25 candles

It took me 25 years to eat one of these:

Needless to say, I'm not going to wait another 25 years to enjoy one, again.

(have you ever had a fried twinkie?)

to go along with the lucky theme of the month...

i have GOT to mention how thankful (lucky)

i am to have such good friends!

I have been able to catch up with many these past few days, and although it was fairly

tiring

to run around and see everyone

I am SO GLAD I did.

I had great conversations with each one of them

and it makes me a bit sad that I can't see them more often

but, at the same time, it makes me appreciate these friendships even more

since I have moved.

to think, 5 years ago, that I would be where I am today, I'd laugh.

But, at this point, I can't imagine being anywhere else.

For the first time, in a long time, I am extremely content with 

where I am

my job

my relationships

my new city

starting school in the fall,

and knowing where I'm headed.

I really don't think I could be any happier at this point.

I think 25 will be my best year, yet.

or, at least I hope it to make it that way.

so, in celebration of my birthday, 

I ask you to go to your nearest

Hamburger Mary's

(a new place, I was able to try with some best friends)

where they have

DELICIOUS

juicy

mouth watering

burgers

and sweet potato fries

AND they bring you your bill in a shoe

(if it's your birthday, they surprise you with a fried twinkie, too!)

cookie dough.

Spring break 2012 has brought much happiness:

quality time with my family

celebrating one of my sisters' birthday.

hopscotch. 7&7s (aka 14s) bbq.

aunt marge taking LOTS of pictures

GREAT weather (sans allergies)

visiting with friends

and cookie dough ice cream

stinky feet

popsicles & hopscotch.

happy spring break!

new eats

I love this town.

the weather has been fabulous,

which means we get to walk to and from dinner.
Buuddd and I checked out a different place in town

Dave's Italian Kitchen

what a great way to celebrate 

hump day

and on our way back smell the sweet aroma from

Bennison's Bakery.

Unfortunately, they were closed

but we got to see the happenings in their cake shop.

yum.

see for yourself!

on the road, from my iphone

I LOVE ROADTRIPS

they never get old to me.

and, it's a good thing 

because between living in the Chi

and my family&friends living in the Lou

there have been many of them

and MANY more, are sure to come.

the food is generally greasy

and fattening

so good, yet sooo bad.

the view can be boring:

corn and farms,

but i've learned to appreciate the openness

and quiet

and serenity

especially compared to the city noises

we stopped at the pink elephant

(i'm not sure if it's named the pink elephant,

but there is a MASSIVE one parked right out front,

so we'll just go with it)

an antique stop

it's a building that used to be an elementary school

it looks like a barn from the outside

there are old classrooms and a gym with a stage

all FILLED with old

stuff

SOMEONE likes to browse and thinks he's on one of those History Channel shows

ya know, American Pickers, or American Restoration?

yup. 

he draws himself to the bud light, budweiser, baseball, coca-cola goods

he's my all american boy.

and he's the BEST part of the roadtrips.

he lets me sing loud and proud for 5 hours

and he is very patient when i change the songs after

30 seconds of playing.

we learn a LOT about each other on the road

we discuss

our greatest fears

our goals and dreams

our past

and our future

(smile)

and trust me, my vocal chords take a break

especially when one of 'his' teams are playing.

ever listen to a game on the radio?

snore.

a wee bit o' luck

the clan

blue demons

I am super excited!

I have been officially accepted into the Teaching & Learning program at

DePaul University!

I will be Ms. Ahearn to many elementary school students in years to come, and I can NOT wait to get started!

It is Friday, and today the guy and I will be voyaging along I-55 to go home for

ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

It's barely 9AM, and things are surely looking up!

can't wait to get some pics of family, friends, and the loads of fun we are about to have this weekend.

cheers!

it's mi, again

translate:

it's ME again

a bit redundant, i know,

but i thought it would be fun

'cause it's lake michigan (mi)

and i just love lake michigan

and the weather

in the Chi-land area

has been fantastic!

speechless

I am honestly speechless for this post. 

i spotted these 'delicacies' right here

and immediately pinned them.

i checked my e-mail after about a half an hour, of the above mentioned pin.

and it got 22 repins!

and a few likes.

so, i'm thinking the general pinterest nation audience likes 'em
i have GOT to give 'em a go.

about 4 hours later, i found myself at the grocery store

those of you near, and dear to me know

i HIGHLY dislike the grocery store

but, luckily, i have my 

(keeping with the march theme here, just go with it)

lucky charm

(ya know, the guy)

because he actually likes the grocery store.

thus, i realized tonight we are quite fitting for each other...

i like to find recipes

he likes the grocery store

i like to mix things

he likes to taste test these things

i like to take photos of things

anndd back to the cookies!
i followed the recipe as best as i could
but i went for just about a cup of chocolate chips
instead of two.
i'm not a 'chocolatey' kinda girl
now, peanut butter, that's a whole different story
but i'm trying ease up on the PB
therefore, bringing me to these gems...

oreo pudding cookies:

p.s. i realize, i'm not THAT speechless.
i'm just not that kinda girl, either!

spread the smiles

you know that "life is good" company?

where they have jake as the stick figure logo?

<if you don't, just go to their website: lifeisgood (dot) com>

they have all kinds of cute sayings on t-shirts, mugs, and water bottles, and bags.

very fun, happy-go-lucky.

i've got a water bottle, i've got a tote bag

i've had a travel mug - which, of course, I lost

because i can never hold on to travel mugs, i think they do more 'traveling' than i do

(where am I going with this?)

well, a couple of years ago

one of my sisters and i went to a life is good shop

back home in wildwood, mo.

and i stumbled upon this stationery with the saying you see in the picture below,

"We shall never know all the good a simple smile can do."

i guess it wasn't stationery, totally.

it was a pad of paper with the saying written on the bottom.

i bought three pads of the paper

i still haven't used it all - after a few years

i want to use it, oh so badly, but

i don't want to run out!

i tried looking on the website, it seems they don't print it anymore.

but the more i think about it...

i can still spread the smiles,

and keep the paper for a special occasion.

i have plenty of students who walk in and out of my office

every day.

between exams, and tests, and homework and 8 hours of school

plus extracurriculars - they are quite busy.

some of these kids don't even have a lunch period because they choose to take let's say,

a science class, instead

(omg!? that's a whole different post.)

ANYWHO

I figured, I can start the smiles right here, in my office

I found the 'take a smile' idea online and put my own twist to it.

i am so glad some of the students have taken on to my idea.

whether you are in an office, or traveling, a homemaker, retired, a student

go on out out there...

Spread the Smiles! Attitude is contagious!

note: my shamrock plant, some shamrock cutouts in the background? my curly girl calendar?

pretty safe to say i am starting to love this job.

this office area puts quite the pep in your step

and, i've already had people come to my office for a breather because 'there are nice people in it'

<i LOVE that>

plus, i am able to keep up with my blog

i mean, not really.

but kinda.

(oops?)

going green

it's march!

(i'm a bit late- but, what's new)

it's march!

and my FAVORITE holiday is JUST around the corner.

wahoo!

can't wait to go back home, and celebrate with the family.

another road trip in my future

with my favorite guy

and road trip food

and tunes.

yessssss

p.s. how awesome is my boss? surprised me with a shamrock plant: