Five on Friday and Friday Favorites

I am so ready to welcome the weekend! Although this week has gone by quickly, there were so many things on my to do list that I wish it had slowed down. I was barely able to keep up with my normal routine this week. These are the moments when I wonder how I will be able to do it all with a baby! I am fully aware that it will be a learning curve for me and my husband-- it's kind of a nerve-wrecking thought! Any working mothers out there have any advice for a first time mom?!! How do you balance it all?! How do you do it all?! 

Anyway, enough of my complaining and stressing (two things I have been doing a lot of lately-- mostly to my husband). Onto Five on Friday and Friday Favorites! Today, as always, I am linking up with Momfessionals, A Little Bit of Everything, and Grace and Love for Friday Favorites, but also A. Liz Adventures, Carolina Charm, Hello! Happiness, and The Good Life for 5 on Friday.

{FAVORITE ONE}

One of the reasons I had a hard time keeping up with normal chores around the house this week was because I met up with one of my closest friends for dinner Wednesday night. This was a very good reason to put aside my chores :) My friend Patrice is the very best. She has been my friend since high school, and we have been through a lot together! She has been there during the happiest times in my life, and during some of the most challenging times in my life. She is self-less, caring, funny, beautiful, down-to-earth, honest, and would do anything for me or my family. We can go weeks without talking/texting, but when we meet back up, we pick up right where we left off. I can talk to her about anything, and I have! Thank you Patrice for being such an amazing friend to me all these years :) I am definitely grateful for our friendship :) 

{FAVORITE TWO}

Last night, my family (sisters, husband, brother-in-law, parents) went out to dinner to celebrate my sister Elizabeth's 25th birthday. We always have so  much fun when we are together :) 

Elizabeth is one of the best people I know. To read more about Elizabeth and our relationship, you can go here for her sister spotlight!

{FAVORITE THREE}

My husband. This week we received some news about our ultra sound results (not necessarily bad news but news that requires an additional test and ultra-sound), and he has been such a calming and reassuring force. He knows exactly what to say, and how to make me feel better. Pregnancy is such a journey-- not just for the woman, but for her partner and family. My husband has been an amazing partner thus far in our journey.  My family has also been very supportive and encouraging during this time right now, and I am so lucky to have so many loving people surrounding me. Once I know more information, I will pass it along.  

{FAVORITE FOUR}

We have finally (I think) decided on names for the baby (we have a girl name and a boy name picked out!). Once it gets closer to the due date, I will share those names with you :) 

{FAVORITE FIVE}
Can I include being able to sleep in on my list of favorites? I can?! Yes! That is definitely on my list of musts this weekend-- one day of sleeping in. I am tired! 


I hope you all have a great weekend, and that you are able to do a lot of fun stuff this weekend! Can't wait to check it all out on Monday :) 

How is it May?! Weekending Edition

Hello friends! Long time no see, huh?! I apologize for stepping away from my blog for a little bit, but things were crazy around here. Between school (stress, work, meetings, event planning), exciting news on the home-front (which I will share when I can!), and vacation, I couldn't keep up with blogging. I need to work on my time management-- especially when it comes to blogging since it was something I started for me! However, as my mom said to me, blogging will always be here, and I shouldn't feel guilty about missing a few weeks, especially if it was going to cause me more stress instead of being a stress reliever. She is a wise woman that one :) However, this week, I finally feel like I am swimming freely instead of treading water, so I wanted to take the opportunity to get back into it!  I will try to spend this week detailing all the things that have happened the past few weeks (like our AMAZING Disney vacation), and I can't wait to catch up with everyone! I can't promise that this won't happen again-- we are nearing the end of school and anyone who works in a school knows it can get mad CRAZY the last few weeks. But, I will try to keep up the best I can!

First up this week, Weekending with B Loved Boston & Champagne and Suburbs!

{FRIDAY NIGHT}

~ Friday night was my sisters' Prom and they both looked so beautiful! I had the pleasure of doing their make-up and being part of their "getting ready process." 

