Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Back to School


Today was my first day back at work! I cannot believe how incredibly fast this summer went. While I'm not quite ready to be done sleeping in until whenever it is I feel like, I am SO ready to see the kiddos again and find out how their summers went! They come back on September 6th (not soon enough).  I miss them all so much- they are truly the best part of my job and they make me smile and laugh every single day...



The high in Minneapolis was 68 degrees today. As I sit here with the window open and my Pumpkin Spice candle lit, I am getting even more excited for fall if that is possible! The smell of leaves, pumpkin candles, apple orchards, bonfires, everything- bring it on! I am so ready!












But more than anything, I am excited for this:


Hurray for fall!!!!





Thursday, August 25, 2011

Favorite Finds: Target Edition

              Having the summer off has been wonderful, however I can't lie: it has been a little harsh on my wallet. I've had to get creative with make-up and other products as a result. I am a Sephora junkie, and it's been really hard not to replenish my favorites there this summer. I have to say though, I have found some really good alternatives at Target and wanted to share my finds with you.


1. Loreal Colour Juice in Bubble Gum

   My all time favorite lip gloss is MAC Lipglass in "Underage". It's a perfectly girly pink and smells delicious, too. However, Loreal's Colour Juice is almost a perfect substitute. I cannot say enough good things about it. Highly Recommend it!


 2. Cover Girl Professional Mascara (with the curved wand)
   I have used this mascara since I was a dorky little 8th grader at Metcalf Jr. High. I have tried many, many different mascaras- most cost far more than the $4.99 that this stuff costs and I ALWAYS come back to this one. Always. It makes my lashes look like their twice as long as they really are. I am not very good at make-up application but the one thing I do get compliments on are my lashes thanks to this mascara.


 3. Olay Quench daily lotion plus shimmer

I really like this lotion- it smells great, adds a little shimmer to my life and makes my skin super smooth. Good stuff!


 4. E.L.F Shimmering Facial Whip 

Now this is an entirely new product for me. I am partial to MAC's Highlight Powder but I was pleasantly surprised by this stuff! For one thing, it's $1- yes ONE DOLLAR- and it makes my cheeks shimmer like nobody's business! I would definitely recommend it.


 5. Rimmel Lasting Finish PRO


I LOVE this nail polish and bought it even before my budget limited my options! In my humble opinion, it's better then Essie and comparable to OPI. It has a wide brush that makes application easy, goes on extremely smooth, and lasts a very long time! My favorite color is Steel Grey, which is pictured above.


Of course, there are some products that just can't be subsituted...

1. Aveda Smooth Infusion
For my curly-haired sista's out there- this is a miracle in a bottle! It makes straightening my hair 100x's easier. I mean it-it's a life changer and if they stopped making it, I might not get out of bed.


3. Clinique Moisture Surge


I have unusually dry skin, and one thing I can't skimp on is moisturizer. This stuff takes the cake in that department. It makes my skin so smooth and really hydrates it.

3. MAC SheerTone blush in "Pink Swoon"


This is honestly the best blush I have come across. It's the prettiest shade of pink and it's just my favorite. The color is a little shocking when you first see it but I promise it goes on much lighter than it appears in the case.



What are your favorite drugstore products? What are your must-haves? I love trying new products, so I'd LOVE to hear what yours are!!!

Have a beautiful day ladies!










Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Style Inspiration

These three lovely ladies are my favorite fashionistas;

Ali MacGraw




I've loved Ali's style since the first time I saw Love Story. I wish I had her wardrobe from that movie in my closet!



Audrey Hepburn


 Classic beauty! Her style is timeless.



Jackie Kennedy




















She is my ALL TIME favorite fashionista. Her look was always classy, elegant and timeless. Just gorgeous.












Monday, August 22, 2011

Tote-ally Adorable





It's no secret that I love accessories; Scarves, handbags, shoes, coats, totes-you name it. I just picked this tote up at Target for $12.99. I also love a good deal!

In my opinion, you can never have too many bags! Plus, I need them for work to carry around supplies for my students- they always need something; a pen, pencil, or a piece of paper.


Here are some other cute and affordable totes I found online:

ASOS $25

WetSeal $25



Old Navy $25

Simplysoles.com $25
Simplysoles.com $25

Piperlime.gap.com $42

Yesterstyle.com $40

JC Penny $16

And, I can dream...
Coach $Too expensive for me





Saturday, August 20, 2011

Friday, August 19, 2011

Friday Fun

Hey girls!

            Happy Friday! Last night I had a much needed night to myself; my boyfriend was at the Twins game, so I poured myself a glass (or 2) of wine, lit some candles and watched "Bride Wars".  It was fabulous! Well, not the movie- it was pretty predictable, and I paid more attention to the clothes that Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway wore...



This got me so excited for cooler weather- Fall is my absolute favorite season and I cannot wait to bust out my jackets.

*P.S I may or may not have well over 20 jackets. As I've mentioned before, I have a slight shopping addiction-please don't judge...  Anyways, I thought these were fun:
Fall Jackets
In other news,  Liz over at "My Life as Liz Taylor" is doing a fabulous giveaway!!! The winner gets a $30.00 gift card to Victoria's Secret (Wohoo!) and a silver necklace. Make sure to enter here: http://mylifeasliztaylor.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-first-ever-giveaway-easy-to-enter.html
And if you're not already following her, you should probably start- she's super sweet and has a great blog ladies!


I am really looking forward to the weekend! We have yet another wedding tomorrow and then I am going to see "The Help" with my mom and sisters on Sunday.

Have I told you how much I loved the book yet? I just finished reading it on Tuesday night and it was honestly one of the best books I've read in a long time! I was kind of sad when I was done, but I can't wait to see the movie! If you haven't done so yet, READ IT! I promise, you won't be able to put it down.


I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!









Thursday, August 18, 2011

To-Do



Today I decided that I needed to sit down and get organized. I have ONE semester of school left before I student teach. I am starting to feel a bit overwhelmed... There is so much to be done in order to make this happen, and I'm starting to feel a little swamped.

I work at a high school, and school starts for the kids on September 6th. My trainings start next week already. My own classes start next Tuesday, and I am going to be busy with a capital "B"! I decided to start making lists-one of my favorite things to do!  If I didn't, my life would be in even more chaos than it currently is.

This is pretty much what my "To-Do" list looks like, minus Court ; )


I wish this is what it looked like instead:



In addition to lists, I love planners. I found these cute planners at Target- one of my favorite places ever.
And I definitely needed these words of encouragement today. Thanks Pinterest!



Hope you are all having a wonderful, stress-free Thursday! ; )