Another week in the books, and boy it was an eventful one. I got to go to an Auburn basketball game, we had awards day at school, and Paul surprised me with tickets to see Hamilton on Saturday! What a week!! Here’s what I wore.
This sweater is nearly identical to the one linked. Get your normal size. Old Navy jeans are on sale at least once a week. Get on the email list! I am trying not to get too sucked into scarves, but I love finding new ways to wear them.
Size down one in this dress. It is 100% cotton, so maybe don’t dry it if you don’t want it to shrink. The boots I linked are so cute, and I like them better than the old Target ones I own. Couldn’t link the necklace, but it’s from McFerrin’s. The earrings I linked are a smokey quartz instead of the black that I have, but they would go with literally everything.
Striped shirt is so cute and comfy. Get your true size. How is this WALMART? And only $20?!?! The jeans- I’m trying to love them, but I don’t always. We’re getting to know each other. I will almost always wear them with a pointed toe boot or pump. These are not casual jeans for me. This bag is Sole Society, a company that sadly went out of business. I did find the exact one on Poshmark and linked that one. *For the basketball game I swapped the loose jeans for my favorite skinny jeans, swapped the boots for the Amazon mules, and threw on a white blazer to be warm and comfortable enough to walk around and stand during the game.
This dress was my very first H&M purchase in the height of the pandemic in 2020, so this exact one is not available anymore. It was listed as a chiffon dress when I bought it. They tend to have lots of those options available, especially closer to spring. The one I linked is a little pricier than H&M, but it’s so beautiful. If you do H&M, I’d consider sizing down but read the reviews always.
The sweatshirt was an Etsy find and is so adorable. The New Balance 327s are new, bought from Ebay, though I found them for the same price on the website where they’re linked. I got my true size, and they’re perfect.
I took a gamble on wearing heels not knowing how far we’d have to walk once we parked our car in Birmingham. It wasn’t too bad, though, because these heels are actually pretty comfortable. I was also glad to have the blazer for the chilly night air before and after the show. **Plenty of these blazers left in True South when I went Friday afternoon.
We got home from Hamilton at about 1:15am and had church at 8:00, so the thought of picking out any clothes for next week seems like the most daunting thing. Instead, I think I’ll go get back in bed and take myself a nice rainy Sunday afternoon nap. Have a great week, y’all!
I’ve been enjoying sharing all my outfits lately on Instagram, but I don’t always have time to link each piece. I thought I could compile my week’s worth of outfits here on the blog, link everything I can, and *hopefully* find some similar pieces if what I wore isn’t available. These outfits are what I wear to work. (Except this week, we were off Monday.) I’m a teacher and very fortunate to be able to wear jeans to work everyday if I want to. We just have to abide by a few rules when wearing them, such as no distressing and we have to wear a nicer top with them. On Fridays we can be more casual and wear t-shirts/sweatshirts. Also, please forgive the iPhone mirror pics, but I’m snapping these on the way out the door, and that’s the most efficient way I can grab these photos. Okay, let’s get started!
*Wearing my true size in the dress. It’s roomy, but if you’re busty, stick with your true size. *Similar booties linked are the same brand as what I’m wearing. I wear my true size.
*Go with your true size in Spanx. For me that’s typically one size up from my pants/top size in regular clothes.
I look forward to putting together these round ups again. If you have any questions about the looks or if I forgot something that caught your eye, let me know! I’d be happy to find it for you.
You know, I’m not sure why I’m always surprised when a four day work week turns out to feel like the longest week of my life, but it always does. Monday was productive at home, and Tuesday was a great day.
But Wednesday. Oh. My. Goodness.
Thursday was hair day! Praise be! It was also book club day. We read Every Summer After by Carley Fortune, and it was really good. I listened to it and really enjoyed the narrator.
I was basically itching to get out of the school house door on Friday afternoon, and I fully embraced relaxing Friday night.
