Sunday Social

It's Sunday, so you know what that means...  Sunday Social!

This week's theme is that there pretty much isn't a theme.  Here goes!

What is one movie you are terrified to watch?

I wouldn't say I'm scared of any particular movies, but I'm not really a fan of horror movies.  I once had a guy bring a stack of horror movies to my house for a movie night...  Not necessarily my idea of a good time.

What is one TV show you've wanted to get into but haven't?

I used to really like the show "Army Wives," but then I think it was during the third season stopped watching consistently and have not been able to get back into it since.  I actually won't allow myself to watch it anymore until I catch up.  Is that weird?!?  I seriously need to watch like 5 seasons or something.

I guess as far as shows I've never really given a chance to are "The Walking Dead" and "Duck Dynasty."  Everyone talks about those shows, but I just haven't given them a chance!

What is one daring activity on your bucket list?

Okay, I'm going to be super lame and say that I really don't have any "daring" things on my bucket list.  I'm just kinda boring like that.

Would you ever travel alone?

I would (and have) traveled from Point A to Point B on my own, but I don't think I could just do an entire vacation by myself.  I have to say that the actually getting there by myself is a little less stressful than when traveling with others, but once I get to my destination I'd prefer to have friends to hang out with.

What activities do you like to do alone?
I prefer shopping alone most of the time.  I don't completely dislike shopping with friends (sometimes I really love having the company), but sometimes I can be really indecisive and just need tons of time to be that way.  I was that girl that went prom dress shopping on my own and was perfectly happy that way.

Fashion Friday: Visions of Spring

I get almost excited about spring clothes as I do for fall.  Almost.  

Anyway, I'm really liking the trends I'm seeing for this spring and have been tempted by so much cute items in stores.  I thought I'd keep this short and sweet today and just share with you a few of my favorite spring outfit inspirations!

Source: stylishpetite.com on Pinterest

How simple and cute is this outfit? It makes me feel like I need a bright skirt like that!

Source: sofiex3.tumblr.com on Pinterest

I really want to try this whole chambray shirt and dress combo, but I'm not sure I have any dresses that are the right shape to pull this off. It also tempts me to get a lighter chambray shirt... Just say no!

Source: rdujour.com on Pinterest

This pin is further proof that my $3 fuchsia Gap pants were a good investment.

Source: gap.com on Pinterest

Oh, Gap, why must you continue to have such wonderful goodies!?!

Trends I'm Loving:

• Sunwashed neons - They're bright without being too crazy.  Gap and Target have a lot of really great items that have this look and feel.
• Stripes - These are just a year-round fave and can be paired with so many items!
• Polka dots - I've recently concluded that I need more polka dots in my life (um, wardrobe).  
• Cute dresses - I love dresses and I get a total urge to buy them this time of year.  I have a lot of LBDs, so I'm hoping to find some more colorful dresses this season.
• Brights and neutrals - I love having one piece that is a bold pop of color and letting that item stand out from the rest of the outfit.  

What trends are you loving for spring?  

60 Minutes of Whole Group Reading

We're currently in the second year of implementation of Literacy First.  To sum it up as simply as can be, we have a lot of assessments and our instruction is divided between 60 minute block for whole group reading and another 60 minutes of work stations (centers and small group instruction).  

I decided I'd tell you a little bit about what my whole group reading block looks like.  In future posts I'll provide more detail on what each of those components look like and the activities we do each week.

Language / Grammar - 10 minutes

Vocabulary - 15 minutes

Word Wall - 10 minutes

Fluency - 10 minutes

Teacher Read Aloud - 15 minutes

Of course some days we devote a little extra time to one component over another, but for the most part, the goal is to hit each one fairly equally.  Thankfully, my schedule this year allows for a little extra time after our designated hour.  At the beginning of the year we always went over our 60 minutes, but now that we have routines and procedures established we're a lot better at sticking to our pacing.  

Next week I'll share what our language and grammar time looks like.  I have to confess this is a really hard thing for me to cram into such a small amount of time each day, but we make it work!

Happy Thursday!

Makeup Shopping Ban (And What I'm Currently Using!)

