Migraines

Since about October, I have been having these horrific migraines.  Yesterday another one hit.  I took the medicine the doctor had prescribed for me and then I was out.  Six hours straight of sleeping since I wasn't able to even move after taking the medicine.  Today my head still hurt (more like a soreness than the ice-pick pain from yesterday).

Unfortunately this meant no grading or prepping for the week.  It's a vicious cycle of stress causing headaches which cause me to be unable to do anything which in turn causes more stress…well, you get the idea.

I was able to get dressed yesterday but promptly took medicine after getting ready.  Today I was able to be up and around and felt semi-normal.  Yippee!

Gray Top: H&M
Skirt: Forever21
Black Tights
Black Boots: Lane Bryant
Necklace: Target

I took this while hubby and I were driving.  I kinda felt like Ginnifer Goodwin.

I was hoping to sort of recreate her cute hair.  My pic above doesn't really do it justice.

Finding Beauty

I've been working really hard this week to find the beauty in things no matter what's going on.  Putting on those rosy glasses isn't that easy for me, come to find out.  I have been trying, though.  Any time I feel like venting my frustrations or feel the urge to throw my hands up in a gesture of anger, I have been forcing myself to find the good (in either the situation or the person).  It seems to be working a little.  I'm feeling a little less burnt out.  I am finding I do have a little more to give at my job.  I just needed to change my perspective.

Friday the staff and students were asked to wear purple in honor of the student who passed away this week.  This student had Cystic Fibrosis, and purple is the awareness color.  Due to my going to a capsule wardrobe, the only purple I currently have in my closet is through accessories.

Top: Kohl's
Skirt: Walmart
Necklace: Francesca's
Tights: Walmart
Kitten Heels: Union Bay

Lace Top: H&M
Blue Tank (not well seen): Old Navy found at Goodwill
Flyaway Cardigan: Charlotte Russe
Jeans: Mudd from Kohl's
Boots: Kohl's
Necklace: Premier Jewelry

I woke up with a migraine today and, on top of that, it had snowed last night, so I wasn't able to go to my writing group today.  I really enjoy meeting with those ladies; we have been meeting for over five years now.  We eat and we talk and we write and we share our writing.  It's awesome.  Fortunately, I was able to take some migraine medicine early enough and it seems to be working.  Fingers crossed this thing totally goes away.  The dizziness and head-cloudiness (I think I just made that word up) I get with  these headaches is terrible.

A Suitcase Full of Books

We had a two hour delay for school today due to the frigid temperatures.  I actually wore a pair of sweatpants over my tights this morning when I came into work!  Hey, ya gotta do what you can to keep warm!

I also brought with me a suitcase full of books.  I brought in a bunch of nonfiction books to give some options for my honors classes, who are going to start a new independent reading project.  I kid you not, every single one of my books got checked out.  Every. Single. One.  That has NEVER happened before.  I am so amazed by my students.  Some of them picked out whoppers that had over 600 pages in them.  These kids are just so cool!

Black Top: Kohl's
Mint Skirt: Target
Black Tights
Black Slouch Boots: Payless
Necklace: Forever21

Tuesday and Wednesday: The Slump

I've been noticing that my colleagues are all retreating into their own rooms.  We aren't venturing out into the hallways much anymore.  It makes me sad.  I miss the camaraderie!  I feel like February is just a slump for teachers.  UGH.  I hate that this month is so hard on everyone.

On top of that, we had a student pass away last night.  A death in 'the family' is never good--and our school really is like a family.

Blue Dress: Kohl's
Blazer (red by the way, not pink although it looks pink in the picture!): Target
Necklace: Dustee's
White Tights: Marshalls
Boots: Payless

Polka-Dot Top: Kohl's
Cardigan: J. Crew
Red Cords: Kohl's
Necklace: Francesca's
Boots: Kohl's

Happy thoughts: I bought this pretty red lip gloss at Walmart for super cheap, and I love it.  I'm wearing it in both of the above pictures.  It is supposed to be a plumping gloss, but I don't think that part really works.  I just like the color!

Monday: Goodbye Lace Sweatshirt

I would have preferred for it to snow tomorrow so that at least we'd get a snow day, but I guess I can deal since we have today off for President's Day.

