Wait for Us

I've been putting off writing this post.  I haven't felt ready, and I still don't -- but I don't know if I'll ever really be ready.

We lost our dog Chance a little over a month ago.  He was our first baby, and this has been so, so difficult for us.  Quite honestly, it's still really hard to talk about and to think about.  We miss him so incredibly much.

His passing was unexpected.  A few months ago, he seemed perfectly healthy, and we even commented on how puppy-like he looked even though he was 11.  It's like he grew into an adult body but never lost his puppy face.

Then, in November, we knew something wasn't right with him.  He started acting weird.  He wasn't eating regularly, he moped around the house, and he just didn't seem himself.  We made several trips to the vet, and - at first - she thought he had Lyme disease.  She ran some tests and it wasn't Lyme.  At that point, she suggested we take him for an ultrasound as she was worried about his spleen.

That was right before Christmas.  The vet who did the ultrasound told us that Chance had tumors on his spleen that had spread to all of his vital organs.  He told us to enjoy the holidays with him and then prepare to say goodbye.  It still shocks me to think about those words.  He had seemed perfectly healthy a few weeks before, and now we were told we had less than a month to spend with him.

I was in denial at first -- this couldn't be happening -- and then I started moving through the common stages of grief on repeat: anger, bargaining, sadness... then back to shock and denial.  It seemed like a never-ending cycle.  There are days when it still does.

It just doesn't seem fair that you have to fit in the rest of a life in the span of a month.  How do you even do that?  How is it possible?  We had no idea how to do it, so we did all we could.  We kept him comfortable.  We spoiled him.  We loved him.

In the midst of all this sadness, we are so grateful we had the opportunity to say our goodbyes and be with him when he went to the rainbow bridge... but it was one of the hardest things we've ever had to do.  We still look for him to greet us at the door when we return from work.  We still hear the pitter-patter of his feet at night.  We still think we see him under our kitchen table when we glance down.  It still doesn't feel like he's gone.

My husband and I got him early in our relationship.  We had only been dating for about six months, and, looking back, it probably wasn't the smartest idea to get a dog together that soon (but obviously it all worked out).  So what makes this even harder is that Chance was there for everything with us.  My husband and I have barely known each other without Chance in our lives.

The night we had to say goodbye, I kept telling him how much I loved him and that he better wait for us up there - that we would see each other again.  And I know we will.  I know.

In the meantime, though, I don't want to forget all of the wonderful memories he created for us.  Our lives are better because he was in them.  He was part of our family and always will be.

* * * * *
I'll never forget the day he became part of our family.  He was so little and he had such big ears and big paws.  He slept on my lap on the car ride home, and I remember crying tears of joy because I was so happy he was ours.

I'll never forget taking him to puppy kindergarten where he never listened to anything but won all the doggie races... and the hearts of everyone there.

I'll never forget all of the times we came home to chewed up shoes, books, remotes, pillows...
You name it; he chewed it.

I'll never forget taking him for walks in the snow and for hikes through the woods.  He loved being outside and exploring.

I'll never forget the day I went into labor with our son and Chance laid with me on the couch, his head resting on my baby belly.

I'll never forget that bark.  Never.

I'll never forget all the kisses and snuggling.  I'll never forget how much love he gave us.

* * * * *
Chance was taken from us all too soon, but he gave us more than we could ever ask for.  He was the BEST dog in the whole wide world, and we will never forget his unconditional love for us.

We miss you more than anything, buddy, and we'll love you forever.

Wait for us.

How I Feel Today

(source: someecards.com)

That's all I have to say. 

Stillness is the Hardest Part of My Day

I haven't been sleeping.  

Not well, I mean.  I get a few hours here and there, but not enough to feel fully functional the next day.  I only fall asleep when my mind finally stops out of pure exhaustion, not because my thoughts stop.  Has that ever happened to you?  Your mind keeps running and running and won't turn off until your body physically can't keep you awake anymore.  

Last night,  I headed upstairs after 11 and, even though I knew I shouldn't, I kept looking at the clock: 

12:14.  

12:52.  

1:17.  

1:43.