~ Thankfully they both had a great time with their dates and friends :) 

{SATURDAY}

~ After spending the morning waiting for my car to be fixed (yuck), I spent most of Saturday grading

~ I also have to give credit where it's due-- my husband not only cleaned the kitchen and the bathroom while I was gone with my car, but washed all of the floors and cleaned up the house. I am certainly a lucky girl :)

~ My husband and his brother also worked for the greater part of the day fixing up our yard and making sure that our sprinkler system worked-- and it did!!! They also trimmed our bushes and our trees-- I will be posting pictures of this transformation soon!

~ After grading and dinner, I was really in the mood for ice cream, so we went to one of our favorite local places. I am so glad we did-- it was so worth it :) 

{SUNDAY}

~ Sunday morning and early afternoon, my husband and I went to Lowes and then gardened, raked and cleaned up our yard. Man, yard work is hard! But-- it is so rewarding :) 

~ Sunday afternoon was spent at my grandparents house, and the weather was gorgeous! We were outside for quite a few hours just soaking in the sun and dreaming of summer

~ Sunday night, we continued watching "Bloodline" a show on Netflix that we seem to binge watch every once in a while. It's not bad-- it's not amazing-- but we are having such a hard time finding shows to watch lately. Does anyone have any suggestions?! 

I hope you all had a great weekend! Here's to another week :)

Weekending.... A Tad Late ;)

So I am going to blame this sickness that I have had for the past two weeks on why I am so late on this post! I am sorry everyone :)! I am linking up with Champagne and Suburbs and B Loved Boston for Weekending....

{FRIDAY}

• After a very lonnggg week, I was just glad to get home Friday by 3 pm and put my pajamas on. Honestly, is there a better Friday afternoon?! I think not haha. Friday night was spent RELAXING and literally not doing anything but eating and watching movies. Probably my favorite type of Friday night. 

{SATURDAY}

• Saturday was spent running errands in the morning/early afternoon and also heading to our favorite place for lunch (Bedford Village Inn). The BVI is also where my husband and I had our wedding reception, so it will always be one of our favorite places. 
• Saturday night was spent celebrating my dad and my cousin's confirmation into our faith. Although the mass is long (about two and a half hours) it is such a peaceful and enjoyable Easter mass. While I love Easter Sunday with its jubilation and excitement, there is truly something special about the Easter Vigil. 

{SUNDAY}

• Easter Sunday was spent finding eggs at my parents house. My uncle has hid eggs for us as long as I can remember, and I just don't think he can let it go yet! Even though we are all older, he still finds so much happiness and joy in hiding the eggs for us-- and you know what-- I'll take it. Free candy? Umm sure I will search for eggs for candy haha. 
• We then went to my grandparents house for linner (what we like to call a mix between lunch and dinner). Sunday night, Jim and I  hunkered down at home for the rest of the night and just watched T.V. 

All in all, not a bad weekend! Are you all ready for the week?! I'm still not sure that I am haha. Until next time! 

Last Sister Spotlight: Sarah

At last! The end of the sister spotlight series! If you missed the other three, visit here, here, and here! My last sister spotlight is about my sister Sarah. The middle child. And yes, she has middle child syndrome haha. I was about 5 when Sarah was born, and Elizabeth was a little under 2 years old. I don't really remember much from when she was first born, but I do remember thinking how adorable she was. She was, without a doubt, such a cute and fun baby. She was even cute when she cried! She had the curliest hair (which I was so envious of-- it always looked so good!) and she was almost always smiling.

 

 I mean-- look at that face! Side note: She still makes that face when she cries :)

 

Sarah was such an active kid and teenager. She was always on the move, always doing something (or five things), and really enjoyed being a kid. Even if she was playing by herself (which she sometimes preferred), she would explore and have such great adventures in our back yard. Nature and its wonderful creatures kept Sarah busy for hours. There may have been some dirt eating incidents and with my help, some capturing of newts and salamanders. I always thought Sarah was going to become an environmentalist. Not too long ago, land next to my parent's house was for sale. Trees were being cut down, probably to help sell the land, and Sarah took it upon herself to write some posters in protest. That's our Sarah, our spitfire! 

