September Buys (That are resulting in a shopping ban...)

Fall is my favorite season, so I will totally admit I have a problem buying clothing items this time of year.  I have a serious addiction to cardigans (and just sweaters in general), which makes this all the more difficult.  I don't have a specific set clothing budget each month since my clothing collection is quite abundant.  I have a "fun money" budget that is for of my more unnecessary items.  Sometimes I use that budget for home decor, entertainment, etc.  It varies.  I really haven't bought anything other than clothes this month, so that's pretty much where all of my "fun money" went.  

**As a disclaimer, I did spend some money when I was out of town at the beginning of the month, but that was my "vacation fund" that was never actually spent on a vacation.  I'm not actually counting that in my total since that wasn't part of my normal budget / income.  I had about $65 of that leftover that I used to make some of the purchases below.

Mossimo skinny jeans (teal) - $27

2 Gap cardigans ("raspberry sorbet" and "true indigo") - $50

1 Gap sweater (gray leopard print - no longer online) - $22

1 Gap skirt ("electric fuschia") - $17

Gap Sexy Boyfriend cords ("fall beige") - $45

1 Banana Republic shirt ("ivy league green") - $25

bananarepublic.gap.com

2 pairs of AE Boyfit Crop jeans - $36  (I'm awaiting the arrival of these...  I bought 2 sizes because I wasn't sure.  Depending on the fits I may just keep one or both.)

AE clutch ("neon salmon") - $11

AE scarf - $14

Relic rose gold watch (from Kohl's) - $12

relicbrand.com

= $259

*gasps*

I returned / repurchased a shirt I'd originally purchased in August, saving me $21.  Then, if you factor in my $65 of leftover vacation money, my grand total goes down to:

= $173

*sigh*

Well, that's a little better.

Everything was purchased on sale or had some sort of discount, with the exception of the Target jeans.  They were full price, but I've found that with some Target items (particularly pants) I'm just best to grab it when I can.  Of course if I'd spent full price on everything my total would probably be somewhere upwards of $500.  (The watch alone was originally $110!)

I plan on my October spending to be quite different than this month was.  We have 3 birthdays in my family, so that's kind of where I plan on a chunk of my "fun money" to go.  I love shopping for others about as much  as I do for myself, so I'm more than happy to be able to give to my family!  The only real purchases for myself that I can see as being justified are some good fall / winter work shoes or some good some boots for the cooler months.  I'm not allowing myself any new tops (shirts, sweaters, tees, etc.) for the next month.  I really don't plan on getting much for myself between now and around Thanksgiving time.  I feel like I've gone a little crazy in the past month, so now it's time to put together new outfits and mix and match new items with older ones!

Finally, let's revisit my fall wish list...

Fall Wish List by conolley featuring long sleeve knit tops

I haven't really looked much for shoes yet since I totally am that person that wears sandals until there's snow on the ground. I finally found my navy sweater and a cute watch (although I still want a silver or gold one), so I've got a few more items from my list! Naked 2 and a bubble necklace are still on my wish list, but they're not very high priorities at this point. Maybe Christmas gifts to myself? We shall see.

I'm once again linking up with Franziska over at Franishh for her Budgeting Bloggers link-up, so please head over there and see what her and the other bloggers bought this month!

Nail Polish Swap Reveal

About a month ago I was wandering around the blog world and I stumbled up on a post looking for participants for a nail polish swap.  Now, at the time I was at the end of my nail polish shopping ban, so I was excited to be a part of this swap as a way to get nail polishes.  Plus, it was super fun to get to shop for someone else.  I love shopping (duh!) and I really do love shopping for others just as much as I do for myself.  

I was paired up with the wonderful Cindii who can be found at http://purrincup.blogspot.com/.  (Go check out her fantastic blog!)  I sent her two bottles and she sent me two bottles.  When we signed up for the swap we told something about what we'd like in our nail polishes.  I said glitter!  I think adding a little sparkle is a super easy way to spice up your nail polish or create an accent nail.

