juggling act

 
 

 

best friend love.
double duty, getting work done.

sweet pictures of baby niece are the perfect thing to wake up to.

best friend and a little girl time.

good luck wishes for the first day of school.

thanks to my big sissy for writing such a wonderful fall insprired post last week!
(she is really moving and shaking in this blogging world and now is even considering an etsy shop!
mind-blowing. i'm so proud.)
i can't believe that september is right around the corner. or that the first day of school was yesterday! craziness! but more about that on a day that i'm not scarfing down my cereal and drinking my morning cup of coffee by travel mug (such an appealing picture, no?).

needless to say i've been neglectful. but for such wonderful reasons, i promise.
and i'm meaning this in every which way of life, minus school.
sometimes i need to remind myself that this bloggie isn't my full-time job and just a little (HUGE) part of me that i need to somehow fit in to my day to day life.
it's all about juggling right?

guest post >> favorites for fall.

Happy Thursday! M is currently up to her eyeballs in getting her classroom ready for her very first first grade class (so proud), so I'm taking over duties today. I'm sure you've seen me around here before, I'm Kera from Nugget On A Budget. Big sis to M. And sisters gotta support each others' blogs, ya know.

But boy do I have a treat for you today...everything I'm totally into regarding fall wear for moi and for baby girl. Pinterest-style.

Really, who's NOT ready to welcome in fall and leaves changing color and cooler weather? Exactly. So here are a few tidbits of style to make you wanna get your shop on.

For the Mama (with or without baby sidekick)

>> I'm pretty much obsessed with getting myself a great pair of boots and wearing them with everything. And infinity scarves. They dress up any outfit and you can get them at TJMaxx for $10.

                                                                                                                Source: blogging2fun7123.blogspot.com via Murphy on Pinterest

>> This layering combo and the awesome necklace just scream comfy-ness. Although S would have a hay-day with that thing. (Oh and minus the pregnant part...not ready for that just yet!)

                                                                                                                 Source: pinkpistachio.com via Melissa on Pinterest

>> There's the boots obsession again. I love them with the jean jacket and bulky warm scarf.

                                                                                                                      Source: fashionfreax.net via Emery on Pinterest

>> Isn't this blazer great? I love the lace touch. And I love anything with 3/4 sleeves. Not so into those '80s jeans though.

                                                                                                               Source: howtobestunning.blogspot.com via Emery on Pinterest

>> Everything about this outfit is perfect for a cool fall day out shopping or running errands. Boots, a must. Skinny jeans and big long cardigan, definitely. I usually don't wear bracelets or watches, but these can be worn with just about anything.

                                                                                                                Source: ohjoyy.info via Tristan on Pinterest

For the Little Lady

>> Probably the most adorable little girl outfit that I've come across in the past few days. I love the layering for fall and the bloomers + tights combo is just too much.

                                                                                                                                           Source: gap.com via LaFawn on Pinterest

>> I usually would never put S in an all denim outfit (I just feel all that jean material seems so uncomfortable for a baby)...but the stripes, ruffles, and bows make this too adorable.

                                                                                                                                    Source: zulily.com via Anesthasia on Pinterest

>> Classy mary-janes for a classy cutie. Best part? Can be worn with just about anything!

                                                                                                                                    Source: zara.com via Kera on Pinterest

>> My new favorite place for kids' clothing is Zara. They have absolutely lovely things for little girls. Including those shoes above and this dress (come on, how sweet is the detailing at the neck and that bitty belt?) and boots to match below. Now I just wish I could afford them!

                                                                                                                                        Source: zara.com via Kera on Pinterest

>> That dress with these boots and your little one will be the talk of the baby style world. 

                                                                                                                                             Source: zara.com via Kera on Pinterest

That's it! Hope you enjoyed and became just a little bit more excited to dress yourself (and maybe your little one) for this fall season. I don't do style posts very often over at my blog...I'm more into writing about my life and living it up with my baby girl. Like what you see? Stop on by, I always love meeting new friends :)

just keep pinning, just keep pinning

in preparation for the long awaited week before the first week of schools (a.k.a this week! holy cow i cannot believe it is here already!) i began pinning like a mad woman who was hopped up on wayyyyy too much caffeine. and when i say "like a mad woman who was hopped up on wayyyy too much caffeine", in actuality i mean, i was about five cups of coffee deep and/or was sleep deprived and just began pinning like my life depended on it. such is life.

now, i have way too many cool things that i tried out in my room and absolutely adored that i cannot wait to share with you. but, sigh, my tired little brain and my even more tired little body just can't get themselves to cooperate and put together a diy post.
but, i digress, you will indeed get some of these diy posts in the very near future. pinky promise. but in the mean time, you'll get some of my top favorite pins. and some sneak peaks tomorrow (fingers crossed) of what has been going on in my little old first grade classroom.
excited?

source: the first grade parade

cutest little newsletter/ source: tpt

pssttt...hint hint / source: mrs.phippen

source: miss a's kindergarten

 

source: peace love and learning

to follow more of my pins, check out my an apple a day pinboard by clicking on the nice little "p" button on my sidebar

nominated? moi?

i cannot believe it has taken me this long to finally write this post because i was beyond excited when i first heard the news. first hearing it, was out of the mouth of my big sissy over at nugget on a budget when she was nominated herself, twice! how cool and what an amazing honor.
of course i am getting ahead of myself here.
what i am talking about is the Liebster Blog Award!

to give a little 4-1-1 about this very special news, the Liebster Blog Award is for blogs with fewer than two hundred followers (which is this little chickey right here).  it is an amazing way to get to know other blogs, become friends, and support each other in every way.

how it works
- post five random facts about yourself.