Growing up, Sarah and I did not always get along. We get along better now, but we still have our moments ;).  In some ways we are so similar, but in other ways we are polar opposites. Sarah is loud, opinionated, extremely intelligent (naturally), funny, outgoing, seriously independent, and lives life to the fullest. I, on the other hand, am more reserved and traditional. She likes to get a rise out of people, she is a contrarian, (seriously reverse psychology works great on her :)), and definitely speaks her own mind. When we were younger, I would get so annoyed with her, and I don't even know why! Maybe I just wished I was more like her-- so it was my weird way of showing it. Regardless, she definitely deserves accolades for being her own person.

Sarah found her real passion and heart when she switched from playing sports in high school sophomore year, to joining Drama Club. It was through theatre that she truly found her voice. We all knew Sarah could be overly dramatic (haha), but when she channeled her talents for theatre, we knew she had found her niche. As an actress, Sarah was poised, had great comedic timing, and did an incredible job at making her characters real and relatable. In high school, she was in a play called  "Post-its (Notes on a Marriage)" by Paul Dooley and Winnie Holzman, and I was emotionally moved. Sarah played the role perfectly, and I really got a sense of the character which was really remarkable since all she did in the play was read post-it notes. If you get a chance, either watch this play or read this play-- it is truly touching. 

Sarah continued with theatre for the rest of high school, and I am not sure if I have ever told her, but I think that was one of the bravest things she has ever done. She starred in countless plays and musicals-- oh did I mention she also has a beautiful singing voice?!! It was so great to see her so happy and enjoying what she was doing. She had numerous friends, and always had a great sense of herself. She never really cared about popularity, or "fitting in" or what other people thought of her. The funny thing is, I think that is why people gravitated to her so much. She was really friends with everyone. 

Sarah has this sparkle and zest for life that is unmatched. She can make you laugh so hard it hurts, she finds herself incredibly funny, she likes to take "impromptu" pictures, she is a great supporter, but will be honest with you when you need constructive criticism. She will be there for you no matter what, but she won't sugar coat how she feels about the situation. She holds grudges against those that cross our family, and is not afraid to stand up for not only herself but all of us. She should seriously be a lawyer ;). She will fight for what is right, what is just, even if it is not the most popular idea or belief. She will be such an amazing role model for my future children and hers. 

In college, she majored in Theatre as well as, Anthropology. She absolutely loved college. I knew that she would-- she was able to "leave the nest" and be on her own. She studied abroad in England, and traveled all over Europe. She certainly has the itch to keep traveling and experience other cultures. I would love to take a family trip to Europe, especially with her. I know that she would make it fun, historical and enjoyable. 

Up until she went to college, I took having her around for granted. When I returned from college, Sarah went to college, and because she went to school in New Jersey, we didn't see her as much as we were used to. I had a hard time figuring out how to express how I was feeling to her. Instead of trying to explain how much I missed her, I tried to joke and be sarcastic about it. Looking back, I wish I had been honest with her. She probably needed to hear how much she was missed, and I should have told her. 

After graduating college, Sarah came back home and worked at her usual summer job at a daycare. When the summer ended, she decided to search for a temporary job and found a nannying job. Sarah has been the nanny for a family of four since last Fall, and I have never seen her so engaged in a job. She is thinking about pursuing a career in speech pathology, and I think it would be a perfect fit for her. She is intuitive and is fascinated by kids and how their minds work.  

Love is a tricky subject with our beloved Sarah. She loves being independent, and she loves her freedom. (We try to remind her that those are things you don't give up when you get married haha). However, I know that she does want kids in the future and someone to share her life with. We always joke with her and say that when she finds the one, it will be a quick engagement. She will just know and that's it!  Any guy would be extremely lucky to even have the chance with her. I hope that she allows herself to fall in love. 