Here's what Cindii sent me:

 

I love these polishes!  I used both almost immediately after I got them, but I didn't even think to take pictures at the time.  I especially love this purple glitter because it's totally perfect for K-State football season!  I'd wanted one almost exactly like this and was planning to buy it after my ban ended, so it was perfect timing as well.  (I believe the brand Pure Ice can be found at Wal-Mart if you're interested in getting these two colors. Sinful Colors has almost an identical purple glitter and I believe there are several other brand that carry a similar clear glitter if you can't track down these exact bottles.)

I want to send a special shout out to Cindii and say THANK YOU for my awesome nail polishes!  You did a perfect job at picking these out and I am so happy that we were paired up together!

September Birchbox (& My Fall Candles!)

It's really starting to feel like fall!  The beginning of last week was still pretty hot (highs in the 90s), but by the end of the week we were enjoying some rain and much cooler temperatures.  It's totally put me in a fall mood...  I've been loving it all!

I got my September Birchbox this week and thought I'd share what I got!  It was a pretty decent box this month.  I don't feel like there was anything absolutely spectacular this month, but I wasn't really disappointed either.

Boscia Oil-Free Nightly Hydration - This says it refines pores and soothes irritation...  I must admit I'm getting very cautious about what I put on my face because one of my Birchbox samples totally broke me out a few months ago.  Some of these types of things I've just decided give to my mom to try.

Color Club Nail Polish in "Insta-This" - I'm totally not much of a blue person, but this one is really pretty in person.  I haven't used it yet, but I plan to put it on for my next mani.  I've really liked my other Color Club polishes!

Jouer Matte Moisture Tint - I'm excited to try this one.  I received the illuminating version last spring, but only used it as a highlighter.

Kate Spade New York Twirl Perfume - I like this one so far.  I'm wearing it now and after several hours of wear can still smell it.  I'm not sure if I'll buy the full-size, but this may be one to consider.

Twistband Hair Tie - I always keep a hair tie with me and haven't tried any of the type before.  I like it alright and may buy more at some point.  I'd prefer to go with a pack of solid colors if I do that.  

Mighty Leaf Tea Company Tea - I'm not a huge tea drinker, but it's nice to have them on hand when I'm not feeling well or I'm just in the mood for tea.  

Madewell "Gift Card" (aka coupon) - Let's get this straight...  A gift card is just money for you to spend with no minimum.  A coupon may require a set amount for you to spend.  This is for $25 off of a $75+ purchase.  I haven't shopped Madewell before, but I have browsed online.  I'll probably let this "gift card" go...  I just didn't see anything worth spending my money on (especially since I've never seen their stuff in person.)

They also had really cute fall lookbook included that had hair and makeup tips and featured looks from Madewell.  It's a fun little booklet and features some of the items I got as well as other items Birchbox is currently featuring for fall.

My aunt gave me a $25 gift card to Bath & Body Works, so I was super excited to see that they were running their 2 for $20 3-wick candles again!  It was also the day of their fall fragrance event, so with any home scent purchase I got a (real) mini pumpkin and a small candle in a limited edition scent, Pumpkin Carving.

I ended up getting:

2 Leaves (1 for me, 1 for my mom)
1 Autumn Day
1 Cider Lane (for my aunt)

5 candles total for less than $18 after the gift card!  I've been burning my Autumn Day candle today and I've really enjoyed it so far.

Now it's your turn...

What was in your September Birchbox?

Have you picked up any new fall candles?  Any suggestions for me?

A Wedding & a Shopping Trip

My family and I went on a little trip out of town this past weekend for my cousin's wedding.  It was one of the most fun and unique weddings I've been to.  After a summer full of weddings and receptions it was actually quite fun for the last one of the season to be so different from all of the rest!  The wedding was outside at a lake and the weather was absolutely perfect for an outdoor wedding.  It rained Friday, so they actually didn't get to rehearse everything, but Saturday could not have been a more gorgeous day for a wedding!

