February Food Post #2 | College Grocery Essentials

Peanut Butter

Celery

Steamfresh Couscous and Spinach

Kiwi

Campbell's Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup to Go

Brown Rice and Sweet Potato Roasted Sweet Onion Triscuits

Quinoa

V8 Fusion Juice

I put together this list of my "College Grocery Essentials" to just share with you the things I purchase from the grocery store on a regular basis - in hope that you too will find these essential to your college pantry.

Peanut Butter

I put peanut butter on everything.  It is great in the morning on toast or an English muffin.  The protein it  gives me is what really makes this a staple on my shopping list.  I also like to pair it with my next item for a tasty mid day snack....

Celery

My favorite healthy snack has to be peanut butter and celery.  There is just something about it.  Sometimes I add some craisins on top as well.

Steamfresh Couscous and Spinach

I found this on a shopping trip a few months ago and now I can't live without it.  You just pop it in the microwave and you have yummy, lemony, delicious couscous and spinach!  I pair it with a chicken breast for a great meal.

Kiwi

Whether it is for a snack or part of my breakfast - I love kiwis.  They are relatively cheap - and I usually find that purchasing the box of 6 is more affordable than purchasing them individually - so look out for that.

Campbell's Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup to Go

Last semester I had class from 8-2:50 so I had to pack a quick and easy lunch.  Honestly, I rarely made time for myself to make a real homemade lunch - so having a soup that I could just toss in my backpack was a must.  The Cheesy Chicken Tortilla flavor is SO FREAKIN' GOOD.  I can't even explain it.  It is just delicious.

Brown Rice and Sweet Potato Roasted Sweet Onion Triscuits

I am a Triscuit FANATIC.  I could eat an entire box in one day.  The brown rice Triscuits are fabulous.  Their texture is lighter and crispier than the original Triscuits, and all of the flavors are super intense.  

Quinoa

Quinoa is one of those foods that has been ALL OVER this year.  Everyone seems to be obsessed with quinoa - and I am no exception.  I love to make quinoa and black bean tacos.  I just boil them with some taco seasoning and then make tacos as usual!  I highly recommend adding quiona to your grocery list if you don't have it on there already.

V8 Fusion

I love the V8 Fusion juices. They have so many great flavors. I can't even pick a favorite.  Just try them. :)

I hope that you find a few new foods to add to your grocery list!  Let me know what your most repurchased food items are in the comments.

With love,

Traci J

February Fashion Post #1 | Second Week of Student Teaching

Hello everyone!

Another successful week of student teaching is under my belt - and I am in love!  Take a look at what I've been wearing this week.

Please link to any fashion posts in the comments - especially anything to do with teaching and fashion!

What was your favorite outfit this week?

With love,

Traci J

February Food Post #1 | Becket's Restaurant in Oshkosh, WI

*photo from becketsrestaurant.com

Well here we go, loves.  My first attempt at a month long series - yikes.  Read more about what I have decided to do for the month of February here.  

We all have those restaurants that we frequent where we never seem to have a bad meal.  Becket's is at the top of this list for me.

It sits right on the water in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and has an unbelievable interior.  The colors are warm and inviting - while having a modern flair.  Some of the entrees can get a little pricey (especially on a college budget), but many of the wraps and sandwiches sit at around $8-10.

They use as many fresh, seasonal ingredients as they can get their hands on - and update their menu to fit.

One of the best things about this restaurant is their weekly specials:

Monday-1/2 price burgers
Tuesday-$1 fish tacos
Wednesday-jazz orgy wine wed. w/ $13 bottles of wine
Thursday-all night happy hour

Friday-fish fry
Saturday-prime rib
Sunday-free wine Sunday (with purchase of 2 entrees)

As someone who LOVES wine - the live jazz music Wednesday and free wine Sunday are my absolute favorite nights.  

My boyfriend and I went to Becket's for New Year's Eve dinner (I also went their for my birthday dinner as well, and to celebrate the end of the semester....) and I had one of the best meals I have ever had in MY ENTIRE LIFE.

I ordered the grilled salmon with sauteed green beans and a potato croquette.  The salmon had a raspberry balsamic glaze on top and it was cooked perfectly.  The green beans were al dente and had the best crunch.  But guys... the POTATO CROQUETTE.  This is seriously one of my favorite things.  It is essentially a crusted ball of garlic mashed potatoes and it is heavenly.  If you ever find yourself over at Becket's - make sure you have the potato croquette for your side.  

All in all - Becket's has an amazing atmosphere, reasonable prices, and the most delicious food.  I highly recommend this restaurant.

What is your go to restaurant for a night out?  Let me know in the comments below!

With love,

Traci J

Valentine's Day Manicure | Manicure Monday

Nothing says "Valentine's Day" quite like red nail polish.  This mani - complete with red glitter accent nail - is a the perfect look for a red hot Valentine's Day!

I received this Nail Rock Red Glitter set in my January Birchbox.  Check it out here.  It is a true red polish with some serious shimmer that you can use however you like.  I chose to just cover one nail in the glitter - since I have been student teaching all week.  The duo is super easy to use - just paint two coats of the color and dip the desired nail into the glitter pot.  Wait 15 minutes and you are ready to go!

The one downside to this polish is that both the glitter and the polish chip like crazy.  I would only recommend this if you are planning to redo your polish in the next day or two.

But hey, for date night - this is an amazing manicure.

What polishes will grace your nails this Valentine's Day? Link to any V-Day nail posts in the comments!

With Love,

Traci J

My First Week of Student Teaching in Outfits

* I meant Wednesday - we had a day off on Tuesday because it was RIDICULOUSLY cold.

*Casual Sports Team Friday

This week marked a real turning point in my life. I started student teaching! Now, I have been in the classroom quite a bit over the last few years - but nothing quite as involved as being a full time student teacher.  I am blessed to be a part of a 4th/5th grade multiage classroom - with two wonderful teachers.  I cannot say enough about how excited I am about the whole thing.  It is a little bit intimidating - but I welcome the challenge.

I am also blogging for the College of Education and Human Services at UW-Oshkosh!  Check out all of my student teaching updates here.

Being a young teacher - who also loves fashion and beauty can be a bit of a task... Finding pieces that are classroom appropriate but also show off my style takes some practice.  So I love sharing my outfits with you all to see what you think! Any and all criticism is welcome - just try to keep it kind.  :)

These are the kinds of outfit posts that will be coming your way every Friday in February! I hope you enjoy them. I thought about holding off until February to start this - BUT I JUST COULDN'T WAIT!

What was your favorite outfit?  Let me know in the comments.

With Love,

Traci J

Birthday Wishlist

Coralista Blush by Benefit -- $28

Honey Bee Bath Bomb from Lush -- $6.45

Mini Moleskine Notebook Set from Barnes and Noble -- $4.16

Navy Blue Rainboots by Tory Burch -- $195

Petite Heart Midi Ring from Baublebar (missglamorazzi collection) -- $22

Naked 3 Palette by Urban Decay -- $52

Metallic Heart Cosmetic Bag from Forever 21 -- $4.80