Do you make new year's resolutions? I do not, but around half of Americans do. However, only about a quarter of those keep their resolutions past January, and even fewer are actually successful.

So instead of resolutions, I set goals and make plans, and part of that is reflecting on my progress or lack thereof.

In 2024, I had five goals: get the blog back on track, leave grading at school, yoga twice a week, print out photos to frame and/or put in albums/scrapbooks, and record more videos of everyday life. As with 2023, my success rate was a bit of a roller coaster.

In terms of the blog, things started to trend upward after I graduated from the TAPP program and was no longer inundated with homework. The summer months were great in terms of posts and content, but things took a turn downhill in the fall when I had several personal issues hit back-to-back. They picked back up in November and so far have held steady. I've started back accepting collaborations and guest posts and feel like I'm getting back into the groove.

I've done so much better at leaving grading at home and my grading practices in general. I do still plan at home more than I should, but I really do love my office, y'all, and there are less interruptions.

Yoga did not happen. Like at all. I also did not print out any photos to hang, but we're in the process of redoing some stuff in our living room so that's definitely on my list. I do think I did a decent job of recording videos, and it's something that I want to keep working on moving forward.

Now for this year's goals!

For the past two years, I've done some type of goal-writing activity with my students. This year we made snow globes, which was so fun. We identified personal, academic, and kindness goals, as well as a dream trip for the year, a song or quote for the year, and a word of the year. My students seemed to really enjoy making these. Here's mine!

Let's start with my word of the year. I chose adventure. I saw on Facebook recently a post about wanting to be the person who sees life as a series of adventures, and well, so do I! And I don't mean big adventures. Sometimes the little things are just as much of an adventure. It's all in your mindset.

Speaking of adventure, my dream trip for this year is New York City, but not necessarily because I want to go sight-seeing. One of my best friends from college lives there and has been having a rough time. It's been a few years since I've seen her in person, so it would be really special to be able to make it happen.

Despite being an adult who is out of school, I did actually have an academic goal. I'm currently in the middle of a course to get my gifted teaching endorsement, so completing that is my academic goal for this year.

For a kindness goal, I want to make sure that I'm saying thank you more or really just showing more appreciation in general. I love getting hand-written cards; they seriously brighten my day, and I think it would be really nice if I started sending them myself.

I only put one personal goal on my snow globe because of the space constraints, but I've got four for the year. The first is to start a new creative hobby. I really want some kind of creative outlet that is just a hobby with no expectations attached to it. I've been thinking about embroidery for about a year now.  I actually ordered a beginner's embroidery kit and can't wait to get started!

My second personal goal is to cook at home more. We ate out entirely too much in 2025. I could tell you a million reasons why it was justified, but I miss sitting down to eat with my family at our dinner table. Not only do I think this will be healthier but it should also help us to cut down on spending.

My third personal goal is to simplify. This can apply to all areas of my life, but I really want to focus on home and decluttering. When we moved a few years ago, we downsized, and it's a choice I've not regretted. We have just the right amount of living space, but we definitely sacrificed when it comes to storage space. That said, a lot of the things we've been holding on to can be gotten rid of. This is definitely a goal that will take time to accomplish, but it's one that I think will have really great results.

My fourth and final personal goal of the year deals with the blog. For the last two years I've talked about getting back onto a blog schedule, but due to this season of life that I find myself in right now, it's not happened. So instead of trying to set a schedule, I want to be smarter about how I post. I haven't quite figured out what that looks like yet, but I do know I want to commit to doing outfit roundups every two weeks instead of weekly as well as more seasonal outfit inspiration posts. I'm also toying with the idea of compacting my reading roundups from once a month to quarterly and adding in seasonal reading lists as well as more frequent TBR updates. I've also considered making individual review posts for my monthly book club picks instead of just holding them for the big post. I want to be more intentional in planning season-specific content and getting it up in a timely manner, and I would like to write more practical posts than I have in the past that draw inspiration from my actual life.

Welcome to the first outfit roundup of 2025! This is where I share outfits that I wore in real life along with links to shop the same or similar items. I also tell you where I wore it and my thoughts on how it all came together.

These outfits date back pretty far -- as in before Christmas break. That's because once I went on break, I kind of hibernated. Okay, so not really, but we did end up passing around some kind of viral cold so we didn't go on all that many outings this year.

All of these outfits were posted to my Like to Know It shop within a day or two of me wearing them, so if you're not following me there, you need to be! It's the best way to make sure you can get exact items before they sell out. You can also access all of that content via the Shop My Instagram tab at the top of this page or through my Instagram and Facebook pages.

