His and Her Find Beauty Friday! (1/31/14)

Happy Friday everyone!

We were introduced to a new link-up last week through The Artsy Cajun. (Do you follow her? If not, you really should!) It is run by Aimee at Dear Harper. 

The idea of the link-up is to find something beautiful, take a photo of it, and then share the photo here on Friday. We fell in love with the idea of looking for beauty in hard-to-spot or mundane moments of every day life and decided instantly to join in.

 

This picture was taken on a snow day when I was feeling iffy about having essays to grade. Alex curled up with me and I was under my favorite cozy blanket. It put a smile on my face and I decided that it wasn't so bad after all. The kids are making progress with their writing, the grading went quickly, and I got some snuggle time with my favorite puppy. All-in-all it was a good way to spend a snowy afternoon.

John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (ESV)


Where did you find beauty recently?

Happy Friday,

His and Her Harry Potter Houses

I am a "Bit-stripper" on Facebook. Are you? Their cartoons are cute and sometimes, rather than write a status, it is fun to post a cartoon about how my day is going or how I am feeling about something. Last week, while hanging out at home thanks to the snow, I came across this cartoon...

That got me thinking. "What houses would we have been sorted into if Sean and I went to Hogwarts?" There are a million quizzes out there in the world so I hunted for the "best" one. I settled on the Harry Potter House Quiz from The Almighty Guru.

**drum roll please** The results are...

Amanda - 

Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?

My in-depth results were:
Hufflepuff - 15
Ravenclaw - 13
Gryffindor - 10
Slytherin - 7
 
Sean - 

Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into? 

My in-depth results are:

Hufflepuff - 15
Ravenclaw - 13
Gryffindor - 11
Slytherin - 7

I love that we would have been sorted into the same house and I love even more that our in-depth results are almost identical. That's just fun!


Hufflepuff does not get much page time in the Harry Potter books, so I used my trusty sidekick Google to learn more about our "house". Here's what I found - 

Hufflepuffs are known for being trustworthy, patient, and loyal. They are also hard working and have a strong work ethic. They are fierce protectors of their family and friends. Hufflepuffs are not as competitive as the other houses, and are much more modest than the others. Several great wizards have come from Hufflepuff house and they have produced the fewest dark wizards of all the houses. The common room is the only one that repels intruders; it is decorated with plants and copper colored accents.

Fun Facts:
The Head of House is Professor Sprout, teacher of Herbology. 
The ghost is the Fat Friar who is super friendly and helpful to the Hufflepuff kids.
The house colors are yellow and black.
The house animal is the badger. 
Nymphadora Tonks and Cedric Diggory were both Hufflepuffs. 
Information about Hufflepuff obtained from here, here, and here.


So how do we stack up against the traits of a Hufflepuff. Well...

• I think we both are trustworthy and loyal, but I think we run low on patience.
• We are hard working and have a strong work ethic - when we aren't procrastinating something that needs to be done. ;)
• We are both very competitive and can be prideful at times.

All-in-all, I would say that I like the idea of being a Hufflepuff and those are certainly characteristics that I want to be true for me, but I feel like I miss the mark on a few. It definitely gives me something to aspire to. 


Naturally, I headed over to Ravelry to see what Hufflepuff patterns I might knit one day. I don't think I would want a long yellow and black scarf, but I loved the look of these Double Knitted Bookscarves and think that would be a fun new technique for me. She is working on the pattern, so it is not fully available right now but I can wait. I'm a patient Hufflepuff. ;)


If you want to take the quiz for yourself, click here - Hogwarts House Sorting Quiz by The Almighty Guru. We would love to know who our housemates, or Quidditch competitors, would be.

Happy Sorting,

His and Her Would You Rather? (1/29/14)

Well, hello Wednesday! You know what that means. It means we are playing our favorite game -- 

…be a giant hamster or a tiny rhino?

Amanda - I would rather be a tiny rhino. The pictures of baby rhinos just make me go "awwwwww".

