Valentine's Day Q&A

Happy Valentine's Day, all! I've always sort of been a sucker for Valentine's Day even when I didn't have someone romantic to share it with (but, in full disclosure, I've had a traditional Valentine for many years, so this point is somewhat mute ;) ). I just love another reason to show people how much they mean to me. SUPER corny and mush but true.

I saw some bloggers doing the TBB Asks questions for February a few weeks ago and was bummed to have missed the link-up, but I thought they were appropriate to answer and post ON Valentine's Day too, so here we are. 

Who is your oldest friend? How did you meet?
I've mentioned her many a time on here—Chelsie! She's my oldest and dearest friend and we met in kindergarten.

 I call her my soulmate and I truly mean it. I'm grateful for our friendship every single day.

Tell us about your circle of support. Who are your people?
Oh my. You want to get me going? Ask me about "my people." My people are the greatest people. I'm truly lost for words when I think about how many people I have in my circle of support. It's unbelievable. I'm so blessed and lucky and grateful, grateful, grateful.

My parents are my greatest supporters by far (which is saying a lot since I really do have so much support from so many people). They are my best friends and my favorite people to talk to—I talk to them every day. And my siblings are as good as they come.

I have the best girlfriends that have ever existed on earth ever in history ;) and from all aspects of my life. I have my core group, the ones that feed my soul every day. And I have another best friend I met at work (my former company) who just lights up my life. And I'm very fortunate to have friends from college and high school (and even earlier) and some who work at my former company that I still talk to and catch up with from time to time. I'm also close with all the women Sammy's friends are dating which has been such a joy.

I've mentioned several times, but my current coworkers have certainly established themselves as a great form of support. They're beyond kind and thoughtful and I'm so grateful to work with them.

The support I get from my extended family is almost a joke. My grandma is SO proud of me it borders on unstable. She tells me every day how proud she is of me haha which makes me want to work harder honestly because I want to live up to the person she believes me to be. My aunts and uncles and cousins are endlessly supportive and have been a well of knowledge my entire life. Their love is exceeding and I love them for it.

an oldy but goody

And it goes without saying Sammy's family is unbelievable. His parents are always there for us, his brother and SIL are always willing to do anything to help us, and it goes on and on to his aunts and uncle to his cousins and beyond.

I have no idea what I ever did to deserve the circle I have but not a day goes by that I'm not endlessly grateful for it (could I say grateful one more time?). I just hope I give an ounce of the support I receive back to these people.

How did you meet your partner?
We met in second grade! (obviously a suuuuper quality photo but sorry, it's a screenshot of a picture of a picture etc.)

How is Valentine's Day celebrated in your home?

This is our first Valentine's in our home! In past years, we've gone out to dinner but it honestly feels so forced and we can never get a reservation at a restaurant we actually want to go to, so in the last few years we bought ingredients and cooked dinner together at our parents house. One year we made homemade pasta and meatballs, last year we made steak (for him) and shrimp (for me). It's soooo much better for us than going out to a fancy meal. I think if we ever go out on Valentine's Day, it'll be to be Freddy's in Cicero, our favorite restaurant, 'cause it's so old school Italian and chill and has the best food ever.

This year Sammy is working so I'm making dinner for us. I think I'm going to do some kind of chicken dish with pasta using vodka sauce from...Freddy's ;)

We normally don't exchange gifts on Valentine's day except maybe candy and cards, but this year Sammy said he got me something small, so I took inspiration from his cousin's blog (which is amazing if you want to check it out!) and got him a bocce ball set which is so Italian of me I could throw up. Not romantic at all haha but we have the perfect yard for the game and he doesn't have his own set yet, so I think he's going to enjoy getting it.

What is your love language?
Words of affirmation. *I'll wait while everyone puts on their surprised face.*

Do you prefer receiving flowers or chocolates?
Flowers all. damn. day. I like chocolate but I'm not a crazy person about it, so I would much prefer flowers.

What is the most meaningful gift you have ever received or have given?

