Bloggin' Ladies: Much Love, Illy.

Tuesday, again! This week, it's Ilene from much love, illy! :) She is super sweet, and so talented. I can't wait to order one of her headbands once the holidays are over!

Name + Age + Blog/Site

Ilene Gamboa, age 26/
blog - www.muchlove-illy.blogspot.com 

and my shop link - www.muchloveilly.etsy.com

What is something interesting about you? 

Hmmm...I'm a Navy brat so traveled the world for most of my life and never lived in the same place for very long. Probably why I get antsy every couple of years - I still get the bug to keep moving every now and then! 

Why did you begin blogging?/ How long have you been blogging?

I started blogging probably back in college when there was xanga but I didn't keep up with it very well. Then I opened up a tumblr but it was a rather personal one and the site never let anyone comment if they wanted to - so to keep in touch with other family and friends, i decided to open up a blogspot one. It originally started out to keep in touch with my sister (who got married and moved away to a far off land called Iowa) and also to keep up with college friends and the rest of my family in SC. And as my etsy shop grew, I used the blog to announce new designs and such. I also love blogging about fashion and other random online finds. It's almost like my online bulletin board! 

Who is your inspiration for writing? 

My inspiration for writing is the everyday person. I love writing as if I'm carrying a conversation with him or her at a coffee shop. But as in an actual person, Jo March (ever since I was a little girl) was my inspiration. I also am inspired by the writings of Ann Lamont. Though I do not agree with all of her ideas, I am so inspired by her passion and by her ability to write. 

Where do you get your ideas?

From the everyday. Everything from the mundane to the exciting. My brain also never stops working. I feel like when I walk around (even when going to the grocery store or to some quiet field), I go with my senses ready to catch any spark of creativity. 

Do you have any advice that you want to share with fellow lady bloggers?

Write because you love it. Don't try to be like anyone else. Be inspired by the work of others but just be you and write to your readers like they are in the room with you.  

What is one thing you are looking forward to most in your future (blog or otherwise)?

I'm very much looking forward to marrying my best friend in the whole world in the next year! 

[my week in words + photos]

1. Snuggling with Guillermo while Nick was at work. 2. The amazing package I got in the mail from Russty, a fellow blogger! 3. Harry Potter obsession, Chamber of Secrets. 4. Starting Goblet of Fire! Favorite part so far: portkeys! 5. Parent teacher conferences on Thursday. FOUR showed up, so HP obsession ensued. 6. Peppermint Mocha Latte (and the awesome parking spot I got, right in front of SBUX). 7. Lesson planning like MAD. 8. Preparing to send off the package to my CH,WH partner! 9.Guillermo wearing his new sweater, handmade by Russty :) 10. Downloading AWESOME HP desktops for Wednesday Wonders!

***

SHEW. Just so you know? This post is long. And wordy. You have been warned. 

It has been a looooong week. And by long? I mean LONG. I can't qualify this statement by saying anything other than.... I am eagerly awaiting Thanksgiving. Not mostly for the time spent with family. Not mostly for the yummy food I will get to consume (mostly carefree-ly). But for the glorious spectacular miserable five days away from West High. The kids really, really, really tried my patience this week.

Monday my supervisor from UC is coming to observe me, and after warning the bell he'll be sitting in on, they told me, in so many words, that they were going to make me look like a complete idiot. I kid you not. These stories I tell you are real. In order to combat this threat, and being that this bell (5th) is my worst as far as behavior, Holly and I devised a plan to get the students out of the room that are incredibly, unabashedly, shamelessly disrespectful and disruptive. Luckily, two of the worst ones will be out of town. SHEW [again].

My main time wasters occupiers this week when I wasn't concerning myself with planning a super awesome lesson that occupies + engages (while making me look awesome) these kids has been one of three things:

1. Guillermo
2. Harry Potter
3. Sleep

Basically? I have had an incredibly long week and have had no energy to do anything awesome [including the sweet HP themed Wednesday Wonders post I had planned]. Sad, I know.

HOWEVER. I am up to Year 4 in the HP series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This is when the series really starts to get good for me, because in grade school + high school, I read the first three books 10-12 times, but once the fourth book came out, I was only reading them about 3-4 times. This means that I remember much less from the second half-ish of the series, making re-reading them far more awesome.

