A couple of weeks ago, I enjoyed sharing the outfits I’d been wearing recently, so I’m trying to remember to snap a pic when I can.
The outfits I’m sharing today are a mix of school and weekend.
We went to Nashville for a birthday party a couple of weeks ago, and I snagged this dress from Amazon. It was an impulse buy, but I really like it. It comes in a variety of colors, and it has pockets!
This outfit is brought to you by Amazon…and really –they are Amazon purchases from quite a while ago. I know I’ve had the dress, cardigan, and sandals for at least two years.
This outfit includes same cardigan, different color. Same sandals as above as well. I picked up this floral dress at Walmart last spring.
I always get so many compliments when I wear this floral Old Navy dress. I remember when I bought it, I was on the fence about it, but I’m glad I kept it. I did cut the tassels off because I hate tassels.
I always joke that I feel like I’m going to a fiesta when I wear it, but it’s a great dress for school. I’m wearing my favorite Amazon sandals from last summer, but they aren’t in stock anymore.
Friday, I wore these jeans to school and then changed out of my school t-shirt and put on my favorite Amazon cap sleeve sweater to go to the UK volleyball game.
For Hayden’s cross country meet, I wore my one of my pairs of Fabletics leggings, my SSYS workout tank, and New Balance tennis shoes.
I wore this outfit to school last Wednesday. The top is SSYS, and I’ve had my white denim jeans forever.
I wore this outfit to school yesterday. Amazon joggers and sandals and a denim shirt that I got at Target a few years ago.
Looking back at these outfits, I did a good job shopping my closet. The only new item is the first dress. Also, for me, “sandal season” lasts through September. I’m always bummed when I have to put away all my cute sandals!
Thanks for reading!
{This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Thanks for supporting my blog.}
How was your Labor Day weekend? Ours was good. We had a mix of down time, busy time, friend/family time, pool time and more.
Now that I feel like I’m in the groove this school year, I thought I’d show you around my classroom.
I shared some back to school photos a few weeks ago, but today I’m honing in on my Top 10 things in my classroom.
I always want my classroom to feel warm and welcoming.
Since I do intervention, I actually don’t need this many tables, but students are able to spread out when they are in my room. Sometimes, I’m helping a couple of students and other times, I might have 12-15 students for small group instruction.
I like for the room to be colorful and cheery. The natural sunlight from the windows help brighten the room. Often times, I don’t even turn on the overhead lights because I have so much daylight thanks to the windows, and I have a few lamps around my classroom.
Whatever classroom I’ve been in, I always have a corner for my area…that way students know to stay in front of my desk. haha
My area is behind the desk, and they get the rest of the room.
The “Save Time …See it my way” poster I’ve had on my desk for all 22 years I’ve taught.
1. Desk
On my desk, I have a few pictures, my desk calendar, supplies and important folders.
2. Computer area
When I moved into this classroom a couple of years ago, I decided to use a table for my computer. In my former classroom, I had the computer on the desk, and I like to have more space this way.
I have two crates under this table that hold a few books and binders I need for reference as well as some extra school supplies.
I also have a stack of lesson plan books through the years. I never want to throw them away at the end of the year. Are there any other teachers reading this post that feel the same way?
3. Teacher planner
While I don’t need a planner to plan out my lessons like I used to, I still use one to pencil in which students I’m helping, which classrooms I need to visit as well as meetings. This is my third year using a Happy Planner, and I really love it.
4. Flat panel
I just got this flat panel at the end of last school year, so I’m still figuring it out. I did go to a professional development last week to learn a few tricks. Like with most technology, the kids can probably teach me quicker than me just messing around with it.
5. Posters
I have posters all throughout my room. Honestly, they don’t change much through the years.
I have fun quotes and motivational posters as well as a few literary ones.
As an English teacher, of course I have reading reminders and proofreading marks…
The three questions I’ve had posted in my room for years. They were shared at a PD years ago, and they are good reminders for students and myself when questioning students.
6. Supplies
Admittedly, I don’t need as many supplies as elementary school teachers do, and honestly, I probably have more than most high school teachers do.
I just re-stock when supplies are on sale in July and August, so I have mostly what students might need.
At the front of my room, I have highlighters, markers, scissors, glue sticks, index cards and more.
7. Pencil boxes
Quite a few years ago, I put one pencil box on every table. These boxes have a couple of pencils, a few highlighters, some markers, colored pencils and crayons.