Sean - I would rather be the tiny rhino as being a giant hamster would probably get you put in some sort of freak show. Plus a rhino could defend himself better than a hamster.

  

… jump into a pool of marshmallows or a pool of jello?

Amanda - I would prefer the marshmallows. I think it would be really fun to take a swim in big, fluffy marshmallows. Jello would be too sticky and too hard to move around in.

Sean - The marshmallow pool would be ok if it was room temperature or below, but if it got too hot and started to melt it would be a sticky mess. I'll take my chances with the jello pool.

  

… be friends with Dr. Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang Theory or Dr. Temperance Brennan from Bones?

Amanda - I don't watch Bones so I don't know that character, but Sheldon is hilarious and I love the Big Bang Theory. Being his friend would be awesome!

Sean - I am not too familiar with either show, but, based on the limited amount I know, I think Sheldon would be pretty cool to hang out with.

That was fun - as always. Choose a question to answer in the comments or on Facebook so you can join in the fun!

Happy Answering,

Living in America: Getting Your Driver's License In Oz

Getting a driver's license is pretty much the same process in America as it is in Australia right? Most people would probably answer yes, but that is not the case. So just how do you get your driver's license in Australia? I'm so glad you asked!








Step 1: Getting your Learner's Permit.

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The journey to getting a driver license in Australia normally starts around your 16th birthday. This is when you can go to the RTA (the Aussie equivalent to the DMV) and take the multiple choice test to get your learner's permit. The test costs $41AUD/$36USD for each time you attempt the test so it's important to read the book before you take the test. Once you pass the test you will receive a learners permit which is an additional $22AUD/$19USD. Along with your permit you will receive a few L plates which are pictured to the left. These plates need to be displayed on the front and the rear of the car so other vehicles know you are learning and can give you more room. Drivers who hold a learner's permit must be supervised by a holder of a full Australian license (whoops, I taught my sister Shellie for a few weeks and only had a Virginia license but luckily no one ever pulled us over), fill out a logbook to record the number of hours they have driven, and not exceed 80kph/50mph. There are also a couple of places in Sydney that L platers are not allowed to drive and the use of mobile phones/cell phones are forbidden when driving.

Provisional Licenses:
When I was younger and got my license you had your provisional (known as your P's) for one year and then you got your full license but now it's a little different as there are two different provisional licenses that you must hold before getting a full/unrestricted license. 

Step 2: P1 License - Finally able to drive by yourself!

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Once you have held your learner's permit for at least 12 months and have logged at least 120 hours on your logbook, you can take your driving test to get your provisional license. The driving test will take you out onto the streets and will see if you are competent in obeying traffic laws, turning, parking and driving in a safe and controlled manner. Each attempt for the driving test is $51AUD/$44USD so it's important not to blow the stop sign at the exit of the RTA office or speed on the main roads unless you want to pay the fee again for a second attempt a week or so later. Once you pass the test, you pay an additional $52AUD/$45USD for your Provisional 1 license. With a Provisional 1 license you are limited to 90kph/56mph and have certain limitations like not being able to use your mobile/cell phone when driving, being restricted from driving certain high performance vehicles, and must display your P plates on the front and rear of the vehicle. You also have a reduced number of points on your license so it's important to obey the rules of the road. You are not allowed to have any alcohol in your system and must blow a 0.00 reading on a breathalyzer.

Step 3: P2 Provisional License - Two more years of P Plates.

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After holding a P1 license for at least 12 months you can apply for a P2 license. In order to get a P2 license you need to complete a Hazard Perception test. Each attempt of the test is $41AUD/$36USD so once again it's important that you study the printed material prior to taking the test. The test is a computer based test that gives drivers different scenarios and questions how they would avoid a bad situation or crash. Upon successful completion of the test you get a P2 license (cost $82AUD/$72USD) which you will hold for a period of at least 2 years. Once again you are still banned from using a cell phone, having alcohol in your system or supervising a learner driver. The big perk of having P2 plates is being able to drive at up to 100kph/61mph. After holding your P2 license for two years, you can take one final test and get your full license.

