Just checking in...

Happy Wednesday!

I've been MIA for the past couple weeks, so I thought I'd just check in with a quick post!

I've been in my Common Core math grant course for the past week and a half.  I'm almost finished with it!  Our focus this year has been on geometry and measurement, so I'm gathering up all sorts of new ideas and resources.  I'm working on ideas for a BIG geometry unit for my TpT store!  I'm hoping to get that created in the next couple weeks.  I'd love to have that done before school starts!

Speaking of school...  I am slightly depressed to announce that by this time next month I will be back in school with my students.  I'm actually quite excited to meet my new kids, but I wouldn't mind summer lasting a teensy bit longer!  This whole getting up early and being a functional human being all day long is cramping my style.

Finally, I'll hopefully be able to share some posts about some of my school purchases!  I bit the bullet and ordered my first Erin Condren lesson planner and will hopefully be getting that in the mail in the next week or so!  I am really trying to keep my costs to a minimum (especially since I found out we may not get our usual $100 from PTA), but I have picked up a few things to keep me organized and to spruce up my classroom!

I hope you're all having a wonderful Wednesday!  I'll be back with regular posts soon!

I'll leave you with this eCard that my friend, coworker, and TpT mentor Lindsay (from The Pursuit of Joyfulness) created for me based on a recent Facebook status...

Currently ~ July!

I don't think I've done a Currently post in about a year, but I decided to join in on the fun this month!  These are such fun posts and a neat way to find awesome new bloggers!

I feel like this month is going to go by way too fast...  Next week I start my two week math course which really only leaves another couple weeks before we start inservices.  My teacher friend and I had a conversation about how July is kind of a depressing month.  June is all happy and care free and then July sneaks up on you and you have to start thinking about reality again.  

I'm also needing to get myself in school mode. I've been doing a lot for my Teachers Pay Teachers store, which feels like I'm doing school stuff, but it's really not what I need to be doing to prep for next year.  I really don't feel like I have a ton to do going into next year, but there are some small things I could start knocking off the to do list.

If you haven't joined in on a Currently post, you need to!  Join us over at Oh Boy Fourth Grade!

And now, I leave you with what is quite possibly the best summer jam to come out of the 90's...

LFO ~ Summer Girls!!!

Getting Away

One thing I love about being off work for the summer is that I have the flexibility to spend time with friends and family.  I've actually had a quite a few busy weekends with weddings, showers, birthdays, and just spending time with friends.  In a couple weeks, I will be traveling out of town to spend time with some friends and family for a few days.  I'm not going on an actual vacation this summer since I'll be going on a trip for a good friend's wedding in September, so this little getaway is going to have to satisfy me until then.

My trip is going to consist of a baby shower / BBQ, shopping, eating at yummy restaurants, and more shopping.

Weekend Getaway featuring American Eagle Outfitters

I'm going for cute, comfy, and casual here...

• Striped dress & denim jacket - This is pretty much my favorite kind of outfit.  I love cute knit dresses and they're perfect topped off with a denim jacket.  I plan on wearing this to the baby shower / BBQ and maybe out to dinner.
• T-shirt and jeggings - I'm only going to be driving about 3 hours away, but I still want to be comfy yet cute and ready to go out and about.  I love this tee and my AE jeggings are pretty much the yoga pants equivalent to jeans.  
• T-shirt & scarf - I'm a sucker for scarves and I still love them this time of year in lightweight florals.  I've been wearing this one from Aerie a ton lately.  It's a nice way to dress up a basic tee without piling on the accessories.
• Striped blouse - This was a great buy back when I last visited the J.Crew Factory store in Oklahoma.  It's become one of my favorites because it's kind of dressy, but still comfortable and versatile.
• Metallic sandals - You know you made a good choice when you get asked if these are the $150 sandals in the J.Crew catalog...  Nope, they were less than $20 from AE!  These seriously go with everything and add a teensy bit of glam without being over the top!
• Crossbody purse - I love crossbody purses for traveling and shopping.  They're so convenient!  I bought this black one from Coach last summer, but they brought back the same style this year.  I wish I could justify getting another color (or 3)!
• Go with everything necklace - I have a very similar necklace that was a $2 Forever 21 clearance find several years ago.  It goes with everything and I get compliments on it whenever I wear it.  It's proof that you shouldn't always discriminate against inexpensive jewelry.  
• Versatile makeup palette - I'm currently loving my Too Faced Natural Eye palette and their Better Than Sex mascara.  I can create a lot of looks with this palette.  I love that I can go with a lighter look during the day, but then add some darker colors on top for the evening.  Plus the packaging isn't super big and bulky so you can still stash it in your purse if you want it on the go.

