What I wore Wednesday

This week, I feel like every moment of everyday has been so jammed with some kind of activity work, school or otherwise that I feel like I can't breath! I always feel like this at the beginning of the year and it always calms down after the first quarter, but those weeks in the lurch are rough! I am bringing home work, planning and grading almost nightly. I have got to get a handle on this business!
When I get a minute of free time, I have been trying to play with the kids of course, work on this B-Log, plan outfits or just sit for a second and you know, read email, life stuff.

Monday outfit, I just needed something fun and girly to start my week off right!

Dress: Old Navy (Old)

Cardigan: Target

Flats: Old Navy

Necklace: Charming Charlie's

Belt: From an another dress

I wore this to church last week, another Sunday in the nursery!

Top: Limited (thrifted)

Seersucker capris: Old Navy (thirfted)

Sandals: Target

Another bright and sunny day in Colorado!

Dress: Target

Necklace: Gift

Sandals: Target

My Birthday outfit for school!

Top: Target

Ruffled skirt: Target

leopard peep toes: Target

Necklaces: Forever 21 (?)

Casual Friday! 

Tank: Old Navy (thrifted)

Denim Pencil skirt: Target

Flip flops: Target

My re-30th birthday

I just might refuse to get any older than 30, it was a great year! We had some big changes to our family, my brother got married, Kellen was born, I switched grades again, we got some major projects done on the home front. I am sure there is more, but my old brain is forgetful!

This year my day started with sweet presents from Brien and Callie (Kellen was there too) I got a new beautiful ring to add on with my wedding/engagement ring. It doesn't quite fit together amazingly, but I love it and the thoughtfulness that went into choosing it.

ooooh, shiny!

My sweet sister in law brought me over Starbucks at the butt crack of dawn so I would be energized for the day! How great is that?! I wish Starbucks delivered...

My day at school was great, the kids were extra kind and sweet. We had a nice evening at home.

Friday we had a date night! Brien and I were all on our lonesome so we went to On The Border for dinner. It had rained most of the day, so it was a little chilly. We had the brilliant idea to sit on the patio and we froze our heiney's off! We had good intentions of making it to the movies, but we were so cold after dinner we ended up going home, having a fire and watching a movie on the couch. It was wonderful! We stayed up way too late, per usual, these days.

Totally inappropriately dress for a freezing evening on the patio, but I felt cute!

Chambray: Target

Skirt: Target

Sandals: Target

Saturday was way too busy... I had the fall kick off breakfast for people teaching Sunday school at church. Callie had a birthday pool party and we had an awesome night at the zoo! Brien's work hosts a zoo day for the employees and their families once a year with free admission, free dinner and free rides on the carousel. We had so much fun exploring the zoo! There was no one there, it was super cool outside that evening and all of animals were out, it's doesn't get much better than that. Callie kept saying "You don't see that everyday!" and she was right!

Tigers up close!

Giraffes up close!

Elephants up close!

Free carousel!

More free carousel!

Sunday we had a family/friends barbecue. It was a bit of work getting the house and yard cleaned up and getting the food ready, but it was so much fun to spend time with the family and round out my birthday week.

Here's to another year of being 30!

Kellen is 11 months old!

Almost one year baby man! I can't believe it. This time last year we were so ready for you to hurry up and get here and now we have been blessed to be your parents for almost a year! You have so much personality, take right now for instance, as I am typing this you are screaming ha-da in your crib because sleeping is just not fun. You are still such a joyful, fun, sweet smiley baby, no changes on that front!

This month has not been my favorite since are not together all day. But you get to spend the day with Ms. Charlie and your buddies. You are right in the middle with 2 friends who are older and 2 friends who are younger, but guess who's the biggest? 

You have been playing with your toys and love this here flute/recorder thingy, you just can't quite figure out how to work it. 

Also, foamy blocks and letters are your thing, yum!

These faces, where do they come from?

You are getting around like a pro now, up the stairs and so close to getting down, into the cabinets, around the tables and shelves, and pushing around your grocery cart. You love to load up your basket and push until you crash!

Let's see, stats, still 24 lbs, still rockin' 18 months clothes, still wearing size 3 dipes, still bald, still have 6 teeth. You are sleeping okay at night until about 7-5ish and then a bottle and a cat nap until about 6:30. I have no idea if you or Charlie get any rest in during the day!

