Hurricane Sandy

Very thankful that here in my part of Virginia we escape the major wrath of Hurricane Sandy--our lights flickered a few times but luckily, we didn't lose power. We did have some heavy rains. some fallen trees and some really strong winds, but nothing like they experienced up in New York and New Jersey. The pictures and footage I've seen are just awful--those people are definitely in my prayers! :(

Today is our second day of a "hurricane day" off from school and I've actually been shockingly productive with getting work done. We are very close to the end of the 1st grading period, so it's more or less our crunch time--yikes! My stack of grading has dwindled down to almost nothing (should be all done by the end of the day) and I will actually have time to input grades into my computer. Not sure how all of this would have gotten done without having those two days off, but I'm just so glad we didn't have major damage in our area and am definitely thinking about those who were not quite as fortunate. :(

Also, should anyone need any information about ANYTHING related to Hurricane Sandy, just ask me and I'll refer you to my dad, who has watch news coverage non-stop for the last couple of days. He seriously could give some of the reporters a run for their money...haha. :)

Sunday Social: Halloween!

  Today, I'm linking up with Neely and Ashley for Sunday Social!! :)   1. What was your favorite Halloween costume as a kid? Oooh, I would have to say the year I dressed up as Minnie Mouse was one of my favorite! So cute! One of these days, I will stop being lazy and will actually scan some old photos into my computer. But not today. :) Haha...

 

2. If you could go back and dress up as something what would it be?

Rainbow Brite!

I LOVED her and I'm really surprised I never dressed up as her..weird!

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3. Favorite costume as an adult?

Every year, we have a "Fall Dress-Up Day" at school, and we are supposed to dress up as our favorite book characters, so needless to say, my friends Tabitha and Brittany and I dress up as Hogwarts students. And then spend most of the day talking about how we wished we really could go to Hogwarts, haha!

A few years ago, I dressed up as "The Devil Wears Prada" and that was really fun because I wore all of my own clothes,  (not that they were actually Prada clothing, but I didn't care, haha...)! And just ironed on letters to spell "prada". :)

 

4. What is your favorite Halloween candy? Well, I have pretty bad food allergies, so I don't eat candy, but back in the day, when I could eat normal foods lol, I loved Milky Ways. Actually, anything with caramel, I was obsessed with!   5. What is your favorite Halloween memory? Some of my favorite memories of Halloween are going trick-or-treating with neighbors and friends! It sometimes was cold enough we'd have to wear sweaters under our costumes (and believe me, we gave my poor mom some flak about that, haha) but we always had SO much fun! :) 
6. What's your favorite scary movie? Um, so NOT a scary movie fan. I really really don't like scary/gory movies, so the month of October when all of the movies practically are the scariest ones you can imagine, I hate watching previews, sigh...
Back to the movies, I would say that Casper was one of the movies that I considered a little "scary" (I know no one else in the world would say this!) but because it was one of the few ghost movies I could watch, I'm going to include it! I know, I'm kind of a wimp...

Weekend Fun!

As always, I'm SO glad it's the weekend! 

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Especially because we have a SUPER fun weekend planned! We are celebrating my fabulous mother's birthday--yay!! I'm pretty sure she doesn't read my blog but I am so excited to celebrate her day--she's such a fantastic mother!! :) 

There is so much about this picture that cracks me up! :) I love it!

Pretty sure my dad had already gone to bed before this "photo shoot" began on  Christmas Eve at about midnight, haha...

My parents, my sisters and I are all going to go apple picking out in the country, visit a winery and sample lots of wine, and then have a family dinner tonight and best of all, yummy cake!!! :) 

Oh yeah, and somewhere in there, we will also be prepping for the most insane storm of all time, Hurricane Sandy, which is headed straight for the DC area sometime tomorrow--yikes! 

(And by prepping, I mean making sure I have a stack of movies and my portable DVD player charged, haha...I guess I should probably look for a flashlight too..)

Wait, it's not THIS type of hurricane? Lame...

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True story...haha

I hope you all have a GREAT day and if you are in the path of the hurricane, stay safe! 

Pinktober Giveaway!

If you haven't already discovered the adorable blog that is Shades of Gray and a Pinch of Pink, you absolutely MUST check it out! 

Her blog is so fun and not only that, she is hosting a fabulous giveaway to promote Breast Cancer Awareness. 

