What's on...My Nightstand!

I know this is my second post of the day...but I'm not missing this!!
It's another What's On... Link-up with {Andrea} at Momfessionals. YAY!

My nightstand is pretty tiny so there's not room for much!

The staples.... 

My lamp and telephone!  The lamp is really there so that at night I don't have to get back up to shut off the big light!  Ha!  And is there for when I read!  And the telephone is there, right next to my head, in case of emergencies.  Cause if it rang in the middle of the night, I'd know for sure there was a problem!  One person has my land line number, and that's my mom!

My Gratitude Journal: I got the idea for a gratitude journal from this post {Shay} did over at {Every Day Cheer} and I've been keeping one this year!

I also have a blog book that I use to write blog post ideas on, link-ups and names of new blogs I've discovered!  I don't open this one everyday but I like knowing  that it's close when I need it!

My iPad...it's sitting there right now, but honestly is dead.  Ever since I got my iPhone, I use that much more!

Cream, a nail file, and my watch...

Last but not least...the little elephant my mom gave me when I moved out! So I "never forget" where I came from!

Usually I have a stack of books too, but I just returned them to the library! :)

Have a great week everyone!
Katie

My Life in Lists...Books! Books! Books!

Last week I had all intentions of linking up for the My Life in Lists Linky Party with Marci and Kelli...but I never got a chance to!  So before this week gets away from me...I am getting my list down!  Because this week, the List is PERFECT for me!!  List books you think your followers definitely should read.

I can totally do that!

If you've been following the blog you know my absolute favorite book is Wonder by R.J. Palacio.  It's considered a kid's book but I think every human being should read it! It is a wonderful book about overcoming challenges and finding yourself.  Read more about my love for the book {here}!

Another book I love, love, love, IS a children's book.  In fifth grade I read the book From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Franweiler by E. L Konigsburg and fell in love with it.  When I graduated college and started building up my classroom library for teaching, I read another book by the same author, The View From Saturday, and I liked this one even better...reading it as an adult!

Any book by Nicholas Sparks is a winner but I love The Notebook!  I will admit I watch all the movies too, but as you know...the books are always better!!

As with Nicholas Sparks, I really also enjoy all of Emily Giffin's novels.  If you haven't read any books of hers yet, start with Something Borrowed.  It's her first.  And as you read her novels you'll find that characters from previous ones pop up in others, so it's good to start from the beginning. (But you definitely don't HAVE to!)

The Pact by Jodi Picoult was a lot to take in...and is one I will never forget. A MUST READ!

Since this blog is called the Mishaps and Mayhem of a Solitary Life, I thought I'd also include The Everygirl's Guide to Life by Maria Menounos   I have this book dog-eared  and post-ited up!  Lots of good tips for organizing your home, health and LIFE!  I guess I could also include the books He's Just Not That Into You and How to Date Cute Boys,  too, I suppose but I won't...lol.

The Deep End of the Ocean I loved!  I will fully admit I read it because it was Oprah's first ever Book Club selection, but let me tell you...that lady knew how to pick 'em!  This one I could not put down and it has stayed with me!

Big Russ and Me by Tim Russert was a great book!  I read this following the death of Tim Russert in 2008.  I am not really sure why I was so affected by his death but I absolutely was.  HE WAS Meet the Press...the voice of that show that always came on on Sunday Mornings.  As I read this book I could also hear that voice.  And I really like reading memoirs...I read all of Michael J. Fox, and the hilarious Chelsea Handler books, just to name a few.  All very different obviously, but I enjoyed them just the same!

P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern....totally balled!!  If you love a good tear-jerker...

Not being a typical Stephen King reader, I ended up getting the novel 11/22/63 because I really like all things Kennedy (again I'm not really sure why...I guess you can see by this list, I'm very eclectic!  HA!).  This was a long book, but I loved the spin he put on the Kennedy assassination and could not put it down...I probably read all almost 900 pages in 5 days!!  EKKKK...it was just that good!!


Some of My favorite Series are probably yours too...

