Tuesday, April 20, 2021

O.k. friends, you don’t know this about me but I have planned many a family road trip on the cheap. I really enjoy doing this planning, too!

I thought this might be a good time to write about this since many of you are getting vaccinated and may be ready to go somewhere safely. It isn’t too late to rent a property for this summer. Or, you can choose to do a hotel. Heck, places are probably begging for people to visit.

Since I have had this blog, we have not traveled much so you haven’t gotten to hear about our family trips. Get those trips in before high school, because when high school starts, activities abound and schedules become harder and harder to work around. Yes, even in the summer there are so many things in the lives of high schoolers.

We took trips most Spring Breaks and one week every summer from the time our twins were about 2 until they were 14. Sometimes on Spring Break we wouldn’t do a big trip, but we would go to Great Wolf Lodge for a night or do something small. We also did lots of summer and fall camping – tent camping. I joked that Tom picked either the hottest night of the summer or the coldest night of fall to go camping. It is tons of work and you never sleep well, but we have good memories!

We traveled exclusively by car with our kids until our two week Germany trip in the summer of 2016. Air travel seemed too complicated and pricey and we don’t mind driving. Also, our kids were great car riders.

The ol’ family truckster:

Another advantage to driving is you can take more stuff!

So, my number one tip to save money is to drive.

We have traveled by car with our kids to:

Myrtle Beach

Okaloosa Island

Panama City

Disney World

Destin

Seaside

Washington, D.C. which included Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water, Pennsylvania, and Maryland

Virginia

Colonial Williamsburg

Chincoteague Island and Assateague Island National Seashore

Jamestown, Monticello, Mount Vernon

Harry Potter World, Everglades, The Florida Keys and a boat trip to Fort Jefferson two hours south of The Keys

Siesta Key

Dauphin Island, Alabama

Hilton Head Island

Lake Michigan – at least five times maybe more?

Chicago

With me being a teacher and the boys in school, we were limited to Spring Break and summer. We don’t have a Fall Break in our district.

Lake Michigan Beach:

We love Lake Michigan. We can be there in under 5 hours and it is so pleasant in the summer. There is no salt water, no sharks, and the temperature is perfection. One time we booked a sailboat on Lake Michigan with a captain and one time the boys took surfing lessons on Lake Michigan!

We have taken our dog on many vacations. We didn’t take our first dog Archie much, but we have taken Ernie on at least 5 trips in his 8 years! Ernie has been to Lake Michigan 3 times and to Dauphin Island, Alabama.

-Decide where you want to go. Don’t rule out places closer to home. You will save on gas and you can maximize your time at your destination when you don’t waste a whole day or more driving! If your destination is far, you can divide it up in two days and find something interesting to do along the way. We usually only did about 7-8 hours a day in the car which made us all much happier. My kids even enjoyed a hotel for a night and we found reasonable rates. Give a kid a hotel room and a pool and they think they are at a water park!

-Don’t just think beach. City trips can be really fun! What are your kids studying in school? Is there a place they have expressed interest in seeing? On two of our Lake Michigan trips, we took the train (an adventure in itself) into Chicago for the museums. I like city combined with beach!

Amtrak train from New Buffalo, Michigan to Chicago:

The kids were impressed with the outlets to charge their phones and their mom was impressed with the bar car on the train!

Chicago!

-Save money by only staying for 4-5 nights. You don’t have to stay a whole week and sometimes a shorter trip can be just as refreshing. Some rentals make you do a full week if it’s in high season.

-I used VRBO for all of our rentals when we didn’t do hotels. The filters are great – check the boxes for the things you must have in a rental. Read the reviews. If there is even one negative review, do not do it! There are so many dog friendly rentals, too. Decide what are your non-negotiables and put those in the filter. One year we did a one bedroom and gave the boys the bedroom and we did the pull out couch in the living room where the t.v. was. The boys were 3 and it made sense and saved lots of money.

-Rent a place with another family. This makes it much more affordable. Bonus if you really like the people, have kids the same age, etc.

-Rent a place with washer and dryer. It’s so nice to pack lightly and have that available but don’t get into a trap like my sister does with doing laundry just as much on vacation as you do at home!

-I prefer houses that are run by people rather than rental companies. I have found the ones run by owner have spices, baggies, aluminum foil, and more for you to use. They often have strollers, wagons, beach toys, beach chairs, etc. One rental we used even had a lock box on the beach which was amazing! We didn’t have to haul stuff each day.