You are getting so close to walking! You let go of things and then don't know what to next, but you sure get around on the edge of stuff! Dancing is also pretty fun times. You have no rhythm, but if there is music you do some obscene bouncing and gyrating.

Callie is still pretty much the best thing ever. You were a little lost without her while she was in Texas!

Hanging out with grandma and papa has also been one of your favorite things too! You discovered their doggy door a few weeks and it was hi-larious!

You have found your voice, but no words have been made. You stand at the glass door and on the railing and yell at things, you say mum and dad when you are upset, but I am not sure they mean anything. You have a super shrill scream, not for any reason, just screaming. Daddy calls you "Helen" when you this, you think it's pretty funny. You also have a super awesome grunt, that is really drawn out and deep and you sound pretty much like a zombie, or like you are pooping, but you are alive and you are not stinky, so who knows.

Likes: Callie, toys, playing, walking, screaming and grunting, dancing, eating.

Not a fan of: Sleeping, being still, wearing clothes (see below)

Firsts: Time playing in the sand box, grandma camp, walking with some help, eating ice cream.

What I Wore Wednesday...

We are finally getting adjusted to our new schedule this year, yay! It has been a bit rough trying to juggle getting the kiddos ready, dropped off and picked up, it's a learning process y'all.

This week has been pretty swell at school, I adore my 6th graders. Still struggling with 7th grade, another learning process...It's starting to feel a little fallish around here, it's getting darker earlier, the air is a little cooler at night. I love fall, but I am not quite ready for this!

I love this dress! It's a tiny heart print that is kind of hard to see at a distance, but it is one of my favorites!

Dress: Old Navy

Necklace: Dillards (old)

Flats: Target

I have had this skirt forever, it has been in my closet since college and I always forget about it, so, here's to digging way back in the closet...

Top: Target

Skirt:Gap (super old)

necklace:??

lace up espadrilles:Old Navy

I also love these shoes! I have them forever as well. When I got them out, I noticed that some of the weave on the heel was falling off, oh no! Thanks loctite super glue, for saving my shoes!

I keep pairing blue and yellow, who knew they looked so cute together??

Dress: Thirfted

Cardigan: Target

Sandals: Target

Lace top: Thrifted

Shorts: Target

Necklace: Very Jane

Wedges: Target

Last but not least, the back dress... I love this dress too! It has some really cute darting and buttons but they didn't really show up in the picture, bummer.

Dress: Old Navy

Pave bracelet: Very Jane

Barbie shoes: Dillards (old)

Last year at the end of the year one of my colleagues across the hall found a hot pink stiletto barbie shoe laying on the floor in front of her door. She brought it to me at lunch and said, "Mrs. Wood we found your shoe in the hall way." Not far from the truth!

Its the first day of school!

Callie started 2nd grade Monday and I can't believe that she is this big and grown up!

 There are a few things that we do on the first day of school to make it extra special. Callie's school doesn't start until like 8:45 and Brien and I have both have to be to work super early, so both take off the morning and spend it getting her ready and off to school! We wake up late, relax, have coffee and breakfast together and reminisce about the grades she has accomplished.

After we finish getting ready we have our first day of school photo shoot! This is probably my favorite part of the morning.

In the kitchen we have a giant framed chalk board. My mother in law made it. It is so super easy to create! She found a frame that she loved. I this case it is a super cute, clean cut off white frame, that matches our kitchen decor perfectly. The picture inside the frame, however was super ugly! So she taped off the edges and used a can of chalkboard paint to cover the ugliness! So simple right?!

I normally use it to write out our meals for the week and keep an ongoing grocery/Target list. On the first day of school it is where we write the first day of school stats!

Every year we write what grade Callie is entering, the date, and what she wants to be when she grows up. I figure that I will use the pictures when she graduates from high school or something for some memories to look back on! Here  are some from years past:

After kitchen photos, we take our photo shoot outside and take some porch pictures!

Then we all head to school to wait in line and meet the teacher. Callie was so excited to see her old friends and catch up after the long summer!

This year has been a little challenging so far. It's hard to get used to all new things, with a whole new teacher and a whole new group of friends. I think that once we get back into the swing of things, it will be  rockin' good year!

Oh 7th grade...