Her post has tons of informative information that ALL women (no matter their age) should know about to take every precaution they can to monitor their health. Seriously--so important! 

If you are interested in entering the giveaway, you can check it out here.

I think it is so cool of Erin (also, her name is Erin Elizabeth so we are "name twins" which I think is 100% awesome) to host a giveaway that will raise awareness for a very important cause. Very inspiring!

Sunday Social: Week 20!

Today I'm joining Neely and Ashley for another edition of Sunday Social!

1. What do you value most in life? 

My family and friends! I am very lucky to have such a wonderful family and such great friends who are all always there for me!

2. What do you think is the greatest invention in your lifetime and why?

I would have to say Tivo! I love love love my Tivo box and being able to record shows! It's a huge time saver and gives me a lot more flexibility! For example, today I'm going to see Legally Blonde: The Musical at a nearby theatre. It just so happens that the show is happening at the same time as the Redskins game--if I didn't have Tivo, it would be a tough decision, haha...

3. What do you think is the secret to a good life?

Treating people with respect, honesty and kindness. Doing things that you enjoy. Trying new things/new experiences. 

4. What would you most like to be remembered for when you’re gone? 

Hmm, this is a tricky one to answer. I guess I would say I'd like to be remembered for showing the people in my life what they mean to me and for treating people with love and respect.

5. What accomplishment in your life are you most proud of?

I'm really proud of myself for getting my Master's degree in Elementary Education! It was really hard taking classes to finish up my Master's degree program during my first year of teaching, but I somehow survived and it was a great feeling when I was finally done, haha... :)

Friday's Fancies: Black and Orange Fashion

I'm linking up with Long Distance Loving for another round of Friday's Fancies! This week, the theme is costume-related since Halloween is just about two weeks away, but since I'm not a super costume-y person, I decided to create a black and orange themed outfit instead!

Black and Orange Fashion by eraff1483 


                        1.) I love the neckline of this simple but classy black shirt!   Plus it's British and I love anything British-related, hahaha...

Lipsy long sleeve shirt
$23 - lipsy.co.uk







2.) I'm not normally an orange-wearing kind of person (not the best color with my red hair and pale skin!) but I LOVE love LOVE these adorable orange skinnies!

G-Star Raw g star raw jeans
$155 - johnlewis.com







3.) The bow on these black flats are soooo cute!! 

Flat shoes
kohls.com







4.) Love this purse! I have a ridiculous amount of black purses, but I still want this one, haha!

Dooney bourke
dooney.com







5.) Love the black and orange combo here and dangly earrings are always fun!!

Apt 9 apt 9
kohls.com







6.) Oooh, love this scarf! I have sooo many already, but not an orange one! ;) Love it!

SELECTED scarve
$78 - selected.com

Happy Friday!!!

Campus Book Rentals- Review!

Renting college textbooks is SUCH a great idea! I remember the days (ew I sound old) of spending HUNDREDS of dollars in my campus bookstore, buying all of my textbooks each semester. And my favorite part? Trying to resell them at the end of the semester, only to be told they weren't accepting it because a "new edition" was coming out next year. Grr...

Being able to pay a reasonable fee to rent a textbook for however long you need it is such a great idea! Campus Book Rentals does not charge you a membership fee and they give you free shipping BOTH ways, which is a huge savings. 

Campus Book Rentals is clearly laid out and very easy to navigate. Let's say for instance, you were taking a class in Art History. All you would need to do is create an account, search for the book, find the book you need from the tons of books they have available, and boom! Your textbook will be sent to you for your use during the rental period (and you are allowed to highlight in it!). The rental fees are significantly cheaper than what you would pay if you were buying it new. Then when you are done with the book, you return it in the return shipping envelope that they provide for you and that's it! Sounds very simple and hassle-free. 

One of the nicest features that this company provides you with is the option to rent the textbook based on the length of your course. You can choose from a semester, or 130 days, a quarter, or 85 days, or a summer course, which is 55 days. So if you are taking a shorter course, you will pay even LESS than the great deal you would have already gotten---so nice and makes total sense! You also have the option to extend the rental period if you happen to need it longer which is nice if you are a procrastinator someone who gets their inspiration from working at the last moment like me! 

I definitely encourage you to check out the company and use it for renting your textbooks.

