I feel like I've been pretty MIA around here lately, but it's all for good reasons! Last week was Thanksgiving Break, and it's the first time in more than a decade that I've gotten an entire week off for this favorite holiday of mine. Since Chris and I did not get to do a trip for our tenth anniversary, we decided kind of last minute to do an anniversary-birthday combo trip to St. Augustine since we were both off for the week. We only spent what amounted to two days in the historic city, and we didn't get to see everything we wanted, but it was a wonderful trip nonetheless, and I can't wait to go back!

We drove back on Thanksgiving Day, then spent the afternoon with family. On Friday we got our Christmas tree, although we didn't get it put up until Sunday. Saturday was my birthday, but we didn't do much. We took Alexis to see Strange World, which was cute, and then visited one of our favorite local light displays to get into the holiday spirit.

So all in all, it was a really good break. Other than the first weekend and yesterday, I did nothing school-related, and I'm going back into these last three weeks before Christmas (who's counting?) feeling refreshed. We're doing grammar review of the concepts we've learned this first half of the school year and reading/listening to A Christmas Carol, the play version. We've also got some state testing, which I'm not excited about, but it is what it is.

I hope everyone had a really nice Thanksgiving and that those of you who did Black Friday shopping found amazing deals. In true me fashion, I haven't even started my Christmas shopping yet. In fact, I don't even have a list started.

Anyway, Happy Monday! I hope you all have a wonderful week!

It has been a whirlwind of a November. Who knew that the time between school breaks was so crazy?! I mean, teachers have always known, but this is my first real experience with it, so I'm honestly trying to catch my breath.

We have had some sweater weather in my neck of the woods lately, which has been a welcome change for me. I love any reason to wear comfy clothes, and sweaters are one of the comfiest things to wear in my opinion. Sadly, this outfit roundup doesn't have a lot of sweaters to share with you. The last week especially has been jam packed, and I did not take outfit photos like I typically do.

But I do have ten really good business-casual outfits to help you plan what to wear for work in cooler weather. Note that I said cooler, not cold. I live in the South where we don't really have winter. So all of my "winter clothes" tend to be on the thinner side and most definitely not suited to snow.

I'm not typically a patterned leggings type of girl, but I couldn't resist these red plaid ones. They've got both black and blue mixed into the pattern, which gives me a lot of options for how to wear them, but to start with I couldn't resist this classic combo. This sweater dress is the same brand as that striped one I wear all the time. There are some differences, though. The black is much thicker and has pockets. These leggings are one of my favorite Amazon brands (I've got a few of the plain black ones) and wear really well all day long with no bunching in weird places.

The most wonderful time of the year is finally here! And with Black Friday literally just around the corner, I wanted to share my favorite gift guide of the year to give you all some ideas of things most working moms would like to find under the Christmas tree or in their often-forgotten stocking.

As always, I look for things that would suit all kinds of working moms, whether they work in an office space or at/from home. Each of these gifts is not only practical but also a little bit fun, and I either already own something like it or would like one for myself.

Each of these gifts is under $50, but we all know that mom is worth that much and so much more. I hope these fifteen ideas help you find the perfect gift for the working mom in your life!

1. Eclectic Wall Art - There is really nothing worse than working in a drab, boring space. These fun prints are replicas of famous works of art and are sure to add some personality to any work space.

2. Unique Wooden Candle Holders - Candles are always a popular gift, but this year I challenge you to go above and beyond and give mom something she can cherish for years to come, like these beautiful wooden candle holders. They'd be perfect additions to a bookcase or as a standalone centerpiece.

3. Cozy Blanket - We all know that you can never have too many blankets. I especially love this boho-patterned sherpa blanket. It's got such fun colors and looks so cozy.

4. Chic Backpack Purse - These have been on trend for the last couple of years, but I always love a good chic backpack purse, especially when going to an event or traveling. They're much more practical than a regular purse that has a single shoulder strap, and this one is so dang cute with the bee adornment.

9. Desk Organization - If there's one thing I've learning in the last two decades of working, it's that you can never have enough desk organization. I really like this set, and it comes in a bunch of colors.

10. Quirky Post-It Holder - I feel like Post-It notes are the universal office supply, so why not give them a place of prominence with a fun dispenser?

11. Bluetooth Headphones - Does your mom work in a noisy office-space? These wireless headphones can help with concentration while alerting coworkers that you probably can't hear them at the moment (earbuds are trickier when it comes to that I've found). These come in a few color options and fold up for easy storage.

12. Bluetooth Speaker - I adore this retro-inspired bluetooth speaker. Not only can you sync it to your phone, but it's also a working FM radio. And it'll look so cute on whatever shelf you place it! It's perfect for being the office deejay or your home office...or wherever else you listen to music.