We decided to make a weekend of it and spent Sunday doing some shopping in Kansas City.  I try to go there a few times a year to visit friends and go shopping, but the last time I was up there (other than a very short trip to drop a friend at the airport) was back in December.  Since I was with my family, we didn't hit all of my usual stores, but we did go to the outlets and a couple other stores.  I still had some money in my vacation fund, so I allowed myself a little freedom to shop and get some fall goodies.  Of course I had to make a point it hit up the J.Crew Factory store, Banana Factory, Gap Outlet, Loft Outlet, and Old Navy (Super Cash!).

I've tried to refine my outlet shopping strategy in the past couple years.  I used to go a little crazy and bought a lot of items that were just so-so because they were cheap.  I didn't get a lot of quantity during this trip, but I passed on a lot of so-so items and really got items I love and that I know will get a lot of wear.  Sometimes the real retail stores have better bargains, but outlets can be a great option as well or where you can pick up new colors of past favorite styles.  I think you've just got to be wise about how you spend your money and focus on getting items that you will truly enjoy and not just grab whatever is the cheapest!

Not a huge haul, but it's one that makes me happy! :)

My biggest purchase was at the J.Crew Factory store.  I only got 3 items, but they're probably my favorites. I ended up with a light teal cardigan, a bright purple merino sweater (a total Tippi lookalike), and this gorgeous paisley scarf!

You all know how I love cardis and so this one was a must have...  I love the color and I think it's going to get a lot of good wear.  They had it styled with navy and pink and it was adorable!  I love how it also goes with the teal in the scarf.  I wore both on Monday with one of my black tank dresses.

Oh, JC, you get me every time!

You also probably know how much I love my Tippi sweaters.  I love that this one is merino like the real ones.  They had a lot of colors, but this one was really the only one that I fell in love with. It's going to be my classy K-State sweater because in real life it is totally K-State purple!  (For reference, this one seemed to run a teensy bit bigger than the retail store Tippi sweaters...  I've lost a couple pounds, but I don't think that's why since I wore 2 of my other Tippi's this past week.  I tried the size smaller, but kept my regular size in the end in case so I can have some layering options.)

I was in love with this paisley from the retail J.Crew stores last year, but never had the opportunity get anything.  I was thrilled to see it had made it to the factory store!  It was on sale 40% off, plus my 15% teacher discount making it a little under $24.  I know I'll get a lot of wear out of it, so I decided it was worth it to grab this one while I could!

I was pressed for time by the time I hit the Gap Outlet and really didn't see much that I couldn't live without.  I found this shirt, though, and knew it needed to come home with me.  I have the yellow version and it was a nice easy summer shirt.  I tried this one with a cardigan (that I didn't buy) and it looked really cute layered, so I know it can go for cooler or warmer weather.  It'll even go with my new scarf!  I got this hot pink bag for free (with an e-mail promo) and saved 20% on my shirt!

Please excuse the wrinkles!  My shopping bags got crushed on the way home!

My only other purchase was this picture from HomeGoods  (seen in the first pic).  OMG, I love that place!  My mom had never been before and she pretty much said she could go crazy in there.  This one is for my kitchen and goes perfectly with my memo board I made last summer.  (Come to think of that...  I'm not sure I ever did that post. Hmm...)

The only thing I was really hoping to get that I didn't get was a nice navy cardigan.  I tried a couple, but none that I loved enough to purchase.  I'll keep searching.  I doubt I will die from lack of navy cardigan disease.

Have you done any shopping over the last couple weekends?  
What fall finds have you picked up so far this season?
What's your outlet shopping strategy?




PS ~ Please forgive my slightly crappy photos...   I'm still trying to figure this camera out and figure out where and when is the best place for me to take pics.  I just can't quite seem to get it right!

EBEW: Back to School (and a few other random things)

Okay, humor me for a moment.  