What are your go to outfits / accessories / makeup for a weekend getaway?  

Makeup Monday: Favorite Lip Products

Happy Monday!  

 I thought I'd kick off the summer by doing a Makeup Monday post about something that we all love...

LIP PRODUCTS!

I wanted to share a few of my current favorites as we move into summer!  I usually go a little lighter on the rest of my makeup this time of year, so it's a fun time to let my lips stand out a bit more.

The majority of my lip products are drugstore brands, but I do have a few high-end items (most of which were freebies or in sampler sets).  My one high-end lip gloss that I have purchased is the Nars Orgasm lip gloss, which is a new one for me.  I love it!  The color is a gorgeous pinky golden nude that is glamorous, but not over the top.  If you're going to drop the big bucks on a lip gloss, this is definitely one to consider.

The other two are samples from Sephora, but ones that I find myself reaching for fairly often.  Benefit's Coralista is such a pretty coral that is bright, but still one that you can rock everyday.  Buxom's glosses have great staying power and from what I recall they have a nice color selection.

I still love my Revlon Lip Butters, but I must admit that I like Maybelline's Color Whispers a bit better.  They're very comparable, but I like the Maybelline formula better for its smoothness and texture.  

I've not tried any other ELF lip products, but I really like this jumbo lip crayon.  For the $2 or $3 it costs, it's a total steal! 

These lip glosses were my first NYX purchases last year.  They have a HUGE color selection in these!  These are probably my most used glosses these days.  The staying power is okay...  Not amazing like the Nars gloss, but still good.  These are really great for layering over other lip colors (like the ELF crayon) when you want that extra shine.

This NYX Butter Gloss is my most recent Target find.  It was a total impulse buy, but I seriously love these.  I'm definitely tempted to snag more colors.  These are so incredibly smooth and add the perfect amount of color.  I think I prefer this formula over the NYX Mega Shine Gloss (above) and would probably choose to purchase more of these over those at this point.

What are your favorite lip products for summer?

Do you have a brand you love?

Classroom Wish List

Every summer I'm faced with the decision / dilemma of how much money I want to spend on materials for the upcoming school year.  Yes, school has only been out for about 2 weeks, but I'm that person who's already planning and plotting out what items I want and what sales to hit.

I try to keep my out of pocket spending to around $100 or less if I can help it.  Our school's PTA graciously reimburses us for supplies up to $100, so I usually not to spend a whole lot more on top of that.  For the most part, after completing 7 years of teaching I have accumulated a pretty good collection of supplies.  BUT, as with anything, after 7 years some of that needs to get upgraded and replaced.  

Right now, I think my big splurge might be one of Erin Condren's Teacher's Lesson Planners.  It's a bit of a splurge considering they start at $59 and I've made my own plan books and grade books for the past couple years.  It's sooooo tempting to have EVERYTHING all in one nice neat organized place and on top it that something that is sooooo cute as well!  One of my friends bought one last year and LOVED hers and said that she's planning on getting another one for next year.  It appears that everyone online that has one thinks they're pretty awesome as well!

Another item I am considering is some new supply / book bins for my classroom.  I have a set from Target that have lasted 5 or 6 years, but are starting to show some wear and tear.  I managed to snag mine the first year Target carried them and only paid $1 each.  Target realized what a gem they had, though, and now I believe they run $2.50 or $3 each.  We'll see...  I may just replace the broken ones or possibly splurge on these pretty ones from Really Good Stuff.

Another temptation I've recently had is to change up my classroom theme.  I've been using Creative Teaching Press's Poppin' Patterns collection pretty much since the beginning of time.  I still love that collection, but with my vast collection of K-State decor I am really tempted to go with a cute purple, black, and white theme.  Much of what I have already goes with that color scheme, so it would mostly involve investing in some new borders and a few other things.  I know how OCD I can get, though, which is why I have previously selected such a bright and colorful theme.  Once again, we'll see.  

