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Teaching Sam and Scout

Teaching, Motherhood, and Life In-Between

Spring Wish List

Well, just when I started to think we were over winter and headed into spring, mother nature is throwing us for a loop with a big snow headed this way on Sunday… Regardless, a girl can still dream about spring (clothes) right?!?!

My birthday is at the end of the month which, I would argue, is the absolute BEST time to have a birthday because it means I can buy/gift myself some new clothes at Christmas for the start of the cold season AND buy/gift myself some new clothes at my birthday for the start of the warm season. I like it so much I arranged my daughter to be born at the end of March too. You’re welcome, Nora. 😉

Here are a few things (OK, a lot of things) I’ve been adding to my wish list lately (click the image to see the source/visit):

(Side Note: I have nearly made myself nuts trying to get the photos in this post to center align, and I cannot do it. If anyone has any tips, please send them my way!)

This also comes in black, and I want them both. Cotton shift dresses are my absolute favorite for summer – and the ruffle sleeve is everything.

I’m not a huge shorts fan – though I’ll wear them – so a good pair of white jeans are a summer MUST.

I keep seeing these, and I’ve resisted them for far too long. Wouldn’t they be so cute with white jeans?

I REALLY need a good chambray shirt. This one has a lot of good reviews.

I’ve wanted Lake Pajamas for a long time, and the Annual Sale is going on now! How cute are these?

This would be a splurge, for sure, but I adore it!

This one too! #morestripesandruffles

I’ve seen tons of bloggers styling this shirt. So cute!

Gingham is a classic, and I love the little details on this top.

Speaking of gingham, how great is this dress? There’s even a cute bow tie in the back!

Last summer, I wore a baseball cap on the beach almost every day… That hat needs a replacement, and this one looks perfect. I love that it’s “performance” so it won’t get so gross if it gets wet/sweaty too.

And last but not least, because you can NEVER have too many striped t-shirt dresses!

I’ll stop myself there for now! Obviously I won’t be purchasing all of these things (birthdays aren’t *that* big of a deal in our house), but it’s still fun to “window shop.” And, yes, I know I have a stripes and ruffles problem. 😉

What’s on your spring wish list?

E

P.S. None of this is sponsored in any way, but some of the links above are affiliate links (Amazon links are NOT). This simply means that I get a tiny payout when you purchase something through my link AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU. You can read more disclosure info in my sidebar if you want, but THANK YOU for supporting Sam & Scout. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities this blog has given me, and I take my responsibility to you – my readers – seriously. All thoughts are 100% my own, and I only recommend things I TRULY love and use. Pinky Promise.

Links and Likes 2.24.18

Happy Saturday! Have you enjoyed some beautiful, spring-like weather this week like we have?!? Rumor has it that winter isn’t over yet, but, man, does this have me dreaming of warmer days!

Anyway, let’s do some Links & Likes!

Here’s what I’ve been into lately…

Links:

“50 Contemporary Books Every Woman’s Gotta Read” – I was surprised that I’d only read 10 of the titles on this list, but it does include both of the books I called “Must Reads” from 2017 on it… So, basically, it’s legit. 😉 I added tons to my TBR list, of course.

“Why Do You Like and/or Own a Gun?” – Hear me out… I try to keep this space pretty a-political, and I really don’t plan to change that any time soon, BUT, I’m sharing this post because – if you read the (726!!) comments with it – it actually takes a very fair and open-minded look at the issue from BOTH sides. Emily Henderson – who usually writes about style and decorating – did a similar post after Trump was elected, and I loved that too. This is worth a read – just make sure you read (some of) the comments too!

“When You’re in That Season of Tough Motherhood” AND “This Is Why Moms Are So Tired” – Finding Joy is totally nailing it right now.

“Two Minneapolis Families’ Weekly Commitment to Each Other, Over Dinner, Has Spanned 30 Years” – We have a mostly-regular dinner date out with friends (the same ones) every week, and it is one of my favorite things. This takes it to another level, and I love it.

