the wacky and wonderful

wacky:

• tripping in a most awkward way while walking out of walgreens (ahem, today..)...on a busy street in benton...in front of a large group of people. when things like this happen, i smile and try not to make eye contact, but part of me wants to look at the people close by and inform them that i have a winning personality or other great attributes that don't include falling in public. geez. i want people to remember me for fun stuff not "that gal that BIT.IT. today"
• watching junior high kids try and act sexy while flirting with one another. sometimes, i want to pause and just say, "girl, he is JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU." or "boy, give it up, and move on." seriously, it may fit more into the "painful and hilarious" category more than "wacky" (the last statement is true unless said junior high student is donning a justin bieber shirt. then the "wacky" category stands).
• coming to the realization that you still like school cafeteria mashed potatoes. right, leah? :)
• the more i work out the more my laundry doubles. boo...
• this lil' number i wore tuesday. Best Friend encouraged this savers sweater purchase a couple of months ago. the teddy bears made their grand debut. the hipster kids were pleased.

• the fact that this navy skirt was ironed! i feel like i got ripped off...
• having to literally stop the girl beside me who was sharing at small group to ask for a brownie from the coffee table because my blood sugar dropped to 45. stupid, inconsiderate diabetes...

wonderful

• being able to be real with my students. today we started reading To Kill a Mockingbird. i started with a role play on racism that my kiddos had no clue about. it was powerful, and we had very insightful conversations. kids have a way of being so genuine and honest. i am so blessed to have this job. truly.
• starting and ending my days with my record player. best $10 investment. ever.
• playful socks. i mean, they are just fun and definitely brighten your day. today, i wore these:

• today i heard the best ringtone ever. i am now a sponsor for the green team at my school. :) today we had a meeting after school. we were making canisters to hold the tabs for aluminum cans that we collect and recycle. this sweet little 8th grade boy who is a fun kid that likes to playfully pick on others was in attendance. right before we broke up to make the canisters, out from his front pocket sings "everybody dance now!" his eyes got HUGE, and his face turned 11 shades of pink. so precious. oh, humble pie...
• honey nut cheerios...just by themselves. no need for a bowl or milk. just straight from box, to hand, to mouth. just right.
• this photo. seriously, color me enthralled. i love everything about it.

hope you are keeping it wacky and wonderful.

xoxo,

lady



things that make me want to get married.

not any time soon. (bee.tee.dub)
i'm not anywhere NEAR this, my darlings. this is just a generic sort of longing. honestly, like everything i stumbled up today was lovey dovey. so this post goes out to all you's married people, engaged people, or people just in plain ol' love.

• this wedding video is UH-mazing. i would love to make one someday for someone...or star in my own. seriously, y'all this is 10 shades of awesome. enjoy...if you haven't already.

• another beautiful wedding video. <----would be nice to live there, yes? so beautiful.

• a fun idea for a wedding invitation. i am sure this took forever and a day to capture, but all i know is it is totally BRILL. ahhhh...

• i saw this little checklist that made me giggle. a kissing checklist?! why haven't i thought of this before? this is the sort of bucket list i can get behind. so...i made my own.

what would your list look like? no, really, i'm curious...

• finally...my new (to me) coffeemaker from my sweet friend jules. she has been rockin' the keurig and was going to give this baby to goodwill, until she asked me if i would like it...boy, would i?! now...what does this coffeemaker have to do with "things that make me want to get married"? duh, i can't wait to make coffee with my hubs, and having an extra body around will hopefully cut my caffeine intake in two :)

have a wonderful week, muh lovies.

xoxo,

lady

recently, i've been crazy about...

a. my new go-to red. believe me: this stuff is incredible, and when they say infallible, they mean it. red wine teeth=not attractive. red wine lips on the other hand...well, you decide.

b. these second-hand treasures i acquired in the Fay (bee.tee.dub. i purchased these on sunday, so as not to break from Lent). they are surprisingly comf.

c. making mixed cd's cute again. i've been using these for months now; they're just too darn cute. i think i'm going to make a nice spring mix. lemme know if you'd like one :)

d. this cool weather. i'm not ready for the arkansas heat wave to move in just yet. today was filled with snuggling, crafting, and omelet making (and demolishing)

e. winking. c'mon, kids. let's try to make a come-back in regards to winking; you know, give winking a good rep. this isn't a greeting only reserved for creepy old men and on-the-prowl cougars at skeezy bars. try it out. if you feel as though it is a big fail, you can always pretend there is something in your eye ;)

f. cherry coke zero...mmmm... seriously, i think this is solid proof God loves us and wants us to be happy.

