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Thursday Thoughts- Get to Know Me

Welcome to Thursday Thoughts- a new series I’ll be doing every Thursday to let you know a little bit about me and what’s on my mind. I love to read these kinds of posts from other bloggers because I’m always interested in learning that there are other people out there that have the same interests as I do. I also learn about a lot of cool things that I may not have otherwise known.

First, how about this weather we’ve been getting in the south? School was cancelled two days this week due to threatening weather conditions. Thankfully, we were not hurt or affected. We did see and hear a very bright flash and a loud clap of thunder this morning while watching the news. Come to find out, a few yards from our place a traffic light was struck by lightening. Scary!

Now, I’d like to share a bit of random information about myself. Maybe some things you already know about me but maybe there are some you don’t. I found a questionnaire online with 45 questions that will give you a brief peak into my life.

What is you middle name? Ann. I was born on my Aunt Sharon’s birthday, and we share a middle name.
What is your favorite color? This is actually a hard question for me. I kind of love all colors. My never-fail favorites are black, white, navy, pink, orange, cobalt blue, emerald green. Buuuut I really like all colors, and I mean all over the ranges of color. Buuuut I am totally happy with classic black and white. (I clearly have a problem making a decision and picking just one…this also carries over to other areas of my life.)
Who was your first best friend? I honestly can’t say who my first best friend was. I imagine it had to be cousins.
How tall are you? 5’5, I think.
Cats or Dogs? Dogs, but I love a kitten.
Favorite moment throughout school? I would have to say my favorite high school moment was performing in our school play, Guys and Dolls. I played Adelaide and loved every part of it. Except maybe dancing on stage in a swimsuit. That was pretty terrifying.
How many countries have you visited? I went to Canada for like an hour once. Other than that, just the good ol’ USA.
Are you in/have you gone to college? I did go to college. War Eagle!
What was your favorite/worst subject in high school? Favorite- English with Mrs. Taylor/Worst- any math class (But definitely not because of any teacher. I had excellent math teachers. I just really don’t enjoy math.)
What is your favorite drink? I pretty much just drink water. I do enjoy an Arnold Palmer, especially one from Chick-fil-A.
What is you favorite animal? Leopard…for obvious reasons.
What is your favorite perfume? I am still really loving my Stash fragrance from SJP.
Tea or Coffee? Coffee
What would you name your children? Wouldn’t you like to know? 🙂
What sports have you played? I played pee-wee basketball on the Jazz, and I play softball long before becoming a teenager. I was on the dance team in high school, but I’m not very athletic.
What is your favorite book? I have a few fiction books that I have really loved and have stuck with me for a long time, but the book I read the most and find the most impactful on my life is definitely my Bible.
Who are some of your favorite YouTubers? This is such a great question. Lots of people don’t utilize YouTube for entertainment and regular information. Okay, people my age and older don’t do this often. However, I follow several people on YouTube that I quite enjoy keeping up with. Most are beauty and fashion YouTubers, but they also post vlogs (video blogs) and other informational videos that are quite entertaining and interesting. I really like Ms. Goldgirl (beauty), Busbee Style (fashion), and The Holderness Family (the Christmas Jammie people).
What is your favorite movie? The Family Stone
Are you single or taken? Married
What’s your idea of an ideal first date? Wow, it’s been a long time since I’ve been on one of those. I think it would be fun to go on a date where you had to do something. Like a cooking class or somewhere you had to do something with your hands. Maybe something outside. Something that would keep you from having to constantly be talking to each other (awkward silences are so, well, awkward) but would still give you the opportunity to learn things about each other.
Favorite memory from childhood? I was very young (3 or 4) on Christmas morning. I walked from my room to my parents’ room. It was still dark outside, and I remember seeing handlebars on the way through the living room. I knew Santa had brought me a bike. I don’t remember actually saying this, but my parents say that I went in their room and said “I saw handlebars!” And then my dad made me go back to bed and wait until the sun came up. Hahaha. Typical move of a nurse who probably had to work at some point that particular Christmas Day.
Do you speak any different languages and how well? I took 4 years of Spanish and know a fair amount of vocabulary. I can recognize a little bit when spoken, but I can’t speak it and conjugate verbs and such. I had the privilege of teaching many Spanish-speaking students in Louisiana and had to learn a good bit to be able to communicate with them and with their parents. I certainly couldn’t survive long if you dropped me in Mexico. I could find you a bathroom, though! 🙂
Do you have any siblings? I have a younger brother.
How would you describe your fashion sense? Well, I like girly things (florals, bright colors etc), but I wear a lot of black. I like heels, but because I’m a teacher I wear more flats. I am usually comfortable but in a stylish way. I don’t like to wear t-shirts and jeans very much. I love layers. My favorite season for fashion is fall. I love boots and jackets and chunky sweaters and scarves. I’m not sure what to call that style, but that’s how I typically dress.
What is your favorite restaurant? Easy. Panera. I have loved their Caesar salad and have never ordered anything else. I hope it never goes off the menu. I don’t go to many fancy places, so I can’t give you a favorite “nice” restaurant. I do really like Amsterdam Cafe in Auburn. That’s a cute, nicer place to eat.
What are some of your favorite TV shows? Oh boy. I watch a lot (too much) of TV. But some of my favorites would be: NCIS, Sex and the City, and Fixer Upper.
PC or Mac? I’ve only used a PC, but I’m not opposed to making the switch. I’ve tried to get my brother to give me his old Mac Laptop, but he says no. That’s not even what you call it is it? A notebook? Maybe I should stick to PC.
What phone do you have (iOS or Android)? iOS
What is one of your bad habits? I’ll get the mail but won’t open it right away unless it’s a magazine. This really gets under my husband’s skin.
Last person you called? Paul
Male celebrity crush? Leonardo DiCaprio
Favorite food? Pizza
Last thing you bought? A terrible bottle of wine
Last time you cried? Yesterday watching Pure Genius which is a really great TV show that is currently finished with it’s season. (I was watching from my DVR.) I’m not sure if it’s coming back next season, but I sure hope so.
Can you cook? Of course! Mama always said, “If you can read, you can cook.”
Do you have any tattoos? I have two. I have a small cross on my ankle and a pink heart on my wrist. That one’s a matching tattoo with mom.
Do you believe in aliens? Well, I don’t believe in aliens, but I know some people who do and will put up a pretty good argument to make you think they actually do. *ahem, Megan* (well, really just your mom) 🙂
Do you drink alcohol? I enjoy a glass of wine every now and then. I think I’m allergic to beer. And I’m too old for liquor.
Where are you from? Greenville, Alabama
What makes you really angry? Entitlement
Favorite band? Oh gosh, I have no idea! I like bands and could probably tell you some great songs by some great bands, but I’m not sure I could say a favorite (see, there’s that decision problem again).
What is a weird habit? I crack the knuckles of my middle and ring fingers on both hands and my right thumb all the time. But only those fingers.
Last book you read? Yes Please by Amy Poehler. The last audio book I listened to was The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand.
The book you are currently reading? I’m reading two: Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst and One Plus One by Jojo Moyes. The audio book I’m currently listening to is After You by Jojo Moyes which is the sequel to Me Before You. Clearly I like this author.
What is a place you want to visit? Nashville, Tennessee