 

Likes:

Ikea fake plants (pictured on my front porch above) – I’ve killed every single live plant I’ve ever owned within days of bringing them home, so Jeff has totally cut me off on buying them. Instead, I have these suckers ALL OVER my house. Good enough is good enough. 🙂

Dax Shepard’s new podcast, Armchair Expert – especially the first episode with Kristen Bell and episode 2 when he and Ashton Kutcher talk about getting up with their kids in the middle of the night, their favorite parenting books/products, and going bald. So cute! Each episode is 2 hours long, so it’s basically like a mini-documentary / takes some commitment, but it’s really good: the perfect mix of humor and real, deep stuff.  I’m actually embarrassed to admit that I’ve already listened to all four episodes he has released (That’s longer than some audiobooks.) Do be warned though: the language in this is really explicit. That usually doesn’t bother me, but it’s pretty intense in some parts/episodes. Like, I felt a little sheepish listening to it in my car with the windows down… Still, if you can get past that, I think the content is worth it.

Speaking of podcasts, I’m super excited about this one for Nora (and Sam) launching on March 6th!

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis – I already shared about this on Instagram, but I devoured this book (on Audible). Full review coming soon, but it is excellent!

I’m loving the Rose/Light Pink trend in clothing right now, but I’m just not sure about it with my pale skin. Like, this dress looks great, but would I appear to be naked?!?!

My sister had on this cardigan ($22 from Charlotte Russe, of all places) recently, and I thought it was amazing! (I’ll also take one of each of these please!)

I can’t get enough of these Mini Boden knock-off dresses for Nora. I just ordered two short-sleeved ones from a different brand than the one I posted about last time. Adorable. (P.S. Sam’s not going to have any clothes this summer because I HATE all the boys’ clothes I’m seeing everywhere… But Nora is going to be darling!)

 

Your turn…. What are your favorite links and likes these days?!?

Have a great weekend!

E

P.S. None of this is sponsored in any way, but some of the links above are affiliate links (Amazon links are NOT). This simply means that I get a tiny payout when you purchase something through my link AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU. You can read more disclosure info in my sidebar if you want, but THANK YOU for supporting Sam & Scout. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities this blog has given me, and I take my responsibility to you – my readers – seriously. All thoughts are 100% my own, and I only recommend things I TRULY love and use. Pinky Promise.

New Year Thoughts and My Favorites from 2017

Hi friends! Let’s skip all the awkward apologies (again) and just consider this my attempt at “blowing the dust off” and re-entering the blog world in 2018, k? #newyearnewme 😉

Before this week, we’d only been to school for three days since December 19th thanks to Christmas, an extreme cold spurt, MLK Day, the end of the grading period, some sickness, and snow… So I basically have no idea what day it is or where this month has gone. (For the record, my Christmas decorations are still sitting in our front office patiently waiting to be put away.) I’ve got big goals and plans for 2018, as usual, but I’ve basically given myself a free pass until February to get back into routine etc. (Here’s a pass for you too in case you need one!)

Anyway, I realize I’m weeks behind most of the blog world with this, but I just can’t resist a good round-up of my favorite things from 2017. There were A LOT, so get ready…

First though, can I just say that 2017 – as a whole – was NOT my favorite? Without blabbing on and on about all the things that went “wrong” last year (Ok, ok… I’ll name a few things: water leak, broken femur, fender bender, scarlet fever), let’s just say I was GLAD to see it come to an end… Jeff and I had Chinese food, a dance party, and a Netflix countdown with friends around 9PM on New Year’s Eve, but we officially rang in 2018 with a champagne toast in bed. It felt like the end of a very long run (not that I actually know what that feels like), and I think we both let out audible sighs of relief. Good riddance, 2017.

BUT… Since then, I’ve had some time to reflect and look back (i.e. work on my Chatbook instead of putting Christmas stuff away), and I realized 2017 was actually FULL of really happy and wonderful things too (mountain and beach vacations, reunions with college friends, birthday parties, our tenth anniversary + a trip to NYC, Kindergarten, skiing, etc.). What kind of jerk gets to do all that in one year and *still* says it was a bad one?!? It’s funny how the good things can be overshadowed by the bad when you let them, you know?

I think, in 2018, I’ll try harder to pay attention to the good stuff – even when it is small.

On that note, below is a list of 20 small things I enjoyed in 2017. It’s mostly insignificant and unimportant stuff, but it’s a quick and easy way for me to remember and document some of the “little luxuries” in my life lately; and, hopefully, introduce (or re-introduce) you to some new favorites too! Enjoy!  *** Short on time? Make sure to check out my VERY favorites – #4, #12, #14, #18, & #20 ***

1.) The Enneagram | I’ve known about the Enneagram for a while, resisted it for a long time (it’s a little intimidating at first), then struggled to really figure out my type. This year it finally clicked (I’m a 3 through and through), and every single thing I’ve learned since then has totally blown my mind. I’ve got LOTS to uncover still, but I’m all in.

