my sweet old etcetera

Drive.

2011-10-18T19:09:00.000-04:00

So today was my third driving lesson -- since I hadn't met with my instructor as of last Wednesday, my instructor decided to take me driving for two hours (!). I was nervous at first and a little shaky, but he took me around my neighborhood for a few minutes to allow me to warm up and then I was fine. He took me to the parking lot where the driving school does their license exam and ran me

33.

2011-10-10T19:12:00.000-04:00

via So today is my 33rd birthday. Strange -- I don't feel 33. Not exactly. The older I get, the more I realize how relative age is. There are some days I'll feel 16, caught in the throes of adolescent rage or longing. Other days I'll feel 5, and I'll want to crawl back into the safety of my mother's arms. And then there are the days I'll feel 95, like an ancient tree that's been twisted by the

October.

2011-10-02T18:36:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's been over a month since I last blogged. Life just got in the way, I guess. It's true that there are things going on in my life right now that have contributed to my abandonment of my blog, but that's a blog post for another day. Right now I want to talk about Halloween costumes. That's right -- I'm talking about Halloween even though we're only on the second day of October.

Beginnings are endings are beginnings.

2011-08-19T20:10:00.000-04:00

So the school year officially begins on Monday, which means that my summer vacation has officially ended. Truthfully? I'm not as sad about it as you might think. Part of it has to do with the fact that it is fun to redecorate your classroom every year (after you get over the initial mumbling and grumbling stage, aka, the unpacking and cleaning). Here's what my classroom looks like this year --

These are a few of my (current) favorite things...

2011-08-14T22:39:00.000-04:00

1. poppin. I first learned about this awesome company thanks to Cupcakes and Cashmere. What is poppin? Only the best office supply site ever. Seriously -- you can even buy office supplies in different colors, everything from your standard black to bright pink. I am actually looking forward to starting the new school year because I bought all new desktop supplies in pink. Okay, maybe the words "

Beauty Ritual: Bargain Beauty

2011-08-08T12:00:00.021-04:00

While I love splurging on that got-to-have beauty item every now and then, I try to stock up my makeup with as many bargain priced products as I can. Believe it or not, you can actually find some great, low-priced products in the makeup aisle of your local drugstore -- many of them even rival their more expensive counterparts. The following items are tried and true, and best of all, they are all

Back to School.

2011-08-07T13:36:00.007-04:00

It's true that I've been dreading my return to school all summer. I prayed for June and July to be as slow as molasses, but as usual, they flew by like nothing. And now it is August. And now I have to report back to school in a little over a week to start readying my classroom. *sob* However -- if there is one thing I like about the whole Back to School business it is this: the ritualistic

So I guess this means I'm Magical.

2011-08-04T13:52:00.002-04:00

I'm magical, witches! ;) I'm magical! Thank you times a bazillion to the lovely @CaramelPhotos (aka Vanessa) who helped me find the pesky Magical Quill and basically kept me sane in my moment of insanity. I couldn't have done it without her. The username I chose from the selection (which wasn't stellar) is MidnightWillow127, but I'm slowly learning to like it. I can't wait to see what else

Wishlist Wednesday!

2011-08-03T18:44:00.006-04:00

What I'm wishing for this Wednesday... It's all @Cleolinda's fault that I'm craving this cupcake. She tweeted about going to the bakery Gigi's Cupcake today and it turns out the closest one to me is in Tampa. *sob* This headband is perfect for work OR play. I love it. {via} I have a slightly unhealthy addiction to messenger bags. I'm working on it, but this beauty makes me want to fall

Ready, Set, Fall!

2011-08-01T12:04:00.003-04:00

I don't know about you, but I am so ready for Fall. Never mind that we don't really have seasons here in South Florida -- well, unless you count our year-round balmy weather as an eternal summer. But October, which just happens to be my birthday month, usually ushers in cooler temps and shorter days. Which means I can bring my beloved cardigans and jackets (and boots!) out of retirement. Plus I

Learning to Love the Curl.

2011-07-31T14:01:00.003-04:00

Three years ago and some change, I had naturally wavy hair that I could coax into curls or blow dry straight, depending on my mood (and laziness level). But what I really wanted was pin-straight hair -- hair that you could wash and let air dry and still have it be perfectly straight. My hair, on the other hand, was not exactly wash-and-go hair. When left to its own devices, it had the appearance

Every Argument Every Couple Ever Has EVER.

2011-07-27T10:00:00.001-04:00

via Casey Donahue on Vimeo. I can't help but simultaneously laugh and nod my head in agreement as I watch this video. "What?" "What!" Ah, good times.

Crystalline

2011-07-26T12:18:00.000-04:00

What happens when quirky musical artist Björk teams up with quirky director Michel Gondry? Genius happens, that's what. via

These are a few of my (current) favorite things...

