Here's What...

Seriously...it's September 30th already.  It seems like the month flew by, but the weeks dragged for me.  Anyone else feeling similar!?!  It's time for another edition of What Up Wednesday with Mel at The Larson Lingo, Sheaffer from Pinterest Told Me To and Shay at Mix and Match Family!

Here's What...

What I'm eating this week...
Pretty much this...just this.  Cooked The Larson Lingo's 3 ingredient tacos in the crock pot on Sunday and have been eating it in a variety of ways ever since!

What I'm reminiscing about...

On September 11th  I posted a story about my sister and I being tourists in NYC just three short weeks before the towers fell.  I have been thinking about that day a lot lately.  That was the last time (14 years ago!) that I was a "tourist" in the city.  I've been to the city probably more than a hundred times since then, but it's always with a purpose.  I've gone to shows and concerts and lunches and dinners...and then just hopped right back on a train home.  I need to go in for an day and just explore.  My sister could hardly believe it when I told her I have never stepped foot in Central Park!  HA!!  There's so much there I want to do!  I need to make that a priority...and soon.  The city is gorgeous in the fall!

What I'm loving....

This month, hands down, it's been my Chromecast!!  I just love it.  I have been binge-watching series like crazy!!

What I've been up to...

Honestly, just trying to get my ass back into school mode!!  And it has been soooo hard!!  I don't know what it is, I just can't seem to get into this year yet...a schedule that isn't quite working for me may be to blame!  And it's already week five people!  #thestruggleisREAL

What I'm dreading...

TESTING next week for the kids brings lots of changes to the schedule.  Kids come into the library and take their tests with me.  I'll likely miss my preps next week.  Boooooo.....that's always dreadful!!

What I'm working on...

I've decided that I want to implement centers into library.  This is my fourth year in the library and for 4 years I've been saying I would do it and it never got off the ground.  But starting in October, we're doing centers.  For the last two weeks, I have been working on finding them, cutting the components out and laminating.  And figuring out how I want to work it all with my K-4 students.  It's a lot to consider and so much to do when working with so many classes.

What I'm excited about...

Another round of Create28 starts tomorrow!{Check out A Lovely Little Wardrobe for more info and to join!} AND the 5 day Clean Eating Crock Pot challenge begins on October 5th! {Head on over to A Little Bit of Cheer for more!} Super excited for both.

What I'm watching/reading...

I still haven't started The Diary of Ann Frank like I said I was going too, but it's on the to-do list! Maybe because between my ChromeCast and all the shows premiering, I've been watching way too much TV!  Loving that all my faves have returned!  I've only tried one new show so far....Quantico....and I freaking LOVED it!!

What I'm listening to...

The Voice Blind Auditions!  There are so many great artists this season.  I am seriously considering making myself and itunes playlist of all the songs.  I also really like this group of coaches together!

What I'm wearing....

Back to my usual work clothes! So it's been a mix of slacks and tops in different combos!  Still warm here most days, so I can still wear my ankle pants and sandals.  Case in point...yesterday's look!

What I'm doing this weekend...

No plans yet actually....but I envision a little wine drinking, a little book reading and a little binge watching!! #solitarylifeatitsfinest

What I'm looking forward to next month...

My town's Fall Festival!  I had such a great time last year...I can't wait to go back again.  Fingers crossed it's a beautiful day!!  I am also looking forward to posting my first individual piece as a contributor to The Blended Blog!  Be on the look out for it!!

What else is new...

Not much!  I feel like I've been in a rut this month.  I didn't blog much and wasn't out as often as I have been.  Hoping I can snap out of it for October!!

Can't wait to see what ya'll have been up to this month!!

Have a great Wednesday!!  Whooo hooo...Friday's getting closer!

Favorite Fall Scarves

Excited to be joining Erika and Andrea today for their Favorite Thing series.

Today it's Fall scarves!! My faves are pretty old but will be in heavy rotation again this season.