2.) Overdrive (through my public library) & Audible (& Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Daily Ebook Deals) | I’m not going to break any records or anything, but I did more reading in 2017 than I have in years. That was, largely, due to the audibook. It is just perfect for a serial multi-tasker like me. (Read while doing dishes? Sign me up!) These apps/resources helped my reading life SO much by making it easier and cheaper!

3.) Big Little Lies on HBO | I don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea and thinking all I’m doing is reading over here… 😉 I used a 7-day Free Trial of HBO on Amazon to watch this, and I knocked the 8-episode series out in that time. It was SO good. I’m a big fan of Liane Moriarity, but when I read this book years ago it wasn’t one of my favorites of hers. The combination of an awesome cast, great costuming, and the beautiful Monterey scenery WITH the plot though was just perfect!  (Dare I say, the show is better than the book? (There are some pretty intense and uncomfortable scenes FYI. Not for every audience.)

When I was done watching, I even found myself re-visiting an old I question I used to get dressed in college —  WWRW? (i.e. What Would Reese Wear?) Haha! Man, I just adore her!

4.) Blue Babies Pink | I listened to this in March and, not exaggerating, it was life changing. Or at least perspective changing, in a big way. You can read more about my thoughts HERE, but if you haven’t listened to it yet… Do it.

5.) Best of Both Worlds Podcast | I’ve read all of Laura Vanderkam’s books (mostly on time and time management), so I was thrilled when she announced she was starting a podcast (with friend and fellow blogger Sarah Hart-Unger) earlier this year specifically for working moms. They’ve released more than 20 episodes now, and it has not disappointed. I love the passion Laura and Sarah have for both their families AND their careers… They bring a refreshing and encouraging (while also realistic) perspective to all topics related to those two worlds and I find myself nodding along – and pausing to take notes – every week! (If you want to dive in, I love Episode 2 on “the second shift”/evening routines, Episode 4 on childcare, Episode 5 on the “mental load” of parenting, and Episode 9 on division of labor at home… They are all great though!)

6.) Emily Ley Simplified Planner & Home Based Binder (c/o) | Will I ever make a list like this without including something from Emily Ley? Answer: probably not. As always, I continued to use and love my Emily Ley Simplified Planner in 2017 (I used a Daily last year, but have switched back to the Weekly for ’18). I also got to try out the beautiful, re-designed Home Based Binder and have enjoyed having somewhere pretty and practical to store meal plan ideas, important papers and schedules from the kids’ schools, etc. It’s one of the few things I actually don’t mind leaving sitting out on my desk or kitchen counter all the time. !!! I have an extra HBB I’ll be giving away SOON. Stay tuned. !!!

Photo by Trent Currin Photography (a definite favorite if you’re local!)

7.) 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club (c/o) | In partnership with my friend Linda at Teach 4 the Heart, I signed up for this club – created and run by Angela Watson of The Cornerstone for Teachers – back in July after a particularly hard 16-17 school year. The 12-month course offers weekly lessons and practical tips/printables/etc. to help teachers bring balance back to their lives and teach in a way that is engaging, practical, and sustainable. I’m only halfway through, but I’ve already learned SO much from these materials and implemented helpful changes to my own routines etc. (If you’re interested and want to read my full review of the first six months, check out my blog post at Teach 4 the Heart and/or listen to the podcast interview HERE.)

8.) XL Post-It Note Easel Pads (in my classroom) | These things are NOT cheap, but if you can get your school to pay for them, order some NOW. I use them ALL the time in my classroom for group projects, presentations, etc. Seriously, all.the.time.

9.) Teachers Pay Teachers | This certainly isn’t new, but I found myself using TPT a lot more last year. There are just SO many great things out there, and the prices are reasonable enough to make my time VERY worth it. Some of my favorite shops for ELA resources are: Laura Randazzo, The Daring English Teacher, and English Bulldog.

10.) Lily Jade Rosie School Bag (c/o) | Lily Jade makes diaper bags, but they sent me their Rosie to try out as a “school bag” last spring, and I immediately forgot any qualms I’d had about using a diaper bag to carry research papers and binders around. (FYI: They have since released a “lifestyle bag” that’s very similar without the diaper insert, but since I have a diaper-wearing kiddo still, I actually love that I can pull out the insert and get two bags for the price of one!) I have carried this bag to school every single day since August (and also on several trips), and it does not show one lick of wear… It is GORGEOUS and SO FUNCTIONAL. It just makes me feel happy and put together every time I pick it up. This is a splurge, for sure, but you totally get what you pay for!! (See my full review from June HERE.)