I'm lucky to have received a lot of meaningful gifts, so this is hard!

When we were kids, my dad used to leave a book on our bed at night on our birthday and he always wrote something on the inside cover. Those are incredibly meaningful to me. My mom made my dream come true and took me to Paris as my graduation gift. My grandma gave me the tea set my great grandmother brought over from Italy as our housewarming gift and a Lladro figure that belonged to her and my grandpa as an engagement gift. And it goes without saying my engagement ring is incredibly meaningful to me.

One year for Christmas my uncle gave me a collection of essays by Nora Ephron that she signed and I have it on display in my library. She's my favorite writer, so I absolutely treasure that.

I feel like one of the more meaningful gifts I've given was when I had my grandpa's signature engraved into jewelry and/or ornaments for my grandma, mom, and uncles. They loved receiving those gifts.


Well, this was fun! It reminded me of doing surveys when MySpace was a thing haha.
I hope everyone was a wonderful Valentine's Day however you choose to celebrate (if at all)! xo

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Friday Faves

So glad it's Friday, friends! I thought this week was going to creep along with impending three-day weekend ahead of us, but it wasn't too bad which helped a lot. Work was consistently busy (as it's been crazy the last few months), I made it to the gym/worked out multiple times, stayed pretty on track with WW, and still had time for some phone calls to my grandma and to start two new books.

But now I'm ready for the weekend! On to the faves...


ONE / Getting to see this face on Wednesday, if only via Snapchat, was definitely a favorite :)

TWO / Recent Purchases

Nordstrom

I haven't online shopped in a long time (and I shouldn't have been doing it this week either...) but I recently realized just how OBSESSED I am with my Zella leggings, so I checked to see if Nordstrom had any on sale. I wear my plain black ones as every day leggings that I transition into workout ones when I go to the gym right after work, but I wanted ones that could be strictly for working out/running errands or something (aka not work). These were on sale for $30 (now sold out apparently) so I scooped them up.

I love the way tops with a front tie/twist look, but most of the ones I see tie too high up on the body for my personal preference, so when I saw this one I knew I would get a ton of use out of it. It doesn't seem to be available in this gray anymore, but it comes in black and oatmeal. BP has a very similar version that is cheaper, but I think the material on this one looks nicer.

here!

Old Navy

Ah, my loyal and faithful friend. I can always find something at Old Navy which is why I try to steer clear of it most of the time. 

I grabbed this for working out because it was on super sale and I don't have many long sleeve shirts to work out in (my preferred sleeve length for working out). I sized up a few times as well because I hate clingy workout clothes. 

here!

All the reviews were raving about how soft this jumpsuit is, so I can't wait to get it and try it on! I feel like this can so easily be dressed up or down and I'm excited for all the possibilities to try this spring.

here!

I've been waiting to find a chambray sleeveless top/shell that I can pair with sweaters and jackets. I don't love layering long sleeved tops with one another (I get way too hot!), so this will be perfect to layer under some oatmeal and white colored sweaters.

here!

Loft

I always delete my J. Crew Factory and Loft emails because if I look for even a minute at anything they have, I'll cave and start giving them all my money. I really need to just unsubscribe...

But the sales Loft is currently having (40% off your purchase and an additional 50% off all sale items!) are too good to pass up, so I fell down the rabbit hole a little.

This poncho felt like an incredibly necessary purchase to me (which was then enforced after reading the rave reviews it gets) despite it being not springy at all, although I fully plan to wear it in the Spring (and also rock the hell out of it come Fall). It's so me I can't even deal. I think it would be super cute in the Fall with a striped long sleeve T underneath.

here!

I saw a coworker wearing this exact sweater a few weeks ago and I loved it, so when I saw it for 50% off this morning, I put it in my cart immediately. I'll definitely wear it while the weather is still chilly and the color is gorgeous for the holiday season.

here!

These joggers get great reviews as well and I'm always looking for alternative options to jeans. I have a ton of sweaters, button ups, and casual shirts I'm going to love pairing with these.

here!