I wore this the last week of school before Christmas break. I wanted to feel Christmasy but also professional. I love this skirt so much but have a hard time styling it. Until this blouse, I didn't have many tops that meshed well with the colors in the skirt's pattern.

The skirt is a pale gold base with red flowers on green vines, so it's perfect for the holiday season. I really love it with this green lace blouse. The bodice of blouse is lined but the sleeves are not, which makes it perfect for our typically not cold winters. I got this in a medium since it's a button-up, but beware -- it shrank a bit in the wash. I really only noticed it in the sleeves, though.

I decided to keep things feeling wintry with my tall brown boots, although we really were not cold this particular week at all. I love these boots, but I got them at the end of the season a couple of years ago and they discontinued them. Thankfully, I found a really similar pair for you!

This is also from the week before Christmas break, and yes, I am aware that it looks more like Thanksgiving than Christmas, but I ordered these pants for Thanksgiving and they had just come in, so I wanted to wear them. They are a lot more orange than I expected. I felt like I should be pairing them with camo and heading to a deer stand! So my goal with the rest of this outfit was to tone down the pants. I don't think it worked, though, and I wasn't really happy with this outfit.

I've really enjoyed this sweater vest this winter. You can't tell from this picture, but it's got a mock neck, which took a little getting used to for me since I don't particularly enjoy stuff on my neck/throat. Because it was very much not cold but not warm enough for sleeveless, I layered the vest over one of my long-sleeve layering tees (you know -- the ones from this post). I finished the outfit with my brown heeled Chelsea boots.

I think if my pants had been more of a burnt orange, like the picture on the product page, I would have liked this outfit much better. But alas, the pants just felt like a glowing beacon screaming look at me all day long. Don't get me wrong. Aside from the ridiculously bright color, these pants were nice quality. The wideness of the legs was just right and they were comfortable. I feel like I will probably get more use out of them in warmer months, though, when colors this bright feel more appropriate.

This is the last before-Christmas outfit. I wore this out shopping with my mom and daughter. It was colder but not frigid, and this outfit was perfect. Unfortunately, everything in this outfit is old. I've had these pants for more than five years, and the sweater is going on three or four. My boots are still available, though!

Welcome to January! This was what I wore for New Year's Day. We had lunch with my parents, went out to the barn to work with the pigs, and then had dinner with my in-laws. This is one of my oldest outfits. This exact colorway of the tunic sweater dress is no longer available, but the one I linked to is almost exact, just a bit brighter. I've got the black version of the one I linked to and it's good quality and one of my most-worn winter pieces.

These leggings are actually the only leggings I own. They are so soft and buttery feeling. They're comfortable all day long, and I don't have issues with bunching or sagging. I highly recommend!

This was last Saturday, January 4th...and I don't remember what we did if I'm being honest. I know the day before we were in Eufaula, but the only record I have from this day is making spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. That means we had to have gone to the grocery store, but that's literally all I remember.

My sweater is really old but one of my favorites ever from Old Navy. They have one that's pretty similar right now that I'm linking to for you. My pants -- yes, pants, not leggings -- are the Stevie skinnies that I've been wearing for years. These give you the illusion of leggings but they're so much better. They're really thick so no need to worry about unseemly lines and they've got a tailored seam going down the leg fronts to make them look polished.

Let's talk about my socks. I've had these sweater socks for years, and they're seriously one of the greatest things I have ever bought for myself. They are the perfect boot sock! I wear them all. the. time. in the winter.

This was my first day back to work, and as you can tell by my hair -- it was windy af. I've had this sweater for so long, y'all. It's one of my favorites, even if it's not exactly "trendy" anymore. I don't care. When you really love something, keep on wearing it! Anyway, it's no longer available but I found something similar, although I don't think the quality is the same.

My jeans are mid-rise bootcut, but I have to say that on me they feel almost low-rise compared to the other pair I have in a different wash. My boots are also really old. I got them from Target of all places, and they're really good quality considering the low price point. I got them back when boots with lots of buckles were trendy, and I wasn't sure if I would like them, and they became my favorite pair of flat boots. I linked to similar pair, although neither has near the number of buckles as mine.

This was day two back at work, still with no students and still cold. I really wanted to wear this short-sleeve sweater that reminds me of my recently-passed grandmother, but it needed a more substantial under-layer than the camisole I usually wear. I really like the juxtaposition of this brown long-sleeve tee. It feels unexpected but also kind of obvious.

My jeans are the same bootcut as with the previous outfit, but they fit differently. This pair is actually a little looser in the hips and an inch or two longer. Go figure.

This was the students' first day back from Christmas break. I went through so many outfit choices before landing on this one. It was really cold, so I wanted layers. Not pictured here is the purple-red long cardigan I wore over this all day at school.

