A Good Problem To Have

Probably my favorite thing about Erik is that he can always always always make me laugh. He makes me laugh randomly. He makes me laugh when I'm sad.  Goshdarnit, even when I'm trying to be mad at him he can make me laugh. And sometimes it's the things he does that just make me giggle.

For example, on Thursday afternoon, Erik said he was going to the store to get some tonic water.  He asked if I wanted anything, and I said tomatoes. (Which he scoffed at. Because who in their right mind would EVER enjoy eating tomatoes?!?!).  So off he went. I started doing things around the house perusing Pinterest. About a half hour passed and Erik still wasn't home.  The grocery store is right down the street from our house and he was only getting TWO things.  But alas, I did not worry because I know grocery shopping isn't Erik's forte.

But about 5 minutes after realizing, "Erik should probably be back by now."  He walked through the front door. With 3 bags. And a very concerned look on his face. 

Me: Ummmmm. What's wrong?

Erik: I got dinner for tomorrow night.

Me: Oh! What did you get?

Erik: Steak and lobster.

Erik: This is why I can't go grocery shopping by myself. It's a problem.

Me:  Well. That's a good problem to have.

So Friday I went to work and daydreamed about the delectable dinner I would be having that night.  

We tag-teamed dinner duties.  He made the steak & lobster. I made the potatoes & drank wine ;)

And it was every bit as delectable as I had spent daydreaming about.  

Keeping Up With Kindergarten

Did you know Thursday was Johnny Appleseed Day? No? Yes? No? Well ya learn something new everyday! And where would we be without good ol' Johnny Appleseed?! Appleless and sad.

I don't know how this guy travelled across the country with a pot on his head. It's not as comfortable as I'm making it out to be in this picture.

We've also been learning about patterns.  And decided to brighten up our room with one of the best patterns out there...rainbows!

On September 11, we got together with one of the First Grade classes to make American flag ribbons.

Finally, these smart cookies are learning to add! 

So to help us better understand addition number sentences, we did Ladybug Addition.

Parents Weekend

Oh hey, Friday! What a perfect day to give a weekend recap of my past weekend.  I mean since we're on the cusp of a new weekend and all. And I shall name this weekend recap "Parents Weekend" since my parents came to visit and saying Parents Weekend still kinda makes me feel like I'm in college ;)

While the boys were out golfing my mom & I got some brunch. And by brunch I mean we split cheese curds and a breakfast sandwich.  While Momma R opted for a beer, I indulged in this beauty...

...I bestow upon you, the Sassy Mary. Burger with a side of bloody mary, please!

Of course, there was also a Target pit stop  shopping spree involved, 

where we snagged these super cute decorate yourself luminaria bags.

Mom and Dad also bought us the most perfect housewarming gift. Yankee glasses.

And of course, a bone for Kobe. (He seriously LOVES posing, no joke.)

Then there was dinner. We went to this restaurant in Tucson we've heard a lot about (and actually tried to go to once but it was packed and we were starving, so we decided another time).  And what better time than with some T-town (no one calls it that) visitors!

We began with bacon wrapped frog legs.  This was also my first frog leg experience and I hope to have many more in my future.

And then, there was my drink.  Disclosure: I LOVE PICKLES. 

This drink is appropriately named The Dirty and included pickle infused vodka (must figure out how to do that), olive juice, and a brined pickle garnish.  Not for the faint of heart (or any normal human being, probably).

I also had the most amazing roasted eggplant sandwich, with pomegranate ketchup.  And, oh hey, another pickle!

Sunday morning, Erik made some of his famous crab cake benedicts. And I put our new Yankee glasses to good use with some spicy bloody marys. (I spy another pickle).

And then it was time for some football, which of course means the Rufferee needs to be in uniform!

From one weekend to another, hope everyone has a great one!

Loves Lately

Happy Friday!! Over the summer, I wrote a Forever Faves blog post, but I have tons & tons & tons of faves that are forever changing. So I'd thought I'd share a few!

BOBA. Words cannot express how obsessed I am with this drink. (See picture below. That was all from this week.) My favorite is Taro (the purple one) and I get the drink as a "slush" so it's blended with ice and no milk. HOLY YUM.

