Nail Polish Swap (Part 2)

After having fun with my last nail polish swap I decided I had to participate in another one!  This one is once again hosted by the lovely ladies over at Lala Lists and Lip Gloss and Crayons.  I was paired up with the lovely and fabulous Lynn of LA Lynn's Accessory Shoppe.  (Go to her blog here!)  She's got a great blog and her manicure posts are pretty much amazing!  

I have to say that I was a bit spoiled by my swap partner because she sent me 5 bottles of nail polish!  It was actually funny because when I got the package in the mail I wondered how in the world 2 bottles could weigh that much...  Then I opened the package and found out why!  I was definitely a bit spoiled by that extra bonus!

As with the previous swap, we filled out our info and what kind of polish we wanted.  I really didn't have a preference since I like pretty much any type of nail polish.  So, I asked to just be surprised! :)

Here are two of my polishes...  A beautiful light purple and a shiny silver!  

Two of the polishes were glittery!  One is a lighter purple that I think will be perfect for layering with the purple shade above.  The other one is little hearts!  I don't have anything like that, so I'm super excited to have some sparkly hearts on my nails!

The final polish is a super pretty pearly pink.  It's so girly and a perfect color for any time of year!

Here's the whole line up!  Like I said, I feel kinda spoiled that she sent me 5 polishes!  What a sweetheart!  

I had just painted my nails the night before I got these so I haven't tried them yet, but I'm very excited to bust them out.  Any suggestions on which ones I should use first?  ; )

Don't forget to check out Lynn's blog and check out the polishes I sent to her!  

Happy weekend!

When I Was In... THIRD GRADE!

I stumbled upon this linky party that's going on over at Second Grade Sparkle...  It's all about reminiscing and sharing about how things were back when we were in the grade we teach now.  How fun is that?!?

Most of my photos and scrapbooks are either in storage or at my mom's house, so I don't really have many photos to share.  

This picture wasn't marked, but I'm guess this was either third grade or fall of fourth grade.  It's pre-braces and I got those sometime in fourth grade, so that's my best guess.  My hair has always been a mess and (obviously) whoever fixed it the day of this picture was not on their A game.  And check out that shoelace barrette!  Oh yeah!  (For reference, I was in third grade during the 1993 - 1994 school year.)

This pic is from Thanksgiving 1993, so fall of my third grade year.  I stole this from my aunt's Facebook page.  

I feel like it was around third and fourth grade I went through my most awkward looking years.  My teeth were horrible and then I got braces, my hair was a mess, and I didn't have that little kid cuteness about me anymore.  

On the positive side, my mom's good friend used to buy me a lot of cute clothes at Dillards and Gap Kids, so I had a pretty great wardrobe.  (Not that either of these pics show that!)  I'm pretty sure that was the beginning of my addiction to shopping at Gap!

     

I've obviously learned how to fix my hair (on most days) and the braces did me a lot of good!  

Now it's your turn!  Here are the rules:

1. Post a picture (or two) of you from when you were in the grade you teach (or around there).  
2. Post a picture of you now! 
3. Be nice and visit others to comment.

Click here to join in on the party!

I'll leave you now with a song that totally reminds me of third grade.  I went to a birthday party where the birthday girl got this single (on tape) and we listened to it over and over again all afternoon!

Ace of Base - "The Sign"

Memo Board Makeover

This is one of those posts I never really got around to writing.  I took the pictures and then kinda forgot about doing the post.  As I was going through my camera recently I found these and decided to go on and show you how did a little makeover a clearance memo board!

This is how the board started out.  I actually really like this vintage-y postcard print, but it wasn't quite what I wanted for my kitchen.  It was on clearance at Hobby Lobby for a little over $10.  I really liked the size and the frame, so I decided to go on and make it work for what I was wanting.

A few months earlier I had picked up a set of yellow napkins on clearance at Target.  I have a similar print in placemats and even a pillow in red, so I grabbed the napkins thinking I could use them somehow.  (I'm not really a cloth napkin kinda person.)

I started out by removing the back of the board.  (This was one thing I paid attention to when looking for boards at Hobby Lobby.)  I wanted to keep the original fabric and just cover it with the yellow in case I change my mind later.  