2:38.  

2:38 was the last time I remember seeing...

...until 3:03 when my son yelled for me to walk him to the bathroom.  He gets scared at night -- even with the night lights.  (I can't blame him.  I hate the dark, too.)

When I got back in bed, the whole cycle started over again.  I said to my husband earlier in the night that I try not to think and worry about everything, but the only time I'm still all day is when I get in bed.  

And it's that stillness I avoid.  All.  Day.  Long.  

Stillness brings with it all that uninterrupted time for my innermost thoughts to surface.  Stillness makes me think and rethink and try to process and rewind and fast forward.  It's not easy to turn your brain off when it's on such a roll. 

But when I'm alone with my innermost thoughts, I get sad.  Really sad.  So sad that I can't sleep, and then the clock-watching begins.    

I feel guilty when I shift my thoughts to other things that help me relax, things like lying on the beach, soaking up the sun.  I try to get myself in a state of mind where my body and mind can relax.  But then the feelings of guilt start.  I feel like my thoughts should be with my dog and my grandmother right now.

* * * * *

Before my Nana was moved into hospice, I remember the doctor at the hospital saying that she was actively dying. 

Actively dying.  Actively dying.  What does that even mean?  

Technically, we're all actively dying.  

Is that morbid or what?

It's kind of like that half full/half empty glass thing.  Are we actively dying, or actively living?

It's all about perspective.

But perspective is a hard thing to have when you feel like time isn't on your side.  When you feel like you're just waiting for that dreaded phone call.  When you feel like today is the last day you may spend with your loved one.

I know so many people go through loss, but that doesn't mean this isn't difficult.  It's all difficult.  Life is hard.

The Holidays Sucked This Year

So, I was going to title my post "Goodbye, 2015... Hello, 2016!"

...but then I thought I should keep things real around here.

Ya know, because that's how I roll.

Let me begin by saying that I hope your holidays did not suck.  I hope they were magical and special and memorable.

Personally, I find the latter half of the year to be stressful, depressing, and fast-paced.  There is never enough time in the day to get everything done that needs to get done.  And the commercials and the Christmas music and the traffic and the storefronts are all reminders of the bustling holiday season that I never feel lives up to the hype that the anticipation creates.

This holidays this year were hard on us.  My grandmother had been in and out of the hospital, in a nursing home, in hospice care, and is now back in a nursing home but is receiving hospice care there.  She is very sick and there's nothing more that can be done for her.  We have been visiting her just about every day because, well, what else can you do?  I want to spend as much time as I can with her while we have her here.  She was always there for me when I was a child, and so I want to return the favor.  I leave there with tears in my eyes, always wondering if that's the last time I'll see her alive.  It's morbid to think about it like that, but I can't help it.  I just want her to know she is loved.

Then, back in November, our dog started acting weird.  We had him in and out of the vet's office getting all kinds of tests, and we found out about a week ago that he has tumors all over his insides. We were told to enjoy the holidays with him and then put him down.  Needless to say, we are all a wreck over the news.  We still haven't fully digested it.  At times, we're in denial; other times, we're incredibly sad... it's like we can't even fully process what we were told, especially because we just lost our other dog back in April.

Our vet gave us some medication for him and, right now, we're taking it day by day, but we don't know how long he will last without being in pain.  I can't talk about it too much without getting overwhelmed and breaking down.  Between my grandmother and our doggie, this holiday season has been a roller coaster of emotions.

We spent Christmas day avoiding the big family gathering -- we just wanted a quiet Christmas this year.  And, to be honest, I'm tired of family drama.  So we visited my grandmother and my husband's grandmother in their respective nursing homes, and we made a ham and stayed home.

The past two months, my husband and I have just felt "off."  I don't know how else to explain it; we just don't feel ourselves.  We're not sleeping well (or very much), we don't really go anywhere except to visit my grandmother because we don't want to leave our dog alone, and we are so unhappy in our jobs.

Lately, I've been on edge, irritable, easily annoyed... you name it.  I've been lashing out on my husband and son, neither of whom deserve it.  My stress is manifesting itself in so many different ways -- both physically and emotionally.