That way, once students are seated, they have most of what they need right in front of them.
Honestly, this helped more when I had classes of over thirty students and wanted them to stay seated. That’s not as big of a deal now since I work with so few students at a time, but I still like for them to mostly have what they need right in front of them.
8. Books
I have a variety of reading materials and resources for students. I’ve used the Timed Reading books with all levels of learners. They provide good practice with reading comprehension.
The National Geographic books are good visuals for students and are shorter texts that aren’t overwhelming.
The Bluford series books are high interest books for struggling readers.
Through the years, I’ve read them with classes or let students read them individually.
9. My bookshelf
Over five years ago, my neighbor had this bookshelf sitting out on the curb, and I snagged it for my classroom.
On top, I have some family photos, a little plant, some teacher items given to me through the years, and my new candle warmer.
The top shelf holds the textbooks, both teacher and student editions, that I use daily as well as some extra supplies.
The bottom shelf holds a few more knick knacks, photos, and books.
10. Comfy chair
This comfy chair is a favorite spot for students. It’s just an extra spot to sit, but they have to be working or reading in order to sit in it. No phones allowed. It’s for learning, not lounging. 😃
I always feel better once my room is put back together after summer break. I love when students come in and say, “Ms. White, your room is so cute!”
I want it to be comfortable for the students but also for myself since I’m there seven hours a day.
Speaking of my classroom…off to school I go! At least it’s a four day week this week. Thanks for stopping by.
I wore it to school and got lots of compliments. Bonus — it has pockets!
I needed a new keyboard for my school computer and bought this wireless pink keyboard/mouse combo.
It’s the perfect fit for my desk.
Up until last week, I had a desktop computer and two monitors. I was having some connectivity issues, so I ended up with a new chromebook and monitor. I like my new set up.
I shared about this candle warmer lamp in a Friday Favorites post, and it’s still a favorite.
I’ve used it with both single and three wick candles, and it warms them up just enough to to make my classroom smell so good.
The lamp height is adjustable and has three settings for the light.
I can’t wait to buy some fall candles to mix into the rotation.
Hadley wants to take her lunch occasionally this year. She hasn’t used a lunchbox in a couple of years, so she picked out this new one. It’s been working for her so far.
Random story, but I had a SSYS dress in mind for the Nashville birthday party we went to last weekend and when it went on sale, I bought it…but had it shipped to my mom’s house by accident.
Of course, I have quite a few dresses, but most felt liked they’d either be “too nice” or are more for what I wear to school.
So, admittedly, this dress was in impulse buy…but I love it.
It’s light-weight, classic, and I love a collar on a dress.
I wore the wedges I got earlier in the summer from Old Navy.
We were too rushed to get to the party for me to take a pic, so I re-created the outfit and snapped this pic after a hectic day at school last week… haha…
At the party, a friend asked me if my dress was from Amazon…because she has it in purple which is her daughter’s school color. She’d worn it to the school football game the night before. It does come in so many colors!
So, that’s it for my recent Amazon purchases. What have you “primed” lately?
{This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Thanks for supporting my blog.}
Hello and happy Friday…and happy September 1st! The {-ber} months are here, and I’m ready for them.
Also…who is ready for a three day weekend?! {this girl!}
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
Last Saturday, Hayden (and Coach Travis!) had the first official cross country meet of the season. It was a pretty hot day, but Hayden ran a great race and placed 1st! The girls and boys team had a strong showing, considering many of the runners are in the sixth grade.
After the race, Travis and I hurried to get the kids home so that we could head to Nashville for a friend’s birthday.
We were a hot sweaty mess after the race, so we quickly showered, packed and got the kids where they needed to be before hitting the road.
It’s about a 3 1/2 hour drive to Nashville/Franklin, and once we got to our hotel, we had to quickly change to head to the party.
The party was at Stable Reserve not far from our hotel.
Two songwriters performed for about an hour. They have a total of nine number one country music songs…including Walker Hayes’ Fancy Like and a new that’s on the radio, Tucson Too Late which just now hit the radio.
It was really neat to hear them perform. Then there was a break in the music in another songwriter was there to sing for another hour long set.
We had a great time catching up with our friends including Lexington friends we don’t see often enough.
After the party, we made a pitstop at a wine bar before hanging out at the hotel lobby / bar just catching up.
