Meet the Shaneyfelts

Archives for January 2016

Friday Favorites!

It’s Friday y’all and I have LOTS of FAVORITES today!  My number one favorite is the fact that this weekend is a three day weekend!  It’s much needed and I can’t wait to have extra time to do all the things I need to do and fit in a little relaxing, too.

I posted this recipe on Wednesday and it was a FAVORITE for a lot of readers!  Yes, Valentine’s Day is a month away, but it’s never too early to start enjoying a little Valentine sweets!  And plus, I love holiday-themed sweets!
Tuesday I went back to the dermatologist for a check up and then to discuss skincare with her.  I love going to her office because it looks like Restoration Hardware inside.  The outside is a gorgeous mix of brick and stone and the inside is even better.  I tried to inconspicuously snap these photos of the waiting room (which is why they are such bad quality), but you get the picture.  
And these light fixtures……a FAVORITE for sure.  If I had a two story foyer, I would have one of these in it.  Next time I visit my derm, I’m asking her where she bought these light fixtures.
Ever since Victoria and I began discussing doing a link up together, we never imagined that people would actually link up!  We were texting each other all day talking about how ecstatic we were with how the link up was going!  Yesterday’s link up was so fun, and I have a great list started for this year.  I am so thankful that people took the time to link up!  My new FAVORITE link up, for sure!
On Wednesday, we had advisory at school.  Advisory is time set aside in the morning for me to get to know the 15ish kids that I am assigned–I know their grades and goals, we talk about what they are struggling in school-wise, etc.  Lots of one-on-one conferencing.  This past Wednesday we spent the time coming up with our One Word for 2016.  (I’m sure you’ve seen these on other blogs or social media.)  My word was Joy and I explained to my students that this year I’m focusing on finding my joy in the Lord and not in things like my job or my husband.  (It was probably illegal to say that but oh well.)  This advisory was my FAVORITE because I got to see what all my kids were focusing on and we talked about it.  Then we took pictures–can I point out that I was having a really good hair day that day? haha!
I got this painting from a local artist from my mom and just dropped it off to get framed at our local frame store.  I love the way it turned out and how it’s going to add some color to our walls.  This frame is my FAVORITE!
Linking up with Andrea today!

Book Club Thursday

It’s here!  It’s here!  I have been waiting (not so patiently) for this link up.  This link up was born out of a shared love of reading between Victoria and I.  I am SO excited to get some great book recommendations and make my reading list for 2016.  Trust me, once I graduate from grad school in May, I will be reading all summer long!

First I want to recap the books I read in December 2015….all two of them.  I had big plans on reading a lot since I had a month long break from grad school, but instead I watched a million Christmas movies.



I saw this movie preview when I saw Mockingjay Part 2 and it looked interesting.  Then I had a student read the book one day while in class.  She let me borrow it once she finished it and once I started reading it, I could not put it down!  It’s a thick book, but the action is so suspenseful that you really won’t be able to stop reading it once you start.  If you like books like The Hunger Games, Divergent (even though that one wasn’t my fav), or anything that has a dystopian society, you will want to read this!

And this leads me into the second book I read in December…the sequel!



Again, so entertaining and suspenseful.  The only bad part?  It ended and I have to wait until May for the third book to come out.


Below are a few of the books I enjoyed reading during 2015….
(click on each title to read more)

This book is based on a true story of the last woman who was sentenced to death in Iceland.  It sounded so boring and not my typical book, but since it was part of my book club, I read it and I’m so glad I did.  I really felt bad for the main character and it was sad knowing it was a true story.

I loved that this book was told from two different life stories.  Both stories started from the same bar and it showed us, the reader, what the main character’s life would be like if she left the bar in two different ways.  Very interesting and I liked it!  It also had two different love stories, so yeah..I liked it!

Multiple life stories are intertwined with the story of how wine is made.  The main character shows up at her parents’ vineyard in her wedding dress after seeing her fiancé with another woman.  Read the book to find out what happens!

I loved Eight Hundred Grapes so much that I bought this book right after reading the first.  The main characters long-term relationship ends and she marries another guy after knowing him a very short time.  Then guy #1 shows back up and she questions her new marriage.  I thought I was going to be mad reading this book but it turned out exactly how I wanted it to!

This is a young adult lit book about kids from the 80s.  Two unlikely kids fall in love for the first time in their life.  This isn’t a fairytale ending because unfortunately, it’s real life for some kids.  I wish I could read this with my students but language and mature content prevents me from doing that.

This book was suspenseful in that I really could not figure out what was going on!  Dustin read this book and liked it–and Dustin does not read haha!   I’m not into legal thrillers, but this book was SO good!  (Another book club pick)

Like the rest of America, I’m obsessed with the royal family.  I read this and dreamed about what it would be like if I never met Dustin and instead married William or Harry.  (Since you’re reading this Dustin, know that I am so glad I married you and I wouldn’t wish for anything to be different!)

This was another book club pick and another book I wish I could read with my students.  Read this and it will keep you guessing the whole time.


Red Velvet Valentine Bars

The one thing I love about Valentine’s Day is that the color pink is associated with it. I know that sounds so dumb, but I’m not big on making a huge deal out of the holiday.  Sure, I’m going to take advantage of going out to eat if Dustin is off, but that’s about the extent of our Valentine’s Day celebrating.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy, but really cute Valentine’s Day sweet, then try these bars!  Your sweetie will love them!  (And so will your mom!)

Red Velvet Valentine Bars


1 box Red Velvet cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup Valentine M&Ms

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9×13 pan.
2. Mix all ingredients except M&Ms–your dough will be tough like cookie dough so hand mix
3. Mix in 1 cup of M&Ms
4. Evenly press into your baking dish and bake for 14 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. While hot, press in a few extra M&Ms for added effect!  Enjoy!


TOMORROW, Victoria and I are hosting our first Book Club link up!  You can link any post you want on books–reviews, recommendations, books you heard were good and want to read–any post!

linking up with Jenn