Photo by Trent Currin Photography (a definite favorite if you’re local!)

11.) 100 Days of Whole Foods: Fast & Fabulous Cookbook | I’ve been telling all of my real life friends about this book because it’s helped me make healthy, easy, AND quick meals for my family this year. I strongly recommend the pork tenderloin, the pulled pork and black bean tacos, and the weeknight beef bourguignon. Yum!

12.) Fresh Market Little Big Meals | Speaking of healthy, easy, and quick meals — this is the perfect little “trick” for busy moms (or anyone). If you have a FM near you and aren’t doing this, you need to start ASAP. Here’s the gist of how it works — each week (Tuesday – Tuesday) Fresh Market offers a complete meal for a family of four — something like tacos, stir fry, pasta — for $20-$25. At my store, there is a set-up in the front with a little cooler and a checklist of all the components included in the deal. It’s usually a meat, a veggie kit (fresh veggies already cut and ready), a starch (bag of rice/pasta/etc.), a seasoning sauce or packet, and a dessert from the bakery. You do have to actually cook the meal, but it’s super simple and can be done fast. I just look up the meal for the week on Sundays when I’m doing my meal planning, and grab one almost every week. BONUS if you want to be a super “lazy genius”: Grab an extra meal to drop off on the porch of a new mom or sick friend AND/OR save the calories on dessert (a loaf of pound cake, box of cookies, etc.) and, instead, give it to your kid’s bus driver, daycare teacher, or an elderly neighbor. *You’re welcome for this one!

13.) The Starbucks App | So basic; but… have you tried ordering ahead and having it waiting for you? There’s a lot to be said for convenience (and caffeine) when you have little kids. Also, I love the “games” to help you earn Rewards. They totally know my number.

14.) Sam Edelmen Penny Boots | These were actually a Christmas gift from my mom, but she gave them to me early so I could wear them when we went to NYC in November, and I’ve basically worn them every day since. I’d had my eye on these for years, seriously, and now I wish I’d not waited so long. They are PERFECT: a great color to wear with everything, just the right height (slightly below the knee), and I love the subtle details like the gold snap and the little tassel on the back. Also – my personal favorite part – they come in wide-calf, so I feel like I have skinny legs. 😉 (Note: I had to send back my first pair because they were *so* narrow – I couldn’t even get my foot in. They do come in Wide also; but, I ended up just going with one size bigger than my regular size and after I wore them once/they stretched a little, they were perfect.)

15.) BP. from Nordstrom | I don’t know why it took me so long to jump on the Nordstrom bandwagon (every fashion blogger out there is a fan), but I’m so glad I finally did. I probably shopped at Nordstrom more than anywhere else this past year, and I was not disappointed with my purchases (their free shipping & great return policy helped too). The BP. brand, in particular, lines up perfectly with my style (#allthestripes) and my budget, so that’s where I do most of my shopping. Plus, they have everything. Here are just a few things I’ve purchased from BP this year — Side Slit Tee,  V-Neck Long Sleeve Sweater, Circle Pendant Necklace,  *Note: items run large, order down!

16.) Simple gold bar necklace | I realize that these have been “in” for quite some time now (it’s basically a requirement for all contestants on The Bachelor), but I just ordered myself one (err… Jeff did?) at Mother’s Day. Mine is gold and has a simple “S&N” on it, and I wear it almost every day. It makes my outfits feel pulled together, and I love the sweet reminder of my two little loves. (I also got my mom one, and she loves it too!)

17.) American Beauty & Co. Bows (c/o) | I can’t enough of these simple cloth bows for Nora. (In fact, I *much* prefer an under-stated bow over the giant things the south loves.) I’ve tried (and liked) lots of brands; but, I’m partial to these because the company is owned by my sweet friend and was inspired by the baby girl she lost at 31 weeks in April of 2015 to a chromosome condition called Triploidy. (You can read more of her story HERE.) Today, Mary Wynne is momma to a sweet little boy and has another baby on the way. This brand new company (launched in November) is helping her stay at home full time AND honor and remember her girl. The bows are beautiful, great quality, and very affordable. Plus, a portion of every sale is used to send kids with disabilities to experience the best week of their life at Young Life’s Capernaum camp. Nora has several of these bows already, and I’m anxiously awaiting the release of the “Sweetheart” capsule (shown below & also available in clips) on February 1st. Follow them on Instagram for more sneak peeks, updates, giveaways, and more!

