Category Archives: My Favorites

My Friday Favorites 03.31.17

Posted by Maureen in My Favorites and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

Happy Friday! Here is my roundup of the things I’m loving this week.

On TV – Last night’s Grey’s Anatomy episode reminded me why I loved the show when it first began. From the first moment with a Meredith voiceover talking about her Mom, to the doctors disagreeing over a patient’s treatment because the stakes are so high, this was old school Grey’s Anatomy! It even felt like it was shot in a reminiscent way (an elevator door coming between possible love, a daughter following her mother out of an ambulance) so it did not surprise me when I realized that it was Ellen Pompeo’s director debut. What was the rest of Ellis’s sentence??? Tell Meredith not to……what do you think?

GreysAnatomy_sisters

On the Page – Do you want to know genius storage tricks? 17 ways to add color to every room? To read a moving story about a family and their late father’s bucket list? And to see Octavia Spencer’s fun spring wardrobe? Check out Good Housekeeping’s April issue.

GHK040117_051On the Web – This is the time of year that I am not always thrilled at work. As a teacher, the “standardized testing season” can be long, unfulfilling, and demoralizing for students and teachers alike. Every teacher should read I Can’t Answer These Texas Standardized Test Questions About My Own Poems by Sara Holbrook. The poet admits that she cannot answer questions on a 7th grade standardized test about poems she authored. Teachers – just breathe! It will all be over soon! (Sidebar – don’t forget your fitbits!)

standardized tests

On Instagram – Nothing says spring like the flood of rainbow colors on Instagram! My pick this week is the wonderfully color-coded bath accessories displayed by The Organizing Store. This deserves all of the heart-emoji smiley faces and rainbows you can type!

theorganizingstore

On the Playlist – Bon Jovi’s This House is Not for Sale album, as I prepare to see them tonight in concert! I’m liking this new album, but, I can’t wait to hear them sing their oldies including my all time favorite Bon Jovi song… drumroll…. Who Says You Can’t Go Home!JBJ_touronsale_bnr
Hope you have a great weekend! Let me know some of your favorite things AND what you think Ellis Grey wanted to tell Meredith in the comments below!

My Friday Favorites 03.24.17

Posted by Maureen in My Favorites and tagged with , , , , ,

I haven’t done this in awhile! But the snow is finally melting and with hopes that spring is right around the corner, I found myself noticing my favorite things again! I almost returned to this post last week since, according to the world wide web, I was the ONLY person who liked the This Is Us season finale! Without further ado, here are my favorite things this week.

On TV and in My Bookshelf – I am currently watching Big Little Lies on HBO at the same time as reading the book by Liane Moriarty. I have never done this before! I usually read then watch or watch then read (sometimes causing me to have to recall – was that the same, or different?) Reese Witherspoon is fantastic and I read all of Madeline’s dialogue in her voice!

On the Page – Better Homes and Gardens April 2017 issue. It introduces the 2017 Colors of the Year and three of my favorites have emerged – Sky Blue, Daffodil and Mossy Green! Plus six new recipes using one of my fav veggies – asparagus.

On the Web – Mornings can be a very hectic time if everyone is trying to get ready and out the door at the same time. This week Huffington Post gives us 8 Things The Happiest Couples Do Every Morning. Full disclosure, between breakfast, book bags and bathrooms, my hubby and I rarely do all of these every morning, but I love a good challenge so I am going to be mindful of this list and see how well I / we do!

Close up of a happy young couple enjoying time together

On Instagram – Check out this amazing kitchen in my signature color from House Beautiful. The green gingham ceiling!! Swoon! I have that tea kettle (love when I can say I have something from a gorgeous shot like this!) Photo credit: Eric Piasecki.

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On the List – Shout out to my hometown, Philly, PA, USA who was named to National Geographic’s Best Spring Trips 2017! They mention Philadelphia’s great restaurant scene, including Reading Terminal Market, which is awesome. Looking for a great trip this spring? Come on by for a cheesesteak and a soft pretzel!

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What are you watching, reading, liking and retweeting? Let me know in the comments below. Hope you have a great weekend!