13. Single-Serve Coffee Maker - I wouldn't normally put a coffee maker on my list, but I'm intrigued by this one. It does hot and iced coffee, which is pretty amazing.

14. Steamer - Ironing is so last century, am I right?

15 Backseat Car Organizer - Moms in general tend to spend a lot of time carting their littles around, and if your kid is anything like mine, the backseat can quickly turn into a nightmare. This over-the-seat organizer can help with some of that, which is why it's on my personal wish list this year (Again. Seriously, if I don't get one, I'll buy it myself.).

November 9, 2022

4:30 a.m. - My alarm goes off. As you should expect of me by now, I don't get up automatically.

4:45 a.m. - I finally get out of bed and head into the bathroom where I do makeup and hair. That takes about 15 minutes. Then I get dressed for the day.

5:15 a.m. - Time to wake up Alexis. If possible, she's even less of a morning person than I am. We get her dressed, morning medicine, teeth brushed, hair fixed, etc. etc.

5:20-25ish - I pack Alexis's lunch for school, make sure her bookbag is ready to go, go outside to start my car so the windows aren't foggy, and make my coffee to go.

5:30 - We leave for school. It's about a 40-minute drive. The time changes when we cross the river, so 6:00 a.m. becomes 7:00 a.m.

7:15 a.m. - I drop off Alexis at school then head to work.

7:20 a.m. - I arrive at the middle school, clock in, unlock my classroom, get my computer up and running, run up to the workroom to make some copies I forgot the day before and use the bathroom before kids start arriving.

7:30-7:45 a.m. - Students are starting to come in. I stand outside my door and greet them as they come in while also monitoring the hall.

8:00-8:30 a.m. - This is what we call Learning Blitz. It's basically homeroom, but each day has a specific focus. On Wednesdays, students work in a math program to help reinforce the skills they learn in class. This is also when we watch the student morning show.

8:30-9:50 a.m. - First Block. Today, we reviewed for an upcoming test on sentence structure. I realize that seems like a long time to review one thing, but by the time you take away time for a bathroom break, it's really not.

9:50-10:00 a.m. - Class change. This is always a bit hectic. My students go to the classroom directly next door, so I get them lined up outside that door while we wait for the classroom to empty. Usually my next class arrives midway through this process.

10:00-11:15 a.m. - Second block. This class also reviewed for the test over sentences. Then we transitioned to an activity with the play we've been reading, The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street. We ended the class by working on a narrative essay. This class also has a bathroom break built in, as well as time to go to lockers.

11:15-20 a.m. - My second class goes to their lockers and then to their last block of the day.

11:20-25 - My third block class drops off their stuff for class, then I take them to the connections hall for their extra classes (art, PE, etc.).

11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. - This is my first planning period. Yes, I know that's weird, but my planning is split in two. Today, I had an ELA meeting with the department head and the other seventh grade ELA teacher.

12:15-45 p.m. - Lunch

12:45-1:25 p.m. - Second planning. It's progress report time, so I spent this time putting in grades.

1:25-3:00 p.m. - Third Block. This class looked a lot like my second block.

3:00-3:10 p.m. - Students are dismissed at 3:00. It takes no more than ten minutes for all students to be out of the building most days. All seventh grade teachers have hall duty during dismissal because we're on the main hall to the buses.

3:10-4:45 p.m. - Alexis had after school, so I used the extra time to get all my grades put in for progress reports.

4:50 p.m. - I pick up Alexis from after school and we drive home. It takes about 40 minutes. The time changes back when we cross river.

4:30 p.m. - I had a headache pretty much all day and didn't feel like cooking, so we hit up the Zaxby’s drive-thru and brought supper home. After we ate, we took the dog on a walk. Then I worked on finalizing my progress reports. We found out that Thursday would be a half day due to weather, so I spent some time getting makeup work together for all my students. Alexis showers and gets into her PJs while I work.

7:35 p.m. - Chris gets home from work. We hang out as a family until about 8:00, when it's time for Alexis to go to bed. We read a book together, then say goodnight.

8:15-45 p.m. - After Alexis is tucked in, I take a bubble bath to relax before bed. While I'm in there, I add a bunch of books to my TBR list.

8:45-9:00 p.m. - Chris and I hang out in bed before he takes a shower, then we both went to sleep pretty early.

This has always been one of my favorite sayings, so when it popped up on my Pinterest feed, I took it as a sign to share it with all of you.

