Thursday Thoughts

Happy Thursday & Happy February!

To be honest I'm happy January is over as it always feels like the month drags on. There are no breaks from teaching in this month which can make it a little mentally exhausting. Now that February is here I can see the light at the end of the tunnel aka February Vacation! As a Teacher, I get about 2 weeks off at the end of February into March which is so nice. Kyle & I have a trip booked that I can't wait to share with you all! We decided to go somewhere not so typical- I'd usually opt for a beach vaca to escape this weather but we went the complete opposite route! 

Things I did this week //

* Chased down a UPS package- quite literally! I was waiting for a Target order & checked my tracking info which said it was delivered to my door, I went to my door and alas it was not out there. So I called UPS who told me they would contact the distribution center in my area to find out where it was and they would call me within the hour. So an hour passes and I get a call that tells me the driver knows exactly where he left the package and that it was left at a different condo...great! The woman then tells me I should go over to this condo and find out if they have my package and if not they would try to find it. Meanwhile, I'm wondering if this woman knows the purpose of UPS is to deliver packages to me, not for me to go on a wild goose chase. So here I am at 8pm knocking on a random persons door trying to find my package- I politely asked if they had my package and they did, but here's the kicker, his wife opened my package and opened/tried on my shoes I had ordered! How strange is that! Needless to say, I was not very pleased- definitely not the end of the world and I did have a good laugh. Has anything like this ever happened to you!? 

* Made this delicious salad that had kale, apple, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, figs, goat cheese & a lemon vinaigrette. I've never liked kale but I think the sweet ingredients cut through the bitterness of the kale. I also didn't realize how much I liked goat cheese! It's so creamy and rich. Did you know that feta is just dried, salted goat cheese!? 

Things I'm doing this weekend //

* As you can probably guess I'm getting a manicure on Saturday. This time I really need one as I just cut my nails down really short the other day because I was paranoid germs were going to get trapped under my nails. The amount of students I've had out sick is crazy so I'm doing everything in my power to stay healthy!

* Cleaning my house & doing laundry- I feel like every time I walk in my laundry room the piles have multiplied! I try to do a few loads a week but I struggle to put it away after I wash it which leads to piles of clothes everywhere!

* Superbowl! We always spend Superbowl Sunday at my parent's house so that's whats on our agenda for the afternoon/evening. Kyle's not much of a sports guy but my Dad watches Football so we will be watching the game. We're planning on making wings, chili, a cheese board, dips, and a few other things like those little mini hot dogs! :) What are your plans for the Superbowl?

Hope you've had a great week!
XO,
Nicholle 

Valentines Day Gift Ideas

Happy Tuesday!

We're only a few weeks away from the big day, AKA Valentines Day! If you're like me then this day doesn't really excite you. This will be Kyle and my 5th Valentines together and while it's a sweet day it doesn't hold much tradition in our relationship. I do think its thoughtful to receive flowers or a card but I've never been one for huge displays of affection on a set holiday.

Generally, Kyle & I will cook a 'fancier' dinner at home and have dessert, then we will rent a movie or play a game. I suppose this has become our one tradition- not going out! We did go out during our early years of dating and I remember looking around at others in the restaurant thinking wow, I'd rather be in my PJs eating chocolate in bed! 

Since we don't do anything elaborate for Valentines Day we often get each other concert tickets and that's our 'gift' to each other. This year we purchased tickets to Keith Urban & we are so excited! I love that the gift is something we get to do together, and now we have something to look forward to.

If you're looking for some gifts for the day, the few I listed above would be perfect! I think my favorite item would be the Heart Cappuccino Cups! If you're wanting to splurge I think the Silk Pillowcase would be great! I've heard so many good things about them & the benefits they have on your skin and hair. 

Do you have any fun Valentines traditions? I did attend a Galentine's party this year which was new for me! My friend Annaliese hosted it and there were yummy snacks and drinks, very different & fun! I'd love to hear how you celebrate this day! Let me know!

XO,

Nicholle 

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Ice Castles // Lincoln New Hampshire

Hi All! This weekend Kyle & I took a trip over to New Hampshire to visit the Lincoln Ice Castles , I thought I'd share a little bit about our experience here as well as some fun pictures! If you have any questions regarding the Ice Castles feel free to ask! 

Tickets //

Make sure to buy your tickets ahead of time! We were actually supposed to go to the Ice Castles a few weeks ago but I didn't realize we needed to order tickets in advance, by the time I went to purchase them all of the time slots were completely sold out.

Entry//

It's important that you get to the Ice Castles at the beginning of your entry slot. For example, our entry time was from 5:00-5:30- we got in line to enter at 4:45 and didn't enter the castles until 5:10. The lines aren't too bad but they do take a little while so I suggest getting in line early. They have separate lines for each time slot, so there was a 4:30-5:00 line next to us that had to be let in first. If you miss your time slot you will have to go to the end of the line for all of the times so it will take you a while to get in- be on time! Once you enter the castle you can stay in as long as you'd like. 

Bathrooms //

There are portapotties in the parking area of the event. I'd suggest using the bathroom prior if you have little ones! 

Attire //

I cannot stress this enough- dress warm!! And when I say warm I don't mean wear a hat, I mean wear longjohns under your clothes! Kyle and I both wore two layers on the bottom and three on top, we were nice and toasty. You should also wear warm sturdy footwear. The ground within the castles is actually chopped up ice (think of crushed ice in your water glass), this makes for slippery terrain as well as quite the slush to trudge through. At one point we were walking through 5 or 6 inches of ice. I wore my tall Sorel boots which were perfect. 

Inside the Castle //

There are so many different areas of the castle to explore. Upon entrance, you are given a map which is very helpful! There is an ice slide as well as a little snack stand in the castle. We found that certain areas of the castle seemed less crowded. The slide and water fountain were the most congested areas.

Food //

Inside of the castle, there is a snack stand with things like cookies and coffee. This is great as it gives you something else to do while in the castle. There are benches near the stand where you can sit and enjoy your snacks! 

How far is it from Burlington, VT? // 

The Ice Castles are a little over 2 hours from Burlington. Kyle and I drove through the White Mountains to get to Lincoln and the route was absolutely beautiful- especially at this time of the year! 

Overall I thought the Ice Castles were amazing! The cost of the ticket was very inexpensive for all the fun we had. I wish they had a place like this here in Vermont! The company that made the castles is actually out of Utah and sets up castles all over the US. They are made out of PVC piping- how cool is that! This was a great way to spend our Friday night- I highly recommend going if you get the chance! 

Let me know if you have any other questions

XO,

Nicholle