I planned on wearing my lace sweatshirt with this outfit, but I realized it had a stain.  I had to say goodbye to it and decided on the gray blazer over the black tank top instead.  Next winter, I will have to remember that I need a replacement shirt/sweater for my winter capsule wardrobe.

Blazer: Kohl's
Black Tank: Target
Skirt: Forever21
Tights: Kohl's
Boots: Hunter
OK Necklace: Etsy
Long Necklace: Ann Taylor

This eye puffiness brought to you by staying up to read.

Sunday: Let It Snow!

I'm thankful we have Monday off because of President's Day.  Otherwise, we'd probably have a snow day!  I am happy to report that I was able to get into town to do my grocery shopping before it started snowing.  Now I hope I don't have to leave the house until the plows have come by tomorrow.  I have some grading to do in my classroom before school resumes on Tuesday.  The students made some awesome posters on Of Mice and Men and the themes/motifs in the novel.

As you see, I started out wearing flats to church, but after we got home, I quickly changed into boots.  It was too cold!

**I'm also going to admit I also ditched the bracelets.  They just made too much noise and kept getting in my way.  I definitely would not teach wearing these.  They would distract me (and the students)!

Cardigan: Anthropologie
Pants: Kohl's
Flats: Hush Puppies
Oklahoma Necklace: Etsy (gift from hubby last Valentine's Day)
Bracelets: Plain cuff, gift from my mother; Chevron, boutique in OK

Ah, the innocence of not realizing how cold it was outside. 

Project333, The 40 Hanger Closet--Making Minimalism Work For Me

There are still two weeks left of February, and I was going through my winter wardrobe (the one that had 50 items) and I was trying really hard to whittle down my stuff until I had 33 items instead.  I got so close. I am down to 40 items.  I really want to follow Project333 to the letter, but I'm finding that it just wouldn't work for me.  Not that Project333 ever claims you have to follow its parameters exactly.  Still, I was kinda feeling like a failure.

Then I found this idea called the 40 Hanger Closet on Pinterest and I was interested in the idea.  Apparently it was created by a blogger who liked the idea of Project333 but, like me, couldn't seem to accept the 33-item total it prescribed.  This blogger decided that, since her new fuzzy hangers came in a box of 40, that would be the number of hanging items in her closet.  This did not count her things that were not hung up.  I thought, Wow, that's exactly what I decided to do!  [Only, technically, my pajama tops, tanks, and workout clothes are hanging up, but that's because I'm weird.] It made me feel like so much less of a failure that someone else was doing the same thing.

I was so excited by this that I was motivated to get out my spring capsule wardrobe and sort through the 50 items to cut them down to 40.  I can live with 40 clothing items.  I can make that work!  The ten items that didn't make the cut are now hiding out in a bin under my bed.  We'll see if I decide I want to keep them or if I decide to sell them.  The rest of the items I ironed and hung up in a separate part of my closet in anticipation of the beginning of March.  I will be busy the next two weeks (conferences, grades due, data meetings, etc) and I was worried I wouldn't have the time to get it done.  Here's the new wardrobe hanging in my closet next to my workout clothes on one side and my "pajama hoodies" on the other:

Forty items is a lot, but it looks so small when seen in this picture.  You can't see individual items, but I tried to include my favorite spring things in there, like the new black and white striped skirt I bought a few months ago, my lime-green-ish cardigan, a cherry-blossom dress, and a yellow and gray t-shirt material maxi dress.

Even though I love my upcoming capsule wardrobe, I like playing around with creating capsule wardrobes on Pinterest now.  I made a few by creating pins from Cato Fashions and Maurices.  

I was super ambitious regarding the Cato wardrobe.  I wanted to see how much it would cost to create that entire capsule, so I tracked how much each item would have cost.  I was a little surprised by the price tag: a little under $625.  Ouch.  And Cato's stuff is cheap, ya'll.  It made me realize how much money I'd been spending on clothes.  While I would only buy, at most, three things at a time, that stuff was adding up quickly.  I probably got rid of a thousand dollars' worth of clothes when I purged.  Think of what I could have done with that money… For now I'll enjoy just "window-shopping" online.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I got to work Friday morning to find that some sweet child had made individual valentines for every single student at the school and placed them on each locker.  Can you imagine how much work that is to make an individual cut-out heart, hand write the note, and then tape them onto over 700 lockers?  I mean, WOW.

