March 18, 2016 was perhaps the most bittersweet day of my entire life. Because that was the day that I officially resigned from my job as a high school English and journalism teacher. To be fair, I've been on maternity leave since February 2015, and while my husband and I made this decision a while ago, I wanted time to process before we made it officially official. But now, it's officially official, and I won't be going back to teaching next year.
I am ecstatic that I get to continue being a stay-at-home-mom to Henry and working my KEEP Collective business. Knowing that I'll get to spend each day with Henry makes me smile more than anything. But I am utterly crushed about not teaching my amazing students anymore.
People often think high school teachers are crazy. I willingly walked in to a school of thousands of high schoolers every day?! On purpose?! Yes. Because they are incredible human beings. They can teach you about kindness, trust, love, faith, and dreams. They can teach you about never giving up, overcoming obstacles, and incredible perseverance. And they'll make you smile. A lot.
I can't even begin to recount all my stories from ten years of teaching (one year in middle school, nine years in high school!)! I've had students flip desks in anger, laugh until they cried, confess serious secrets, gleefully tell me about college acceptance letters, lift each other up when things were really, really sad, and hug it out after they thought they'd never patch up a rift. I've gone to more talent shows, concerts, proms, graduations, plays, sporting events, and showcases than I could ever count. I've had really hard days that made me cry (and drink wine) and really amazing days that made me feel like I was doing exactly what I was meant to do. I wouldn't trade a single moment or a single memory for anything.
To my students: Thank you for teaching me more than I could have ever taught you. Thank you for reminding me to be open and loving and patient. I feel like I'll be the most excellent mom of teenagers because of you. You have been the greatest joy to me. And if you walked away from my classroom with anything, I hope it's that you knew you were safe and heard and loved in that room. English teaching aside, I hope you know how much I care about each and every one of you. If you took away some English and journalism lessons, that's just icing on the cake to me.
To my coworkers: Thank you for being my friends and work family. Nine years of working alongside of all of you daily has made me a better person. I truly believe LPHS has some of the most amazing, loving, talented, incredible teachers I've ever known. Keep fighting the good fight! Those kids need you.
There's honestly so much more I want to say, but I just don't even think I have the words yet. They'll come, slowly, I'm sure, as time passes. And when they do, I'll write them here and in emails and letters to the people who need to hear them. I will miss teaching with every fiber of my being. But teaching will still be there three, five, or ten years from now, and I take comfort in knowing this break is just that - a break.
Because part of my heart will always be in room 4.19.
The day I resigned from teaching
Saturday, February 27, 2016
It's been an insane month around here. I got an unfortunate bout of the stomach flu. Then Henry got croup. Then Dan came down with a cold. And then Henry got an ear infection. Non. Stop. Illness around here. So, suffice it to say we haven't been doing a whole lot of errand running.
To be completely honest, errand running is just plain tough with a one-year-old. We're in. We get what we need. We're out. There's not a lot of lingering. And there's absolutely zero percent chance of us trying anything on in the store. So, Stitch Fix has become even more of a lifesaver than it was before! I'm totally willing to spend a little more on clothing if it means I don't have to leave my bedroom to do it!
If you don't know about Stitch Fix (<--Referral link!), let me give you a little rundown. Stitch Fix is a clothing subscription service, and you decide how frequently, or infrequently, you'd like a shipment. You'll fill out a detailed style profile about your sizes, style preferences, and budget (and it's super fun to fill out the profile to see what your style preferences are!).
Then, you decide when you'd like to receive a shipment! Stitch Fix will send you five clothing items or accessories to try on in your own home! This is perfect for seeing if the pieces you receive will work with the pieces you already have. Your Fix also arrives with detailed styling cards to give you ideas of how to wear each item. Each Fix costs $20, but the fee is credited toward anything you decide to keep. When you've decided what you don't want, you simply check out online and mail the items back in the prepaid mailing envelope. If you keep everything, you score a 25% discount! I love that I can work with my current wardrobe to see what will work best with what I already have.
And, if someone signs up through your referral link, you get a $25 credit to use toward your next purchase!
You can see my previous Fixes here:
For my most recent Fix, Serena was my stylist again. Serena is the bomb.com! She really listens to my specifications and works hard to stay within my budget (AKA as inexpensive as possible). This time, I asked for function and fashion for a mom on the go. And Serena totally delivered! What do I keep? What do I send back? Help!