I thought this would be so cute for summertime so I grabbed it since it was under $15 with the discounts. I could wear it to work with a denim jacket and some black jeans and call it day. 

here!

I've been on the hunt for some gold hoops and really liked the textured detail on this pair. Couldn't tell (and they didn't list the dimensions in the specs for some reason) how big they were but for $7 I don't really care all that much. 

here!

THREE / My Column in the Fra Noi

My mom has been sending this short piece to everyone we know haha. It's really sweet of her though and my relatives seem to be enjoying and getting a kick out of it. It's about St. Joseph's Day which is an Italian holiday my family celebrates in March. It's one of my very favorite days each year.

You can read it here, if you'd like.

FOUR / Valentine's Day Celebration

Sammy had to work on Wednesday night, so we postponed our "celebration" to tonight. We're going to cook dinner together and just chill out. I'm excited to do nothing with him haha. He's making steak for himself, but I plan on making this garlic butter shrimp for me:

recipe here!

FIVE / Weekend Plans

My plans for this weekend have been an upcoming favorite for the last few weeks and I can't wait! Tomorrow my entire group of girlfriends will be together (hopefully! one of them is still getting over the flu) for a wine crawl we do every year.

On Sunday, as I've mentioned several times before, When Calls the Heart comes back! I'm hoping my  mom and I can watch it live together and have a little girl's night.

 I mean...for this shit alone, right?

And I've been looking forward to having Monday off since...the last time we had Monday off haha. I can't wait to sleep in, do some reading, and stay in sweats all day.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

xo

Linking up with Andrea & April!

Valentine's Recap

This was a lovely weekend spent celebrating love! 

I started off my weekend by practicing a little self-love by chopping a few inches off my hair and then stopping at Starbucks to treat myself to a caramel macchiato and a little writing time. 

I spent a relaxing evening with Sammy and practiced more self-love by making myself mac&cheese for dinner by his house ;)

On Saturday, Sammy and I ran some errands, went grocery shopping, and visited my grandma at her rehab facility. 

      

A therapy dog brought my grandma a carnation in his mouth for Valentine's Day :) & my first stop at the grocery store is to get the wine and cheese.

      

Sammy & I decided we were going to celebrate Valentine's Day on Saturday night since he wouldn't be around Sunday night. We used my beloved Tucci Cookbook for their homemade pasta and meatball recipe. 

      

I finally got a chance to use my pasta maker which I was thrilled about! & my guy insists on chopping parsley very precisely ;)

      

Next item to buy from Crate & Barrel: Pasta drying racks. 

      

I seasoned ricotta and we put dollops of it on our pasta.

We grabbed some cheese, olives, and used the crusts of the bread we had left over (after using the insides for the meatball recipe) to snack on.

      

Even though I don't eat them anymore I can't deny how good frying meatballs smell.

We had a few scraps of pasta left over and since I was making ricotta I decided to see if I could remember how to make a ravioli like my Papa used to. I was so proud of my lone ravioli I was disappointed we didn't make an entire batch!

      

Our finished product :)

& for dessert we had makeshift fondue {since I forgot my fondue set at home}. Strawberries for me, bananas for Sammy. 

We had a little sleepover to end the evening and this little face kept cramping my style by stealing my spot. But seriously I felt like Sammy and I had children because both dogs would not stop squeezing in between the two of us.

& then the pancake king made me a heart shaped pancake for breakfast the next morning :)

We spent the rest of the afternoon taking naps and Sammy did some laundry before he packed up to make the drive back to the academy. I spent the rest of Sunday night doing my own laundry, homework, and visiting with my grandma. 

It was a nice, relaxing weekend filled with lots of love. As all weekends should. 

xo

Friday Five {Valentine's Edition}

Hi, hi!

I've been looking forward to Valentine's Day this year. I love that it's an opportunity to acknowledge all the different kind of love in our lives. I like getting to celebrate in a variety of ways like I always grab mini boxes of chocolate for my parents and siblings as little v-day surprises. I love the idea of "Galentine's Day" #ThanksKnope to celebrate how great our girlfriends are. & even though that extra hint of forced romance makes Sammy and I more awkward than anything else, I still love spending some quality time with him, too. ;)

I love a holiday themed "Friday Five" so I thought I would post one this week with a roundup of outfit, drink, movies, food, and date ideas.