These overalls have been a workhorse in my school wardrobe this year. They are so versatile and so comfy. They come in quite a few colors. I've got the black already and just ordered the green. I get these in a medium so they're extra roomy, but they do have adjustable straps.

My blouse, unfortunately, is no longer available. Old Navy usually comes out with updated patterns/colors for this style shirt, but I'm not seeing any on their site right now.

This was Thursday - day two of students' being back at school. It was still super cold, both outside and in the hallway, but the inside of my classroom was feeling a bit like a furnace. That meant I needed layers once again. Good thing this super adorable, 3D sweater vest arrived just in time!

I am in love with this sweater vest. The flowers really are 3D, which just gives it that much more personality. Obviously, I'll have to be really careful when I wash it. I had lots of ideas for how to layer it but decided to keep things classic this first go 'round with a white button-up over my black Stevie pants. I finished the look with my buckle boots.

This was our first Friday back at school and my favorite work outfit of the week. I styled everything around these jeans-that-don't-really-look-like-jeans. The legs have a jacquard pattern with the pockets being a solid dark navy blue. They're high-waisted and wide-legged and absolutely gorgeous. I'm wearing the large.

I decided that I wanted to go with a monochrome look, especially since this fair isle sweater was almost an exact match for the pattern on the jeans. I've had this sweater for a really long time, but fair isle is a classic style that you can find pretty much all the time. I linked to a couple of similar options for you.

That brings us to yesterday, which was a Saturday. Alexis had Odyssey team practice so I spent the morning working on my gifted endorsement homework in my classroom. I did go out to the barn around lunchtime to assist in getting the pigs weighed and then had lunch with my parents and the coworker who brought the scales. Afterwards, I picked up Alexis and headed back home where I spent the afternoon doing more homework before meeting Chris for dinner after he got off work.

Let's talk about these jeans! They're running neck and neck with the jeans in the previous outfit for favorite jeans purchase of the new year. They have got the prettiest blue-and-cream floral pattern on them. They're high waisted and wide legged and fit like a dream. They are not super thick and are pretty soft. I'm wearing the large.

My cardigan sweater is from two years ago, but I linked to the exact style at Old Navy and a similar, cheaper option that looks almost exactly the same.

When it comes to winter, I am by no means a style expert. I live in the South, after all, where true winter rarely comes to call these days. But this week...well, this week, real winter is paying us a visit -- minus the snow. That means getting a bit creative with layers, since my day-to-day winter wardrobe isn't all that warm comparatively speaking. Thankfully, I've found a winter basic that is as affordable as it is versatile.

These long-sleeved t-shirts are the perfect starting layer for cooler days. They are incredibly soft and surprisingly warm considering how thin they are. They're mostly polyester with just enough spandex for a snug fit, which I've found is essential for layering.

These are available in sizes XS-XXL. I do recommend going up one size -- two if you want them to fit looser. They're sold in a three pack, but you've got 11 color-combo options. I went with the brown, black, and cream since I tend to need more neutral bases this time of year.

Keep reading for a look at how I've styled them so far. All of these outfits are available to shop on my Shop My Instagram page or through the widget at the bottom of this post.

School started back, of course, but I also started a course to become gifted endorsed. I know I've said it multiple times on the blog already, but this course is no joke, y'all. It has been incredibly time consuming and complicated with very little guidance. Then lots of personal things happened that absolutely affected my reading.

A close friend of mine unexpectedly lost her husband, and I shared in her heartbreak. I got sick in such a way that I couldn't focus on reading anything new. Then my grandmother passed away, and the very next week my dog died. To say it was a rough fall would be an understatement indeed.

The perfect pair of jeans: It’s what every woman wishes she had. And once she finds them, she’ll more than likely be buying as many pairs as she can get her hands on. What if she could find that perfect pair of jeans at your boutique? With this handy guide, you’ll know what to look for when placing a wholesale jeans order that will have your female customers lined up to purchase those jeans.

This article will present three things that can help you decide what kinds of jeans to purchase: types of jeans for women’s bodies, quality materials, and custom lengths.

No one woman is shaped exactly the same way. Some are curvy, some are petite, and others are tall. Therefore, you will want to order a variety of wholesale jeans to meet all the needs of your customers. Below are some suggestions of jean types you may wish to recommend to your female customers:

By helping a customer find the right jean type for her body, you’re well on your way to closing the sale already. However, you want to make sure you select quality materials that will hold up to every day  wear.

Settling for cheap materials just so you can get more jeans in your wholesale order may not be the best course of action to take. Women are often willing to throw down top dollar for quality materials in their jeans that will last wash after wash. After all, some women will wear their jeans for the next 5-10 years.

