It's finally summer break, y'all! Whew, this year was challenging to say the least, and I feel like May was just the icing on the cake in that regards.
Truly, it was very difficult to find the good in this past month because the bad was just...very bad. Some of you are already aware, but for those who missed it, my biological father passed away at the beginning of the month. We had a complicated relationship, but still.
It's been hard to look past all of that to find the good moments. It's not an exaggeration when I say that I've been working on my half of this post for the better part of this past week. But I found the good hiding in all the ugly.
Obviously, the biggest thing that happens in May is the end of the school year! We had our end-of-the-year eighth grade field trip to an area amusement park, and it was surprisingly a lot more fun than I anticipated. I missed my own students' Honors Day due to funeral stuff, but I did get to go to Alexis's CHAMPS graduation (it's kind of like D.A.R.E. but focuses on more than just drugs) and her last Honors Day of the year where she was recognized for reading more than one-million words this school year. She also performed with her show choir group at both ceremonies.
In other end-of-the-school-year news, I successfully packed up my entire classroom to be moved from one side of the school to the other so that our side can be renovated next year. On the flip side, next year's eighth graders won't get to experience my usual classroom style since we won't be allowed to hang anything on the walls until we're back in our "forever" rooms. If you're a teacher and have any solutions for displaying student work in a non-wall-hanging way, drop them in the comments!
The last week of May was our first week of summer break, and wouldn't you know it's rained every single day? That's okay, though. We've used the time to get the house back in order and rest. In terms of summer, we've once again got season passes to our local water park. We're also planning at least one trip down to the beach. We've already been to the library a few times and plan to go to at least one of their summer programs. We've got some other plans in the works as well, but they're not something I'm ready to talk about on here just yet.
Okay, that's got you caught up on the dreary month of May. Now let's focus on the top 10 things that brought me joy as well as the most popular things I shared.
My Favorites
Diamond Art Bookmark Kits - I grabbed one of these $10 kits from Michael's on a whim. I love art, but I'm not very artsy. With this kit, though, you don't have to be. It's like painting by number, but instead of paint you're using little gems. It's very calming in a way that I absolutely did not expect. It wasn't difficult at all, and I had a lot of fun making my first bookmark.This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum - We've started going to the library pretty frequently, and this book was on the big up-front display and for good reason. This was my favorite stand-alone book that I read this month.
The Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros - I stopped myself at the end of book two when I realized that this series is not complete, but I totally get the hype surrounding this series now and definitely plan to read the entire thing.
Cookie Croissant Swirl from Starbucks (not pictured because I always eat it immediately) - This has been my go-to treat for myself. It is so good, and I'm going to be sad when they inevitably take it off the menu.
Last Day of School Outfit - The outfit that I wore on the last day of school is one of my favorites from this month. In my last favorite things post, I talked about how great these cotton-linen blend skirts are, and I still feel that way. This yellow one is so perfect for summer, and I really liked mixing it with this beach scene graphic tee. Add in the woven belt and straw sandals and you've got an outfit that's perfect for the last day of school.
Scarf Top + Blue Skirt Outfit - This was my first intentionally-styled outfit of the summer, and I absolutely loved it. It was the perfect mix of casual meets dressy and a perfect representation of my personal style. At one point when I had gotten cold in the air conditioner, I layered a light blue cotton cardigan over the top and liked that look too!
Funeral Outfit - I love this outfit, even if not the occasion for which I wore it. I actually repeat this look pretty often, although not usually with the heels. In fact, I bought this eyelet blouse specifically to wear with this skirt; it's a perfect match to the pink in the skirt's pattern.
Polka Dot Skirt Outfit - I'm having so much fun styling this red polka dot skirt, and I really love how this outfit turned out. My blouse has sunflowers embroidered on it, and there's just something about pairing sunflowers with a bright pop of red.
Straw Sandals - I had my eye on these sandals last summer but never committed. When I saw that Target had brought them back again this summer, I decided that was a sign, and I'm glad I listened. I've been wearing them quite a bit the last few weeks. Fair warning, though, they are kind of heavy, especially at first, but I got used to them pretty quickly. I also feel the need to address some of the online reviews that say these rub: I have not had an issue with that, but there are enough reviews of that nature to keep it in mind.
Il Makiage Power Camo Redness Defense Primer - I've been using this primer for about two months now, and I'm really happy with my results. I wrote a full review of my experience a couple of weeks ago. You can read that here.
Your Favorites
Wide Woven Belts - These are hands-down my favorite belts, especially to wear with skirts and dresses. I think one of my favorite things is that they don't have pre-established holes, which means I'll pretty much never not be able to wear these.
Woven Mary Jane Flats - This style of shoe is really such a good basic to have in your closet. I've been wearing my pair from Target for a year now and still love them. While my exact pair are no longer available, Target does have an updated pair that is the exact same style.
Double Strap Espadrille Sandals - I'm not surprised that these incredibly versatile sandals are at the top of the list. These were one of my most-worn shoes last summer. My exact pair are no longer available, but I'm linking to a pair that are very similar, come in three different shades, and have decent reviews.
Floral Print Jeans - I can't believe these are still available. I rarely wear jeans, but when I do you can pretty much bet on them not being "normal" jeans. This is one of my favorite pairs. They're also good for warmer months since they're pretty thin.
Tom Petty Concert Tee (not pictured) - Y'all know this is one of my most worn graphic tees. I love it so much. It's really old, though, so no longer available. However, you can find it on second-hand sites like Poshmark and ThredUp. I've even seen a few on eBay.
e.l.f. Monochromatic Multi-Stick - This is a three-in-one product that I currently own in three different colors. Right now, I'm mostly using the glistening peach, which is the one you've been clicking on. I like this one for a subtle glow. I also use it like a highlighter.
Blue Flower Blouse - This blouse is the same brand as the previous one. It's a more delicate fabric, a bit on the sheer side, with a pretty floral print as well as embroidery. There's ruffle detailing at the neck and sleeves, and the sleeves are slightly puffed. The buttons are cloth-covered.
Hobo Bag - This was my go-to bag for most of this past school year. It's a great size and holds everything I need, including my book or tablet. It's also held up really nicely, and I'm not gentle on my bags. Half the time it's sitting in the floor of my classroom, getting rolled over by my desk chair, or being stepped on the footwell of my car's passenger seat.
Eyelet Blouse - This is one of those basic tops that feels anything but basic. It's essentially a t-shirt but with an eyelet pattern to give it visual interest. I own this in a few colors, but the one y'all have been clicking on is the wine red, which looks a bit pink in person.
Sunflower Blouse - This is such a nice blouse, y'all. In fact, I've bought several items from this brand and find them to be really good quality. This one is a nice soft fabric that has a subtle texture to it, and the flowers are embroidered.
No comments:
Post a Comment