Other than that, there really aren't that many special items I'm looking to get for my classroom.  As I get more into this Teachers Pay Teachers thing I'm realizing how much I can make on my own!  My district has a copy center that I can submit jobs to online and get many of my goodies printed.  If I go with a new color scheme I will be sure to create most of my own decorations to go with that theme!

What's on your classroom wish list for next school year?

What do you think is worth a splurge?

Anyone out there have an Erin Condren Teacher Planner?  Do you love it?  I'd love your feedback and input!  

Life Lately and School Shopping

The past couple weeks have been super busy, so blogging hasn't happened as much as I would have liked.  The past 2 weeks consisted of the second year of a Common Core math workshop that I'm participating in at a local university.  Sitting in class from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. isn't exactly my idea of a fun time, but I got a lot of good ideas (plus free credit hours and stipend money).  

Super not fun math...

The next 2 weeks are pretty much the end of my summer vacation...  This summer seems to have totally flown by!  I can't believe that we'll be back to school in less than a month now!  My to do list for school is growing everyday, so I'll be busy getting those things checked off in the weeks to come.  

Target's school supply section!

Remember my post a while back about my $100 school budget for this year?  Our local teacher store did their annual 20% off everything sale this weekend, so I stopped in to get a few essentials.  I'm really trying to stick to my budget and not go overboard with school spending this year.  Up to this point, I'd spent $13 of my $100 budget.  I hit the sale with my budget in mind and tried to stick to only purchasing things that I knew I needed.  

I spent a total of $30 on these items, so I feel like I'm still doing pretty well with my budget.   If you can't tell, I really like the Poppin' Patterns collection from CTP!

My new classroom loot!

I also spent $10 on a HUGE packet of organization materials and forms on Teachers Pay Teachers.  It's got a lot of great forms took the place to needing to purchase a separate gradebook.  There are so many awesome options on TpT, so if you're needing that kind of stuff I highly recommend doing a search on there!

Current Total:  $53

Remaining Budget:  $47

I've been looking at classroom door decor ideas and have a trip to Hobby Lobby on the agenda for the near future.  I'm also thinking I may purchase new fabric for my classroom bulletin boards.  I've had the same dark denim on my boards since my first year of teaching, so I figure after 6 years it might be time for some change.  Any remaining money will probably go towards little things like goodie bags for open house and other classroom treats.

Have you been doing any back to school shopping yet?  

What have you purchased for yourself or your classroom?

To Do Tuesday

So we'll start with last week's goals...

• Get up and get moving in the morning.  Last week was the first of my 2 week math workshop.  I have to be there by 8:30 a.m., which really isn't bad at all, but a stretch for my lazy summer schedule.  I'd say this was a success since I made it there on time each day and wasn't too super rushed getting there!
• Complete at least 10 miles during my workouts.  Does 18 miles sound like I met my goal?  I ended up making it to the gym more than I anticipated, so this was an easy one!
• Complete at least 3 blog posts.  Check!
• Resist the urge to shop.  About this one...  I'll explain more in my Budgeting Bloggers post later this month, but let's just say that burning extra time at the mall isn't necessarily a good thing.  On the bright side, I used gift card money and other extra money to get an AMAZING deal on something I really love!

So my goals for this week...

• Complete at least 15 miles during my workouts.  I'm pretty close to reaching my goal of 50 miles in the month of July, but I'm not going to let myself slack off just because I'm already a little bit ahead!  
• Make food at home (on the nights I'm home).  I have 2 nights in which my schedule will not really allow me time to go home between class and work, so those will be my exceptions.  I'm trying to get in better habits of making food at home, so I've stocked my fridge with healthy options to keep me on track!
• Tackle my pile of lamination that needs to be cut out.  I have A LOT that needs to be cut out!  It's the perfect thing to keep me busy while I'm watching stuff on TV or Netflix!
• Complete at least 3 blog posts.   I'll have an update on my school shopping this week sometime this week!
• Keep my apartment clean.  I did some pretty hard-core cleaning this past weekend, so I plan on keeping it tidy.  It's not like it was a pit in here or anything, but it was a little messier than I prefer!

To Do Tuesday

Let's take a look at last week's goals...