No matter what the future holds for Sarah, I know she will conquer it all with spunk and gumption. I love you Sarah! Even when I don't hug you all the time ;)

I hope you have enjoyed this series! It has been great to share the most important people in my life :) Thank you for reading! 

Sister Spotlight: Elizabeth

If you are new to my blog, welcome! I have four younger sisters, and I have decided to introduce them all to you (one sister/week). We are now up to sister three: Elizabeth!  If you missed the other two (Jocelyn and Nicole) you can check them out here and here!

Elizabeth is the second oldest; we are almost three years apart. My mom constantly reminds me that she just didn't want me to be an only child. She wanted to give me at least one sibling so that I wouldn't be alone (mom-- you are definitely an overachiever ;)). Elizabeth is the heart of the family. She is the mediator (most of the time), the one who you can go to and just have a good cry with, the one who is just as obsessed with The Bachelor as I am (although she wasn't a huge fan of Farmer Chris-- which made us all laugh even more than we usually do), the one who you can go to with a problem or just to vent. Elizabeth is very close in age with my sister Sarah; Elizabeth was a year and nine months when she was born. Elizabeth always jokes that she wasn't ever the baby of the family. She claims that every one else had their time as the baby but her. Although it is a slightly dramatic statement (haha sorry Elizabeth), it is true. She did grow up quickly, and did take on that role of "big sister" early on.

Elizabeth and Sarah-- notice the juice box :)

Elizabeth has even taken on that "big sister" responsibility with me too. Anytime I need someone to talk to, text real quick, I know that I can turn to her. She has so much love for all of our family, it is immeasurable. If I am honest with myself, there are many times where I have been jealous of Elizabeth (in a positive way). She has such a calming demeanor and presence. She has this way of making everyone feel comfortable and safe. She is understanding and forgiving (sometimes to a fault).  I of course need to work on this! She always has a beautiful and genuine smile on her face, and is the best person to share exciting news with. She is also one of the best to share difficult news with-- she has a way of making you feel like everything is going to be okay. 

Elizabeth knew early on in school that one day she wanted to become an elementary school teacher. She is probably one of the only people I know who did not change their mind growing up (I also was very jealous that she knew her career path early on). She is a teacher that I wish I had had growing up. I can imagine that she lights up a classroom like she lights up a room. Any student would be lucky to have her. Not only does Elizabeth have a great general personality, but she is also a hard worker. She worked extremely hard in college and is always willing to improve her skills. She has a passion for learning, which I think also contributes to her success in the classroom.

Elizabeth has always been the "popular, " well-liked and admired one in school, with our family, and even family friends. She is the person you gravitate towards-- warm, bubbly, full of personality, and full of life. Unfortunately, throughout the years, people have taken advantage of her sweetness and generosity. I don't know if it is because they were jealous, but some of her friends started to shut her out and make plans without her in college. She started dating Mario (her husband), and she came home to visit a lot, so I think her friends decided to move forward (in some aspect) without her. Elizabeth was/is not a partier, but she does like to have fun. Not being invited hurt her, and it was hard for me to restrain myself from lashing out at all of her "friends."  While it is true she would have rather stayed in watching a movie with our family/Mario, she also craved friends and companionship. It is unfortunate that they couldn't really find a middle ground, but sometimes you have to move on. While you can't choose your family, you can choose your family to be your friends. She really is one of my best friends, and I hope I have given her the support she has needed all of these years. 

We have had so much fun together over the years. She is the one (along with Sarah) that has forced me to have fun during the really trying and difficult times in my life. I am serious,Type A, neurotic, and stressed much of the time and she certainly balances that out. She is the one that tells me I deserve a break (right when I need one), and that I deserve to just relax for a bit. Advice-giver is another attribute to add to her long list of noteworthy characteristics. 

