bag a lot. 

Very into all things Coach-esque.

This makes me feel slightly lame. Yep.

I recently quenched my black bag thirst 

by purchasing this lovely thing. 

And they all lived happily ever after.

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I feel like a big cliche sometimes, but I've decided

that I'm cool with that.

This tee is super awesome. 

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This bear is the cutest.

His name is Sven, and if he were mine, 

I'd love him up something fierce. 

Bears in shorts are rad.

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Ummm....

Right?!

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This shirt has cats on it.

And the fact that it exists makes my 

brain expel rainbows and glitter.

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I have a supercrush on these tiny studs.

I just can't help myself.

Happy Sunday eve!

I have a very good feeling about this week, so I'm pretty sure it'll be awesome.

<3 S

in transit.

This post is brought to you from the bus. I figure it's where I spend a good portion of my day, so why not detail some of the time I spend in transit.

Prepare to be riveted.

Every day I catch a bus at 6:30 a.m so that I can begin my hour long trek in to school. (Let's point out that this means I get up around 5:30. Let's also not dwell on this fact, as I spend the greater part of my day trying to convince myself that I am, indeed, awake.)

Usually, I take a grand total of 3 busses each way, but I recently met a very kind bus driver. (Who today told me his name is Carlos "just like that show Desperate Housewives" because he is great.) My new driver lets me stay on his bus all the way to school as it changes into my last bus. For all you transit enthusiasts, this. is. rad.

While on the bus, I do a number of great things. Here they are in no particular order:

Read the Paper - Now, let's point out that the paper I read is the Metro. The Metro contains all sorts of ground breaking news such as facts about Justin Beiber, what I can do with my five kids on snow days, and of course, my horoscope.

Complete a Sudoku Puzzle - When Derek and I first met, he introduced me to Sudoku. Now there's no going back. I get a sick thrill from completing a Sudoku puzzle during the last leg of my bus ride. Also from using a colored pen to do so. Super.

Internet- Now is the time when I can look up things on the interwebs free from prying eyes of judgement. (Clearly, Cricket's. He's such a judgey fur ball.) I research things like, "Who was that guy in orange on supernatural" or "vitamins for sleep" or "cat." It's a special time for me. I also e-mail, and text. It's all very good for stretching the thumbs.

Read - This is last on the list because, as a modern lady, reading seems boring sometimes. But if the book is good enough, I'm down. I also enjoy cackling to myself as I read. It may be involuntary, but it's a nice bonus as it makes strangers give me the side-eye. I like this.

Clearly, this list now also includes crafting rambling blog posts.

<3 S