- answer the questions the nominator has asked you and ask your own five questions to the people you nominate.

- choose five other deserving blogs with less than two hundred followers to nominate and link to their blogs in our post.

- tell the nominees you have chosen them for this award by leaving a comment on their blogs.

..oh, and no tag backs!

a little bit random but...

1...i hate odd numbers. there is just something about them i just don't like. eating cookies, got to have two or four, never three. a nice even number just makes more sense.

2...i danced from the time i could walk until i graduated from high school. doing so led me to a lot of opportunities including a two week tour in europe performing and taking classes.

3...my very best friend has the exact same name as me.

4...i could never be happier then when i am at home.

5...my favorite color is yellow.

now, questions from my norminator...

1. Who was your favorite athlete in the London 2012 Olympics and why?

hands down, michael phelps. once a phelps phan, always a phelps phan, end of story.

2. In the past year, what was the most expensive item that you splurged on?

my michael kors purse, graduation present to moi.

3. What is you favorite place to visit in the United States and why?

bethany beach, DE. it has been our family vacation spot my entire life and there is no place i would rather be.

4. If you attended college, what did you major in? If not, what made you choose the job that you currently have? (Oh, and being a stay-at-home mom IS a job!)

i majored in elementary education, minor in early childhood education.

5. Why did you decide to start a blog? (Yes I know repeat question, but you have to admit it's interesting!)

i started a blog as a way to get out my thoughts and because i have always loved to write. not to mention i was told that i couldn't do it, and there is nothing more motivating then making the "impossible", possible.

 

and now, my nominees are...

drumroll please

kaitlin leigh

clancy

baylee

sapir

ladies from wardrobes i met and liked
(a special nom to amy..over 200 but i still wanted to nominate you!)

and my questions for my nominees...

1.  why did you decide to start a blog? (i know it is a repeated question but i think it is interesting to hear how people decide to start their blogs)

2.  if you could be one disney character for a day, which would you be and why? (you know you've thought about it)

3.  craziest thing you have ever done. if you had a partner in crime, who was it?

4. guilty pleasure?

5.  what are your top three favorite blogs to read?

and there we have it! if that wasn't a post and a half, i don't know what is.



oh hello, saturday

wait what?
i know what you're thinking. who is this girl and why hasn't she posted on her blog.
i apologize to you all and especially to you, little blog, life has just got me a little frazzled these days. setting up an entire classroom in a two week time period - from scratch - is no small task. it is actually no large task either. if setting up a classroom were a ship it would be the titanic. and i may or may not have just barely missed a few icebergs. so please forgive me if my posts are sporadic, or short, or make no sense, or just end up being a giant jumbled mess. hey, a girl can try.

so, to stay with my theme of doing everything off of the norm, i've got for you today my friday letters...errr...on a saturday.

dear job, thank you. thank you for being in my life for this entire up and coming school year. who would have thought i'd be a full time teacher not even a year after graduating. God is good. bring on the kiddos.

dear blog, i may have already said it, but i'm so sorry for neglecting you the past week. hang in there, life is about to get a lot more interesting, and once i get the hang of balancing it all we will have some wonderful things to talk about. pinky promise.

dear fall, hey, i see you're trying to move in with some of these cooler temps (hello only 70 degrees last night). please hurry on up and move right in. my jeans and sweaters greatly miss you.

dear nugget,  i miss your little baby self. can it be labor day already so i can squeeze and hug your little baby goodness. auntie m has lots of new things to teach you (and a new stuffed friend named SkippyJon Jones that wants to play with you and Hungry Caterpillar).

dear phillip phillips, i became obsessed with this song during the olympics and i'll be forever repeating it for the next month or so.

p.s. hey olympics, i miss ya, wanna come back in my life sooner than four years?

always sometimes never

holy cow it is sunday monday! which means i definitely started this post yesterday. and also means i'm finishing it today. total blogging slacking right here. which also means that tomorrow today is the beginning of the end of my summer.
could i be more excited about this? probably not.
am i excited about it even remotely? probably not.

now, i'm quite in love with this girl, and this lady as well, and seeing as they have made a little link-up, i couldn't resist joining in on the fun. better late then never, am i right?