Once we woke up Sunday morning, we headed home. I wish we had more time there, but we had to get back to the kids and get ready for the week.
Favorite Foods:
At our hotel, there was a little spot for breakfast. Travis and I picked up coffee to go and I saw these “grab the gold” bars. I’ve heard of them, but had never seen them in person. This was my snack for the car ride home, and it was really good. It reminded me of a no bake cookie.
On the drive home from Nashville, I placed my Kroger order and decided to make this Cheeseburger Biscuit recipe from Pinterest for dinner. It is definitely a family favorite now.
Hadley and I went to Trader Joe’s on Monday after school and the Salsa Verde tortilla chips were one of the samples. I had one chip and knew we needed to bring a bag home. Lol.
They are so good.
Favorite Mom Meme:
So tired by Friday…
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
Here’s Hayden running in the same spot on the same course in both sixth grade and now in eighth grade. He looks both so similar and so different to me now.
Weekly Recap:
Here are my posts from the week which included a little bit of everything…memes, books, and musings!
What are your weekend plans? I’m so happy to not set an alarm for the next three days! The kids have plans with friends tonight, Hayden has a meet tomorrow, and maybe we’ll try to get some pool time in this weekend.
It’s the last day of August, and I’m linking up with Patty and Holly for Monthly Musings. I love reading these posts and seeing how everyone answers these questions.
This month’s topic is Back to School…
It’s hard to believe that we’re on our third week of school already! Thankfully, I feel like we are finally getting in a groove.
1. Where do you typically shop for back to school? Any tips?
It’s changed as the kids have gotten older, but we usually go to the outlet mall at some point to get them new shoes.
While Hayden doesn’t care much about what he wears on the first day, Hadley will always say, “Yes!” to shopping. I shared about her “back to school ‘fit” a couple of weeks ago. Her favorite store is probably Aerie.
2. How do you organize for back to school?
The last couple of weeks of summer, I try to start crossing things off our “to do” list and do a little bit at a time. One day, we might get haircuts, and another day buy school supplies. Right before school starts, I have the kids get everything organized, label their folders, and make sure they have everything they need.
I also have to get my classroom organized, and I always feel so much better after I get it situated. Hadley was a big help this year.
3. Do you meal prep? Any fall recipes to share?
I meal plan more than I meal prep.
I always write our activities and dinners on the magnetic paper calendar on our fridge. Last year, I made a point to do my Kroger pickup on Saturday, so that I wasn’t scrambling on Sundays. I hope to keep that up this year too.
I also try to get our lives/activities organized using the Cozi app.
4. Any back to school traditions?
We always do a “Back to School Brinner” a night or two before school starts. Of course the morning of the first day, I take the kids’ picture.
5. How long does it take you to get in a new fall routine?
Uh…I’m still trying to get that figured out. haha
I do feel like we are getting in a bit of a routine now that we are on our third week of school. Just when we figure it out, I’m sure our evening activities will change and throw us off.
6. Best lunchbox packing tips?
Since middle school, the kids buy school lunch. That being said, Hadley requested this lunchbox this year for days when she wants to take her lunch.
I don’t really have any packing tips. When the kids were in elementary, we’d pack these Yumboxes, and Hadley still uses hers.
I do think it’s best to pack lunch the night before, and I told Hadley that needs to be her plan this year if she’s taking her lunch.
Maybe on the days that Hadley takes her lunch, she will let me put a note in her lunch like I used to in elementary school.
As for me, I do try to plan my lunches. Every week, I usually split a bagged salad with chicken over two days, take leftovers one day, pack an “adult lunchable” another day and so on. I always take fruit and then some days I bring cottage cheese, chips, etc.
7. Best tips for getting out the door in the morning?
This year, I set an alarm for when I need to leave for school. I’ve done a much better job at getting to school on time so far this year.
I try to have an idea of what I want to wear for the week just so I’m not fumbling around trying to figure that out. Often times, whatever I wear to church on Sunday, I wear to school on Monday.
8. Slow cooker? Instant Pot? Neither? Both? Recipe to share.
Some of our favorite recipes are Sloppy Joe’s, King Ranch Joe’s, and Taco Tortellini Soup.
9. School bus? Car pool? Walk to school?
When the kids were little, we’d walk to school some and they’d stay after school for childcare or a sitter would pick them up.
Once they started middle school, they started riding the bus in the morning. I pick them up from school most of the time if they don’t have practice. They mostly do something year round, but never really at the same time until track season.