The blanket scarf I wore on the blog no less than a million times last fall, I'll be wearing once again.  I just love it.  (Even though my family makes fun of it...calling it the BLARF!!)

Another fall fave is this one...it's just perfect for fall...lightweight for these transition days and great fall colors!  Can wear it now with a tank and later with a sweater!

This scarf is still available at Nordstrom.

I feel like the leopard scarf is pretty seasonless, but I pull it out over and over in the Fall.  Everyone needs a leopard scarf...leopard makes everything better!!

So these are my oldies but goodies!  But that's not to say I haven't picked up a set of newbies for Fall 2015.  

This one is on it's way home to me, after seeing it online for only 10 bucks!

And I found the all illusive mustard scarf....FINALLY!!!

 Andrea featured it a few days ago.  It also introduced me to the really cool online/insta shop Posh My Gosh.  Love it!  I also got a purple one too.  Can't wait for them to arrive!  And I will definitely be buying more from them in the future.

I can't wait to wear these scarves this fall...now if only the weather would start to cooperate.  Mother Nature, bring on the cooler temps!!!!

More looks in these scarves and a few more favorites can be found here!

A Saturday Special Edition

So I pretty much haven't blogged in over a week.  I had a fairly busy week and when I thought about posting, I didn't think anything I was going to write was too pressing that it couldn't wait!  So instead, I indulged in premiere week and wine!

But today I'm back!  If you have been reading the blog for a while or follow me on Instagram, you know that I enjoy supporting causes, Both monetarily and fashionably. {Check out Dressed for a Cause here!} So when I was asked to support a cause through blogging, I jumped at it.

Today is Mesothelioma Awareness Day. It's a day dedicated to spreading awareness about this deadly but preventable form of cancer that is caused by the spread of airborne asbestos fibers. Years ago no one knew how deadly asbestos was when it was being used at construction sites in numerous consumer products.  About 3000 people each year are diagnosed with mesothelioma.  Asbestos is now banned on 60 countries, but NOT yet in the United States and Canada!!


A few facts about Mesothelioma: 

Those who are most at risk include veterans, tradesmen, and industrial workers, and their families.  Today I am supporting Mesothelioma day in honor of  Heather Von St. James.  Heather was exposed to asbestos as a young girl by wearing her father's work jacket to do outside chores.

Heather is a mom and fellow blogger, who was diagnosed with mesothelioma 9 years ago.  At that time she was given only 15 months to live if she did not have any treatment. But with the help of a surgery that involved a heated chemo solution and the removal of her left lung, she is now a SURVIVOR...almost 10 years strong!  Heather now works to spread awareness with her husband Cameron and the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance.

 I'll aslo be rocking the color blue today!  Won't you consider it too??

Katie

*Thanks Cameron for reaching out!*

Friday! Friday!!

Another Friday I can get excited about!  This was the first full week of school...and it was LONG!!  I'm glad it's over!!  Happy Hour calls!

It was a relatively quiet week.  Here are some of my favorites...

Got lots of Happy Snail Mail this week!!  And the UPS man at school took my return package...woo hoo!!  That was actually a favorite too!  HA!!

My sweet blogger friend Leslie shared this book with me this week!  After she wrote about it as Part of her Summer Slide Series , I shamefully told her I don't think I ever read it!!  Eeeekkkk... I can't wait to start it this weekend!  So kind Leslie! Thank you!!

I also got my KEEP Collective order in the mail this week.  My sister had a KEEP "Social" last Friday night and the orders already arrived this week.  I am really happy with what I got.  I already want more charms, or Keys as they are called!!

I am obsessed with my Chromecast!  I have not watched cable all week.  Partly because I can only reach the one HDMI cable on the side of my TV and partly because, like I said I'm obsessed with it!! I;m really happy I got it...and it was such a good deal!  I'm watching everything...Bloodline, Ray Donovan, plan on finishing The Newsroom and House of Cards!

