The End of a Semester

I remember college finals.  I remember shutting myself in the library with a cup of hot coffee in the morning and then coming out of the library in darkness.  I remember the stress, but I also remember the peace.

There is no peace during the end of semester in high school.  As I end this semester, I'm already trying to plan next semester.  The semester where I have SENIORS.  You know, the kids ready to check out in February/March instead of the May...I'm already terrified.  And then I'm teaching Mythology!  Again, excitement and fear.

So here I am, thinking about next semester before this one has even finished.  A time where students try to turn in work from months ago.  Where they ask every day, "So what are we doing today?"  Where administration visits our classrooms before the end of the semester, and they check our finals to make sure they're challenging enough.  I tell you, it's been craziness.  I'm not even sure I've had time to collect November Favorites because really, the only favorite I have has been sleep.  Bedtime is literally my favorite.

I'm ready for some more peace and quiet.  I'm ready for the peace of Christmas Eve and joy of Christmas morning.  I'm ready for the end of the semester!

September and October Favorites

So I skipped a month because, well, life happens.  But it really has been quite autumnal here in Alabama, at least for a few days at a time.  Here is a nice little round-up of items that are making my fall wonderful.

Patagonia Jacket |  Typical "white-girl-fall" necessity.  And I love it.

Winsome Blue Blanket Cape | Love the colors and the trend.  I think it will be perfect with jeans and boots!

Apple cider and Fireball | This drink is great warm or cold. It's the perfect autumn blend.

Visa School Card | Every fall, the district gives the teachers a credit card (with a max) to purchase school supplies.  Nothing gets my inner nerd as much as walking into Staples with free money to spend.

Bath and Body Works Candles | I have pretty much bought all the fall and winter candles available.  K might think I'm mad, but a good home has candles. It's that simple.

A Sister's Wedding

My sister was married this past weekend.  The week before, K and I spent a full week at the beach in preparation.  It was so lovely.  Lovely to sit around and hold hands and reminisce about our own wedding preparations and hair-pulling adventures.  I thought I was ready to go.  Recharged and refueled.

And then this weekend, I attended the wedding of my little sister.  It was a flurry of excitement and preparation.  And there was still hair-pulling.  And it didn't hit me until quite after that my sister is a married woman.  I started to remember when we were little, and she hated school.  And we had "auctions" with my brother, where we found discarded notebooks and old pencils to sell to one another for pennies.  I thought about sharing a room and talking late into the night...and then getting in trouble.  I thought about K being around when my sister was only a freshman in high school and talking about love and dating.  And in a way, I don't think that an older sister is ever ready for her little sister's wedding.

More Love Letters

I love writing letters.  I love receiving letters.  And sometimes, I'm not all too great about getting them out there.  Sometimes I let the little things keep me from sitting at my desk with my words, with my colored pens, with all my stationery, and with all my washi tape.  I'm trying to be better.  I don't want it to be one more thing I put on my "to do" list.  Like many of the wonderful things I've found whilst lost on the internet (HONY, for example), I found this:

More Love Letters

I challenge you to explore the blog and its purpose.  I challenge you to send a letter to a stranger.  Because the world could definitely use more love letters.

August Favorites

The autumn months are creeping in.  And it's still all hot and humid and sweaty here.  But August was still pretty good to me, overall.  Back to the madness of the school year, I suppose.  Round two!

AE Joggers | I wear these with my "But first, coffee" shirt, and I really can't think of any other outfit that I would rather be in.

Sam Edelman Fringe Boots | Because fall is coming.  Eventually.

Nike Orive | While the kids get all sweaty and gross in their socks and shoes all day, my feet are breathing.

Urban Decay Sheer Lipsticks | I bought the color "Ladyflower" on our anniversary because we went to Sephora after dinner, and my husband said he liked the color.  That's good enough.

Maeby and Winston | Maeby and Winston finally get to be together after so much sickness.  And of course, they got along fantastically.  Winston cries when he can't find Maeby. And yes, he definitely loves her more than she loves him.

Some Days

There are those days when I just don't feel well.  When the stress and anxiety of a due assignment for grad school, mixed in with the responsibilities of my job, mixed in with the obligations of coaching, just don't sit right.  Then, with strep throat and the stomach flu making their way around the school, I wake up feeling like my head is swimming.  I'm hoping and praying that I'm not sick, because who has the time?  Some days, I snap at kids for little things, feeling overwhelmed by events out of my control and theirs.  Some days, four minutes into class, a student says, "I hope your day gets better."  And that's always just the worst.  Because really, it's only been four minutes.

