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.

Jeans Week, Day 2

Top - Banana Republic
Silver Belt - TJ Maxx
Jeans - Old Navy (old)
Shoes - Bandolino, from DSW (old) 

 Bonjour, bloggers!

Today was day two

of jeans week at school,

and I went with basic ease

in a button-down (bib front) and flared jeans.

Cool with me.

Now, it's outside time with P!

Jeans Week, Day 1



Button- down - Gap
Tee - Gap
Jeans - Gap
Belt - Thrifted, from Goodwill
Shoes - BCBG, from DSW

Every so often, we get an opportunity to support a fundraiser at school by paying to wear jeans for a week.  I'm not all big on wearing jeans to work because sometimes it just seems harder for me to make jeans work for...work.

Like today.  I had something specific in mind, but it just did not come to fruition.  This isn't a totally horrible outfit, but it just wasn't what I had in mind. The shirt on top is loosey-goosey and drapey.  The button-down underneath is big and boxy (and required a couple of safety pins to minimize the bulk).  And as much as I love this belt, I could have used something else.  Aaaannnnd I originally wanted to wear a different pair of shoes.  So, I guess I should have just started over from scratch.

Oh, well.

You take the good with the bad, and you move on.

Sooo....moving on to tomorrow!

Good night!
(By the way, if you have suggestions on how to try this outfit again...but better... please let me know!)

Gas Gauge Malfunction

Cardigan - Loft
Dress - Alyn Page, Ross
Shoes - Steve Madden
Necklace - Talbots
Belt - Thrifted via Goodwill

All right all of you teachers, moms, or just all-around hard-workers out there!

During the day, while you're busy, do you ever get the feeling that you're being extremely productive and you have so much energy that you can just keep goinggoinggoing until bedtime?

But once you get home and stop moving for just a few minutes, all that energy is zapped?

Yeah?

Me, too!

I had that feeling about a half-hour ago while sitting in front of my laptop and loading my pic onto this post.

And then I fell asleep...

... on my laptop.

But I have to say that those twenty-two minutes did fill up my tank with about a half a gallon of gas(How much does that cost nowadays? Like two bucks!?)  That should be enough to get me to bedtime. 

I promise to catch up on my reading soon.

Nighty-night!



Wednesday Night Recipe

Blouse  - Old Navy (old)
Skirt - Talbot's
Belt - Thrifted from Goodwill
Shoes - Lauren Ralph Lauren via Ross

 Here's a great recipe to use after a long day at work (or a long three days that definitely feel longer than three days):

Ingredients:

1 bath of hot water.

2 soaked feet.

1 plate of spaghetti.

2 episodes of last night's What Not to Wear.

1 InStyle magazine.

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients together.

Spread out on a soft bed.

Relax for several hours

and

Enjoy!

(I know I will....)

What to Title This Post?

Cardigan - Talbots
Tee - Gap
Trousers - Banana Republic
Belt - Ann Klein (old)
Necklace  (of flowers)- from my mom's vanity

It's Day 2 of the new school year and, unfortunately, I don't have any classroom tales to share yet.

Unless.

You consider:
 Me, in the middle of a tantalizing lesson, being startled by the sounds of a kid vomiting on the right side of his desk...then on the left side of his desk (as the girl next to him watched in sheer horror)...then on his notebook...then across my floor as he's walking to the trash can by the door... and then out of the door to the nurse's office...
...and then back again in my trash can before he could take five steps to the nurse's office.  It was a sight.  Kids were scrambling and gagging while I was on the phone trying to get a hold of the front office or a maintenance person, while making sure someone walked my sick kid all the way to the nurse's office, while getting the kids to settle down while trying not to focus too hard on or inhale too much of the vomit....

I'll just say that this was my first vomit episode, and it was an experience.

After the mayhem ceased, I was able to get the rest of the kids settled out in the hallway where we finished our lesson. 

No big deal.

Like I said, it's only Day 2.





 

First Day of School

I'm standing on my toes in this picture.

I used to pride myself on being able to make it through the day while teaching in heels.

And I also used to teach five out of seven periods a day.

Now I teach six periods a day.

And my feet.

Hurt.

And it's only the first day.

Just shoet me now.

Me, Myself, and Moms Have Style, Too!

I ranted today over at Erin's blog, Moms Have Style, Too!

She's one of my daily reads, and could quickly become yours too, if not already.

Check it out.  Please?  =)

Have You Ever Committed a Crime?

A couple of days ago, I did a bad thing.

I walked into a store, saw something that I liked...

and I walked right out with it.

Crazy??? I know, I know!  But I did it!

And without any hesitation... or guilt.

