Back to School

Wow, I am exhausted! We have only been in school 2 weeks, and with Labor Day that is ONLY nine days, but still! Y'all, I am so exhausted.  Last night I slept from 11:30p-8:30a and then did nothing but read until 1:00 this afternoon.  THEN I slept from 1-2:30! I'm sure I would have napped longer, but I received a few text messages to wake me.  That is a lot of sleep! This is my fifth year...is it ever going to get better?

I have to say that, even though I've got a few challenges, the district has made many positive changes and I am happy with the school year this far!

Did anyone do anything fun for Labor Day weekend? We enjoyed some time by the pool and just took it easy.  I always enjoy a little girl talk with mom and she makes the best poolside cocktails!

My teeny weeny town is finally embracing soccer! Yes, while the rest of the world has been playing youth soccer for years, we have not.  This year, however, they are starting a youth soccer league.  Of course, I signed my daughter up and she is ready to get started! I was too when I found these adorable pink cleats!

She needs them, right?? They have pink shin guards too! I cannot wait to be a soccer mom! No minivans for me though!

Like I mentioned before, I spent my day reading. I took my daughter to the library Friday so she could pick out a few books for the weekend. She found some and I found a new book called Tigers in Red Weather.

 

Oh-my-gosh it is so good! It takes place in the 1940s through the 1960s and follows two cousins and their husbands and children.  There is a bit of a mystery (hate calling it that, as I don't like mystery books...) and a dead body.  The author pieces it all together for the reader by telling it through 5 parts, each from the view point of a different character.  I haven't finished it yet, but feel confident in my recommendation!

In other news, our first "cold front" has come in.  If you aren't from Texas, you'll be surprised to hear that a cold front means we will be experiencing highs in the upper 80s and lows in the mid 60s this week! I'm not ready for cold weather (hate it) but I think I'll be happy with a warm, but not scorching day!

Hope you all have had a fabulous (and restful) Saturday! 

Ready or Not....

Here we go. The 2012-2013 school year is officially here. I have mixed emotions about this one.

In Texas, we are still experiencing staffing shortages, which means I have more students (and therefore more grading, more documenting, more copies, etc.) than normal. I know that I will have a trying year. I am hopeful, however, because we have some changes in administration that I know will be positive ones.

My baby girl (I swear she was only 3 yesterday) is entering the third grade. Not sure about the rest of the nation, but here, third grade is the first year of state "high stakes" testing. She is a smart girl, and I am sure she will do well, but all the fun is sucked out of education when teachers have to worry about testing. So I am a little apprehensive about what third grade will bring.

Just like when I was a student, I like the idea of starting fresh. I loved how my new binders and folders were organized at the beginning of the year (though they were a mess by the second week). I loved the idea of hanging up my outfits for the week (and by the end of the week they were on the floor of the closet). As an adult I still enjoy the idea of a clean slate in August. I've had so much fun shopping for school clothes, so I really am excited to try them all out.


I feel blessed to work in a job that allows us to start fresh each year. If I get tired of teaching Algebra, I can move to Algebra II. If I'm in a rut with 8th graders, I can switch to 10th. Even if I stay with the same grade level and subject, I have a chance to try new things with the new year.

I am not one to make resolutions in January. I'm Episcopalian, so we celebrate Lent, and that is 40 days of giving something up. That's all the change I need! But each August, I can't help but consider what I want to do differently this year. Here's a smattering of what I want to change for this year:

• MORE SLEEP!! I am prettier, happier, healthier, and less cranky when I get more sleep.  I've got to do better with getting in bed early this year.
• Make dinner time better.  My daughter and I, though only a family of two, always sit down and eat dinner together at the table.  This summer, though, she expressed interest in learning to cook.  Things can get crazy during the school year, so time spent together can be minimal.  This year, I want to spend time together cooking.  When we have a crazy evening (dance, tutoring, etc) I want to plan ahead and do more crockpot meals.  Got a good crockpot recipe? Send it my way!
• Stress less.  I am pretty sure that if the people I work with, my family, or friends read that they would roll their eyes! In fact, I've already started allowing a last minute change to the bell schedule to bother me.  I'm trying to give it up to Jesus and trust that something positive will come out of this.   
• Be better organized in my home life.  At school, I must be structured.  I teach high school math.  Can you imagine how little learning there would be if I wasn't structured?? I am very organized in my job, but in real life, I am so not that way! So, I'm going to try to stay better on top of laundry, cleaning, etc.  I feel better and function better when the house is clean!