I always love checking out Everybody, Everywear, but I've never participated...  Here's why:

1.  It's on Tuesdays and Tuesday is a dress down day at my school.  I am hardly fashionable on Tuesdays.

2.  I don't think to take outfit photos before EBEW Tuesdays.

3.  I don't have anyone to take outfit photos for me and I don't have a tripod.  This isn't an outfit of the day blog, so I don't really care much to take outfit pics since I can't seen to get very good self-in-the-mirror photos.

Please forgive the horrid little collage I threw together.  Like I said, I'm not an outfit blogger, so this is totally not my thing.  Plus, these were taken after work so I feel like my hair is a mess and I was running late this morning so my makeup is on the minimal side.  I actually did about 6 outfits and 20+ pics, but I wasn't very happy with the outcome.  I salvaged these 3 with some crappy editing with Publisher.  

Regardless, I wanted to participate in this month's EBEW because the theme is Back to School.  I thought this would be a great opportunity to style my new navy blazer

I love style trends, but I'm also a fan of really classic looks.  I've really never been a fan of blazers on myself, but these from AE are the most flattering and most reasonably priced ones I've found.  I grabbed this one in navy a few weeks ago and am very happy with my purchase.  It's been to warm to wear, but I'm happy that I went on and bought it while they still had my size.

I styled my blazer in 2 casual ways with my super dark jeans from Old Navy.  These are the Diva jeans that were from the $15 promo a month or so ago.  I haven't worn (and liked) ON jeans since high school, but these are a winner.  

For the first look I paired my jeans and blazer with a gray graphic tee from Gap.  (Buy it here.)  I lived in graphic tees in high school, so this one totally reminds me of all of those Gap, AE, and Abercrombie tees that filled my closet back in the day.  This is just my updated version of my go-to high school look.

The second look is paired with a fun little plaid shirt from AE that I bought last year.  Button-downs are a very rare purchase for me.  This one not only fit, but was a super cute red, navy, black, and ivory plaid!  Once again, this kind of reminds me of something I'd have worn back in high school, just a little updated!

My final look is a slightly cuter take on the college tee.  I have a whole dresser drawer full of K-State tees (seriously!) and this one is more form fitting and a little retro style.  It's perfect to pair with a cardigan, some cute jeans, and some fun accessories for a slightly dressier game day look!  

***

I thought I'd leave you today with a little look into my bedroom and my perfume collection.  This is so totally not everything, but I did recently rotate my perfumes and body sprays that I keep out.  I traded out my more summery scents for a few fall / year-round fragrances.  

This little side table was about $30 a Kohls a few years ago and has been quite the traveler.  It was an entryway table for a while, then served as a similar purpose in my basement, and has now migrated into my bedroom.  

I have to admit, I need to decorate above this table a bit more, but I haven't figured out what would look right.  

I keep my sprays on this tray from Pottery Barn and it's the perfect spot for me to grab one and spritz on my way out in the morning.    

Here's what currently in rotation:

Lucky You by Lucky Brand

Heavenly by Victoria's Secret

Wildbloom by Banana Republic

Ralph by Ralph Lauren (an all-time fave)

Aerie Botanicals Apricot + Sugar Cane

Be Enchanted from Bath & Body Works

Leaves from Bath & Body Works

I added a couple of these because they're almost out, so I want to go on and finish them off.  I have quite the perfume collection, but a lot of them are nearly empty.  I'm going to try to polish off a few bottles and may use my Birchbox points for the new Viva la Juicy La Fleur in a couple months!

I hope you all have a great Tuesday!  I promise one of these days I'll get back to posting more teaching and school related things.  I've been so busy with other school stuff that I kinda of forget to take pics to do some of those posts.  One of these days...

Let me know what your fall style / back to school style is and if you have any must-have perfumes for fall!  

What's In My (Overnight) Bag

By the time you read this I'll actually be heading back from my weekend away.  I went with my family to my cousin's wedding a few hours away.  I decided to make a little trip out of it and stay in a hotel last night and do a little outlet shopping today.  