Well, that's not totally true.  I did feel a little weird about it.

In my defense though, it was my first time!

I'm sure you've heard people say that doing it gives them such an adrenaline rush. 

And I agree.

So much so that...

I did it again two days later!!!

Aaaarrggghh!!  What is wrong with me?

I mean, maybe I'm just trying to assuage some of my guilt here, but I'm hoping that a few of you can understand.  Maybe you've even done it once or twice (or more) before, too? 

And I want to be up front with you so that you know the type of person whose blog you're reading.

I just hope that you don't think less of me.

I'm mean, I'm admitting to my crime here on my blog!

I.

Am.

A.

Shopthrifter.

Gasp!


This is what I stole bought... for really cheap!

Skirt - Harold's (a Dallas-based clothing store that after 60+ years,
went out of business a few years ago) $6
Purse - Dooney & Burke East West Slouch mini in excellent condition $25
Both items from my local Goodwill.

My First Open House

(sigh) Don't ask me what that kid in the background was doing.
I can tell you what he was NOT doing, though:
 getting dressed for his first Open House!
Dress - Ross (old)
Belt - ?
Shoes - Target
Purse that I stalked for several months
until it was marked down from $400 to $100 - Gaetano Navarra, TJ Maxx

This year, as a teacher, I will be participating in my sixth Open House/Meet the Teacher event.

Yet, today, as a mother, I participated in my first Open House/Meet the Teacher event.

Luckily,

There was no crying.

No worries about not making friends or not liking the teacher.

No balling up in a corner in fear of the new surroundings.

Nope.  None of that.  Just a brave face and readiness for a new start.

Oh, and P did really well, too.  ;)

Miss Mix-a-Lot

Tank - Gap
Shorts - Loft
Belt - Gap

Remember Sir-Mix-a-Lot's song "Baby Got Back"?

Here's my version of the song's famous first lines:

I like mixed prints and I cannot lie...
You other bloggers can't deny...

Ok. That's all I have.
But you can find more mixed-printed bloggers here.

Endings and Beginnings

Dress - New York & Co via Ross
Tie - M's (little) side of the closet
Shoes - Target (very cheap at $5.00...but blister-inducing!)

Sooo....I've mentioned before that my summer was quickly coming to an end. 
Well, it's not officially over, but.....it's officially over.  Here's why:

Last week, I taught an AP Bridging class for 7th and 8th graders...it was only for four days, but I was worn out after day one.  Hence, this is why you only get a picture of day one's outfit....I just couldn't muster the energy to take pics after that.  Isn't that sad?

Today, I got the keys to my classroom and arranged my room and my desk. (That's my workout for the rest of the yea! Just kidding...kind of...)

Tomorrow, I'll be helping out with the sixth grade registration. (Should I take a Tylenol now or later?)

Wednesday, is my anniversary.  And an all-day workshop. (Great timing....)

Thursday is my son's pre-K Open House...and also my school's Open House for sixth graders.  (Can we say "great timing" again?)

And then Friday will be P's first day of school ever!  I'm so excited about it!  I'm glad that it's my last day of summer 'cuz I'll get to experience it with him.  It will be my first time taking him to school! 

Aaaaaand it will probably be my last time, too.  Boooo! His school and mine are on two different schedules which will make it difficult for me to drop him off every morning and impossible for me to pick him up in the afternoon.  I've always imagined that I would be sitting in the carpool lane waiting for him, but I guess that will have to be daddy-son time.
 
On another note, while P will be starting school for the first time this coming Friday, my husband finished his two-year program for respiratory therapy this past Friday!  Yea for M!

There was a little celebration in his honor on Saturday.  Some of his family from Louisiana traveled here to celebrate, which made him extra happy. It was really a fun time. 

And I did manage to get a pic of what I wore (by the way...that is NOT armpit hair that you see....promise!):

Dress - Target
Tank - Gap
Belt - Forever 21
Sandals - Ralph Lauren, Dillards 

I've worn this dress before here (I hate how some of the stripes never stay fully horizontal!),  and, interestingly enough, it was to celebrate M's birthday!  Anyway, this time, I was able to put into practice my cool knotting skills:  the belt-knot which I acquired from Designgirl (Thanks, dear!) and my maxi-knot (which kept un-knotting if that's a real action word).  And, I practiced some new eye-makeup tricks of layering two different eyeliner shades (navy on top of black)...which you can't really tell, but I did! 

So, as my lazy days of summer continue winding down, there is one good thing to look forward to:

Fall Fashions!

But then again,  I probably won't really begin wearing anyway until, like, November, when there is any semblance of less-than-hot weather here.....

Sigh....Oh, well.