• Tackle my junk pile.  Epic fail...  While the junk pile has lost some heft, it's attracted new junk taking of residence.  
• Complete at least 15 miles during my workouts.  Yay!  I actually made it to 18 miles and that was even skipping several days because of my busy schedule.  
• Fix the majority of my meals at home.  We'll call this one a success...  A friend from out of town called me to go to dinner on Friday night and picked up Jimmy John's last night (I was gone all day from 7:45 a.m. to about 10 p.m.), but other than that all of my meals were from what I had at home.  
• Complete at least 3 blog posts.  Another success!  
• Finish reading at least 1 book.  Eh.  I was about halfway through a book on my Kindle, but cancelled my Amazon Prime membership and forgot that in doing so I would lose the book I had "rented."  Oops!

And now onto this week's goals...

• Get up and get moving in the morning.  I'm taking a math course which requires me to be up and moving fairly early.  I'm not a morning person, but I'd like to try to get myself back into good habits before school starts up again.
• Complete at least 10 miles during my workouts.  I have a super busy week with my math course and working part time, so I'm setting the bar a bit lower.  Completing 10 or more miles this week should still keep me on track to completing my 50 this month.
• Complete at least 3 blog posts.  Need I explain?
• Resist the urge to shop!  I did some online shopping during some sales last week, so I am going to try to be good this week.  I will be staying plenty busy, so shopping out of boredom will not be a good excuse this week!

What's on your to do list this week?  Have you been productive this summer or  have you slacked off?

Fashion Friday: Summer Showers Style

If you're anywhere between your mid-twenties and your mid-thirties like me you probably stay somewhat busy in the spring and summer with wedding and baby showers.  While this summer isn't my busiest, I am staying busy with my fair share.  (I had one summer a few years ago where I literally had a shower, bachelorette party, or wedding every weekend for 2 straight months and many of them overlapped!  I'm glad to not be in that situation again!)

My "shower style" could be described as dressy, but still casual.  For the most part, none of my friends are super fancy and therefore don't have super fancy showers. So, that makes wearing a cute and casual dress perfectly acceptable attire for these types of events.  I also seem to find myself running from one event to another, so I like to keep my looks comfortable and functional for other happenings I might have the same day.  

I decided to have a little fun on Polyvore and create a few looks for you using some items that I have in my closet!

Wedding & Baby Shower Style 

1. Talk about an easy outfit...  Skirt + Bright Top + Statement Necklace = Cute & Easy Style  I rocked this outfit a few weeks back when I also had a picnic to attend later on in the evening.  
2. I think knit dresses are one of the best inventions ever.  I wore this outfit for a sushi lunch with my mom, a baby shower, and then church.  A comfy pair of wedges is also a wardrobe essential when you want to look a little dressed up, but still want to be able to walk by the end of the day.
3. There's something about a comfy maxi dress that just says chic and effortless.  I bought this one last year at Target and it's been great for those times when I don't want to put a lot of fuss into my outfit.  

What do you typically wear to a wedding or baby shower?  

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th!  

I hope your day is filled with fun and celebration with family and friends!  My plans today are pretty chill and just consist relaxing, dinner with family, and watching the 'lil bro set off fireworks.  

I've made these adorable and delicious strawberries the last 2 years, but passed on making them this year.  After looking at this photo, though, I may have to make some just for myself sometime soon!

This is a cake I baked last year...  If you know me, you know I'm not much of a cook, but I can pull of a pleasant surprise every now and then.  This is just a plain white cake, but the frosting and fruit is what made it extra special.  The frosting is a combo of regular cream cheese frosting blended with marshmallow fluff.

A.Maz.Ing.  

How cute is this star tee from Gap?!?  I popped in there last week with one of my besties and we both loved these.  I found myself thinking about this tee a few days later and went back while it was on a 50% off promo.  Guess what I'm wearing today!?!

The weather here in Kansas has been usually pleasant this week and will be perfect for spending some time outside tonight.  I've been taking advantage of the gorgeous weather and have been walking outside in the evenings.  I snapped this pic the other night...  I wish the weather would stay like this all summer long!

I wish you all a fun, safe, and happy 4th of July!  

To Do Tuesday

I'm trying to keep myself motivated to be productive this summer.  I actually counted the weeks when I don't have anything going on and it ended up being only 3 weeks out of the entire summer when I'm not taking classes or out of town.  Next week starts my 2 week, all-day Common Core math workshop, so I'm trying to hammer out some items this week while I still have some down time.  