So far Saturday has been lazy with the exception of laundry. The gloomy weather has been a great excuse to perch up on the couch and surf the internet for any good deals. I was influenced to buy this dress (got it in white but want in navy too if I love it) and this button down (got the blue and white bold stripe). I’ll let you know if they end up working out. They are relatively new arrivals, but we know how things start to sell out fast. I haven’t seen many people talking about the dress yet, so go ahead and scoop yours up now! The shirt wasn’t fully stocked but did have a few options left, so check it out now if you are curious. My motto is: Just return it later if it doesn’t work out or sell it to a friend.
Anyway, let’s wrap up this weekend by sharing a few things that have been useful, bringing me joy, and keeping me entertained lately.
We’ll start with an account on Instagram that is so incredibly interesting but also incredibly time-consuming. The account is @houseinhabit. She has a Substack account with a paid tier, which I don’t currently subscribe to, but I’m contemplating it. Jessica Kraus is the woman behind the account. She’s an independent journalist sharing hot takes and unpopular opinions on some of the biggest cases going on right now: Ghislaine Maxwell, Johnny Depp, Harvey Weinstein, and so many more. She’s unapologetic, authentic, and reliable. I am loving her account on Instagram and her newsletter. Riveting stuff, y’all, I promise!
The next thing I want to share is all about organization. I tried to be organized with my jewelry a while back. I even blogged about it in one of my early blog posts. (Check it out here.) It worked well until my Vivian Drew earring collection grew. Most of those are post-backed, so I found my trays overflowing. Enter an influencer on Instagram (but I can’t remember who). I saw her share this nifty little jewelry box that was not only pretty, but would help me keep things organized and tidy. Plus it would free up some space on the top of my dresser. It’s made a world of difference! You can take apart the dividers and customize it to fit what you need, but some drawers have different sized dividers than others. I’ve loved it!
Okay, I said I’d never use another planner in all my life. I even wrote a blog post about how much I loved the Simplified Daily Planner. (See that blog post here). But…… My mom always gives me a planner for Christmas, and I threw her for a loop when I said that I wanted to change to the Weekly Planner. Let me just tell you- I LOVE IT! Trying the weekly view of the planner was a great gamble.
Maybe the best thing about it is the absence of the spiral binding. I didn’t really care all that much about it when I was using the daily planner, but now that it’s gone, I am realizing how much better the weekly planner is- aesthetically and performative-ly. It also has a ribbon bookmark. I was always using paperclips or binder clips to mark my spot in the daily planner. This version is so much more efficient for me. If you’re a not-so-busy person that doesn’t need to schedule your day out by the hour, consider this weekly version. It has been a perfect fit for me.
I can’t believe I’m writing about this damn cup, but here we go. How many of us have seen an influencer on Instagram carrying this Stanley cup around? (I’m imagining all of you saying, “Omg, me!”.) Well, my mom of all people was the one who was influenced and scooped up one for me while it was on sale. Guys, it’s a cup. It keeps my water just as cold as my Yetis, Ozark Trails, Orcas, and Hydro Flasks. But what’s so great about it is the handle. The HANDLE! I am willing to buy more cups with handles. I don’t think it has to be a Stanley cup. But the handle is the ticket! Also the 40oz capacity is great. And the straw. Don’t you drink more or drink faster when you drink out of a straw, or is that just me? Okay, so get a cup with a handle and a straw that holds 40oz of water. So….maybe just get a Stanley cup.
I can’t let this week go by without talking about press on nails. Yes! I know! But press on nails are still a thing. Apparently Kim Kardashian talked about them and people went nuts, but I’ve been on this train for about a year now. I took a break for a while because of the beautiful Zoya polishes that I just had to try out, but I’ve started wearing the nails again. I discovered Red Aspen Love from Megan (@counterfam), gave them a try, and fell in love. As with most new things, there’s a learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll get better and better at the application and you’ll be so impressed with how natural they look. Everyone asks about them when I wear them, and I’m so excited to tell them they are press ons. They are, at most, $16 a set. I can get 2 manicures out of each set, and the nails last up to two weeks. The amount of money you save by using these is incredible compared to the price you pay at a salon. Another plus about this brand is that the glue is a safer glue and a million times better than what’s used when you go have them done. I’m having a little pop up party, so if you’re curious, I’d love for you to shop through this link.
