Weekly Wisdom

Happy Sunday, friends. Despite my best plans and efforts, February has just not been the month of blogging I thought it would be. It started out promising, but then just fizzled. I even took an unplanned week off from pretty much everything related to the internet that wasn't dealing with school. I wasn't even really that busy, but most of the posts I had planned on doing fell to the wayside because I just didn't feel like writing them.

Maybe I've been in a bit of a creative funk? The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. This past month my classes have been working on an essay, and we've been doing it in a very broken-down sort of way. As in, sentence-by-sentence for each paragraph. It's been intense and honestly pretty draining creatively speaking on my end.

I've been writing and working with other writers for such a long time, but never on this level. Taking a task that truly takes no thought from me and breaking it down to its fundamental core has forced me to think about writing in a very analytical way. It takes a lot of focus. Honestly, it's like trying to explain to someone how to breathe.

Anyway, I've written two separate essays to model for my students. I've broken those essays down sentence by sentence to explain how this type of essay works, and I've helped approximately seventy kids read citations for Medal of Honor recipients and break them down into a summary. It's been exhausting, and I'm glad this essay is officially finished.

We're about to start a unit on poetry, and I'm really excited for it. I had originally planned on using a longer narrative poem but then decided that I would rather expose my students to a bunch of different poets and all of the types. So we'll be doing a little bit from all my favorites: Robert Frost, William Blake, Walt Whitman, William Shakespeare, Alfred Lord Tennyson, etc.

I don't have much else to chat about this morning. Life has just been going along at its normal pace with nothing extra happening. Alexis was named Student of the Month for her class and she's preparing for her spring gymnastics showcase. Chris is making progress on his building in the backyard, and I have no special projects going at the moment other than brainstorming some blog ideas for March.

That's going to wrap it up for me this week. I hope you enjoy the rest of your Sunday and a have a wonderful week ahead!

What's On My Kindle: 5 Romance Books I Downloaded in February

Originally, I had planned to do an updated book recommendations post for Valentine's Day, but then life as a teacher happened, and it fell to the wayside.

So I decided to do a basic updated TBR post because it's been quite awhile since my last one, and I honestly got overwhelmed by the number of books I've added to my reading list since July. Although considering that's more than six months of adding titles to my list, the amount really isn't all that high. However, it was too much for one blog post.

Then I realized that my browsing in February centered around romance books (probably because that's what all the ads focused on), so I decided to combine my romance book recs with a TBR update...so here we go.

Five Romance Books I Downloaded in February

Never Marry Your Brother's Best Friend

Author: Lauren Landish

When Luna's brother's best friend, Carter, asks her to fake marry him to land a business deal, she laughs in his face. They're opposites in everything, and Luna doesn't even like him. But she agrees to the ruse, even though that means they'll have to share a bed. Eventually, the line between real and fake blurs, and Carter, the man she can't stand, starts to feel like a real husband.

The Wreckage of Us

Author: Brittainy Cherry

When Hazel gets kicked out of her home, moving into Ian's spare room seems like a logical choice. Then Hazel calls the police on her drug-dealing stepfather, unintentionally getting her pregnant mother arrested. Now Hazel must put her own dreams aside to take care of the newborn, while Ian's music career starts to take off.

Finding You (The Holt Family series)

Author: T.M. Cromer

My infatuation with all things T.M. Cromer continues! In The Unlucky Charms series, we meet one of the Holts, so I'm excited to dive into this family's story. I have no doubt it will be on par with the Thorne witches. This is the story of Samantha Holt, a psychic witch whose boyfriend dies in a tragic accident. Despite a new love interest, Samantha can't move on and sets out to learn the truth of her soulmate's disappearance.

Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend

Author: Penny Reid

Winnie and Byron have known each other for years, but they're not friends. After Byron unintentionally helps Winnie gain more exposure online, a mutual friend suggests they team up for a series of best-friend challenges to increase Winnie's chances of landing a job she really wants.