And then this morning, when I woke from the dead (weekends are for sleeping in, right?) I found a dozen roses, a heart-shaped cookie cake, and cherry turnovers on the kitchen table.

My husband is awesome.

Here's what I wore to work Friday:

Love Sweater: Target
Sparkle Skirt: Maurice's
Gray Tights: Walmart
Kitten Heels: Union Bay

Necklace: Premier Jewelry

And today I dressed like a slob and I didn't care. Hubby and I stayed in.  I worked on my spring capsule wardrobe and then did some grading.  Hubby watched TV and read a book.  We played fetch with the dogs.  It was awesome.

T-Shirt: I think I got it at the shoe store Journeys
Jeans: Mudd for Kohl's
Flyaway Cardigan: I think I said it was Maurice's before, but my hubby said he thinks it's from Charlotte Russe.
Purple Socks: Target
Moccasins: I got them from an Indian Shop in OK

You can't tell, but the shirt says "No Prob-llama"  I got it because I LOVE llamas.

Thursday's Feminine Look

Lace Top: H&M
Pink Undershirt: The Limited
Pleated Skirt: Target
Gray Tights: Kohl's
Gray Boots: Payless
Silver Ball Necklace: Gift from husband

My students keep thinking I look naked when I wear this shirt.  It makes me laugh.  In the winter, the undershirt is the same color as my skin.

I originally planned to wear a cute blazer with this outfit, but the blazer looked weird.  Sometimes what it looks like in your head and what it looks like in reality is not the same.  Like my curled hair.  Even the second day, I couldn't get it to look like beach waves.

I am simultaneously looking forward to Friday and dreading the experience of Friday the 13th combined with the day before Valentine's Day.  As a high school teacher, these things are important.  So much hormone activity!  So much drama!  Thank goodness for chocolates.

Wednesdays: A Signal that the Week is Almost Over

This week has been just weirdly bad.  We've all had bad weeks that make us feel like curling into a ball and hiding in a blanket fort with a tub of ice cream. This isn't like that.  This is the weird, nothing-seems-to-be-clicking kind of weeks.  Lots of mis-communicating, frustrated co-workers not being able to handle any more, and pointing fingers.  I've tried to stay out of it all as much as possible, but it's hard when you have any sort of leadership role.  I just keep smiling and telling myself that I get to go to an awesome conference at the end of the month that will allow me to feel a breath of freshness.

I curled my hair today.  To be honest, I was going for the beach waves for short hair look that everyone seems to be able to pull off, but I just can't seem to do it right.  So, instead, it just looks curled.  Definitely something to brighten my spirits either way.

Gray Sweater: Old Navy
Black Checkered Pants: Cynthia Rowley from Marshall's
Necklace: Gift from my mom
Flats: Target

This outfit could have used some bracelets, but I've found I don't really like teaching and wearing bracelets because they become a distraction when I'm trying to write on the board.

Tuesday

Today I took care of my teeth.  Like the alliteration there?  I had a dentist appointment in the middle of the day, so took the whole day off.  Who doesn't love a random day off in the middle of the week!

Hubby and I headed to town early so we could try a new doughnut shop that opened up several months ago.  It was good, but a lot of calories for food that didn't really taste any different than any other donut I've had.  I had a red velvet cake donut with white chocolate glaze and hubby had a maple-bacon donut.  I give them props for cool flavor combo ideas.

Plaid Shirt: Old Navy
Bird Sweater: Old Navy
Jeans: Mudd from Kohl's
Necklace: Premier Jewelry
Boots: Payless

Feeling Green

What is it about Mondays?  Are we all just grieving the loss of our weekend so much?  Are we all lacking sleep from throwing off our sleep schedules?  Is it because we have CLT meetings Monday mornings in which most people are just going through their to-do lists in their heads?  (That last one may just be specific to my school!)

I think this Monday morning has made me realize how I need to just take a deep breath and fill myself with kindness before I walk into school.  No matter how else I get treated, that shouldn't change my choice of treating people with kindness.  It's so easy to get caught up in my own feelings and let that cause me to be full of reactions.  This isn't a vague venting at something specific.  I get this feeling of frustration and anger and a mild sense of entitlement on Mondays (GRR!  Why is this so hard?  I've been teaching for a while, why isn't this any easier?!?).  Do other teachers feel that way or is it just me?