Good luck to all of you who are teachers heading back to school soon.  I hope that you have a smooth start to the school year!

StitchFix Review

Today I received my 5th fix from the online personal shopping experience known as StitchFix.

Stitchfix sends you a box of five hand-selected items of jewelry/accessories/clothing pieces. You try them on in the convenience of your own home, with your own shoes and accessories. I love that I can make sure I've got the perfect shoes/handbag/skirt to pair with each item! You can also grab your best girlfriends and have a fashion show!

It's free shipping both ways, but they charge a $20 styling fee that will be applied to whatever you keep. If you want to keep all five items, you get a 25% discount! That's a great deal! Believe me, I teach math! ;)

Each piece comes with a little styling card to show recommended ways of putting it with what you have:

This round, I received 3 dresses and 2 tops. I put that I really like dresses, so you could customize what they send you if you are not a dress-lover.

They also include a little gifty for ordering. I've gotten post-its, lip balm, etc. For my fifth fix they sent mints.

Here is the breakdown:
BB Dakota Dress $105

This dress was just too expensive. It was too short, and though it could be worn with tights, I couldn't wear it to work that way.
19 Cooper Dress $75

I wanted so much to like this dress! It has pockets! I love having pockets in a dress or skirt! As soon as I put it on, my eight-year-old told me, "It looks like you're in a robe." And she nailed it. That is exactly what it looked like! Sending this back!
Jaloux Tank Top $59

They called this a "flared back" top. Much like the picture shows, the 'flares' showed on the side, making me look wider than I am. I am also opposed to silk, because I am too practical (lazy?) to have anything dry cleaned.
Mink Pink Dress $62

I am a big fan of black in a wardrobe, but this little number from Mink Pink was sooo short! The cut out along the bottom made it seem even shorter (and show even more leg). Again, not really great for teaching teenagers!
Jaloux Tunic Top $80

I might be keeping this one. It was really long and baggy, so I belted it and put it over skinny jeans. What do you think? I'm wondering if it isn't too long still? How would you style it differently? Is it worth keeping? Keep in mind I still can't wear it to school (jeans are a Friday only kind-of-thing). Grr.

If you like any of what you see, you can request it in your next box from Stitchfix! AND if you haven't tried Stitchfix, you can use this link to sign up! Signing up is easy, fill out your info, take a style survey (so they know what you like, your size, etc.) and schedule a 'fix'!

If you do sign up and blog about what you receive, please leave a comment and let me know! I love to check out what others get and how you decide to style it!

Happy shopping!

Umba!

I've been checking out other bloggers who use StitchFix to see what they have received and how they styled it. I love seeing what real people like to do with what they purchased from the site. I noticed that many of these ladies also subscribe to other monthly subscription boxes.

OTHER SUBSCRIPTION BOXES?!

One of my favorite things about Stitchfix is the surprise of what I get, so now I'm excited to find there are other sites that offer the same thing! Excited, and also a little worried about my poor bank account. I'm working with a teacher's salary here!

I looked through a ton of services and found that most offered beauty products. I do love a good lip gloss, but lotions and soaps are just not something that I can get THAT excited over.

What I did decide to join, however, is something called Umba Box. It is like a montly subscription to Etsy!!! They'll send you anything handmade for around $25 a month. Sometimes you'll get 1 large item, and sometimes they'll send 2 to 3 smaller items. Some of the products include stationary, jewelry, accessories, etc. I love Etsy, so I think I'll really love Umba Box! Plus, whatever I don't love, I can regift to teachers/coworkers!

Here's the link to sign up for an Umba Box of your own! If you use that link, you can get a 10% discount on your first month and I'll get a credit as well. As soon as I receive my first box, I'll share with you what I got!

Happy shopping!