I've mentioned on my Budgeting Bloggers posts that I'm currently on a self-imposed makeup shopping ban.  I decided to do this starting at the beginning of the new year and originally didn't have a set timeline for the ban.  I recently decided to shoot for 100 days (April 10) or whenever Sephora runs their spring VIB sale.  

Makeup shopping has become one of my weaknesses, especially in the last year and a half since Ulta and Sephora moved in nearby.  One of the biggest things that I wanted to get out of this shopping ban was to work through some of the products I already own and better decide on some of the items that I would eventually like to add to my collection.  I want to eliminate my impulse buys when shopping for makeup.

Current Makeup Routine featuring clinique

This is a sampling of some of the products I've been reaching for on a daily basis lately. These are also the products I took with me when I went on vacation a while back.  It's pretty much what I need for a normal day of going to work or when I want to look a little nicer without going too over the top.

Top to bottom...

I've really been liking my ELF blush and bronzer duo lately and it's a steal at only $3.  This one has a very good likelihood of getting repurchased eventually.

I have yet to actually purchase an eye shadow primer on its own...  I have so many minis and samples to get through.  I'm currently using (and liking) the Too Faced Shadow Insurance.  

Rimmel's Stay Matte pressed powder was an item I decided to try based on reviews I'd seen online.  I think I'm on my 3rd one, so I guess that means I like it!  The quality is really good and it only costs about $4,

I picked up a mini of the Urban Decay DeSlick spray last summer before my friend's wedding and then decided I liked it enough to get the XL bottle on Haute Look.  I'm just now finishing up the XL bottle.  I've been using this as my primer and setting spray.  

Mascara is another product I've not actually purchased alone in over a year...  I've got so many minis!  The one I'm currently using is Tarte's Gifted mascara.  I've never bought a high-end mascara on its own, but this is one that may tempt me because it really makes my tiny lashes look nice!

I've had this Clinique All About Eyes concealer for so long and it doesn't even look like I've made a dent in the tube!  It's a pretty decent concealer, but I think I may try a few others before repurchasing this one.  

I've got 3 little sample bottles of Benefit's Girl Meets Pearl highlighter, so I won't need to buy any highlighting products for a while.  A little goes a long way, but I do really like how this brightens me up.  I skip this step when I'm pressed for time, but I do like the effect that this highlighter gives.

I have a major addiction to neutral eye shadows, but I really like my Urban Decay Naked 2 palette.  I still have a lot of other neutrals I'm trying to use up, but this is definitely the one that travels with me now

Revlon's Color Stay foundation has redeemed my faith in drugstore foundations!  I've been using this since last fall and I'm hoping that I'll continue to love it during the warmer months!

I'd never really paid attention to the brand NYX until I started seeing positive reviews on You Tube.  I've picked up a few of the lip glosses and have found myself using them on a daily basis!

I still love my Revlon Lip Butters and wear one almost daily as well.

I have 3 mini pots of Benefit's Erase Paste concealer (it came in a set with the primer I'd been using) and have enjoyed it more than I thought I initially would.  It works really well with my Colorstay foundation and Rimmel powder at hiding spots.

***

What items are currently part of your makeup routine?  

Do you have any suggestions on must-have items I should check out when my ban is over?

Sunday Social

Click here to visit this week's link up!

It's time to link up over at A Complete Waste of Makeup for this week's Sunday Social.  I've skipped the past could weeks (Valentine's theme = gag and then I was on vacation last weekend), so it's good to be back and linking up with everyone!

This week's theme surrounds around the number 

5

• 5 songs you'll listen to the rest of your life:


• "You Get What You Give" - New Radicals
• "The Power of Love" - Huey Lewis & the News
• "Ordinary World" - Duran Duran
• "Let's Go" - Wang Chung 
• "You're My Best Friend" - Queen

• 5 things on your bucket list:
• Get married
• Have a few kids
• Own a home
• Travel to Europe
• Complete some sort of further education

• 5 celebs you'd like to hang out with for the day:
• Jason Bateman
• Ryan Gosling
• Jennifer Garner
• Drew Barrymore
• Betty White

• 5 things you always carry in your purse:
• Driver's license
• Debit card
• Some sort of lip product
• Mascara
• Phone / iPod

• 5 books on your reading list:
• Something Blue
• The Help
• Always Looking Up:  The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist
• Dear John
• The Lovely Bones

• The last 5 pictures on your phone camera:  

My phone was having memory issues, so I actually deleted pretty much all of my photos yesterday...  So, I'll show you some that were on my camera from my trip to Texas last weekend!