Step 4: Getting your full license - FINALLY!

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 After holding your P2 license for at least two years you can take the last test before being issued your full license. The test is known as a Driver Qualification Test and is a mix between the learner's knowledge test and the Hazard Perception Test. Since the questions are harder than in previous tests it is recommended that you study the materials prior to the test. The cost for the test is $41AUD/$36USD per attempt. Upon successful completion you are issued your full license and you are finally done with test and having to display L or P plates on your vehicle. The cost for your full license for 5 years is $166AUD/$145USD which isn't cheap but at least you aren't forking cash out for any more exams (at least until you are 80 or so). The restrictions that were in place (like no cell/mobile phone use, speed limit reductions, no alcohol in your system etc) are now lifted and you are subject to the regular rules of the road. 

Thoughts about the process of getting a license in Australia:
It was far easier getting a license in Australia when I was younger as we just had the Learner's permit, then a 12 month P1 license before getting a full license. The new system has drivers on their provisional license for a total of 3 years and two additional tests for drivers. Having the additional two years on your provisional license and the extra tests probably aren't a bad thing, but I do have one issue that has always been a concern to me. Restricting L and P platers to lower speed limits on highways can be dangerous as they are often driving much slower than other traffic. In areas where there are multiple lanes per direction this is not a big issue but many of the highways in Australia are just one lane in each direction and you can get stuck behind someone for many miles. This can lead to the following driver to get impatient and potentially trying to pass when it isn't safe. I believe that it would be safer to allow L and P platers to drive at the regular speed limit on open highways (if they feel comfortable doing so) to minimize the disruption to traffic flow. 

So that is the process of getting a license in Australia. It's a long journey but the end reward is worth it as you finally receive the gold coloured license. What are your thoughts on the process?

Travel Review: Green Gables

Amanda and I love to travel to new places and see new things. We have been lucky enough to get to see many different parts of this great big world. We would love to share our travel adventures and tips with all of you. Enjoy this first installment - Our Journey to Green Gables!

Green Gables

Amanda - Most little girls are introduced to Anne Shirley while they are still in Elementary School. A kind parent or librarian will hand them the book with a knowing smile and say something like, "I think you are really going to enjoy this." The little girl will begin reading the book, not realizing that she is about to meet her new and lifelong best friend.

This was absolutely my experience with the Anne of Green Gables series. I read the book, stumbled across the movies on PBS, and I was hooked. As far as I was concerned, Anne was my bosom friend and someone who I wished I could know in real life. I wanted to live on Prince Edward Island, teach in a one room school house, and be friends with Anne and Diana. I never dreamed that I would get to visit PEI one day and see Green Gables for myself. 

Anne's Bedroom

A few years ago, Sean and I were talking about our summer vacation plans and whether there was a cruise we would like to go on. He mentioned some stops that one cruise made and I was only half listening to him. When he mentioned the second stop - Prince Edward Island - I literally jumped out of my chair. I started dancing and bouncing around asking all kinds of questions about whether this trip was really possible for us. I was over-the-moon excited from that moment until the day we set foot on the Island.

Matthew's Bedroom

The tour we booked took us to Green Gables, of course. We were given time to tour the house and see Anne, Marilla, and Matthew's rooms. We saw the pantry where Anne let a mouse crawl into the pudding. We saw the slate Anne broke over Gilbert's head and the dress with puff sleeves that Matthew bought Anne. We got to walk a little through the Haunted Forrest - eek! - and down Lover's Lane - aaww! I could have spent an entire day touring the property.

Amanda outside of the Green Gables house.

I would go back tomorrow if someone offered me the chance. A chance to visit my BFF's house and relive some of her hilarious stories.