The last two weeks have been pretty rough, especially last week. It's not really something I want to talk about publicly, but I feel like not mentioning it at all isn't an option since it explains my near absent state over the last couple of weeks. Normally I'm good at not dwelling on things and letting most stuff just roll off my back. It's a skill I developed at the TV station, but most of the time nothing that happened there felt like it was personal, so that made it easier to brush off. This is different though, so it's been harder for me to shake. One thing I know for sure, though, is that I am stronger than this situation, and it's not my first rodeo when it comes to dealing with this particular type of situation. The setting is different, but everything else is parallel. I survived it then (and came out on top, I should add), and I will survive it now.

In other news, this week is the National Peanut Festival, so I'm sure we'll be found at the fairgrounds at some point between now and the weekend. This is the first year of my adult life that I'll be going purely as a spectator with no ties whatsoever to the business side of things, which is wild to think about. It's also bittersweet since I'll be paying my own way inside, which is something I'm not sure I've ever done. Alexis is excited to go, and I'm excited to eat all my local favorite fair foods (elephant ear, here I come!).

In school news, we're reading and listening to the teleplay The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street, which was part of The Twilight Zone. I would love to do a compare/contrast activity with the actual episode, but there's some cursing so it's not possible.

We've started devoting more time to informational texts, as well, but those are truly not that intensive, since the skills go hand-in-hand with literary reading for the most part.

We're wrapping up a grammar unit on sentences, so we'll be preparing for a comprehensive test over those skills. We've been working on these particular skills for more than a month, so hopefully they've stuck. We really need to move on to clauses.

We're finally putting the finishing touches on the narrative essay topic I assigned back before fall break. This week will be the last we do with that before moving into explanatory, which is my area of expertise, hands down (hello, journalism background!). We'll keep doing narrative exercises, but not quite so in depth as this one.

Well, that's pretty much it for getting you caught up. I've got a long list of posts I want to get published between now and the end of the year, but I'm not making any promises on any of them. I'm still finding my balance, and a lot of days I'm just wiped when I get home.

Anyway, Happy Monday! I hope you all have a wonderful week.

I read a lot more in October than I thought I would have had time for, especially if you take into account the two series I reread (I reread them this time of year almost every year). I read two standalone books, continued a series I'm kind of obsessed with, and discovered a new author and world that I'm loving. I also read part of a series that has tons of good reviews and recommendations before giving up on it (they're included in the roundup) and started and stopped the final book of a series I started in September (I just couldn't get into it for some reason).

Let's get to it.

Author: Amanda McClure

I absolutely love the Shadows and Shade series. It's got all the elements from some of my other favorite series so beautifully combined to create something new. I wish all the books were out so I could binge-read them, but there are still a few left to be written. Chaos (Seth) is probably my favorite brother, so I was really looking forward to this installment, and it did not disappoint. The story just keeps getting more detailed, and I can't wait to see where it all ends up.

The Desert of Glass (Monument book 2)

Author: Michael C. Grumley

I read The Last Monument a year or two ago and really enjoyed it, so when I saw there was a sequel, I didn't hesitate to download it. In this one, Angela and Joe team up to continue the work of their late friend, enlisting one of his former colleagues to investigate a real phenomenon known as the Desert of Glass. In their search, they uncover a nefarious plot by one of the world's most mysterious billionaires.

Author: Maggie M. Lily

This six book series is just the beginning of this world of magic, romance, and a family that sets the ultimate example of what family should be. The Trellis family is full of what are known as empowered people, with literally all of the siblings having some type of power ranging from love to fear, rage to joy, and even the elements. They don't realize they're all special, though, until they're pulled into the politics of the world of the empowered. Ultimately, they must face one of the strongest empowered leaders from the past who has come back to try to take over the world. Along the way, they make allies within other supernatural communities including beast affinities (shifters) and siphons (vampires).

Author: Ivy Asher

Auset is what's known as a blade slave. She's spent her entire life, or what she can remember of it anyway, training to become an assassin whose skills will be bought by the highest bidder or else be lost to a worse fate. When the time for the Bidding arrives, Auset catches the notice of the notorious Order of Scorpions, a trio of brothers-by-choice who have been secretly funding the organization responsible for Auset's training. 

Abandoned Girl and Broken Girl (Neighpalm Industries Collective series)

Author: Lexie Winston

I am truly disappointed in this series. It has such good reviews and is recommended a lot in my book groups. The premise is that an adopted girl is reunited with her biological father and grandparents, who want to bring her into their world and businesses. The problem lies in the small army of children her father has adopted. They're afraid that his biological daughter is there to take everything away from them and will do anything to chase her away. Sounds good, right? Well, this book is full of entirely too much inner dialogue that doesn't really say anything or advance the story, very little action, and for something to be rated as being super spicy, there was literally no spice. Read at your own risk.