I didn't plan on this being such a depressing post, but this is a snapshot of our lives right now.  And, on this last day of 2015, I look back and think of how much has happened over this past year.  I can't believe it's December 31st, but I'm glad it is.

Though I know we have so much to be thankful for, I still hope the new year is better.

(source)

And Sickness Abounds

We're all dealing with some pre-winter sickness in our household.  Since we're all in schools in some capacity (my son in kindergarten and my husband and I both teaching), we are vulnerable to all those icky, yucky germs that get oh-so kindly passed along.  All three of us have missed so much school lately.  I always thought you were supposed to take sick days when you WEREN'T sick so you could actually enjoy them!

(source)

My son has the worst of it, though - pneumonia.  We're hoping he makes a fast recovery.  He's been under the weather for the past two and a half weeks.  We've had him at the doctor three times in the past 12 days.  Finally, today, he was given the diagnosis of pneumonia.  I'm not happy about it, but I'm happy that the doctor prescribed medicine.  We were originally told he just had a minor upper respiratory infection that he could fight off on his own without meds.  Well, he kept getting worse.  On our second visit, we were told the same thing.  My husband and I were convinced there was more to it.  So back he went today and we got the pneumonia diagnosis.  Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery!

In other news, we haven't really done much of any Christmas shopping (I tend to avoid stores at this time of year -- I much prefer the online route), nor have we put up a Christmas tree.  We'll hopefully get one soon, and I think my decorations this year will be minimal.  Every year I seem to lose steam in this area.  I feel like I'd decorate more if we were having a big holiday party or something, but we don't have the time or energy to host anything right now.  Sometimes I feel like we should do more, but we are so busy as it is.

Hope to post again soon when we're all feeling better.  Thanks if you're still reading!  Happy December!

(source)

Thoughts Lately

It's been almost a month since my last post.  As I've mentioned several times before, I miss the blog world.  I've been trying to keep up with all of my favorite blogs, but I am about 1,867 posts behind.  I'm thinking of just clicking "Mark All As Read" in Bloglovin' and starting fresh.  There is no way I'll catch up.

The main reason I wanted to write today is because of the recent events in Paris.  I feel like I can't even process it all.  Can you really process it, though?  How do you process something that doesn't make any sense?  It hurts my stomach, my head, my heart.

(source)

And whether you're religious or not, I think we all have to hope that those poor people who lost their lives are somewhere better now.  They did not deserve this.  Our world did not deserve this.  How can there be so many good people in this world and so many bad people, too?  I don't understand.

That's all for today.  My heart is heavy.

Life Lately - October

I miss the blog world SO much.  I know I've said that in my last few posts, but it's true.  I wish I had time every single day to post and I wish I had a pocket of time to catch up on all of my favorite blogs! I feel so behind.

I don't want to be completely out of the blogosphere, so I just put together a little list of what's going on lately.

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- On a whim, I got my ears pierced today -- my third holes on each side.  It was traumatic as I have NO pain tolerance.  (Yes, I gave birth to a child, but that doesn't mean anything.  Pain is pain and I don't like it.  So there.)  The girl who pierced them messed up on one side, too, so she had to take the earring out and re-pierce it.  She said I flinched and made her mess up.  Whatever.  Isn't she the professional?  (Okay... I probably flinched.)

- I ended up sending back a ton of stuff I ordered from Old Navy.  The yellow plaid shirt that I loved in the picture made me look like a farmer, and the color was duller than I would have liked.  The olive puffy vest sold out before I could get one.  And I have yet to purchase the gray leggings.  Still waiting for them to get cheaper.

- I did a mini-closet clean out of my pants that was desperately overdue.  It was taking me three times as long to get dressed in the morning because it kept feeling like nothing fit me.  Lordy, lordy... I couldn't believe that so many of my pants don't fit anymore.  I seriously put at least 12 pairs in a giveaway bag.  I mean, I've gained some weight over the past year, but not too much.  Gravity is starting to take its toll on my body, though, and after having a child, things have shifted into weird places.  (And, if we're really being honest here, some of the pants I had were still from high school.  I told you the cleanout was overdue!)  Anyway, as a reward, I bought myself a new pair of (affordable!) jeans -- dark wash DENIZEN brand jeans from Target a few weeks ago...