July Favorites

Signaling the end of summer, July came and went.  I began to stock up on school supplies, I became bolder in my lip color, and Husband and I adopted another kitten.

Scotch Laminator | Because now I laminate EVERYTHING so that I don't need to keep buying/printing decorations and schedules for the classroom.

Sephora Matte Lipstain | The pink/purples are drawing me in this season.  And they stay for a very long time.

Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop | I wouldn't be a good make-up junkie without purchasing this gorgeous highlighter.

Igloo Duo Tote | One half is insulated for food.  The other half is material to carry.  This is the best multipurpose bag that I could own, AND it is adorable.

Winston | The newest addition to our family.  He's absolutely the sweetest, and he loves to cuddle.  And yes, there will be a bowtie, for what is a Winston without a bow tie?

Back to School

It's planners, markers, pens, paper, sticky notes, highlighters, washi tape, coffee, novels, poetry, and paper clips.  It's the pit in the stomach that comes with not knowing who signed up for your class.  It's the thought of another year up to your eyeballs in grading and lesson planning.  It's the nervousness of a first day back from summer vacation.  It's taking aside many days during summer vacation to get work done.  It's back to school time.

May/June Favorites

A whirlwind of a summer.  Weddings and moving and kittens and neighbors and track and cross country and prepping for school.  My days are blurring together, and only recently have I realized just how far along my summer has gone and just how quickly it will come to a close.

May and June were all-around lovely, but even so, there were a few things that stuck out most.

Our home | We love it.  Really.

Gulf Shores, AL | We have gone so much this year, it's unbelievable.  I'm trying to convince the Husband that we should invest in a beach house...

The Dream Team | We were reunited, and I finally met our newest little member.

Bookshelves |  They're from Target, but I love them.  They're big and look fancy.

Hydrangeas | I'm a plant killer, so I'm pleasantly surprised to see these blooming so beautifully.

Maeby | She's honestly the cutest little companion ever.  Her name is from a character from Arrested Development because she literally does the opposite of everything we say.

Maeby | But really...so cute.

Pittsburgh, PA | I went to celebrate one of my best friend's wedding to the love of her life, and it everything about it was gorgeous.  Including the bachelorette party in Pittsburgh.

Tape, Boxes, and Sharpies

It's funny how much of your life can fit into boxes.  Packing paper from our first move to Alabama is strewn about the floor.  Sharpie markers in various colors litter the counters.  The sound of tape stretching across a cardboard box signals the end of something.  And it signifies the beginning of something.

I never thought we'd stay here or that I could fall in love.  But moving day is almost here, and I really just couldn't be more thrilled to begin another journey in our new home.

April Favorites

April was blown away by the storms and the fast pace of life, but a few favorite remain.

L'Oreal Lip Creme | Comes in beautiful shades and isn't tacky and sticky.  I've got a few in my purse and in my vanity.

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray | This spray has a cult following.  I finally splurged and bought a travel-size; I completely see why the following.  It does amazing things for my thick hair in this heat and humidity.

Penguin Pillow Pet | I'm 25 years old, but I ride a bus.  A lot.  This pillow is no joke.

Zillow App | So we bought a house, but I don't have many good pictures.  This app allows me to look and dream at what we purchased until we close.

ZipGrade | An app that grades like a scantron but with automatic results and is so inexpensive!  A win for the teaching world.

Just Keep Swimming

It's the last few of weeks of school.  My time on here has been sparse as track meet after track meet rolled in.  And now that the track season is officially finished (for spring), and summer is almost upon us, I can finally take a deep breath.

But I need to take a few deep breaths then dive back in.  Because Husband and I have purchased a home.  A real home.  A home with cabinets, an office, and bathtub, and a porch.  And I've never been more excited or more frightened by something.  But I'm eagerly awaiting back porch sitting.

March Favorites

Spring here was warm and rainy.  It does not look like that will change any time soon, but track season and the school year are on their way out, and so I'm content with the weather and the workload before the craziness ensues.

Washi Tape | I've been using it everywhere.  My planner, my crafts, my letters...this madness doesn't end.

Origins Serum | This serum is said to help women in their 20s and 30s as their skin goes through a lot of hormonal changes.  I'm not sure if it's in technically just the serum, but my face is clearer and brighter.

Emily Ley | I love all Emily Ley products, and this "To Do" list notepad is not exception.  And even more exciting is the fact that her new collection comes out next Wednesday!!

Nike Rain Jacket | As said, the rain keeps on coming down here, track meets or no.  And so, an awesome rain jacket is a must.  And if I do say so myself, this one is pretty cool.