Since the black print showed through the yellow and white pattern, I found some plastic packaging (I think I snagged it from my TV box in the storage room) and added that as a layer between the two fabrics.  I simply used a regular stapler to staple them at the very edge of the original board.  I had to stay pretty close to the edge because the lip of the frame didn't have much overhang.  I was also a bit of a challenge to get it stretched out and even, but after a few attempts, I got it to look pretty good!  

And here's the final product...  It's not 100% perfect, but it really did end up being what I wanted.  I'd looked at a few other memo boards on Esty and other sites and they were all $20+.  In all, I spent about $14 and still have 3 napkins to use for other products if I wish.  

Finally, here's the board on my kitchen wall!  One of these days I'll make / decorate some cute pins, but it's just perfect for this space!  I don't really like a lot of clutter on the fridge, so this board is a great alternative for posting a few little notes.  

November Birchbox

This month's Birchbox was a bit delayed due to all of the storms in NY and the east coast.  I've had my box for over a week now, but am just now getting around to sharing my box.

The "theme" (or whatever) for the month was giving.  I'd say overall this was a pretty decent box and I definitely got my $10's worth this month!

It seemed like there were a lot of paper handouts in this box.  It had the normal card telling about what's in the box and also a cute little box holding the smaller items.  (The purpose of the box is to gift something to someone else.)  In addition to those, it also contained a Holiday 2012 Gift Guide and flier / coupon for $15 off from a shoe website called CHROMATICgallerie.com  (I lost interest when I read "...at just $88 per pair..." since most of my shoes come from Target and are under $30!)

My box contained 5 items this month:

Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper - I haven't tried this one out yet, but I am glad that Birchbox once again sent me an item specifically for curly hair.  It makes me feel like they really do pay attention to the preferences I've set on my account!

Jouer Fragrance Cornucopia - This stuff smells really good!  It's a tiny rollerball, but it's more of an oil / gel consistency.  It's described as "a heady trio of gardenia, jasmine, and honeysuckle."  

ModelCo Fibre Lashxtend Lengthening Mascara - Another full-size product!  I believe this one goes for $22 on the Birchbox site.  I'm trying to use up some other mascaras right now, so I haven't used this one yet, but I'm excited to give it a whirl!  

Stila All Over Shimmer Liquid Luminizer - This is a nice size sample luminizer.  I've received 3 Stila products from Birchbox and have really liked them all.  It was a brand I didn't pay much attention to before, but I've been really pleased with their products.

Chuao Chocolatier Honeycomb Chocopod - This was the "lifestyle extra" of the month.  Quite yummy!  (I ate it as soon as I snapped pics!)  I'm not sure I'd spend the money on these, but it was a fun little extra!  

I do feel like this was a pretty good box, especially considering it included a full-size mascara and the Stila luminizer sample was pretty generous as well.  

Birchbox also sent me a 20% off discount code for being a 9 month subscriber.  I decided now was the time to redeem my points and use the discount to get myself a bottle of Viva La Juicy La Fluer.  After the 20% off and the 500 points I redeemed I paid a grand total of $6!  Yup, $6 for a $70 bottle of perfume!  I'd say that's pretty good.  I was also very pleased with how quickly my order was fulfilled and shipped to me.  I think it arrived in 3 or 4 days.  (I consider that pretty good when you consider it's NY to KS.)  

I think overall the benefits of Birchbox overshadow some of the less than stellar months, but there really haven't been too many boxes I've been disappointed with.  

Here's my referral link if you're interested in signing up for Birchbox:  

https://www.birchbox.com?raf=h5dt9

***

What was in your November Birchbox?  Were you happy with this month's goodies?

Sunday Social: 4's

I'm linking up over at A Complete Waste of Makeup for this week's Sunday Social.

I feel like I've kind of dropped the ball on blogging lately and have totally neglected it.  I was asked if I could come back to work at Aerie during the holiday season, so I've been spending the majority of my free time working there.  Blogging has kind of taken a backseat over the past few months anyway and then adding a part-time job on top of that has just been a time suck.

Anyway, this week's Sunday Social theme is 4's.  I thought this was a fun theme, so I thought I'd share my answers with you!

Name 4 jobs you've had in your life.