 Sean - A few winters ago, I was looking at some cruises to New England and Canada that we could take as our summer holidays. There were not a lot of longer cruises at that time of year, but I did find one that was 9 nights and had 6 stops. I was reading the ports that we would visit to Amanda and when I said Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island she started screaming and yelling and dancing around. I had no clue what was so special about this place as I had never heard of it, and to be honest, I was questioning why the cruise ship would even stop there. After she calmed down from dancing around I asked her what the big deal about this place was and she told me all about Green Gables. It meant a lot to her so I was happy to book the tour to Green Gables (plus there wasn't much else that interested me on the shore excursion list).

The kitchen at Green Gables

The house itself was very pretty and even though I had never read the books I enjoyed looking through the house and seeing the different rooms. They did a good job of decorating and making it interesting. It was very helpful that Amanda could explain what each room was. I wanted her to soak in the experience so I took the photos for her throughout the house. We also got to go see a few places outside of the house that are mentioned in the book, like Lover's Lane. The whole place was well put together and did not feel like it was just another tourist trap. Some day I will have to read one or two of the books so I can better understand what I saw that day. 

Amanda on Lover's Lane

Based on Amanda's reaction to the Green Gables house and grounds and from what I overheard from the other people in the bus, it was very true to the book and worth visiting if you ever get the chance. Even if you aren't a fan of the books, the journey to the house is very scenic and is very much worth the drive. 

Our trip to Green Gables was perfection. I loved seeing all the sights and matching staged items from the house to the stories I know and love. If you have the chance, you must go to Prince Edward Island and visit Green Gables. You will not regret it!


Have you been to PEI? Would you want to go to Green Gables?

Happy Traveling,

His and Her Sunday Social (1/26/14)

This week's Sunday Social questions all center around make-up and beauty products. Sean is letting me field these on my own. haha He will be back next week to join in the fun. For now, let's socialize!

1. How old were you when you started wearing makeup?
I can't remember exactly. I think it was upper middle school before I was wearing make-up every day. 

2. What are your top 3 favorite beauty products?
Oscar Blandi Hair Lift Mousse (it gives my lifeless hair volume --- yay!)
I double up my mascara - one for volume and one to make the lashes look fuller
Philosophy Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash is the best face wash I have found.  It gets my face incredibly clean without leaving any residue behind.

3. What is one makeup product you don't leave home without?
I cannot leave home without a few products - a foundation or tinted moisturizer, eye shadow, and mascara are musts for every day.

4. What is your daily beauty routine?
I wash my face and put on moisturizer. The make-up routine is concealer (under my eyes), foundation, powder, blush, eye shadow, and mascara.

5. What is your favorite hair/makeup product you've discovered in the last year?
Last year I discovered the Oscar Blandi Hair Lift Mousse. I love the volume it gives my hair without being crunchy (like some mousses can do to hair). I use it every day!

What are your favorite beauty products?

Happy Socializing,

Her Recent Knitting Projects

I have been a slower-than-normal knitter lately. I think all the stress from school and the drama there is keeping me from having time to knit. At least the time I want to have. I was able to finish a few projects to give as Christmas gifts so I thought I would share those with you. This is what I have been knitting recently - 

I knit this seed stitch dishcloth for Sean. I, however, will not do anything in seed stitch for a while (never say never, but I won't knit this stitch for a looooooong time!). It is my least favorite stitch - all that flipping the yarn front, back, front, back, front, back. I couldn't get into a rhythm and it seemed to take forever!

Ravelry Link: Seed Stitch Dish Cloths 

This is my new favorite dishcloth pattern. I love it! It knits up fast and looks great. Sean says it is good for scrubbing pots and pans which is awesome. I love the sherbet colored yarn and how it looked when it was finished. So much so that I knit my mom one just like it. I think this is going to be my go-to dishcloth pattern from now on.

Ravelry Link: Grandmother's Favorite 

When I saw this yarn at Michael's and realized it would knit up like Neopolitan Ice Cream I bought it straightaway. I ended up giving this washcloth to my sister. I have enough leftover to knit another dishcloth but I am not sure yet who will get that one. They are such great gifts to have on hand!