These to be exact:  http://www.target.com/p/denizen-women-s-essential-stretch-bootcut-jean-limo/-/A-14533377

(source: target.com)

The picture doesn't do them justice.  They look way better on... trust me.  The stretch in them is A-MAZ-ING.  They are super comfy.  I highly recommend.  I also sized up on them.  I don't know if it's because I've gained weight or if they run small (or both).  Just FYI.

- I am enjoying this season of The Voice and Dancing with the Stars.  The Voice has so many awesome singers this year.  I don't even know who I'm rooting for yet.  And DWTS is addictive.  I like Bindi Irwin and Nick Carter best right now.  But I am liking the pros more and more every season.  Derek, Val, and Mark are my favs.  Derek is just adorable, Val cracks me up, and Mark's routines are creative and edgy.

- School is exhausting.  The kids are getting a little too comfortable now that it's October -- in their classrooms, in the hallways, in the cafeteria, in the library.  Wow.  Just wow.  I am ready for Thanksgiving break, but I hate to wish the time away.

- Speaking of time, I love this time of year.  Fall is always my favorite.  I love burning my pumpkin candles and wearing scarves and boots and sipping an extra cup of coffee to warm up in the mornings and looking out the window at the beautiful changes in nature.

(source)

Here's to a great week!

School Days, School Days... and Some Shopping

As I've mentioned and as I'm sure you've probably noticed, we've been busy.  And unfortunately this little ol' blog of mine has taken a backseat.  It stinks, but I value the little sleep I get and lately I've been choosing sleep over blogging.  I do miss it, though!

(source)

School has been INSANE.  Just insane.  Teaching in an elementary setting requires tons of energy and tons of patience.  I learned that fast.  The kids in my building are absolutely lovable, but there are a whole other set of problems in elementary school versus high school.  I say things on a daily basis that I never expected would ever, EVER come out of my mouth.

Here's the abridged version of some of my recent sayings:

• Take your finger out of your nose.
• Take your hand out of your pants.
• Sit.  Sit.  Sit.
• Put your shoe back on.
• Put your sock back on.
• Don't wipe your ear wax on her.
• Take the pencil out of your mouth.
• Don't lick that book.
• Get out from under the table.
• Get a tissue, put your booger on it, and throw it away.

Are you sensing a pattern here?  I've also had to deal with kids who don't make it to the toilet on time.  This is a whole new world for me.  I have no idea what I'm doing, either.  Quite frankly, when that happens, I panic.

But - on a lighter note - I get tons of hugs.  And hellos.  And smiles.

As the librarian, I'm like a rock star in that building.  Seriously.  All the kids know me since they all have library class at some point throughout the week.  When I walk through the halls, the kids yell out to me and wave and smile.  It really makes my day!

I feel like I'm slowly starting to settle into a routine, so that's also helping.  I wish I remembered more of the kids' names, though.  I think I've finally learned most of the staff, but there are, like, 700 kids.  I only know the names of the troublemakers right now.  I hope I learn more names fast.

In other news, my son is loving kindergarten.  We love to hear his stories from school.  A week or so ago, we were having some issues with him eating his lunch.  He insisted on packing, but he'd bring home most of his lunch.  When we asked him why he wasn't eating, his response was, "I'm so popular  that all the kids talk to me at lunch, and I have to talk back to them or else I'll be rude."  

Riiiiiight.

Oh, and I've had a bad shopping bug lately.  I have been wanting to buy so much, and I'm trying to show some restraint, but fall clothes are my favorite.  I love scarves and layers and leggings.  I have to just stop looking or else I'm in trouble.  

Old Navy has awesome sales, too.  Here are some things I've been eyeing:

(source: Old Navy)

These ponte-knit leggings from Old Navy look adorbs.  However, I think they are priced WAY too high.  Even with the current sale.  Just too much for me.  I'll wait until a really good sale.  