My first job was babysitting.  I never had a "real" job until college because I stayed plenty busy with babysitting.  During my first 3 years of college I did kind of a work study / research program where I worked on a project with a faculty mentor.  I got paid for it, but I didn't really have regular work hours, so it didn't feel much like a normal job.  During my junior year of college I took another job working at the K-State Student Union doing reservations for building events.  It was kind of a cool job, but I'm not sure an office atmosphere is my thing.  Finally, I'm in my sixth year of teaching third grade.  I also worked at a preschool and daycare during my senior year of college, but it's all teaching, so let's just lump those together.

Name 4 movies you could watch over and over.

My all-time favorite movie is "Back to the Future."  Technically, that's three movies, but for purposes of keeping this interesting I'll count the trilogy as 1.  Another all-time favorite is "Ferris Bueller's Day Off."  It's another one that I love and really never get tired of.  Next comes "Anchorman" because it's hilarious and probably one of Will Ferrell's best movies.  I think to round out my 4 I'll say "Forrest Gump."  It's such an incredibly good movie and Tom Hanks is one of my all-time favorite actors.

Name 4 places you have lived.

This one isn't very interesting because I've only lived in Kansas.  Even since I've graduated from college I've always lived within about a 3 mile radius of my mom's house!

Name 4 of your favorite foods.

Sushi...  Delightful!

Mexican...  Carlos O'Kelly's, On the Border, Taco Bell, Abuelo's...  If it's Mexican, I'll probably eat it!

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese...  About a month ago I was living on this stuff.  I get the "fancy" kind with the cheese sauce so I don't have to worry about having milk or butter on hand.

Green Beans...  I know, so random.  I always have canned green beans on hand as a quick meal and a veggie fix.  

Name 4 things you always carry with you.

I'm going to go off of things that are almost always in my purse for this one. The first would be my phone, but I think that's pretty much a given for most people.  I have an Android phone, but an iPod touch that also goes with me pretty much everywhere.  (I like some Droid apps better and some Apple apps better, so I still like to carry both with me.)  The next thing would be some sort of lip product.  Lately it's been my NYX lip gloss from Ulta.  The final thing I always have with me is a hair tie.  This curliness can end up turning into a hot mess pretty quickly, so I always have a hair tie or two on hand to tame things.

Name 4 places you have been on vacation.

I feel like travel is one thing my life has lacked.  I've never been west of Colorado!  Anyway, here are my top 4 places I've been...

New York (The city and surrounding areas.)

Chicago  (Probably the only major US city I'd like to live in.  I love it up there, but it's been years since I've been there.)

Colorado (I love that whole state...  Kansas is blessed to have a beautiful next door neighbor!)

Orlando (It wasn't really a vacation and I actually didn't see any of the cool stuff there, but the area was absolutely gorgeous!  My very short 2 days there made me want to go back for a real vacation there someday!)

Budgeting Bloggers: *hangs head in shame*

It's time for Budgeting Bloggers!

It's really hard to break down this month's budget because I received my bonus check from work and was called to work part-time at Aerie again this Christmas season, which accounts for a pretty good chunk of extra money for me.  I allotted some of that for some personal splurges as well as Christmas gifts for family and friends.  I've kind of let myself go a bit spend-crazy lately and then will reel things in and tighten up the budget after the holidays.  I think come January I'm going to get back to doing monthly shopping bans on certain items.

Shockingly enough, most of this damage was done before Black Friday.  My damage during the Thanksgiving weekend has actually been quite minimal.

Okay, here goes...  I tried to sort out my purchases, so these are the things that would have come out of my regular monthly budget.  

Gap Colorblock Stripe Sweater - $27

I saw this sweater in a magazine and anxiously awaited its arrival at Gap.  I believe I used my 50% off one item coupon for this one.  

Gap Studio Sweater - $29

I bought this at the same time as the striped sweater.  It's kind of a crazy bright pink, but I'm loving those bright colors for the winter.  I think there's nothing better on a cold gloomy day than a bright cozy sweater!

Gap Bowery Supersoft Crew - $11

This was one of my few Black Friday purchases.  I popped into Gap on my way home from working at the mall, but didn't see much there that I liked that I didn't already have.  (Sad fact.)  Yes, another bright top, but it's a good comfy tee for wearing alone or layering.