Speaking of Bloodline, I started it...and finished it this week!  It's a Netflix original. Any Netflix show I've watched, I enjoyed!! AWESOME...totally crazy!!  I highly recommend watching it.  And i just love Kyle Chandler.  #cleareyesfullheartscantlose!   Side Note: Yesterday was Kyle Chandler's birthday so the Today show posted this!  :) Love FNL!!

Netflix

This week I also took the Lucky 7 Challenge.  Back in March of this year, a local reporter for a news station in NYC, Lisa Colagrossi, died suddenly of a brain aneurysm on the way back to the studio after shooting a live shoot!.  Her husband has set up a foundation in her name to raise awareness and help save lives.  He wants to spread the word on social media to help reach people all over the nation!  Everyone who donates $7 should then nominate 7 friends to do the same!  I nominated my family and friends via FB.  Find out more about the Lucky 7 challenge here! When I was younger a friend lost her mom to a brain aneurysm It would be great if even one of my followers took the challenge too!

WABC

Have a great weekend!!  Enjoy it.  It continues to be summer-like still!  Now that I am back to work I just want it to get cool already...I want to pull out my riding boots skinny jeans and sweaters!

Katie

Linking up for all the Friday Fun with:

Erika, Andrea, and Narci for Friday Favorites 

Jennie for Friday Favorites

Just about the only thing I wore this summer!

Last summer I did a What I Wore this Summer Recap!  I wanted to do the same this year.  But I discovered I really only wore one thing..over and over and over again!!

It was this...a super cheapo Target tank!  That I kind of wish I had in every color!!  :)  I got this tank last year!  I wore it a bunch this summer too!!  I wore these outfits again a few times and paired this tank with some new bottoms!

I wore this with my leopard shorts, my camo pants and just with plain ol' yoga pants when I was walking around town!  I probably averaged once or twice a week in this tank this summer!!  LOL

I tried to find it again just because I wanted it in different colors and I love it so much!  NO LUCK!!  This is such a basic...but I love it!!!

If you want to see more of me in this tank follow me on insta!!  I'm at @missmitch2

Do you have a wardrobe basic you love? Let me know in the comments below!!

Have a great Wednesday...Friday is so close!!!!

Linking up today too with:

Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy

Sarah at Tucker up

Madeline at Cappuccino and Fashion

Happiness at Mid Life

Foodie Winos!

This weekend my bestie, Mel  and I went to the 2nd annual Rockville Centre Food and Wine Festival.  It was so much fun!  It was held right out in front of the train station and Cathedral.  So basically just the perfect place!  HA!

I arrived off the train...well me and a hundred other people! And met up with Mel right when it started.  The line to get in was pretty long, but eventually we made it in.  Tents were set up around the perimeter, with food vendors.  Then within that that,  were wine and beer tents.  We got the V.I.P. package so we got 12 drink tickets, and a souvenir glass and a bag of freebies on the way out.

It was food and wine overload.  But everything was sooo good!!  We ate sliders, Mexican, Meatballs!  Mel ate some popcorn, I tried some sushi! We tried a few samples of the beer, than spent the rest of our drink tickets on two  (full) glasses of wine, while we listened to the music.  Sometimes a DJ, sometimes a guy on a guitar...my fave!

The weather was really good for the day...cloudy, not too hot.  And for the most part it stayed dry...until it didn't!!  When it started raining, we went under the V.I. P. tent to stay dry.  #that'showweroll!  We waited out the rain under the tent for a little, enjoying the music, thinking the rain would stop.  When it didn't, we thought, "a little rain never hurt anybody",  So we headed to a bar nearby to get a drink before I headed home.  We were having such a fun time chatting it up with all the other food and winos who were escaping the rain, that I didn't get on my intended train home.