(source: Old Navy)

I'm also loving this olive puffy vest.  Quite frankly, I love anything olive (except actual olives).  I especially love it with the plaid shirt underneath it.  So cute.

(source: Old Navy)

I think I need this plaid shirt.  I love the color, I love plaid, I love button-ups... and we can wear jeans to work on Fridays as long as we either wear school colors (red, black, or white) or our elementary school colors (blue or yellow).  I think this would be a perfect pick for that.  Don't you?

(source: Old Navy)

I have this shirt.  I wear it as a pajama shirt with sweats or PJ bottoms.  It is super-duper comfy and super-duper cheap.  I highly recommend.  Make sure you use the promo code JACKPOT when checking out to get an additional 30% off.  Oh, and just so you know, it has slits on each side, but they don't come up too far.  

(source: Old Navy)

I love chunky scarves.  Well, I love all scarves, but chunky ones hold a special place in my heart.  This gray one would be perfect all fall and winter long.  However, it's priced a little too high for me.  What can I say?  I'm cheap.  I'll keep an eye on it for now.

We're off to some (yes, more than one!) birthday parties today, and I have to get my flu shot.  

Oh - before I go - funny story for you.  So I've gotten in the bad habit of stopping at Dunkin' Donuts for a coffee on my way to school.  This is a terrible habit that needs to stop... because I have come to the realization that if I didn't buy all that coffee, I could buy those expensive leggings I like.  I have a Keurig at home and need to start using it.  

Anyway, I digress...

So yesterday when I stopped at Dunkin' Donuts, the girl at the window asked if I got my hair cut.  I did.  The day before.  My husband didn't notice, but the girl at Dunkin' Donuts did.  I guess when a barista notices your recent haircut, you're stopping too much for coffee.  This.  Must.  Stop.

We have a nice, long Columbus Day weekend ahead of us, and we're looking forward to an extra day off.  Hope you all enjoy your weekend!

Groundhog Day

Hello?  Hello?  Anybody out there?

Maybe I should be asking myself those questions.  I'm here, but haven't really made much progress in the good ol' blogosphere.

Our lives have been crazy over the past few weeks.  Don't get me wrong -- I am thankful that we have food to put on the table, clean clothes to wear, and jobs to go to each day.  But that doesn't mean that it's not hard and exhausting.

I have started to feel like we are in the movie Groundhog Day.

(source)

Here's a snapshot of our "normal" day:

5:30am - Dad (J.) wakes up, gets ready for work
5:45am - Mom (me) wakes up, gets ready for work
6:00am - Dad leaves for work
6:30am - Mom wakes up D., gets him fed breakfast and ready for kindergarten
7:00am - Mom leaves for work, Pop-Pop comes over to take D. to kindergarten
7:40am - Pop-Pop drops D. off at school

*****

2:00pm - Pop-Pop picks D. up at school and stays with him until Dad gets home
3:15pm - Dad gets home from work
4:15pm - Mom gets home from work
4:45pm - Mom starts making dinner while Dad helps D. with his homework
5:30pm - Dinner
6:00pm - Clean up from dinner and pack lunches for next day
6:30pm - D. gets a bath or shower
7:00pm - D. gets to watch a TV show (usually a Disney one) and have a snack (usually fruit)
7:30pm - Mom or Dad takes D. upstairs to read
8:00pm - Lights out for D.!  (Although most nights, this has been closer to 8:30ish...)
8:30pm - Mom does work to prep for school the next day and catches up with Dad while watching a little TV together (and oftentimes we fall asleep downstairs on the couch!)

*****

My husband and I try to head to bed by 10:30pm, though that doesn't always happen.  Because we wake up so early and have such busy days at work, we really feel it the next day if we had a late bedtime the night before.

So that's a snippet of our lives lately.  And because I'm in a new position at work, I've had a lot of "take home" work to do that I don't have time to do during the day.  So far, I'm enjoying my new job, but it is non-stop when I'm there.  There really isn't any downtime.  Even my lunch is rushed.  I try to get out of my little office to eat lunch with some of the other teachers since usually by that time I need a "brain break," but there are a lot of days when I work through my lunch and try to eat a little along the way.

