teacher gift on a budget

So this coming Friday is my last day student teaching in the first grade classroom.

{as I've said 1 bazillion times..sorry broken record over here}

I wanted to do something nice for my teachers and knew I had to

do it on a budget. Ya... our school does this really cool thing called make the students work for free and then force them to take grad classes all at the same time. Real genius idea.

 I decided to give them a gift I would want and hoping they will like it the same! I went to the dollar tree here in town and scouted out some finds to make the {not quite} perfect teaching gift that is easily affordable.

I found some plastic coffee cups that I absolutely love! They are $5 at Wally World, but at the dollar tree they were only.....well, a dollar. Score! I thought these would be perfect because both of my teachers love their coffee every morning! However, they only have a coffee cup so they can't jam as much caffeine into one cup as they need, or want. So here I am...to offer them loads more room for a caffeine fix.



cousin's dog trying to get in the photo shoot.

I  thought ...what would I want if I were a teacher? Well let me tell you I couldn't think of anything! They pretty much have everything I could think of. Also, I didn't want to get something that would just clutter their desk. I wanted something they would USE, and that I have seen them use often.

So I added a small journal, a thank you card, sharpies of all different colors, and fun different colored pens. All for around $4.50 each. I say that's not too shabby for all that it included, especially those amazing sharpies!

At first I figured they'd be like "ugh...more pens and markers in my life?!" then I realized what teacher doesn't love these things. My mom also said she'd enjoy it {she's a teacher} so I figured they would like it too. I get all giddy for school supplies, and they better too....or else this gift if a huge big fat FAIL.

That's all for today folks :)

Wedding Wednesday {To Jeff}

Some {there are too many} things I love about you....

via

 

-you make me smile even when I'm trying my hardest to be angry at you

-i can trust you with my whole heart and soul.

-you give the most creative and special presents.

-you have the best surprises and are quite the sneakster.

-you can read me like a book. {only good sometimes ;)}

-you treat my family as if they are your own. i love you more than anything for that.

-i always feel safe in your arms. & love love love that sweet sweet smell of your cologne.

-you made the best stirfry EVER. omi word I need some NOW.

-you want me/us to have a  beautiul and happy happy life.

-you care & want to be involved in {some} of the wedding plans.

-you love your momma with all that you have.

-you always.always. say I love you before you get off the phone.

-you have given me joys that I never thought I'd have. and you'd made me believe and know that true love is real, and one of the greatest things on Earth.

 

10 months from yesterday, I will be sharing your last name and will call you my husband.

I love you to infinity and beyond.

Thanks for always reading my dear :)

It's the TRUTH

For some reason the weeks are just flying right past me.

It's almost the middle of October.

How? 

But since it IS Tuesday and it is October 11..

The TRUTH is.....

It's my brothers BIRTHDAY today.

the quarter club will be lucky to have ya :)

Happy 25th! Love ya!

I have issues.

When I get an idea, I have to have it right.that.very.second. I can't even help myself.

For example: I came up with a business idea, which I obviously I think is the most amazing idea in the entire world. So instantly I tell Jeff, give him my plan, start pinning things relating to it, and then a few months later forget all about it. Ugh, why can't I keep the motivation more than 5 seconds before becoming obsessed with something else?

via

I love sharpies.markers.pens.notebooks

or anything that is a school supply for that matter.

It's true.

We have a deep love for one another.

It makes me all sorts of giddy when I get new school supplies.

Planners? Yeah, those on a whole other level.

Maybe it's a good thing I'm in Education?

via

I get excited to wake up just for my coffee. 

I get all pumped to go to bed because I know when I wake up I get my coffee.

It's the weirdest thing ever. I have never, ever enjoyed waking up {worse morning person EVER}. haha.

I think it's because it gives me something different to do in the morning, and

keeps me occupied on a mindless task. Kinda like cutting things out at school. It relaxes me.

Ya...remember, I have issues. I do like enjoying to wake up tho. :)

I am so glad that I have this little bloggeroo.

and y'all.

period.exclamation point.bold.underline.

one week to go

So today marks a week until my student teaching is over.

Over.

Seriously?

It has been 7 weeks?

I must say that if you would have asked me on day 1-7 if I would enjoy it as much as I do, I would have say you are freaking nuts. {ya I hid in a bathroom stall on day 1...holler}

I have fallen in love with being able to be a positive influence of the kid's lives. It may sound cliche but it's no joke. They make me laugh at the best times, and know how to drive me crazy at the worst.

They genuinely feel awful for me when I stub my toe on the desk and ask me if they can do anything. They also always like my clothes and earrings and braclets and tell me I'm pretty when I straighten my hair.

How could I not love them? haha.