I thought I'd share what's in my overnight bag.  Since it was such a short trip, I only packed the essentials.  We actually drove straight to the wedding since we didn't have enough time to check into the hotel beforehand.

My favorite bag for an overnight / weekend trip is my Victoria's Secret Pink rolling duffel.  I snagged this one for about $20 a very years ago during their winter semi-annual sale.  My birthday is the same month, so I was able to use my birthday coupon on top of the sale.  Here's a very similar one, but it's currently $98.

I also use these two Thirty-One bags for my toiletries.  I bought it before my trip to NY last year, but I've found it's perfect for tossing my bathroom stuff for a short trip.  (I have a much larger travel bag for that stuff for longer trips.)  The smaller bag is padded and perfect for accessories and jewelry.

Totally forgot my eye shadow and liner when I took this pic!

For my makeup I use this little VS Pink canvas makeup bag that was a freebie from a few years ago.  It's washable and the perfect size for makeup.  Here are the makeup items I packed for my night away.

For clothes I also kept it pretty simple...  The weather has cooled off a bit, but not really enough to go all-out fall quite yet.  Since the only things we were doing were going to the wedding and then the next day shopping and driving home, I didn't really put a ton of thought into my clothes.  I took two tops and a scarf as my options depending on the weather.  My AE slouchy skinnies and my crochet Toms are good basics and good shopping pieces.

Shopping day outfit options!

Shoes - Toms (purchased last year online from Nordstrom)

Striped Shirt - Banana Republic (recent)

Gray Tee - Gap (recent)

Scarf - Gap (recent)

Jeans - AE (spring 2011)

Wedding outfit ~ Comfy dress and some cute accessories!

  Dress - Banana Republic (summer 2012)
Necklace - Forever 21
Earrings - AE
Belt - Gap (major clearance)

Let me just take a moment to talk about this amazing necklace from Forever 21.  It was $12.80, which I think is a lot for there, but it doesn't look super cheap like some of their jewelry.  J.Crew had one almost identical a year or two ago and I've run across it on Pinterest.  I've looked on eBay, but never found one that I wanted to buy.  I this one on my way out of the store and grabbed it immediately!

See similar styles on Pinterest:

http://pinterest.com/pin/13792342579718873/
http://pinterest.com/pin/13792342578937773/
http://pinterest.com/pin/13792342578576995/

Well, I hope you've all had a great weekend and maybe enjoyed some cooler temperatures!  I'll be sure to write a post on my shopping finds soon and share with you the goodies I found at the outlets.

HAPPY SUNDAY!

5 Quick Tips for Prepping for a Sub

It's pretty much an unavoidable fact that at some point in the school year, you'll probably miss a day...  Or 10.  I feel like one of the biggest disadvantages to our job as teachers is that it usually takes more effort to be gone than to be there.  I rarely have to take sick days, but with some of the added responsibilities I've taken on in my building I have a lot of required meetings to attend.  This month alone I'm missing 4 1/2 days of school!

In prepping for my own absences I started thinking about what I do to try to make being gone a little less stressful.  I'm not saying these things are anything spectacular (in all honesty I feel like it should be common sense), but they're good tips / reminders to hopefully ease any stress that comes with having to be gone.

