When was the last time you danced?

I really loved this Sunday Social... SO many wonderful memories to reminisce on! :) 

1. What is your ideal way to relax?

For starters, immediately putting on my VS sweatpants and looking as unacceptable as possible! Then turn up the pandora and jam out to some Eminem, grab a glass of wine and snuggle with my pups!

2. Where is your favorite place to be?

Easy choice... Every summer, my parents would bring us to Minnesota for summer vacation. We would then pile into the station wagon for the 4 1/2 hour drive from St. Paul to Grand Marais, Minnesota to spend a week at my Grandpas cabins on Hungry Jack Lake/Gunflint Trail where my mom used to spend weekends as a child. It is 2 miles from the Canadian border and 1 mile from the Boundary Waters. It is completely secluded with no near neighbors, unless you count the black bears that went through our trash EVERY DAY - that we liked to videotape. Or the occasional moose, wolf, and deer that would roam aimlessly. No TV. No internet.  We had no choice other than spend quality time as a family. We fished. Built many puzzles. Canoed. Searched for crawdads. And my favorite thing to do was go on hour long walks with my parents to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. 

3. Who do you consider your biggest role model?

My Poppy! My Dad is seriously the most amazing man i've ever met. I am SO blessed to have such a wonderful, supportive, strong, hard working, loving man by my side. He just "gets" me and "understands" me more than anyone else. He always has the perfect thing to say when i'm upset to make me feel better.  

A week ago, he sent me this note. Small things like this always make me smile. As a little girl, I used to love dancing with my daddy!

4. What does your life look like in 3 years?

Continuing to be happy and loving life and remembering how lucky I am to have the life I live. A house and a baby Cav wouldn't be too bad either ;)

5. If you could go back and change one decision, what would it be?

Not take out so many student loans. That's about the only thing I regret. Every other "bad" decision i've made, has been made for a reason and I have become a better person for all of them.

6. What is your biggest accomplishment in life so far?

I could say something cliche like graduating from college, but I would say uprooting my life on a whim by moving to Texas, a state I had never even visited before moving here. 

For once I love Sunday's!

Today is one of the FEW times I didn't mind when Sunday rolled around. Because I have TOMORROW OFF! Who hoo. I surely need it... badly.

Linking up with Neely for Sunday Social!


This Week’s Questions: All about 3′s

Top 3 Favorite Kinds of Food: Pasta, Mushrooms, Chicken

First 3 Things you do in the morning: Press snooze... once... twice... three times, brush my teeth, turn on my curling iron, and RECENTLY take my Basal temp (okay, i've been pretty awful about it, but i'm adding it because I need to get better at it...)

Last 3 Things you do at night: Pick out what i'm going to wear the next day, Read ALL the news app's I have on my phone (in entirety or else I can't sleep... Houston Chronicle, ABC News, NBC News are my three most important ones), brush my teeth.

3 TV shows you NEVER miss: None. How pathetic... There really isn't ANYTHING I watch. There are many shows that I WANT to get into, but haven't. Anyone have any suggestions for AMAZING SHOWS THAT I 'JUST CAN'T MISS?' I watch Big Brother (when it's on), I used to watch Rescue Me and I was into Dexter for a while and I am obsessed with The Secret Life of the American Teenager (don't hate! Boo to the new season being it's last!)

3 Places you want to visit: Ireland since i'm Irish, I want to go back to London (miss living there) and Australia.

3 People you can always count on: My Dad & Mom, My husband and my big brother Michael. And my best girl friends



Last week I got my bridesmaid dress for my best friend, Kasi's wedding and it is NOT flattering in the least. So, I have decided to bite the bullet and re-join Weight Watchers. About a year and a half ago I joined WW and lost like 40 pounds on it and kept it off until I quit at the beginning of the summer thinking I could do it and maintain myself. Well, I have slipped and gained like 10-15 pounds and want to stop while I still can. Soo, it's back to Weight Watchers I go. Unfortunately, I have signed up for the online one since I never leave work early enough to make it to the meetings. But, when I first started out with WW, I attended the meetings every week and they were a saving grace for me. I'm not sure how I will do without attending meetings, but i'm hoping I will still see some progress.

Anyone have any great healthy (and EASY) recipes that I could try out? It's okay if they aren't WW recipes, I am going to try and cook more (what am I kidding, I DON'T cook, so I want to TRY to.) and need some good recipes to try. But, one stipulation, they must be EASY and not have TOO MANY ingredients.

***I've been charting since I got my Basal temperature and Ovulation test strips. Still no O since using the test strips, but i'm staying optimistic that I will this month! I have tried taking my temperature every morning and haven't done that well with it. I am SOO tired in the mornings that I forget. But, i'm hoping to be better with it this week. Wish me luck!

Who doesn't love little packages on their doorsteps? HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEE!!!!

Happy, happy birthday to MEEEE... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEEE... HAPPPYYY BIIIRTTTHHHDDAAYYY TTOOO MEEE!!!!

