31 December 2013

End of the year linky parties!

There are so many cute end of the year linky parties right now, I just couldn't resist. What a fun way to wrap up the year!

The first one is Resolutions from A Peach for the Teach.



Next up is the Thirteen in '13 linky from A Teeny Tiny Teacher.




It's been an interesting year for clothes for me. I am almost 5 months pregnant and growing like crazy, so pretty much anything that fits is my favorite article of clothing. :) That being said, I'm obsessed with these boots I got in London this past April. Seriously. They are adorable AND comfortable. That's practically the shoe jackpot! 




Okay, here is my dirty little secret: I am really boring. Hubby and I usually wait until movies are out on DVD and we can watch them on Netflix or HBO before we watch them. I know, seriously. We are so boring! But, this year, I did actually see a movie in the theater. As luck would have it, I LOVED it. In typical nerdy fashion, that movie is my all time favorite F. Scott Fitzgerald novel: The Great Gatsby. It was quirky and modernized, for sure, but that is part of why I loved it so much. Fantastic movie.




Without a doubt my favorite TV series of 2013 was Downtown Abbey. Fitting, too, since I am obsessed with all things British. Who doesn't love a good period drama set in the English countryside, complete with lords, ladies, war, and love? So good. 




This is a tiny little restaurant that only has one location- 3 hours away from me no less- but Oh. My. GOSH. It is so good! Hubby and I are both vegetarian, so the prospect of going to a restaurant where we can order anything on the menu is really exciting. It sounds silly, but it's a great feeling! We have plenty of vegetarian restaurants near us in the Boston area, but this little gem in Southern Maine is so worth the drive. We discovered it on a short trip to visit friends, and keep going back because it is SO good. 




I've always loved outdoor running, and a few years ago my hubby go me into mountain biking. Last year, we starting hiking. Well, this year, he decided he wanted to try mountain climbing. Seriously. We're talking, tiny little iron ladders, rickety wooden stairs, cracking hand-pulls, and 1,530 foot climbs. Check out the teeny tiny trees in that picture! We weren't even 3/4 of the way up, either. It was HARD, but it was a lot of fun. The feeling when I got to the top was fantastic.... until I realized I had to get down somehow. Seriously. Remember those tiny little hand-pulls, rickety stairs, and tiny iron ladders? They are even less fun going down with shaky legs. EEK! It was a blast, though. We are totally hooked. 


For our 3rd wedding anniversary, my husband got me this Forevermark necklace. I absolutely love it. :) It's beautiful, he picked it out, and the necklace length is adjustable so I can wear it with any neckline. I wear it all the time. 




Seriously. These cookies. Ridiculously good. No other words are needed.




This post about Class Dojo. Mostly because I still use it all the time, and LOVE it!



We bought our first home on September 30! It's a real fixer, and we still aren't living there... but we love it. We've been working hard nights and weekends to get it fixed up and ready to move in. There have been SO many set backs, delays, mistakes, and frustrations, but we are getting there. We hope to move in by the end of January... but we also hoped to move in by the end of November. :) Fingers crossed!



One of my favorite hobbies is photography. I love taking pictures! I am one of those weirdos who will stop in my tracks and take a picture at any random time. This picture of the Houses of Parliament isn't great technically, but the I will never forget the feeling when I took it. We were in the London Eye watching the sun set over London. Seriously- whenever I look at it I feel happy. :)




This one is a toss up. Either telling my husband that we are expecting our first baby, or seeing him on the ultrasound for the first time. I literally squeaked with happiness when I saw his heart beating. :)



1. Finish renovating our house and finally move in!
2. Organize my classroom files better. I hate having to search for things I made last year just because I did not file them smartly!




My word will definitely have to be change. We have a new house that we are looking to move into, a baby on the way, and my husband was recently promoted. The times, they are a-changin'... but in such a fantastic way.



Simply Kinder is hosting a fun little link up, for no reason other than to make new friends. :) 





So, check them out and link up. :) Happy New Year Friends!

23 comments:

  1. Congratulations on ALL your changes!! It looks like 2014 will be an amazing year. :-) Your mountain climbing adventures look amazing!

    Nichole
    The Craft of Teaching

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    1. Thank you! It was a ton of fun, but really terrifying at times. :)

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  2. Wow! Congrats on being a new mom! It is a wild ride so hold on, girl!

    www.theprekinderlife.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks! I'm not gonna lie- I am pretty nervous! Excited at the same time, though. :)

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  3. I love your blog design!!! So cute! I am obsessed with Downton Abbey! The new season starts in 5 days, and I cannot.wait! Did you see the 20/20 special last week? It was so good! Happy New Year!

    Theresa @ True Life I'm a Teacher!

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    1. I am SO excited about the new season! I am counting down the days. I didn't see the special!! I didn't even know there was one. Now I am going to have to find it online. Thanks for telling me!! Happy New Year.

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  4. Congratulations on all of your big changes! Happy 2014 :)

    Primary Buzz

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  5. Love your blog and reading about your amazing year in 2013! I am your newest follower :)

    www.thirdgradebrownies.blogspot.com

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    1. Aww thanks! I'm heading over to check your blog out now. :)

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  6. I am looking forward to seeing pics of your new home and new little one. Keep us posted. Happy 2014!

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    1. Awww thanks! I am looking forward to that, too. Hopefully, my house is finished soon and the weeks fly by until May. :) Happy New Year to you, too!

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  7. Big changes. Good changes. Happy 2014.

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  8. It looks like you will have an exciting 2014.
    Enjoy the new home and, most importantly, the new little one!

    Mary
    Fit to be Fourth

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  9. Hi, Mandy! Fun blog! I also want to get my kiddos self-monitoring! I enjoyed reading your resolutions! Thanks for linking up! Happy New Year!

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    1. Thanks for hosting the link up! It was fun. :)

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  10. Congratulations on the new house and baby! Exciting things to come!

    Jessica
    Literacy Spark

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  11. Congratulations on all those changes! Especially on new mommyhood coming up!

    -Alisha
    Missing Tooth Grins

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    1. Thank you! I am so nervous... but excited. :)

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  12. WoW! A baby - it doesn't get any better than that. You will have the most wonderful 2014! Oh and the climbing, it looks amazing! I'm not too sure I could do it, as soon as I realized how far up I was I'm pretty sure I'd freeze. I will have to give those cookies a try too. Thanks for sharing.

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