Here's my plain outfit with a pop of color.  Green, actually.  I found it funny because of how I feel about Mondays.

Green Cardigan: Charlotte Russe
Black Top: Kohl's
Black Skirt: JcPenney
Black Tights
Black Flats: Hushpuppies
Necklace: Forever21 (I think?)

Sunday--Work Day

Sunday is typically the day I trot my happy behind to the school where I work so that I can grade interactive notebooks and make all the copies I need for the week.  I'm typically there for 3+ hours.  It makes my Sundays pretty busy between Church and Small Group.

I'm still loving my Pureple app.  I figured out how I wanted to use their Outfits feature.  I like that it gives suggestions, and I definitely will use that when I need help and inspiration, but the way I've decided to use it is to track what I wear from day to day.  This way, at the end of the three months of my capsule wardrobe, I can see how many times I've worn something or if I haven't worn an item at all.  This will make cutting my 50 items down to 33 easier (I HOPE!).

If I make an outfit, when I click on the individual item from the Wardrobe page I can see that outfit.  Like here:

In the picture above, I had clicked on the red blazer from the Wardrobe page and, underneath where it says Notes, it shows all the outfits where I've worn the red blazer.  Cool huh?

Saturday, I went out to run errands and, while it was definitely feeling like spring outside, I still needed some long sleeves, so I added a cardigan.  What do you think?  Do you like it buttoned or unbuttoned?

Here's what I wore today to church and to the school to work.  I changed to sweats and a t-shirt before small group.  I just want to be comfy before work tomorrow!!

Dress: Maurice's
Belt: super old; not sure.  I think it may have come from a dress I got at JcPenney
Tights: JcPenney
Boots: Born
Necklace: (you can see it better in the picture below): Premier Jewelry

Is this the first time I've shown my face?  Gosh.  I really can't figure out how to make my whole body
fit into a picture like some bloggers (Yasi from Hello Gorgeous!, for example, does an amazing job).

Bracelet: gift from my mom

Jacket: given to me from a good friend; it's a little big now though.
It may be time to give it to a new owner.  It matched my outfit well, though!

I didn't even end up needing the jacket.  It was so warm outside today!

Modified Project333 and a Saturday Outfit

My love for weekends makes me question whether I should petition my husband to be a stay-at-home wife and puppy-mommy.  Just another passing thought from this crispy-around-the-edges teacher.

As I mentioned in my last post, I've stopped the 30x30 to jump right into the scarier Project333.  Why is it scarier, you may ask.  Well, because it's a permanent closet change, not just a temporary one.  I modified it to fit my current comfortability level, but the idea and spirit of the 333 is there.  I cut down massively on my available wardrobe.  I now have 50 clothing items to choose from for 3 months.  I won't really know how difficult this whole idea is until probably the end of May since I decided to start this whole process in February, aka the end of winter.

For anyone interested in doing Project333, here's my process:

1) I weeded through my closet and got rid of anything I either never wore, hated, or was busted/stained/etc.
2) With the massive collection of clothes that was left after that first purge, I made piles by the seasons (Winter, Fall, Summer, Spring).
3) I culled through each pile and picked out my *favorites* and then looked through the rest for basics I would need.
4) I had to sacrifice a few things to ensure I didn't go over 50 items (my personal choice--333 suggests 33 items).
5) My other personal choice was not to count shoes and accessories or undershirts/tank tops.  I never wear tank tops on their own (always under something else) and I have so many shoes and necklaces that I wasn't quite ready in my brain to give them up yet.
6) I packed away each season's capsule except winter.  The winter set is what I will wear until the beginning of March, when I pull out the spring set and put away the winter set.  My plan is to get rid of anything in my winter set that I didn't wear or hated and take stock of things I will need to add for next year.

Whew!

Here's today's outfit.  It's super plain and yawn, but it's Saturday and i just want to be comfortable.  Keepin' it real, ya'll.