-If you have space, bring stuff for a couple of meals and possibly your breakfast and sandwich stuff from home. If you have a long drive, you will not want to worry about finding dinner. Or, order pizza the first night.

-Pack a cooler for the car so you don’t have to stop unless you want to.

-I always made activity bags for the boys to do in the car. Sometimes I put the state names on each bag so they could only open it when we crossed that state line. Example: bag with Tennessee on it contained a coloring book and crayons and they got to open it when we saw the state sign.

-When you do go out to eat, try to go at off times. We would have an early light lunch and then go out for dinner at 4:00 or 5:00. Ain’t nobody got time for a 2 hour wait on vacation.

-Do your research before you go. Make a list of restaurants with their addresses, possibly look for Groupons for that area, check attractions’ hours, etc. Also, if you do bring your pet, check the beach hours for dogs. Ernie was not allowed on the beach after 11 and then couldn’t be on the beach until 7. This worked out well as we took him on long walks on the beach (so romantic!) in the morning and he was worn out and ready to nap when we went for the day. After dinner, it got us back on the beach at sunset and he got another walk. We always meet other dogs for him to play with, too. Ernie really has it good, no?

Tom and Ernie enjoying a long walk on the beach:

What tips have I forgotten?

Can you recommend some great places to visit? My boys aren’t really beach people these days. Tom is also not really a beach person. He has to be pretty active and can do water sports but doesn’t really want to lay on the beach. I can definitely lay on a beach, but I like some sight seeing, shopping, history, you know?

Thanks for reading!

Amy

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Monday, April 19, 2021

I am linking up with Heather, Tanya and many more here today!

How was your weekend? Mine was really good, but as usual, it went by too quickly.

Friday after school I asked these two co-workers if they wanted to have a quick drink on my deck and they did. Sometimes spontaneity is the best policy! It was warm and sunny and it felt great to be done with the week.

Then, I talked Tom into going out to dinner. Captain’s Quarter’s (the place where we boat to) had been closed all winter and had recently re-opened. This is Tom in his coach’s mask that I think looks like Hannibal Lecter. They have adirondack chairs for while you wait that overlook the river.

Our friends met us and we had to eat inside because they don’t have much outdoor seating right now. We stayed out until 9. Who are we?

Saturday morning was hair day!

Why can’t I make a decent face in photos?

While my hair was processing, I got to watch some of Prince Philip’s funeral – which I had forgotten about. I went home and watched the rest. Did you watch it? Are you a royal watcher? I was happy to see Harry and William chatting afterwards.

Oh, I splurged at the salon and bought Olaplex! Again, who am I? I will report back on my thoughts. Anyone use it?

I wore my new sandals on Saturday.

Mason came home on Saturday! We had a vanilla latte on the patio with my new candle.

Then, Mason and Tom picked up Jack for sushi. Mason and Tom went to see The Courier at the movie theater and really liked it but Jack had work to do at school.

I had a girls’ night with my besties at a Cuban restaurant. I had sangria!

We shared some plantain chips and queso and I forgot to take photos of the rest of our food.

Sunday was Kroger day! I went in the store instead of doing pick up.

And, we got the boat out! I don’t think we have ever done it before May. It was cold, but the river was calm and it was nice to be out.

So, it was quite a full weekend!

What was the highlight of yours?

Thanks for reading!

Amy

Friday, April 16, 2021

Happy Friday! I am happy to link up today with Andrea, etc. right here for…

How was your week? I will be running out the door after school today much like this:

Things are going well and it is so fun to be with the kids again, but I am end of year teacher tired.

How was your week? Did you have any favorites?

Here are a few of mine:

I got a sweet text which led to a phone call to help a student who graduated last year.

She was so sweet to reach out to me and she told me about a paper she had to write. I asked if she could call to brainstorm and we had a great conversation. THIS is what it is all about. I love keeping in touch with former students.

And, this sweet current student took the time to message me:

I feel weird sharing these things, but it is so important to give people words of affirmation in all aspects of your life. I am encouraging my college kids to reach out to high school teachers and thank them, too.

I am on 2.5 weeks of my periwinkle/blue dipped manicure. Gosh, this is vain, but I have enjoyed having nice nails again – that last for more than two days at a time!

Everything is so green and beautiful. I am trying to get outside after school as much as possible and we have Wednesdays to work from home.