Target Cartwheel App. Ahh a gift from the Tarjay gods! You search this app for products you're purchasing at Target, put them in your online "shopping cart", have the cashier scan the barcode on your phone and BAM! insta savings.

My Class. They. Are. Awesome. They make going to work everyday not feel like a job (I know, how cliche). But these guys are smart, kind, and oh so hilarious.  A couple weeks ago they earned a popsicle party for good behavior, and here we are basking in all our bomb pop glory.

Samoas Flavored Creamer.  Up until this summer, I drank black coffee.  And like any good relationship, since "discovering" creamer, I can't remember a time before it.  And this bad boy has been my favorite for quite some time.  Erik makes fun of me because I literally have a mini anxiety attack when I realize there's only a few drops left. #addicted.

Moscow Mules.  I discovered this drink very recently and it was love at first sip.  Ginger beer with a shot of vodka, served in a copper mug.  I mean how could ya go wrong?!

Football. I never in a million years thought I'd be saying this.  But dating a guy who loves football, I felt like my life could go one of two ways.  Either I dreaded every Sunday or I embraced this sport with open arms. So I chose the latter.  This year I also joined a Fantasy League (and I'm super competitive) so my love for football caliber went up quite a bit.

Oh & Kobe wears this every Sunday, so there's even more to love.

Happy Weekend! 

Help Make a Big Difference to Our School With Target

For those of you who don’t know, I am a kindergarten teacher at a Title I charter school in Tucson, AZ. And although there are some days I want to sit in a corner and have a temper tantrum myself, I absolutely love my job. Every day is pretty unpredictable working with 19 5-year-olds, but I can be sure of one thing: at some point during our chaotic day, a huge smile will be brought to my face. From these kids being ridiculously hilarious, to watching them discover they learned something new-how could I not be the happiest (and most stressed out) person on the planet?!

Aaaaaand for those of you who don’t know exactly what a Title I school is:

“Title I is the largest federally funded education program for elementary and secondary schools. Title I is also designed to focus on special needs populations and to reduce the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students.

States that have Title I schools have several requirements to keep the funding. Schools must have a child poverty rate of at least 40% to operate a school wide Title I program. A school wide Title I program can provide benefits to all students and is not just limited to those students who are considered to be economically disadvantaged.”

This year, our school is participating in the Give With Target (gotta love Tarjay!!!) program. That means if our school receives just 25 votes, Target will donate $25. For each additional vote, our school will get $1 more. It is super simple to vote, all you have to do is click on the link below, then click VOTE! AND I (& OUR STUDENTS) WOULD BE FOREVER GRATEFUL TO YOU!!! From this one small gesture, you have made an unimaginably huge difference in our school & to our students.

CLICK HERE to vote once a week until September 21. :) :) 

Weekend Recap: Double Dose

Hola amigos! Although I've been M.I.A on the blog front, the past two weekends have been jam-packed with fun, food, and wine so I'd thought I'd catch y'all up with a double dose of a weekend recap.

First up, Labor Day! Erik and I went to visit our family and friends in the Phoenix area and it was a blast! 

I started off by introducing everyone to my Oh My Guac! It's a Margarita! concoction.

 Yes, I know. Those are Italian flags in a marg. But sometimes ya gotta work with what ya have.

Then it was fantasy draft time!

 I'm really, really excited for this.

My sister, mom, & I. 

Everyone at the dinner table. 

My sister, Nana, & I. 

Gotta get some chip shots in.

Started the next day, the best way, with some banana pancakes.

And what else is there to do after stuffing yourself with banana pancakes but head to the pool...

...and wash them all down with a bowl of cherry-lime something...

...and more food. (#dietstartsnever)

This weekend was also nothing short of exciting, as my BFF came to Tucson for a surprise visit!!

So naturally, we went wine tasting. 

Sunday, Erik & I bought a grill. (And have grilled the 2 nights since. Obsessed.)

 Here I am supervising the grill's assembly. Kobe has the same idea.

Aaaaaaaand TA-DA! She's a beaut.

Yes, we moved her outside.

And to top my weekend off, my fantasy team won! So I had to celebrate a 'lil :)

Cheers to a great week ahead!!