Hayden doesn’t mind to ride the bus home in the afternoon, but Hadley does. haha
It pretty easily works with my schedule to pick them up, so I do what I can when I can.
10. Start school before or after Labor Day?
Before! I wish we just kept it simple with a nice long summer of Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Hope everyone is having a great back to school season.
{This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Thanks for supporting my blog.
I can’t believe that August is almost over…and with that, “summer reading” is just about over for me. Today, I’m sharing the books I read this month.
I started off strong with reading while I was in California. I finished one book on the plane, read another book in 24 hours while there, started a book, and then read a novella while on the plane. Then, I finished a book right around the time school started. Since school has started, I just haven’t had as much time…and can barely keep my eyes open at night.
I had a really good month of reading though…poolside, oceanside, and in the car!
Here are the books I read this month:
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
Five-Star Weekend:
Summary:
After tragedy strikes, Hollis Shaw gathers four friends from different stages in her life to spend an unforgettable weekend on Nantucket.
Hollis Shaw’s life seems picture-perfect. She’s the creator of the popular food blog Hungry with Hollis and is married to Matthew, a dreamy heart surgeon. But after she and Matthew get into a heated argument one snowy morning, he leaves for the airport and is killed in a car accident. The cracks in Hollis’s perfect life—her strained marriage and her complicated relationship with her daughter, Caroline—grow deeper.
So when Hollis hears about something called a “Five-Star Weekend”—one woman organizes a trip for her best friend from each phase of her life: her teenage years, her twenties, her thirties, and midlife—she decides to host her own Five-Star Weekend on Nantucket. But the weekend doesn’t turn out to be a joyful Hallmark movie.
The husband of Hollis’s childhood friend Tatum arranges for Hollis’s first love, Jack Finigan, to spend time with them, stirring up old feelings. Meanwhile, Tatum is forced to play nice with abrasive and elitist Dru-Ann, Hollis’s best friend from UNC Chapel Hill. Dru-Ann’s career as a prominent Chicago sports agent is on the line after her comments about a client’s mental health issues are misconstrued online. Brooke, Hollis’s friend from their thirties, has just discovered that her husband is having an inappropriate relationship with a woman at work. Again! And then there’s Gigi, a stranger to everyone (including Hollis) who reached out to Hollis through her blog. Gigi embodies an unusual grace and, as it hap- pens, has many secrets.
Quick Thoughts:
I think this is my fave EH book to date. This was the book I read in Cali in 24 hours! I loved the premise, the different friendships and of course the Nantucket setting. It was the perfect summer book to read.
Rating:
FIVE stars for the Five-Star Weekend.
Hello Beautiful:
Summary:
An emotionally layered and engrossing story of a family that asks: Can love make a broken person whole?
William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him. So it’s a relief when his skill on the basketball court earns him a scholarship to college, far away from his childhood home. He soon meets Julia Padavano, a spirited and ambitious young woman who surprises William with her appreciation of his quiet steadiness. With Julia comes her family; she is inseparable from her three younger sisters: Sylvie, the dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book and imagines a future different from the expected path of wife and mother; Cecelia, the family’s artist; and Emeline, who patiently takes care of all of them. Happily, the Padavanos fold Julia’s new boyfriend into their loving, chaotic household.
But then darkness from William’s past surfaces, jeopardizing not only Julia’s carefully orchestrated plans for their future, but the sisters’ unshakeable loyalty to one another. The result is a catastrophic family rift that changes their lives for generations. Will the loyalty that once rooted them be strong enough to draw them back together when it matters most?
Quick Thoughts:
Wow! This book hooked me from the first page. It might be a top contender for the books I read this year. There are complicated relationships with many layers – sisters and marriage, love, death and everything in between. This is a story I think that I will always remember.
Rating:
The Sixth Wedding:
Summary:
A sequel to 28 Summers – Jake McCloud returns to Nantucket for Labor Day weekend 2023, this time without Mallory.
Quick Thoughts:
This short novella is a postscript to 28 Summers which is one of my favorite EH books. As I read it, I realized that it was in Endless Summer that I read in July. Now, I’m not sure if it was all in Endless Summer, but I knew that major parts of it sounded familiar. That being said, it was the perfect quick read on the plane, and I loved reading about these friends being reunited for Labor Day weekend.