Well, here they are. Maybe you learned something new about me today. Feel free to let me know any of your thoughts on these answers in the comments or share your answers to the questions with me there too. I hope that you have a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend!

Currently Loving-March 2017

Can it be April already? I feel like this has been the fastest year ever. In an effort to slow down and reflect on this past month and what I enjoyed, I’ve come up with a list of things that I would like to share with you. My hope is that these things bring some happiness into your life as well.

One thing I’ve recently discovered (and I know I’m a little late to this party) is Kari Jobe’s new album The Garden. If you’ve never had the pleasure of listening to this mega-talented woman sing, please go to YouTube and have a quick listen, then head over to iTunes and download The Garden or any of her other amazing music. I tend to listen to praise and worship music during nap time at school and one day I was scrolling through my usual list of instrumental praise music and decided I wanted to listen to some Kari. (Sidenote: Her Pandora station is pretty fantastic too.) There was a playlist for The Garden, so I decided to listen. I’m so glad I did. The song, “The Garden”, almost had me in tears. It’s so beautiful. It will bless your soul. Go listen!

Switching gears to beauty. I got Sarah Jessica Parker’s new perfume, Stash, for Christmas. I’m still loving it. It’s technically a unisex fragrance. I love it so much for myself, though, that I’d be intrigued to smell it on a man. There’s a warmth to it that I just love. I wear it day and night but like to spritz on a little extra when going out in the evening. It’s just so lovely. Stash is sold at Ulta and is available in a rollerball if you’d like to try it without committing to a whole bottle. I know fragrance is so individual, but if you like warmer scents, you might like this one.

Can we just talk about these for a second? Perhaps my favorite candy of all time. Let’s just say that I love them so much I’ve been known to say that these better be in Heaven when I get there.

This month brought the return of Designated Survivor. We recorded the show when it originally started but never got around to watching it. One night when our DVR was cleared of everything else that we watch, we pushed play and were hooked. The season premier was so great and last week’s episode!! Y’all!! Are you watching too? You need to go catch up if not!

Paul’s not a huge movie watcher, but if I can get a “guy movie” in his sights, he’s going to at least consider it. Cue Hacksaw Ridge. Mel Gibson may have a reputation of being a bit crazy, but the man can make a movie. It is a war movie with its fair share of gore, but the story was so beautiful. And one I had never heard before. It tells the story of Army Medic Desmond Doss and his heroic actions to save 75 of his fellow soldiers ALONE. He did all of this without firing a single weapon and was awarded a Medal of Honor. It was an inspiring story of standing up for what you believe in and not backing down even when the odds are tremendously stacked against you. It’s a must watch.

I’m a pretty avid reader, well, more so in the summer than during the school year, but from August through May I like to listen to audio books. This month I listened to The Girl in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware. Boy, was it a good one! I am not a scary movie person or a ghost story person. Not once in Louisiana did I want to go on one of those ghost tours in New Orleans or in St. Francisville. When I watched The Grudge in college, I was so thankful that my dorm roommate was not in town because I slept with the lights on for three nights. I do not do scary stuff. This book, though it had some scary parts, is a thriller which is slightly less scary to me. I can do thrillers most of the time. This one is about a woman who goes on a cruise and thinks she hears and sees something horrible, but when she tells the people in charge of the cruise, no one believes her. Everyone thinks she’s crazy…or do they? That’s all I can say because I don’t want to give anything away if you’re intrigued and want to read it. If this is your genre, you’ll like it. I did figure out the ending before it all unfolded, but that’s okay. I got to have that moment of victory in the last chapter when my suspicions were confirmed.

As a teacher I am so fortunate to get to still have a Spring Break. It was glorious to sleep in and be lazy. That’s me in PJs and slippers mid-morning.