My friend David and me at the Alamo...  I totally wish this guy didn't live way out on the west coast because he's one of my besties!

Funny story...  We were walking around before dinner and of the restaurant hosts complimented my friend Arvin on his scarf.  I have to admit I was a little offended that my scarf wasn't complimented!  I'm pretty sure the guy was hitting on my friend though!

We wandered around San Antonio at night.  This is when things were happy and fun and before we thought we were going to die or get mugged by a mob of homeless people.  It was an adventure!

We visited the Alamo, but didn't do the whole tour thing.  It was pretty cool to see since I hadn't been there before!

A monument outside of the Alamo...  For some reason I really like how this picture turned out!

February Birchbox

My February Birchbox was "snowed in" for a couple days due to the storms in the NE, so I got it a little later than normal.  It also arrived when I was getting ready to go out of town, so my post is kind of on the late side as well.  

This month's box was pretty decent.  I feel like I'll actually get good use out of everything in there, which is always a plus!

Color Club Nail Polish in "Wild Cactus" - Since emerald is the color of the year, I wasn't too shocked to get something in that hue.  This is a really pretty green nail polish.  Totally not one that I would buy, which makes it even more fun to get in my box.  I've been happy with all of my Color Club polishes, so I'm excited to give this one a go!

Lancome Le Base Pro Makeup Primer - This is something I'm super excited to try!  I've been trying some different primer samples, so I'm very happy to have another one to test out.

Miss Jessie's Original Pillow Soft Curls - I feel like Birchbox pays attention to the fact that I said I have curly hair in my online profile because this is the third or so product specifically for curls.  I was a bit disappointed that this sample wasn't quite as big as the other Miss Jessie sample I got a few months back, but I'm still excited to test this one out!  

Vasenti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator - This is an exfoliating cleanser that I'm also excited to try out.  I like the fact that this sample is an actual bottle that I can take for traveling.  The little foil packets bug me because I can't reseal them!

Ghiradelli Milk & Caramel Square - This was a little bonus treat for the month!  Chocolate and caramel is always a welcome treat!

What was in your February Birchbox?

Budgeting Bloggers ~ February

My challenge for February was not not purchase any new shirts...  I was hoping to keep my budget on the low end.  Ha ha ha!  That lasted for about 2 weeks before it became a BIG FAT EPIC FAIL.

I blame this on several things...

Spring items have been popping into stores and there were some pretty good deals around (especially around President's Day).  Second, I was originally planning on a spring break vacation, but that got moved up to this month, so I decided to go on and buy some things before going on that trip.  (I traveled with 2 guy friends, so I knew vacation shopping was most likely not going to be in the cards this trip.)

J.Crew Factory Colorblock Stripe Boatneck Tee - $30

Image via J.Crew Factory

I bought the retail store version of this tee in navy and orange last month, but when I saw the pink version came back the the J.Crew Factory store this year, I knew I needed it.  Pink and gray / black are just my colors and I felt un-buyers remorse last year after passing this one up.  To my credit, I snatched this one in the last couple days of January.

J.Crew Vintage Cotton Tee - $15

Image via J.Crew

I posted my Winter to Spring Wish List last month and one of the things I mentioned was that I wanted to upgrade my tee collection.  I have a lot of tees, but many of them are in need of retirement.  These Vintage Cotton tees from J.Crew are winners for me, so when they ran 40% off and free shipping I snatched this minty one up (since Gap's minty tees disappeared super fast)!