Since deciding to celebrate my birthday for 16 days straight at the beginning of the new year became a big ole' flop... Which by the way, what happened to a present for every day of January, hubs? Hmm... I'll be looking for it tomorrow when I wake up.

In honor of my birth, I have decided to ONLY work until the bell rings today (since it's technically past midnight.. EEK!) and then get my ass outta the building, into my car, and driving on home to my casa WITHOUT stopping at Target (or Lakeshore or any other place...) Okay, maybe I will allow myself to stop at Target. Okay, maybe i'll only work until 5pm... Oh wait... I haven't graded even HALF of my Benchmark Tests yet... So maybe 5:30? What the hell am I kidding, grades are due on Thursday... So, I guess I will try and get out before 7:30 pm? Okay, yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Dinner? Who needs to eat. I'll just stuff my face with Twix bars and Snickers all day tomorrow. SCCCOOORREEE!

So what is it that awaited me at my doorstep when I got home from work today?

TWO PACKAGES! (it doesn't matter that I sent them both to myself...) Plus, who doesn't LOVVEE receiving packages? They don't even have to contain anything inside, just getting a box is enough for me....I lied... please be filled up with goodies, cardboard boxes.

And what did those packages contain? 

Of course they contained presents that I purchased for myself, remember? DUH.

My first package was some stuff I ordered from Vistaprint after purchasing a Groupon a few months ago. I used to be crazy about this site when it first came out. I created magnets and postcards for Save the Dates before my wedding (this was back when the site was completely free other than about 5 buckaroos for shipping.) Now the site is like highway robbery. Gosh dang, is that shipping expensive!

(Please ignore the crappy and blurry IPhone photos. I didn't realize how horrendous these photos were until uploading them. I'm almost embarrassed to post these. OH WELL, here they are anyways!) 

The other package at my doorstep?

Only the most important one (to me anyways... and that's all that matters, obviously!) 

Now, a few of you happened to read my post that I quickly deleted (less than 5 minutes after posting it.) I'm hoping that I will someday get the guts to re-post it because it's been weighing heavily on my mind lately (lately being about 4 years....) But, i'm not ready to click 'PUBLISH' just yet. Hopefully soon though...

Hello and welcome to my household fabulous little Basal temperature thermometer and wonderful ovulation sticks. I'm hoping that you will be incredibly useful, effective and helpful for me in 2013. Actually, i'm not HOPING, i'm pretty much DEMANDING and telling you that you WILL be effective. No if's, and's or but's about it. 

Has anyone ever used these with success or know someone who has? Or has anyone ever used any type of ovulation test? I've heard mixed reviews about all of them so I was pretty hesitant on spending my hard earned cash on these little suckers. Please, don't let me down teeny tiny test strips.

Does anyone do the whole crazy 'charting' thing? It sounds pretty time consuming to me. And honestly, i'm pretty lazy (at least i'm honest, right?) I'm also one of those people that need INSTANT gratification so if these don't work.. umm, say, TOMORROW? I'll be pretty pissed and annoyed already (hey, it's one of my resolutions this year... to learn PATIENCE. Give me a break, it's only the beginning of January... I have a whole notha' 11 months to practice it. Plus, it's my BIRFFFFDAY, cut me some slack!)

So, let's everyone tell me how incredibly easy it will be to get pregnant and that i'll become the bloggersphere's coolest, biggest and most followed MOMMY blogger this time next year. Alright, I guess I may be setting my sights a TAD too high, huh?

Oh well, here goes nothing... 

Sunday Social :)

I'm linking up with Neely at A Complete Waste of Makeup for Sunday Social! 

This Weeks Questions: Lets Reintroduce ourselves shall we?

1. What is the name of your blog? How long have you been blogging? The name of my blog is A Day in the Life and i've been blogging since September 2011 (wow, that seems like FORREVVERR!) But, it wasn't until late last spring that I even got "more into" blogging and actually started having more than one follower!

2. Why do you blog? To ramble on about my SUPER COOL, EXCITING, AND INTERESTING life, duh! To meet other people that have equally coooool, exciting, and interesting lives like myself. 

3. What is the first blog you ever followed? My mother in law, Deniece at What Mimi loves and I also followed this lovely young lady (blog withheld) who only had about 50 FOLLOWERS and I would comment and comment and comment away and I followed her for almost a year... NOT ONCE DID SHE COMMENT BACK (and no I don't mean on MY blog, but she never once responded to ONE comment I left for her.) SO RUDE! 

4. What is your favorite post you wrote in 2012? Oh gosh, that's hard... I actually have two... The first one is Why I became a teacher (and in turn became a blogger) and Teachers Strike in Chicago... Both are pretty fabulous reads, so go check em' out!