Doctor Scandalous

Author: J. Saman

When the notorious Dr. Oliver Fritz suggests they pretend to be engaged for their ten-year high school reunion, Amelia agrees, if only so she won't suffer through the night alone, but their night of pretend ends in scandal and what was only supposed to be a few hours turns into a few months.

Weekly Wisdom

This week's motivation post is coming out a little later than I had planned, but I did not sleep well last night so I've spent my morning, which started entirely too early for a Sunday, being lazy in bed. Now that I'm fully up, I have a couple of things to do around the house, but thankfully I got most of that knocked out yesterday, so I can fully devote myself to reading.

This past week was pretty good. There were a few bumps in the road, but overall there was more to smile about than stress over. We got the first in a series of mandatory tests over the next couple of months out of the way, and I've been seeing a lot of progress with my students. We were able to do some stuff this week that I'm positive would not have been possible last month.

This coming week, we'll be finishing the novel we've been reading as a class. We'll also be wrapping up our unit on dependent clauses clauses and hopefully getting rough drafts for our current writing project completely finished.

In other news, Alexis won her grade level's Young Georgia Authors contest, which is exciting. She finally seems to be getting over the sinus infection that's been plaguing her for the last week or two. Of course, our weather is still bouncing back and forth from hot to cold, so who knows how long her easy breathing will last.

That's about all I have to share with you this week. I hope you enjoy the rest of your Sunday and that the week ahead is all you hope it will be!

10 Casual Winter-to-Spring Outfit Ideas

I don't know about where you live, but the weather here in the South has been all over the place the last few weeks. While it has been aggravating going from cold to hot and back again (in more ways than one), it does mean this edition of Real Outfit Roundup has some good examples of transition outfits.

Moving from one season to the next can make getting dressed in the morning difficult. Lucky for you, our unpredictable southern weather has made me pretty good at transitional dressing. I mean, sometimes we transition through all four seasons in one week!

Sizing note: I'm 5'2" and weigh about 140 lbs. I typically wear size 6 or small/medium in clothes and size 7 in shoes.

Sweater / Jeans / Boots

This is the only cold-weather outfit in this roundup. This was a really cold day for us, but I didn't want to wear something that felt like it just screamed winter. So I lightened up this fair isle sweater with white jeans. It's a really easy way to add a taste of spring to an outfit.

My sweater is still available in limited sizes and is on sale. I am wearing a petite medium in this. It's a good bit thicker than what I usually prefer in sweaters, and the neck is fairly high. I like the length of the petite, both in the body and sleeves. However, the shoulders are almost too snug.

My jeans are several years old. They're the a.n.a. brand at JCPenney. I really like the fit of these, but this exact pair is no longer available.

I wore boots this day because it was so cold, but I don't love how dark they are in comparison to my jeans. I don't regret my decision because, again, it was cold, but I think a more neutral color would have worked better.

Sweater / Jeans / Shoes

Collared sweaters are a trend I didn't think I would like, but I decided to try it anyway, and I'm glad I did. I feel like this sweater fits very nicely into my closet. I like how it makes a pair of jeans feel elevated, especially with these loafers, but I also think this will work nicely with skirts and dress pants. It's a thin sweater so it will work through most of the Spring. I really like the fitted, ribbed knit, and the v-neck collar is a nice detail I didn't appreciate until I put it on. It also comes in a pretty blue and black.

My jeans are the mid-rise power slim straight from Old Navy. I really like this wash (it's called Willow). They feel very middle-of-the-road casual to me. These are probably my favorite straight-leg jeans that I own. However, they're about an inch and a half too long, hence the slight bunching at my ankle. I can't go down a size because of my hips, and the short inseam is too short for me (go figure).  I haven't figured out how to cuff them yet. They really do fit perfect everywhere else, though, so I'm going to keep wearing them.

Everything in this outfit is old, so sadly I don't have anything to link to. These are my favorite pair of jeans, and they're starting to wear out after years of near-constant wear. I've been looking for a replacement and haven't found one that I like. My t-shirt has a little astronaut hanging from the moon and is no longer available. My shoes are a year or two old. I got them on final sale for $10. They're amazingly comfortable but a bit ridiculous because the pink is so bright. I rarely wear them, but decided to bust them out since this style is in right now.