harry potter

i always get suckered in to watching harry potter marathons on abc family

i sometimes quote movie lines before they are said in the actual movie

i never thought neville longbottom would get this cute

coffee
i always drink one and a half cups of coffee every morning.
sometimes i drink two or three cups.
i never forgo a cup of coffee in the morning (unless of course i want to plague the world with the evil being that is the coffee-less me)

 me a la driving

i always listen to music when i drive in the car

i sometimes sing obnoxiously at the top of my lungs like i'm in concert

i never sing with the windows down (i learned this the hard way, looks like that stay with you)

wasn't that fun? i thought so too. now go and have yourself a fantastic monday! i know i will seeing as it will mainly consist of a whole lot of decorating, organizing, and reconstructing of my first grade classroom.

the best part of waking up

source

it may just be that it is a very rainy friday. or that i'm already feeling the symptoms of olympic-withdrawal. or my minimal sleep these days (thanks only to the olympics) are finally catching up with me. but as much as i want to write a post today, it just won't happen.

sorry folks. coffee is the only thing getting my full attention today.

i have a feeling if i weren't in love enough with coffee up until this week, i certainly will be from this point on. so much to do, so little time. busy busy busy.

although, i'm excited for some very crafty up and coming posts - mainly to do with the destruction and reconstruction of my classroom. i can already hear the coffee calling my name.

mmmmm coffeeeeeeee.

speaking of, isn't it silly how the smallest thing (like coffee) can strike up such a wonderful conversation?

happy friday all.

USA! ALL THE WAY! pt.2

now, if you haven't noticed, the olympics have been in full swing for the last twelve or so days.
and i've been told by someone that i'm an "addict" when it comes to the olympics. who relapses every four years. (i corrected him when i told him that this may be true for the summer olympics but what about the winter olympics? i sure do love me some speed skating.)
and as the olympics wind down i find that my twitter account (which now has well over 100 tweets about the olympics) and my blog may not be sure what to do with themselves. instagram on the other hand, will be happy to go back to having real pictures instead of those i take of my tv screen.
anywho.
i've got for you on this thursday, part two of awesome olympic-ness. (which was quite difficult seeing as there is so much awesome going on this past week) so here we go:

5. the final race

michael phelps. most decorated olympian of all time. 18 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze. i'm going to sincerely miss seeing your name on my screen in four years. what an amazing athlete. i'll be a phan phorever. 

4. three-peat

misty may-treanor and kerri walsh-jennings are three-peat olympic gold medalists in women's beach volleyball. 21-0 in matches, 43-1 in sets. and to top it off, they won it in an all-american game, with jennifer kessy and april ross walking away with the silver.

3. local gold

jamie gray is from my hometown. she just nearly missed gold in the '08 beijing games in both of her events. four years later and gray is golden.

2. girl power.

gabby all-around. aly floor final. aly beam final. mckayla vault final.

gabby gold. aly gold. aly bronze. mckayla silver.

the fabfive, the fierce five. girl power.

1. a true inspiration

"the blade runner". this is by far one of the most touching and inspiring stories i've heard. i cannot wait to see him race on the south african relay team. read more about oscar here.

USA!

iSpy some american pride pt.2

 
 
 
 

the fab five = gold medalists.

the only non-olympic related instagram these days: target notebook.

michael and his gold over lochte, three-peat!

last time on the podium.

oscar pistorius - such a brave and beautiful story.

going to miss seeing that name.

it's not every day you see someone who went to your highschool, on the today show, with her gold medal.

spending my morning coffee with my main man michael.

oh hey tuesday, how nice of you to all of a sudden show up. as you can see i've been completely and utterly involved in the day-to-day events of the olympics. and following michael phelps every move. and clearly documenting it with my iPhone. (really, it's embarrassing how many pictures are on my phone right now. or how many tweets i've been tweeting. i could be a correspondent for the today show or something. move over shawn johnson.)

in other news i've been a busy bee, running here and there, and attempting to begin getting my classroom ready for the beginning of the school year. quite a task to take on as a long-term substitute getting her very own classroom. if this were an olympic event i would be in the qualifying round, well on my way to the semi-finals. we will see if this leaves me in medal contention come next week.

(like that little olympic reference?)

USA!



when life gives you grapes, wine a little

in the caves at the yuengling brewery

my college roomie and i have a firm appreciation for wine. many friday nights were spent with a bottle (or box) shared between us, fatty girl night treats, and a chick flick or two from the red box. we swore that one way or another we would actually go on a wine tasting tour - this time without being the designated drivers for a bunch of middle aged women. true story.

so when the opportunity presented itself to take a mini-bus to the yuengling brewery and surrounding wineries for the day, roomie called me up and i (excitedly) accepted. so here are just a few snapshots of a wonderful saturday including lots of girl talk, lots of giggles, and maybe a little bit of wine-ing.

at pinnacle ridge winery (left two photos) and outside at the blair winery (right)

happy friday! 

and may the wine be ever in your future.
and go USA! (may the gold be ever in your future)