When I finally got on a train, it was late!!  Booo!!  So I ended up missing my connecting train on the other side!  Double boo!  It was raining and I was cold, but I was watching Bloodline on my phone, so it was all good!! Side note: I'm obsessed with Bloodline!  Anyone else??  I already finished the season...it's a must watch!!  Totally CRAY!!

What a great day!  I love that my bestie and I live in such fun towns!  And we do such fun things!!  I can't wait to go back again next year!!

Some pics from the day!!

The cathedral is getting redone on the outside!  I thought this was a really cool pic with the scaffolding and the dark clouds rolling in!  We felt sorry for the people at five o'clock mass who were probably hearing the music and chaos!

Pouring Rain...This guy was really good!!

Mel and her swan cream puff!

Photo booth fun!

Parting gifts!

Happy Tuesday!

Linking up today for:

Weekending with B Loved Boston and Champagne & Suburbs& Monday Madness with Ashley at A Cute Angle

Transitioning a summer dress to Fall

I'm so excited to be participating in The Blended Blog's very first Blog Hop today!  Every Monday throughout the fall, we will be highlighting how to transition summer clothes to fall, with all sorts of items.  Those of you who "hopped" on over from Shaunacey's  blog, Welcome!  I'm so happy to have you! Today I'm sharing how to transition a summer staple, the striped dress, to fall.

So many people I know are packing away their summer clothes to get ready for these colder months.  I don't do that.  I try to buy clothes that I can wear across the seasons.  It saves money and allows me to do some mixing and matching...which is half the fun.

I wore my striped dress all summer long with sandals and my cons!

 I have a few looks in mind for fall!

First up, I'm pairing this dress with a leopard infinity scarf and riding boots. Love leopard and stripes together. This is a good "wear now" look.   I'd bring with me a mustard or maroon cardigan and throw it on if I got chilly as day turned to night.  I like this look a lot...this might have to be a fall go-to!

Next, I thought I'd wear this with my military jacket, a long necklace, and booties.

This dress is a bit on the shorter side...I'm thinking this would look cute with a cropped military jacket, too!

I am so ready for FALL!!  I hope you've gotten some great ideas about how to transition your striped dress this fall!  I'd love for you to share with me a look you might try or how you'd transition this dress in the comments below!  

And don't forget to hop on back to The Blended Blog next week to see what Sarah, Leslie, and Alison are styling!  We'll have you all set this season!

Have a great week!

Katie

YAY for Friday!!

UGH...what a week!!  I just can't get into this school year!  It's been really tough...it's been in the 90's, I've sweat so much I've lost three pounds and I'm really not liking people!!  I am admittedly a grump!!  Now that it's school and I have to be at work, I just want it to just be Fall already. Bring on the cooler temps!!

But even in the worst weeks, there's still something to smile about!  Here's five faves...

{ONE}

My most favorite thing that happened this week??
The Blended Blog! went LIVE on Wednesday!   Find out more about it here! I can't wait to start contributing to posts!  We have lots of fun in store... Join us!!

{TWO}

Another one of my absolute faves of this week, was the day I spent on Saturday...DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!  Woo hoo...I wrote about it here!

{THREE}

Been loving my Tervis cups this week!  I got a few in Florida while visiting my parents in May. If you are a follower on instagram, you know I've had issues with bugs landing in my drinks while I sat outside.  Well duh! Why haven't I been using my Tervis cups more?? They're awesome... they keep cold things cold and hot drinks hot, and with the tops on, bugs outta my wine!! Here's one of my faves!

{FOUR}

I got a Stitch Fix on Wednesday!  I don't get them very often but I was really happy with my fix this time!  I ended up keeping two of the five items, but did love everything.  Two of the other items were too similar to things already in my closet to justify the keep, and the third item, while I did love it, it was a petite top, so I didn't love the fit!  I am petite in pants only!! Can't wait for you to see the first thing I kept on  Monday.  The Blended Blog is having a Blog Hop and I am joining!  Come on back for that!