End of Summer

Less than a week now until I am back to work. No matter how old I am, the end of summer is always a sad thing. I know plenty of women who are such busy people that they need a routine and get bored with summer. I, on the other hand, am really okay with doing nothing. I can thoroughly enjoy a day of sitting on my porch and watching the cars go by. Retirement will be really fantastic for me, but I am still a good 30 years away from that!

As a kid, summers were spent swimming at the country club then coming home and watching old tv shows on Nick at Night! There was no knowledge of time, no schedule, no worries. It clearly is what shaped my resistance to a being busy as an adult. One particular summer when I was probably around 10 or 11, my mom and I would watch tv and do puzzles until pretty late. I remember the line up was Diagnosis Murder, Father Dowling Investigates, and Third Rock from the Sun. When it came time to go back to school, I remember missing that time with my mom. I remember dreading going back to school because I didn't want our togetherness to end.

As an adult, I'm feeling that again! I have had such a fabulous summer with my girl, that I don't want that time to end. It's so silly that I am feeling this way, as we have plenty of fun during the school year. I guess I am just a sucker for the freedom that summer provides.

While the pool and beach will be closed, there will still be plenty of time for exactly what I love:

front porch sitting

reading

and plenty of togetherness

Shopping Therapy

If you haven't already noticed, August is here. I tried digging in my heels and hanging on to July, but I couldn't stop the eighth month from showing up. If the triple digits aren't enough of a reason to dread August, we go back to work this month too. We have days before it is time to go back.

But, as one of my favorite musicals reminds us, "Always look on the bright side of life." And in doing that, I am trying to remember that I can look forward to wearing all the fun outfits that I don't wear in the summer. In the humid south, we just wear as little as possible in order to keep cool. So I do miss putting together outfits and dressing for work. (Probably the one of the only things I miss about the school year!)

So I'm putting myself in a better mood by letting my personal shoppers find me something fabulous! "What," you say. "How on earth can a teacher/single momma, who can't even afford a yard boy, mind you, afford a personal shopper?" Well, enter stitch fix.

You've heard of online shopping (duh), but have you heard of online PERSONAL shopping? A company out of California advertises that it can provide personal shopping services through the internet. I have ordered four "fixes" from them, and have been both excited and disappointed. Whether the clothes are worth keeping or not, I always have so much fun!

Let me explain: for stitchfix, you fill out a short 'style survey' so they can assess your personal style. Then, when you're ready, you order a 'fix'. A fix comes with five pieces that are 'hand picked' for you. You pay no shipping (either way) but do pay a fee of $20 that is applied to whatever you want to keep. If you want to keep all five, they give you a 25% discount.

It is fun because, well, it's like Christmas! It's a complete surprise as to what they send. It's convenient because you can try it all on at home, with your accessories to make sure you have the perfect pieces to style the outfit. It's easy because whatever you don't want, you put in the envelope they provide and send it back. You don't even have to go in the post office!

So today, in order to shake my back-to-school-blues, I ordered my next fix. Stay tuned to see what they sent me!

If you want to try stitch fix NOW, then please follow this link. I get (and you can too) $25 for every friend that I refer! So use the link, please! :)

Brave-ing the Opening Day Crowd

*Spoiler Alert*

Today my friend and I took our girls to see the new Pixar film, Brave. We pre-purchased our tickets online, thankfully, because the theater was full. Maybe the crowds can be contributed to the fact that it is summer. We Texans often escape the hot, humid days by spending a couple of hours in a cool, dark theater. The weather, however, is not what enticed me to the theater today.

The previews for Brave made the mother-of-a-girl in me take notice. I thought the story would be one of girl power, with the main character fights for her right to choose who she marries. Unfotunately, that is not what I got.

The story, instead, is about a teenage girl who, in a fit of anger at her mother, makes a deal with a witch to change her fate. The spell goes wrong and changes her mother in to a bear.

The audience then worries that the father, who has a Captain Hook/crocodile relationship with a bear that ate his leg, will kill the mother in her grizzly (pun intended) state.

The daughter (the one that the previews tried to tell us was the hero of the film... girl power, remember?) is really just a teenage brat. In a selfish act, she has potentially turned her mother from a queen to a bear forever. The mother is the actual "Brave" one in the film.

I won't say that I am sad I went. Anytime with friends is worth it, and I'm a sucker for snuggling up to my girl and sharing some popcorn!