That's all  I have for tonight. Guillermo, Nick, and I love you all. <3 S

Bloggin' Ladies: Sometimes Sweet

Yay, Tuesday! This has seriously become one of my favorite blogging days of the week, because I get to learn so much more about the ladies I read all the time. This week, it's Danielle from Sometimes Sweet. She is basically the sweetest and most helpful girl, ever, and is so, so cute! 

 

Name+Age+Site/Blog: 

Danielle, 28 years old, http://sometimessweet.blogspot.com

What is something interesting about you? 

Hmm, well I am about to become a first time Mom, that's pretty interesting to me!  My son is due in a week, so he could arrive any day now. 

Why did you begin blogging? 

I've always blogged, way back into the 90s with livejournal, and for me it's a wonderful creative outlet.  I love having a place to document my life, and I think that is probably the best thing about keeping a journal, and what prompted me to begin one in the first place.  It's so wonderful to be able to look back and know where you've been; in a way it's a good indicator of where you are going.

How long have you been blogging? 

10+ years, but about 3 on blogspot.

Who is your inspiration for writing? 

My inspiration can be found everywhere.  I'm a former English teacher so I find inspiration in many different types of literature and authors, and also from my friends' blogging endeavors.  

Where do you get your ideas? Somewhere inside this little head of mine!  My brain is always going.

Do you have any advice that you want to share with fellow lady bloggers? 

Be yourself; be genuine...that's the best advice I could give any blogger. Oh, and write about what YOU like, not about what you think you should be writing about. 

What is one thing you are looking forward to most in your future (blog or otherwise)? 

Hmm, blog-wise I'd say just basically documenting this next chapter of having a son.  And to add on that but move into "real life," I'm so excited to see my husband as a Dad, and I am really looking forward to all of this "newness."  It's SO exciting.

 

Thanks, Danielle! Check her out, guys. She is awesome! 

Sunday Letters [on Monday] + a cute Chihuahua

I am here, on Monday, to do a Sunday Letter! This week it goes to... an internet friend!

Dear Internet Friends: (Ilene, Kate, Crystal, Danielle M., Danielle H., Mandy and Mandy again, Jamie, and anyone else I may have forgotten, there are so many!)

I couldn't pick just one, because so many of you have helped me so much since starting this blogging journey, and I have met so many awesome, interesting, and smart ladies. I am so thankful that you all have taken time out of your busy schedules and lives to say kind words and to lead me in the right direction! I also want to thank you all for giving me so much inspiration when blogging. I get so many ideas from all of the blogs I read, and it's all thanks to you lovely ladies!

Love,

Stephanie

I have so much to do today...*

I really have little time to be writing this blog, but I wanted to let all of you know that Guillermo got his stitches out on Saturday, and the little guy is doing really great! Right now, he is curled up under a blanket on my lap while I type. He has been so snuggly and cute, and I can tell he is so happy to not have to wear his cone anymore! 

Happy Monday, friends! 

**image via weheartit

Maybe I am a little weird...

but typing is a whole more fun when your finger nails are freshly painted.

I didn't get to share on Thursday, but I had a DELICIOUS veg lunch from the culinary department of Dater, the adjoining school to the one I am teaching. It was a salad bar and vegetarian minestrone for only $6. 

Don't mind that the salad is half eaten - I was already diggin' in before I thought to snap a picture. The chef and students in the culinary arts class are seriously so talented. Everything I have eaten from there is so delicious, and they ALWAYS offer a vegetarian option. A couple weeks ago they had a portabella soup and omg. It was delicious. 

Today, Nick and I took Guillermo to the vet to get his little stitches removed. Other than being so so scared, he did really well! Everyone said he looked pretty chubby (from laying around so much!) but other than that, he is healing up nicely and they vet said it will take a whole month before he starts getting comfortable using his leg completely. Poor little guy.

Before the vet, Nick and I traveled to St. Bernard to have a consultation about getting dreads in his hair. Then we went to Kroger for some Starbucks - I had a Peppermint Mocha Latte and Nick had a Gingerbread Latte. They were both so delicious, in part because of the pretty red holiday cups! 

After Starbucks, we walked over to WaldenBooks and picked up the second Harry Potter in paperback so that I could keep reading! I have all of the books in hardcover, but after reading some of them them 8-10 times (during gradeschool/high school), there are a few that are completely falling apart and utterly non usable. SO! Perfect excuse to gift myself the paperback collection, too! 

P.S. Those glasses I am wearing? New! I can't find a great picture, or really take one of myself because of the light in this apartment, but I love them! They are two shades of purple, and so so pretty.

Happy Saturday, friends!