hope your weekend has been filled with snugglin' and smoochin'...if that's your thing...

xoxo,

lady

i had a dream about him

a couple of weeks ago, i had one of those moments of doubt. you know, the whole melodramatic "am-i-really-supposed-to-be-in-this-career-wish-i-could-change-so-many-things-about-me" stage we get to. blah blah blah, we've all been there. i've been there plenty of times; i think this one was spurred on by stress and other school-related things. however, i moved on. went about my business, doing what i do, knowing that spring break was just what the doctor ordered.

my last night in fayetteville, i couldn't seem to get rested. i woke up multiple times throughout the night, which is not like me. i woke up early in a fog and exhausted. i knew something had happened, i was just too confused to grasp it. i packed all my things and hauled them to my car, still trying to figure out what had happened. aaron and i sat in his living room, listening to the record player, when a knock came from his front door. aaron opened the door and greeted his father who came to inquire about a home video he was trying to play. he and aaron spoke briefly, then with a smile and a "nice to meet you, jordan", he was gone. when that door shut, it hit me like a ton of bricks what had happened the night before.

i had a dream about him.

it happens from time to time. mostly, my dreams of him are lonely. he's by himself. we're separated somehow. it's never really anything i wake up and wish myself back to sleep. i must admit, though, i do crave these dreams because that means that for just a brief moment, i see him moving. in my dreams, he's tangible. what a harsh reality to wake up and remember he is gone.

you know when you have a dream, and you can't remember it exactly...not at first? piece by piece, it slowly comes to you. this is what happened to me wednesday morning. as i sat there, i felt the emotion flood over and the curtain rise to reveal the remnant memories of my previous night.

the dream:
i was staying after school with my journalism class. for some reason, no one had cell phones (must have been a dream, right?). we were working furiously on the yearbook to meet our upcoming deadline (which is actually a present state i am in). our school was all glass and absolutely futuristic. there were walkways all around and zero privacy. you could look into any of your neighbors' classrooms and also see who was roaming the hallways. i am reading over the shoulder of one of my students when i look up and see a pair of cargo shorts making their way down the hallway. as my gaze rises, i see that round, tan face holding a broad grin with a speckled black beard that i so love. ( in the dream it was completely normal. he was actually living in my reality, which is a rare dream, indeed). i am comforted to see him, and open my door to greet him with kiss and a hug. he looks around my room at all of my students, says he knows that i am super busy, but he was a passing a quick message from my mother. (this is kind of unclear in my memory. it was something along the lines of  "would i come home for dinner?" or something home related) i gave him a positive reply. he then told me that he was just in the neighborhood and told my mother he'd make sure i got the message. i told him i was so glad he stopped by. he turned to leave, then turned around and looked at my classroom, put his arm around my waist and pulled me into him. i put my arms around his neck in a familiar hug, and he whispered in my ear, "josie, i am so proud of you." he gave me a wink and a peck on the cheek and then walked out...

all my life, that is all i ever wanted: to make my parents proud. the special significance to this dream is that my father was killed during my student teaching semester. he never got to see me as a teacher, as Miss Simmons. he was always rooting for me,though, because i am the first person from my family to ever go to college. he loved teaching sunday school and was always an inspiration to me to be an outstanding teacher. having those doubtful times recently, this dream gave me a piece of encouragement i have needed for some time: c a r r y  o n.

xoxo,

lady

two-ferr: weekend update and the wacky and wonderful

hello, you.
it has been a long time, no?

sorry for my lack of hereness, for i have been away. about 3.5 hours away to be exact, hiding out in fayetteville for a few days basking in the...wind? i felt at times like i was hiding out in a southern chi.

staying with my friend aaron, i had quite the adventurous tour guide. sure, i have been in the Fay plenty of times...but i really enjoy having my friends show me their favorite places. there is really so much to do in this little joint. i l-o-v-e it.
a short synopsis:

• multiple thrift stores=a new record player and a nice collection of records, including hall and oates, foreigner, boston, the west side story soundtrack, perry como, jim croce...to name a few. these to accompany my "my fair lady" soundtrack from aaron. get excited, hipster kids.
• also thrift storing=new throw...can't wait to wash this bad boy and post photos soon. also, more vintage mason jars. leather clutch, and leather crossbody by coach.
• little bread company. geraldi's. burger life. market place sweet potato fries. arsaga's coffee.
• driving around looking at fantastic old houses.
• testing out one another's camera gear for funsies
• movies: the prestige. dedication. battle los angeles. the invention of lying.
• more to come in "the wacky and wonderful"

the wacky and wonderful

wacky:

• seeing this kid drop trou at a reststop today. just took care of business out in the open...
• suckers they sell at the mall in fayetteville, get this: in the shape of an ear of corn (yikes...look at all of those prepositions)
• trying to be a lady while eating a massive cheeseburger. i fail every time. if you figure out how to do this...let me know, please.
• having an emotional breakdown first thing in the morning(yikes.).
• one of the records i bought was a "west memphis marching band 1963-1964." i feel like this deserves to be in both wacky and wonderful. wacky that i found it in fay. wonderful because i am actually from the WM. and my parents met and dated there, daddy born in '63, mommers in '64.
• the fact that bell-bottoms are making a major comeback. have fun with those, kiddos.

wonderful

• cranberry diet coke from sonic =make this diabetic happy. if you are rockin' a functioning pancreas, go crazy and also add vanilla. trust me. trust.me.
• Jónsi on vinyl. in the morning. oh gracious. so.very.good.
• being held. most especially when there is not a trace of self-centeredness in the midst.
• enjoying a dos equis with one of my favorite people of all time. in the middle of the afternoon. at a hole-in-the-wall mexican restaurant. because.we.can.
• being vulnerable and open with new friends and them being open to you. it is a beautiful thing, truly.
• enjoying the evening at common grounds with a dear friend from college (cough::rhonda.nelms::cough). also, realizing during this time, that she and i are still the same kids we were in college...just now we have bills and careers.
• speaking of rhonda, her amazing idea of having a flash mob in wal-mart. totally BRILL.
• florence and the machine. "the dog days are over" may be my anthem for this spring:

• the continuation of being carded. it will be a sad day when this fails to happen...
• sleeping in my own bed tonight. ahhhhhhh.

hope you are having a great week.

xoxo,

lady



i'm a lucky lady

 i count my job as one of my greatest joys: my kiddos being the biggest contributors. tomorrow we are out of school, then next week we're off for spring break, and like some mom sending her babies off to church camp, i get little lump in my throat thinking about not seeing them for a week and a half. here is my darling journalism class, who enjoy referring to themself as "the flagship." i hope you see why i love what i do :) 

xoxo,

lady

the wacky and wonderful

wacky:

• walking into a cheer try-out and receiving funny faces because it is closed to the public. yes, even you journalism teacher...
• the fact that two of my meals this week have consisted of spaghetti o's.
• my students. period.
• that my yearbook is due in two short weeks. yowza.
• the song "fergalicious." i mean...honestly...
• gwyneth paltrow singing. i don't care who her hubs is...girl needs to stick to acting.

• speaking of singing...one week ago, today, i not only sang in public for the first time...i also scatted. thanks to chassity jordan for capturing this pic. :)

wonderful:

• spring break...you are so close.
• crafting again :)

• these songs. especially in correlation with spring :)

• my new thrift store purchase.
• receiving compliments when you're make-upless and not feeling top notch.
• my yearbook sponsor regifting me a $10 starbucks giftcard because she doesn't dig coffee. umm...score.
• staying 2.5 hours after school and walking to my car...in the sunshine.
• blasts from the past.

today's threads:

belt, target. cowl neck shirt, old navy. cotton blazer, miley cyrus? scarf, walmart. skinny pants, old navy. boots, chinese laundry.

xoxo,

lady

updates. and babies. and tunes. (oh my!)

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!
holy smokes. sure, i am sitting here fully covered with my heat blasting, but by golly, the time has changed and i am so ready for spring to get its rear in action. on a side note: isn't it peculiar how one hour can completely throw you off? yesterday, i walked in my apartment, disrobed, and got under my covers and slept for a good 45 minutes, something i never do. i was on the verge of not functioning if a nap hadn't been in my plans. so, i suppose i have a love/hate relationship with springing forward. more love. less hate.

weekend:
i went to the movies with a buddy of mine and saw the adjustment bureau. i really enjoyed it. did it change my life? no. did it entertain me? absolutely. seriously, y'all. you should sneak a peek. of course, anything that shows loads of men in suits, ties, and hats is fine by me.

i also saw a sweet friend of mine who was driving through with her family. her gorgeous little girl is about to turn one, so we snapped a few pics before they hit the road.
here are a couple of my faves:

what a sweet kid.

with all of this sunshine going around, my ears have been craving certain tunes. sorry sufjan...your christmas album is finally being replaced. tomorrow i'll post more songs that have been replaying. today, i'll leave you with two:



this song never gets old to me...i just enjoy it more when sunshine is involved :)

a forever favorite of mine. so girly. so refreshing.