Harry Potter...I just loved that wizard and getting my book straight from Amazon on the day it came out every year marked "For Muggles Only" was a totally highlight!! HA!
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Series: LOVE!  I loved the girls and saw a little bit of me in each of them!
The Hunger Games Trilogy I love the books AND the movies!!


Clearly I could go on and on with this list! But I won't...It is Cinco de Mayo after all and I've got a date...with Jose (Cuervo that is!!)   But I hope you found something new here that you might wanna try!  All the links above are from Amazon, and I have the physical copies of each myself, but what librarian wouldn't tell you to head to the library to pick one up soon!  :)  And link up your fave reads {here} I can't wait to read a boatload of books this summer...help me add to my list!!


I'll end with a funny...

Happy Summer Reading!!
Katie

A Peek at the Week!

It's always a long week back at work after the Spring Break but lots of fun stuff helped make it a little more bearable!

ONE:

My blog was nominated for a Liebster Award!  Pretty cool!  Read about it {here}!  Thanks Carrie!  Go check her blog out at A Lovely Little Wardrobe!!

TWO:

Last Friday night, I won a $20 Gift Certificate to one of my faves!  Piper Street ran an anniversary giveaway on Facebook.  To be entered, you had to comment about your favorite Piper Street item.  I so totally heart giveaways so I commented and received the last gift of the day!  WOO HOO!!

Check out Piper Street {here}

THREE:

On Sunday my mom threw a Tea Party at her house for her four granddaughters!  I was invited too!  It was really super cute and my nieces were soooo excited!  They drank out of their tea cups with their pinkies in the air and munched on cute finger sandwiches!  My mom worked really hard and everything was fabulous.  My sisters and I had a great time too!  

FOUR:

I know I've probably overloaded my Friday 5's with too much Jimmy Fallon love, but I seriously need to include this!  HILARIOUS!!  I DVR Jimmy every night (I JUST LOVE HIM!) but I was actually awake for this one and was laughing hysterically! And I love that Emma Stone sang Hook! My college friend Jana always called me Hook, (I don't really remember why, maybe because I rocked at singing this song!!  Yea...I'll go with that!!) And it made me remember that!  All I Do is Win was insane too!

FIVE:

It's May...and it's time to get Pin-spired!  Go check out what I've pinned and recreated this month {here}! I kinda rocked it! HA!

Have a Happy Friday!

Cheers, 

Katie

Linking up with Darci and the girls for 5 on Friday
Lauren Elizabeth for High 5 for Friday
Style Elixir for Friday's Fab Favorites

MAY DAY! MAY DAY! It's time for another Pinspired!

Linking up with Shay, Sheaffer, and Mel once again!

After Pinterest Told Me Me To featured pink skinnies in her March Pinspired post, I started pinning outfits with...you guessed it...pink skinnies, to help me style them!  As I sat down to write this post and scope out my Pin-spired board on Pinterest, I found that I had pinned this...

{source}

I knew that this had to be my Pinspired look this month!  I could totally rock my own version of this, with a new top I JUST got from Piper Street!  YAY!!

My exact jeans are Vigoss from Nordstrom and are sold out...which I kinda figured was gonna happen, which is why I was thinking Spring when I bought these in early March during a snowstorm! HA!  There lots of pink skinnies but {these} are similar and the most affordable!

a close up of the detail on the top!

{get it here}

I really liked this and can't wait to wear it this spring and summer!

See you next month!  Fingers crossed I can put my spin on all the short outfits I've been pinning!

Have a great weekend!!

Katie

WWIW: Style Challenge Post #3

As I sit down to write this post, I'm thinking to myself...what did I wear this week? I feel like I strayed a lot during the challenge and feel like I might be missing some pictures!  But I'll post what I have!  It's so hard to believe that we are in the final week of the challenge!

Wednesday's Challenge Outfit I actually wore to lunch on Friday!  I discovered that I totally love this black and white top (Target).

the bright cardigan is loft from YEARS ago...I am the QUEEN of Cardis!

Piper Street Statement Necklace, no longer available in mint but coral {here}

AE Jeans

Target Leopard Flats

Thursday's outfit was so simple and I really liked it!  I jazzed it up two ways!  With a floral infinity scarf and statement necklace!