1. Have super detailed lesson plans - My daily plans aren't really detailed, but they are enough that in an emergency a sub could get by.  For when I know I'll be gone, my plans go through everything step by step with all of my procedures.  My lesson plans for a single day usually run 3 or 4 pages long minimum.  )If it's my regular sub who knows my routines a bit better they're a teensy bit shorter.)  Subs really appreciate when you're detailed.  If they have downtime, tell them what papers it is okay to grade or if there are any other classroom jobs they can work on.  
2. Tell the kids (and parents) if you know you'll be gone - I try to put any known absences on my calendar in my parent newsletter each week.  I also tell the kids when I'll be gone.  This is especially important for some kids (such as kids with autism who cling to consistency) so that they know what they're walking into in the morning.  
3. Warn the sub of any potential problems or "hot spots" - During my first year I had a student with major behavior issues.  I spent time typing a page-long summary of how to handle him, prevent a blow-up, and diffuse a situation.  So of course I wasn't happy to be called into the principal's office after being gone one day to be told that student had a horrible day with the sub.  My principal asked if I'd given the sub any warning and I was able to provide her with the page-long summary...  The sub didn't even bother to read it and it was stapled to my lesson plans!  Needless to say, that sub got negative feedback and was not invited back.  Even better, my butt was covered!  Even if a child isn't a problem, it's better to give them a warning of any potential issues and how they should be handled.
4. Over plan / provide extra time activities - I try to schedule things out pretty strictly, but there are also those times that things go faster than usual.  I always give a few ideas for time fillers...  An extra read aloud book, extra independent reading time, math flashcards with partners, etc.  
5. Meet with your sub in your classroom beforehand (if possible) - Even if your sub has been in your room before, it's sometimes helpful to go over things with them in person.  This is also helpful if you use technology in your classroom and you want the sub to use these things as well.  

I can't say those are all of my tips for making an absence go smoothly, but it's a good start.  

Do you have any other suggestions or tips for having a substitute in your classroom?

Fashion Friday: Fall Wish List Update

A month ago I posted my fall wish list and the items I wanted to purchase for fall.  A month later, I've decided to give you an update!

Here's my wish list:

Fall Wish List by conolley featuring knit tops

The only purchase I've made so far is the tan J.Crew Tippi sweater.  I snagged last year's / last season's version on final sale for a little over $30.  It's slightly lighter than the one in the pic, but I actually like mine more!

I'm still on the hunt for a nice, basic navy cardigan...  I found a perfect fitting one at Banana Republic, but they didn't have my size in the navy and it was sold out virtually everywhere.  *sigh*  I'm hoping that my upcoming outlet shopping trip will prove to be a bit more successful.  

My nail polish ban is officially over.  I celebrated with a 99 cent fine silver glitter from Walgreens.  I'm going to get Essie's "Penny Talk" with my Ulta coupon, but just haven't made it over there yet.  Not buying nail polishes and going through my current collection has made me pickier about what I want to spend my money on.  Definitely a good thing!

I'm still eyeing the Naked 2 palette, but will not allow that purchase until I get through some of my current makeup.  I've even resisted some other eye shadow purchases that would be amazing deals so that I can really justify my Naked 2 purchase when I reach that goal.  That one may end up being a Christmas gift to myself.

I really haven't shopped for shoes at all...  I wear sandals until it's super cold out, so I'm not in a huge rush for those.  In fact, I think new workout shoes may take top priority in terms of shoe shopping in the next couple months.

I'm still debating on my next necklace purchase.  I've seen so many good deals and different styles that I can't decide what I want for my next statement necklace.  (I'm thinking I'll get my mom one for her birthday next month, so I may get myself one then as well!)

Finally, the watch...  TJ Maxx keeps getting in Marc Jacobs, but I don't quite feel like I'm ready to make that purchase.  This is another item that may wait until around Christmas.  

Do you have any fall wish list items?  Have you picked up any fashion / makeup goodies for the fall?

School Year Diet and Exercise Tips

The beginning of the school year usually wipes out my energy.  In preparing for school to start and getting into the swing of things, I usually allow myself a little more freedom when it comes to eating healthy and working out.  By the time school starts to settle down a bit and my routine gets established I try to get back into my normal diet and workout routine.

