Dinner on the Table

Karl's grandparents are here for the week.  People ask, "Isn't that stressful- teaching, coaching, and being in school yourself, PLUS having company?"

No.  Grandma has had dinner on the table every evening when I get home.  We've had BBQ pork chops, spaghetti/meatballs, meatloaf, roast... Grandpa has helped Karl fix the old car, set up his man cave, and mount a television.  Having them as "company" isn't stressful at all. Having them as family is the best of all.

December Favorites

December finally started to get a little colder.  A mug of hot tea before bed did the trick, but even in the midst of Christmas decorations, I still felt a little less Christmas-y this year.  I didn't want nearly the absurd amount of Christmas movies that I normally do; however, there were still a few items that made December wonderful.

Patagonia Vest | Karl took the lovely Patagonia jacket idea to give me a wonderfully warm Patagonia vest for Christmas.

Alabama Starbucks Mug | Who doesn't want to drink a hot cup of coffee from the Starbucks mug of your state?

Bite Beauty Lipsticks | They're creamy and all-natural.  "Pepper" and "Shiraz" are my favorite colors.

Tory Burch Wedges | Karl for the Christmas win again. Beautiful Tory Burch wedges.  He doesn't know who or what Tory Burch is, but luckily, my sister-in-law clued him in on the fact that they're beautiful and durable.  He was immediately clued in to their high-end price.

Nike Air Max 2016 | I got a new pair of shoes for a little more support.  These have gotten a ton of compliments from the track biddies.

Christmas Break Success

I spent about 70% of my Christmas break in pajamas. A variety of pajamas. A red/white/blue romper, blue flannel pajamas with snowflakes, polka dotted silk pajamas, blue and white training pants...

I drank hot tea, coffee, apple cider, and chai lattes whenever I pleased.  I read books (for fun). I took naps.  I cuddled with kitties.  I slept in late, and on a few occasions, I stayed in bed until early afternoon.

Overall, Christmas Break 2015 was a giant success.  Happy New Year, friends.

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.