I learned that every single day and every single student is different. They tell you this, but you never really "get it" until you see it for yourself. I also learned that Star Wars and iCarly rule the universe. Oh, and to some Spongebob. I guess Justin Bieber Fever isn't until at least second grade.

I mostly learned that kids are one of the greatest joys out there, and I am really really glad I chose the career path of  Eductation. And in all reality, I've always thought kids were a lot easier to get along with than adults anyway. Plus, the are really flipping hilarious.

I also REAAAAAAAAAAAALLY wish I could post the kids pictures I just took the other day of their "craziest face you've ever given pictures". Laughed my butt offfff. If only people won't so crazy and creepy in this world!

Okay...happy FRIDAY!

Wedding Wednesday {DJ..that's my DJ}

Okay so I've been a total slacker in the wedding world lately.

so cute for entrance!

Haven't even really done anything but "look" since we checked out the venue a couple weeks ago.

Fail.

yeah..obsessed with mason jars. fo sho.

The next BIG thing on the list is a DJ.

DJ want list is as following:

• energetic
•    fun
•  knows how to get people on the  DANCE FLOOR ooohhh
• cost friendly
• listen to bride and groom's awesome song list  + add songs they think guests will enjoy
• {will not play chicken dance or such songs}

so sweet.

I don't want whomever it is to just chill behind his little booth and just jam out.

I want them to be interactive with the guests and really get the party started.

no this picture is not here to say I want to marry this man...even tho wink wink....
haha kidding but love the tux & vest colors

Because really...that is what the wedding reception is all about. The PARTY. & Memories!

Who doesn't want to have fun and dance at a wedding reception?

Any other suggestions of creative things that you've seen DJ's do?

p.s. all photos via

Truthful Tuesday

So I typed up an entire post for Truthful Tuesday and quickly deleted it
when something pretty amazing happened.

The Truth Is....

I WON a GIVEAWAY!

booyaa

What can get better than that?

Oh wait, I know what can get better than that.

Having the giveaway be makeup from Lindsey @ The Bargain Blonde.

So excited I about p'd myself.

picture from: The Bargain Blonde

I used to hate coffee.

Used to as in like 4 months ago.

I went 22 years of life despising something I have currently fallen in love with.

How does this happen?

Oh, maybe because I discovered French Vanilla, Caramel Iced Lattes, and Pumpkin Spiced Lattes.

My mornings have not been the same since.

I also think this discovering will make for a long lasting marriage because I will no longer

{no promises ;)} be a big P.I.T.A in the mornings. P.I.T.A = Pain In The Ass, btw.

I am obsessed with long sleeve shirts.

And could definitely wear them everyday.

I cannot even describe the giddiness this causes me.

Weird? Maybe. Comfortable? Definitely.

I secretly want to be a fashion & makeup expert.

Or at least learn a few tricks of the trade.

Especially make-up.

Tutorials just don't do it for me.

I am obsessed with all things "homey".

Okay, maybe I just get obsesed a lot.

I have discovered this about myself lately.

Obsessed with Kitchens.

Obsessed with Pinterest.

Obsessed with Coffee.

Obsessed with finding recipes.

Obsessed with reading books.

Obsessed with my planner.

Obsessed.Sessed.Sessed.

Hope y'all are having the happiest of happy Tuesdays!!!

homecoming weekend

For the past few years of my college life I slowly began to realize that I didn't need to drink until I forgot about my night. I also realized I didn't even need to drink to have fun.

I began to slowly veer away from the crazy college scene I had been in for the first two years of college and actually enjoy waking up with no hangover on Sundays. Well, at least most Sundays.

It was pretty great.

I still have fun. Always. But {for the most part} I didn't lay in bed for the following day feeling like I was dying a slow, slow death. I finally learned that there was a way to stop that feeeling. Smart me.

Thank goodness Jeff came into the picture that sophomore year also and calmed my wild little self down.

Whew.

Then comes this weekend.  The football game was at 11:00 AM {ya, our football team really is pretty awful right now}.  I realized the drinking would start around 9-10, which it did with some delish mimosas.  What I did not realize, however, was that the drinking and eating would not end until about 2 AM that night.

Thank goodness we all had waters in between our whiskeys & bacardi's and was able to survive the crazy night after a who knows how many dollar bar tab, 26 dollar cab drive, and a 21 dollar pizza later.

All in all I must say homecoming weekend was a major success, and I had a blast with not only my number one but also his good friend from college who flew down from North Carolina and his wife.

Now everyone left me, so I decided to sleep a bazillion hours to catch up from yesterday.

To the books I go! Only two weeks of student teaching to go. Craziness!

Love good weekends with good people!

Hope everyone had a fab weekend as well.