I finished a series I was watching on Amazon called Z: The Beginning of Everything about Zelda Fitgerald. I didn’t know she was originally from Montgomery. Thought that was pretty cool. It was a fun show, and I love that it’s a period piece. I am a sucker for that 1920’s fashion. Zelda was a real spit-fire, and I kind of liked that about her.

I also got to go shopping with my mom to a new store (well, new to us) called At Home. Y’all, it was like Heaven. We had made our way around the store, though not all the way through, and I stopped and looked at my mom and said, “This is what Heaven is going to be like for me: home decor, Cadbury Mini Eggs, and Jesus.”

March also brought a reunion with some very special old friends. I have been friends with these people for nearly 20 years. They are the kind of friends that even though all four of us hadn’t been together in almost seven years, we fell right back into our pattern of easy conversation, jokes, and hilarity that may or may not have involved a belt that contracts your abs for you. We went around the circle talking about our current life situations including jobs, relationships, children, and even some crazy neighbors one of us has-I mean REALLY crazy. It was good for my soul to see these people that feel like family, and I pray we get to do it again before seven more years passes us by.

Well, that’s what I’m loving this month. Have any of you also discovered some of my favorites from March? Do you have some great music, books, beauty items, or T.V. shows you are loving lately? Tell me about them in the comments. I hope March was great to you and here’s to an even better April.

The Kitchen- The Heart of the Home

If I had to describe this kitchen to someone who hadn’t seen it, I would initially say it’s small. But it’s actually not that small. Then I would say that it doesn’t have a lot of storage. This is actually true. Or maybe I just have too much stuff. You’ll see upper and lower cabinets and a few drawers, which should be enough space for a couple with no children, but we have so many dishes. I count this as a huge blessing. We were so incredibly fortunate to receive many pieces for our kitchen when we got married. I don’t remember if I registered for all of those mixing bowls, but I will say that I’ve used each and every one of them and therefore find it extremely hard to part with any of them. I also have things like waffle makers and quesadilla makers that live in upper cabinets that may not get regular use, but when I need them, I know where they are. I guess I’ve got just enough of my Granny in me to justify hoarding all of these things (and much more) and also just enough of my Aunt Sharon in me to truly appreciate (and use) a pretty dish. I still have unpacked boxes in our guest room labeled “dishes” and “glasses”. One day I’ll need them. Right?!

The deep windowsills in the kitchen have acted as extra shelves and are holding fruit, dish cloths, spices, and coffee. The corner to the left of the stove is so full of things that don’t always get used on a daily basis, but get used often enough, so I put up with the cluttered look. The upside of this: everything is easily accessible. And the windows are going to get a makeover soon with this beautiful fabric I found at Joann’s. I thought it tied in nicely with the rug from my living room. Sort of a reverse version of it.

One of the things I’ve really enjoyed about this kitchen is the gas stove. I grew up with one, but I’ve only encountered electric stoves in all of my other homes. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed cooking on it these past seven months. It’s the little things.

Behind the slatted doors is our laundry room. It is quite spacious, and I’ve thought about adding some sort of shelving system to act as a pantry. It’s just one of those things that I’ve thought about but haven’t put into action. It would probably make my life a little easier, but though things are a little cluttered, we are making it work just fine. I wasn’t kidding about those bowls. I had to get a yard sale shelf just to have somewhere to put them.

We also have access to the back porch from our kitchen. This is super convenient for the dogs. Since we live on a main street, there is no front yard or grass for the dogs to run in, but we do have a really nice porch with a spacious grassy area in back. I love the rug from Target that my sweet mama bought for me not too long ago. I wanted another one to replace the old orange one in font of the sink. Unfortunately, I can’t find it online at Target. I’m hoping it’s still in store. If not, I found several cute options here.

One thing I absolutely love about this kitchen is the natural light that comes in. The sun pours in every morning making everything feel awake. I just love it. In our last house we didn’t have many windows that allowed for maximum sunlight in common areas like the living room and kitchen. I said then that if we ever moved back to Alabama that I hoped to find a place that had lots of natural light so we could open up the windows and let it in. Mission accomplished.

Though it isn’t big or have as much storage or that big island I had in my last kitchen, it works for us. We make some delicious meals here; we open some pretty tasty take-out containers here; we do a lot of dishes here; I’ve even been known to have a dance party or two here. It’s a great kitchen. It’s already filled with memories, cooking failures and successes, blood (I’m not the greatest with knives), sweat, tears (onions, y’all), and I believe a scar will be the result of a recent burn from the oven. So, even though it’s unlike any kitchen we’ve had before, we love it.

Anyone else have a small kitchen? More importantly, does anyone have any budget-friendly organizational tips? Anyone have any fun small kitchen stories? Or any kitchen stories for that matter? Share them with me in the comments. It seems like so much happens in the kitchen. I guess that’s why they call in the heart of the home.

Master Bedroom Before

I’ve often heard your master bedroom should be a top priority on your home decor to-do list. Somehow I’ve never heeded this notion, and the master bedrooms in all of our homes have been close to the bottom of my list of to-dos.

Nothing’s changed this go ’round either. I’m actually having serious design cloudiness for this room. I think I’ve got the major things nailed down, though. I truly love my upholstered bed from Overstock. You can see some similar ones from Overstock here. The bedside tables and dresser are from the same store (Kayu) in Louisiana as our coffee table and buffet and will undoubtedly be lifetime pieces.