Ravelry Link: Grandmother's Favorite

I decided to knit my sister a kitchen towel to go with her washcloth. It was a fun knit. I thought this yarn was fun because it is predominantly purple and orange (my brother-in-law grew up in Clemson and went to the University). It turned out great and I think I'm going to knit my own kitchen towel soon. 

Ravelry Link: Kitchen Towel

I also knit a cowl for my sister's friend (it was my sister's birthday gift to her friend) and forgot to take photos before I sent it away.  I love how it turned out though!  It was my second scarf using that pattern and I don't think it will be my last.

Ravelry Link: Blues Infinity Scarf

That is what I have been knitting recently. Right now I am working on a MKAL (a Mystery Knit-A-Long) where people knit the same project but the pattern comes out in pieces so those who are knitting do not know what the finished project will look like. All I know is that it is a shawl. We are in week 2 and I am excited! The pattern is hard (for me) and I already need help but that is where my knitting girls come in. I'm hoping they can help me figure this out!

The interesting thing about this MKAL is that each week you get two options of how you want to continue the project. Even though three friends and I are knitting the same shawl, all of our final projects will be different because we will choose different options along the way. Super fun!! I will post pictures when I am finished (and I will try to talk my friends into letting me take pics of theirs so you can see the differences), but if you are interested in joining in the fun, the pattern can be found here - Follow Your Arrow MKAL.

What crafty items have you been working on recently?

Happy Crafting!

His and Her Would You Rather? (1/22/14)

It's Wednesday so it is time to link-up with Jennifer and play ---

Blogger is being annoying! When we add the link to the picture, the picture disappears. Well, there is more than one way to add a link! Jennifer's blog can be found here.

… have an extra hour of sleep or have $40 given to you free and clear every day?

Amanda - I would rather have $40 a day. I can go to bed an hour earlier if I need the sleep but having the extra money would be great!

Sean - I would rather the extra $40. I go to bed early and get up at the same time most days anyway so this would be a nice e $280 bonus each week for not changing much.

  

… have a job as (your favorite’s celebrity) assistant or president of prestigious university?

Amanda - My favorite celebrity is Colin Firth. I would never pass up the opportunity to be his assistant!

Sean - I would not want to be a president of a university and deal with the press and drama when something goes wrong. I would rather be an assistant to a celebrity as I would get to travel around and see cool places. Not sure who I would pick though.

  

… have a private jet or a private island?

Amanda - I would love to have a private jet. I could travel to anywhere in the world at any moment. I could see all the sights I want to see and return home when I was ready. Sounds like a perfect deal to me!

Sean - I would rather the private jet. No crowds or long layovers and plenty of legroom sounds like heaven to me. Plus I am sure the food on a private jet is better than the dog food they pass off as food on commercial jets.

  

… own a polar bear or a penguin?

Amanda - I would love, love, love to own both!! I think, however, the size of our yard is too small for a polar bear; he would need more room to run around and play. A penguin would be happy with our yard, plus they are super cute. Now if I could only come up with the perfect penguin name???

Sean - The polar bear would eat way too much so I would rather have the penguin. I would prefer a fairy penguin as it wouldn't take up much room and wouldn't eat much.

Jennifer did a great job picking the questions for this week! We both had fun answering all of them. Choose one - or all - and join in the fun!

Happy Wednesday,

His - Living in America - TV Shows from My Childhood

As any parent, or for that matter anyone who has seen Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network in the last 10 years can tell you, children's television programming has changed a lot from when I was a child. Instead of having Looney Tunes, Transformers and the Smurfs we now have the likes of Spongebob and his friends to entertain the children of today. I recently discovered that many of the TV shows that I grew up with are ones my American friends have never heard of. Here are a few of the shows that Aussie kids of the 80's enjoyed but you probably have never heard of:

Mr. Squiggle:

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Mr Squiggle was an unusual character as he looked like a wooden puppet but he had a pencil for a nose. He lived on the moon but was come down to earth in his rocket ship that was just big enough for him. Children would send in squiggles (which were just a few random lines on paper) and he would turn them into a drawing. The kids watching the show would try and guess what he was drawing and it was often hard to figure out as he would often draw the picture sideways or upside down. The paper that the drawings were done on were held up by a blackboard that was alive and he would often tell Mr Squiggle to "hurry up" if he was taking too long. It was a simple show but it was fun to watch as a child as we tried to guess what the drawing was before our friends or siblings did.