My Friday Favorites 07.29.16

Posted by Maureen in Color-Coded, My Favorites, Uncategorized and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

On TV – I just discovered OWN’s new drama Greenleaf. I caught up on demand and watched live this week. The Greenleaf family runs the Calvary megachurch in Memphis. This drama is filled with scandal, deceit, cover-ups, and family secrets. In the latest episode, Grace got the evidence she needed against Uncle Mac, the verdict in the Officer Daniel Nelson case was revealed, and tragedy struck again in response. This week’s episode started with a disclaimer that it was filmed in January and it understood the topic of crimes committed by and against the police were even more relevant today.
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On the Page – Better Homes and Gardens August issue takes a look into a home that’s created great work and display spaces, new recipes for green beans, beautiful hydrangeas, and how to pack a throwback 1956 picnic. 

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On the Web – I could not stop laughing as I scrolled through Glamour’s article, 20 TV Shows to Watch on Netflix When You’re Feeling Stressed. Parks and Recreation, Gilmore Girls (returning in November!) Grey’s Anatomy… the Riggins GIFs!! Anything on HGTV – I know there have been times when I click on HGTV and go about my business in the house as if I flipped on a radio. My only addition to this list would be One Tree Hill. What would you add to this list?

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In the Garden – I’m very proud of myself this summer. I decided to cut my spending money on fresh herbs and try to grow some myself. I have the absolute opposite of a green thumb so this was a daring experiment. I picked spearmint, basil and cilantro. The basil and spearmint have taken off! I have fresh basil in my salads and fresh mint in my water everyday! The cilantro…. hasn’t done as well. I need to research that one a little more. Since I’ve had 2/3 success, I think I should try a few more so I can completely stop spending money on herbs. I found this chart from Country Living and I’m printing it and hanging it on my fridge! At first I thought there were no cilantro tips, until I took a closer look, and saw it says to look at coriander. 

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In your Coffee Mug – I love coffee. I love ice coffee. I love cinnamon. I love that Starbucks is sharing this recipe so I can make this at home and not spend $5. 

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On Instagram – So, I’m switching schools next year and teaching a grade I haven’t taught in 20 years! (yay and gulp!) I’ve been thinking about how I’m going to organize my classroom library. I first saw this pic on @teacherspayteachers (one of my favorite websites.) It inspires me and gives me so many ideas! The photo is originally from @kindercraze, so of course I had to check her page out and you should, too!

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What things are you loving this week? And how do you keep your fresh cilantro alive?!? Leave me a comment and let me know! Have a great weekend. 

My Friday Favorites 06.24.16

Posted by Maureen in Apple Green, Color-Coded, Magazines, My Favorites, TV and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

Happy Friday! I hope today is the start of a great weekend for you and yours.
Here are the things I am loving this week!

On TV – Netflix released season 4 of Orange is the New Black a week ago. Last year, I binged watched through the weekend finishing season 3 in 48 hours. I vowed to make the show last a little longer this time and I stretched it until Wednesday. This season was by far the most heartbreaking yet. Unfair judicial and prison systems, racism, corporate greed, privilege, religion and mental illness were just a few of the timely topics unearthed in these 13 episodes. No spoilers here.


On the Page – Real Simple Magazine’s July 2016 issue is full of summer fun.  Great tips on how to actually relax on your vacation, gaining control of your inbox, and party tricks for your summer get-togethers. Of course, the “Ask the Organizer” section is always a fav of mine!

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On the Web – I’m a teacher and it is my first full week of summer vacation. But that doesn’t mean my brain stops thinking about the classroom. Especially this summer as I am switching grades and teaching 4th grade for the first time in 20 years! I bookmarked this article Dollar Store Dos and Don’ts for Teachers by Genia Connell on Scholastic.com. It is so easy to buy something because it is inexpensive. This article has test driven lots of Dollar Store items for you!  

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In the Kitchen -Meal prepping is something I am completely committed to during the academic year, but it always seems to fall to the side in the summer. Anna Nguyen, Philadelphia’s Healthy Kid blogger shared Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Liz Coover’s  5 Tips to get Meal Planning Into Your Family Schedule. Time to get back into a routine! I roasted summer squash and zucchini for the week and made tuna that we can grab easily to make basil wraps.

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On Instagram – This week I picked a color of the week and posted pics of my favorite apple green things!  I loved searching for other #applegreen photos and I pushed the like-heart a LOT!!  I loved, loved, loved these apple green canisters in Edita Trinkunaite’s kitchen. Check out her other amazing food pics on her IG @edita.trinkunaite

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What are you loving this week? Leave me a comment and let me know. Thanks for reading.

My Friday Favorites 06.03.16

Posted by Maureen in Apple Green, Instagram, Money, My Favorites, Nashville, TV and tagged with , , , , , , ,

Happy Friday! Here are all the things I’m loving this week!