The bookshelf is a piece we were fortunate enough to acquire after the passing of Paul’s maternal grandparents. It’s beautifully old and clearly busting at the seems with all of my books. (Something I’m quite proud of, actually. One can never have too many books.)

The dresser currently displaying our TV is a piece that belongs to Paul’s parents. They were kind enough to let me fish it out of the storage closet here in the building, clean it up and set that big TV on it. Promise I’ll be careful not to scratch it up. It’s so pretty and curvy. And that gun case, well, it’s too heavy to move, so that’s where it lives for now.

So here’s where it gets cloudy. Our current bedding is a quilt set I found at T. J. Maxx. But, I have those two adorable dogs with black/dark hair that shed so badly. I am one of those people who desperately wants to have one of those crisp, white duvets, but our dogs have been sleeping on our bed for quite a while now, and we just can’t stop that out of nowhere. I mean, sure we could, but we’re not gonna. Needless to say, the crisp, white duvet is out. And I don’t know if you’ve ever looked for a dark bed topper be it a comforter, quilt, duvet, whatever; it’s slim pickings out there. I found this really pretty and trendy one that I liked a LOT, but Paul wasn’t really going for it. As you can imagine most men wouldn’t. It sure is pretty, though.

I thought for a hot second about leopard because leopard is totally a neutral in my book. But it has to be done right or it can start looking a bit cheap. I think this styling is gorgeous and would love for this to be my room.

And then I saw a pretty option with a fur blanket that could be pretty when expertly strewn across the bottom of the bed when it’s made but could also be the actual blanket used every night that keeps us warm. But Alabama is HOT in the summer and let’s face it, as much as I’d like to say I make my bed everyday, that’s just not the case. Plus it’s probably not machine washable, and that’s a must with pups.

So, I’m stumped on bedding.

I’m also stumped on window treatments. I have nothing on those giant windows which makes for some terrible lighting in these photos. I apologize. I originally wanted drapes from this material.

I love it so much and have seen it used as drapes and to cover ottomans and as upholstery for chairs. It’s fun and funky, and I’m in love with emerald green. But every time I try to make them work in this space, I feel like I need a dark wall and crisp, white bedding. *Sigh*

I’m not beyond leopard window treatments. Again, it’s a neutral. It literally goes with everything.

So, I’m stumped on window treatments.

Also, you can see I have not one thing hung on the walls. I’ve planned to hang this mirror, another treasure we got from Paul’s grandparents, above the bed. I just haven’t bit the bullet because I was waiting to see if I knew what kind of curtains I would be hanging and would it “go”.

I had planned to hang our wedding portrait above the bookshelf, but now I’m not so sure. I have no idea what should go above the TV and don’t even get me started on the dresser. *SIGH* I feel like I’m better than this.

The eagles were also from Paul’s late grandfather. He loves them so much that we always have them displayed in our homes, but I haven’t figured out what to do with them except sit them on top of the massive dresser all alone. Well with the vases that I love. They were a wedding gift and are from Karen Rainey Interiors. I fell in love with them the moment I saw them, and I’m so thankful we were gifted these gorgeous pieces. They need flowers, I know. I’ve been saying that for about 6 years now. (I told you master bedroom decorating was not my strong-suit.)

So, I’m stumped everywhere. This is real life. I’m not going to sugar coat it here. I struggle with this space. I always have in every home, and as much as I love home decor and all things beautiful, I am clearly lacking a bit. I want something timeless and pretty and functional. This is not a space where everything is going to be perfect all the time. We live in this room. Our dogs live in this room. We throw clothes on the floor and shoes on the floor and don’t close the closet doors and stack clothes on top of the dresser and sometimes have three water cups on each nightstand because we don’t always take them to the kitchen every morning and there are dog toys and dog hair, so it’s got to look nice but still function for us which, in my opinion, is important for all areas of your home. Otherwise it would just be a house you live in and not your home.

I know these are first world problems. Please know that this is one of the least important things in my life and quite possibly why it sits so low on my to-do list. But I do want to decorate my bedroom and style it with pretty things and make it functional for our family. Perhaps I’ll figure it out soon and there will be an “after” to this “before” post. If any of you have good ideas/suggestions or want to share some of your bedroom decor that you love and that works for you, let me know in the comments. Or tag me in your photos on Instagram. I’d love to see them!

Earrings and Bracelets and Necklaces, Oh My!

Since we moved in about six months ago, I’ve pretty much taken over the guest room. It is the room with the least and the most purpose. It is basically our office, gym (haha, like twice), storage space, my closet, and my dressing room. The closet in the master was too small for both my husband and I to hang our clothes, so I decided I would take the closet in the guest room. I’m usually up earlier than he is, and let’s face it, I go through my closet every single morning absolutely sure that I have NOTHING to wear. (Don’t we all?) And secretly wishing there was some kind of magic in the world where everything I pinned on my Fashion Pinterest Board would just show up! Needless to say, that doesn’t happen and Paul would be mighty grumpy every morning if I were doing this where he is trying to sleep.

One of the areas in my guest room is designated to my jewelry. A very small area, I might add. It’s a two drawer night stand that has been passed down to us and has stuck around through our moves. And as you can see, I had this super fabulous, totally functional organization strategy going on with all that jewelry.

Right? I mean, totally works.

In my house in Louisiana I was having the same problem. Then, one day Paul and I were strolling through TJ Maxx and I found this pretty brilliant jewelry organizer. I linked the jewelry holders page from TJ Maxx just above and y’all, they are SO CUTE!

