{pin}spiration: Teacher Style

For a teacher, the late nights grading, early mornings trying to be first in line to make copies and pure exhaustion from teaching 100 seventh graders for over seven hours can make it hard to focus on much else (and that's not including trips to the laundry mat, making dinner, grocery shopping, walking the dog, all while trying to balance somewhat of a social life).  I have been avoiding shopping lately as we are trying to pay off our CC bill, so in the meantime I can only dream of re-vamping my wardrobe next year.  Here are some inspiring outfits that are professional to wear in the classroom yet still represent my personal style.

Echo Park Treehouse

We moved….again! Yes, this may be living space #5 within our nearly three years of marriage. Yes, we are exhausted and absolutely despise the moving process and just want to feel settled already.  I think we have found the place we will stay for quite some time, a treehouse in Echo Park.  No, we don't actually live in a treehouse but it may as well be.  Nestled high atop a hill in Echo Park on the second story of an old craftsman built in 1903 and covered in windows on all sides, it sure feels like we found our perfect home!

For some more home inspiration, check out my Home board.

Meet Finnegan

The past month has been quite an adventure.  First, work started again and so much of my time is spent lesson planning and trying to find creative ways to present the material to my students.  Second, we adopted a dog!! We found him in a parking lot adoption and saw him jumping straight up and down and had to go check him out.  We walked over and he jumped straight up over the enclosure into my arms....well, the rest is history.  We had to take him home after that, I mean, he chose us after all.  Third, a few weeks ago I got a bad case of strep throat which led to a fever of 106, me passing out and  going into shock and a life-saving 911 call by my husband.  This month has been anything but boring, and has given me a fresh perspective on life and the blessings and I am so thankful to have.

Summer Cocktails: Infante

After heading back to work this week after almost a month off for summer, I decided to still celebrate the warm evenings with a drink. I first tried the Infante when I went to Son of a Gun for my anniversary dinner.  It was so delicious there: sweet, tart and strong! I decided to replicate it at home and the result was nearly just as great (the one thing I would like to change is to make my own Orgeat from scratch). This is definitely a cocktail you want to have outdoors as the sun is setting so it is already twilight as you sip away.

Recipe: 
2 oz Tequila
3/4 oz Orgeat (Almond syrup)
3/4 oz lime juice
Fresh ground nutmeg (garnish)

This is super simple to make. Just add tequila, orgeat and lime juice in a shaker and shake well! Pour over ice and garnish with nutmeg. Then enjoy!

Deviled Eggs

I have always been a fan of deviled eggs.  They remind me of my grandma as she has always made them for every holiday or party my family has (and if you know my family, you know this is at least once if not several times a month).  This was my first time making my own and I was a little nervous as I usually over cook eggs when I hard boil them, but I read this "how to" and the eggs came out perfect.  I used this recipe, but added chives on top and placed the eggs over pickles.  The result was better than expected and they were a huge hit!

Black Swan

Tuesday Tunes: Go Do

In keeping with the spirit of my last week of summer, Jonsi says it best.

Go sing, too loud
Make your voice break- Sing it out
Go scream, do shout 
Make an earthquake...

You wish fire would die and turn colder
You wish, your young, could see you grow older
We should always know that we can do anything

Go drum, too proud
Make your hands ache - Play it out
Go march through a crowd
Make your day break...

You wish silence released noise in tremors
You wish, I know it, surrender to summers
We should always know that we can do everything

Go do, you'll know how to
Just let yourself, fall into landslide

Go do, you'll know how to
Just let yourself, give into low tide

Go do!

Tie strings to clouds 
Make your own lake - Let it flow
Throw seeds to sprout
Make your own break - Let them grow

Let them grow (Endless summers)
Let them grow (Endless summers)

You will survive, will never stop wonders
You and sunrise will never fall under

You will survive, will never stop wonders
You and sunrise will never fall under
We should always know that we can do everything

Go do!