Things I'm Obsessed With… 4/29/15

The Chipotle App- This has totally become my replacement for fast-food type situations. If there’s no time to make dinner, or I just plain don’t feel like it, this is my go-to. The app makes it really easy to customize your order. You can pay by credit card or in store, and it’s relatively inexpensive. Dave and I eat for under $20, and the whole family can eat for under $25. The cheese quesadilla kids’ meal comes with the quesadilla, rice, beans, a side, and a drink for $3.75. Even though it’s not delivery, pick up is super easy. Skip the line, walk right up to the register, and grab your order. It’s awesome!

Washington, DC- I just got back from my eighth visit to Washington, DC. Every year I chaperone the class trip for my students; the only two trips I missed were when I was on maternity leave. DC is obviously a cool place simply because it’s our nation’s capital, but there is so much history and symbolism in the city; it’s difficult not to get swept up in the romanticism of it all. Although, I’ve been numerous times, I would love to organize a weekend vacation for my mom, dad, grandmother, brother, sister in law and our family. I feel as though I could act as tour guide at this point, and I know they would all enjoy seeing the many attractions. With so many favorite DC attractions, it will be hard to see it all. Some of the specific places I would love to take them are the national mall, Arlington National Cemetery, Ford’s theatre, the White House, the Capitol Building, Library of Congress, Smithsonian museums, the Holocaust Memorial museum, the rooftop of the Kennedy Center, the FDR memorial, the Pentagon memorial, the Jefferson memorial, and, of course, maybe a pub or two (something I can’t do with my students in tow).

Pitch Perfect- I know I’m pretty behind on this one, but I recently watched Pitch Perfect on the bus to Washington, DC with my students. It was awesome! I loved the music, the stupid humor, and the overall storyline was ideal. Not too drawn out, but felt fully developed. Like a long car ride, it made me want to sing, and I was super excited to hear there is a Pitch Perfect 2 coming out very soon!

Hoola by Benefit powdered bronzer- This was my go-to bronzer in college, and, thanks to my mom, we’ve become reunited. I’m not a big foundation girl, so the light powder is awesome. It also gives the perfect glow-- never orangey, but a noticeable difference I can use year round.

Bookworm: I Just Finished… (April 2015)

I didn't read as much as I hoped to this month, but I did reread an old favorite and finish a title that has been getting a lot of buzz…

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This was my favorite read in high school. I remember being drawn to the grandeur and glitz of Gatsby’s parties and how they were permeated by the loneliness and fraud of the characters. I felt like it mimicked the way I felt like I fit in, yet didn’t in high school. Curious to know if the novel would affect me differently given that my vantage point has changed over the past 15 years, I wasn’t surprised to find it had. I was still enamored by Gatsby’s parties, but they felt more superficial. I was also still intrigued by the characters, but their shallowness felt more real to me. I think every American should read this book simply because it characterizes the beginning of the modern age and serves as a representation, although of a minute population, of New York in the 1920s.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Even though it has become a pretty talked about book, I first heard about The Girl on the Train from my mother. She, like many others, likened it to Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, which I read and enjoyed. I felt like it held up to the hype. I was hooked from the beginning. The book alternates between the perspectives of three women-- Rachel, a divorced alcoholic, who has resorted to riding the train for kicks; Megan, a housewife who seemingly has it all and has become an object of fixation for Rachel, as you can see her house from the train; and Anna, the wife of Rachel’s ex-husband, Tom, who is tired of Rachel’s drunken invasions upon their privacy. The plot centers around the disappearance of Megan and the connection between the three women. The differing points of view were well woven, and I actually preferred this novel to Gone Girl because it was more neatly wrapped up in the end. Still, it’s bound to shock and keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Things I'm Obsessed With… (4-3-15)

Tone it Up’s weekly schedule- I'm no fitness guru, but since I'm terrible at dieting, it's even more important that I exercise regularly. I'm finding that as I juggle life with two kids, working out is something I need to plan. The Tone It Up weekly schedule gives me an outline for the week. What I love is that it combines cardio, fitness classes, and short toning routines. The workouts are awesome because they can either be watched or saved as a pdf printable. When I first tried a couple, there were a lot of moves that were very difficult for me and some I couldn't even do. As time has gone by, I can do more and more, which is pretty rewarding. While I'll never be as good as Karena and Katrina at adhering to every item on the schedule, it's a nice place to start; and, checking it out every Sunday motivates me for the week.

ToneItUp.com — Tone It Up with your trainers Karena and ...

Bates Motel- For Dave and me, this is currently “our show.” You know, the one, where, if there is a new episode recorded, it would be considered an act of infidelity to watch it solo. I have never been sold on TV spin-offs of movies. Remember the Clueless show? No thanks. Lately, though, I’m changing my tune. Bates is a perfect mix of creepy, sexy, and funny, topped with just enough what the f**k is going on? to keep us hooked. And both the casting and acting are top notch.

96.9 FM- This has become my go to radio station when I need a good pick me up, wake me up, or make me wanna shake my a** song. The throwback jams bring me back to simpler times (college) and they play just enough new stuff to make me feel like I’m hip. However, as my students pointed out, if I’m still using the word “hip,” I’m probably not as cool as I think I am.

Things I’ve Been Obsessed With for a While Now…

Windex touch-up cleaner- This stuff is the balls! It comes in a citrusy scent for the kitchen and a clean scent for the bathroom. Although, I use the blue bathroom one in my kitchen because it goes better with my color scheme :) They're awesome for quick jobs, especially in the kitchen. I tend to always have fruit on the counter as well as bottles and sippy cups in the sink, so I don't always want to go around spraying cleaner. The touch-up gives the power of a cleaner with half the effort. And I'm all about half the effort, especially when it comes to cleaning.

Baby Lips- This stuff has been around for a while now, and I totally love it. When I whipped out my Baby Lips at school my eighth grade students seemed impressed with my beauty product savvy. So, if the middle schoolers think it's cool, then it must be.

Body Shop Body Butter- I was very skeptical at first about spending so much money on a body lotion, but this stuff is honestly so much better than any other moisturizer I've tried. I put it on every day after the shower, and my super dry, sensitive skin stays hydrated year round. My favorites are the mango and pink grapefruit. I like the mango for the winter because it's a little bit thicker, and the pink grapefruit is lighter for summer. Both smell amazing, fresh, and not too strong.