I bought it for just under $15, I think and got to work organizing (or as one of my students says “orgazining”-cracks me up every time she wants to “orgazine” the markers in the art center). I hung it inside my closet and was just as excited about it then as I am now and promptly posted it to social media.

So even after settling into our apartment I just didn’t get around to hanging it up. I guess I was looking for the “perfect” spot to hang it. And when you’re short on space, especially that nice walk in closet space you had before, it’s tough to envision where you’re going to put something like that. Especially in the middle of a guest room.

So, I had a free afternoon one day and decided I was going to hang this thing and get my jewelry organized. It’s one of those tasks that seems daunting because you might have to measure and get tools out and hammer and nail and balance on a stool or ladder, but it totally only took about an hour from start to finish.

I pulled out the organizer, dusted it off, and got it ready for hanging.

I really like the staggered knobs for hanging those longer necklaces.

I did use my tape measure to make sure that I was getting the right distance between the holes on the back. There were no studs in the wall so I used these hooks. Paul calls them Hercules Hooks, but I’m pretty sure I got the cheap ones at Walmart because these were called Monkey Hooks. The package said one hook can support 25 pounds, so I think the monkeys will get the job done. 🙂

I was able to hang all of my necklaces, a few bracelets, and all of the earrings with hooks for backs with room for more! 🙂

On the table I didn’t do too much to the bracelet holder, but you can see that I did lay out some of my most worn bracelets. All of the bracelets laying out came from a wonderful website called Wrist Soiree. She has beautiful pieces, and they have all held up really well.

I received this gorgeous tray from a student this year for Christmas and instead of storing it away in my china cabinet, I decided to use it for my dangly earrings that have post backs, my funky ring holder, and a rhinestone pin. Most of these earrings are from Walmart. The navy blue tassel ones are on sale for $3!!! They have so many cute styles right now. I had to restrain myself the last time I went grocery shopping.

Inside the drawer I just cleaned it up a bit. I set up my rings in an old velvet lined box and straightened up a box of jewelry I was given from my Granny’s collection. Inside the sparkly box I stored jewelry that I don’t wear anymore or wear that often but that has sentimental value. Plus, that box is super sparkly, and I can’t bring myself to part with it. The glass heart box is something I believe I’ve had since high school. I separated the two pieces and put all of those little clear backs in it. This makes it so much easier for me and I don’t lose them quite as often anymore. The other half of the heart holds all of my stud earrings on the top of the table.

Most of my jewelry is costume jewelry. I have some nicer pieces from Kendra Scott, BaubleBar, and certain boutiques I’ve bought from here and there, but for the most part, most of it comes from more affordable places like Walmart or Wrist Soiree and occasionally Target. Another place to find great, inexpensive jewelry is Versona. If you haven’t browsed this store in East Chase, I encourage you to. In Louisiana it was set up much like Charming Charlie (another great place for affordable jewelry) and was color coordinated. I have many pieces from there. Those blue and gold circle earrings and the green ones beside it on the tray are from Versona as are the coral Kendra Scott look-a-like ones hanging on the wire. And one more great local place to find cute jewelry is The Pineapple. Especially if you catch a Wednesday sale on jewelry!

My hope for this post was to inspire anyone who was having trouble finding a method to the madness like I was. Do any of you already have a jewelry organization system? I dream of a huge closet with a built in chest of drawers just for jewelry. Something like The Container Store or Ikea would do. *Swoon* Have any of you made a cute jewelry organizer? Share in the comments to let me know. I just might need to make some tweaks to my own system.

Oscars 2017 Fashion Roundup

I can’t help myself. I seriously love me some award season fashion. I may have a little Instagram post saying that award season is better than football season, and my husband told me to hand over my house key. Hahaha! I really do have a thing for fashion, and it is so much fun for me to watch that part of the award shows. Despite the craziness of Moonlight winning Best Picture after a pretty unfortunate mix-up with La La Land, the fashion was one of the best parts of the Academy Awards on Sunday.

I’m a long-time fashion lover, and I know there’s a few of you who read this blog that are like me and love it too. So, here are my favorite looks from the awards ceremony and the Vanity Fair after party.

Golden Girls-

I really loved Emma Stone’s dress. The Fashion Police weren’t so impressed, but I’m loving that fringe, and I think she looks like she deserved that golden statue to match her golden dress. Her hair and makeup were so beautiful. I love that lip color on her.

I thought Jessica Biel’s dress was so interesting (and not in a Ryan Seacrest think’s Dakota Johnson’s dress is interesting kind of way). What I loved most about the look was the BANANAS Tiffany necklace she layered over the top. I don’t love her hair…I actually really don’t like it, but that necklace…It was my favorite accessory of the night.

Another Golden Goddess was Nicole Kidman. She was just beautiful. Her whole look was so well put together. I loved the lip color against the neutral canvas and also loved the tiny pop of color from those earrings.

On to the dark side-

Janelle Monae. I wanted to be like, come on, this is so stupid, how is she going to sit down, it’s too much, this whole fashion is art thing is so dumb. But I LOVED this. She is such a beautiful girl, and this dress! It just works! Stunning!

Brie Larson’s Oscar de la Renta gown was so lovely. I really like the ruffles down the front and the points of the neckline. I didn’t love her hair, and maybe the dress was too heavy for such a little frame, but I can’t help it. I want to wear this dress right into the Cracker Barrel to eat my meatloaf dinner on a regular Monday night. Oscar de la Renta is one of those designers that can do no wrong in my eyes. So, I really loved this dress.