Here are a few of the ways I try to balance a (somewhat) healthy lifestyle during the craziness of the school year:

• Pack lunch the night before - Thankfully, my school is kind of in the middle of nowhere and running out to grab food isn't much of an option.  I try to plan my lunch the night before, drinks and all, so it's ready for me to grab on the way out in the morning.  If I'm taking a frozen meal, I will just toss that in in the morning.
• Cut back on the pop - This is one I'm really working on...  I'm trying to cut it down to one can a day.  I've found I more crave the carbonation over just the actual soda, so I've been trying to buy more sparkling flavored water to satisfy the craving.  I usually drink my pop in the morning for the caffeine and then (flavored) water the rest of the day.
• Pack a snack - I'm really bad about eating breakfast, but I do pack a small snack to enjoy when my kids go to specials mid-morning.  I'm a huge fan of Special K Fruit Crisps because they taste a lot like Pop Tarts and they're only 100 calories per pack!  I also try to pack another small snack like this for the afternoon.  This is especially nice if I plan to go workout after school.
• Schedule workouts - I try to put my workouts on my calendar so that I view them as appointments and not just something optional.  I find this particularly easy with my Monday night Zumba class since it's a regular thing.  I also star the days when I workout.  I somehow find it fulfilling to look back and see how many days I went to the gym.  Find a time that works for you and try to make it a habit.  It can be hard, but I find a feel a lot better when I make this a priority.  
• Track things - I like using The Daily Plate on livestrong.com to track my calories and workouts when I feel like I need a little extra accountability.  I don't do this all the time, but usually every few months when I feel like I need to get back on track.  Usually a few weeks of tracking helps me get into good habits again.  
• Plan dinner ahead - Since I only have to worry about feeding myself, making dinner is sometimes a hard thing to do after a long day of work.  When I first started living on my own I ate out waaaaaay too much which was not only expensive, but also not good for my waistline.  I try to plan potential meals out each week and then let myself choose from those meals each day.  It still allows me the freedom to eat what I'm feeling like, but I'm still sticking to a plan of sorts.  I throw together a lot of single serving salads for dinner, especially if I eat dinner before my workout.  I try to keep some variety on hand so that I do have a little freedom depending on what sounds good...  Some nights I have a real meal and other nights I may just eat a bag of veggies.  

So, there you go...  It's nothing earth shattering, but just kind of the plan I follow to stay on track with my diet and exercise during the school year.  I'm not super strict with myself, but I do try to make decent decisions.

Do you have any tips for maintaining a good diet and exercise routine during the school year?  I'd love to hear your tips and how to stay in shape during the busy school year!

To Do Tuesday

I have to admit I didn't do so hot on completely accomplishing last week's to do list...  I got all of the school-related stuff done, but I didn't really get around to the cleaning out my closet part.  

Keeping this one short and sweet today, here's my to do list for the week:

1. Plan science and social studies units for the next month or so.
2. Work on sub plans for the two days I'll be gone next week.
3. Hook up my new computers in my classroom and get them working so that we can use them!
4. Workout at least 3 times.

Speaking of working out, our students do a mileage club everyday during lunch recess.  The kids walk laps around the playground and have cards where they keep track of their miles.  Our PE teacher decided to let the teachers track their workout mileage as well.  During the first two weeks I logged 22 miles!  I haven't done any since last Thursday because of my cold and I have a busy week, but I'm hoping to fit in another 10 at least this week.  My class is keeping me accountable, so it's been a fun and motivating way for me to stay on top of my workouts.  

What's on your to do list this week?

First HauteLook Purchase (& Review)

I know some of you subscribe for school tips and some you aren't teachers, so you subscribe for my other posts.  I've been posting a lot more non-school related things on here lately.  Here's why...  First, I feel so consumed with school stuff that when I sit down to blog I don't even want to think of school.  Second, I do have school posted planned, but I keep forgetting to take pics when I am at school, so then I can't complete the post.  

Moving on...

I received my first order from HauteLook a few days ago!  I joined at the beginning of the summer and get their daily e-mails, but haven't seen anything that was a total must have.  I prefer to purchase clothing and shoes in person unless I really know the brand and how it fits me, so I usually don't even look at those events.  I was excited to see Urban Decay featured a while back, so thought this might be a good opportunity to make my first purchase.  The only UD product I've tried was a mini of their De-Slick spray.  I liked the spray quite a bit, especially on days when I knew I would be running around all day and wanted my makeup to last.  So, when I saw that the XL bottle was going for only $18 on HauteLook, I decided to make this purchase.  