Sharpie Clickable Markers | My love of office supplies knows no bounds.  These are just fun to write with and use in general.

My Spring Break "To-Do" List

1.  Go to the beach for a few more days with my mom and Husband.
2.  Go to the restaurant where they throw large, hot bread rolls at me. (Lambert's Cafe in Foley, AL)
3.  Sing "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" theme song without being looked at oddly.
4.  Drink a cup of hot tea every night BEFORE falling asleep (it's been rough lately).
5.  Track practice (duh).
6.  Grade papers (duh).
7.  Cook SOMETHING for dinner.
8.  Clean something in the apartment.
9.  Put away (most of) my winter clothing.
10. Take some of the girls from track out for a day of shopping and food (they care mostly about the food).

This is an extremely ambitious list for next week.  And obviously I need to get through this week first.  But miracles happen.

Wish List

Spring Flats

I love spring.  But in Alabama, rain is king.  Oh it's still warm, but it can rain at any time of day, any day.  And that weather issue is kind of a problem for a girl who wants to wear flats.  I used to wear heels to school, but I've found that clip clopping in the halls (by myself) is extra loud.  And so, cute flats have been on my radar.

Bernice Taper Toe Two Piece Flats from Target | I'm still loving the navy blue and white stripe nautical theme.  I think it goes with a lot more outfits than we give it credit for.  This could become a definite staple in my closet.

Pointed Two Flats from MANGO | I would love to have a pair of both neutral d'Orsay flats and ones with a bright pop of color to ring in spring.  These ones are especially classy.

Kristin Cavallari "Cadence" Flats from Nordstrom | And who can't use a good pair of black flats?  As said, the d'orsay cut is especially pleasing to my eyes right now.

February Favorites

February brought snow.  And for Alabama, lots of it.  In fact, it's the most snow they've had in YEARS.  Which means that I got snow days- two, in fact.  And they were lovely.  And so was the snow.

Midland Tweet Satchel from Anthropologie | I've had this satchel for awhile, but I've recently brought it out from the closet again.  My other work bag is somewhat of a cumbersome affair, and so this has been nice to bring my schoolwork home during the week. I use my Lo & Sons bag for the weekend.

Lipton Vanilla Caramel Black Tea | Once I did get back to school, I took it from three cups of a coffee to two cups and a cup of tea.  I believe I've hit the magic numbers.

BareMinerals Complexion Rescue and Brush | THIS is my all-time favorite right now.  I took the plunge and bought it in February, and it's the only foundation I want to use.  The first day I used it, I received tons of compliments on how "fresh" my face looked and how "rested" I looked.  I'll definitely be rebuying.  I feel like I'm not wearing anything on my skin but it makes it look naturally better! It feels so hydrating on the face, and even though my face tends to get oily, a little setting powder and spray does the trick. Add a little SPF 30, no parabens, no sulfates, and no other "bad ingredients" and this is a winner.  This was definitely my favorite February Favorite.

Snow Day | I loved my snow days.  I loved what I did on my snow days.  Drank tons of tea, ate pastries for lunch, crafted, and read/shopped.

Aurora Nike Thermal | The kids are in love with this, and I am too.  I just can't get over the colors/design.

A Snow Day

Today the weatherman predicted "lots" of snow- enough to send people scurrying to the store for bread and eggs and milk last night.  Enough to keep people off of the roads today.

I happily slept in and went out to lunch with Husband who also has the day off.  Then I came home, made a cup of coffee, turned a nice playlist on, and worked on wedding shower preparations for a dear friend.  Some music, coffee, washi tape, and colored pens are not a bad way to spend an unexpected day at home.

January Favorites

Lately I've felt like I'm running on fumes...always needing a little more sleep and/or a little more coffee.  January was a little bit of a blur, but sometimes that's okay.  I'd rather cold months go by quickly anyway.

My Keurig | I'm not sure what I would do without my Keurig at school.  I've been cranking out tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and chai lattes like there is no tomorrow.  Hot drinks have been my fuel, and I'm perfectly okay with that.

"The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern | This is not a normal read for me.  I read it for book club.  I'm still mulling it over, but I think I liked it more than I gave it credit for.  Star-crossed lovers who are magicians who must have an epic duel?  Not for everyone, but beautifully written.

Kate Spade Cadene Purse | This goes with everything. And I've been on a Kate Spade kick lately.  And I've found that if you type "Kate Spade nwt" into eBay, all sorts of surprises and happiness awaits!

Marc Jacob lip creme in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang | With a name like that, the color has to be good.  And it is.

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day | Between track and winter, my hair has become a frizzy mess.  This helps tame the beast a bit.