I really miss blogging regularly and I have so much I want to post, but I have a feeling the blog will be a little slower for now.  I appreciate those of you who are still reading, and I'm still trying to read so many other blogs when I have a few minutes.  Right now, though, I'm not doing a very good job keeping up with that.  I currently have over 500 new blog posts in my Bloglovin' feed.  Whoops. Guess I'll need to skip a few.

I'm so glad the weekend is here, though, especially since we were in Disney last week.  This past week was basically us playing "catch up" in so many areas of our lives -- most importantly sleep.  I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with a viral infection with a side of allergies, and my husband has been uber-congested as well.  We need this weekend to recuperate for sure!

I hope all of you are doing well and are enjoying the change of season.  I love fall.  I always think of F. Scott Fitzgerald's words from The Great Gatsby:

(source)

Have a great weekend!

All Quiet on the Blog Front

I know.  It's been a while.

We literally just returned -- like half an hour ago -- from a weeklong vacation to Disney World.  We are exhausted.  But we are excited to sleep in our own beds tonight.

I'll be back soon with a recap and pictures... after we resume our normal schedule and routines having been off them for what feels like forever.

Goodnight for now!

(source)

(Oh, and PS -- thanks to those of you who are still reading.  I hate not blogging regularly, but going back to work in a new position and then taking a trip have definitely thrown things -- aka me -- for a loop.)

Thankful Thursday - Sickness

Guess who's sick now.

Yup.  Me.

It was bound to happen, I guess.

It's just fun times all around here.

My husband and I are like two ships passing in the night (we seriously never see each other anymore!), my house has basically become a pit stop, and my kindergartener is, as usual, non-stop. Busy, busy, busy.

But I'm thankful today that we have jobs and schedules and responsibilities because that means we are living.  I may be sick, but I have access to Benadryl and Claritin and cough syrup.  There are so many people in our world who are sick and who are dying, and that breaks my heart.  My issues are minor in comparison.

So today I'm going to focus on the good.  We are alive.  We have each other.  We are stable.  We can do this.

Can't stop.  Won't stop.

What are YOU thankful for today?

Running on Empty

Goodness.  Our life has been crazy the past few days.  I swear -- I don't know how people who have more than one child do it because we feel like we're running on empty.

This'll be a quick post because our "to do" list is ever-growing and the stuff that was already on there still needs to get done.  

Side note: I miss posting as regularly as I used to... I'm hoping once this first month or two of school goes by, I can get back to posting more frequently.  Right now, though, we're all just trying to keep our heads above water.  It's been a huge transition for us.

* * * * *

Here's what's been happening lately:

1)  We all had our first official week of school this past week.  We're getting used to super early mornings, packing lunches, and new routines.  Our sleeping schedules are all over the place now and we're trying to figure out what works best for us now that we all have such busy, busy days.  I'm trying to find time to get some of my school work done, but it doesn't usually happen until my little guy is in bed for the night, and -- by that time -- I'm too exhausted to really focus.

2)  We are in the midst of a major family room renovation.  The room is torn apart.  There are tools strewn all over, half full cans of paint waiting to be emptied, and furniture in odd places to accommodate for the renovations.  It's a mess.  A big mess.

3)  We have a trip coming up soon, so we're trying to prepare for that -- packing, getting lots of laundry done, shopping trips for toiletries and other necessary items, etc.  I know I've mentioned this before, but it's hard to get anything done with a super active 5-year-old running around at all times.

4)  On Saturday, my son woke up and said his one ear hurt.  He had the sniffles the day before, so I assumed he had an earache.  After a call and visit to the pediatrician, we came home with antibiotics in hand.  Not only did he have an earache, but strep throat as well.  And he has no desire to rest to get better.  Nope.  Go, go, go.  I wish I had half of his energy.  (This is why I drink coffee!)

5)  This week, we have two "Back-to-School" nights, an evening meeting, and two appointments.  I hate when we have commitments at night after we get home from school.  We are usually all so exhausted.  It's going to be another busy week!