On TV –  Admittedly, I am just catching up on some season finales that happened over the past few weeks. Dick Wolf – WHAT are you doing to me?? Killing off the sons of high ranking police officers on two different shows, Chicago PD and SVU?


…and I CANNOT get over ABC cancelling Nashville.  I read the reports but didn’t want to believe it. Until the season finale became the series finale. Now we will never know the fate of Juliette’s plane. Unless another network picks it up – please!! #BringBackNashville


On the Web – Country Living’s 50 Ideas that will Beautify Your Yard (Without Breaking the Bank) So many adorable ideas to spruce up any backyard space. Love this hopscotch board made with colorful pavers from Happiness is Homemade. 

This hopscotch board—made out of pavers—works double-time as a game for kids (or adults!) and a fun way to add a pop of bright color to your lawn. Get the tutorial at Happiness is Homemade.

For the Piggy Bank – The end of the school year is a time when I look back to see what I’ve saved for the year, evaluate if it’s time to up retirement contributions, and figure out what are the priorities we should be saving for next year. Read Money magazine’s The Five Most Important Years of Your Financial Life for tips on what you should be saving at certain ages. It’s time for me to “Turn Up the Volume!”

 

On the To-Do List – I love my city in the summer! This is an exciting month here in Philadelphia. Check out the Top Things To Do in Philadelphia In June 2016 From Art Festivals, Outdoor Movies, and Night Markets, to Center City Sips and Beer Gardens – there is something for everyone!

Night Market
On Instagram – Look at this apple green pillow! I NEED this on my patio! Check out more cheery and colorful pictures by _mabellevie_

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Hope you have a great Friday and that it’s a start to an amazing weekend. What are you loving this week? Leave me a comment and let me know! Thanks for reading. 

My Friday Favorites 04.08.16

Posted by Maureen in Birthdays, Color-Coded, HGTV, Home Decor, Instagram, Magazines, My Favorites, TV and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I’m two days late with my favorites this week! Between catching up on all my TVs shows on the DVR and watching / celebrating Villanova basketball win the National Championship – I didn’t have time to write this post! But, I still loved some things this week – so here we go…

On TV –  Funnyman Cyrus is back with some one-liners that made him the loveable/hatable character we all obsessed over in Season 1. But other people made some big mistakes on Scandal this week…Abby, Vice-President Nichols and Olivia, who may have thrown away her white hat forever. 

On the Page – HGTV Magazine‘s May issue is full of all my favorite things – tips, tricks and COLOR! Check out the Pop of Color article that shows how to decorate using twelve different vibrant colors like hot pink, yellow, and lime. The article isn’t online yet, but here are other ideas from HGTV about using pops of color.

shop for a pop of color

On the Web – Kids Birthday Party Planning on a Budget from Sunshine and Hurricanes. This is the time of year when I start thinking about my daughter’s June birthday. I’ve done the over-the-top party stuff and have kept it simple by asking a few kids to the movies. Here are some good tips on how to not break the bank – which at the end of the birth-day – is totally unnecessary!

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On Instagram – Loving these pink lockers and vintage map from cameo_gypsy. I’m thinking I need some lockers in my new laundry room!

cameo gypsy

 

On the Scoreboard –  My alma mater, the Villanova Wildcats, won the NCAA National Championship by defeating North Carolina with a buzzer beating three pointer! Congratulations to Kris Jenkins for hitting the winning shot, the rest of the team, and Coach Wright for an amazing season. V for Villanova, V for Victory.

Here is me with two of my college roomies – partying like it’s 1993!

mo and di _nova champions

winning at the buzzer!

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Championship Parade in Philadelphia

Hope you are having a fabulous weekend. What are you loving this week? Leave me a comment and let me know what you are reading, watching, and pinning! 

My Friday Favorites 04.01.16

Posted by Maureen in Coffee, Crafts, Family, Home Decor, Instagram, Kids, My Favorites, Owls, Parenting, Parties, TV and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

FF BLUE AND GREEN DIAMONDS

On TV –  Sometimes I get so caught up with Olivia Pope that I forget about my first favorite TV Olivia: Olivia Benson from Law & Order: SVU. The last few episodes have been great including this week’s Episode 18 “Sheltered Outcasts” directed by Mariska Hargitay and guest starring Michael Rapaport. Carisi is becoming one of my favorite characters! I have a couple of questions, feel free to comment your answers and opinions below! In Episode 17 “Unholiest Alliance,” Olivia’s relationship with Ed Tucker is completely revealed. Did we, the audience, already know this? This show is sneaky for hinting around relationships and then never addressing it again (Rollins & Amaro.) Does anyone else think Tucker and Sergeant Voight from Chicago P.D. are very similar? Olivia Benson has a type…and we can just throw Stabler into that list while we are at it! Speaking of Stabler, Christopher Meloni was interviewed this week on Inside the Actor’s Studio and he is still asked about Stabler and Benson’s relationship all these years later. 