Elizabeth was the type of person that always had a boyfriend :). Elementary, junior high, high school, and college. There was rarely a time where she didn't have a significant other. I still tease her about this-- probably because I am the one that NEVER had a boyfriend during those times haha. However, I knew that she had met someone special when she talked about meeting Mario. They met on July 4, 2009, and have been inseparable since. They are perfect for each other. Yes- I know that statement is cliche. But, if you met the two of them, you would know that it is true. They are sensitive to each other's needs, sensitive to each other's flaws (for the most part haha),and know each other extremely well. Anyone who sees them together can see the most amazing love between two people. I am so glad that she has found someone who truly appreciates how amazing she is. She loves unconditionally, and is not afraid to show that love. 

When I got engaged, I already knew who my Maid of Honor was going to be: Elizabeth. My mother, the smart woman she is :), decided to choose our Maids of Honors for us. With five girls, she didn't want any issues or animosity over who would be a part of our wedding. My Maid of Honor was Elizabeth, Elizabeth's Maid of Honor was Sarah, Sarah's Maid of Honor will be me, and Jocelyn and Nicole will be each other's. It is pure genius, and did eliminate some of the common problems with choosing a Maid of Honor. Regardless, I was glad to have all my sisters and my two closest cousins next to me when I said my vows to Jim. Elizabeth was amazing. She gave me support when I needed it, helped me make important decisions, and provided me with clarity when I unsure about a vendor or aspect of the wedding. This was quite extraordinary since the majority of the time she was also trying to plan her own wedding! I am so lucky to have had her by my side not only throughout the planning process, but throughout life. We have been through a lot together, and I wouldn't trade any moment or event I have shared with her. 

We have both settled into our married life, but the memories I have growing up with Elizabeth will always be in my heart. I can't wait for what the future holds for us. I can't wait until we have little families of our own-- she is going to be a great and loving mother and aunt. Love you Elizabeth! 

I hope you have enjoyed this series-- only one more left! 

Happy almost Friday everyone :) 

Weekending.....

And it's Monday again.....how did it get here so fast? I suppose having a busy weekend helps with that! I am linking up with Champagne and Suburbs and B Loved Boston for weekending!

{FRIDAY NIGHT} 

We have spirit week this coming week, and to kick off the week we had a Hawaiian themed formal dance Friday night. I chaperoned the dance and although there weren't that many students in attendance (what is it with kids these days?! They don't attend games or dances anymore!), the students who did attend had a blast! I am a firm believer in that high school is what you make of it. To be honest, I think you can use that philosophy for many things: college, work experiences, internships, etc. I am hoping that this dance becomes a tradition, and that more students will come next year. Regardless, I love hanging out with my fellow teachers, even if it is during a school dance, 

{SATURDAY} 

Most of Saturday was spent volunteering at a cheerleading competition. I worked the candy grams and flower station with my mom-- we got some quality time with each other! However, working at the event made me glad that I don't work in retail or the service industry. Customers can be so challenging haha.  Saturday night, my husband and I finished watching "House of Cards" Season 3-- and we aren't really sure where the series is going next year! This season did not get a good review, so maybe next year they will revert back to what they did for Seasons 1 and 2.  

{SUNDAY} 

Jocelyn and Nicole had their Preliminary cheerleading competition Sunday, and while they didn't do as well as we would have hoped, I am so proud of them. They have a small team, with a very big heart. The biggest piece of the puzzle they are missing is confidence. My sister Elizabeth and her sister in law Vanessa took over in terms of coaching for winter season.  I feel as though the cheerleaders were so broken down from their previous season, it was hard to get their confidence back. This particular competition was important, as only the top 8 in their division make it to the State competition. My sisters were vying for that 8th spot, and unfortunately, did not make it. It was hard to watch only because I know all of the work they put in during the season. No one at the competition sees that. No one sees how much Elizabeth and Vanessa care for each and every single one of those girls. Their performance did not show their talent, which was really sad to see. While it stings right now, I know they will move forward and try to prepare for next season. Jocelyn is a senior and  has worked so hard all four years, and although the season did not end as she had hoped, I know she is proud of her team and she should be so proud of herself. 