And then there was Taraji. Holy Cow! She looks the best she’s looked all award season, and I was really crushing on that gown she wore to the SAG Awards. But this topped that! Maybe she over-contoured her cleavage, but she still looked stunning.

Ladies in Red-

Viola Davis was a big winner this year, and I can’t wait to see Fences. She’s another one that has looked flawless all award season long. But she looked positively radiant in this bright red. I love how her deep skin tone is paired with bright and bold colors. Her hair, makeup, and accessories were perfect as well.

Okay, another one The Fashion Police didn’t like was Ruth Negga. But I thought this was just so pretty and feminine. I think the red looked gorgeous on her, and I really liked her hair and bold lip as well.

Beautiful Girls-

Another one I thought was just so elegant was Isabelle Huppert. She is of a more mature age, and her dress was just so chic. I felt like there was a bit of a 70’s vibe going on, which I love. But she was simply beautiful. And she had these ear crawlers going on which gave it a little edge that I kind of loved.

I really wanted to hate this look. I do NOT like a short dress for the Oscars. I just feel like it’s the most prestigious award show in America, and I think you should dress the part. But I couldn’t hate it. I loved how it shined and I like the cut out. I still don’t like the shortness of it, but I do like the structure of the dress and how it is cut, I guess. I like the bluntness of the high-low factor. And those shoes, y’all. I loved the mismatched shoes. But I kind of wish they had been peaking out from behind a long hem with a high slit or something. Naomi Harris is an incredibly beautiful woman and wore the dress flawlessly. I can’t wait to see her in Moonlight.

And y’all….Hailee Steinfeld. It was a bit sheer for me while she was being photographed and filmed on the carpet, but on stage I didn’t get that it was that sheer. Regardless, the sweetness, the softness, the ethereal feel I get from this dress is just….ahh. I mean, it is amazing. And the ruffles down the back. I have no words. Her hair was so pretty, and I really loved the smokey eye against the femininity of the dress. Everything was just so good! Also, can we take a moment to appreciate how drop dead gorgeous she is? Beautiful!

Party People-

Ruth Negga knocked it out of the park for me again at the Vanity Fair party. I believe this again is Oscar de la Renta. (See? Can do no wrong.) I thought it was sparkly to perfection and just fun. What a great dress for partying the night away.

I’m not sure what exactly it was about Amy Adams’ dress that I loved, but I did. Maybe it’s that shine factor, but I thought she just looked lovely. The color was good for her, and I loved her hair. Overall, a simple yet stunning look.

I can’t talk about Oscars fashion and not mention the lady that made even the non-pregnant girls feel like they couldn’t measure up. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. That’s all I have to say about that one.

Perhaps my favorite party look was Elizabeth Banks. She looked so incredible. I loved everything about this dress down to the birds, which isn’t usually my thing, but this was so pretty. I loved the belt they added and the jeweled straps of the dress. And those shoes…more heart eyes. I mean, look at that heel! So, so good!

Any of you agree? Disagree? Did I leave someone out that you liked? Let me know in the comments. We can gab some more about Oscar Night Fashion. 🙂

That Thrift Store Down the Road

Two weeks ago I had an opportunity to go to the lovely city of Birmingham, Alabama to attend a Pre-K conference. The conference was quite informative and taught me some new tricks to keep up my sleeve for the classroom. The women who were presenting are seasoned educators that really know their stuff. If you are a fellow teacher and want some fresh ideas you can check out their blogs here:

Lori Elliot

Kathy Griffin (No, not that one. Can you imagine? Ha!)

Natalie Daise

So, let’s get to the good stuff, shall we? I went thrift store shopping, y’all! I got turned on to Goodwill and thrift store shopping when my mom talked about going with one of her good friends and would always scored some awesome deals on Polo shirts for my dad and brother and usually found some really good things for her classroom. Well, wouldn’t you know that this friend my mom goes thrift store shopping with was the other teacher that went to the conference. And isn’t it so convenient that she used to live there and knows about virtually ALL of the good thrift stores.

I’d been going to Goodwill and another thrift store called Here Today, Gone Tomorrow in Louisiana and always found books that were on my TBR list. I love to read, and I love the public library, but I really love to own my books. And when they’re $1.00-$2.50 at thrift stores, I can’t help but to “splurge”.

However while I was shopping in Birmingham, I was able to get much more than just books! I’m so excited about my fun finds!

The first store we went to was called America’s Thrift Store.

It was huge and had rows and rows and rows of clothes, books, shoes, toys, knick knacks, and I didn’t even attempt to look at the furniture section. I knew I’d want to leave with something, and there was not room for furniture.

But at this particular store I found two pairs of shoes.

The leopard flats are originally from American Eagle. They have a few imperfections but ultimately looked like they had hardly been worn. I’ve been wanting some for a long time but didn’t really want to shell out the money for the high price tag of the ones I really wanted. And these were $3.00. I mean…how cute, right?

The sparkly ones are Mossimo brand from Target. They too had been worn very little. The soles are thick like a flatform and are white. They had a little dirt on them, but nothing a magic eraser won’t fix or even a good scrubbing with some soap and water. I also have been wanting some of these types of shoes for a bit of a casual, comfortable shoe to teach in, and I wanted a piece that could maybe take me into the athleisure trend that’s happening right now in fashion. But I wasn’t so sure it was really my style since I’m a little more dressed up with my work wardrobe at my current school. But then these were staring at my all sparkly. I instantly got all the heart eyes for these, and I couldn’t say no to the $2.50 price tag. $2.50 guys…$2.50. Why aren’t you all thrift store shopping?