This week has been another crazy one! Callie had been in Texas for almost 3 weeks spending time with the grandparents while I started off the school year, she is finally home and things feel whole again! We have finished our supply shopping, her list was ridiculous! I think that if I had more than 2 children I wold probably cry at the amount of things that the teachers need! I am so thankful that my mom and dad had her on Friday while I was at school and bought the bulk of her things. What would we do with out grandparents?!?

So school, my 6th graders are amazing! They are finally opening up, actually listening and we are getting some learning done! The beginning is always a little tough trying to get to know them and establish relationships, but I have some handy tools. More about that later.

My 7th graders however, are another story. I apparently have several of last years challenge kids. All. In. One. Class. Oy! They are tough, what is it about 7th grade boys?? I am going to try some new things this week, prayers said and fingers crossed!

I wore this last week and it was so fun and colorful!

Skirt: anthropology, thrifted

Tee: Gap, thrifted

Sandals: Target

Necklace: Target

Back to school teacher outfits

We are in full swing with school this year! I would be lying if I said I didn't miss my sweet kiddos from last year. My team looped with our students from 6th to 7th grade and had the same group for 2 years, it was amazing! It is so weird to have new little babies, who. can't. do. anything. I forgot how little and sweet they are, but, mercy, do we have our work cut for us!

My student teacher has been a dream. She is already starting to build relationships with the students and is so quick to jump in and help. On Fridays Sarah has class for her program, and so many of the kids were so sad she was gone!

I am getting used to heels again and I am back in my element of non-laying around the house in my bathing suit wear...oh, sweet comfort zone.

I wore this to a workshop last week before the students came. We have a new writing program for our district. It is an answer to prayers to have an actual curriculum this year!

Stripped maxi dress: Forever 21

Denim jacket: Love Couture

Sandals: Target

I wore this to clean up my classroom and attend meetings last week. We have a huge new staff this year, I think it is going to be a great year!

Color block tee: thrifted, originally from Target

Plaid short: Old Navy

Sandals: Target

My outfit to tea last weekend! I love this dress and it finally fits again, post Kellen. I missed all my fun clothes last year when I was still knocked up!

Dress: Target

Platform wedges: Target

Pearl necklaces: Target

I wore this to church last Sunday, my necklaces kept Kellen quite entertained until nursery time!

Dress: Thrifted, Cynthia Rowley

Sandals: Old Navy

Necklaces: Forever 21

This was my outfit on the first day of school! I love this dress, it is so comfy and kept me cool while I was running around like a crazy person, trying to gather up my students and start the year!

Dress: Forever 21

Necklace:??

leopard peep toes: Target

Make something Monday: Fabric and plywood baby gate

We have a baby on the move and no way to contain him! Kellen loves the stairs, he is amazing at climbing them at record speeds. However, when he tries to get back down, he turns to sit on the stairs and can't fit his little booty on that skinny step and goes flailing backwards. It's all very entertaining to watch... the first 300 times. But after spending an entire day on the stairs I am over it!

We have an awkward stair situation, a banister with little skinny spindles on one side and a wall on the other. So a gate is out. I started looking into other alternatives. Like chairs, couch cushions etc. This baby will not be distracted by an obstacle. I turned to my friend, the internet, and looked for some retractable gates and such, but they are pricy! The most inexpensive one I could find that didn't look horrible was like $100, no way, Jose!

I found this little pin on my baby board, but it was a little involved, so I had to improvise...
You need:
Plywood cut to size
Twin size quilt batting (I found mine at Hobby Lobby for $13 and it was 30% off!)
Fabric (I bought 3 yards for $8.99 at Hobby Lobby and I used a 40% off coupon)
A staple gun

We had a piece of plywood in the back yard, so I asked the mister to cut it down to size for me.

I left the batting doubled and laid it out, then centered the wood on top of it.
Then, staple the batting on tightly and trim off the excess.

Next, lay out the fabric and center the batting covered wood on it.

I used a fabric with a geometric pattern, so it was easy to line things up using the lines of the shape.

Then staple the fabric to the wood, making sure to pull tightly before stapling.

I folded the corners, like so, and stapled them down along the edges.

I had a small section of wood showing and used a piece of extra fabric to fill it in.

And.. done! So far it has kept Kellen from scaling upstairs and it's easy to slide to the side if you want to get up. For under $30! Money saved $60 +, your welcome dear Husband!