(For reference the XL bottle is 6 oz. and runs $34 at Sephora and Ulta.  The regular size bottle is 4 oz. and runs $29.  I had the trial size and it was $11.)

With shipping, my total was just over $23, so a savings of about $11.  

I've overall pleased with my purchase...  I knew what I was buying to begin with, so I really can't say I was expecting anything else!  The only thing I didn't really like about buying from HauteLook was how long it took to ship my item.  I ordered this on the 10th and got it on the 30th.  It did say online the estimated shipping / arrival dates, which I believe were between the 27th and 3rd, so this landed right in the middle.  I can't really complain since it said from the start when it would arrive, but when I'm used to getting online orders within 3 or 4 days, waiting 20 is a really long time.  

Will I order from HauteLook again?  It's a very good possibility!  They have good prices on some higher-end brands.  I keep a lookout mostly for the beauty events, but do occasionally browse the others.  The downfall is the time it takes to receive shipments, so I can't order anything that I'll want immediately.

Have you ever ordered from HauteLook?  What's your review?!?

Happy Labor Day (& September Currently!)

Greetings and happy Labor Day to everyone!  I hope you're enjoying the day off!  Unfortunately I've spent my long weekend battling an allergy cold, but at least I've had the down time and I didn't really have any plans other than just chill.  

Now onto the September Currently...  I'm linking up with Oh' Boy 4th Grade for this month's Currently!  

I love linking up with other bloggers for this post each month!  

Have a great Labor Day!

Sunday Social: Let's Wrap Up Summer!

I'm once again linking up with A Complete Waste of Makeup for Sunday Social!

This week we're celebrating the end of summer!  I'm just going to jump right into the questions...

What was your favorite trip / vacation / activity this summer?

This was the first summer in several years that I didn't go out of town.  The previous 3 summers or so I've been to Colorado and a short trip to visit friends in KC.  I was busy with other stuff and couldn't schedule a good time to visit friends out of town.  BUT, the best activity this summer was my friend's wedding here in town!  Several of my really good friends came here (part of why I didn't go to them) and I must say that was probably the best week of my summer.  I've really missed having some of my best friends here in town, so it was really great to have them here!

Favorite outfit look of the summer / clothing item?

I totally loved my neon and brights this summer.  I accumulated quite the collection of bright tees and tanks.  It was super refreshing to brighten up my wardrobe with some fun colors.  My favorite jeans for the summer are my AE boyfit cropped jeans...  I've got 4 pairs between this year and last year in rotation since I'm not much of a shorts person.

What is one thing you wish you had gotten to do this summer?

Not to repeat myself, but I really do wish I'd been able to go out of town at some point.  Between moving, helping with wedding stuff, friends coming here, and my summer class I really didn't have a lot of the summer available to travel.  Oh well, more reason to try to schedule a trip for the next few months!

Favorite song of the summer?

I don't think I really have a song I've just been loving this summer.  I do kinda like "Good Time" from Carly Rae Jepsen and Owl City.  I've been really into listening to the 80's and oldies stations on IHeartRadio.com, so I've not be super up on current pop music.

Favorite movie / TV show of the summer?

I'm not much of a movie-goer, so the only two movies I saw were very random...  "Magic Mike" and "Ted." (I told you they were kinda random!)  I'm much more of a TV person, so here are my recent faves:  

"Awkward"

"Design Star" / "Design Star All Stars"

"Degrassi"

"Dance Moms"

"Teen Mom"

I've also totally been into DVRing reruns of "ALF" and "The Facts of Life" in the middle of the night. LOL

Most of these are wrapping up their summer seasons, so I'm anxiously awaiting my fall shows.  I don't watch a lot of network TV, but I'm super excited for "Parenthood," "Community," and "Up All Night" to return!

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Okay, now go check out the other posts over at A Complete Waste of Makeup!

Happy Sunday!