One // The Clothes

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Casual / I love the idea of a heart accented sweater or simple t-shirt to wear for a comfy night in.

Dressy / This blush dress would be so lovely to wear out to dinner.

Sexy / Eberjey makes such lovely lingerie and would be perfect for an intimate night. 

Two // The Drink

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Alcoholic / A strawberry mimosa would be great morning, noon, or night {in my book}.

Non-Alcoholic / A fizzy sorbet mocktail would be so fun.

Something Warm / Pink hot chocolate would be a festive spin on a cozy drink. 

Three // The Film

For the classics / I mean. Come on. It's Harry and Sally. 

For the candy enthusiast / I try to drop Willy Wonka whenever I can, so the candy aspect of this holiday has me rationalizing. Plus, Gene Wilder. Like let's be real. 

For the romantics / I am begging everyone, for the love of God, please watch Brooklyn. It is so lovely and deserves all the awards. 

Four // The Food

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Breakfast / A lovely Valentine's Day Brunch spread courtesy of Little Baby Garvin as usual since she's Queen.

Lunch or Dinner / I think pasta is so romantic and I could eat it for every meal, so that's all I have to say. I think Sammy and I are going to have a pasta making date night to celebrate Valentine's this year. 

Dessert / Strawberry, brownie, and marshmallow kabobs. BYE. 

Five // The Date

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Long walk / Taking a long walk while sipping on something hot with someone special sounds so nice.

Dinner & a movie / For all my classics. I will never grow tired of dinner and a movie.

Spa day or night / Whether you're spending the day at a spa getting a treatment together or having a DIY spa night at home… you really can't go wrong. 

*as a disclaimer: I'm a big believer in that all of these things can be {worn or watched or drank or ate or done} enjoyed ALONE. You do not need someone to validate your existence or worth. You want to wear lingerie and make yourself dinner and watch a rom-com? Do it {please watch Brooklyn!}. You want to dress up and go out for dinner? Take yo self out, girl. Go for that walk. Get the massage. Do, eat, and wear all the things for yourself. & enjoy. 

Valentine's Day should be spent celebrating the people we love and that includes ourselves. Loving who we are is so important to our individual journeys. Let's love all the people! Our partners, family, friends, and ourselves. 

xo

What's Up, Wednesday!

Linking up with Shay today for the "What's Up, Wednesday" linkup! Trying to keep this stressful week at bay while I can, so I'm looking forward to doing a lighter post today. I had to also talk myself out of a Dr. Pepper at 10am this morning {don't worry, I'm getting one at lunch along with some curly fries} because it seemed like the only thing to calm me down after getting an email that my overdraft protection kicked in for the third.time.this.month, so that's how my day is going. It's been a long two weeks people. A long two weeks. 

Anyway. Let's see if I can keep this post from getting too complainy/annoying/stupid. So much confidence in myself today, right?!

Eating // This week it has been all the things. It's been a lot of takeout that we can bring with us to the hospital {typically only for dinner} and anything that's been easy. I try to counteract those kinds of meals with healthier lunches so I've been doing veggie burgers and soup. At home for snacks I've been doing popcorn and apples and peanut butter because they're my obsession and I can't stop it. When other things in life become a much higher priority things like meal planning and food fall down the list real quick, so sometimes fritos and Dr. Pepper is where it's at and that's fine for now. I'll get back on that bandwagon soon enough. 

This is so romantic to me.. 

Reminiscing about // I've been thinking a lot about my grandmother lately for obvious reasons. I miss being able to call her after my night classes when I'm on the train home and we could talk about our days. There have been so many things I've wanted to vent to her about and haven't been able to. I can't wait for her to get better. Those calls are some of my very favorites in life. 

Such a throwback, but one of my favorites.

