Summer Goals

 

Summer 2017 Plans:

Professional Growth and Responsibilities

1. Attend a 3 day Whole Brain Teaching conference (6/12-6/14)

This, unfortunately, became a one day adventure.  Read more {here}.

2.  Renew my teaching license (done 6/14, along with a name change with the state DOE and HR for CCSD)

3. Set up my new classroom early.  We report back the 9th, but I'm picking up my keys on August 3rd.  With a new classroom and a new grade level, I'm treating myself like a new teacher next year. 

4. Clean out the Sunshine (social club) closet.  We're going to use left over funds to purchase some table cloths for future events (so we don't have to keep buying disposable plastic ones).  We also have the goal of buying a Keriug and setting up a cafe table in the teacher's lounge.  We'd have creamer in the fridge and charge a dollar a K-cup.  I'd like to do a teacher survey first to make sure there's an interest in it before we spend a few hundred dollars on a whim.

5. Finish Your School Rocks So Tell People (completed 6/13/17), Teach Like a Pirate, and Ron Clark's Essential 55

Home Improvements

1. Finally stain the cabinets for the master bathroom.  We ripped out the medicine cabinets and had a carpenter build custom shelving to fit inside the wall holes.  I just need to stain them to match the rest of the cabinets:

When we're done, it will look like this (above).  I've already stained the rest of the bathroom cabinets (below).

They've been sitting in the garage for months waiting for me to find the time to stain them.  My goal is by the time we leave for our honeymoon in July. 

2. Clean out our master closet and donate unused items to charity.

3. Create a new wreath for the front door.  A friend posted this on instagram:

 PC: Andi Hunt (Instagram)

It'd be fairly easy (and cheap) to recreate.  Plus our front doors are similar colors, so I already know it will be match.

4. Touch up paint in our master bedroom and hallway.  After living here for three years, there are some scuff marks.

Friends & Family  

1. Host B's graduation party (check! 6/10/17)

2. Take all 3 pets to the vet for their yearly check ups (Waffles is scheduled for this week, cats are early July)

3. Help plan a baby shower for his second cousin.  She's due early October, so we're thinking Labor Day weekend.  They're fairly certain it's a girl and I'm pretty positive I've only planned baby boy showers (three of them?).

4. Help Katie make her wedding favors. She's getting married the Sunday of Labor Day weekend and I'm her day of wedding coordinator.  

5. Finish my mom's wedding book (it's almost done I promise!) and order our wedding pictures to put into the album.

Side Job Goals

1. Finish the Dark Prophecy and create the matching TpT guides

2.  Finish the partially completed projects for TpT.  I'm currently at 216 products.  I'd like to be at 250 at the end of the summer. 

I also plan to nap, a lot.

It's Summer, Now What?

I'm still not done with the rather lengthy end of the year post, but I am officially on summer break.  After the delight of moving classrooms (NOT), I checked out of my (old) classroom at 10:38 on Friday morning.  

I went home, had a Blue Moon to celebrate, then took a nap.  I clearly know how to celebrate!  Later I went to Target and then met up with part of my (former) grade level for a celebratory dinner.  Since we'd already had a celebratory breakfast together at IHOP, it seemed like a pleasant way to end the day.

Now, you might think that I got to sleep in and relax for that first Saturday of the summer, but nope.

See, that lovely husband of mine graduated from college last weekend.  

So yesterday, the first day of break, I threw him a graduation party at his parents' house for 40 of his closest friends.  Truly, the timing couldn't have been worse with all the chaos and emotions from the end of the year, but I didn't want the event to go unnoticed.  We also have our niece's birthday, a baby shower, and father's day next weekend, so the 11th was truly my only option.

I had fun on pinterest looking up ideas, but ultimately most of the guests were in the garage playing beer pong.  At least the food was good (compliments of his parents) and the decor was festive (because that's my contribution).

Much to my mother's disappointment, I don't love baking (or being in the kitchen in general.  Sorry mom! I'm working on it.)  However, parties need some sort of dessert.  Since we'd already enjoyed a cookie cake with my family at his surprise grad party in May,

I wanted to do something similar.  I loved the idea of a cookie bar because now that he's a college grad, I can call him one smart cookie.

