I am particularly fond of Sundays during the school year, especially the ones where there isn't much to do except lounge on the couch, read blogs, watch TV, and do absolutely zero lesson plans.

Those Sundays don't happen too often but today is one of them....and I am enjoying it thoroughly.

Made a Target run, had a delicious lunch, now just waiting for the MTV VMAs to begin at 8pm - yes, I'm watching them. As soon as I heard there could be possible NSYNC reunion, I said bye, bye, bye to any other Sunday night plans. AND the Divergent trailer is playing during the pre-show. I'm beginning to think instead of turning 28 last week I regressed to my 15 year old fan-girl self.

Don't care!

How was your weekend? Mine was top notch.

Friday night win at the Card's game with some fabulous co-workers friends.

Followed by the most glorious cheese pizza all by my lonesome while the man of the house had about 10 others guys over for their fantasy football draft. It was the best midnight pizza. Ever.

We spent Saturday night celebrating a good buddy's 30th birthday.

All in all, can't complain. Already looking forward to the upcoming three day weekend - gotta love the first holiday of the school year!

Four days down of the new school year and so far, it has been GREAT!

Top 5 of my week:

1. I can just tell that this is going to be a great school year...my kids seem awesome!


2. It's my birthday today :)

3. Went to the Cardinal's game with my great friend, Ashley on Wednesday night. We talked so much that I really don't know what happened at the game except that we lost, oh well!

4. TONS of great shopping was had over the weekend. New jeans, shirts, some makeup, and I hope there is just a little more to come this weekend.

5. I got the most wonderful pedicure on Monday before the first day of school. It was the works...hot stones and a 30 minute foot and leg massage. It felt sooooo good.

Not the most flattering picture of my feet, they remind me of Fred Flintstone, yikes!

5. Not to sound like an old person (I am after all turning 28 today) but the weather has been freaking fantastic. 78 degrees in August is practically unheard of and I'm digging it.

Pretty fab week! My day will hopefully be spectacular - ice cream cake is waiting for me at work, a scrumptious dinner is planned at one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants with my fam, and I'm sure I will find some time to squeeze in some celebratory beverages to ease the pain of turning another year older.

Have a great weekend!

Linking up with Lauren Elizabeth

Tired doesn't even begin to describe how I feel.

I contemplated going to bed while it was still light out.

After not standing for longer than 10 minutes all summer, I had to ice my back and feet when I got home


Despite feeling like I've been run over, these kids seem pretty awesome. This is the first where I had students introduce themselves on their own and say thank you while leaving class. Manners tell me quite a bit how a year is going to go and something tells me this crop of kids is going to be great!

My funny student first day story - I was standing in the hall, herding kids into class when one obviously lost child walks past me.

Me: Can I help you find where you're going?
Student: I'm going to Science on the Red Team.
Me: Well that is in the other hallway. Can I check your schedule to help you out?

After examining the student's schedule it appears he is actually an 8th grader - he had all 8th grade teachers listed on his schedule.

Me: Well you're supposed to be in 8th grade, do you know how to get there?
Student: But I'm a 6th grader!

He had picked up his older brother's schedule by accident this morning! The look on that kid's face was sheer terror when I told him he should be over in 8th grade!

To all my teacher friend's going back this week, remember to have fun and wear comfortable shoes!

The last Friday of summer vacation.

I'm not so sure that it really something to celebrate. Another summer in the books. Life just keeps moving faster and faster.

The good thing is, I'm enjoying it. :)

Linking up with Lauren for High Five for Friday

Great things about my week:

1.Got all of my paperwork submitted just in time for my pay raise to go in effect for our first paycheck of the school year. Thank goodness for an understanding HR department!

2. I really do enjoy the weeks before school because I am so productive. There is so much to do that I have no choice but to be a machine and just knock stuff out.

Case in point: my lamination is finished, cut out, and on the walls. My classroom is just about ready to go which isn't usually the case at this point of the summer.