Rating:
Hotel Laguna:
Summary:
In 1942, Hazel Francis left Wichita, Kansas for California, determined to do her part for the war effort. At Douglas Aircraft, she became one of many “Rosie the Riveters,” helping construct bombers for the U. S. military. But now the war is over, men have returned to their factory jobs, and women like Hazel have been dismissed, expected to return home to become wives and mothers.
Unwilling to be forced into a traditional woman’s role in the Midwest, Hazel remains on the west coast, and finds herself in the bohemian town of Laguna Beach. Desperate for work, she accepts a job as an assistant to famous artist Hanson Radcliff. Beloved by the locals for his contributions to the art scene and respected by the critics, Radcliff lives under the shadow of a decades old scandal that haunts him.
Working hard to stay on her cantankerous employer’s good side, Hazel becomes a valued member of the community. She never expected to fall in love with the rhythms of life in Laguna, nor did she expect to find a kindred spirit in Jimmy, the hotel bartender whose friendship promises something more. But Hazel still wants to work with airplanes—maybe even learn to fly one someday. Torn between pursuing her dream and the dream life she has been granted, she is unsure if giving herself over to Laguna is what her heart truly wants.
Quick Thoughts:
While we weren’t in Laguna Beach, I still thought it would be fun to start this book while in California. I love historical fiction, and this one didn’t disappoint! Hazel was such an amazing central character, and I loved the beach town setting. This is another favorite book of thesummer.
Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 stars
Summer Reading Update:
I had such a great summer of reading.
Read:All the Days of Summer, Endless Summer, Meet Me at the Lake, Summer Stage, The Five-Star Weekend, Hotel Laguna
Currently Reading:The Block Party
Picked up from the library:The Summer of Songbirds
I’m enjoying The Block Party, and I will definitely finish it. I just haven’t had tons of time to do much of anything lately besides school and shuttling the kids everywhere they need to go. I’m not sure if I will go ahead and read The Summer of Songbirds or not. I definitely wan to, but I might save it for next summer?
How was your weekend? We had a really good one, but I feel like I need a weekend to recover from the weekend.
Friday evening was a blessing in disguise though. We had tentatively made plans to go to the pool, but after a hot day, we had severe storms roll through. We ended up ordering Chinese carryout for dinner, hanging out at home and watching tv. Not that going to the pool would have been a taxing activity, but it was just nice to be home, in my pjs, and just relaxing before the busy weekend ahead.
Saturday, Hayden had a cross country meet, and then Travis and I high-tailed it to Nashville for a friend’s birthday party. We had such a great time seeing so many wonderful friends. Then, yesterday, once we got home, I spent most of the day doing all the things to get us on track for the week ahead.
Anyway, I can’t believe it, but August is almost over. So, I’m sharing my favorite memes from the month.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever mentioned it, but August is my least favorite month of the year. I always drag my feet going back to school (but it’s always good once we get in a routine), and it’s just a really long, stressful and tiring month.
I’ve probably never related more to a meme that this one…
Did you hear the news about Bob Barker? Ahhh. I used to love The Price is Right! I saw this meme on Saturday, and while I kind of wondered if it was “too soon,” the sentiment was a sweet nod to him and the game show.
My friend sent me this one (thanks, Allison!) …lol
Literally…so hard to do sometimes!
This happened to me on Saturday as I was trying to rush out the door, so we could get on the road. So maddening!
Last week’s temps were just stupid. This week, I think we are in the low 80’s, and it will be such a nice reprieve. That being said, I’m definitely ready for fall.
Me yesterday…(and quite a few days since the school year has started)
Me Friday night …lol
Me…always! Why am I this way?
This one just made me chuckle. There were a couple of times this summer that we went through the McD’s drive-thru just to be disappointed that their ice cream machine was broken.
I hope these memes start your week off with a laugh! I can’t believe by the end of the week, it will be September. I’m ready for it.
TGIF! This week has felt extra busy which made it go by pretty quickly. I think this is our last really hot day for now, and I never thought I’d be so excited about low 80’s degree days, but that’s on our horizon.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are a few favoritesfrom the week.
Favorite photo(s):
Our friend shared some of they professional photos from our fun evening a couple of weeks ago celebrating at Hadley’s friend’s bat mitzvah.
I loved this one…
…and this one with some of my favorite people
Favorite moment:
Seeing Hayden back on the race course this past weekend was fun.
…and I can’t wait to watch all the runners this season. Coach White and his crew kick off the cross country season this weekend.
