teaching life

  • Low cost hobbies

    My Current Hobbies

    The cold weather has definitely kept me cooped up inside, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve been bored! I firmly believe that our hobbies make us who we are. They allow us opportunities to peek inside of ourselves and find out what makes our hearts happy. This winter there have been a few things that I’ve really enjoyed. Baking has always been one of my favorite things to do, and cookies will always be my first love. There’s a cookie for every possible occasion, and I always make sure to have the basic ingredients on hand. Classic chocolate chip are my family’s favorite. My daughter doesn’t love cake, but has…

  • How I’m Using My Happy Planner

    I’m a paper planner girl. I’ve tried digital options (you can even find some of my posts about them if you search), but there’s something about being able to look at the full spread, write tasks in by hand, and really turn the pages that just works for me. I’ve always had what I consider a photographic memory, and for some reason that just works better when I can visualize words written on a page – not a tablet or screen. This year I went with a big Happy Planner (affiliate link) and I couldn’t be happier – no pun intended. The price is truly unmatched. All of the other…

  • Best Snow Day Ever

    Snow Day Must Haves

    As someone who has lived her entire life in the midwest, I’ve experienced my fair share of snow days. I know there are many people around the country who are currently enjoying a very rare snow day, so I thought I’d tell you about my favorite way to spend a surprise wintery day like this. The best kinds of snow day are those where I can snuggle up inside, get all warm and cozy, and fully relax all day long. The beauty of a snow day is that it gives us the opportunity to stay in somewhere warm when the weather is anything but. I’ll happily take it! Here are…

  • New Year New Mindset

    January 2025

    I don’t think I’ve ever been more ready to take on a new year! I can’t tell you where this feeling is coming from – or unfortunately how to find it in yourself – but I’m just feeling ready to tackle all of the things. It’s honestly super refreshing to know that I have changes to make and truly want to make them. That’s my mindset as we go into 2025, I’m feeling all of the “let’s do this” and “you’ve got this” vibes and I’m leaning all of the way into them. While I definitely have some goals ( I refuse to call them resolutions), they all kind of…

  • Easy Costumes

    Teacher Costumes from your Closet

    I love Halloween, but I’m not a huge fan of dressing up – it’s the introvert in me that doesn’t want any extra attention! I also don’t love the idea of spending a ton of money on something that I’m only going to wear once. I’ve gotten really good at creating fun, comfortable costumes from my own closet. The fact that they’re made from clothes I already own means that they’re also very school-appropriate. Here are some of the ideas that I’ve used in the past, just in case you’re looking for a last minute teacher costume that won’t break the budget. Gardener – Pull out a pear of jeans or…

  • Halloween Teacher Favorites

    I’m loving that pink has become a Halloween color! This year’s list of my favorite Halloween goodies for teachers is heave on the pink and really leaning into cozy vibes. These are all items that would be fun to wear for the holiday OR to give as gifts. If you like a more traditional black and orange color palette then be sure to check out my favorites from last year. All links are affiliates. Reading ghosts sweatshirt – Is this not the cutest?! Perfect for a teacher, librarian, or anyone who loves to read. Bat slippers – perfect for a cozy weekend in or after a long day on your…

  • Cozy fall vibes

    All the Fall Vibes

    Labor Day is over and it’s like someone flipped a switch because I am totally ready for fall! I thought I’d share some of my favorites so that you can get into the mood with me. I’ll dive into fall fashion soon, but if you’re already feeling it make sure to check out my top must-haves from last year! All links are affiliates. Chunky Color Block Cardigan – I can’t do life without cardigans, and fall options are definitely my fave. The colors and textures are a whole vibe. This rust and pumpkin one has a variety of different stitches and could easily be paired with jeans or a chambray dress.…

  • Self Care Products

    Stress Relief for Back to School

    This time of year can be soooooo stressful! The calendar is packed with end of summer celebrations, meet the teacher nights, sports practices, and all of the to-do lists. It might not be the perfect time to squeeze in a little self care BUT you can definitely pick up a few stress-relieving products now so that when there is a free moment it’s really easy to put them to use. Self care is not one-size-fits-all, but I wanted to share a few of my favorite products to offer a little inspiration. All links are affiliates! Lavender eye mask – This brings all of the sensory input. You get the aromatherapy,…

  • Disney road trip activities

    Tips for a Disney Road Trip

    Our family always does road trips when we vacation, and over the years I’ve come across a huge variety of tips (some hits, and some misses) for road-tripping with very young children. I’ve shared a lot of my favorites in these posts: Kids Road Trip Activities Road Trip Organization Hacks Travel Products for Kids Tips for Traveling with Preschoolers Every time that we’ve taken a trip I’ve tried something a little different and that’s true for our upcoming Disney Cruise trip too. We’re driving to the port, it’ll be the longest road trip that we’ve taken so far, so I wanted to make sure that my daughter stays entertained on…

  • Disney Cruise Door Magnets

    Disney Cruise Door Magnets

    As soon as I knew that we were taking this trip I started to DIY. One of the first projects I tackled was door decorations because Disney Cruise Line is known for guests going above and beyond on their door decor – and why wouldn’t you?! Any excuse to bring a little more Disney magic is always a must. I designed all of our magnets myself, but there are so many options on Etsy. My daughter is a HUGE Frozen fan, so it was a given that we would go that route. I also made a little suitcase with icons for each stop on our itinerary – I’m hoping to…