Gap Tartan Plaid Scarf - $8

This one isn't online anymore, but I snagged it on sale and when redeeming some rewards.  

It's very soft navy and dark green plaid with a stripe of hot pink in there as well!

JCP Colorblock Boatneck Tee - $16

This is a total J.Crew knockoff.  I actually tried the J.Crew version on last winter, but didn't like the fit or the $45 price.  This JCP version is a flattering fit and a great price!  I picked mine up in neon yellow, navy, and cream version.

Loft Sequin Detail Striped Cotton Tee - $25

Source: loft.com via Conolley on Pinterest

Yet another item that was love at first sight.  I saw it in a magazine a while back and then kinda forgot about it until I got an e-mail from Loft a few weeks ago.  I snatched it up the day it went online out of fear it would disappear.  (I've had that happen with a few Loft items and we don't have a store nearby.)  Thankfully, they were having a promo so I was able to get it at about half price!  This one is already making a splash in the blogger world!

Loft Cotton Zip Back Cotton Tee - $19

I got this tee in one of the purple colors and really like the weight and the zipper detail in the back.  It's another nice basic that will be very versatile for work and play.

Loft Wide Stone Stretch Bracelet - $9

I got this in the blue version (no longer online it appears).  I've been really drawn to bracelets, but don't really  buy them very often.  I've only worn this one once, but got a lot of compliments on it.

Princess Vera Wang Earring Set - $0

These were on clearance and after my coupon my grand total for these earrings and an Essie nail polish was $0.00!  Not bad, huh?  I actually really like these and had wanted some tortoise earrings to go with a couple necklaces.  

Francesca's Neon Stud Earrings - $6

I picked these up on clearance to go with some of my bright tops.  They're neon yellow pyramid studs that are a fun pop of color!

Chunky Gold Chain Bracelet (via Groop Dealz) - $0 (only had to pay shipping)

Source: etsy.com via Cecile on Pinterest

I was a totally sucked into this deal.  It's no longer on Groop Dealz, but there are quite a few on Etsy.  It's a very lightweight bracelet with chunky gold links.  Very cute and I'm pretty sure it's going to get a lot of wear.  

Hot Pink Bubble Necklace (via Groop Dealz) - $10

I'd wanted another bubble necklace and found some at Charlotte Russe, but this deal on Groop Dealz ended up being cheaper even when I added in shipping.  I went with the hot pink one.  I'm still waiting for this one to arrive, but I'm sure I'll love it!

If you haven't heard of Groop Dealz it's a website that is basically what would happen if Groupon and Etsy had a website baby.  They have daily deals that are more along the lines of things that you would find on Etsy, but discounted for a short period of time to spur "group" purchases.

= $160

This is pretty much within what I try to keep my normal budget around, but like I said, I didn't include a few extra purchases that come out of other pots of money.  I feel like for the money 6 shirts, 2 bracelets, 4 pairs of earrings, a scarf, and a necklace are a lot.  One of my biggest rules of shopping is to not pay full price and in all I paid about half of the full retail cost.  

I'm not sure what next month's budget is going to look like, but I don't think I'm going to really crack down until after the new year.  Sometimes you've just got to take advantage of great sales and treat yourself to some goodies!  I think the first things on my ban list for January will be shirts / sweaters, makeup (I've been pretty good with not buying that), and nail polish.  

Now it's time for you to go over to Franish and link up for this month's Budgeting Bloggers feature.  It's a great way to see how other bloggers spend their money and what bargains they've snagged this month!

Since everyone seems to be in a shopping mood...

It's been fun reading everyone's shopping posts over the past couple days.  I feel like I've been spending money and shopping like crazy over the past few weeks, but oddly enough, really haven't done much shopping this weekend.  (I've been working part-time, so that's helped a little bit.)

I've been buying a lot for myself, but I've also put a pretty big dent in my list of things to get family and friends.  I thought I'd share some of my favorite affordable gift ideas and some of the things that I like to give as gifts to my friends and family.

***

Scarves

I'm personally a bit obsessed with scarves and I think they make a great gift.  It's a great clothing item that will fit any size person and add a great statement to any outfit.  Here are a few of my current faves.