1. Octavia Madison Polka Dot Infinity Scarf, $28
2, 41 Hawthorn Lisbon Stud Detail Blouse, $58
This shirt reminds me of the Pomelo 3/4 length sleeve top from Fix #6 (and I loved that shirt so much, I kept it!)! The details are me - I love the studs, and the sleeve length is perfect, but I'm not sure that this color is me. What do you think? Can I pull off this pink?
3.RD Style Nani Side Slit Pullover Sweater, $68
Not going to lie, if I was planning to breastfeed for quite a bit longer, I would look at this sweater as more of a contender because it's slit so far up the sides, it would make super easy access for feeding my bambino! But, I'm not sure I can buy it based on just that. :) I like the stripes, but overall, the sweater seems just a bit too big and bulky. Plus, I can't decide what you wear under it with those giant high side slits!
4. Loveappella Evie Draw String Funnel Neck Sweatshirt, $64
5. Rune Winnie Legging, $48
The leggings are cute, but what you can't see is that the waist band gaps on me, so it wouldn't be smooth under something tight, so unfortunately, those are getting automatically knocked out. But this sweatshirt... I think I kind of love it! It's a great color, and the neckline is so fun! The sleeves are slightly short on me, but it doesn't bother me so much. I feel like I could throw this on with jeans or leggings and be ready to head out the door!
So what do you think? What would you keep if you were me? What would definitely get sent back? Would LOVE your feedback, sweet readers!
To be completely honest, errand running is just plain tough with a one-year-old. We're in. We get what we need. We're out. There's not a lot of lingering. And there's absolutely zero percent chance of us trying anything on in the store. So, Stitch Fix has become even more of a lifesaver than it was before! I'm totally willing to spend a little more on clothing if it means I don't have to leave my bedroom to do it!
If you don't know about Stitch Fix (<--Referral link!), let me give you a little rundown. Stitch Fix is a clothing subscription service, and you decide how frequently, or infrequently, you'd like a shipment. You'll fill out a detailed style profile about your sizes, style preferences, and budget (and it's super fun to fill out the profile to see what your style preferences are!).
Then, you decide when you'd like to receive a shipment! Stitch Fix will send you five clothing items or accessories to try on in your own home! This is perfect for seeing if the pieces you receive will work with the pieces you already have. Your Fix also arrives with detailed styling cards to give you ideas of how to wear each item. Each Fix costs $20, but the fee is credited toward anything you decide to keep. When you've decided what you don't want, you simply check out online and mail the items back in the prepaid mailing envelope. If you keep everything, you score a 25% discount! I love that I can work with my current wardrobe to see what will work best with what I already have.
And, if someone signs up through your referral link, you get a $25 credit to use toward your next purchase!
You can see my previous Fixes here:
For my most recent Fix, Serena was my stylist again. Serena is the bomb.com! She really listens to my specifications and works hard to stay within my budget (AKA as inexpensive as possible). This time, I asked for function and fashion for a mom on the go. And Serena totally delivered! What do I keep? What do I send back? Help!
1. Octavia Madison Polka Dot Infinity Scarf, $28
This scarf is kind of adorable, and I love that I could wear it with so many things. It would look great with a tone-on-tone chambray shirt, or, it could easily pair with a white v-neck for an easy, on the go look. Infinity scarfs are kind of my jam anyway, so I like this a lot!
2, 41 Hawthorn Lisbon Stud Detail Blouse, $58
3.RD Style Nani Side Slit Pullover Sweater, $68
4. Loveappella Evie Draw String Funnel Neck Sweatshirt, $64
5. Rune Winnie Legging, $48
So what do you think? What would you keep if you were me? What would definitely get sent back? Would LOVE your feedback, sweet readers!
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
I am super behind in posting my most recent Stitch Fix! So behind, in fact, that I have another on the docket soon, so I HAVE to get this one up first!
If you don't know about Stitch Fix (<--Referral link!), let me give you a little rundown. Stitch Fix is a clothing subscription service, and you decide how frequently, or infrequently, you'd like a shipment. You'll fill out a detailed style profile about your sizes, style preferences, and budget (and it's super fun to fill out the profile to see what your style preferences are!).
