How is it May already?! I feel like I say something along those lines every month, but it certainly feels like time flew by in a real big hurry last month. And that means it's time once again for a new favorite things post in which I share all the things from the previous month that made my life just a bit better as well as the things I've shared that resonated the most with you.
Before we dive into all that, let's do a little recap of April, yeah? So the month started off with Spring Break and Alexis's birthday. My husband still had to work that week, so we were limited on what we could do and when, but our week included a lake camping trip for Alexis, a day trip to the beach for her birthday, and a weekend sleepover, also for her birthday. I also got a haircut.
The week after Spring Break was all about reviewing before our end-of-the-year state test. Our state just rolled out new reading and ELA standards, so our tests were structured differently, and we didn't have a ton of guidance on how to best prepare our students for the changes, especially on the writing side of things. However, I managed to design a review assignment that my students really bought into, and I finally finally got some a-ha! moments when we reached the conclusion of it, so I'm cautiously optimistic that they did okay on my portion. (Out of curiosity, would anyone be interested in more school-specific content straight from my classroom like lessons, assignments, etc.?)
The next seven days were all about testing. That meant an alternate schedule and disrupted routines, which resulted in straight-up exhaustion. Now we're in the final countdown of the school year. I've got one more big test, one final grade-specific grammar concept, a mini-project, and a few smaller assignments standing between me and summer break. But who's counting?
My Favorites
Solid Colored Cotton Skirts -- I own three of these gorgeous, amazing quality, lace-trimmed skirts: light blue, light pink, and yellow. I got the blue first, so it's gotten more wear than the other two, but you can expect to see them a lot. They're fully lined, but I still wear slip shorts underneath. They're almost 100% cotton, so they're incredibly soft and comfortable, and they breathe, which is a must for spring where I live. If you want individual outfit details, just click the picture!
Blue and White Eyelet Sleeveless Blouse outfit -- This is my favorite outfit of the month hands down. I love the almost retro vibe the outfit has, and all of these pieces are great individually. I especially love the eyelet detailing on the blouse. It's so pretty! I also really love this beaded necklace that I was incredibly skeptical of ordering; I was worried it would look ridiculous because of how big the beads are, but I've been wearing it almost nonstop since it came in.
Striped Skirts Outfits (green, yellow) -- I love a striped skirt, y'all, and these two are just so much fun. They add a bit of color to any outfit and are surprisingly versatile! I love both of these outfits so much. You would think these skirts came from the same place; they are truly very similar! But they did not. However, they both are fully lined and have an elastic waist with a flat front waistband. They're also both a midi length, which will always look a bit longer on me. For shopping details, click on either picture.
Black-and-White Dress Outfit -- I really enjoyed this double-dress look. The solid black dress is one of those ribbed dresses I fell in love with from Old Navy last summer. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Old Navy will revive them for this summer for y'all. They really are that good! The striped button-front dress is a crochet sweater-like material, but as you can see it's sleeveless, and the weave is pretty breathable. I do recommend going up a size if you don't want it to be form-fitting.
Brown Striped Pants with Scallop Details -- While I love this entire outfit overall, I did want to specifically spotlight these super cute pants. They're cropped, which makes them my preferred ankle length (I'm only 5'2"), and check out the scallop details at the pockets, which are fully functional, and the hems. They come in a few other colors, too.
Giant Old Navy Sunglasses -- I can't link to these since they apparently don't put accessories on their website anymore, but I absolutely love them and had to share. They were less than $20, the tint on the lenses is perfection, the arms are nice and tight without squeezing my head, and they're just super cute and actually on trend for once.
Il Makiage Black Card Mascara -- This was a free gift with my last makeup order that I'll most likely be repurchasing. The effect on my barely-there, basically-see-through lashes is amazing. It also lasts all day without smudging but is easily removed at night. Five stars.
Native Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner in Berries and Vanilla Cream -- The search for the perfect shampoo and conditioner combo might have come to an end. I really like these. They leave my hair and scalp feeling clean and hydrated with just one pump each. They're also not expensive, and this scent is light enough to not bother me.
Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton -- This was my March book club pick but I didn't read it until the first week of April during Spring Break. This is the best book from my book club that I've read so far this year. You can read my full review here.
The Teacher by Frieda McFadden -- I'm not going to lie: this book made me wildly uncomfortable at points, but I'm pretty sure that was the point. This was my first time reading a book by this author, and it definitely did not disappoint. I was hooked from the prologue.
Your Favorites
Old Navy Jean Jacket -- I've actually not worn my jean jacket in awhile, so I'm not sure where you all have been clicking on it from. My exact one is no longer available, but the one I'm linking to looks pretty much exactly the same.
Arizona Bootcut Jeans -- I'm not sure where y'all have been clicking on these since I haven't owned them in a few years and thus haven't shared them recently, but here's an updated link for you that actually works. Back in the day -- like way back in the day -- these were my go-to jeans, but then they became pretty much impossible to find in my local JCP, so they faded into the background.
Woven Straw Belts -- These are such a great basic accessory to have in your closet. I wear mine all the time!
Old Navy Linen Dress -- This is another item that I'm not sure where you're clicking on it from, especially since it's not a dress that I've ever owned and can't remember why I would have shared it. Regardless, the exact one that you guys have been clicking on is no longer available, but Old Navy does currently have several different colorways to choose from in the same style dress, so I linked to those for you.
Wedge Sneaker -- It's been awhile since I've shared an outfit with my wedge sneakers, so I'm not sure how far back y'all had to go to find this outdated link. My exact wedge sneakers are long gone since they're so incredibly old now, so the link y'all have been clicking is useless, but I've got some close dupes for you: option one and option two.
Bathtub Tray with Book Holder -- I'm pretty sure I shared this in a previous mother's day gift guide, though I can't remember which one. It's still available, so I'm updating the link for you.
Wide-Leg Playa Pants -- For some reason, Old Navy created a new product page for these pants, so the original link is now extinct. These are a nice lightweight black pant that's not linen. I don't personally own a pair, but I've tried them on. I'm not the biggest fan of this material and will just stick with linen.
Glitter Hearts Toilet Bombs -- These are from a working moms Christmas gift guide from several years ago. I shared them with the idea that they would make good coworker or gag gifts. They're still available and still hilarious.
Scout Tote Bag -- I'm pretty sure you guys discovered this tote from my 2026 swimsuit picks post. I was given this bag as a gift a few years ago, and it quickly turned into my go-to bag for water-related trips. It's the perfect size for the water park, in my opinion.
Swimsuits -- It's not really surprising to me that swimsuits dominated the top 10 favorites for April. I did share a swimsuit post, after all. There were four swimsuits in the top 10, so I decided to lump them together into one entry: Green Floral One Piece, Side-Tie Swim Dress, Floral Print Tankini, Black Polka Dot One Piece. You can see all my picks for this year in my 2026 swimsuit picks post.
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