I had some fun trying on some gems while I was browsing the clothing section. Check out this dress that I believe any of the Golden Girls tossed out. I secretly loved it and had it not been a bit big, I probably would have bought it and found the perfect pair of sandals to go with it. Oh, and removed the giant shoulder pads. 🙂

And then I found this cute little animal print dress that was by Calvin Klein. But it didn’t fit either. Would have made a really cute dress or swimsuit cover-up for someone.

After all that shopping we got pretty hungry and went to The Cheesecake Factory. And if you’ve never been there, just do yourself a favor and go. I can’t believe I’ve lived 30 years without eating there. I’m a little ashamed to admit this, but we ate there twice. The first night I got the original cheesecake with strawberries. I believe it’s call the Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake. It was amazing. But the second time we went………………………..

Yep. That one. The Chocolate Mouse Cheesecake. Listen, I love chocolate, and I love cheesecake. So this was sort of like the best choice I could have made.

After the conference was over, my mom and I decided to stay one more night and do a little more shopping. We were only able to go to this place, The Foundry. This is where I found most of my treasures.

I found some great coffee mugs. I didn’t have any need for them, but I thought they were particularly funny and snapped some pics to share with a few friends.

Any Scandal fans out there? Mrs. Susie thought this one was funny.

Apparently having a coffee mug from the King of Sweden isn’t that cool or else it wouldn’t have ended up here, right? I, on the other hand, thought it was very cool and never would have given it up.

And this one was just too cute. I should have bought this one.

I also saw this gorgeous piano. I love pianos. The picture didn’t pick up how bright and pretty the gold screen was.

I also got these candle holders with a marble base and this milk glass vase. I brought them home and cleaned them up a bit, but the candle holders are going to need a lot of TLC if they can be salvaged. But if not, they were only about $3.00 a piece. I loved the gem-like cuts on the vase. It only set my back $.29!

Then I found the coziest sweater there ever was and it too was $3.00. If only winter would show up in Alabama so that I could wear it more than once or twice.

Mom picked out this cute grey cardigan that I wore with a scarf I picked up at the other thrift store we went to. I love the bright colors against the black.

Then I found this….

You know that scene in Beauty and the Beast when the Beast shows Belle the library and she’s in awe because, well, because it’s awesome? Well, this was pretty close to that for me. I don’t know that man, but he wouldn’t move so he made the shot. 🙂 I picked up several books here along with a few from another thrift store we went to called Vapor Thrift Store.

This is where I went wrong shopping at multiple thrift stores for books. I ended up with duplicates. I posted about it on Instagram just the other day about how I felt like I had made a thrifting rookie mistake.

This one is full of dog-eared pages and highlighted passages. I love when I find books like that.

I NEVER find Dave Ramsey books at thrift stores. I was so excited to get my hands on one. Who couldn’t use a bit of financial guidance?

This is just one that’s been on my TBR (to be read) list for a while.

I’ve never read this author before, but when I read what each of these was about, I knew I needed to buy them. The Senator’s Wife only ended up being $.85!

I have the first book in this trilogy. Did y’all know Robert Galbraith is a pseudonym for J.K. Rowling?

Another from my TBR list.

This is what I’m currently reading. She’s hilarious! I’m really enjoying it so far. It is also thrifted but not from this trip.

We were pretty exhausted after that, but we pressed on in the name of shopping. We hit up Belk in Alabaster and Walmart too. Then we grabbed some Chick-fil-A and headed back home.

I think we did enough damage. There was more in the back!

My sweet Mama.

Am I part of a small group of people who likes to thrift or are there more of you out there? And are there any other book worms? Have you read any of these books?

I realize thrift store shopping isn’t for everyone. Some people think it’s gross, but I don’t think so. It certainly doesn’t hurt to get a deal on a great pair of shoes, a cozy sweater, and some super affordable books. And if you’re one of those who loves the thrill of the hunt for something, thrifting is your game.

Home Again

I’m home again. I grew up in this lovely town in Alabama, moved a short 100 or so miles away for college and then further south to the great state of Louisiana for my foray into adulthood. But now we’re (my husband and I) are back to our old stomping grounds as they say, and I think we’re feeling pretty good about it. I had my reservations at first. I have always said I’d never come back here to live. What else is it that they say? Never say never. Hmm… Needless to say, we are back and living in our hometown, and despite what I may have said before about never living here again, we’re settling in quite nicely.

When I moved to Louisiana 8 years ago, I assumed I’d be there for a year for an adventure and then come right back the next year to get a job back in Alabama. I’m a teacher by trade, but I was having a hard time getting a job in Alabama. When my cousin’s wife called to tell me about a job at the school where she had previously worked, I decided I had to take it. I moved in with her and her husband (my cousin) and their six month old baby. (What where they thinking letting me come live with them with a newborn baby?!-God bless them for that!) I ended up actually loving it there. I moved in with a co-worker, who also happened to basically be my teaching mentor and taught me incredible teaching tools and helped shape me into the type of teacher I am today. I worked at this school for five years, made life-long friends, and grew up a lot. Also while working there I bought my first car, got engaged, got married, and bought my first house. (I have searched and searched and can’t find a picture of my house. I know I have them somewhere. Perhaps it’s on a flash drive in one of the 15 unpacked boxes still in the corner of my guest room.)