Playschool:

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Play School is one of Australia's longest running and most popular children's programs. It is geared mainly to younger children and has a mix of games and learning. The show had a great cast of characters including several toys like "Big Ted", "Humpty" and "Jemimah". The show teaches children many things including how to tell time and how to count while being entertaining. The format is somewhat similar to "Sesame Street" but focuses more on playtime and playing together while having fun. It is an excellent show for children and I am happy to see that it is still on the air in Australia.

Fat Cat, Romper Room, Humphrey B. Bear, Agro etc.
In addition to Play School and Mr Squiggle there were many other shows including

• Fat Cat and Friends: A big cat who entertained pre schoolers with various games and craft activities.
• Humphery B. Bear: A big bear who is also aimed at pre schoolers. He and his friends took many adventures and enjoy singing and dancing among other activities.
• Romper Room: Similar to versions broadcast in the U.S, Romper room has different things to engage the children including Mr Do. Bee who taught children what was right and wrong.
• Agro's Cartoon Connection: Agro was a brown puppet who often had an gruff attitude. He hosted a show that had popular cartoons for older children and was very popular when it was on the air. 

 Big dog says Goodnight to all the Girls and Boys:

Each network station had a mascot. One of the better known ones in our area was NBN's "Big Dog". To help parents put children to bed the station would broadcast a short 30 second clip of Big Dog going to bed and encouraging children to do the same. This still happens today as we saw it on the TV on our most recent trip to Australia last year. I am not sure if the children actually go to bed at 7:30pm when Big Dog does but its a nice idea.


There are many more children's shows that I used to watch when I was a child but that is for another post. What was your favourite show when you were a child?

 

His and Her Heart to Health Challenge

One of the best things about the link-ups we do, besides getting to write fun posts, is getting to "meet" other bloggers and steal share ideas about health, happiness, and life in general. Yesterday, after linking our blog to Ashley's for the Sunday Social, Amanda found a new-to-us blogger. 

Amanda read back through some of Bri's post and found this...

What a great idea right? Valentine's Day is all about hearts so why not work to make our hearts healthier by that date. We are a little late getting the party started, but that's OK. Our hearts will be thankful anyway. We each made a plan and we are sharing it here. We will come back in February, on Valentine's Day, to let you know how we did.

Amanda - I am going to...
-be active...I cannot make the commitment to be active daily because I know that is too lofty. I can make the commitment to be active at least 5 days a week. A 15-20 minute walk will reduce stress and make me healthier so it is a win-win.
-improve sleep and change a bad habit...I started using my iPhone as my alarm clock over the summer. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now that my phone is right next to my bed it is easy for me to "play" (ie, check Facebook, Bloglovin', Twitter, play games, etc) for hours rather than go to sleep. That is a bad habit that I have picked up and it is not giving me the sleep I need. Moving forward I want to put the phone down when I go upstairs and not touch it until the next morning. Again, a win-win!

Sean - I am going to...
-be active... I tend to be somewhat active but I haven't been running or cycling as much as I have in the past. I have a few half marathons lined up so that should be plenty of motivation for me to get out there and start running long distance again. I didn't train enough for the last half marathon and I hit the wall with 2 miles to go so I would like for that not to happen this time around.
-eat more wholesome foods... My diet is OK some days, but I also eat a lot of junk food. I would like to try to eat more wholesome foods and less junk food as it can only help my health and my fitness training.

Check back on Valentine's Day to see how we did with our Heart to Health Challenge. If you would like to participate, share with us in a comment below or on Facebook what you are going to do help your heart in the coming weeks. We can encourage and motivate each other!