3.The boyfriend and I enjoyed a 70 degree Saturday evening with dinner and drinks on the patio at one of our fave neighborhood restaurants.

4. And then met up with one of my favorite gals from work and her boyfriend at one of STL's many breweries. It was a great night!

Yep, wearing a jacket in July. Unheard of in STL!

5. Spent my Thursday with some gorgeous Springfield ladies in town for the Maroon 5/Kelly Clarkson concert. We went to Cheesecake Factory, shopped, and got to check out the new West Elm - which is full of photo ops, like this one at the front of the store....

So glad Danavee, Andrea, and the bunch didn't mind me tagging along.

All in all not too shabby of a last week before heading back to work. I'm spending the day locked in my classroom...I'm not leaving until it is ready for the kids to walk into. 

Have a great weekend!

As an avid visitor to Buzzfeed I often find myself perusing a variety of fascinating videos, articles, and lists (love me a good list!) The other night they linked to 40 Days of Dating and I immediately was engrossed.

The premise: Two friends (Jessica and Timothy) who both happen to be single at the moment set out to date for 40 days as an experiment.
The rules: They must see each other every day, go on three dates per week, go on one weekend trip,not see anyone else, and go to couples counseling.

The website chronicles each day, sharing one day at a time from each of their own point of view. The website launched July 10th and you can currently read up though day 22, which was actually April 10, 2013.

Overall I have enjoyed reading each of the entries. It is intriguing to read how each of them interprets the other's actions, words, etc. And I would like to think they are being pretty honest because some of the stuff they share about each other and themselves is pretty cringeworthy, like ohmygoodness I would be too embarrassed to share that on the interwebz!

If I was using my Magic 8 Ball to predict if Jessica and Timothy continue dating after the experiment concludes it would probably say, "Very doubtful". While they are both creative types and share a few things in common they just seem out of sync.

But who knows?! Maybe they finished the 40 days totally in love with one another and they eloped to some totally hipster place.

Even if you're not interested in reading their entries, the artwork for each entry is worth a look.

What are you reading lately? Share anything I should check out in the comments. I'm trying to cling to my last days of summer by trying to pretend I don't have a to-do list that's a mile long.

It's check in time with Stephanie at Bourbon and Glitter! July is just about over and I will say I did a pretty good job at completing some but not all of my goals.

The biggest task completed: 12 hours of grad school credit!


HOLLA! I may have only just finished my classes on Wednesday but they are done and I'm ready for a nice little pay raise when I return to work in August.

I also found some time to get crafty in July, prettifying my teacher toolbox steal.
Washi tape is my new jam, it's going to be all over my classroom this year.

The pool and I got acquainted in July but unfortunately we didn't become BFFs. Three trips total including one at a million dollhair mansion. Gotta love when the boyfriend's mom housesits for Richie Rich!


My birthday is only 20 days away and so I did update my wishlist on Pinterest. Can't wait to ease the pain of turning 28 with some retail therapy.

Things that didn't get accomplished: going to the gym 3x a week and updating the bloggy blog. But there's always next month!

All online classwork and no play, make Sara a dull girl.

I've been "reading and reflecting" since Friday, churning out almost 35 pages of written material so I can finish my +15 by July 31st.

Only one more class.

I took the day off today and visited my classroom. I put the finishing touches on my teacher toolbox for this year.



You may remember back in May when I instagrammed my steal from another teacher's giveaway pile. I knew I could gussy it up a little bit.

All it needed was a good wipe down and I was ready to decorate.

I decided on Washi Tape.

I know I am super late on the Washi Tape fad but I might be slightly obsessed. It was so easy to use - I just tore off pieces and slapped them the clear plastic drawers.

And with the addition of my sweet new label maker (which there may have been a little too much playing with over the weekend. I know...such a nerd!) I just typed out my labels and stuck 'em on.

Amazing what some spray paint and tape can do.