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - Season 17

On the Web – My daughter is about to turn 5 and start kindergarten in the fall. Naturally, I clicked on  5 Things I Wish I Knew Before my Child Started Kindergarten from House of Rose when I came across it online. This is a great list that had me laughing – the parties!!

5 Things I Wish I'd Known Before My Child Started Kindergarten by HouseofRoseBlog.com

On Instagram – I’m loving this idea of a monogrammed letter on the front door wreath from Sugar Bee Crafts. I might have to hit Michael’s this weekend to look at letters. Add flowers on the wreath and an aqua background – this front door is perfection!

sugarbeecrafts_frontdoor

In the Shopping Cart – Spring Blend coffee from The Fresh Market. I’ll admit the pretty aqua and yellow packaging is what really caught my eye, but now that I’ve been brewing this coffee all week, I’m hooked! A light creamy blend of caramel and butterscotch!? Yes, please!

On the Wish List – Picturing this amazing owl chair from Anthropologie somewhere in my house. My bedroom as a reading nook? Olivia’s room? Our new finished basement? Oh the possibilities! 

anthropology owl chair

On the Scoreboard –  Good luck to my alma mater, the Villnova Wildcats, as they play in the final four this weekend! V for Villanova, V for Victory.

Happy Friday! What are you loving this week? Leave me a comment and let me know. Have a great weekend!

My Friday Favorites 03.25.16

Posted by Maureen in awkward, Instagram, Kitchen, Magazines, My Favorites, TV and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

FF apples grn

On TV – This week on MTV’s Awkward we found out what really happened to Matty and Jenna during their first semester off in college. Their destiny is not so unrealistic (high school couple decide to stay together but grow apart) but of course it is not this simple – add in 100% of Jenna / Matty drama and you get the real story…which she only reveals to her ex-boyfriend / current hook-up Luke!. Not sure how I feel about enemies Tamara and Sadie becoming besties in New York, but Jake and Lissa staying in their hometown and reuniting is a funny, if not awkward development.  

(Full disclosure – was this my favorite? Or only thing I watched?  On my DVR I have 4 to 5 episodes of EACH of these shows to watch: Chicago Fire, PD and Med, Law and Order, SVU, How to Get Away With Murder, Scandal, Quantico and Suits!) 

On the Page – March’s issue of Better Homes and Gardens is packed from cover to cover. Things that got a post-it note from me: striped manicures, ombre shower curtains, cocktails to party like it’s 1965, clutter patrol, and What Are You Afraid Of? (an article on how to conquer the most common fears.) 

BHG_marchOn the Web – I don’t know how you feel about it, but I cannot stand when this image pops up on my phone. And it ALWAYS appears right when I want to take a great pic (but apparently never when my students get a hold of my phone and take 50 selfies of themselves.) Good Housekeeping tells us 12 iPhone Storage Tricks That Everyone Should Know.

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On Instagram – One account I seem to always hit the like-heart on every picture is @jensfreshvintage This week I heart, heart, heart the aqua wellies she is dreaming about. I went back and forth with what color wellies I wanted this season and ultimately went with a hot pink – but these aqua ones are delicious, too!! 

jensfreshvintage_aquawellies

In the Kitchen – Now that the calendar says it’s spring and Easter is this weekend – it seems only fitting to start baking some delicious cakes! Check out 25 Layered Cakes That Are On A Whole Different Level from Buzz Feed’s Community page.

On the Scoreboard – We are in the thick of March Madness which is one of my favorite sporting events to watch. I’m cheering for my alma mater, Villanova University,  who has made it to the Elite Eight. As any true Villanova fan will tell you, we have had our share of heartache watching our team over the years. Could this be the first year since I was in seventh grade that ‘Nova actually wins the championship?!?!?!  Good luck Villanova Wildcats who take on Kansas tomorrow night. V for Villanova, V for Victory.

Happy Friday! What are you loving this week? Leave me a comment and let me know. Have a great weekend!