 (And if you are still in college/starting college soon, I am completely jealous of you! I miss the college days of fun times with friends, parties, picnics on the quad, football games, and all-you-can-eat buffets at the dining hall, haha. But seriously, enjoy it and LIVE it up! :) )


* Although I was compensated for this review, these opinions are completely my own. I think this sounds like a fantastic company. *

Oh Monday....

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Kind of how I felt today... 

Ahh! It's yet another Monday (obviously!)...I had a GREAT weekend of relaxing, catching up with some family and friends, watching the Redskins win and basically avoiding all of my work that has piled up, haha! But still, the weekends go by way TOO fast and before we know it, another work week has started-- although I do love my job, it's sometimes hard to gear up for another busy week and today I was especially drained. :( 

Oh well... :)

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Hahaha! I have no idea what's going on in this picture, but yeah, that's how I feel some Mondays!

:)

Weekend!! :)

So glad it's the weekend!

Here are some of my favorite things to do on the weekends:

Watching quality TV

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Painting my nails

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Getting lot of important errands done (and by important errands, I mean shop online for various necessities such as colored tights for fall! Haha)

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Relaxing in my PJs all day

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And most of all, not having to wake up early for work! Haha :)

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What are some of your favorite things to do on the weekend?? 

Friday's Fancies: Leaf Love

Linking up with Long Distance Loving for another week of Friday's Fancies! This week's theme is leaf love and I do love fall! Yellow, orange and red are not the best colors for my red hair and pale skin, so I decided to create a fun fall outfit instead! :)

Fall Fun! :) by eraff1483 featuring mid rise jeans

                                1.) I absolutely love this sweater! And it looks like it has a built-  in scarf! Perfect for the scarf-obsessed like me!!!    

Cotton sweater
$77 - mexx.eu







2.) I'll be honest, it's hard to remember what life was like before skinny jeans  became an essential part of my wardrobe. How did I wear super cute boots before??!?

J Brand mid rise jeans
bernardboutique.com







3.) Speaking of super cute boots.....

Steve madden wedge
piperlime.gap.com







4.) This bag is adorable! I love the shiny color!

Mango zip bag
mango.com







5.) I love teardrop shaped earrings---sooo pretty!

Nadri drop earrings
dillards.com

Today: Featured on Ramblings of a Southern Belle!

Today I was featured on Ramblings of a Southern Belle as her Blog of the Week! 

I was SOOO excited when Tif emailed me and told me I was the winner!! I loved filling out her fun questionnaire and getting to share about some of my favorites!!

You should definitely check out her adorable blog and my questions for the Blog of the Week! :) 

Thanks again Tif!!

Pinterest Wednesday!

I'm linking up with Michelle at The Vintage Apple for Oh, How Pinteresting Wednesday! A little late today--I've been battling a bad case of bronchitis all week and have had like NO energy :( Boo! I hate being sick...

Here are some of my favorite pins from the week!

1.) I love this gorgeous room! Especially the sparkles throughout it--so pretty!

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2.) This is an adorable way to decorate! Really could be done for any holiday. 

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3.) Ahhh hahahaha! I love any reference to Mean Girls. :)

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4.) Ooooh, this is so cute! Love the color...

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5.) The look on this baby's face is priceless! Hahaha...

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6.) Seriously considering making this into a poster and hanging it in my room, hah!! :)

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Friday's Fancies: Marvelous Monotone

Today I'm linking up with Long Distance Loving for Friday's Fancies! 



The theme this week is Marvelous Monotone and this is what I created! 

Fashion by eraff1483 

1.) I love this color and these shoes are so fun! I might risk breaking an ankle, but ooh, they are really cute!! :)

Steve Madden platform heels
stevemadden.com

2.) This purse is really pretty! I'm not sure how I would fit all of my things in it, haha but it would look so great with the dress! :)

Tail bag
etsy.com

3.) Love this style of necklaces--gorgeous!

J Crew j crew necklace
jcrew.com

4.)  These earrings are adorable! I love the flowers! :)

Fantasy Jewelry Box blue jewelry
fantasyjewelrybox.com



5.) This dress is beautiful! If only I had somewhere fancy to wear it to!!

T Babaton feather dress
aritzia.com



6.) And of course, you can't go wrong with matching nail polish too! Haha...

GOLD By Giles Mint Green Nail Polish
newlook.com