Things I'm Loving Friday XXXII

And here we are, on the very first day of May. How we got here, I will never know. After today, there are F O U R school weeks left until I can officially say I have completed my first year of teaching. And it won't be four normal weeks, either. Next week we have a couple of days of STAAR testing, AP testing will be going on for the next three weeks, and the last week of school is, of course, dedicated to finals. So I guess I'll hang on for the ride, because it's sure to go by quick!

Live Lokai Bracelet
I can't take credit for this one. All the credit goes to my friend Amira. And while I'm here, let me take a moment to say that she gets all the credit for the "swimming in wine" portion of my Instagram caption a couple of weeks ago. So, now that I've gotten that out of my system, let me talk about just how cool this bracelet is. The white bead holds water from Mt. Everest, the highest point on Earth. The black bead contains mud from The Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth. We all experience the good times, when we feel on top of world. The white bead reminds us to stay humble. And on the opposite end, there are always going to be difficult moments. But the black bead reminds us to remain hopeful in our lowest moments. I absolutely love that, and have worn my bracelet every day since receiving it in the mail.

Women's Go Dry Racerback Tank
I don't think Old Navy gets nearly enough credit. Sure, sometimes you walk out of there completely empty-handed, but most of the time I walk out of there excited about a great deal I just found. And this past Saturday did not disappoint. I was in a shopping mood, because I headed down the road to Memorial City Mall - a rarity for me, especially on a Saturday. And before going into the actual mall, I stopped in at Old Navy, because I've been extremely successful here in the colored pants department. And though I didn't find any colored pants, I did walk into a huge sale on workout apparel. Because I need more of that. But these flowy racerback tops will be perfect for my hot summer runs, and besides, I got them for only $8 apiece.

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Cyprus Sandals
I had spotted these sandals while shopping at City Centre a month or so ago. But because I already had a nice pair of brown sandals, I passed on them. Even though I really liked them. I found myself at City Centre once again this past weekend, and popped into J. Crew when I saw a sign advertising 30% off the entire store. For whatever reason, their clothes are rarely a hit with me, but maybe they had a flowy skirt or dress that would be fun for summer. I didn't find either of those things, but I did find these same sandals. And this time in white! Which was perfect because I've been in the market for a pair of white sandals, but I've had a hard time purchasing any because white gets so dirty so quickly. But 30% off was calling my name, and though I had to size up one size, I foresee these sandals getting plenty of wear.

Zoe's Kitchen Quinoa Salad
This is one of those restaurants that I absolutely love, but often end up neglecting. Located within Town and Country, it often finds itself in City Centre's shadow. But just last weekend I was catching some rays after a swim at the MAC, and I found myself hungry for something healthy, but my usual weekend meal of Salata just didn't appeal to me. And though Hungry's is right down the street, that wasn't what I wanted, either. Instead, I headed in the opposite direction toward Zoe's Kitchen, and settled in with their new quinoa salad - sans feta, plus salmon. I don't know what their salmon kebabs are seasoned with, but it left me vowing to make Zoe's Kitchen one of my go-to restaurants.

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23 Misconceptions About Teachers
This article. I realized a couple of weeks back that I spend a lot of time talking about my job. About my students. About my co-workers. And I think I talk about it so much because there are so many misconceptions out there about teachers. Granted, there are misconceptions about every job, but some of these ring entirely too true. I do have many hats to put on, I do have to be 'on' at (almost) all hours of the day, I do get frustrated when people say my job is easy, or that I'm only doing it for the time off. Though it's certainly an added perk. Teaching wasn't a backup plan, and I think it's the best profession out there for me. Each day is filled with new challenges, laughs, and facepalm moments, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

One of those facepalm moments

Make it a great start to May - one of the busiest and craziest, but also happiest, months of the year!