Favorite food:
Quick and easy dinners were the way to go this week! I made thisCheesy Fajita Baked Chicken again, and it’s officially a family favorite. Like last time, I used peppers from our garden which was an added bonus.
Clothing item:
Did you catch my post on Wednesday? I’ve had lots of favorite outfits lately.
Favorite Amazon find:
I always wish I could burn a candle in my classroom, and I decided to try this Candle Warmer Lamp. I was sooo pleasantly surprised that it worked!
This week, I tested out a single wick candle as well as a three wick candle, and they both worked! The lamp helps warm the candle and it’s a subtle scent. You touch the shade, and it’s dimmable. There are three settings, and I’ve kept the light brightness on the second one. Anyway, I’ve looked forward to turning this on as soon as I get to my classroom every day this week.
Last Saturday evening, when we arrived at Hayden’s race, Travis and Hayden wanted to get out of the car in order to get his racing bib and get settled. So, they hopped out of the car, and I said to Hadley that they didn’t even say goodbye.
She said, “Cross country season…live, laugh, love.” 😆
Favorite Mom Meme:
This sure is the truth!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday
In honor of cross country season starting, I love this throw back to the kids’ 5th grade year when Hayden placed 1st and Hadley placed 4th at their end of season county race. Who knew we’d have so many races in our future?!
I hope you’ve been having a great week. We’ve just been trying to stay cool!
I haven’t written a Three Things post in a while, so today I’m sharing a few tidbits about each of us.
1.Mowing the lawn: You know you are in middle school when your dad tells you that you are old enough to start mowing the grass. LOL
Hayden took on this responsibility this summer, and he’s really kept up with it. For living in a neighborhood, we have a decent sized yard. There have been a few times that Travis will split the responsibilities with him, but overall, Hayden has kept up with this task. I’m not sure if he realizes that he has a couple more months of mowing left to do, but he’s had a good attitude about this responsibility.
On top of mowing our yard, he’s mowed a few neighbors’ yards, watered flowers and fed the neighbor’s cat as well.
2.Cross country: I can’t believe it’s already Hayden’s 8th grade cross country season. I swear, I think middle school years really fly by because they are only there three years. Hayden had his first race of the season on Saturday, and he did great. It was a 3k race, and he placed third overall. Eventually, they will run 4k races later in the season. I’m hoping for a healthy season for him. Towards the end of both his 6th and 7th grade seasons, he wasn’t 100%. At the state meet as a 6th grader, Hayden was still recovering from Covid. Then, last year, Hayden injured his IT band about ten days before the state meet. Anyway, I’m just hoping he can have a healthy season!
3.Scrambled eggs –I’m sure I shared that last summer Hayden mastered grilled cheese and quesadillas for lunch. Well, this summer, he mastered scrambled eggs for breakfast. While I realize making eggs isn’t that hard of a task, I commend him for eating healthier than a Poptart and a taking a few extra minutes to make a homecooked meal. Now, if only he’d wash the skillet after cooking them…haha (Maybe he’ll master cleaning next summer?!? A mom can dream, right?!)
1.Babysitting- Hadley has been quite the sitter this summer. She’s been able to watch my brother’s kids quite a bit, and Hadley and her friend watched a few kids together at one point this summer. She’s at a great age to hang with the little kids, and she enjoys earning money. Hadley continues to say that she wants to be an elementary school teacher, and so far, I think that would be the perfect fit for her. Besides baby sitting, she’s done a great job helping neighbors when they’ve gone out of town. She’s fed fish, collected mail, watered flowers and more.
2. Volleyball- This year, Hadley wants to focus on volleyball. I really can’t believe she’s not dancing anymore, but I also appreciate that she’s making these decisions on her own. She really fell in love with volleyball last year, so I hope she has a great year. In our district, the girls middle school basketball is in late summer/fall, and then volleyball is late fall to December. So, right now, Hadley is playing a short season for a club, but it’s more like a clinic a couple days a week practicing serving, hitting, and blocking with some scrimmages as well. It seems like the perfect time commitment and a way to work on the volleyball skills before the season.
3.School goals– Hadley has big goals this school year, and she also declared this as the year she stays organized. Like most first weeks of school, she has all the school supplies, and she has all her folders organized. Honestly, she even helped Hayden organize his folders for the school year. Besides staying organized, she says she’s going to manage her time better as well. I guess time will tell.