When I got home from lunch Friday, I found my 4th maxi in my mailbox. And guess what???  This one doesn't have to GO BACK!!  WOO HOO!!

So this was actually the Friday Challenge outfit...

Target Tank {similar}

bauble bar necklace

Chevron Maxi- Jane.com (no longer available but keep an eye out!)

As I did last weekend, I'm saving this weekend's challenge outfits! I didn't photograph my outfit Saturday! (WHAT WAS I THINKING!!  HA!)  And on Sunday, since I was invited to a Tea Party my mom threw for all her granddaughters, I had to wear a party dress!  This is my version of a "tea party dress", when it's still in the 40's! :(

I should've worn the nude flats!

This is a really old dress from Forever 21, but I love it and will have it forever!!

Week 3 began Monday...We are in the home stretch!  And I went back to work! Boo!  Monday called for the white jeans and the black and white top again and a scarf.  Here's how I switched it up for work!

I didn't wear the scarf because of the lace on the shirt!

Loft tank

Loft Marissa Cropped Pants

Tuesday was another maxi day! And again being in the 40's and raining, I didn't wear it!  BUT...when I got home from work, {this} maxi was at my door! And it's a WINNER!!!!  Shout out to Sarah for steering me in the right direction with this one...helping a fellow "shortie" out!!  Stay tunes for a pic of me in it next week!!

That's all for this week! Next Wednesday will be the LAST challenge post!  See my previous WWIW Challenge Posts {here} and {here}! You'll see links to some of the same pieces I posted today!

Have a great rest of the week!

Katie

Now go check out these lovlies!

Deena @ Shoes to Shiraz
Jordan @ Just Jordan
Shaunacey @ Confessions of a Frumpy Mummy
Beth @ Fast Life Slow Life
Vanessa @ X-tremely V
Anne-Michelle @ May We Be Allergy Free

Teresa @ Two Babies and Me
Sarah @ Foxy's Domestic Side
Carrie @ A Lovely Little Wardrobe
Carly @ Faith Family and Frugality
Lana @ Two Teens and their Mama 


Linking up for I feel pretty with Alison at Get Your Pretty On; Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday; Because Shanna said So & Sarah @ Tucker Up.

Good News!

I am so excited about this!!!  I just found out that I was nominated for a Liebster Award by Carrie at A Lovely Little Wardrobe. The Liebster Award is an award given to new bloggers who have less than 200 (others say 500...I'll use both!) followers, to help them discover new blogs and grow their following!

Thank you Carrie, so very much for this!!  HOW FUN!! Very sweet of you to include me!  Much appreciated!  Go check out her blog!

I found Carrie's blog upon joining the Spring Style Me Challenge and she is one of the bloggers who decided to link up each week to showcase our outfits during the challenge! She is so stylish and puts together outfits in many different ways...all from the clothes in her closet!  She is on a self-imposed shopping stall for the year!  I'm so jealous...I spend way too much on clothes!  I must remember this for 2015!!  She is also a military spouse!  A huge thanks to her husband for his service to our country!


There's lots of information online about The Liebster award and it's rules but here's the gist of what I have to do:

1. Write a post about the award, thanking the blogger who nominated me! Thanks Again Carrie!
2. Post 11 interesting facts about myself.
3.  Answer the 11 questions Carrie posted for me!
4.  Nominate 11 bloggers for the award...with 200/500 followers or less!
5.  Post 11 questions for my nominees to answer.

Here goes nothing...

11 interesting facts about me:
 I was born two months premature and because of this, developed cerebral palsy.

For PT when I was younger, I rode a horse named Shane...I'll never forget him.

I don't drive. (Iknow...I know...)

Coffee is an absolute NEED in the morning, without it, I get headaches!  Awful!

I am not ever FULLY awake until 10 a.m....ha!

I never wanted to be anything but a teacher when I grew up!

When my parents sold our family home to my sister and her husband a few years ago, I came with the house! LOL  She graciously let me stay in my "room sweet room" for awhile.  Luckily I have since moved out and bought a home of my own!

Some months my credit card bills are more than my mortgage....eeeekkkkk!!!

I watch way too much T.V.