Lastly, I’m currently listening to Spare by Prince Harry. I have a lot of thoughts and not all of them are that positive. However, I’m only finished with part one. Maybe I’ll change my mind by the end of the book. Stay tuned here and on Instagram, where I normally post my quick reviews of the books I read. If you’re a royal watcher and happen to be reading this one, let me know. I’d love to know your thoughts.
That’s gonna do it for this week. Here’s to a restful Sunday and a great week ahead! See you next week. I’ve got lots of fun things planned, and I can’t wait to share!
Oh the joy reading brings me! I have been writing book recap blog posts for a while now, and I love to share what I’m reading in real time over on my Instagram page, too. Because I read so much, I like to set a yearly goal. Every year the goal is to read one more book than I did the year before. My goal for 2022 was 60 books. I read 69!! Here they are in the order in which they were read.
January Titles
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever- Barbara Robinson | Read for my class. It’s a funny story about a church Christmas pageant and a lovely take on the nativity through the eyes of some bad kids. Love this one!
The Book of Lost Names- Kristen Harmel (My favorite of the month.) | WWII novel about a woman who forged false papers for people. I waited for 6 months for this book at the library, and it was worth the wait.
The Devil Wears Prada- Lauren Weisberger | It was available in audio format at the library, so I gave it a reread, well, listen. I forgot how much different it was from the movie. Still good.
In Five Years- Rebecca Serle | Compelling story that has a bit of time travel. Extremely sad but also very good.
Taste- Stanley Tucci (My favorite of the Month) | Listen to the audiobook to hear him read it but buy the physical copy for the recipes! That’s what I did.
Things We Never Got Over- Lucy Score | I didn’t like the writing (though I’m in the minority). I was invested in the characters, but I thought it lacked imagination and depth.
Inheritance- Katharine McGee | This book was a prequel to the American Royals book series. I’ve been loving these characters.
April Titles
Local Woman Missing- Mary Kubica (My favorite of the month) | This book has a great twist- I didn’t see it coming! Very compelling read.
The Matzah Ball- Jean Meltzer | Pretty cheesy but cute. It’s about a Jewish woman who writes Christmas stories. There’s some elements of chronic illness in it, which was something I’ve never encountered in literature.
The Atlas Six- Olive Blake | This was a very popular book series, but I didn’t like it. I just think it’s not my genre. Check out the synopsis before you discount it. Lots of people love it.
Where the Crawdads Sing- Delia Owens | Are we allowed to talk about her anymore? I know she’s steeped in controversy, like murder controversy. Anyway, I reread it to get reacquainted with the story before I watched the movie when it came out in the summer.
May Titles
Lonesome Dove- Larry McMurtry (My favorite book of the year) | An incredible story that will have you feeling literally all the feels. You’ll laugh then cry and miss them when the story is over. If you read a western in your life, read this one.
The House in the Cerulean Sea- T.J. Klune | This book was interesting, weird, entertaining, and a little unsettling. It’s a book a man who is assigned to a home of strange children. One child is named Lucy. He’s the son of satan but is a likeable character who might actually have good in him. Like I said, it’s weird but a good story with lots of happy feelings and a sense of belonging for the outcasts of the world.
In a New York Minute- Kate Spencer | This story had a great meet-cute on the subway. It wasn’t very realistic, but it was an endearing love story nonetheless.
The Home Wreckers- Mary Kay Andrews | There was a good story-within-a-story in this book. I wanted more of that. It was mysterious and lighthearted like most MKA books. I thought I had the mystery figured out, but I didn’t! Liked it a lot.
The Big Door Prize- M. O. Walsh | A book about a machine that can tell you what you should do with your life. A small Louisiana town experiences such a machine and you get to witness that upheaval that town goes through. Not anything like I thought it was going to be, but I really liked how it made me think.