I went with University of Phoenix colors, which also happen to be the nearby high school's colors.  So, naturally, when I was buying party supplies, I was asked on several occasions if I was excited to graduate.  From high school. 

I had a hair appointment Saturday morning, but headed over afterwards to set up.  He had a lot of fun, which is what matters.  

We had his second cousin spend the night Saturday night on a whim.  She's sixteen and just needed some time away.  We've got a guest bedroom and she loves our puppy, so why not?

Today (Sunday) we had lunch with his aunt and uncle to simultaneously celebrate his graduation and their 40th wedding anniversary.  The afternoon consisted of a rather epic nap and getting ready for tomorrow's teaching conference.

Because yes, I thought it was a good idea to spend the first three days of summer break at a teacher conference.  

An unpaid conference.  From 8-5.  At a high school an hour away from my house.  For three days.

Again, 

I am cautiously optimistic it will be a wonderful educational event where I pick up some valuable tips for next year.  I have my planner, my notebook, and a book in case I'm bored.  Luckily four other colleagues from my school are attending, so I'll have a seat buddy. 


It's summer, yet a teacher's work is never done!

In the dark

Day 9 of the photography challenge: "Dark"

I am totally in the dark about how B is going to fix the roof.  We had a massive wind storm last week and our roof took a beating.

Here was the view of our playground at dismissal:

Here were some news reports on the event:

(Image from the {Washington Times})

(More on the storm {here})

Today we went to Home Depot to get supplies to repair the roof.  As always, I love Home Depot!

We also picked up supplies for some smaller home improvement projects.  

When our front security door was installed, they left a layer of white caulking surrounding the door.  With a tan door and a tan wall, it was super obvious when up close.

Tonight, I remedied the situation by painting over the caulk.  It looks much better now!

Later this week I'll be staining the oak cabinets in the garage to match the bathroom ones.  Our next big home improvement project will be to replace the carpet in the master bathroom with some gray and white marble tile.

In a perfect world, our home would have had everything 100% to our liking when we moved in.  However, we don't have an unlimited budget, the house was ten years old, and we have to do things in baby steps.  

In the almost three years we've lived here, we have:

1) Replaced the dishwasher and the water heater
2) Installed a new fridge, washer, dryer, and water softener
3) Added 2 security doors
4) Added new furniture (couches, coffee table, dining room table, chairs, media stand, TV, recliner, bedroom set, mattress)
5) Painted the master from green to calming shades of blue and gray
6) Hung lots of curtains 
7) Stained kitchen cabinets and bathroom cabinets
8) Started a fire pit in the backyard

Up next?

1) Replace carpet with tile
2) Replace carpet in the master
3) Redo the backyard with artificial grass and rock
4) Purchase patio furniture
5) Organize the garage to convert it to a man cave (to be fair, I'm working on that this week)

Fall into...well, fall

 

First, I am fully aware that it's still uncomfortably hot here in Nevada.  I know we are still in the middle of summer...

But I decorated for fall anyway!

Second, I'm aware this is not socially appropriate until after Labor Day...if not later.  However, I know that back to school time gets crazy busy and I wanted a jump start on making things cute.

Third, I'm aware we don't truly experience fall like the rest of the country.  There are a few trees that have changing leaves and then lose their leaves...in December.   Perhaps this is why I love fall so much...because I don't get to experience it.  However, the colors look great on both me and in my home, so I cherish this "fall" season as long as possible.

Fourth, I've been stuck at home for a week.  I've left the house twice since surgery (for the doctor and to retrieve my car).  I got bored and wanted to redecorate (because that was free and kept me from online shopping).  I wanted to be surrounded by pretty things and for me, that means fall decor.

Fifth, I picked up some cute things at Kirkland's a few weeks ago and I wanted to display them.

Sixth, I don't fit the stereotypical "white girls love fall" mold. I don't like pumpkin flavored anything, thank you very much. I don't like carving pumpkins. I don't like pumpkin foods. I just like to look at them...preferably fake ones.

Seventh...I was home alone and no one could judge!

I like decorating for seasons and holidays.  I grew up watching my mom decorate and I wanted to be like her.  I have crates in the garage, sorted by event. I'm not ashamed of it.  I like nesting and creating a calm, welcoming, loving home environment.  