AEO Floral Paisley Scarf

Gap Cozy Classic Plaid Scarf

Gap Snow Leopard Scarf

Gift Cards 

I know, you're probably yawning at the thought of gift cards.  I think these are a great option for those people that you're just not sure about.  When I give gift cards I like to add in something a little extra.  Last year I purchased cute little coin purses to give my friends and I put the gift cards in there.  Another option is to give multiple gift cards to create things like a "date night" package or to different stores to create a complete outfit.  And if all else fails, give a Target gift card.  I don't think I know a single person that wouldn't be happy with a Target gift card.

Bath & Body Works Goodies

I say this one for several reasons.  First, I'm always a fan of Bath & Body Works items.  I will gladly accept candles, lotions, body sprays, and hand sanitizers at any time.  Second, this store has a great return / exchange policy that makes it really easy for your gift recipient to swap things out if they don't like the scent.  Last year my roommate got some scents from her students that she didn't like and she was able to go in and trade them out for ones that she liked.  Nobody wants their gift recipient to have to make a trip to return or exchange something, but in the event that happens you at least want it to be easy for them.

A Tasty Treat

Source: verybestbaking.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I think these types of gifts are adorable! Not only are they yummy, but they'll also look cute sitting out on the counter.  You can purchase packs of jars in the kitchen department at Target, so these are a great option if you're looking to mass produce a gift.  You can also customize the look with cute gift tags, ribbon, fabric lids, etc. or tie a cute ornament to the jar for another added touch.

A Random Favorite

I think sometimes my favorite gifts are ones that show the person truly knows me.  Yes, a gift wrapped 12 pack of Diet Mountain Dew truly makes me happy.  I think this is a fun idea for coworkers or just as a little added extra.  Pop, gum, or snack foods can make great practical gifts and you can always get cute and creative with you wrapping.

Source: adventuresofabettycrockerwannabe.blogspot.com via Amelia on Pinterest

A Little Something For Pampering

Source: supremecourtney.blogspot.com via Jen on Pinterest

I think this idea is absolutely adorable.  Maybe it's because I'm addicted to nail polish right now and I know many of my friends would be more than happy to receive nail polish as a gift.  Ulta currently has a 5 for $5 table with all sorts of neat beauty gifts.  I picked up 5 items the other day to give as little pampering gifts.  

***

What are some of your favorite Christmas gift ideas?

Please share! :)

Fashion Friday: A Little Sparkle!

This time of year I start to get in the mood for sparkly things.  I wouldn't say I'm a super glitzy, glammy girl, but I do like a little sparkle and shine every now and then.  I think it's a fun way to dress up an outfit and add a little extra girliness.  I don't really have any formal or dressy Christmas parties to attend, but I do like to add a little extra pizzazz to my winter attire.  I thought I'd inspire you with a few of my current faves for adding a little sparkle and glam to your everyday wardrobe.  

These are a few of my favorite glitzy tops.  Obviously I gravitate toward things in the gray family!  

The dark gray cardigan on the left is from Gap (2 years ago maybe?) and is totally my go-to dressy cardigan.  It works with dark jeans, black pants, and skirts which makes it a total winner in my book!  

The middle cardi was a total Banana Republic steal last spring.  I believe the original price was nearing $100 and I paid $7 on super sale.  I didn't get to wear it much, but I'm very excited to bust it out this holiday season!

The top on the right is a super soft, cozy sweatshirt from AE that I picked up last year.  I immediately fell in love with it and almost literally ran to the store to get it.  It wasn't even out on the floor yet, but the wonderful folks at AE know me, dug one out of the back, and let me buy it early!  Even though it's a sweatshirt, it can be dressed up or just worn with jeans for a little extra sparkle.  It got a ton of wear last winter and will get a lot this season as well! 

Accessories are another great way to add some glitz and glam to an otherwise basic outfit.  The bracelets are from a local boutique and a local resale shop and the earrings are from Forever 21.  I'm not one to spend a lot of money on accessories, so like to get goodies from inexpensive stores.  Target has some adorable accessories right now that are perfect for spicing up your outfits!

Now here are a few items currently in stores that you can add to your wardrobe!  

(Warning:  I've been on a shopping kick lately!)

Aerie Shimmer Popover

This one is perfect if you're wanting a little glitz without anything over the top.  I picked this one up in "Vintage Vanilla."  (Side note...  I'm working at Aerie again this holiday season so I picked up a few tops there with my employee discount!)