When you stock jeans of durable material, be sure to relay that feature to your customer so she will know she’s getting the best bang for her buck. By carrying quality jeans, you stand less of a chance that they will be returned due to poor wearing or tears.

Finally, if you want your female customers to become raving fans of the jeans you carry in your boutique, consider carrying three different lengths of the jean selections you buy wholesale. You’ll save your customer an extra trip and charge from a tailor.

In conclusion, your boutique can become the “it-place,” known for carrying the best jeans around if you keep the guidelines above in mind when placing your wholesale order. Look for different types of jeans that appeal to a variety of women’s shapes, order jeans crafted from quality, durable material, and stock custom lengths in your store. Enjoy the uptick of customers and sales that come from a little legwork on your part to carry the best jeans around!

Raise your hand if you're ready for another 2024 roundup post. A couple of years ago, I did a roundup of my best purchases for the year. It turned out to be quite popular, and I felt pretty satisfied by the end of writing it. It's a good feeling to be able to say that a purchase you made was a smart one.

Back in 2022 when I wrote the original best purchases post, my life had undergone so many changes -- most notably, we moved into a new home, and I suddenly and unexpectedly changed jobs. Nothing quite so drastic happened in 2024. I completed my alternate teacher certification course in the spring, had an extra long summer off for the first time in more than ten years, and started a course to become gifted endorsed in the fall.

Overall, my purchases for the year were pretty low and had to do mostly with continuing to transform my closet. My casual style and work style are pretty different, and after several years of working from home before heading to the classroom, I had donated almost all of my work staples. It's been an ongoing process, but I think I'm finally starting to see more of a balance.

This list is comprised of purchases I made myself, not items that were given to me. A majority of the items are clothing of some form, including some shoes and accessories, but there are also a few teacher-related things. Each item on this list made a difference in my life in some way, even if it was only because it made me smile a bit more.

Let's kick things off with what is probably my favorite purchase of the entire year -- these super cute black overalls. I've always been wary of overalls because of my height, but I am so glad I decided to give these a shot. They're perfect for teaching. They're 100 percent cotton, not tight at all, and have adjustable straps. They also have pockets at the hips and on the bib, which I frequently drop my phone in so I don't lose it in a random place in my classroom. As you can see in the pictures above, I wear these overalls in a variety of ways, and I love them so much that I got them in yellow, too!

I love how easy it is to dress these up or down. They work with a variety of shoes, which is awesome, and I always feel really good about whatever outfit I style with both the black and yellow. I can't overstate how much I love these. In fact, I've got a green pair in my Amazon cart just waiting for me to click buy right now!

Also featured in the above group are the casual sandals that ruled summer for me. These strappy flat sandals are the Amazon Essentials brand, but they are so good. I normally wear a size 7 and these were exactly right, as in no growing room, so if you're between sizes, I would definitely go up a half size.
The other shoes that dominated my summer were these white sandals, which are still available in all sizes (and currently on sale). These sandals felt so fresh and clean every time I wore them. They were just a step above casual but never felt over-the-top. I wore them so much I'm surprised they're not showing more signs of wear. These are a bit snug in the straps. I had to size up to a 7.5 so they weren't squeezing too much. These sandals come in three other colorways.
Let's keep the summer vibe going with these retro sunglasses that are my number one go to for everyday wear. I love the round lenses and how much coverage they give me from the sun. These come in a three-pack, and so far I still have all three pair in pretty decent condition. I did drop my darker tortoise-shell pair in the barn not too long ago, though, and am still trying to figure out how to clean them without completely ruining the lenses.

While we're on the subject of these sunglasses, I want to mention my 4H hat. This is the most expensive ballcap I own and definitely not something I would typically spend that much money on. However, we were at Tybee Island, and I didn't think to pack something to protect my face from the sun, so I cashed out the money...and so far I haven't regretted it. I wore it every day of our trip and have worn it quite a bit since. It is my go-to hat for trips to the lake, even though it definitely does not match any of my swimsuits. Not only is it a comfortable hat, it is also a keepsake from a trip that I enjoyed very much.

Speaking of that trip, I would be remiss in not mentioning the bag that made it possible. I've been writing about this weekender bag for a long time -- as in I kept putting it on wish lists but never found it underneath the tree. So when I knew I was going on Alexis's multiple-night field trip, I bit the bullet and bought it for myself. Best. Decision. Ever. Seriously, if you need a new carry-on bag or a bag for just a few nights' stay, do yourself a favor and check this one out.
Two other bags that made significant impacts on my life this year are this floral crossbody that I've been carrying since the summer and this belt bag that has been literally everywhere with me from the Tybee trip to the Georgia Aquarium (pictured) and multiple festivals/fairs.