* * * * *

That's our life in a nutshell right now.  So this is my current goal:

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I mean, what else can you do, right?

Have a great week!

Thankful Thursday - Fighting... For One Another

For Thankful Thursday today, I had to share this video.  Rachel Platten, the singer who is rising to fame with her hit "Fight Song," stopped by to surprise a young boy who is fighting cancer and who is also a huge fan of hers.

(source: YouTube)

So today I'm thankful that there are people in this world who want to help one another and support one another... in all different capacities and on all different scales.

(source)

What are YOU thankful for today?

Organization 101

I've mentioned my Aunt Deb several times before on the blog, but today she'll be taking center stage as we take her crash course on organization.

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Before we get started, though, I just have to say a few things.

I have always loved organizing.  Color-coding.  Things lined up.  A place for everything and everything in its place.

I definitely get it from my Aunt Deb.  Ever since I can remember, she has been a pro organizer.  She has systems in place, labels on everything, and a knack for making it all look pretty while still functional.

She's lived in several homes, and all of them have been super duper organized from top to bottom.  I was always in awe.  I loved just walking around looking at all the organization.  It made me giddy, and it still does.

Recently, she downsized from a 2700 square foot house to a 1200 square foot apartment (temporarily, as she'll be relocating to sunny Florida soon!).  This downsize was surely a challenge, but she nailed it -- and I have proof.

I asked her if she'd mind if I shared some pictures of her work, along with any other tips and tricks she swears by.

My Aunt Deb loves to shop like I do (well, probably more), and she loves her clothes, make-up, and accessories.  She's always been super stylish and perfectly put together.

In her last home, her closet was literally a room, which was perfect for her.  She was able to keep her clothes for all seasons in there.

Her apartment closet obviously isn't nearly as big, but she's made it work.

I mean, don't her clothes look beautiful?  I love how she uses all of the same color/style of hangers.  Just makes it look so pretty.  And she has space between her clothes.  I need that.  I shove everything together and then struggle every time I try to pull something out.

When I asked her about how she organizes her closet, she gave me a detailed explanation.

She sorts by style and color.  With her tops, she first separates them into categories: sleeveless, short sleeve, long sleeve.  Second, she sorts by color.

Other categories include office clothes (dresses, skirts, slacks, suits), casual clothes (jeans, slacks, tops, and play/workout clothes.

She uses those awesome, thin, velvet-y hangers that you can find at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, T.J. Maxx, Marshall's, and HSN.  I have a set of them and LOVE them, but I definitely need more.

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Aunt Debbie swears by these stacking shelves, too, as you can see in one of the earlier pictures. These make it easier to access all of your clothes so you don't have to pull a huge pile down looking for something.  It keeps the stacks neatly in place, too.

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These sorter cubbies can be used for a variety of things -- anything from your accessories like scarves and purses to your shoes.

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Here's one of Aunt Deb's in action:

I really should get something like that for my flip flops and sandals.  I like the idea of being able to easily see the shoes.  If I don't see them, I won't wear them.

Okay -- moving on.

My Aunt Deb actually uses a vanity to put her make-up on in the AM instead of the bathroom.  For her, the bathroom mirror is too far away.  She told me that she needs that vanity space to get ready in the morning.

Her vanity has three drawers:

1)  blush and lipsticks
2)  eye shadows
3)  mascara, cotton swabs, some brushes.

Her bathroom, though, is still quite functional.  She uses dividers and containers to keep things sorted.

Below her bathroom sinks are turntables (aka "lazy Susans") and shoebox-type containers.

Here's her linen closet, also very organized:

And her laundry area:

And her bedside table.  So pretty and quaint.

I don't have any pictures of her desk area (I can get some, though!), but -- as you can imagine -- that's also organized.  She told me that she LOVES her two-drawer file cabinet because, in her words, she's a "filing nut."  She categories there as well: income tax, medical, investments, bills, warranties/receipts/invoices, important documents, etc.

She also told me that she believes few rooms should be without a clothes tree.  For example, in her spare workroom, it holds her ironing and mending.  It can hold school bags, sports bags, etc.

See it there on the right?