2011-07-25T12:56:00.001-04:00

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2. I have a confession to make -- I didn't always like Harry Potter. When the first book came out, I was fresh out of high school and starting college. Harry Potter just seemed so juvenile. Too juvenile for cool grown-up moi. Fast forward a little over 10 years and I'm now a teacher myself. All of a sudden, I was interested in Harry Potter. So I

Clean Slate

2011-07-24T19:21:00.002-04:00

This weekend was a CLEAN ALL THE THINGS kind of weekend. I am ashamed to admit I had let my bedroom fester into an overwhelming black hole of a mess these past two months. My dresser was a jumble of tangled jewelry and makeup pots. The piles of books and what-not in my assorted corners were threatening to reach the roof. The sad part? I'm not even exaggerating. Really. I would show you a picture

What I'm reading now...

2011-07-20T10:08:00.001-04:00

What I just finished reading... I kept running into The Bride Quartet series by Nora Roberts in the book store -- picking them up, then putting them down -- until I finally decided to bite the bullet (what a strange expression, who came up with that?!) and get the ebook set. It had been a good long while since I'd read modern romance (I tend to like period pieces best), but I'd read Nora Roberts

New! (Kinda.)

2011-07-19T14:26:00.002-04:00

Hello! Yes, I know I've been gone an awfully long time. My, the place has gotten dusty. But no worries. *flourishes huge fluffy duster* This old place was due for renovation anyway. The new blog layout may not look all that different, seeing as how the banner is an old one I used to have (as is my blog button, which you can grab on my sidebar to the right), but the pink is something new. It's

"Something Worth Reading": A Guest Post by Jessica Byam

2011-04-29T14:21:00.001-04:00

Get a notebook, a journal that will last through all time, and maybe the angels may quote from it for eternity. - Spencer W. KimballMy mother gave me my first journal for my 9th birthday. It took me 7 years to fill it, and up until the very end, it consists of little more than a girl’s dreams of ponies and confessions of school yard crushes. But I was 15 years old when my infant brother was

I suck at this blogging thing.

2011-04-25T17:27:00.002-04:00

Yes, I know I've been slacking in the blogging department as of late. You can blame my students -- needy little buggers. I don't know why I felt the urge to bombard them with projects and assignments and what-not with only 7 weeks left in the school year (can I get a hallelujah?), not to mention a full reading of Romeo and Juliet. Hello, my name is Annie Cristina and I am a masochist. But I

These are a few of my (current) favorite things...

2011-04-20T20:11:00.010-04:00

My lovely bloggy friend Asheyna asked me to write a guest post for her this month, so I decided to take my favorites feature on the road for April. Click here to read my post and see what I'm loving right now, and don't forget to let me know in the comments what your favorites are this month. :-) Favorites (March/April) by AnnieCristina Click here to read the full post! :-)

Things making me happy right now...

2011-04-18T20:03:00.000-04:00

I took this picture using the Instagram app going to the Miami Seaquarium with my boyf for free, just because I'm a teacher. reading cheesy romance books for fun. watching the NBA playoffs. (and rooting for my home team, the Miami Heat. :D) taking an afternoon nap with the rain pattering against my window. winning a giveaway from this sweet Etsy shop. finding out my favorite coffee from

You know why I'll never be a food blogger?

2011-04-09T13:08:00.001-04:00

I'll tell you why -- it's because I am too impatient. I can't wait to take the pictures. I have to eat the food RIGHT NOW. It's not for want of trying, either. I attempted to do this just last night. Ricky and I went to the Village Tavern, where we discovered, lo and behold, they served the very dessert I'd been craving all week, crème brûlée. I had all of the good intentions -- I even had my

Something funny for your Friday.

2011-04-08T18:03:00.002-04:00

I recently discovered the hilariousness that is Julia Sweeney by listening to her audiobook, Letting Go of God (you can hear an excerpt here on YouTube). She is that rare comedian who is able to make you want to laugh and cry in the same breath. A real talent. Here she is discussing her recent "birds and the bees" discussion with her young daughter. Warning: You will laugh, and often. Enjoy!

Wish List Wednesday

2011-04-06T15:00:00.004-04:00

Wish I may, wish I might... I have been craving this dish like mad, but alas, my favorite French restaurant closed and I don't know of any other place that makes it quite as well. I wish I was even a tiny bit capable in the kitchen, because then I'd attempt to make it myself! We haven't been to the theater in a bit, and I really, really want to see this one, especially since I finished

One Day Without Shoes

2011-04-05T19:04:00.003-04:00

I started wearing TOMS this year after I kept hearing about them on blogs. I thought they looked really cute online, so I ordered a pair, hoping they would fit. Happily, they not only fit, they fit great. I even wore them to a few theme parks this past winter. As I started learning more about the TOMS company, I discovered these weren't just regular shoes -- these were shoes with heart. I