Loving // Can I say apples and peanut butter? Like can that be my answer for what I love this week. Because I do. 

NEED. Right now. 

Been up to // Work, school, hospital, sleep, repeat. 

Me every day lately.

Dreading // Any bad news. I don't feel any coming, so I'm keeping those positive vibes up. 

Working on // Besides projects at work and school, when the February prompts come out next week I'll be working on those for OLW project! I really want to get caught up with some of my lists in my 52 lists book, and start writing in the journal I put in my bag. I shoved it in there last week just so I have it with me whenever I feel like writing creatively or venting. As spring nears {I know I'm a little early, but just let me have this one, okay?} I'm getting the itch to organize and declutter again even though it feels like I just did this…so, hopefully I can work on that as well. 

Excited about // It goes without saying that I'm excited for my grandma to get better and come home! But I'm also excited for some fun days in February, some warmer temps {and by warmer I mean 42 degrees} this weekend, and seeing Sammy on Friday!

Watching & reading // I feel like I've talked about The Office a lot lately, so I should mention something else? No? Okay. I'm watching The Office still because it makes me so happy. 

I mentioned in my last post that I just finished reading When Breath Becomes Air which was lovely and as stunning as its title (like seriously, that title. Really? Ugh it makes my heart hurt). So, now I'm in between books, and this week I've gotten such a weird itch to read through all my cookbooks and tag the pages with recipes I want to make. Like am I 63? So I started doing that last night, but then I started watching The Office and eating half a box of fruit loops. Soooo, obviously I had my hands full. 

I have my girl's new cookbook in my Amazon cart right now.

Listening to // My Dad recently introduced me to Chris Stapleton {nothing like getting music recommendations from your father ;) } and I'm obsessed. He's got this classic rock/country vibe that I love and think is missing from popular country right now. 

I've been listening to "Nobody to Blame" on repeat. 

Wearing // Leggings and sweaters. HUGE SURPRISE. It's January, I'm lazy. That's all. 

This weekend // There is  n o t h i n g  on the agenda for this weekend and I couldn't be more excited. I have been looking forward to doing zip this weekend for days now. I'm looking forward to spending time with family, doing some reading, and relaxing. 

This is my plan for this weekend if that wasn't clear. 

Next month highlights // Next month we're celebrating Sammy's 24th birthday and Valentine's Day! Both fall on a weekend which is awesome since Sammy will be home to celebrate! I can't believe how much more I appreciate our time together since he's been in the academy. I never believe I can appreciate him anymore than I do until… I do haha. I cherish our time together so much, so I'm excited to celebrate his 24 years and Valentine's Day together. 

I'll also be doing a sip & shop event with my girlfriends toward the end of February! You go to various wine tastings set up throughout little shops and boutiques so you can sip while you shop. It will be so nice since we haven't been able to spend a lot of time together lately, so I'm really looking forward to it. 

Anything new // I actually got a text while writing this that my grandma is off the ventilator today, so that's excellent "new" news! I hope this is the beginning to a speedy recovery. 

Favorite Valentine's Day recipe // Sammy and I still have to decide how we're going to celebrate Valentine's this year. We may celebrate by doing dinner Saturday night instead of Sunday since he leaves to go back on Sunday so our time would be cut short. But will we go out? Or should we cook a homemade dinner together? But there's something so special about celebrating a holiday on the actual day, so if we do that should we do a Valentine's Day breakfast or lunch? Should we cook that?! These are the questions of the day. I guess I'll surprise him this weekend with many ideas from pinterest my heart. ;)

If we do decide to cook together I'd like to do something a la Jessica Garvin who is one of my very favorite bloggers I may or may not have a slight obsession with. 

via

Fine, total obsession with. Her life and style and is everything. Ultimate goals. If you don't already follow her stop what you're doing immediately and follow on all levels. On all social medias. Get on it. Get on it while I stop being all sorts of creepy. 

Anyway, that's all for now. 

Thanks for the continued prayers for our families. It means so, so much to us. 

xo