Her best piece of advice?  "Bottom line -- have a container for everything!"

Her organization puts mine to shame.  I have a lot of work to do... like looking for a clothes tree - ha! (Where do they sell those things?)  I'd also love to hear what some of your best organizational tips are.

In other news, we all start our official first day of school tomorrow.  I still can't believe today is our end of summer.  Soon our Sundays will be full of menu planning, grocery shopping, lunch preparations, etc.  Yuck.

Anyway, hope the rest of your weekend is fun!

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Thankful Thursday - My New Co-workers

If this week is any indication of how busy we'll be this school year, then I want out.  I am feeling very overwhelmed and very exhausted.

But I told myself to snap out of it because today is Thankful Thursday.  And even though I'm writing this past 9 on Thursday night, I'm going to be just as thankful as I'd be if I were writing it at 5:30 this morning.

Here goes...

Today I'm thankful for my new co-workers.  They are inviting, welcoming, warm, kind, and all-around helpful.  I'm not used to this.  And although learning so much in my new position has made my brain go crazy, my co-workers have been a huge blessing for me going into these unchartered and, quite frankly, scary waters.  I'm looking forward to getting to know them more throughout the school year.  I truly think they are going to make this change worth it.

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What are you thankful for today?

Tuesday's Over and I'm Just Posting Now

Goodness, today has been a long day.  And it's not over yet.

Today was my first official day back at work after a year at home.  Tonight was my son's school orientation night.  It's been a go-go-go kind of day, so -- needless to say -- there's no real post today. (I have a feeling that now that I'm back at work, the posts will not be daily.)

I do, however, have a fun post coming up soon about organization featuring the one, the only... my Aunt Deb.  She is the Queen Bee of organizing.  I'm telling you -- she rocks the casbah.  Can't wait to share with you some of her tips and tricks!  Stay tuned for that.

Otherwise, hope your week is going well.

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Pet Peeves (probably Part 1)

I have a lot of pet peeves.

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And I'd like to share some with you today.  And I'd like if you'd share some of yours.
And I'd like if I could stop starting sentences with the words And I'd like.

So let's get right to it.

Here are some of my pet peeves, in no particular order:

• When people don't hold the door for you when you are clearly getting ready to enter or leave through said door.
• When people don't have basic manners.  How hard is it to say please and thank you?
• When people don't tip enough.  I'm a 20%-er.  However, I reconsider that once in a blue moon. (See below.)
• When waiters/waitresses don't write down your order because they think they'll remember it and that it makes them look cool and then you get your order except it's not really your order because they forgot something you said since they didn't write it down.
• When people leave their shopping carts in the parking lot instead of returning them to the cart corral.
• When people tailgate me.  I'm a slow (read: safe) driver.
• When the toilet paper roll goes under instead of over.  In fact, I've fixed this in some people's houses.  I always wondered if they noticed.

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• When the grocery bagger puts toiletries in with the frozen stuff.  I appreciate that he/she is bagging for me; however, I organize my items as I put them on the conveyor belt for bagging purposes.
• People who speak in faculty meetings about something that applies solely to them and therefore waste everyone else's time.
• Leggings worn with a short shirt instead of a tunic.  FYI: Leggings are not pants.

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• Stupid questions.  Yes, they exist.  Believe me.  I'm a teacher.
• When cashiers or waitresses call me "honey" or "sweetie."  I'm older than you are.  But don't call me "ma'am," either.  I'm not your grandmother.
• When people who are sick do not take proper sanitizing precautions to cover their mouths when they sneeze/cough, when they don't wash their hands, etc.
• Bad grammar.

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• Shaving my legs.  And self-tanning.  Both are time wasters yet extremely necessary.  
• Farts.  Farting.  The word "fart."
• Paying bills.
• Not having coffee first thing in the morning.  I NEED it.
• Oh, this:

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I could go on, but I don't know if anyone's still reading at this point, so I'll cap my list there... 

for now, at least!

Plus,

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Ha.

Anyway, I'd love to hear some of your pet peeves, too!  Feel free to share below in the comments section.  Otherwise, have a good Monday and an even better week!

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