I really, really like these Target shorts and I saw them in store in olive green so I scooped those up, too. They run slightly big, but I like that. I love the fabric and the pockets. Check them out below and here on the website.

I am not sure if I will keep this or not, but I wanted to share it. The color is stunning and it is a ribbed one piece from Aerie. It fits great and is great quality, but the color is out there. It also comes in a dark green. I am kinda tired with my standard black, you know? You should check out their cute suits at very reasonable prices. I am so impressed with all of the quality of my Aerie goods.

I went to the mall this week for an errand. You cannot enter Anthropologie from inside the mall. You cannot enter Sephora from outside the mall. I wanted to go in Anthropologie but I was inside the mall already!

I went to my favorite department store – Von Maur. I tried these on and they were too narrow at the top of the foot. I am liking the square toe trend. They are Steve Madden.

I tried on these Chinese Laundry sandals. They are backless which I like.

And, some of you know how much I love Reef brand flip flops. These are Reef below. They are so comfy!

The department store was all decked out for the Kentucky Derby and their piano player was playing “My Old Kentucky Home”. I think it is really hard to get tickets this year with limited capacity due to Covid.

I had a late lunch/happy hour with my friend Elizabeth on Wednesday. We went to BJs and had sparkling sangria.

I had a wonderful Asian salad with chicken that I can’t wait to get again.

One day I curled up outside with a blanket. I lit my new beer can candle and it smells so good!

I love the flowering trees we see this time of year.

And, I have a shoe problem. I love these but haven’t tried the on yet. They are Kork-Ease and a local boutique carries them.

I would love to hear a favorite of yours!

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful weekend,

Amy

Thursday, April 15, 2021

I did a post last week about consignment shopping with my sister and I had the idea to show you as much as I could from my current closet that came from consignment! Now, I have been shopping this way for years and many of the items I have let go if they no longer fit or no longer fit my style aesthetic.

I have had great luck with shoes and that is the area I always go to first.

I got these brand new Volatile sandals most recently. They were around $20.

Gosh, it’s maybe been 6 years ago that I found these black Birkenstocks? I would say they were $18 if I remember correctly.

One of my best buys were these Tory Burch Millers that I found maybe 8 years ago for $70. These retail at over $200 and I liked that these were unique. I have worn the crap out of these. They are great when you need a flat but want to be a bit more elevated.

These sandals retail for quite a bit and I got them for $18 I think. The heel is very high so I mainly wear them out to dinner in the summer.

These are super flat and not very comfortable. Also, I don’t wear silver that much. But, for only $15 I couldn’t pass up these Tory Burch flip flops.

My best score ever are probably my 3 pairs of Tieks ballet flats. Oprah calls these a favorite thing and they retail for over $200. I saw all 3 in my size n the shelf and I decided to just get the gold. They were brand new and priced at $30, but I knew my brands and knew this was an incredible bargain. Someone must have ordered the wrong size or found out they didn’t like them? Someone spent $600? Wow!

After taking the gold ones home, I couldn’t stop thinking about the grey below and the plain black (not pictured). I went back and scooped them both up before they could be sold. So, for $90, I have $600 worth of Tieks. I love these flats. I have worn them a bunch to teach in.

Now for the clothing…

I would say I bought each of these things for $6-$12? The clothing are priced at a lower price point than the shoes. I have also found a few purses for great prices. Once I found Ray-Bans for $60 from $200 but I scratched them up after a couple years of lots of wear. I can’t figure out how I scratched them. Anyway, I tell you this so you know what can be found.

This dress:

This blouse:

This kimono:

This Target blouse: I really liked the design.

This orange blouse:

This Walmart sweater with the cute floral hem:

This poncho:

So, this is just a small snapshot of what I have been able to find over the years.

Are you convinced to give it a try?

I hope so!

Amy

P.S. – I love that the high school girls have embraced second hand shopping. I think it’s a great thing to teach your kids. It can also be a fun bonding experience.

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

I am linking up today with The Style Six here. Check out my outfit formula post from yesterday and you will see I am using those most days below. I also try to use the rule of three in my outfits – pants, kimono, long necklace, dress, vest, long necklace. It just adds interest to your outfits. Also, I am trying to wear a different outfit for each of the remaining school days. Maybe you will have something similar in your closet and this will give you an idea? Who is getting dressed out there?

Here is what I wore this week for my job as a high school Spanish teacher:

You saw a couple of these last week, too.