After moving to Las Vegas right out of college at 21, I wanted to desperately feel like a grown up.  For me, that meant slowly stocking up on home decor and kitchen appliances.  I wasn't into the partying and club scene, so instead of spending my paychecks on overpriced drinks and shoes, I bought holiday decor (but slowly and on clearance because that's how I roll).  Now?  I'm pretty much set.  (Although that did make registering for our wedding a bit difficult.)

So now, without further ado, here are some home snap shots:

This will adorn our table...

 (Pumpkin from Marshall's, table cloths and table runners from Kohl's)

but I'm still enjoying our new decor from my bridal shower:

Thanks gals! I have the best of friends.

I swapped out a red candle for a white one, but didn't quite love the look.

Until I added a strip of burlap!

(Not wanting to commit, I used a paperclip to hold the burlap around the candle.  The candle is normally displayed with five other white ones on a candelabra, so gluing wasn't an option.) 

I added a few pumpkins around pictures and the bookcase,

 (Of course it's burlap and polka dotted!)

But kept any with faces away until October.  I'm okay with pumpkins, but not Halloween decor.  That's apparently where I draw the line!

I have a small lantern that I decorate (leaves, ornaments, etc):

But switched things up and added a larger lantern as well:

I picked this beauty up for half-off at Target because it's slightly dented at the top.  Normally this sits in our bedroom and is filled with neutral vase fillers, but I wanted to bring a bit of silver into the decorating mix.

I do love our new fall banner (from Kirkland's):

It's glittery, it's polka dotted, it's burlap, it's like it was made just for me!

Plus it goes great with this gem on our pantry door:

(We do love our football!)

I'm hesitant to hang this outside until we get a new security door, but I couldn't pass this up!

As you can tell, I didn't go overboard and crazy with the decor.  I just want subtle fall accents to make our house feel like a home.

Happy fall y'all! 

Favorite Things

For this {Joyous June} post, I thought I'd take a moment to share about some of my favorite things in my favorite place: home.

Yes, home is probably one of my favorite places. After being "on" all day and surrounded by people, I like to come home to a (relatively) quiet space to decompress.

The suitcases

One is currently being used as our wedding card box:

But the rest are stacked in a nook near the guest bathroom.  

Not only are they cute and add a whimsical vibe, but they also are great for storing seasonal napkins and table runners.  I found these at Marshalls (not all at once) and like how they coordinate, but aren't identical.

Batman

Since this is a pencil drawing and in a grown up frame, I'm counting it as art.  I found this years ago at a second hand book store in Arizona and knew it was going to be a staple in my home.  I snagged the frame on clearance at Target and have never looked back.  Batman stands watch over our library/den/future kids' play room.

Rivalries

It's not a secret that B and I have different football teams.  I love him, but that doesn't mean I have to love his team.

So, we compromise:

We also took some of our engagement pictures in our different jerseys,

Incorporated our love of football into the shots,

And will be incorporating it into the wedding. 

Instead of the traditional garter toss, we'll be incorporating the football we used in our engagement shots.  It says our wedding date and "you're next" on it. 

These legacy banners are a constant reminder that while we're on the same team in life, it's okay to still be ourselves during football season.

 Jack Daniels

I can see my mother's face now.  Yes mom, I shared a picture of the booze.  Let me explain why. 

Inside the fancy case are two bottles of Jack Daniel's 75th anniversary bottles.  One is reserved for when B graduates college.  The other is for our wedding night, after the birth of future children, and other big life moments.  Some people have wine or champagne on hand for these things; we have Jack Daniels.  

The And Sign

We picked this up on a weekend trip to Arizona.  We'll be incorporating it into our engagement and wedding shots.  It reminds me of family and makes me smile every time I see it.

The Vase

This truly was one of my better pinterest projects!  It's a little hard to tell from the angle, but this vase was signed by our loved ones at our engagement party last year.  Instead of hiding memories away in a box, it's a unique way to incorporate that special day into our every day landscape.

(Vase and sharpies from Target, flowers from Michaels)

There's lots more I love about my home (and who I share it with), but alas, it's time for the gym.  Here's to working on those summer goals!