I'm ending this post with two quotes that I think are perfect: 

via// via and via

Sister Spotlight: Nicole

In honor of her cheerleading competition (and Jocelyn's) this Sunday, I have decided to introduce my sister Nicole to you all :) She is the youngest of the five girls, which I am sure is not easy! Nicole and I are called "the bookends," I am the oldest and she is the youngest, we both have blue eyes, and up until a few years ago, we looked very much alike. I was in junior high when my mom had Nicole, and I remember the day I told my friends my parents had another girl. Two of my friends are only children (I am still close to them today) and one of them felt bad for me (another sibling?!), and one was completely jealous of my situation. The latter still jokes with me today about how she wishes my family could adopt her! We would in a heartbeat haha--but she has awesome parents!

When my mom had Nicole, we all were surprised that it was a girl. All of the "tests" and wives-tales pointed to a boy! Everything! As a baby, Nicole was a mamma's girl. She always wanted to be near my mom, all of the time. She also was a night-owl. I remember that she used to stay up until about 10/11 some nights, but would sleep through the night until about 7 or 8. She still likes to sleep in, but I think she also appreciates her sleep now haha. She also was a stress sleeper-- if there were situations that she found stressful, she would just fall asleep. At church-- when she knew she had to be quiet and couldn't really move, she fell asleep. When we went out for anything, again she fell asleep. She was completely adorable, big blue eyes and all.

 I can't imagine my family without Nicole- she completes us. She was such a blessing and even though we are 13 years apart, we are closer than I could have ever imagined. Yes we fight-- we are so similar it is hard not to! We can get into heated arguments-- mostly petty (yes I am 27 and I still get into these kinds of fights haha)-- but at the end of the day, we have a bond that is unlike any other.

I was actually afraid that we wouldn't be close. It wasn't just the age difference (although that played a role), but it was the fact that we would always be at different points in our lives. When I was a freshman in college, Nicole went into kindergarten! At that age, she didn't realize understand the concept of "college." When I came home to visit, she wouldn't talk to me. I was hurt and confused- and then I realized that she was also hurt and confused. She wasn't use to me being away from home, so when I came back, she knew I was going to be leaving again and didn't want to get attached to me. It took until about Thanksgiving for her to understand that although I wasn't always around, I would always be back to visit. Although we might be at different stages (when she is in college, hopefully I will children), I know that we are connected. We will always be able to talk to each other, help each other, and be there for each other. Our age difference won't matter.

Flash forward a few years from kindergarten, and I can't believe how much she has grown and matured. Besides the obvious fact that she is drop dead gorgeous, she is also extremely smart, loving, funny, and sassy (really sassy right now haha). She cares deeply for her family, and is a great person to have on your side (she will fight for you!!). She has a soft spot for those in need, and her compassion is heart-warming. I can't wait for my future children to spend time with her (while she babysits of course haha-- thanks in advance!!). She is amazing with our nephew William-- so gentle, fun, and attentive. Even though she is the "baby" of the family, she certainly does not act as such (all of the time I mean). She does have her moments of realizing that next year she will be the only daughter left at home, but for the most part, she is enjoying her time with Jocelyn.

High school can be challenging: friends, classes, and sports. I am so proud of her for maintaining her integrity, morals, and values. It hasn't been easy-- she has had to switch a few friends around because of certain situations, but I try to remind her that it is about quality not quantity. Girls can be mean and petty in high school, but if you are lucky enough, you might leave with some of the best friends you will ever have. Even though she is a cheerleader, Nicole can be shy and reserved. I so hope that by the end of high school, she breaks out of her shell. She needs to know that she is a bright, shining star, and those that meet her are the lucky ones. I honestly don't know what I would do without her-- I definitely would not laugh as much!