Anyway, I loved that house. I had to go see it without my husband, but as soon as I walked in the door, I knew it was home. I texted him when I left letting him know I thought it was the one, and the rest is history. We painted every room in that house, put on a new roof, replaced the old, dated laminate floors with beautiful new laminate. Here’s an Instagram picture I screen grabbed from my phone. The lighting doesn’t do them justice. They are such a beautiful light, wide plank, but the lighting in the picture looks so yellow.

You can see more of our old house and what I’m currently up to by checking out my Instagram feed.

We’re not here to talk about my old house or my life in Louisiana, but that’s where my current story starts. I got a call one summer about a Pre-K position that was opening up in a public school about five minutes away from my house. I knew the money would be better and the experience would be different and possibly better as well. So I interviewed and got the job. The people I met there became family. I worked with some of the most amazing women. We went through some very good and some very bad times together in the short three years that I spent with them. They will forever be in my heart and thanks to social media, most especially Snapchat, we’ll forever be in each others “inboxes”. I was about to start my fourth year at this school when I got a text from my sister-in-law about a possible job opening in a town close to home in Alabama. I was hesitant at first, but when we learned that there was a job opening for my husband as well, our ears perked up a little and we started paying attention to the things that were starting to happen in our lives. That job my sister-in-law told me about turned out to be a dead end, but the job for my husband did not. And then, my current job fell into my lap. God was really working to bring us back home. Like, REALLY working. As it turns out, my husband’s parents own a few rental properties that just so happened to become available at the exact time we were entertaining the idea of moving back home. We knew it would be a struggle financially because we would have to worry about selling a house. And let’s just brag on God some more here, okay? Because our house sold in about a month during a massive flood in Louisiana that was literally mere miles from our house. We were so blessed to have our home spared. And it was all God.

So, as I said above, I’m home again. I now live in an apartment downtown on a beautiful street with historically rich buildings all around. I know some of my Louisiana friends have asked for some pictures of our current home, so I thought I’d share some of it here.

Let’s start with the foyer. Like I said, I live in an apartment. It sits above retail space on a main road. We are a one story walk-up from the street that shares a foyer with another apartment. We live on the right. Forgive the wonky iPhone photo.

This building is over 100 years old and FULL of character. Take in those beautiful walls and hardwood floors. I’ve got all kinds of heart eyes for this space. I believe that it is all original to the building. You can’t see it in this picture, but if you were to pan down the sides of both walls there are door ways that look as if maybe it was a boarding house at one time.

Here are a few pictures from our living and dining area. You can see our kitchen as well since it’s an open floor plan, but we’ll get to that later.

The sofa is from Home Furniture. Paul went furniture shopping without me one day and picked out this whole leather living room set. It really is beautiful, but when we moved in to this apartment, all of the pieces wouldn’t fit. Our love seat currently lives in the guest room/office/gym/my closet/my dressing room/storage room. You guys!! I may never show you that room. You would die if you saw it right now. I had to literally step over things just to get to the computer table. (Insert that fun face palm emoji here!)

Sweet Bernie is my little sidekick, so I didn’t argue with her being in the picture.

As you can see we don’t have a whole lot of decor going on. I’ve done a little, but the walls in the dining area are still bare as is the area above the TV.

The buffet and coffee table came from a wonderful store in Louisiana called Kayu that is unfortunately closed now. They are wonderfully crafted pieces of furniture made in India. We have several more of their pieces in our bedroom that we’ll no doubt keep forever.

The painting above the buffet is something I painted a few years ago. I was loving all of the abstract paintings I was seeing on Instagram and Pinterest and decided to make my own. When I scored a canvas on clearance at Joann’s I knew it was time to make it.

This is our door from the foyer, so essentially our “front” door.

The dining chairs are from TJ Maxx about a year or two ago. The round table is the first piece of furniture my parents bought when they got married. They now have a pretty spectacular table that I’ll have to show you soon. It totally trumps this one, but this one is special to me. It’s where I grew up having dinner every night, and I love that I get to have it.

This big mirror is from my in-laws. They also own the retail space that is below my home and while it was vacant, I got to explore and asked if I could have this mirror. It really brightens the space up and I got to hang those fun twinkle lights I found at the dollar spot at Target at Christmas time.

I created this gallery wall just before Christmas. It took me three stinking days to get it all put together, but I did it very cheaply with free printables from Pinterest and some pieces I already had.

I love that the overall shape resembles a heart. Lots of love is represented in those things up there.

I’m standing in our kitchen while taking this picture. I have an idea of what I’ll put above the TV, but just haven’t gotten around to getting it up there. And I also have fabric for some fun curtains for that big window. Can’t wait to get those up and share with you!

Our TV stand came from Rooms to Go. It was a scratch and dent piece that we’ve had for about 6 years and has held up beautifully and through two moves. When we bought it we lived in an apartment on the third floor with no elevator. That same cousin I moved in with when I first moved to Louisiana came over and helped Paul carry it up all those stairs. Again, God bless him!

The sconces came from a precious store in Denham Springs, Louisiana. I can’t remember the name. But if you ever go there and go to that one street with all the second hand stores and other fun stores, it’s the big one on the corner. 🙂 Help me out Louisiana friends on the name!

I believe the rug is from Home Decorators. I found it on sale and fell immediately in love. I think it’s on sale again now! If you look closely, you’ll see Jack up there too behind the coffee table.

It’s such a charming apartment, and I genuinely love our little home. It has two bedrooms and two full bathrooms. It also has a very nice deck that we share with the neighbors. We spend a good deal of time out there every day with the dogs.

I hope you’ll come back to see more. It’s been such a journey making it our home, and goodness knows I’ve got a long way to go.