Then, you decide when you'd like to receive a shipment! Stitch Fix will send you five clothing items or accessories to try on in your own home! This is perfect for seeing if the pieces you receive will work with the pieces you already have. Your Fix also arrives with detailed styling cards to give you ideas of how to wear each item. Each Fix costs $20, but the fee is credited toward anything you decide to keep. When you've decided what you don't want, you simply check out online and mail the items back in the prepaid mailing envelope. If you keep everything, you score a 25% discount! I love that I can work with my current wardrobe to see what will work best with what I already have.
And, if someone signs up through your referral link, you get a $25 credit to use toward your next purchase!
You can see my previous Fixes here:
For my most recent Fix, I had a new stylist, Serena! I had some specific requests - I received this Fix just before I headed to Napa, California for three days for KEEP's Director's Summit, and I wanted to have some items that would take me from conference room to winery (just in case that happened!)!
1. Kut from the Kloth Rose Bootcut Pant $78
2. Skies are Blue Craige Embellished V-Neck Blouse $54
If I were still teaching, these pants would have been an no brainer, because they are FABULOUS work pants! They were buttery soft and fit so well! But, since me opportunity to wear these beauties wouldn't come around often, I had to pass on them.
And the top. Eh. I loved the jewel tone blue, and the sleeve length is my preferred length, but it was a little boxy and lacked some fun details. So alas, this went back in the box too!
If you don't know about Stitch Fix (<--Referral link!), let me give you a little rundown. Stitch Fix is a clothing subscription service, and you decide how frequently, or infrequently, you'd like a shipment. You'll fill out a detailed style profile about your sizes, style preferences, and budget (and it's super fun to fill out the profile to see what your style preferences are!).
Then, you decide when you'd like to receive a shipment! Stitch Fix will send you five clothing items or accessories to try on in your own home! This is perfect for seeing if the pieces you receive will work with the pieces you already have. Your Fix also arrives with detailed styling cards to give you ideas of how to wear each item. Each Fix costs $20, but the fee is credited toward anything you decide to keep. When you've decided what you don't want, you simply check out online and mail the items back in the prepaid mailing envelope. If you keep everything, you score a 25% discount! I love that I can work with my current wardrobe to see what will work best with what I already have.
And, if someone signs up through your referral link, you get a $25 credit to use toward your next purchase!
You can see my previous Fixes here:
For my most recent Fix, I had a new stylist, Serena! I had some specific requests - I received this Fix just before I headed to Napa, California for three days for KEEP's Director's Summit, and I wanted to have some items that would take me from conference room to winery (just in case that happened!)!
1. Kut from the Kloth Rose Bootcut Pant $78
2. Skies are Blue Craige Embellished V-Neck Blouse $54
If I were still teaching, these pants would have been an no brainer, because they are FABULOUS work pants! They were buttery soft and fit so well! But, since me opportunity to wear these beauties wouldn't come around often, I had to pass on them.
And the top. Eh. I loved the jewel tone blue, and the sleeve length is my preferred length, but it was a little boxy and lacked some fun details. So alas, this went back in the box too!
3. 41 Hawthorn McQue Solid Lace Sleeve Blouse $48
I kind of loved this shirt on sight, because it has pretty sleeve details but isn't over the top fancy. I can wear it with jeans when I'm out and about with Henry, or I can add statement jewelry and really dress it up for a night out. Shirts like this are my jam, so this was an easy one for me! Kept!
4. Renee C Roma Printed Skirt $54
This skirt was all kinds of adorable (not with this top, but, just in general!), and it's something I contemplated for awhile. I could wear it to events, but it's too distinct to wear too often, and I wasn't sure I'd get enough use out of it, so, alas, it went back to Stitch Fix too!
5. 41 Hawthorn Abrianna Longsleeve Knit Cardigan $48
If ever there was an item that came in a Stitch Fix that was me, it was this super lightweight cardigan. I mean, the burgundy! The fact that I could throw it on over anything! The gorgeousness! But it's SO me that I have about a half dozen more of these in various colors in my closet already! So while I loved it, it went back too!
So, that was my Napa Fix! For my next one, I've asked for casual, fashionable clothing that will transition from playing with Henry to running errands around town to dinners out with girlfriends, so I can't wait to see what they come up with! :D
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Somehow, and don't ask me how, I find myself the mother of a one-year-old. I honestly don't know how this happened. I sort of feel like I blinked and we ended up here. One. Our baby is one. And it went so darn fast.