18.) Zara little girls’ clothes | You guys!! Why is no one talking about the ADORABLE clothes for babies and little ones at Zara?!?! I randomly checked out their stuff back in the fall for Nora and ended up ordering two dresses and four tops because everything was SO CUTE and the prices were amazing. I feel like it’s higher quality and more “classic” style at the same prices as H&M or Old Navy. Like this shirt, which we have, for only $5.99 or the dress shown below (no longer available) from our Christmas photos that I got for less than $20. Seriously. This is my new “go to” spot for girls’ clothes.

Photo by Trent Currin Photography (a definite favorite if you’re local!)

19.) Valspar Tempered Gray Paint & Dark Doors/Bannisters| Over spring break, we had our whole house painted. It ended up being a much bigger project than we expected (i.e. we were out of our house for over THREE weeks), but the end result was beautiful and has completely refreshed our space. We used Tempered Gray (a color we found for our bedroom a few years ago) by Valspar for pretty much the entire house – minus the office and back of the bookshelves which we kept teal and a slightly lighter gray/white in the sunroom) and have been SO happy with it. The entire space is so light and clean looking. I love it and would recommend that color to anyone looking for something neutral with gray and brown/tan tones. It goes with everything! (Look closely and you can see this on the walls in a couple of the pictures above!) Along with a fresh coat of paint on everything, we also opted to paint all of the interior doors in our house + the bannister going up our stairs a dark navy (almost black really) ,and I am obsessed with it. It seems small, but out of everything we’ve done to our house since we moved in, I think it’s the thing that has made the biggest impact on the overall “style” of the space. It just give a POP to my otherwise pretty boring color scheme and ties everything together perfectly. The only two downsides though: I’ve run in to quite a few closed doors when I’ve gotten up in the middle of the night and the house is dark; and, as you would expect, nicks and chips in the paint stand out a lot more than they would on white.

20.) Black & Decker Cordless Hand Vacuum | I saved the best for last here… I’m serious. This was, for sure, my best purchase of 2017. My parents have one of these, and when we used it this summer, I discovered two things. One, it is SO much easier for cleaning up minor messes like breakfast crumbs and tracked in dirt, and two, the kids actually LIKE using it, and are way more inclined to clean up with it. Obviously, that was all the convincing I needed. I had an Amazon Prime box waiting on my doorstep when we got home from our visit. My house is cleaner (at least with the naked eye) than ever before. Every family needs one of these. End of discussion.

And four little “bonuses” I’m loving already in 2018….

Alright. Blog post DONE.

I’m making no promises (clearly, I’ve learned that that doesn’t work for me), but I miss this space, and I want to get back to documenting life, writing regularly, and connecting with you guys… I’ve got posts up my sleeve on the books I read in 2017, some things I’m learning about myself re: personality, goals, and motivation, and some exciting new things I’m trying in my classroom this semester. Check back (hopefully) soon (ish) for those.

Until then, if there’s something above you’d like to hear more about OR just have an idea for a post/conversation moving forward, please comment here or shoot me an email, and I promise I’ll do my very best to reply.

Have a good week!

E

P.S. Four out of the 20 things listed above (indicated by c/o) were given to me in exchange for my honest thoughts/review. ALSO…  Some of the links above are affiliate links (Amazon links are NOT). This simply means that I get a tiny payout when you purchase something through my link AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU. You can read more disclosure info in my sidebar if you want, but THANK YOU for supporting Sam & Scout. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities this blog has given me, and I take my responsibility to you – my readers – seriously. All thoughts are 100% my own, and I only recommend things I TRULY love and use. Pinky Promise.

Coffee Date 8.17.17 — Back to School, Audiobooks, Meal Ideas, and Charlottesville

In case you missed it last week, I’m launching a new (semi) weekly series (on Thursdays) here called “Coffee Date” (super original, I know). Checkout my plans and purpose for it here if you want, or just read on for the first official edition. 🙂

Let’s pretend we’re just two friends meeting at Starbucks to catch up… I’d order an iced coffee sweetened with cream* and look for a spot by the window where we can see the outdoors but feel the air-conditioning… Here are the things I’d probably chat about…
*Confession: I started ordering this a couple of years ago after I read one of those Buzzfeed articles titled “The Best Kept Secrets of Starbucks” or something. I actually have no idea if it means the drink is sweetened and has cream OR if it means the cream itself is sweetened thus making the entire drink sweet. This distinction only really matters when I go somewhere other than Starbucks (they can never quite get it right), but if anyone has a deeper understanding of this and can help me, I’d really appreciate it. In the meantime, I DO know that it is delicious (and way too sweet and caloric for my own good).