Matrix- Lauren Groff | Gosh, what a beautifully written book. The prose just wraps you up and leaves your mouth agape. It’s a book about medieval nuns, but it’s not what you think. Quite the story.
Meant to Be- Emily Giffin (My favorite of the month) | Oh my goodness! Just read it! It’s a reimagining of what could have been with JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessett Kennedy.
Beach Read- Emily Henry | I am the only person in the world that does not like this author and her books. I’m sure you’ll love it, but I’ve yet to enjoy one of her stories. They annoy me.
July Titles
Yinka, Where is Your Huzband?- Lizzie Damilola Blackburn | This was a lovely story about a Nigerian woman who has an overbearing mother and aunties who want her to get married. She discovers herself in the book, and I loved that journey. Seriously great book.
The Love of My Life- Rosie Walsh | Took me a while to get into it but once I did, I was hooked. Imagine thinking you know who you’re married to and then BAM you don’t! Great story.
The Lifestyle- Taylor Hahn | This was supposed to be a reimagining of Emma by Jane Austen with a singers twist. Weird and not for me.
Nora Goes Off Script- Annabel Monaghan | Super cute story of a writer who allows a film to shoot at her home. She meets the lead actor and well, you can imagine what happens next. It was very good.
Reminders of Him- Colleen Hoover (My favorite of the month) | I didn’t think she could top herself with It Ends with Us, but I was wrong. This one was better. I cried for three solid chapters, but it was worth it.
August Titles
The Sixth Wedding- Elin Hilderbrand | This was a sequel to 28 Summers. I enjoyed revisiting some of these characters. Short and sweet and enjoyable.
Freckle Juice- Judy Blume | I love reading this every year to my students at the beginning of the year.
Rivals- Katherine McGee | Finally the next installment of the American Royals series. I thought it was the final book but NO!! More to come! Hooray!
September Titles
Prep– Curtis Sittenfeld | I’m normally a Curtis Sittenfeld fan, but this one was supremely boring and annoying.
Once Upon a Wardrobe– Patti Henry | A feel good novel with a C. S. Lewis connection that tugs at your heartstrings.
The Paper Palace– Miranda Cowley | A complicated tale of forbidden love. The ending left me wanting more, though, not necessarily in a good way.
Anne of Green Gables– L. M. Montgomery | How have I never read this until my 30s? It had me laughing and crying. A must-read.
Persuasion– Jane Austen | After watching the new film on Netflix (which I loved), I had to read it. I listened to the Audible production, and it was wonderful.
October Titles
The It Girl– Ruth Ware | In true Ruth Ware fashion, it’s a good mystery. I found it to be a little too long for my personal taste, but it was pretty good.
Carrie Soto is Back– Taylor Jenkins Reid | I’ve yet to read a book by TJR that I didn’t like. I’ve never wanted to play/watch tennis more. Also, I am totally open to reading more sports books.
The Mother Next Door– Tara Laskowski | This Halloween based whodunit was a fun audiobook to get you in the spirit of Halloween without the scare factor.
The Love Hypothesis– Ali Hazelwood | Just as good as everyone said it was. I will definitely read more from her.
Run, Rose, Run– James Patterson and Dolly Parton | You must do the audiobook for this one. Dolly voices a character, which was delightful to my ears.
Stuart Little– E. B. White | I’d never read this book and decided to read it to my students. None of us really liked it.
Olive, Again– Elizabeth Strout | Olive is a delightfully strange character that I want more of. Elizabeth Strout is a beautiful writer.
November Titles
It Starts with Us– Colleen Hover | I definitely enjoyed getting more of the story of Lily and Atlas. If you loved It Ends with Us, you must read this sequel.
The Other Einstein– Marie Benedict | My main takeaway from this book was that women are incredible and Albert Einstein was a tool. (If any of the things about him are true)
The Best Worst Christmas– Kate Forster | This is an Audible exclusive and was very cute. I wanted a Christmas story, and that’s what I got. It was short and funny.