Being a mom has taught me so much.
It's taught me to slow down and enjoy the little moments, like when Henry reaches up and touches my face, or when he gives me the sweetest little smile when I go in to pick him up from his nap.
It's taught me to focus on the things, and people, that really matter and to forget the things that don't. The important things get done. The unimportant things don't.
It's taught me to see the beauty in learning. I'd be lying if I didn't say that my heart absolutely swells when Henry crawls over to a book and then looks back at me as to say, "Mom, come read this!"
It's taught me to see a new, amazing side in my incredible husband. I don't tell him enough how wonderful he is and how grateful I am for all that he does for our family. When he looks at Henry, or, when Henry looks at him, it's love. I never knew love was visible until I saw it between them.
It's taught me to balance, or, at least attempt to find balance. Being a mom doesn't mean doing it all. It means doing what counts. And sometimes, that means taking an extra second for myself (and sanity!) in the morning, or staying up a little late to have some one-on-one time with Dan.
The incredible Kaity Fuja at OMG Photography has documented our first year's journey with Henry. These moments, these pictures, are priceless, and I'm so thrilled we'll always have them to cherish.
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Fast forward 11 months. My stay-at-home-mom gig has turned in to a work-at-home-mom gig as I've joined (and LOVE) helping people tell their stories with KEEP Collective. But even before joining KEEP, the thought of having time to read and make dinner and redecorate is laughable.
I'm sure there are many, mythical babies out there who take regular naps daily, but our sweet son is not one of them. Some days, I get a long nap out of him in the morning. Some days, it's in the afternoon. Some days, it's not at all. So some days, I'm highly productive. And other days... we just get through the day.
But as a type-A mom, I still need some sort of semblance in our day. I need to feel like I have a bit of a schedule, even if there's chaos and changes and unbalance. So here are my tips for making it through the day (or most days) with your sanity.
Make some sort of schedule. For me, this is a load of laundry and coffee every morning. I know how trivial that might sound. But getting a load of laundry in first thing in the morning makes me feel like no matter what else happens during the day, I at least got a load of laundry done. Something gets accomplished every day! And the coffee is clearly just survival for momma.
And while I never know what the day will bring, we do try to accomplish the same activities on the same days every week. We grocery shop on Mondays or Tuesdays. We go to a class on Thursdays. We try to plan a play date or errand on Wednesdays and Fridays. It's not hugely structured, but it's a structure of sorts, and that makes me feel like we have it a bit more together.
Focus on the did-dos. This is an idea I took from another blog months ago. Stop focusing on what you're not getting done, and focus on what you do get done every day. I played with the baby! We read a lot of books! We had three meals and two snacks! That laundry got folded and put away! I made our grocery list!
Get out of the house. There's something incredibly draining about being in the same place all day. There are only so many times we can read books, play with blocks, chase our wind up cars, crawl race down the hall, etc. We NEED some variety. And for us, that's trying to get out of the house (at least, when weather allows!). It doesn't have to be anything huge. A trip to the post office. A Target run for supplies. A visit to the library. SOMETHING to get us out and entertained! Getting out of the house breaks up the monotony and gives me something to look forward to. Plus, we usually get errands accomplished (bonus!)!
Don't get caught up in the little things. I try hard to do other things during the day. Organize the toy room during naps. Get a few emails sent. Fold said laundry I washed in the morning. It doesn't always happen. But when it doesn't, I try really hard not to beat myself up about it. First and foremost, my most important job is taking care of Henry. Everything else can wait.
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Waiting until I was 31 to get married had its perks. I purchased a house. Got my Master's degree. Traveled. Filled said house with memories, photos, and items.
And then I met Dan, and it all fell in to place. We made this house our home. Traveled. Combined our entire lives. Filled said house with a LOT of duplicates of items.
And thus, here we are, three years after he's moved in, and a lot of that stuff remains. We've had two semi-successful garage sales in the past few years, but we've been left with items each time. And thinking we would sell them at the next garage sale, we've held on to them.
But now, we've acquired a baby, and all of the baby things and OHMYGOSH they have a lot of THINGS. So we're at that critical point where we NEED to get rid of the old to make room for the new.
So what's the plan?
Donate.