Day 1:

This old Amazon floral dress, jean vest, and my Madewell tennies. My feet were happy. I had a goal to try to wear these with more skirts and dresses so I am trying that out.

Black patent Birks, my favorite black pants (old from Chico’s but bought at a consignment store for $10), Umgee kimono from Amazon.

white booties, Old Navy old floral dress, white sweater kimono from Versona a few years ago. A boy told me I was “fitted” this day. He explained that that meant he liked my outfit. Well, thanks! I was trying out the booties, but I am not 100%. I think it would look better with tan sandals.

Palazzo pants, Chico’s major closet out silk blouse, old Steinmart black slides

Palazzo pants, simple tee, vest, and Madewell tennies. The pants are too long and it bugged me all day. This outfit was a fail. My son was asleep in his room where we have the full length mirror and I may not have worn this had I had a chance to look in it. Oh well!

And, this is what I wore Friday night for my husband’s work concert outside.

So, not all outfits are hits, but I am trying to cycle through my spring clothing. Any favorites? Any different ideas on styling these pieces?

What have your worn lately?

Amy

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

To finish out the school year teaching in person, I have approximately 28 more days to get dressed! I decided to start wearing “fit for the public outfits” with a couple of easy formulas.

It is funny to think these clothes really haven’t seen any action since the spring of 2019. In March of 2020-May of 2020, leggings were my best friends. Then, I wore shorts at home and didn’t go many places outside of my house!

For lack of a better term, I will call these palazzo pants. They are elastic and loose and flowy. They are good for the “Quarantine15” if you know what I mean. One pair is from Loft, one pair is from Versona, and I honestly think the rest are from either TJ Maxx or Steinmart. Our Steinmart has gone out of business which saddens me. Even though I felt old when I shopped there, I always found lots of nice things. The palazzo pants I found there came in petite length for me! You can still shop Steinmart.com so I might just do that.

I try to find fun patterns with black in them because I know I have some elevated t-shirts in black.

So, those are great for teaching! They are comfortable but still look professional. I wore this look for one of our teacher only days at the end of March.

And, my second outfit formula is my basic swing dress collection with printed kimono look. Again, the knit swing dress is forgiving and comfortable. Throw on a kimono and a long necklace and you have a put together and professional look, in my opinion.

I have a few more, but these are just some. Most of my swing dresses came from a little boutique called “Darling State of Mind” but if you aren’t local, Old Navy is a great resource for these!

Here is a snapshot of most of my kimonos:

And, here is my “staging area” for outfits. I will add more when I cycle through these.

I am trying to document each outfit and wear something different each day!

Do you have outfit formulas? Do you wear palazzo pants and swing dresses?

If you come back tomorrow, you will see what I have worn so far; I use one of these formulas for most of my outfits!

Thanks for reading,

Amy

Monday, April 12, 2021

Hello dear readers! How was your weekend? I am happy to link up right here for Hello Monday and I will also do a reflection on Week 1 of In Person Instruction at the end because some of my readers asked (o.k., two readers asked – ha!).

Friday I came straight home from school and just sat. I wasn’t even that tired from the day and I couldn’t believe it. I had a good 2 hours to just chill and I watched t.v. and read blogs and messed around on my phone.

Then, I headed to Tom’s office for the first event in a really long time. His company is so good about providing activities for the employees and their families and the owner expressed how happy he was to be able to do this again. They had a Nashville recording artist that is from here play a two hour outdoor concert and had two food trucks.

This is the back of their building.

It overlooks a pond. It is really pretty. On Fridays in the summer Tom and his department do cookouts for lunch on the company provided grill.

We were supposed to be 6 feet apart; we talked to many people that were fully vaccinated so that was a positive. We wore masks to go to the restroom and to the food trucks.

His company is just so nice. It is owned by two brothers who inherited from their father and grew the company tremendously. It is a commercial construction company. We stayed until 9:00 and then went home and fell asleep not long after.

Saturday morning I was ready to go to Trader Joe’s! I went at 8:15 and there was no line. It was wonderful.

I came home and had another cup of coffee on the patio. It rained off and on all day long on Saturday.

There was a spring market at the nearby shopping center and they had to move it inside. I checked it out and went in several of the boutiques but I didn’t buy anything.

I found out that Mason was going to come home with Jack around 5:00 so it was a nice surprise. I made a teen charcuterie board and the boys loved it.