It’s still dark at 6AM. I know because it’s back to the grind around here – and, confession: it had been a while since I’d seen 6AM before this week. 😉

Monday was Nora’s first day at a brand new, full-time preschool and yesterday marked the start of my 11th year of teaching. Next Tuesday, Sam will start Kindergarten. (Where in the world does time go?) Once my students come back and everything officially starts rolling, I’ll have to be at work at 7AM, and Sam will catch the bus at 7:15. Our new morning routine is, for sure, the thing I’m the most nervous about right now… We’ve all been practicing getting to bed earlier, but my kids are not ones to wake up before the sun (which is a good thing most of the time), and being late has always been a *huge* struggle for me. (Though I loved the insight and advice from Laura Vanderkam here  – and the articles she links to. I’ll definitely be implementing some of these tips.) My plan right now is to get up about 5AM to get ready and have a little time to myself for reading, blogging, etc. (at least right now, that’s more important to me than the extra sleep, but we’ll see how it goes), then wake the kids up around 6:15 so I can help get them dressed and start breakfast before I leave at 6:45. Jeff will be on official drop-off duty from there. I know millions of families run this ship all around the world, and we will adjust eventually – we have to! – but your prayers and advice are welcome! (Specifically, for my fellow working moms with little kids: How much earlier do you wake up than your kids? Do you set an alarm for them or wake them up yourself? How much time do you usually plan on for getting them dressed, fed, and out the door?)

Speaking of new routines, you may have figured this out by now, but another big change for us this year is that our wonderful babysitter/nanny will not be with us… This was a decision we made together many months ago based on what we truly believe will be best for both of us, and she will *always* be an important part of our lives, but we are still super sad that that little season of our lives has come to an end… I can’t even talk about what a gift she was to our family (and to me as a friend) over the last five years. She saw both of our kids grow up, loved them as her own, and walked right beside me in the mess as I learned how to be a mom. It will definitely be very different without her; but, as I mentioned, Nora started at her new preschool/daycare this week; and I can already see how it will be so good for her! She’s definitely a little social butterfly and will, for sure, benefit from more structured “school” days and time with kids her age. So far, she’s done really well – no tears from any of us at drop off, but we’re still working on getting her to stay on her cot and go to sleep at nap time! (Haha, can you even imagine a room of twelve two year olds all napping at the same time?!?! Oh to be a fly on the wall!) Side Note: We randomly found this cute book at the library a couple weeks ago and read almost every night leading up to her first day. It was perfect, and I really think played a role in helping make the adjustment so smooth this week!

Believe it or  not, I’m not super emotional (at least not yet) about Sam starting school next week. Without getting into all the specifics of our decision again, I really think that waiting the extra year to send him off was a great choice for us, and it’s made this next step feel very natural. He is ready. Other than a little bit of anxiety about the logistics of our new schedule etc., my only other big prayer is just that he would fall in love with school this year… Of course I hope he learns to read, improves his math, and makes lots of friends; but, really, I just want his first exposure to school to be a good one. We still don’t know who his teacher is  yet (orientation is tomorrow), but I’ve already been praying for her and this little group of kiddos… I don’t think one bad year can make or break a child’s entire education experience, but I do think Kindergarten is especially important as its their “first impression” of school – and we all know first impressions are hard to change… Sam is very excited, but I also get the idea that he has no idea “what’s about to hit him.” He’s the oldest of all of our friends’ kids, so he really doesn’t have much experience being around older kids, etc. I also have some worries that the long day is going to be super hard on him… I’ve been warned to expect a very exhausted kid + breakdowns, etc. the first few weeks, so we’ll see… I guess this time next week we’ll know…

Also…

– Here’s the backpack my sister gave Sam for his birthday that he’ll be carrying this year (it looks SO big), the lunch boxes my mom gave both kids (Sam’s and Nora’s), and the labels I ordered to mark everything we own. (P.S. Cool Mom Picks has a great post up right now about how to use these personalized labels AND a 25% off code that I – sadly – didn’t see until two days after I placed my order.)