Aerie Giftastic Raglan T

I bought this one in "Deep Sea" (navy) and love the sparkle detail on the bands.  It's another one that can be styled a lot of different ways, but it still very comfy for winter.  I'm tempted to get another color!

Loft Sequin Detail Striped Cotton Tee

This one is on it's way to me (since the nearest Loft stores are over 2 1/2 hours away) and I'm crossing my fingers it fits and I like it.  The one online review isn't good, but I'm hopeful!  I love stripes and I love sequins, so when I saw this one in a preview ad I anxiously awaited its arrival online.  

J.Crew Factory Square Sequin Tank

factory.jcrew.com

It's a little much, but styled and layered the right way, I think these sequined tanks are totally adorable!  I don't have one (yet), but keep eyeing them!

I mean, look at this pic and tell me that's not super cute!

pinterest.com

Or this?

pinterest.com

I hope you're inspired to add a little sparkle and shine to your wardrobe!  

I'd love to hear how you glam up your look during the holiday season!

Happy Friday!!!

Fashion Friday: Pink Please!

Do you ever go through phases with colors?  I feel like everyone does that when they're a little kid, but I feel like I totally do that as an adult too.  

I was never one of those little girls that completely loved or completely hated the color pink.  I mean I was never opposed to pink, but I was never really crazy about it.  Sometime in college I became a big pink fan and it's stuck with me ever since.

Okay, so now the pink that I'm drawn to is bold and bright.  I think pink is a color that you can get away with year round and right now it's a color I've been drawn to in a sea of dark fall and winter colors.

Gap got the best of me again and I picked up two more sweaters from their new arrivals.  I had a coupon (of course), so that did help with the situation.

This first one is just a basic pink crewneck.  I have a 3 size range in Gap sweaters and I went with my largest in this one to give it a roomier fit if I want to layer and more length.  (They also didn't have the next size down in this color, so I was glad it worked.)

gap.com

The next sweater is a total throwback to a J.Crew top from last winter.  I actually tried the J.Crew shirt in store, but was between sizes and didn't love it enough to pay $45 for a knit tee.  The whole neon and stripe thing stuck with me, though, so I was super happy when I saw Gap come out with this sweater.  It was online, then disappeared, and now seems to be back (but the way Gap is promoting it I don't know if it will be around for long).  The bottom is a very dark navy, not black like I'd originally thought.  I sized up in this one as well to have a bit more length so I can wear it with my skinnies.  The best part is that it's a sweater and it was a chunk cheaper than the J.Crew shirt.

gap.com

J Crew t shirt (see more striped boatneck shirts)

How freaking cute are those?!?  The pink on both sweaters is neon...  We're talking quite bright, but I think that's why I love them so much.  I'm excited to have a few bright and fun sweaters for those gloomy winter days.  I think there's something so cheerful about a pop of bright color in the middle of winter.

My final pink purchase is my Clarisonic Mia 2!  I finally got it!  I'll have a separate post on that purchase and how I totally lucked out.

sephora.com

What color(s) have you been craving lately?  

Are you into brights or darker colors right now?

Happy Election Day!

I just wanted to say good morning and 

HAPPY ELECTION DAY!

If you didn't do advance voting, be sure to get out and vote today!  We're blessed to live in a country where we have the opportunity to elect our leaders and can be a part of that process.  I've had a ton on fun teaching my students about the candidates and the whole election process.  

And here's a little 80's music video fun for you...

Arcadia - "Election Day"

(Arcadia was a "spin off" of Duran Duran with lead singer Simon LeBon.)

Sunday Social

A Complete Waste of Makeup hosts Sunday Social each week.  I don't always get around to doing a post (and some weeks I'm not all that into the questions), but it is a really fun way to link up and discover new blogs.  

This week's questions were pretty general and were "catch up" questions.  

What is currently on your wish list?