My Friday Favorites 02.19.16

Posted by Maureen in Better Homes and Gardens, Home Decor, Magazines, My Favorites, TV, Uncategorized and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

On TV – The last two weeks of Grey’s Anatomy have been great, but I do not want to hear anymore – “put Meredith and Alex together” possible story lines. Please Shonda Rhimes – do not do this! Maybe Episode 10 should have been called – “All I Want is You and You and You and You.” I loved Meredith’s  Wizard of Oz reference – “they were all there.”  When her therapist states you aren’t married anymore and you aren’t a widow either, he follows it up with the question – Who are you? She says she doesn’t know. And this is why I believe Cristina had to leave, Derrick had to die – so the show could answer that one question. 

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On the Page –  It’s the end of February! It’s that time of year when all the March magazines start arriving with bright colors like green for spring! Time to organize and spring clean. 

goodhousekeeping march

 

On the Web –This article was spot on for me. I had more than one laugh out loud moments when reading it. I hope my 40+ readers enjoy it! 5 Things That Just Don’t Matter To Me After Turning 40 from Scary Mommy

Sean Locke Photography / Shutterstock

On Instagram – I’m becoming a little bit of an IG shopaholic.  It’s so easy and you can shop right from your couch with a glass of wine – plus it’s a little bit of sport — will I win the prize? One account I follow is Find of the Century. I missed the sale this week and boy am I sorry … check out this adorable vintage child’s umbrella. 

find of the century_IG_umbrella

On the Twitter Feed – The Organizing Store ‏@organizingstor Today’s mini desk-makeover with some of our faves

I’m a little obsessed with the amperstamp symbol lately too. What’s up with that? Here is my little collection I have going on:

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Hope you have a great weekend. Leave me a comment and let me know what are loving this week. Thanks for reading.

My Friday Favorites 02.12.16

Posted by Maureen in Crafts, Family, Healthy, Holidays, Instagram, Magazines, My Favorites, Organization, Quality Time, TV and tagged with , , , , , ,

Friday Favorites gingham
Here are all the things I am loving this week!

On TV – TGIT is finally back! The winter break finale of Scandal seemed to land us right back to the beginning of the whole story. Many think this show is not as good as when it started. The story line has been up and down, but lately I think the show is at the top of its game. Ever since Shonda Rhimes publicly admitted she knows exactly how and when Scandal will end, I watch every episode through that lens. How is this episode a move on the chessboard to get Olivia and company to the end of their story? The shot from the finale in November with Olivia in the oval standing on the seal, I believe, was the most obvious hint so far. Olivia in the oval – and not as some sidekick First Lady. This week’s episode furthered this theory for me and added a twist. Will it be a Grant / Pope ticket? And I am not talking about Fitz here. And if it is – whose name is first? Did anyone else catch Jake say to the President TWICE while visiting him on The White House balcony – he needs to get a view like that?  Oh poor, one-dimensional Fitz telling him there was only one way to get that view. (I bet Bill Clinton never thought that…)  I think Jake knows better and wouldn’t mind being called the First Man, especially now with his other full time gig of head of the NSA.

Featured-image-Ride-Sally-RideOn the Page –  I have been very dedicated to meal prepping for the week on Sundays for a little over a year now. The benefits include eating healthier and saving time during the week. It feels great to have big check on your to-do list before your Monday morning alarm even goes off.  Real Simple’s January 2016 has a great article, Sunday Prep School, complete with tips and step by step directions minimize your time in the kitchen to maximize your time at the table with your family. The article isn’t online yet, but here is one with some more suggestions: 10 Ways to Speed Up Dinner Prep Times. 

real simple_sunday meal prep 1

On the Web –This one was laugh out loud funny. This is a perfect guide for Valentine’s Day gift giving for couples who might not have romance on the agenda for the weekend. 10 Realistic Dos and Don’ts For Couples with Young Kids  You can read more hilarious posts like this one on the author, Brooke Arellano’s blog Crazy Mama Drama 

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On Instagram – I love searching the hashtag #colorcoded because I find the best pictures and people! This week I came across- Done & Done Home Decor with this fabulously color-coded, organized, red craft supplies photo – if this didn’t get picked as one of my Friday Favs then seriously, what would? Also their motto is – We organize your life. Sign.Me.Up.

done and done home

Have a great weekend and Valentine’s Day. May you not have to clean up anything in your bed after your kids serve you breakfast with love. Leave me a comment and let me know what your Friday Favorites are. Thanks for reading.