His has his initials on it (not “Jackson,” obviously) because I read somewhere random not to put his name so a stranger can’t walk up and call him by name… Who knows?!?

– I focused most of my “back to school shopping” on the kids this year, but I did buy myself these two dresses: from J.Crew Factory, and from Loft. (Which one should I wear for the first day with students next week?!? Jeff says the second one makes me look like I have wings! Haha! Teachers, what are you wearing on the first day?!? You think about these things too, right?!) 

– I really want this and this too (both under $40), but I’m practicing self control… For now.

– I waited too long to order this adorable Honey Bee Tees school bus shirt, and it sold out in Sam’s size, but he still has this one from last year, so we’ll probably work that into his first week wardrobe!

– I’ve been singing the praises of audiobooks (for my students, myself, and my kids) for a while, but it was nice to hear some confirmation that they really do “count” on the Read Aloud Revival Podcast recently. This is great guide to get starting with audiobooks if you think you’d like to start listening with your little ones.  (P.S. Sam and I are currently listening to the Ramona Quimby series narrated by Stockard Channing from our library’s Overdrive. It’s fantastic!)

– Do you have plans to watch the eclipse on Monday?!? We are set to experience about a 90% eclipse here, so it isn’t the big event it is in some cities, but I’m definitely excited to see it. Glasses were a hot commodity around here, but I finally found some, so we’re all set. The big bummer though: it’s right in the middle of the day so I’ll be at work and not with the kids. I hate that!!! <These two podcast episodes for kids had some great information – I learned a lot too – and helped get Sam excited to watch with his grandparents — Wow in the World Episode 23: Total Solar Eclipse (When the Moon Photobombs the Sun) and Brains On: Everything You Need to Know Before the Solar Eclipse>

– One of my (many) goals for the new school year is to cook dinner and pack lunches more often! I made this last week, and it was delicious, and I ordered this cookbook recently, but I still need help!! I honestly don’t *enjoy* cooking, and I’m not very good, but – obviously – we have to eat so… Please give me all your EASY dinner and lunch ideas!! (Bonus points if they are crockpot, healthy, and/or vegetarian!)

(Recipe & photo from Table for Two Blog)

– And, finally, though this is a big tone shift, I’d be remiss not to mention the devastating events of last weekend right down the road from me in Charlottesville… Like the rest of the world, I am heartbroken to see (yet again) how much hate and evil exists in our world. It would be easy to say it doesn’t involve me because “I’m not racist,” but that very attitude is evidence of the privileges I’m granted because of the color of my skin. This is about ALL of us, and *I* am just as much the problem as anyone else… I owe it to my brothers and sister of colors, my sweet innocent children, my students, and myself to NOT turn my back and be silent. I’m working on a special blog post about books in which I’ll share more ; but, for now, I love these words from Jodi Picoult in the author’s note of her novel Small Great Things:

Let’s change the world with hard conversations in love! (P.S. This article is a great read from Picoult until you can get to the book!)

Ok. That’s all for today! I hope you’re enjoying this new format! I’d love to hear what you’re talking/thinking about this week in the comments!

Have a great Thursday!

E

P.S. These posts are NOT sponsored and ONLY contain products I truly like/love/use, but they may contain affiliate links (Amazon links are NOT). This simply means that I get a teeny-tiny payout when you purchase through my link at no additional cost to you. Anything I get for free/discounted in exchange for a blog post will be clearly stated. You can read more disclosure info on my sidebar if you want, but THANK YOU for supporting Sam & Scout.

The Perfect School Bag for Teacher-Moms

If you’ve been in the blog world for any amount of time, chances are you’ve heard of Lily Jade – the amazing leather diaper bag company. I’ve been drooling over them for a while but, honestly, felt like my “day” had passed; after all, my “baby” is over 2 now…

Then this spring, just as the school year was wrapping up, I realized that the straps on my old Target teacher bag were hanging on by a thread and decided it was time to upgrade to something a little nicer (I guess after ten years at this it’s fair to say I’m in it for the long haul). I started searching the internet and asking around about the best bags and kept landing at Lily Jade. (I know, I know, they make diaper bags… Stick with me here!)

Long story short, once I got over the fact that it is *called* a diaper bag, I realized that LJ bags totally fit all the criteria I’d made for my “perfect school bag” and then some. Even better, when I emailed them and shared my idea to use this as a school bag for lugging my computer + books + allthepapers to and from work every day, they offered to send me one to try out!!!! I chose the Rosie in Camel and Jade and, y’all, I’m in love. It is PERFECT.