I ran to another boutique before they got home because I lost something that was supposed to go in Jack’s Easter basket. While I was there I saw this cool beer can candle. It looks so cool and it smells amazing.

Ignore our ugly not yet renovated kitchen, but Tom took this picture.

My mom had sent a bunch of letters I wrote in college – phone calls were expensive on landlines so I guess we didn’t call that much. The above photo is the three of us taking turns reading my letters in my 18 year old voice. That is Jack looking at Tom taking the picture because Jack was reading I think!

It was hilarious! They couldn’t believe all the minute details I gave about times my classes occurred, when they got cancelled, homework and tests, activities, dances, parties, and how many guys I talked about! There were many details I had forgotten. I talked about guys named Shane, Shawn, Fred, Rod, Rodney, John, Tony – who are all of these guys?

We read them in chronological order and it was really funny to hear the ones from April of the end of my freshman year since that is where Jack and Mason are right now. I talked about fall scheduling, my dorm selection, and needing to find my summer job.

Biased mom here, but my kids are so witty and quick. Their comments were making me cry laughing.

For dinner they wanted my burrito bowls, but I added the nearby Mexican restaurant’s chips and queso.

We ate and watched a couple of comedies that Tom and I are watching right now. Then, Tom and I sat on the back patio with the lights on and talked. The boys played games and hung out the rest of the night.

Sunday morning I was up and at ’em at 8:00 again, but this time it was Kroger. I just needed a few odds and ends that I can’t get or don’t like to get at Trader Joe’s. It had been a really long time since I had stepped foot inside and I kinda enjoyed it.

I cooked some things, prepped some things and then I walked in the still drizzling weather. Friday night was so nice, but the rest of the weekend – blah!

Reflections on Week 1: (Feel free to skip if you aren’t interested!)

The week went really well. We have the school divided into two groups by alphabet. One group goes Monday and Tuesday and the other goes Thursday and Friday. And, there are those that are remaining virtual. Class sizes are small. My smallest is 3 and my largest is 14. But, this means that we are teaching the same lesson many, many times. For example, I have to teach the same lesson 9 times each time I teach it because I have my virtual during my planning, my 4 Group A, and my 4 Group B. With my other class, I only have to teach the same lesson 5 times.

I absolutely hate the mask. I need them to see my lips and even my tongue for proper Spanish pronunciation. The silk Pomchie’s mask is the only one I can tolerate for 8 hours. The mesh coaches’ mask below started to irritate and the Athleta wasn’t as breathable. I cannot say enough about the Pomchie’s brand which you can find online. They even come in kids’ sizes.

I talked a lot on day 1 for both groups, because that’s kinda necessary on the first day – going over expectations, rules, procedures, etc. The second day I didn’t have to talk as much because I had them making posters for part of class. The less talking you do in the mask, the better, which stinks when you are teacher and have to talk for your job. I didn’t have trouble hearing them through their masks. They did pretty well.

I felt like a real teacher again. I felt myself get into my teaching groove at the front of the room and it was a good feeling.

You forget how much banter there is before class starts and at the end of the class and that’s all part of it. You can get to know them so much better in person.

I had a sweet girl tell me she felt bad for me virtually because she said I would say a joke and everyone would be muted. She thought it must have been hard. Awww! I told her I just heard imaginary laughter in my head.

Do you have any questions for me? I can’t think of anything else to tell you about week 1!

What was the highlight of your weekend? I hope you had more than one!

Amy

Friday, April 9, 2021

Linking up with Andrea, etc. right here!

What a week! Going from Spring Break to back to work in person (transitioning from virtual) made for quite a lot this week! It was so good to see my students in real life! They are distanced and wearing masks and classes are tiny, but it’s still good. I forgot how physically demanding the job is. Plus, we are teaching more without a break. But, it is the first week and it will get easier once we acclimate.

Here are some photos from my camera roll this week that I would like to call my favorites….

The PTA greeted us with a bag of plastic Starbuck’s cups, coupons for Starbuck’s, Chick Fil A, Wendy’s, and Heine Brothers local coffee, Kleenex, disinfecting wipes, snacks, and office supplies. They hand delivered them to our classrooms and it was really sweet. High school teachers usually don’t get all the swag that the elementary teachers get – just sayin’!