{FIVE}

Today is September 11th...hard to believe it's been 14 years since our world was changed forever!  As a New Yorker, this day holds such significance.  It's hard for me to fathom, that these young kids I teach only know about September 11th via the history books!  And while this day will never ever be a favorite anything, I thought I'd share this picture of my sister and I.  Because it certainly is one of my favorite photos ever!

This was us...on top of the World Trade Center on August 16th, 2001.  

And the funny thing was...we weren't even supposed to be there.  We went into the city for the day to go see the Today Show on the Plaza. YES...we had our 15 minutes of fame!  HA!  (And can I just say Ann Curry was our fave!!)  Then we headed to the World Trade Center.  We went to Windows on the World and listened while Tracy Byrd (a country artist), gave a lunchtime concert.  Following that, we headed to the New York Stock Exchange, where my Brother-in-Law worked.  He wanted to get us on "the floor" but since we were in sneakers and tees, we thought we were too casual!  So instead we headed back to World Trade and decided we'd buy tickets to go all the way to the top.  Because we thought..."really when are we ever going to to have the chance again!?!?  Turns out we never will...less than a month later, the towers fell!
My sister and I were not together on September 11th.  But I am forever grateful we had this day weeks before.  Much like the events of September 11th,  it's a day that neither one of us will ever forget!!

Today I hope you get to spend the day in the company of those you love. I'll be doing the same...and saying a prayer for the thousands who lost their lives that day and the families who miss them!


Have a great weekend!!

Linking up for all the Friday Fun with:

Erika, Andrea, and Narci for Friday Favorites 

September Farm and The Farmer's Wife for Oh Hey, Friday!

April and the girls for Five on Friday

Jennie for Friday Favorites

Caitlin and the girls for High Five for Friday

  

Random Thursdays...

I just love random Thursdays!  Random posts are so solitary life!  I thought since yesterday was the launch of The Blended Blog and the third anniversary of The Mishaps and Mayhem of a Solitary Life, I'd keep the celebration going with a second installment of my FAVORITE POST EVER!! You might live a Solitary Life if...

It's sorta like "You might be a redneck if..." but with my own Solitary spin!  Observations on Solitary Life if you will!!

You might live a Solitary Life if....

• You greatest accomplishment this summer was keeping the orchids alive that students gave you on the last day of school.

• Wine and Cheese is dinner!
  

• You've thought to yourself, "if I only had more spoons, I'd really never have to run the dishwasher"!

• In your fridge...there's more BEER than FOOD!

• Your washing machine doubles as a hamper!

• You thought this was a photo op:

• And you recognize the wrong in this... #oreofail
  

• You only get the mail when you KNOW something's in there!  Who needs to get the mail anymore??  I pay all my bills online!

• You've legitly cried to your dad on the phone that your Chromecast was an HDMI and NOT a USB like you thought!  (He didn't really wanna hear it...he told me he had to go and pack the car! Florida calls...)

•  Selfies are all you take these days!
  

• You've spent entire days reading and tanning and tanning and reading...and thought it was perhaps THE BEST DAY EVER!

• You have #TGIT Premiere Night written in your planner and yet it's been days since you've actually turned on the TV!

• This has been you on a Saturday Night:

#singlegirlssaturdaynightin

• You spent the last 3 months with  no overhead lights in your bedroom because you can't reach them to change the burnt out light bulbs.  You've thought about calling your dad to bring the tall ladder and change them for you but....that would require a "good"  cleaning of your bedroom...and you're just not up to that!  

• After 7 hours at a party you've thought to yourself...this is too much people-ing!  I need Wine and my Couch...and nothing else for the next two days! LOL

  

  via
  lol...I kid! I kid!  

• And then there's this....
  

These posts are so my fave!! 

Have a great Thursday!

Linking up with Vanessa and Penny Today!!

The Blended Blog is finally here!  Check it out!