We've literally held on to an old crock pot, toaster, and phone for years thinking we would eventually sell them at a garage sale. We haven't. Is it worth it to me to hold on to it for another year to see if we can sell them for a dollar or two each? It's not. I would so much rather donate those items to someone who can really use them. So we called St. Vincent DePaul. Why that organization? Because they're coming to our home to collect it all. I don't have to load up the car with our baby child and all of our belongings and schlep it somewhere. It'll be gone right from our home, and that makes me hap, hap, happy!
Resell.
There are a few items that we'd really like to sell because they're in great shape (think, an entertainment unit we're no longer using and a CD tower that we don't need). But, we don't want to wait until we have another garage sale. So, we're utilizing a local Facebook selling group to post these items! This way, I can get rid of some of our bigger ticket items and make a little in the process.
Don't let the clutter in.
I'm notorious for having organized clutter. We acquire something and I stack or shove it somewhere so that it looks organized. This year, I'm trying really hard not to do that. If we get something new, it's going to find it's permanent home immediately. No more artfully stacked piles on the kitchen table or bedroom dresser. We put it in its forever home, or it doesn't stay!
Follow the Declutter 365 Facebook group.
I love, love, love this group, because the organizer has broken everything down in to tasks that can be accomplished in 15 minutes a day. Today's task? Go through your kitchen utensils and purge the ones you don't need. So, like, those 18 wooden spoons we have on the counter? Today's goal is to work that down to, oh, I don't know, 10 (because really, will we EVER need more than 10 wooden spoons at any one time?!). This is something I can easily do once Henry is in bed for the night, and after 15 minutes, I get to stop and relax for the evening. Wins for all of us!
What are your best tips for purging the junk? How do you get rid of it when it seems like there's just. So. Much?
Friday, January 1, 2016
A new year always brings so much excitement with it. A fresh start, a chance to try to be a little better, a time to do a little more. 2015 was easily the most amazing and sleep deprived year of my entire life. And so when I started thinking about resolutions, that seemed like a lofty goal. Resolutions feel designed to fail for so many reasons. But I kind of love the idea of having a particular focus.
I polled my Facebook friends this year and asked if they had to come up with a one-word mantra for 2016, what would it be? Their words were powerful: Inspire. Simplify. Trust. Joy. Words that would be meaningful and rejuvenating all in one!
And thus, I decided on my word for 2016: Thrive. I toyed around with others: Flourish. Passion. Savor. But I kept coming back to thrive.
The first year of parenthood is hard. It's wonderful. But it's so flippin' hard. But it's so flippin' amazing too. And I want to do more than simply "survive" it. I want to THRIVE.
I want to thrive as a mom. I want to be loving and innovative and give Henry good, positive energy.
I want to thrive as a wife. I want to be loving and strong and supportive and let Dan know I'm the luckiest woman in the world because I got him as a husband.
I want to thrive in our home. I want to get it organized and decluttered and beautified so that our home becomes a sanctuary and not just a place to put all of the things.
I want to thrive in my business. I want to work hard and help people tell their stories and support my team and help them achieve their goals too all while working at home.
I want to thrive as a friend. I want to get back to making the out-of-the-blue phone calls and really making time for the people who matter so much in our lives.
Generally speaking, I just want to thrive in all things! So where am I starting?
1. Take a few minutes for yourself every day.
My sister-in-law got me an awesome journal I'd been looking at on Amazon - Mom's One Line a Day. It's a five year journal where I can record just a sentence or two a day about what Henry is up to. I've always been an avid journaler, but I've stopped in recent years, and I look forward to starting back up, even if just in a small way. I also picked up an awesome daily devotional I'm going to read. Just one or two pages a day - less than five minutes. But it'll be something to make sure I'm thriving first before I spread the thrive around!
2. Simplifying and organizing.
Much of my thrive gets sucked in to the daily monotony. Cleaning up. Laundry. Looking for something I need and can't find. So this year I intend to make our home thrive too! I found the Declutter 365 Facebook group and signed up for the mailing list. Each month, the site owner puts out a declutter calendar. Each day's task only takes 15 minutes, but the goal is to have an organized home by the end of the year. I can commit to 15 minutes a day!
3. Be in the moment.
A multi-tasker at heart, I'm the queen of trying to do a million things at once. In order to thrive, I'm going to focus on what's in front of me. Live in the moment. Be present. Savor where I'm at.
Do you have a mantra for 2016? Or a New Year's Resolution you've committed to? Share it in the comments!
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