Tom is Ernie’s favorite person. I’m his second favorite. Tom always asks Ernie where his Kroger bag for his waste is when it’s time to walk him. So, I started putting his Kroger bag under his collar to bring to his Daddy and Tom thought it was funny. Hey, we don’t have kids at home to laugh about so our dog gets the attention now.

It makes me laugh to see Ernie like this when his bed is so close. Funny story – This is the dining room where his bed is. We bought him an identical bed and it is in our new master bedroom at the foot of our bed. He won’t use that one. We cannot figure out why! He will sleep on our bedroom rug but not on his bed. And, of course, he sleeps with us in our bed every night.

I started back at school on Monday while the boys were still on Easter break. They didn’t go back until Monday late afternoon. I got this sweet message from Mason around 9:00 am on my first day.

The buds on this tree have gotten even prettier this week.

I love being an aunt! This niece was inducted into Honor Society and she looks so grown up!

I loved Ruth’s comment; I talked about hoping that blogs were not becoming obsolete on my Tuesday post.

I have been carrying my credit cards and wallet stuff around in a little pouch because I didn’t have a wallet. I decided it was time to get one. But, I thought I would run back to my consignment shop Sassy Fox and check there first. Sure enough, they had this Fossil wallet for $8!

Wednesday is our day to work at home. I thought I would show you the beautiful flowering trees now.

Ernie and I had a lovely walk in 70 degree weather!

What were your favorites this week? I hope you had many!

Thanks for reading,

Amy

P.S. – On Tuesday it was my Blogiversary of 3 years and I posted about it here. Thank you for your kind comments that were also my favorites this week!

On Wednesday I posted in a “Currently” link up and did what I wore.

Yesterday, I talked about consignment shopping and gave tips.

Thursday, April 8, 2021

Hello! We are almost to Friday!

I had a fun Spring Break visit from my sister, as many of you know. One of the things we did was take a trip to two of my favorite consignment shops. I think she has been consignment shopping longer than I have? But, I remember our mom bringing us to the big city (Louisville, where I currently live) to go consignment shopping when we were teenagers. We grew up in a small town in Indiana about an hour from here. So, maybe she and I have been learning the tricks to consignment shopping for the same amount of time. We have always loved getting bags of hand-me-downs and finding garage sale treasures and enjoying second hand stuff. I know that is not everyone’s cup of tea and that’s o.k. But, remember that someone else probably tried on your new clothing in the store! Lol!

If you live in a small town, it might be worth researching the consignment stores in your nearest big city and making the trip. Many of our stores had to pivot (Friends!) and start websites during the pandemic. A popular internet consignment store is Thredup. For me, I want to see and touch my consignment goods, so I really don’t want to do online consignment shopping.

Let me debunk a misconception…

No one will ever know it is a consignment find. Consignment stores are very picky about what they take. I cannot tell you how many items I see that still have retailers’ tags on them. Plus, there are also many items without tags that look like they have never been worn or have only been worn once. We all make shopping mistakes and you can be the beneficiary of someone else’s mistake! Ha!

I actually like the fact that some of the clothes I find have already been washed. You know when you buy something, wear it once, and then it falls apart in the washer and dryer? Or, it just doesn’t look the same? That stinks! I try to avoid fast fashion now (or at least more than I used to) and that has helped. You may want to look at the next size up since the items may have been washed and can shrink a little. We all need to stop getting hung up on sizing tags. Sizing is crazy in the US!

I personally have had a lot of luck with shoes. I do not think it is gross because if I buy a pair of shoes they have hardly been worn. I do sometimes spray them with Lysol or clean them up a bit, but you would not believe the wonderful shoes I have found. Some of my best finds of all time are my three pairs of brand new Tieks flats that I found for $30 each. These retail for $200 and are some of Oprah’s favorite things. I also found Tory Burch Miller sandals for $70 and they retail at over $200.

Both of my favorite consignment stores allow returns on clothing, but not on shoes. I think it might be worth it to take something home and try it on with your own clothes and in your own mirror.

When you are consignment shopping, it’s good to be open-minded. You probably won’t find very specific things, but you might. If you live close to shops, their inventory changes very frequently so it may be worth it to stop in once every couple of weeks.

On my shopping trip with my sister I came away with these new or almost new shoes:

These Volatile cow/dalmatian? print sandals were $20. I was not in the market but I have heard many people say that this brand is amazingly comfortable. I thought I could throw these on with jeans and a black top or cut off jean shorts and a black top and have an easy put together outfit.