This week's list:

• Tackle my "junk pile."  It started out as a box of Christmas gifts and then it somehow evolved into a junk collection tucked away in the corner of the room.  I've just tossed clutter from other spots into that one during my cleaning.  It's been driving me nuts for a while, but I've been too lazy to just sit down and tackle it.  
• Complete at least 15 miles during my workouts.  I'm getting back into my regular workouts after slacking off in June.  I mentioned in my June fitness update that my goal for July is to complete 50 miles.  I knocked out 6 miles in just one day yesterday, so I'm on the right track so far!
• Fix the majority of my meals at home.  I made a point to spend a lot of money on groceries this past weekend in effort to get myself to cook and eat more at home.  This should be an easy one for this week since I'll be at home the majority of the time.
• Complete at least 3 blog posts.  I'm usually a lot more consistent with blogging during the summer, so this should be another freebie.
• Finish reading at least one book.  I've got 2 that I've been working on and I'd like to get through at least one (better yet both) so that I can move onto some others.

I hate running, but when I was out the other day this song popped up on my iPod.  I suddenly got a burst of energy 1995 style.

What's on your to do list this week?  

Do you have any special summer projects you're working on?

Summer Projects ~ School

I love having the summer to knock out some projects that I don't have the time / energy / motivation to do during the school year.  I've actually had a small surge of energy to work on school-related stuff these past couple weeks, so I'm taking advantage of that motivation and have been trying to get a few projects done.

Here are some of the school projects on my to do list:

• Make vocab Power Points.  I discussed my vocab routines in this post, but I've wanted to put everything into an electronic form for a while now so that I don't have to write it all out each day.  I figure Power Point will be the easiest, especially considering I tend to be gone a lot and that would be fairly reasonable for a sub to handle.
• Get organized!  I like to think I'm a fairly organized person, but I do have plenty of room for improvement.  I'm trying to get a handle on organization right now, so that I can start the school year off right!
• Plan out and find resources for reading themes.  This past school year was the first year I'd really used themes to drive my reading instruction.  I really liked doing things this way and have so many ideas for what I'd like to do.  I'd like to have it all planned out a little bit more and have my activities and resources ready and organized ahead of time this year.
• Familiarize myself a bit more with the new Common Core standards.  I currently feel better about math than reading / ELA when it comes to CC.  I feel like I'm really going to have to step up my instruction in that area and I want to have a little more sense of where to go with it all.

What do you want to accomplish this summer?  

Do you have any projects you want to complete for your classroom?

10 Summer (Or Whenever) Makeup Essentials

10 Summer Makeup Essentials

I'm a total makeup girl (duh!), but when the summer hits I change up my routine a bit to keep things a little more neutral to keep up with the heat and humidity.  I took all of these items with me on vacation, but have also found myself reaching for them on a daily basis.

Clockwise From Top Left:

Urban Debay De-Slick (or All Nighter) Spray - I started using these UD sprays last summer and really like them as both a primer and a setting spray.  I've found both of these to work about the same way, but they really do make a difference in how my makeup lasts throughout the day.

Rimmel BB Cream - Rimmel's BB wins for my favorite!  The coverage is really good by itself, but also works really well combined with a regular foundation when I want something with slightly more coverage.  

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder - This is another great and affordable essential.  I've even picked up an extra to carry around with me for mid-day touch ups.

Benefit Fake Up Concealer - I picked this up during the last Sephora VIB sale and have mixed feelings about it.  Some days I really like this concealer and other days I'm not a huge fan...  Regardless, it's actually been a pretty good under eye concealer that's done well as the temperatures have warmed up.  (I don't really use this one on my face, just my under eye areas.)

Too Faced Shadow Insurance - I'm working on a sample of this, but really like the lasting power.  I've come to rely on primer to make my eye shadow last all day, especially when it gets hot outside.

Urban Decay Naked 2 - The more I use this, the more I fall in love it!  This has become my total go-to when I'm in a hurry and these were the only shadows that I took on my recent vacation.  It's just so stinkin' easy to make a neutral look with this palette! (Plus, the black works well as a liner!)

Maybelline Mega Plus Mascara - I took advantage of a sale and some Walgreens points and picked this up after wanting to try it for almost a year.  I really like this formula and like that it gives me a natural, yet pretty look to my lashes.  Plus, the staying power is great and I don't even have the waterproof version.