This is Where I Leave You– Jonathan Tropper | While the movie is okay, you must read this book! Darkly funny and all the family dysfunction.
Funny You Should Ask– Elissa Sussman | Fun tale about a romance with a superstar. I enjoyed these characters.
December Titles
The Tobacco Wives– Adele Myers | I just loved this story about the wives of the men in the tobacco industry and how they start to discover that glamorous cigarettes maybe aren’t all that great after all.
The Last Thing He Told Me– Laura Dave | I couldn’t stop with this story. It’s a fast paced mystery that has an ending that tugged on my heartstrings and delivered a gut punch all in a matter of a few paragraphs.
A Christmas Carol– Charles Dickens | A delight to read after seeing every movie adaptation ever made, basically. However, I advise reading it along with the audiobook narrated by Tim Curry. He does the best voices.
Christmas in Winchester– Dawn Ramos | A sweet Hallmark movie of a book. I wanted to visit Winchester after I was finished with the story. Adorable.
The Christmas Bookshop– Jenny Colgan | I thought this one was pretty cute. I could definitely see it being played out as a movie or tv show. I enjoyed loving and hating the cast of characters and really loved the setting of the book.
Lessons in Chemistry– Bonnie Garmus | My second favorite book of the year. I couldn’t get over the story of Elizabeth Zott. I think all you girls need to read this one.
Sixty-nine books! Wow! It was a good reading year. I do want to finish he ACOTAR series and would like to read a few more classics this year. Other than that, we’ll see where the year takes me.
The goal for 2023 is 70. I’m not sure how I’ll manage that, but I am up for the challenge. As I mentioned before, I share and recommend books in real time over on Instagram, and I plan to keep that up this year. I’m looking forward to what this year has in store for reading. Please leave a comment with your favorite book or books of 2022. I’d love to see them!
Happy New Year! We’re almost two weeks in to 2023, and I hope you’re all doing well. I’m hoping for good things for us all this year! Today I want to share some of the stand out things of 2022. We’ll span the whole spectrum of categories, so grab a seat and read on.
Paul and I started going back to church in the summer and have really enjoyed it. We haven’t always been able to go to church together. His work schedule never really allowed it while we lived in Louisiana, and when we moved back to Alabama we weren’t really sure where we fit. Anyway, I’m just really happy to be able to attend church together and to grow together in our faith. God opens doors right when we need him to, and I am so grateful that he does.
This summer was the first one that I didn’t have a second job. I fully embraced summer vacation and took time off. It was glorious. I read so many books!
Other highlights of the year were: Growing tomatoes for the first time and acquiring a second rose bush and a lime tree that is incredibly high maintenance, but the limes are GOOD! Marrying off my best friend in the sweetest ceremony. Attending two Auburn football games.
2022 had a few upsets for us too. One being the loss of my Aunt Sharon. We share a birthday and had a very special bond. I miss her terribly, but God continues to show His goodness and faithfulness even in times of loss, grief, hurt, and disappointment. On the morning she died, I was heading out the door to work, and when I opened it there was the biggest cardinal just sitting on a powerline looking at me. I gasped, and it flew away. I hadn’t heard the news yet, but in that moment I knew it was my sign that she had passed. As I was pulling into the school parking lot, my mama called to tell me my aunt had died early that morning. My friend told me the cardinal was a God wink to let me know she was okay. I believe it. God works in mysterious ways and no doubt knows that old saying about cardinals showing up as lost loved ones. His goodness and faithfulness never fails.
Listening
Nicolle Galyon released her debut album called Firstborn. Nicolle is a songwriter of many songs that you know and love in the country music genre, but she finally put out her own album, and It. Is. Incredible. She is one of the most gifted songwriters of her generation, and I could listen to her album over and over again and never tire of it. Oh wait, I did that.
Towards the end of the year and still now (let’s blame it on Yellowstone coming back in November) I started listening to Lainey Wilson (specifically Bell Bottom Country), and I think I really like her. If you’re following me on Instagram, you’ve likely heard her songs popping up in stories. I wake up singing one almost every morning.