xoxo,

lady

the wacky and wonderful

*note: the majority of this blog post was written on Wednesday for the wacky and wonderful, but it was finished on Thursday. i never claimed to be early, kids.
wacky:

• when people baby talk their pets (didn't say it wasn't endearing, though)
• when you have to use a coed bathroom and a member of the opposite sex is waiting outside for you to finish. eesh. just awkward.
• the ball of hair that seems to collect underneath the arms of my jackets/coats.
• running into people i used to date. i never know if i should side hug, shake their hand, or give them a fist pound. if you figure it out, let me know.
• when you end up with the shopping cart that only wants to turn one way.
• when i have been hanging out with a friend and leave and then find a piece of food in my teeth or something. seriously, am i the only one that just tells the person?
• elevator rides with a person you don't know. do you say hi? do you wait? do you just ride in silence(well...except for that whole background Kenny G thing playing).

wonderful:

• the Dixie Chicks verson of "Landslide" say what you want, that stuff is GOOD.
• zumba on monday night. seriously...i love my class/students.
• the fact that the family and consumer science classes are baking this week. free baked goods!
•  a smile from a stranger.
• my sister, Jade, who is the most incredible mommy ever.
• the fact that tomorrow is jean day at school. ummm...yes, please.
• handwritten letters
• Adele. period.
• tonight, when i performed live with two sweet friends. and most importantly, all the sweet friends who came out to support. so blessed, i am.

xoxo,

lady

Life. Love. and...ahem...Lent.

hello.hello.

we hope you all are doing well, this fine Fat Tuesday. we had a king cake at school today and i found it particularly funny (and somewhat endearing) when some of my colleagues excitedly cut their piece of cake to see if a plastic baby would be revealed. it is the little things, folks. (literally, in this instance).

things i am loving recently: the color yellow in trees and plants. when sunshine is creeping through grey clouds. decaf coffee (i know you think i'm nuts, but i think it is the best thing ever: flavor without the jitters later. my baristas now just mark decaf. ha).

now on to more pressing matters. L-e-n-t.

i really enjoy participating in Lent. it is such a beautiful display of the faithfulness of the Lord and his inspiring life. i have been teetering back and forth with what to do this year. two years ago i gave up sonic drinks. living in a small town, that was one of the hardest things to give up because it was my treat to myself. i didn't carry sodas in my apt, but my daily trip to sonic gave me my fix. even though i didn't have one myself, i still continued to run to sonic for my colleagues. it was such a great way to serve others, and i must say i didn't swerve in my 40 days. last year, i gave up driving to school. it was about a 20 minute walk each way and was a great time to get ready/decompress for the day. (my students swore i needed to give up giving tests. ha). this year i have been very convicted of selfishness and vanity. it is easy to get suckered into both of these. i was toying with the idea of giving up makeup for 40 days. how freeing! then...this weekend happened. i purged my closet of a lot of clothes, shoes, and bags. put 'em in a huge laundry basket to take off. a friend of mine saw them and said, "you're giving those away?! that is probably as many clothes as i own." shamefully, i thought about my two closets back in my apt bursting at the seams. so...i will continue to rock the makeup...but for 40 days...no shopping. none. zilch. nada. i am really excited about this prospect. not only the money i will be saving for a month, but hopefully the extra time and attention on things that truly matter. plus, there's the whole being content and donning self-control thing, too. it just really hasn't helped what with my living beside a shopping mall. :) but friends, do not fret, for i am perfectly happy with accompanying you on your shopping endeavors. i hear i am pretty good with advice and finding some of the best deals around.

another thing that i am working on during this season of Lent is my prayer life. it has been somewhat lacking in the whole "praying-for-others-besides-my-family" department. i have found a way to remedy that. i have written down 40 names of friends and aquaintances. cut them into strips and placed them in a jar. each day i am going to pick a name from the jar. and that day, that person shall be covered in prayer by me. i am really looking forward to these upcoming intimate moments with my Father. what a precious gift for me.

hope you are having a lovely tuesday. stay warm tonight.

xoxo,

lady

p.s. today's outfit. let's hear it for grainy iphoniness :)

on me: it was a good day for Old Navy: dress, cardi, and scarf. belt, Target. clogs, Seychelles.

the recent

as my friend rhonda said, "this week deserves two weekends and a free bottle of wine."

tired.
about 10 shades of tired. i am sure you know what i mean. school and sickness and just general lack of sleep are my major contributors. (note to self: bedtimes should still be implemented at my age).

i have recently been having a love affair with The Civil Wars. don't know who i am talking about? take a gander.