Elf Blush & Bronzer Duo - I've actually used all of the blush and am almost done with the bronzer, but this will definitely be something I pick up again.  For $3, this is an amazing product that has really grown on me.

NYX Lip Gloss - I'm a lip product junkie, but I do really enjoy these NYX glosses.   There's nothing better than to polish off your look than with a nice, neutral lip gloss.

What are your favorite makeup and beauty products for summer?  

June Fitness Update

I debated on whether or not I wanted to post a fitness update this month (it's been a little while), but I decided that being honest is going to be the best way to keep me accountable.  

I started off my summer vacation (late May) doing really well with regular workouts.  The first 3 weeks or so of summer were very good for me.  I was either going to the Y, doing "30 Day Shred," walking outside, or some combination of those every day.  The weather was still pretty mild out, so I took advantage of that and did a lot of outdoor walking / running.

And then I went on vacation...

Now, while I was on vacation I did a fair amount of walking and hiking, so the vacation itself wasn't necessarily the problem.  The problem was that I got out of those good routines.  As soon as I got back (last week) I started into 2 straight weeks of professional development classes and working on weekends.  

Total admission:  I haven't worked out since the day before I left on my vacation.  That would have been June 10th.  

(I'm embarrassed just saying that.)  

While I have been busy the last few weeks, I've also been just plain lazy.  There's no good excuse...  I mean, if nothing else, I have workout DVDs I can do at home in 20 minutes or so.  I just haven't done it.

I love working out, but when I get on these lazy kicks it's hard for me not to slack off.  The hardest part for me is getting started or just getting to the gym.  I love it and feel great once I'm going, but it's getting there that's 90% of my battle.  

July is going to be a busy month for me with 2 straight weeks of all day classes...  It's a perfect time to start throwing out excuses, but I'm determined not to do that.  

So, my goal for July?  Complete at least 50 miles through walking outside, at the gym, or on the elliptical.  Easy right?!?  It actually should be considering a typical trip to the gym consists of at least 5 miles.  I'm going to keep track of my workout mileage on my iPod and hopefully this time next month will have some good news and success to share with you!  

Fashion Friday: Vacation Wear

My vacation this summer ended up being a last minute trip to visit a close friend.  Within that vacation, we took a road trip to the West Coast and I really didn't know what to expect.  With packing, I pretty much stuck with simple tees that would be cute and comfortable for whatever activities.  I wanted to share what I packed for my week long trip.  I've always been an over-packer, so I had more than what I needed, but it all fit perfectly in my suitcase with room to spare.

1 & 4 - These are the J.Crew Factory textured Charley sweaters and I absolutely love them.  I didn't end of wearing either of them, but still think they were a good "just in case."

2 - My colorblock tee has made quite a few appearances on here...  It's cute, comfy, and soooo versatile!

3, 5, & 6 - Gap's "Essential" tees are probably my most worn item these days.  I wore these tees with my black maxi skirt and a jacket for my airplane rides.

7 - This Aerie tee is another cute, slouchy tee that's comfortable without being too sloppy.  I wore this one on one of our long driving days.

8 - I'm so happy I was able to snag this striped tee from Gap last month.  The minty embellishment by the neckline steps it up a notch from just a basic striped tee and it was pretty much the most dressed up I got during the week.

9 - I used to be a huge sucker for graphic tees, but don't really buy them much these days.  They're still great for those casual days when you want something a little more interesting than a basic t-shirt.

10 - Since the high temps were forecasted to be in the lower 70's, I decided to toss in a basic cardigan so that I had something to keep me warm that wasn't just a hoodie.

11 - These Aerie tees are so stinkin' soft.  The charcoal gray is a toned-down alternative to all of my other bright tees.  

12 - A lightweight basic hoodie was another essential for this trip.  I'm pretty sure I wore it almost everyday of my trip!

For bottoms, I kept it pretty basic with 2 pairs of AE boyfit jeans, a pair of black cropped pants, a black maxi skirt, and some denim shorts.  I wore the skirt on my airplane days (which was so comfy) and didn't end up wearing the shorts at all since it was pretty cool most of the time.  I wanted everything to be very easy to mix and match and I think I totally achieved that.

What do you pack for a casual vacation?  
What are your must have clothing items for summer travel?