5. What are your blogging goals for 2013? To be a better blogger! To blog more consistently. To stop allowing life to pass me by! To possibly become a MOMMY blogger by the end of the year? HMM... (hint hint, hubby!) ;)

6. Top 3 favorite blogs to follow? I have more than 3 blogs that I am pretty obsessed with... So, just to name a few...

Nilda at Entirely My Own

Jen at Boys will be Boys

Darby at Life with the Hawleys

Amy at Trials and Triumphs of Loving my Sailor

Angela at Living Pretty

Lindsey at Country Roots City Living

And there are LOTS of others that I love as well! :)

Thanks for the blizzard, Indiana!

Like I mentioned yesterday, me and the hubs travelled back to Indiana for the holidays. The drive wasn't so bad with Justin Bieber and Eminem/Tupac on repeat... Not like those aren't complete opposite musical genres or anything. We had a pretty great time visiting with family, even though it is somewhat stressful trying to make time for everyone, as well as seeing friends. But, we somehow always end up making it work (hopefully!) This post is going to be picture overload.

Also, I need some advice (especially from you teacher bloggers!) Scroll to the bottom to read about it :)

If you are friends with me on Facebook, then you have most likely already seen all of these pictures :)

Me & Matchu... I'm surprised he allowed me to take this picture. He HATES pictures!

It's been 5 years since we have been together for the holiday's. So glad Biggy got the time off from work!

Christmas Eve... AKA Gallistasch Family Christmas!

One of my best girls... I love her and her family!

Blooper TAKE 1... I love Poppy's face in this one. My dad's hilarious!

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Me & Momma Bear

Christmas at the Cavallaro's... It's always one of the things we look forward to the most! Wish we lived closer to all of them to spend more time with them! :( 

Will it be door number 1 or door number 2? Choose wisely!

Missy had to jump on one foot and sing a Christmas song... Gigi and Molly wanted in too!

I have the best family imaginable.

 

Trio. My heart and soul.

At about 10 pm on Christmas night every year begins what we like to call CHRISTMAS DOS AKA MATCHU'S BIRTHDAY. It's always one of the CRAZIEST NIGHTS/DAYS. And it literally lasts a full 24 hours.

This is such a fun group of guys! They have been best friends with Matchu since middle school! Cj (left, just moved from Saudi Arabia to Honduras to teach English. He always argues with Matchu about whose smarter!) Jimi (third, lives and works with Matchu at the same law firm in Denver), Matchu (fourth, he doesn't look like the genius he really is. Nor does he look like your typical lawyer... Haha!), Alex 

One of my favorite pictures. The two additions to the family (Although, Hubs has been around for 7 years, this was Karina's first Galligan Christmas and she survived! Way to go, sister! Can't wait for her and Biggy's wedding THIS YEAR!)

LOLA NEEDS TO GO ON A DIET! No wiener dog/beagle should look like this... 

Matchu is always arguing with CJ about who is smarter.

Only my brother shovels snow in a t-shirt. Notice CJ and Jimi in the back in SNOW SUITS.

First time Karina has seen this much snow! She successfully crossed 4 things off her bucket list... Shoveling snow, making a snow angel, having a snowball fight and sledding!

I wouldn't turn around, Jimi.

Right after this we went sledding and decided to create a game... Whoever was sledding was able to be tagged by snowballs while they were going down and running back up the hill. Matchu's genius idea. Except he was packing ice balls. He tagged Biggy so hard in the face that we're all surprised Biggy didn't have a black eye. Nice arm, ex-baseball player!

I realized while packing for this trip that I am NOT accustomed to cold weather anymore. All I packed was DRESSES. Yes, I packed dresses with two feet of snow on the ground. So we had to find whatever we could to go sledding in. Thanks for having all the tacky clothing, Mom & Dad!

All of us are Texans now. I love living only a few hours from my Biggy. We couldn't wait to get back to our "warmth" of Texas. 

I told you Matchu hates pictures. He refused to get in this one! :(

I consider all three of them my brothers. Murphy was such a big part of our family while growing up, that my parents even put him in one of our Christmas cards! He's had a long, hard ride the past couple years but i'm proud to say that he has been COMPLETELY CLEAN FOR OVER A YEAR NOW!!! I am SO proud of how hard he's worked to better himself!

Just celebrating our main man, Jay! He's a hot shot LA Californian now... 

UGH, I AM SOOO NOT READY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL ON MONDAY! Break never lasts long enough for me. I'm already stressing out knowing how much stress will be put on me once the new semester starts up again. Students took 9-week Benchmark Tests TWO DAYS BEFORE BREAK (who does that?) and the scores were NOT good, even though we had been preparing all semester long. Actually, the district scores were in the toilet as well. I need some new ideas on how to reach my students and have them REALLY understand the curriculum. Because what we are doing is not working and I really need them to do better on those tests. The tests are just SOO hard (even to me!) and it's like their confidence is just PLUMMETING after taking them. I've tried incentives, i've tried everything I can think of. I know my kiddos are SOO much smarter than those tests are showing!! I'm SO frustrated!!! Any tips out there, fellow teacher bloggers?