My sister found two pairs of Antelope sandals. She has really high arches. I don’t like this high of a heel for myself most of the time.

This shirt was another of my sister’s finds. It is a pale green mossy color and it looked very flattering on her. Lesson here is that it may not look like much on the hanger, but it might be really great if you try it on. I told her I thought she would reach for this a lot. Elevated t-shirts are what I call this type of thing and they are really great to have in your wardrobe.

If you remember the style spotlight I did on Kate, my sister, she talked about button down shirts and how she has quite a collection and uses them to layer in her outfits. We both thought this was an adorable print.

And, the day she left she put it together with a cardigan she brought and one of her new pairs of sandals. Isn’t this a cute and easy outfit?

And, finally, I was so jealous. This blouse screams “Amy!”, but alas, it was not in my size. It is kind of a flowy poncho fit but with some structure.

I spent around $20 for one pair of like new sandals and Kate spent around $80 for 3 tops and 2 pairs of sandals. She actually found several more things but narrowed it down with my help. We saw Cabi, Boden, Anthropologie, Tory Burch, Michael Kors, and many other great brands. All of these finds came from Sassy Fox in Louisville, Kentucky. They had so much spring and summer inventory!

We also went in to Clothes Mentor but walked out empty handed this time for us. Kate did find 4 items for her teen girls from American Eagle and Target. I feel that the quality has gone down at Clothes Mentor but there could still be a diamond in the rough.

What are your thoughts on consignment shopping? I won’t judge. It’s not for everyone!

Amy

P.S. – Maybe it would be a cool blog post for me to show every consignment item in my current closet?

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

I am participating in two fun link ups today – Currently with Anne in Residence here and The Style Six with This Blonde’s Shopping bag and more here!

But, first, thank you soooooo much for the sweet comments yesterday on my blogiversary! I swear that I did not intend to go fishing for compliments. I merely thought my dear readers would put their name and email address in the comments. Because I am so professional (hashtag just joking), I forgot to put a deadline for my giveaway and I forgot to say when I would announce the winner. Guess what… it’s right now! I decided to cut off the giveaway entries at the end of my evening routine last night so I gave about 17 hours. Hope no one is mad at me!

The winner is……Ruth! Congratulations, Ruth! Please leave me your email address in today’s comments if you are reading!

Currently…

Arranging

my new work schedule! I have left the house at 6:45 both days so far! Today and most Wednesdays I am working from home, which is so nice. I have been trying to figure out when to get up (5:00 or 5:30?), how to do my morning coffee and quiet time and blog reading, and how much time I need to get ready.

I am also still arranging my palm patio and my

lemon deck. When the boys came home they said it looked “so citrus”. Let me know if you see any good lemon stuff at any retailers!

Craving

in person time with my Heathers, my college besties. We have talked on the phone and texted but we need to see each other and we are all fully vaccinated!

Discussing

with myself (and a few colleagues) if a fully vaccinated person needs to mask up. According to the CDC’s recent report, a fully vaccinated person cannot transmit or spread the virus. They were not sure at first and were trying to be cautious. I am not an anti-masker, but I also try not to be a sheep – baaaa! I thought the push for vaccines was so that we wouldn’t have to mask.

Enjoying

When hub turns these lights on in the mornings and evenings. I often forget!

and this! It is so good – I am not a big grapefruit person but this hits the spot. Give it a chance if you can find it; it is a mix of grapefruit juice and beer with carbonation. I found mine at Total Wine.

and this cider is really good!

Preparing

I prepared potato casserole and deviled eggs and bought Hawaiian rolls, Kroger ham, and Costco spinach salad. The salad was on another plate. We have enjoyed leftovers this wee from our Easter meal, too.

I also prepared this staging areas for work outfits. I will teach in person 32 days. Think I can avoid repeating outfits? I might try! These clothes have not gotten any action since spring 2019! So crazy!

And, now what I wore…

I put this entirely Chico’s (all on final clearance a month or so ago) outfit on Saturday. I have my new Coconuts by Matisse sandals on, too.

Back to school day one outfit:

I wore my Madewell tennies with this old Amazon floral dress and old jean vest.

I wore my favorite black pants, my patent black Birkenstocks, and my Pioneer Woman vibe Umgee kimono on day two.

And, that’s all that I documented! I do plan to take my school outfit pic each day.

What are you up to currently? What are you wearing lately?

Thanks for reading,

Amy