Summer Vacation

One of the biggest perks to being a teacher is that I get about a 2 1/2 month break off from work.  Although I'm taking quite a few classes throughout the summer, I still managed to have a lot of free time for some fun.  

I ended up going on a slightly last minute trip to Washington last week.  One of my best friends moved back there a couple years ago and between my teaching schedule and his job with the military it hasn't worked for me to go out there until now.  He's made it back to KS a few times, but I was itching to go out there and see a new part of the country!  We found that we had some common time off and so I booked flights and was off on my adventure about a week and a half later!  (If you know me and how much of a planner I can be you know that going on a BIG vacation "last minute" like that is kind of crazy for me!)

I ended up going on a trip within a trip as we ended up going out to the coast to spend a few days at the beach.  I've never actually been to the beach / ocean before and this was also the first time I've traveled west of Colorado!

Oh my gosh, I love it out there!  First of all, I escaped KS just in time for the first wave of hot summer weather to hit.  In fact, I was actually a little under-prepared for the cooler temperatures along the beach.  It was lovely, though, and the perfect spot for my summer vacation.

I pretty much got to see the entire state of Washington from the eastern edge all the way out of west to the coast.  We spent some time visiting several of the parks and even a couple rain forests!  It was definitely a welcome change in scenery for this KS girl!

We stopped in Seattle on my last full day out there.  I didn't get to see much of the city (my friend that I was visiting isn't all that familiar with the Seattle area anyway), but it great to get out there anyway.  I can add that to my list of big cities I've been to now!

7 days sounds like a long time, but I would have stayed out there much longer if I could have.  It was absolutely beautiful and of course it was wonderful getting to spend some good, quality time with one of my best friends.  I think there are already some plans in the works for me to make another trip out that direction (hopefully sooner than later)!

And one last photo...  I'm a HUGE "Back to the Future" fan, so it totally made my day getting to see this DeLorean on the highway in Seattle.  Yes, it's complete with the OUTATME license plate just like in the movie!  My friend made sure to speed up so that I could snap some pics!

Best & Worst

Although it's already been about a month since school ended, I'm just now getting around to posting about it.  The end of the school year is always a little bittersweet...  I love my job, but I also love having a summer vacation to re-energize and prepare for a new school year.  I think one of my favorite things about teaching is that I get a fresh start each school year.  I enjoy having the freedom to change things up and have a fresh start with a new group of kiddos each year.  

 I thought I'd take a little time to go back and reflect on how this past school year went.  During the last week of school I had my students discuss and vote on the best and worst things about third grade.  I figured I'd do the same thing.

The worst...

• My class this past year was very needy.  I had 13 boys and only 5 girls.  My boys were criers.  We're talking tears everyday from 8 and 9 year old boys.  It was very taxing at times and I feel like a lot of time was wasted dealing with their tears.  I can be a pretty sympathetic person at times, but I was totally and completely over it by the end of the year.
• I missed A LOT of school days.  I'm on a lot of teams and committees with my school, which I really do enjoy, but for some reason this year it took me out of the classroom a ton.  I looked back and saw that I missed a total of 24 days of school this year.  23.5 of those days were professional days and the one half day that I did take as personal was to attend a funeral.  I spent soooooo many hours creating sub plans this year!
• I didn't quite feel like I was on my "A game" all year.  I started out the school year on fire.  I kept up with everything and really felt good about the year.  That started slipping around October (when I started having to miss days and took on after school tutoring) and felt like the rest of the year I was just working to keep my head above water.  I think in a lot of ways I've learned from this and know what needs to be done next year to stay afloat a bit better.

And now for the best!

• I had a really sweet class.  Despite their neediness, I really did love this group of kids.  It's amazing how they can completely drive you up a wall, but they're still just so sweet (and usually well-meaning) that you can't help but still love them at the end of the day.
• I loved my after school tutoring kids.  Adding an extra hour to my work day is totally exhausting, but the 10 kids that I had for reading and math tutoring after school were really good kids and very hard workers.  It totally made that extra hour not all that bad after all.
• I had some really supportive parents this year.  With all of the needs of my students, I really feel blessed to say that I had a lot of support from parents this year.  I had a few really tough kids and some of them had the kindest and most supportive parents that recognized how much I was trying to help their child succeed.  Having the support of parents make such a huge difference!

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Now that things are starting to settle down, I should be back into posting at least a few times a week!  

What were your best and worst things about this past school year!?!