(P.S. That’s my disclosure. I got this bag for free from Lily Jade. To say I was giddy would be an extreme understatement; but, I promise you, the below comments are my honest opinion/review – I didn’t get paid to write this and none of the links are affiliate or anything like that. Scout’s honor. #seewhatIdidthere? #scoutshonor )

So, what exactly makes a bag the PERFECT SCHOOL BAG FOR TEACHER-MOMS?

I was hoping you’d ask!!!

(1) Size — not too big (this teacher refuses to be the rolling suitcase/crate type. I’m sorry. I just can’t) and not too small (on any given day, I’m carrying at least my laptop, a binder, my planner, and a stack of papers that I probably won’t grade). When it comes to bags, size matters.

All of the above fits – comfortably – inside.

(2) Pockets — on the outside, there are two big zipper pockets (one on the front and one on the back) that work well for extra notebooks, books, or chargers; and, on the inside, there’s an open pocket that fits my phone and wallet perfectly (so I don’t have to carry a purse too) and a smaller zipper pocket that’s just right for pens, paper clips, highlighters, post-its, etc.

(3) Easy to carry — probably one of my favorite features of this bag (and all of Lily Jade’s bags as far as I can tell) is that it easily converts from shoulder bag to cross body/messenger bag to backpack. Most days, I stick with a simple over-the-shoulder carry, but I love having the hands free options – especially the backpack – for the days when I’m also carrying a kid, coffee, and 17 thousand student-journals (it’s hard work avoiding the rolling crate scenario mentioned above).

(4) Beautiful — this may not be essential to everyone, but I carry this thing to and from work five days a week and – often – to at least one coffee shop or library on the weekend… I want it to look good. My Lily Jade bag is GORGEOUS. I’m not even kidding, I literally gasped when I opened it. The leather is super high quality (so soft), the camel color is perfectly neutral (gotta match my outfits) and the interior jade color is perfect. There are even tons of little details – like the gold hardware and that adorable beaded tassel – that just finish off its elegantly simple look. I feel about 10x more sophisticated and professional with this thing on my shoulder. #truth

(5) Versatile — honestly, when I ordered this bag, I intended to just take the little diaper bag insert out and shove it in the back of my closet or something; BUT, I was pleasantly surprised to see how easy it is to leave it packed up with all the things I need for a day out with my kids (read: diapers, wipes, snacks, sunscreen, toys, books) and then to simply take my school stuff out and put it in on the weekends or over the summer. The insert is fully removable, washable (key!!!), has twelve pockets (12!!), and comes with a matching changing pad. I like it so much, in fact, that lately I’ve kept it packed in my car on its own so I have all the essentials for my “mom life” on hand and can easily do a switch-a-roo with a moment’s notice when I need to. I LOVE that I can get more “bang for my buck*” out of this beautiful bag by using it in both of my important jobs – teaching and momming – and it makes that transition super streamlined (and stylish).

*A quick note about the $$… This bag isn’t cheap and, trust me, I know we teachers don’t exactly make the big bucks. I realize that a purchase like this isn’t for everyone, and I totally get that. THAT SAID, if – for whatever reason – you are willing/able to splurge, this bag is absolutely worth it!!! The quality is SO obvious – it’s durable but not heavy, feels amazing, and wears wonderfully (so far – I’ve been using mine daily since about April and it still looks brand new). I’m not sure I’ve ever really believed this before, but this bag is proof to me that “you get what you pay for.” (It would also make an AWESOME gift for a recent grad/ new teacher or just a well-loved teacher-mom in your life. She will feel SO spoiled!!!)

So there you go… The perfect bag for teachers, moms, and teacher-moms.

If you’re ready to treat yourself, you can pre-order the Rosie in Camel & Jade, like I have, at a discounted price now and it will be shipped some time in July — in plenty of time for a new school year!!! There are also lots of other great styles and colors – I like the Madeline myself, and the canvas Meggan is bigger AND cheaper than mine – available at www.lily-jade.com.

I’m, of course, happy to answer any questions about my bag if you have them AND, if you already own a Lily Jade bag, I’d love to hear your opinion in the comments!

In addition, please tell me: what’s the criteria for a perfect school bag in your book?!?

Have a great week friends!

E

Thanks to my sweet (and talented) friend Trent for all the photos in this post!! If you need a southwest Virginia photographer, make sure to check out Trent Currin Photography!