Watching
The White Lotus on HBO Max was a show Paul and I tried in season one and couldn’t really get into it. Well, a podcast I listen to started devoting their episodes to season two of The White Lotus and that made me very curious. I wasn’t sure if I needed to finish season one to fully get season two (you don’t) but I powered through it and ended up really liking it. But season two!!! That was the better one for me. It’s set in Italy so it’s breathtaking scenery, and I liked the characters better. Highly recommend.
House of the Dragon was the other show I was very excited about watching this year. It came out in August on HBO Max and is a prequel to Game of Thrones focused on the ancestors of Daenerys Targaryen. I thought it was incredible and can’t wait for more. I think if you’re a GOT fan then you’ll like this one.
Reading
Hands down my favorite book of the year was Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. It is nearly 900 pages, but it is the most beautiful and complex storytelling you’ll read. I laughed and cried and cringed my way through. There were things I could never imagine living through, and then the next page would have me wishing I was right there with the Hat Creek Outfit. After reading it I started watching the mini series, but I couldn’t bring myself to watch the last part of it because I had the notion in my head of what the ending of the book was supposed to be like. And even though Robert Duvall could not have been a better Gus, I could not let the show influence my vision of how the ending of the book went. If you read one western in your life, please make it Lonesome Dove.
A very close second and a complete shift in content is another book I have to share with you, Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. This book follows Elizabeth Zott, a chemist in the 1960s, who hosts a cooking show that teaches women far more than cooking. It’s about her life and the struggles of being a woman in the world of science in a time when women “belonged in the home”. There’s also a dog in the book named Six-Thirty, and I’ve never loved a fictional animal more. What a delight of a book. Add it to your TBR list.
Blazers have taken over my wardrobe. I bought one several years ago and have worn it now and again, but as I started seeing them pop up in the fall fashion trends, I decided to jump on the bandwagon. I’ve gotten one locally, one from Amazon, and one from a thrift store. I think blazers are an easy way to elevate a basic look, add a sophisticated layer, and provide warmth without the bulk. I’m not sure I’ll be quitting these anytime soon.
I was in desperate need of a pair of black pumps when I found a pair in Target and bought them on a whim. I fell in love. So in love that I bought them in a nude color, too. Are they the most well made pump you could own? Nope. But are they comfortable, the perfect, comfortable heel height, and affordable? Yep. I wear them all the time and with everything. I’ll report back if I get the courage to wear them all day teaching.
Another Target shoe I bought in black and then again in nude is this two-strap sandal. I also wear these with everything and do wear these all day at school. Those block heels can take you the distance! They are comfortable and have a cushiony foot bed. Love ’em.
I’ve reached borderline obsession status with my next favorite: Vivian Drew Earrings. I have slowly been collecting pieces from this brand for several years, but it turns out that when I send her Instagram posts over to Paul’s DMs, he buys them and gives them to me for birthdays and anniversaries and Christmases. Take that tip to the bank, girls! Works every time. 😉 The quality is excellent. The very first pair that I bought still looks brand new. Check out her site here and give her a follow on Instagram.
Beauty
Just the GlossJust the lipstick
I have been with Beautycounter for several years now, but I have never tried the Sheer Genius Conditioning Lipstick until October and wow, wow, wow! I decided to get the At the Red-y Lip Duo holiday set, and I’m just wondering why I never got this lipstick before. It really is conditioning and the color payoff is surprising for a sheer lipstick.
The other thing I’m still loving is the Countertime Line from Beautycounter. It’s the anti-aging line that uses Bakuchiol in place of Retinol. This makes it less harsh and safe for those who are pregnant and nursing. I truly love it.
Shop my faves
Here’s your one-stop-shop for all of my 2022 favorites.
More good music. More interesting books. More entertaining television. More affordable fashion. More safer beauty. More church. More Auburn football. More relaxing. More time with friends and loved ones. More God winks. More blessings.