Bodysuit / Jacket / Skirt / Sneakers

I have had my skirt in my closet for over a year just waiting for the right opportunity to wear it. Then I decided that was never going to happen, so I made my own opportunity and didn't regret it one bit. I was initially worried that I would feel overdressed with the skirt, so I intentionally chose casual pieces. I think the faux leather white sneakers were the key piece in dressing it all down, though. The skirt is tulle with shimmery stars. It's fully lined with an elastic waistband. I chose a bodysuit because they don't bunch when tucked in, and I wanted something a little darker to finish the top off. Overall, I love the way this turned out...and so did my students!

Shirt / Jeans / Boots (out of stock)

Have you tried Old Navy's poet blouses yet? They are arguably my favorite style of shirt these days. I love how flowy they are! This one is so pretty in person, too. It's perfect for spring but can easily be layered under a light jacket for colder days.

My jeans are the mid-rise kicker bootcut from Old Navy. I really like this style, and I like that the bootcut is narrower than other styles. It's more proportional to my height. This is the darker wash, but I'm ordering myself a mid-wash as well for more casual outfits.

These boots are one of my most favorite pairs. They are several years old and no longer available, but they are a great neutral color, the perfect heel height, and go with just about anything. I'm going to be sad when they eventually wear out, especially since I can't find anything even remotely close to replace them with.

T-shirt / Dress / Vest / Shoes

When I came across this dress in Target, I couldn't resist it. Then I couldn't wait to wear it, even though the weather wasn't exactly right for it...so I improvised! Layers were needed, so I started with a light purple t-shirt underneath the dress. It helped to pull out some of the lighter colors in the dress's pattern, but the outfit still felt incomplete, so I reached for my tried-and-true dress topper - my denim vest. Because it was still on the cool side, I finished the look with my navy blue flats.

Shirt / Skirt / Shoes

Would you believe I bought the items separately with no real thought that they would go perfectly together? Me neither, but it's true! I ordered the t-shirt because I wanted something understated for Valentine's Day, then I found the skirt on a random Target trip. At first glance, this looks like your classic polka dot pattern, but on closer inspection it's really a heart print. So it only made sense to pair them together!

Shirt / Jeans / Shoes

In case you missed the memo so far, Old Navy has got some really cute spring tops right now. I almost didn't order this top because it's a babydoll style, and those tend to feel a bit too young for me, but in the end I'm glad I gave it a shot. It's really flattering on, and I love the puff sleeves. This is the birch leaf color. It's not quite so dark in person.

My jeans are the high-waisted wow slim straight from Old Navy. I find that these are a better length for me than the mid-rise power slim straight. They hit right at my ankle, so it's more flattering. However, this pair, which I got at the same time as the other pair, have now gotten a bunch of little pulls in them. I don't know how, either, because I'm wearing them in the same capacity as the other. It's, thankfully, only noticeable up close, but it is aggravating.

Shirt / Jeans / Shoes

I'm not fully satisfied with this outfit. I think it's the shoes, which I almost didn't wear, but in the end I chose comfort over a better color match.

This is another of Old Navy's poet blouses. It is a much thicker material than the one shown earlier in the post. Because of that, it fits much more structured, so not as flowy, making it more difficult to do a front-tuck with as you see in this picture. In fact, I wore it fully tucked all day at school because it was more flattering with the cut of these pants.

Speaking of the pants, these are the curvy high-waisted OG straight cut in a beige color from Old Navy. I really love the color, but I'm not sold on the cut for me. It started out great, but as the day wore on they got looser and looser, resulting in the almost bagginess you see here. I'm hoping a run through the washing machine will help with that. I guess I'm not as curvy as I thought.

Shirt / Jacket / Jeans / Shoes

This was kind of a weird weather day for us, and I didn't really know how to dress. In the end, I did regret the white shirt but only because it rained, and I was not expecting rain! I actually love this shirt so much that I also own the short-sleeved version of it.

