Weekend Collection

After a week of (literally) running around, clearing paper jams, and lesson planning, the weekend was here.  And perhaps the best part, I was able to share it with my husband.

Friday, for no particular reason, we headed to Ichiban.  I don't much get into the showmanship (although color me impressed- I sure couldn't do it), but I do love the rice with egg and noodles and miso soup.  The evening had slightly cooled, and so I hesitantly suggested a small stop at Bridgestreet, the fancy outdoor shopping plaza and no surprise at all, Karl acquiesced.  After buying a gift for someone else, I also walked away with a pair of earrings for myself.  And not from Anthropologie, so everyone was happy.  Mostly Karl.  I think he was nervous as I kept sniffing the $28 candles.

For the first night in ages, I stayed up rather late, although I was sleepy.  I didn't sleep in quite as long as I would have wanted, but the reason why was worth getting up for.  We were supposed to go kayaking with our small group, but the extremely sultry weather this weekend warned us that we would gain nothing by chancing heat stroke.  So we grilled some food, each brought a side dish, and enjoyed each other's company for the day.  A little KanJam and Apples to Apples rounded out the afternoon, and Karl and I headed home to couch sit (and grade papers) for the rest of the evening.

And Sunday was a typical Sunday.  A day of rest.  I meant to come to school and redo some things in my room, but I just couldn't find the energy and will to leave the apartment after church.  Instead, I flipped through a magazine as lunch cooked, and enjoyed more time puttering around the apartment put misplaced items in their place for the week.  I didn't touch my school work at all, and the sky is not falling.

This weekend I will head to Memphis for a cross country meet, so I know the craziness is about to resume.  But this past weekend was lovely in its unhurriedness.  I could do with more weekends like it.

Weekend Collection

The past weekend was a weekend fluctuating between work and rest. On Saturday morning, what I really wanted to do was rest.  What I actually did was helped organize/clean the track area which was no small task.  Everything from outdoor season needed to be brought inside so we could save it from bad weather and football players.

Then there was a trip to the farmers' market, which is always a treat.  I'm always finding the things I need and the things I didn't know I needed.  Especially those dahlias.

The rest of the afternoon was spent lighting candles and creating lesson plans.  Although they say not to take work to bed, I couldn't help but get nice and comfortable as I caught up on grading, letter writing, and reading for pleasure.

We were supposed to go to the movies that Saturday evening, but I was just too tired.  Instead, we spent the evening on the couch.  That basically means I fell asleep and Karl watched the television while massaging my head.  It's a wonderful way to spend an evening.

Sunday was more lesson planning, cleaning, grocery shopping, and reading.  And finally, we went to see "The Giver," which was surprisingly pleasant.  I had been so worried the moviemakers would ruin everything, but when they didn't, I was left saying, "That wasn't so bad.  Thank goodness."

Sunday brought thunderstorms that we are still experiencing today.  The South hasn't seemed to provide a good thunderstorm lately, but today, they're loud and bright.  I only wish I was on the porch enjoying this instead of watching through my classroom windows.  But the weekend is over, and I'm back to work.

Wish List

A Reading Chair

Found on Pinterest

As we think about purchasing a specific home, I started thinking about "things" that should fill the rooms.  My biggest concern/most frightening challenge is the living room.  We are looking at a beautiful, one-story home (very common in the South) with gorgeous wood floors and an open floor plan.  This open floor plan makes the home seem so large, and it also gives people a glimpse of all your collected "stuff."  Off in the far corner of the family room sits a white painted, built in wall book case.  And already I'm imagining a chair like this one sitting beside the book case and the floor to top-of-door-frame windows.  We haven't committed to the house yet, but I'm already dreaming of natural sunlight, wooden floors, and french doors.  I had imagined a gorgeous, deep red, wingback chair, but this will do too.

July Favorites

July was the last month I had to myself before things went crazy.  And July was the month where I could finally start preparing for school.  Of course, office supplies are my favorite; that's a given.  But there were other highlights of my month where I actually got a little rest, too.

Paint tape | Not because we painted anything, but because I used it to mark sections off on the board.  And when I say "I," I mean Karl.  And it took him 45 minutes because he wanted the lines extremely straight.

Ruche dress | A beautiful cream, navy blue, and red.  I absolutely love the pleats and the ribbon around the middle.

La Croix Orange | I actually prefer the grapefruit the most, but this is excellent for my non-water-drinking self.  At home, I've been using the lemon/lime in a strawberry liquor that Karl and I made.  Perfect.

Sticky notes | Because can you really have too many?  I think not.  They're all over my desk and I use them for tons of activities already.  My planner was filled with stickies to remind me to get things for the classroom.

Disney mug | We spent five days in Orlando, and this cup was refillable.  Karl used it all week to stay hydrated, and it was an excuse for me to go to the food court for ice cream.  We brought the mug home, and while I probably won't bring it to school, it's a nice little reminder of our Disney experience.

One Year

"We were together.  I forget the rest." -Walt Whitman

I have seen this quote all over Pinterest.  I'm especially susceptible to quotes about love.  And I think that this is so perfect as Karl and I celebrated a year of marriage to one another.

I cannot name specific days off the top of my head where I can say that I felt closest to my husband in this past year.  There were many nights of binge-watching Netflix shows, days/nights of falling asleep on the couch, ordering food in, and he working in one room as I was in another.  But waking up to his childish bedhead, weaving amongst each other throughout the apartment as we work, read, watch television, clean, and breathe, moving our circles close to one another and away from one another...I would say this year does not need specifics to celebrate.  We had a simple lunch out, and we kissed goodbye when I left for professional development for two days.  And I may have been slightly irked, but coming home is always the best feeling. Belonging to one another fully has made this year the best so far.  I imagine I will feel like this every year from now on.

Cheers to a first anniversary.

School on a Saturday

Halls are dark, but I'm not scared.  In fact, I'm soaking up the peacefulness that hasn't appeared when all the other teachers are busy running around the school and chatting in the hall.

Having a classroom is like having a very big office.  Office supplies and all.  I sip my coffee and flip through the freshly printed syllabi, still warm from the copier.  The Of Monsters & Men Pandora station plays from the speaker  above the desks, and I think that being at work on a Saturday has never felt so good.