Hakuna Matata About Grading Papers

Dress - Thrifted via Goodwill
(w/Target Xhilaration label)
Belt - Thrifted via Goodwill
Shoes - Jessica Simpson (via Dillards)
Necklace - another goody from
Tiffany's summer giveaway
(and what is now my favorite piece of jewelry)
Clutch - Chinese Laundry, Thrifted via Goodwill

Handbag - Aldo (several years old)

So, I lied.

I didn't spend today slaving over a stack of ungraded papers as I stated that I would in last night's post.  (The successfully graded ones are in the foreground in the first pic....just so you know that I'm not a complete fibber.)

Instead, I went out on a double date.

And by "double", I mean that I had two dates.

Speaking of two's, I posted these pics just to show the two different handbag options that I had with this outfit.  The second was the one that I actually carried.  The first was the one that I wanted to carry, but with one of my dates being a four-year old, it just wasn't practical.


And so back to my double-date: 
We went to go and see The Lion King in 3D.  I mean, I can't tell you how long it has been since I've seen that movie, but it didn't really matter.  I still, literally, got chills and goose bumps during the opening scene (when all of the animals of the Serengeti are preparing for the presentation of the future king)... I cried when Mufasa was murdered (by his evil, lower-than-dirt brother, Scar)...I was able to recite many of the characters' lines...and I sang along to most of the soundtrack. (Yes, out loud...but not too loudly.  And, hey, I wasn't the only adult either!)  Sigh.  Anyway. 

Spending a beautiful Saturday...

watching one of the best movies ever...

with two handsome guys on my arms...

Screw grading papers!

Billowy Blues

Blouse - Loft
Pants - Express
Shoes - Payless
Belt - Anne Klein

Since I have a couple of outfit pics that I took from the past week or so, but didn't get a chance to post, I'm pulling one of them out for this Friday post.

This top from Loft was an iffy choice for me.  I love the shade of blue, and I'm a sucker for a ruffle.  However, although I knew that the boxy (although "billowy") shape wasn't the most flattering for a broad-shouldered, short-waisted chick like myself, I obviously kept it.   I justified keeping it because I figured I could make it work somehow....under a cardigan...or a blazer...or a vest....or even tucked into a high-waist pencil skirt.  We'll see.  (I'm open to suggestions, please and thank you!)

Anyway, what are your plans for the weekend?

Wanna know mine?

I'll be having a fabulously fun and engaging time....grading papers!

So far: One class ....Four assignments graded.... Four hours later. 

Now, just two more classes to go!

Have a great weekend!

The Sweetest Thing

Cashmere Cardigan - Express (old)
Skirt - Talbots
Shoes - Nine West
Necklace - one of the many awesome items
 I won from Tiffany's giveaway!

Because I really can't think of anything else to write, I'll share with you a little story from about a week ago:

First, let me mention that one of the many selling features of our house, when we built it several years ago, was the fact that the master bath came with dual vanities.  I loved that I wouldn't have to share a sink (or counter space) with my husband.  Little did I know that four-plus years later, I would actually have to end up sharing my side of the vanity with another guy.....my four-year old child!

Every morning, P uses my sink to brush his teeth.  And on this particular morning last week, I was already "mid-brush" when he decided to butt in.  So, not only did he and his little 30-something pound body take up all the space on my side of the vanity, but he changed the temperature of the water from very warm (ok, nearly hot) to very cold (the nerve of him!). 

I hate cold water. 

He hates hot water.

He got the vanity space.

I was forced to walk around while brushing my teeth. 

No big deal, right?  A mom should make those little sacrifices for her kid(s), shouldn't she?

Well, I guess I'm a bad mommy because, quite frankly, I didn't want to!  Seriously, this kid takes For.Ever. to brush his teeth! 

This is his process:

Step 1: Play around on step stool and pretend to teeter and totter on it.

Step 2: Play with toothbrush.  

Step 3: Pretend to not be able to pump toothpaste out of tube. 

Step 4: Put toothpaste onto toothbrush...then accidentally-on-purpose let paste drop off of brush into the sink. Then play with that until it goes down the drain.

Step 5: Repeat Step 3 and first part of Step 4.

Step 6: Take several minutes to brush teeth.

Step 7: Splash water all over the counter his face.

So, while he was going through this whole process, I was standing around with a mouth full of toothpaste and stuff, which, to me, gets kind of gross after a while.

(Waiting....frustration....waiting...frustration....)

I was close to really getting upset when, after completing Step 7, P surprised me by adding a Step 8 for the first time:

After he completed his ritual, he did the most amazingly simple and chivalrous act that made me swallow all of the bad thoughts that I was having of shoving him off of his stepstool (I'm just kidding!), and almost made me literally swallow the toothpaste gunk in my mouth (seriously!).

Before stepping off of his stool, my four-year old male child reached over the sink... and changed the faucet tap from cold back to hot.   Just for me.

Was that not the sweetest thing in the world or what?



Long Time No See

Top - BCBG via TJ Maxx
Skirt - Gap
Shoes - Jessica Simpson via Dillards
Belt - Via Spiga via TJ Maxx (very old)

Well, Hey!

Hopefully, I haven't become a stranger to y'all yet! 

But you know how the saying goes:   _ _ _ _ happens.

Please feel free to insert any applicable four letter word into those spaces.  I'll start:

l-i-f-e happens...

k-i-d-s happen...

w-o-r-k happens...

Oh, yeah.  And s-i-c-k happens.

Yep, that's one of the highlights of being a teacher.  (Other than not being able to go to the restroom when you want to.)

And after I was sick, my son got sick.  And then my husband got sick.  And then I got sick again.  So, yeah.  We are a family that likes to recycle.

Anyway, it's good to be back (for now).

Just Short

Navy Blazer - Loft
Purple Striped Tee - Gap Outlet
Belt - Gap
Pants - Express (old)
Sandals - Steve Madden

Hey, y'all.
Long night, so short post with three points:

1.  I'm wearing pants that have a short hem and are hard to wear with just about any shoe.  (Flooding is not an intentional style option for me.)

2.  I look short, as my students like to point out.  Constantly.  (Never mind the fact that I am 5'3"...and many of them are taller than I am.)

3.  And I just spent a long time putting together an interesting, engaging, and active activity to help my kiddos write a short story.  Short attention spans they have, let me tell ya.

Anyway, that's the long and short of it all.

Have a great night!
I'll be catching up on my reading at the end of the week...can't wait!

Saturday Perfect

Fedora - Target
Racerback Tank - Target
Shorts - Loft
Shoes - Jessica Simpson, Dillards
Handbag - Thrifted from Goodwill

I found this bag yesterday during a brief stop at Goodwill.  I walked passed it and then immediately turned around to get a closer look.

I wasn't sure about it at first....kind of big for me, but could be great for a weekend....weird design that's seventies/carpet-bagger-ish, but I do love navy blue and the design was different.  So then I looked at the price tag.

Four bucks? 

OK. It's mine.

After purchasing it and investigating for the maker of the bag, I finally found a label on the inside reading "Estee Lauder"....so I figured that this probably wasn't a purse after all, but more so a gift-with-purchase bag from the makeup counter. 

But that's okay. 

Cuz today, it was the perfect accessory for a perfect Saturday hanging with my perfect men.