These are the same mid-rise power slim straight jeans I talked about earlier in this post. My jacket is from a StitchFix box. It's made by Liverpool Los Angeles, but this style is no longer available. You can check out what else they have here.

Weekly Wisdom (Formerly Monday Motivation)

Happy Sunday, friends! I know I typically don't share our weekly words of wisdom until Monday, but since becoming a teacher that is the one post that I just have not found a good routine for. Confession: I always write the post on Sunday, schedule it for early Monday morning, and then try to remember to share it to social at some point during the day. Most days, it's lunch time at the earliest before that happens with some days being late afternoon or me forgetting altogether.

Since I'm already writing the post early anyway, the logical solution is to rebrand from Monday Motivation to Weekly Wisdom and publish on Sundays. This also gives me the perfect excuse reason to start scheduling a Sunday newsletter, which will help me to establish a better routine with my email list (and hopefully grow it some more!). On that note, if you haven't joined my email list, you can do that here.

This past week was a pretty good one. I took a day off to get some real-life things taken care of (new tag, driver's license renewal, etc.). I added a haircut into that day, as well, and decided to chop off my shag for a blunt bob. So far I'm loving it.

Unfortunately, we ended up taking Alexis to the doctor on Thursday for a croaky cough, red eyes, and some congestion. All the tests came back negative, but the doctor did heard some wheezing when he listened to her breathing, so we've been dealing with that for the past several days. The medicine he prescribed seems to be finally making some headway, so hopefully she'll be back to normal in a day or two.

Looking ahead to this week, I'm not sure what to expect. We're still reading Restart by Gordon Korman, I've got an informational text that pairs with the book, and we'll be starting a new writing project that's tied in with that. The only other thing we've got going on is continuing to work with clauses, specifically adverbs, but I'm trying to tie that into their writing as much as I can. Oh, and progress reports go out this week, so I'll be spending all my free time on Monday making sure my grades are good to go.

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I'm working on a outfit inspiration post based on some things I've recently added to my own wardrobe and a romance-themed book recommendation post. I'll also have another Real Outfit Roundup post soon, and I've been working on a 'teaching so far' post for the past several weeks that should be ready next week maybe. I'm working on getting back into my regular book post rotations with TBR and currently reading posts, and I have plans to start back with the monthly favorite product posts.

I think eventually I'll do more school-related content, but at this point I feel like I haven't been teaching long enough to have any type of credibility, outside of sharing products, etc. that work for me.

Anyway, I think that's it for this week. I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend and have a wonderful week ahead!

What I Read January 2023

Welcome to the first book roundup of 2023. January was a really good month of reading for me. A majority of my time has been devoted to one series in particular, but I also started my one-woman book club and finished a book I started several months ago.  I don't have a lot to say in lead-up this go 'round, so let's let the books speak for themselves, yeah?

Royal Honor (Dragon Royals series book 5)

Author: May Dawson

I technically read this book in January, but because my December book roundup was so late in getting posted, I had already finished the entire series and did a full series review. I'm going to paraphrase for this post, but if you want to read my full review, you can do so here.

The Dragon Royals series kept me entertained despite the editing issues, which got worse with each book. Like I said in my December post, I hope the author goes back and fixes those issues because they were distracting at times. If I hadn't been invested in the storyline, the editing problems would have been enough for me to DNF it.

Honor is the first ever female dragon shifter, something that is supposed to be impossible, so she disguises herself as a male to attend the shifter academy. Of course, her disguise only lasts so long. She is eventually not only discovered but the truth about who she is is also uncovered. Once she learns that she is the long-lost daughter of the first dragon king, Honor's mission becomes uniting all shifters and ending the scourge curse.

Cocktails and Cauldrons (Unlucky Charms series book 4)

Author: T.M. Cromer

This is the fourth book in the Unlucky Charms series, which I originally thought was a trilogy. The first three books deal with the elder siblings and ending the curse that the O'Malley family has been under for hundreds of years. In this book, Eion finds his mate, Brenna, who turns out to be a siren whose evil aunt has been siphoning power from for most of her life. Additionally, Brenna runs the risk of turning into a succubus if she doesn't learn to control her inner siren and there's someone out there hunting her kind to gain the ultimate power.