Black T-Shirt: gifted, but I think it is from New York & Co
Aquamarine/turquoise tank: found at Goodwill
Dark wash jeggings (look like black pants!): Kohl's
"Turquoise" necklace: gift from my mom
Black Flats: Hushpuppies
I am wearing a hairband on my wrist since I was about to pull my hair up.

A plain outfit for a simple day sitting around the house.  I may venture out to the grocery store for food for the week.  A teacher's weekend is "rest": time to do the "rest" of the stuff you couldn't get done during the week because you were so busy!

Days 3-5 and Modified Project333

Hello Everyone!

Well, the middle of the week quickly turned into the end of the week and I didn't get in a post until now.

I do have some changes to tell you about though.  I decided to do a modified version of Project333 instead of just a 30x30.  I realized I just needed to go ahead and do this!  I think I was waiting to hear if hubby and I were going to be moving first (fyi we're not) and I just figured, why wait to move to do what is going to be good for me?

I added to my 33 items.  I have 50 items in my closet right now (daily wear shirts, cardigans/blazers, pants, skirts, and dresses).  I did not count shoes and jewelry.  I will have to do that in time.  I got rid of at least 150 items!  I have 50 items also picked out and boxed up for Spring, Summer, and Fall.  It's like a capsule wardrobe for each season.  I'm so excited to see how it works!!

Wednesday's Outfit:
Cream Sweater: Kohl's
Striped Skirt: Walmart
Flyaway Cardigan: Gifted; I think from Maurice's
Black Tights: Walmart
Black Fringed Boots: Kohl's
Necklace: Premier Jewelry

I forgot to take a picture of Thursday's outfit.  I wore a lace shift dress with a red blazer, kitten heels, and a statement necklace.  I had to help with interviews.

Mug Sweater: Kohl's
Grey Stretchy Pants: Kohl's
Boots: Gifted, but I think from Kohl's
Necklace: Gifted, from Forever21

Here are some pictures of my new closet space.  Look at all the extra hangers (there are more in the spare closet)!  The pile of clothes on the ground in the corner needs to be folded neatly and eventually made into a t-shirt blanket.  I need to find someone who can make one for me!

And here is my capsule wardrobe.  You can sort of see it in the above photo.  I didn't count the workout clothes, lounge around the house sweatshirts, or pjs and underwear (in the dresser above).

Here is the storage for each season.  It's so exciting!

This is the one for spring--just a month away until I open up these boxes!

Also, check out how I plan my outfits for the week.  It's not a brand-new idea, but it really works for me!

I made these out of scrapbooking paper and cut to fit my closet rods.  If I take 5 minutes to plan my outfits, I don't have to think about it the ENTIRE week!

30x30 Day 2

It's hard to believe it's February.  I stopped blogging almost a year ago!

I think I'm getting to the point in my career where I'm starting to feel burnt out.  I'm not sure how to snap myself out of it.  I still love my job (for what it's worth) and, for the most part, I love the kiddos.  It's just the pressure, and the paperwork, and the impossibly high expectations for my own and my students' performances…and all for, what?  Possibly a handful of kids appreciating it and less money than what a player on the losing team makes for being in the Super Bowl?  Really?  I wouldn't care if it didn't also suck up all my personal time.  I need ideas beyond the "get a mani/pedi/massage" or "do something for you" answer.  I need something sustainable to get me out of the 'crispy around the edges' feeling.  

Here's Day 2's outfit.  This first week is going to be easy to plan.

A student told me I look like a ladybug today.  I guess I'll be hearing that more often than I want this month!

Day 1 30x30 Challenge

Here's the first outfit.  I did have to "cheat" today since I haven't done laundry and the pair of jeans on my 30x30 is dirty.  I will be putting the ones I wore today away after I do laundry today and sticking to to the ones I plan to use for the month!

Gray Lace Sweater: Forever21

Pink Undershirt (can't see it): NY&Co

Jeans: Seven7 from Lane Bryant

Brown Boots: Lane Bryant

Necklace: Premier Jewelry

Side note: I do not have strings coming out of my rear.  Thanks to my dog, we now have bits of string all over the house.  I didn't notice it was in the picture until now!!

Also, here are a few of the upcoming outfits I may use in the future with my 30x30, as picked out by my app (Pureple).  This app is making getting dressed for the week a breeze!