1. I can’t believe that I’m starting year 22 in education! I’ve had a few friends ask me recently if that means I will retire in six years. Unless we win the lottery, the answer is no. Thirty years has always been my goal for a variety of reasons…and depending on what I’m doing when I hit year 30, I may stay longer. I have sat in plenty of meetings looking at grumpy educators and thinking, “Why don’t they just retire?” I never want that to be me. I hope I’m always approachable and helpful to new educators over these next few years.
Also, I’m still doing academic intervention, and I’ve really enjoyed that over the past few years. I hope I can continue doing that, but there are times I miss the classroom full of kids. I’m also still in charge of our after school tutoring program and credit recovery sessions. For now, I don’t mind this responsibility because it’s another way for me to help students and teachers.
2.Travis is coaching cross country again this season for the kids’ school. It’s definitely an extra time commitment, but he enjoys it. He will be busy soon with work and the September horse sales.
3.Homer is probably sad that we are back to school…haha
I guess Homer updates are pretty boring since he’s matured and is a pretty well-behaved dog. That being said, when we were out of town, we had a new dog sitter who said as soon as she opened the front door one day, he bolted out of it. Poor lady was panicked to get him back. I guess he hasn’t matured that much?!
Well, it’s been a minute since I’ve shared what I’ve been wearing.
I’ll be the first to admit that I drag my feet getting back into school mode, but one thing I do love about going back to school is wearing some of my favorite summer outfits.
So here’s a peek at what I’ve been wearing lately…
Hi my name is Jen, and I love a summer dress! I also loveShop Style Your Senses, so you’ll see a few items I’ve purchased from SSYS over the past few months.
I wore this lilac dress when we went to Hadley’s friend’s bat mitzvah. I wore it last spring to Keeneland, and I’ve worn it a few times in between. (Actually, I think I might wear it to school tomorrow!)
This is one of the pieces from their label, and I love everything about it…the color, the fabric, and the fit!
For a professional development day before school started, I wore this matching SSYS set…and threw on one of my favorite cardigans. (You never know about the room temps in a school building!)
I wore this SSYS dress on the first day of school. (I also have it in black) I also wore this dress when I met up with friends and then again to church on recent Sunday. This dress is perfect, and I love the zipper detail.
On the second day of school, I wore this cute new Amazon dress. I saw someone share it on Instagram, and I ordered it. She said to size down, so I tried a medium, but it was a bit tight in the chest. So, my typical size large is what works best.
I just thought it was a cute dress, perfect for school, and it has pockets!
On Sunday, I wore this SSYS dress to church. It’s so bright and colorful, and I love the cute ruffled collar. (and it has pockets!) Anyway, it’s a lot of fabric, so I don’t think I will wear it this week to school because of our hot temps…but I will definitely wear it a few more times before fall.
On Monday, I wore this black dress that I got last summer, and wore a cardigan over it for school. This is my same favorite cardigan, but in a different color. I wear it all the time. I’m still loving the sandals I ordered in the spring, and have been wearing them often as you can see.
Yesterday, I’m not sure why I chose the hottest day of eternity of wear pants…but I did.
At least they are my comfy Matilda Jane pants, and my favorite summer sweater. Apparently, I love a gold sandal. I think I got these at DSW, and I’ve had them for years. I love them because they are comfy, pretty, and a little nicer than flip flop style sandal.
One more addition to this post…for the first time ever, I ordered from Shein. I ordered three dresses, and really liked this one. The other two were just ok, so I plan on returning them.
Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised with all three considering the state of the package that was on my front porch. The Shein package looked like it had been dropped on the highway and then sat on the side of the road for days.
Obviously, the dress needs ironed, but it think it’s cute.
Also, y’all I’ve embraced the claw clip. I just noticed in a couple of the photos, I have my hair pulled back. I’ve started to do this at least one day a week…especially if I’ve run out of time to wash or style my hair.
These are my favorite clips to use. Hadley has a couple as well because I put them in her stocking last Christmas.
Anyway, I really think this time of the year is my favorite for what I wear. After the summer of mostly wearing athleisure, swim coverups, and shorts, it’s nice to get dressed. Plus, I love being tan…lol.
Well, I can also embrace sweater weather, but I think we have a while for that. Our temps are on the rise this week with heat advisories and over 100 degree heat index. Whew!
I hope you are staying cool!
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