J.Crew Tippi Sweater - $29

Image via J.Crew

My Tippi sweater addiction may be getting out of hand.  I find them really versatile, though, and so this was another thing I had to grab during J.Crew's sale.  Unfortunately due to the recent Kansas "Snowpocalypse" my J.Crew package has been trapped on a UPS truck here in town for a week!  Ugh!  Hopefully I'll get my stuff soon!

Banana Republic Denim Shirt - $31

Image via Banana Republic

I bought this one two days before the February shirt ban and am so happy I snatched it up!  I used a 40% off coupon and a $10 reward which made this new arrival less than half price!  I have trouble finding button-downs that fit me properly, but this one was just right and a worthy addition to my wardrobe.

Gap Long Sleeve V-Neck Cardigan - $26

Image via Gap

This was my first cheat on the no new tops challenge.  I pretty much love this cardigan and at 40% off, I didn't want to risk it going away.  The weight and color are perfect for spring.

Gap Essential Short Sleeve Crew Tees - 3 for $39
More upgrades to my tee collection!  Gap's tees are really good this year and I was happy to find some stripes!

Abercrombie Alyssa Sweatshirt - $23

Image via Abercrombie / Polyvore

I really wanted this sweatshirt last month, but alas, it wasn't on sale.  I happened to pop back in and it was on sale, with an extra 50% off and the only one left was my size.  I took that as a sign it was meant to be.  :)

Mossimo Supply Co. Lady Satchel - $7 (purchased with birthday money)

Image via Target

I've been looking for a cross body bag for a while (as in a few years), but haven't found one that I love.  I went to Target thinking I would get this polka dot cutie, but when I found this black satchel for just over $7, I knew I had to snatch it up.  

Mossimo Supply Co. Knit Infinity Scarf - $15 (purchased with birthday money)

I have to confess I went to Target 3 days in a row one weekend earlier in the month...  I was tempted by this scarf each time and finally on the third trip I decided to just get it (even though it wasn't on sale) and use my birthday money on it.  Neon purple!?!  Money well spent!

TOMS Silver Crochet Classic - $58

I've had the black crochet TOMS for about 2 years and I love them, so when some new colors came out for spring, I decided that would be worthy shoe purchase.  My mom persuaded me to go with these gray ones (the color is actually called "silver") and I'm so happy with them.  It's a bit of a shoe splurge for me, but very much worth it because I know I'll get a lot of good wear and that they are very comfy.

Zigi Soho "Smokey" Studded Loafers - $13

Image via Famous Footwear

I've loved the studded flats I've been seeing around, but didn't like the price of most of them.  I found these at Famous Footwear and they were marked $14.99, but they had been marked incorrectly.  The sales associate was kind enough to honor that price and I had an e-mail coupon dropping the final price down to $13.  I was pleasantly surprised by how well these fit me and how comfortable they are for all day wear.  Now I can give my other black flats some rest time!

= $264 - $54 Ebates cash back

Total = $210

I do feel a bit guilty about spending chunk and cheating on my no shirts and sweaters thing, but I'm once again very happy with my purchases.  $71 went towards shoes, which is really out of the norm for me.  I typically allot a fraction of my tax refund for extra "fun money" which also takes away a little guilt.  (Especially since my vacation also came in under budget!)

On a positive note:  The no makeup or nail polish thing has been hard for me, but I made it another full month!  It's so tempting, especially since so many new items have come out for spring, but I've survived just fine.

March Budget Plan

I feel like the last few months have been a bit heavy on the spending, so I hope to cut back on things in the next month or two.  Here are my goals for March:

• Work on cleaning out and upgrading my spring and summer shoes.  I have a lot of sandals, but I have a lot that are on their dying days.  I need to clean out the ones that are falling apart so that I can start looking for replacements.
• Continue my ban on makeup shopping.  I decided this month to go for 100 days...  Or until Sephora runs their spring VIB sale.  I've used a pretty good assortment of items and have pinpointed some of the new items I really want to try out when the ban is over.  
• Focus on items I can wear to work.  I've purchased 2 hoodies / sweatshirts in the past 2 months...  This doesn't sound that bad and I do really like both of them a lot, but they're not really things I can dress up for work.  

Don't forget to join me and other budgeting bloggers over at Franish!