"poison and wine" isn't that harmony divine?

my personal favorite "i want you back." a cover of the jackson 5 song.

now. a couple of my threads from the past couple of days.

the look that dubbed me "professor simmons" on wednesday by my kiddos. it is a bit androgynous, however i softened it a bit with an audrey hepburn up 'do...or i tried to, at least. these pics are taken post-school. check out how that up 'do is holding: fuzztastic.

On me: Corduroy jacket, American Eagle. Oversized T, Gap (Product RED). Skinny Cords, Old Navy. Shoes, F21. i must say that the shoes are probably my favorite part of my outfit, even though the kiddos asked it i had a date at a bowling alley after school. thehehe. these kiddos really know me.

yesterday:

i'm not sure about you, but i am SO ready for spring. i decided to bring out a fun floral dress to show my support for the season. it is almost sundress weather; girls, get excited. 

Dress, thrifted. Cardigan, Old Navy. Necklace, F21. Shoes, Apostrophe by Primark (ready to get my tail back to England. sure miss shopping there)

have a great weekend.

xoxo,

lady

the wacky and wonderful

happy hump day, y'all.

i decided to start a fun, midweek segment sharing things that i find wacky and wonderful.

wacky:

• my hair these past few mornings. i never claimed to be dull, kids.
• this weather! seriously, it needs to make up it's mind; i've been humming "hot n cold" by katy perry this whole week.
• charlie sheen (do i honestly need to explain this one?)
• and let's just add to this list: everyone's obsession with the wackiness of charlie sheen
• old british ladies. seriously, i think they should also double up in the wonderful category; however, anyone who can make a four-lettered word seem refined is pretty wacky (and wonderful) in my book.
• most people's inability to match socks (ummm...guilty)

wonderful:

• girls: do yourself a favor and go to sephora and snatch (then buy) fairy drops scandal queen mascara. i bought it this past weekend, and let me just stay...new staple in my makeup bag. great curl, great hold. SUPER fun brush.
• the fact that my kiddos called me professor simmons today (will post outfit pics later on).
• spring...is...so...close...
• learning a new language.
• blueberry muffins.
• sondre lerche and freshly brewed tea
• reading in the bath and being entirely engrossed in the book to the point that you do not notice you're freezing. (true story from last week)
• oh and speaking of katy perry: the fact that she owns a cat and named it kitty purry. um...loves.

xoxo,

lady





playing catch-up

hello, lovies. hope you all are having a swell tuesday.

i am one tired lady. i know i have been playing catch-up all day. and tonight i have two more to do: catch up on sleep and this lil blog of mine.

friday was a super fun day filled with Best Friend, the first manicure OF MY LIFE, indian food, retail therapy, then hanging out with Best Friend and Starbucks Boyfriend.

saturday was a lazy day around the apt. de lady, aside from the fact that i made the best stirfry of all time. later i went to juanitas to celebrate my good friend lauren's 21st birthday (note, this was actually the 5th anniversary of her 21st...)

one of my favorite outfits of the weekend:

it should be noted that these lime green tights made my mother cringe in real life. :)

i love colour  (yes, i realize i am in arkansas, not england. i just think it is lovelier spelled that way. booya.). i basically constructed this outfit from the tights up. just a tip that i go by: wear one thing that is bright, then mute everything else. hence, why i went with a cream dress and colored cardi.

dress, target. scarf, f21. cardi, target. belt, thrifted. tights, h&m. clogs, calvin klein via plato's closet.

moving right along...

i found myself in little rock yesterday afternoon running errands before my zumba class when i realized a travesty: i hadn't been to anthropologie in a shamefully long time. so, i went in and cruised through that bargain closet of theirs and found a couple of favourites (i know...oy, with the british spelling already!)

...this is what i had on when i went in... one of my favorite anthro sweaters paired with a homemade broom skirt(courtesy of my nanny) and one of my favorite staples: my leopard flats.

ummm...these shorts are super presh, not necessarily on me...just in general. i love the green and navy with a hint of pink around the belt. slap and oversized top, some tights underneath, and some slouchy boots, and you have yourself a fantastic weekend getup.

orange and plaid never worked so well together. i love this pencil skirt. wish i could have taken a photo from behind so you could see the draping detail.

so, there is my anthropologie dressing room photo shoot. isn't shopping by yourself just heavenly at times? :)

xoxo,

lady