The Lost Apothecary

Author: Sarah Penner

This was the first book in my one-woman book club (read more about that here), and I really couldn't have picked a more interesting book to start with. Let me start by saying that the blurb for this book does not do the actual story justice at all. This is a dual timeline novel that executes this parallel story flawlessly. I was never lost or confused, and the author did a truly wonderful job of lining up the details just so.

Nella runs an apothecary in 18th century London, but it's not your traditional apothecary. Nella caters specifically to women who are looking to get the ultimate revenge on the oppressive, abusive, or cheating men in their lives. She operates in relative obscurity, hidden behind a secret bookshelf in a seemingly-abandoned shopfront, until a 12-year-old girl enters her shop and turns everything on its ear.

Meanwhile in present-day London, Caroline is spending her tenth wedding anniversary alone after discovering her husband's infidelity. An aspiring historian, Caroline stumbles onto a clue to the still-unsolved apothecary murders. Soon, Caroline's present begins to mirror the past she's digging into, and she's forced to make some pretty tough decisions about her future, both in terms of her marriage and the mystery she's unraveling.

All Bets Are Off

Author: Samantha Bee & G.N. Wright

I downloaded this after seeing it recommended in a book group. I didn't realize it was the first book in an incomplete series until I'd finished it. In one night, Brielle's entire life changed. She simultaneously lost her four best friends and tied herself to Carson. The one good thing she has going for her is that she won't have to see her former friends anymore because she's attending the one school they'd never go to. Except they changed their plans, and now the revenge she's worked so diligently to achieve is being threatened.

Reject Me

Author: Kel Carpenter & Aurelia Jane

This is the first book in a series that is complete, but each book is a standalone. I think. This one had a pretty clear beginning, middle, and end, with no cliffhanger. I don't have plans to read the rest.

Dannika is a wolf shifter who's never been able to shift. Instead, a witch managed to pull her wolf out so that it exists outside of her body. Considered a freak, Danni is an outcast in her pack but still required to attend pack functions, including the party where the alpha's heir will pick his mate. You could probably guess from the title, but he chooses Danni. She, in turn, rejects him, is thrown out of her pack, and taken in by the Vampire alpha where she agrees to become his mate.

The Night Tiger

Author: Yangsze Choo

Wow. I'm a bit ashamed at how long it took me to finish this book because it was fantastic. This is exactly what I look for in historical fiction. I loved the folklore that was woven into this story. Weretigers were a new one for me, but the legend was fascinating. I especially liked the dual points of view. You've got Ji Lin, who is moonlighting as a dancehall girl to pay her mother's debts, and Ren, who is on a mission to reunite his dead master with his missing finger, a finger that ends up in Ji Lin's possession when one of her dance partners drops it. She enlists the help of her stepbrother, Shin, to return it, but it's not so simple as they anticipated. Eventually, Ji Lin and Ren's paths cross, but it's a fateful night. There are so many complex relationships in this book, and more than one mystery to solve. I highly recommend this book. It's the best thing I've read so far this year.

The Thorne Witches Series 1-7

Author: T.M. Cromer

I'm about halfway through this series, and I am in love. This is the precursor to the Unlucky Charms series. In the first five books, the five Thorne sisters are working with their father/uncle (it's complicated and too much to explain here) to revive their mother from a magically-induced coma after she was shot with a poisoned bullet. Alastair purposefully pairs each of the sisters with their one true love to go after the artifacts needed to wake Aurora, his one true love. In the sixth book, Alastair and Aurora must rekindle their relationship. Then in book seven, we move on to Alastair's sister, Gigi, and her estranged husband, Ryker. Throughout it all, the Thornes face opposition from the Witches' Council and a group known as the Desorcelers whose mission is to eradicate all witches and warlocks.