[wysija_form id=”1″] Some days are better than others, and some days are downright fantastic. Last Saturday, I ventured out to the Shenandoah with four of my favorite people for a hike and wine. I never thought of myself as a “nature person,” mainly because I hate bugs and loathe being dirty. Oh, and I don’t like being hot either. But, since I moved to the D.C. area, I have learned…
[wysija_form id=”1″] Even though I have been told more times than I can count that Memorial Day is NOT about a three day weekend, pool openings, and burgers on the grill, hearing it in again in the homily at Mass yesterday was an especially provoking and important reminder… Today is about American soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for this amazing country. During my second year teaching, I had a…
[wysija_form id=”1″] Living the beautiful life on a budget sounds a bit like an oxymoron, right? When I think of “the beautiful life,” I think of luxurious vacations, gorgeous homes, and designer clothing labels. Truth is, however, living a beautiful life doesn’t necessarily have to cost thousands of dollars. When your life consists of penny-pinching, sometimes investing in beautiful things is totally worth it. Fresh-cut flowers. Sounds so simple, right?…
[wysija_form id=”1″] OK, that’s a tiny bit of a lie.. If I’m being 100% honest, my favorite sandwich is a grilled cheese. Unfortunately, grilled cheese sandwiches aren’t the best for packing lunch (not to mention, they’re quite caloric), but this one is great to make ahead! I adapted this from a recipe from one I had at a restaurant a while ago, and made it a tiiiiny bit less fattening.…
[wysija_form id=”1″] When we rang in 2017, I realized it would be my NINTH calendar year since I left Ohio for D.C. Growing up, I never thought I’d leave my hometown, never mind Ohio. While I will always consider myself an Ohio girl, I’m glad I ventured out, at least for some time. I think I’d eventually like to get back there, but for now, I’m still living life here…
[wysija_form id=”1″] This is one of many reasons that I know I’ve become a DC person–when a $10 pizza sounds like the bargain of the century. A few weeks ago, Jim and I happened upon Graffiato, a Mike Isabella restaurant near the Verizon Center (and Old St. Mary’s, home to the shortest Sunday evening Mass in town). My friend, Natalie, who used to live here, always used to rave about…
[wysija_form id=”1″] Surprise! I ventured down to St. Petersburg, FL for a very quick Mother’s Day trip. I still can’t believe I pulled it off in such a short amount of time (and money-my last-minute flight was $135 nonstop RT), but I definitely feel like I got a good feel for the city. I’m still partial to the Naples/Marco Island area, but St. Pete is a fun little change of…
[wysija_form id=”1″] I need to make sure my summer is awesome.. I hate the feeling when a season ends, and I don’t feel like I totally experienced it. Last fall, for example, I would have loved to visit vineyards, go apple picking, and do all those fun stereotypical things.. It never happened :(. This upcoming season, I’m living it up! I absolutely love my job, but I do relish in…
[wysija_form id=”1″] In honor of Mother’s Day on Sunday, I thought I’d do a little post on practical tips my mom has given me over the years. Some of these are silly, but they are all very meaningful. You can’t treat your friends like you do your family. So, this merits some explaining. I had a bit of a temper problem as a kid, and my mom always reminded me…
[wysija_form id=”1″] I’ll just start off my saying that I am a millennial. I have been known to take photos of pretty food and post them Instagram, and, well, I have a blog… Some things cannot be escaped. It’s a generational thing, and I’m OK with some aspects of being a millennial. However, I will say this: the stereotypical millennial drives me certifiably insane, and I know I’m not alone.…