I've got a pretty good list going of pricier items that I'd like to get in the next few months.  The one I'm hoping to get soon is a Clarisonic Mia 2 (in pink, of course).  

sephora.com

Coach sent me a coupon this week for $100 off $300 or more.  Now, technically I am still banned from making anymore purse purchases until next year, but coupons like this just don't come along very often.  I look to be getting a small raise and probably do some part time retail work during the holiday season, so I'm thinking that may be the only way I can justify a purse.  I've been eyeing this one from their Poppy collection for a while.  

coach.com

My final wish list item is an iPad Mini!  I actually went into Best Buy tonight to check them out in person.  I love it!  The size is exactly what I want and I love my iPod Touch, so I know the iPad would be a wonderful addition for me.  Other than blogging, I don't really do much online at home that requires a full laptop.  I'm asking for gift cards for Christmas and hope to maybe get one in the next few months!

Share a new iPhone, Droid, or iPad app you recently discovered that we all need.

I'm really not into discovering cool apps.  I have an Android phone and an iPod Touch and I carry both around and use apps on both.  I wouldn't categorize either app as "cool" or even new, but I've been using the apps for Target and Walgreens a lot lately for their weekly ads and rewards program.  I've also been using my ESPN Fantasy Football app a lot on weekends to check up on my (not-so-stellar) team!

Share your social media links for us to follow you on.

Blog:  thirdgraderockstar.blogspot.com

Pinterest:  pinterest.com/conolley

I don't tweet and I don't have a Facebook page for my blog.  I do use Instagram, but I'm contemplating on whether or not I want to make that one private and if I want that one connected to my blog.  

What is a new fall TV show you have added to your DVR?

"Go On" with Matthew Perry is probably the only new show that I've started watching this year.  I really don't watch much network TV other than a few shows on NBC.  I'm a huge fan of "Friends" and Perry is really great in this show.  I'm really hoping it lasts longer than just this first season!

What is a TV show / movie / song that you can listen to or watch over and over and never get tired of?

TV Show(s):  Friends, Full House, Arrested Development

Movie:  Back to the Future

Song:  Pretty much anything from Huey Lewis & the News or Duran Duran

Obviously I like to kick it old school.  

***

Well, that's it for this week's questions!  I hope you had fun reading and will come back soon to read some of my other posts I'll have coming up!  Happy Sunday and I hope you feel well-rested from your extra hour of sleep!

Randomness and Vanilla Ice

Hey everyone!  I didn't really have much of a post planned, but for some reason I just felt like posting some randomness tonight.  I have a horrible allergy cold right now and plan on going to bed right after this in hopes of feeling better at work tomorrow.  

 I think one of my least favorite things about being a teacher is that it's really not all that easy to just call in sick.  It's more work to be gone than to be there!  I'm going to our state's assessment conference the first 3 days next week, so I'm plugging through so as not to miss another day of school.  My class this year has had some trouble with subs and I already have to miss a lot of days for meetings, so I'm trying not to be gone much on top of what's required of me.

Here's some total randomness for you...  This weather!  

I hope all of my bloggy friends out east are safe!  I've seen some really crazy pics on Facebook and Instragram from friends out in NY and surrounding areas.  Thankfully, to my knowledge all of my friends out there are safe and didn't experience any major losses!  Thank God for His protection and I'm continuing to pray for those who have suffered losses through these storms.

I have to say that for once Kansas isn't experiencing wild weather.  In fact, our weather has been CRAZY BEAUTIFUL!  It's November and we're experiencing temps in the upper 70's and low 80's!  My wardrobe is seriously confused right now!  Last weekend I was scrounging around to come up with a wedding outfit for the frigid cold and now I'm back to wearing flip flops!

I leave you now with a funny from one of my students.  

(I can't recall if I've mentioned that this year my class consists of 13 boys and 5 girls.  It's quite an adventure!  My boys are hilarious, sweet, emotional, and talkers!  I usually end my days utterly exhausted, but still loving those kids!)

Anyway, last week the kids were working and suddenly I begin hearing a group of students singing "Ice Ice Baby."  Yes, that's right, "Ice Ice Baby."  One was rapping and another was doing the baseline.  Who knew that 8 and 9 year olds knew that song?!?  After a moment I finally called out, "Hey, Vanilla Ice, sit down and save your rapping for recess!"  I never thought that as a teacher those words would ever come out of my mouth.  

Seriously though, it's like that everyday in my classroom...  Laughter and tears are pretty much a daily thing for us, but I love those kids to death!

Hopefully I'll have some time to get some more "real" blog posts up over the weekend!  Have a good one!