Happy Heart Health to You,

Her January 2014 Currently

I wrote this post back at the beginning of the month and meant for it to post on a Thursday. That happened to be the day I got the flu. Then I was going to wait for the next Thursday and another round of illness (thanks to my 8th graders) hit. Most of the answers still apply so I am posting now that the illness has, for the most part, left me alone.

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A  new month has started! ---- OK, let's be honest. :) The month started quite a few days ago but with traveling, school starting up again, the flu and other sickness, this is the first time I have had to sit down and write out what I am currently doing. I love this link up, so better late than never! 

Listening: I love Top Chef. It is one of my favorite shows!!

Loving: Sean and I went shopping the weekend after Christmas for something that I could use to organize all my yarn. My knitting addiction has taken a firm hold and I was in desperate need of something that would let me see what I had. I love, love, love what we came up. I am planning a blog post about it later.

Thinking: We were blessed with two full weeks off from school over the holidays. I was so grateful! I brought home work to do (essays and projects to grade) but decided instead to enjoy family time, time with Sean, chill time with the first two seasons of Downton Abbey, and some new patterns for my knitting addiction. It was time well spent! I am not sorry at all that those papers still need to be graded.

Wanting: I could have just written that I want energy during the school week but I thought I would be more specific. I love to knit and it makes me happy to make things for my family and friends (and myself, let's be honest). I just feel like by the time the school day is over, the meetings have ended, and I have checked off whatever I can on the to-do list, there is never any energy to knit. I need balance! Anyone have ideas or suggestions on how to achieve that illusive little creature called balance? 

Needing: Because of computer and space issues, our exams will be starting a week earlier than the calendar shows. I am trying so hard to cram all the material in before testing starts but it is going to be chaotic and busy. My fingers are crossed that I can get everything taught before the tests.
**Exams have started. I was able to cram everything in, sortof, but I am still nervous that the kids could have used some more review time. My fingers are crossed that they will do OK.**

Memory: When I look back on this past holiday season, what really stands out is all the family time we had. I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day with my parents. They are so amazing and I love spending time with them. We also got to spend four days in South Carolina with my sister, brother-in-law, and niece.  That was so great and I am so grateful we got to do that. Family time makes me happy! :)

Well, that is what I am Currently up to. Head over to Farley's blog to join in the fun. 

If you don't have a blog, choose one (or more) of the words and comment below or on Facebook with what you are currently doing.

Happy Thursday y'all!

His and Her Sunday Social (1/19/14)

It's Sunday and a long weekend - well, for Amanda. Sean has to work tomorrow. Well, regardless of whether you work tomorrow or get to lounge around, it's time for the ---

1. Top 3 favorite kinds of food 

Amanda - I love all things chocolate. I love Italian food. I also love Mexican food.
Sean - Obviously I love (and miss) Australia food. Chinese food is a close second. Mexican food is good too.

2. First 3 things you do in the morning 

Amanda - shower, make-up, hair styled
Sean - wake-up, get coffee, get dressed

 

3. Last 3 things you do at night 

Amanda - brush teeth, set alarm, read
Sean - brush teeth, read, fall asleep

 

4. 3 TV shows you NEVER miss 

Amanda - Castle, Top Chef, Project Runway
Sean - I watch my shows on Netflix so I can watch the entire season at one time. There isn't anything that I am waiting on right now...well, The Walking Dead but I have a while to go before that is on Netflix.

 

5. 3 places you want to visit 

Amanda - London, England --- Berlin, Germany --- Anywhere in Ireland
Sean - Germany --- Japan --- Alaska 

6. 3 people you can always count on
Amanda - I am so lucky in my life to have many people I can count on. Listing only three would be impossible!
Sean - I am similar to Amanda on this one. There are a lot of people in our lives that we can count on, and we are lucky because of that.

  
Well, these were another awesome catch of Sunday Social questions. Link up with Ashley or comment below to join in the fun.

Happy Sunday!