for fun
Have a very good weekend.
Oh hi there, Blog. It’s been a while, no?
This week has been… work. Lots and lots of work. I love my job and I love my position, but right now things are busy and I find myself drained at the end of the day. Thus no posts aside from the usual Monday check up.
But enough excuses — it’s Friday! That happy day that puts an end to work and starts a weekend of rest. (Or at least for some of us.:) What are you up to this weekend? J has to work Saturday so I am going to Greensboro to spend some time with my family and catch up some housekeeping items that have sadly been neglected lately.
Five happy things for your Friday:
1. Lasagna Rolls — What an ingenious way to make lasagna (and maybe you won’t overeat, a problem I always seem to have with lasagna).
2. I’d like to make this lovely window coffee table, via Oh! Glory Vintage
3. How pretty are these terrariums? I’m thinking about making one for a side table.
4. I love these Amy Butler towels, available at Bed Bath & Beyond.
5. Last night at Target, I bought a bag of these. I suggest you do the same.
–
I hope all of you have a very good weekend. I promise to post more next week. :)
Read More
Have a happy weekend!
Happy Friday my friends! What are you up to this weekend? I feel like I’m getting sick (not again!) so I plan to keep this weekend low-key and very casual. Here are five happy things to end your week on:
–
1. Check out the 10 Things You Do to Save Money that End Up Costing You More article on Life Hacker. Have you done any of those ten things? I confess I have gone out of my way to find cheap gas before. But haven’t we all?
2. This chart made me laugh, by GraphJam found via Cup of Jo.
3. I am hoping to finish this book this weekend. Has anyone seen the movie? I am curious to see how they manage to tell this story — it’s hard to imagine such a mind-thinking book as a screenplay.
4. Oh Jordan. Every time I visit her blog I find something awesome and fun. This week: DIY Surprise Lanterns!
5. Another funny find this week via Etsy:
–
Have a happy weekend! xo
Read More
Wishing for Snow
I’ve always loved snow. I love light flurries, I love heavy blizzards. I love when you have nowhere to go and can watch the snow fall from your window. Growing up, my dad would wake me up in the middle of the night so we could be the first ones to experience the white untouched grounds. I loved snow so much I decided to spend four years of college with it in the NC mountains.
My love for snow, however, ended in 2010.
Some of you may remember the Mid-Atlantic snow attack in the winter of 2009-2010. In fact, some of you experienced those unsettling few weeks. The weeks where snow billowed from the sky for days, wind was fierce, and a couple of feet of snow remained on the dirty streets months afterwards. These three storms were affectionately called Snowpocalypse, Snowmaggedon, and Snowverkill. The very last one, Snowverkill, was one of the worst weeks of my life: I was home alone, out of power, got food poisoning, and was severely dehydrated. I had never felt so alone and helpful. I hated snow after that miserable experience.
But, just like any relationship, a little time can do wonders for hurt feelings.
After two years, I am finally ready to love snow again. But where is it this year? I have yet to see one flurry this winter, and it seems to be a trend across America.
Dear Snow,
Please don’t stay away too long. Can you visit at least once before spring’s arrival?
Much Love, Ginna
–
(photo: of my apartment parking lot)
Read More
My Favorite Christmas Presents
I got some awesome gifts for Christmas. Some books, a necklace, tickets to the Performing Arts theater… it was truly a wonderful Christmas. But there are two gifts in particular that have become instant loves in my life.
1. Keurig Coffee Maker
Have you ever used one of these? I unexpectedly got one for Christmas from my in-laws and it’s amazing. This fabulous little machine has simplified my morning coffee routine: instead of using my huge pot of coffee to make one cup in the morning, this genius machine will give me the perfect serving size. I love it!
^That New York mug was also a gift. Since J and I gave each other the trip for Christmas, we decided to wrap up a mug we bought in the Columbus Circle Starbucks so we’d have something to open. The package said “To Jeff & Ginna, From Jeff & Ginna.” Yeah, we’re nerds.
2. A Beautiful Bike!
I feel like a little kid when I say I got a bike for Christmas, but it truly was such a wonderful surprise from my parents. Long time readers may remember when I had a bike in DC, but I gave it away when I moved to Raleigh because my first apartment didn’t have a good spot to keep it dry. So finally I have a bike back in my life! I cannot wait for spring’s arrival so I can take more frequent rides. Look how pretty she is. :)
What were some of your favorite Christmas gifts this year?
Read More
My 2011 Christmas
Am I the last blogger to post on their Christmas? Pretty sure I am. Well, even though Christmas seems to be ages ago (was it really just a week and a half ago?) I can’t skip over it because I don’t want to forget all of the blessings from this year’s holiday. And that’s what my Christmas was: a blessing. To be completely honest, I’ve kind of been dreading our first holiday as a married couple. It would mean picking and choosing which family we’d have to celebrate with, and I hated to think of either of our families without us there to celebrate.
As the holidays approached, we decided to remedy that fear by celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas together. J’s parents hosted Thanksgiving and my parents and sister came along. My parents hosted Christmas and invited J’s family for our traditional dinner with our extended family. Plus I got two Christmases! Who is that lucky to have two?! (Although apparently this is a regular occurrence for married folks? My friend Catherine had six!)
Christmas with J’s Family:
Our “Christmas Eve” with J’s family started on Dec 23. The whole family helped J’s best friend propose to his (now) fiance and we got to celebrate with them right after she said yes. That evening we had a large, delicious dinner with some of their family friends and then hosted an impromptu surprise engagement party for the happy engaged couple. We went to sleep giddy like it was Christmas Eve, and woke up to celebrate Christmas. We opened gifts (more on that later!) and then ate a yummy breakfast casserole.
Christmas with My Family:
On Christmas Eve we headed to my parents’ to celebrate with my family. We affectionately call our parents’ home “Mardo” as a combination of their two first names, so my dad surprised us with a corn hole board and added the name to all the details. That evening we went to the candlelight service at church, came home and shared memories from the year over dinner, and then my mom gave us an early gift of home videos on DVD to watch that evening. Christmas morning we opened gifts, stayed in our pajamas until noon, then got ready for our dinner. That afternoon a few aunts, uncles, cousins and J’s family came over for dinner, hosted a corn hole competition (my sister in-law Katie won!), and ended the evening with a bonfire outside.
It worked out perfectly, and I feel so blessed to have in-laws that get along with my family so well. And now I have that sad holiday hangover feeling since the tree is down, decorations are put away, and I’m back to real life. It’s just not as fun as the magical holiday season! But it’s good to be in a routine again. And just to rebel, I kept a strand of lights on my balcony for when I want to revisit the twinkling season. ;)
Read More
My New Glasses
A couple of weeks ago I asked your help for which glasses to order. Well, the people have voted and a decision was made. As promised, I purchased the frames with the most votes. It was a close decision between two frames, but the “Black Two-Stripe Detail Frame” won by a close two points.
I ordered my prescription glasses a day after the poll was down and they were waiting for me when I got home from New York. Here they are (on a not-so great webcamera – sorry!).
What do you think? The glasses are a little bigger than I imagined, and very different from my boring rectangular frames. But I like them and I think after a while I’ll get used to wearing them. Thanks again for voting! I should ask your opinion on every decision I make. ;)
–
This post is sponsored by GlassesUSA.com. Please click here for details on sponsoring My Pretty Pennies. Buy glasses for yourself:
- Take 30% off any pair of eyeglasses and get Free US Shipping with the code: Holiday11
- Take 10% off any order with the code: Blog10
Read More