One unique aspect is Nicole's bond with my husband Jim. She ADORES him-- she even wrote a speech for our wedding (it was amazing and I definitely shed a few tears). It is so wonderful to see this great bond--- he is like her older brother/second father. She asks for his advice, she trusts him, and she respects his opinion. When she needs someone to talk to, she will typically contact him. Yes- sometimes I am jealous she texts him more than she texts me haha. But for the most part, I think that it is sweet. I am so glad that he supports her. 

She, unfortunately, was there first hand during my terrible break up four years ago. She was only in elementary school, but she was there for me. She gave me hugs, she talked to me, and she listened. Looking back now, I feel terrible! I feel terrible for putting her through that. However, I am so glad that she has witnessed true love between my husband and I. I am so glad that I can be a role model for her, and show her that true love is worth everything. When you find someone that treats you well and with respect, that shows you love each and every single day, you shouldn't let them go. I am also glad that my husband has been such an amazing role model for her. He has shown her what it means to be a true friend, husband, and brother.  

Trust me though-- they have their own shenanigans and their own inside jokes-- you have to have fun too! 

Nicole you are an amazing person, and you have a personality like no other! I love you dearly, and I cannot wait for what the future holds. 

Thanks for stopping by everyone! Hope you enjoyed today's post! You can find my first sister spotlight here!   

Weekend Updates

Hello everyone and happy Monday :) I can't believe it's March already! Spring has been on my mind the last week or so, and everyone is ready for it. I know I know-- I chose to live in New England. I don't mind the snow-- I actually love it. But, as we all know, too much of one thing is never a good thing ;). To my friends in the South-- I feel for ya! I hope you get some warmer weather headed your way soon!

It is also the Monday after vacation, and I have to say, I am ready for it! Only 8 weeks until April vacation ;) (Isn't that what everyone does? Count down to the next vacation?!).

Today, I am linking up with B Loved Boston and Champagne and Suburbs.

{FRIDAY}

- I went with my sister Jocelyn and my dad to visit Bentley University. Jocelyn is a Senior and is currently deciding what college she will attend in the fall. Even in the freezing cold, Bentley was beautiful. The classic brick buildings, the modern but welcoming interior, and the friendly faces persuaded me to attend! Unfortunately, it is on the pricier end, so Jocelyn will have to weigh her options after she receives financial aid information from all schools. 

{FRIDAY NIGHT} 

- Jim and I could not contain our excitement-- HOUSE OF CARDS IS BACK!!!!!! I also knew that the whole season would be posted (Jim was not aware of this fact), but we forced ourselves to only watch a few episodes. Sadly, we very well could have stayed up all night to watch all 13 episodes-- but I am glad we didn't! Yes-- wine was had (obviously!!!)

{SATURDAY} 

- Errands, errands, and errands. Saturday was a day spent picking up necessary items at very random places (Lowes, Staples, Walgreens). Before heading out to our adventure, we stopped at a local restaurant, which has become one of our favorites! Breakfast did not disappoint! 

- After returning from errands, Jim and I shoveled. No we did not get more snow. We are trying to prevent a flood in the Spring (once all the snow melts), and so we spent a couple hours shoveling pathways for the melted to snow to travel towards when it does melt. Needless to say, I was very tired! 

- I felt SUPER motivated after our shoveling experience, and I finished (FINALLY!) writing out our wedding Thank Yous. The last item to be completed related to the wedding! Don't get me wrong-- I loved my wedding. The planning and all of the other details? Not so much haha. I'll have to talk more about the planning process in another blog post soon! 

- At night, we of course watched four more episodes of "House of Cards." We had to stop! We only have six more episodes left to watch! 

{SUNDAY} 

- Sunday was spent going to church, relaxing, watching TV, and spending some quality time with my family. 

- Oh-- and maybe a few more episodes of "House of Cards" haha. All in all, a pretty nice weekend :) 

Ready for The Bachelor Women Tell All tonight?!!!! What will happen?!??!! Until tomorrow everyone!