I'd be nothing without my parents, and three older sisters.

I'll be o.k. if this solitary life is "it" for me...but I'll still be waiting for my Mr. Right in the meantime!


Carrie's Questions for ME!

1. Do you have a favorite Bible verse? If so, what is it and why?  Matthew 19:14  And Jesus said, Let the Little Children Come to me. A poster with this verse on it was the very first thing I bought for my classroom when I became a teacher.  It is now up  in my library and I think it personifies teaching, from our greatest teacher.
2. What is your favorite season of the year and why?  Summer is my favorite season.  I'm happiest when it's 85 and sunny and I have a TAN!!
3. What is your favorite color to wear?  I wear lots of purple but the 2 colors I am LOVING right now are coral and mint!
4. What is your favorite book or magazine?  My favorite book is Wonder by R. J. Palacio...it's a MUST READ!!  I've blogged about it here!
5. If you could travel to any destination in the world what would it be and why? There are so many places I want to go! But I'd say New Zealand and Australia just because I think they are beautiful! (Thank you, The Bachelor!)
6. Where and when was your favorite vacation?  I've been on so many fun vacations over the years and on a lot of cruises.  But my most fun vacation was a trip to Walt Disney World with my family in the early 90's.  i think I was 11. My dad had a conference there and we stayed at the Lake Buena Vista Hotel.  It was pretty new and so, so nice!  The best part about it...every night we got huge waffle cones from the hotel!  They were so yummy!  HA!  This was also my first time I remember being in Disney World.  I love it there...even now! 
7. What do you like to do in your free time? Hobbies? In my spare time  I like to shop online, go out to eat, hang with friends and family, read...and maybe have random dance parties in my living room!
8. What or who inspires you?  My Family inspires me.
9. Do you have a favorite restaurant or type of food?  Mexican Food, Italian, and BBQ are my favorites!  Right now my friends and family would probably say that my favorite restaurant is That MeetBall Place, it's a restaurant/bar in my town that opened up earlier this year that serves one of my favorite things...you guessed it...MEATBALLS!  And the jumbo hot pretzel as big as my head is not too bad either!! I am there all the time! 
10. What is your favorite type of music and favorite artist?  COUNTRY MUSIC!!!  Kenny Chesney is my fave...summer is just not the same without KENNY in concert.
11. Why did you start to blog?  I started this blog called the Mishaps and Mayhem of a Solitary Life becasue it took me 32 years to get my own place!  (CATHOLIC SCHOOL doesn't pay much people!  HA!)  And with that, comes those little everyday things that just happen.  I started the blog in 2012, but decided that 2014 would be the year, I'd jump full force into blogging.  I have added a few facets to it along the way, such as fashion posts and fun link-ups, but at its' heart it's still just about me...trying to navigate the ups and downs of this thing called LIFE!

11 Questions for my nominees:
1.  What one word best describes you?
2.  What's the best advice you ever received, from who?
3.  What's you're guilty pleasure show? 
4.  What's you're biggest pet peeve?
5.  What is something you never leave home without?
6.  Name something you treasure.
7.  What is your favorite movie?
8.  Morning person or night owl?
9.  What's your favorite accessory?
10. What song describes your life at the moment?
11. Why did you decide to start blogging?


Bloggers I'm nominating:
Four Sisters (found this blog through the Friday link-ups...it spoke to me!)
Loving, Crafting, & Cooking in the Country (A good friend of mine...and a much better blogger at that!)
A Light in the Closet  (Another fellow challenger!  Such a cool blog!)
See You in a Porridge (Super Cute!)
Peanut Butter Tales (Did you think I wouldn't love a blog with a title like this?!? HA!)
This Gingers Journey (A sweet girl who commented on my blog and who I've been reading ever since...we have the same taste in blogs too!)
Beyond the Gradebook (fellow teacher, lover of country music and books!..basically ME in another state!)
Hilary's Grace (a sweet and honest blog!)

Go check them all out!!

I hope you all take the time to participate too!  Please know I'm so glad I found your blogs, enjoy reading them and getting a peek into what makes you...YOU!


There is no physical Liebster award but the satisfaction of knowing my blog touched even one person, makes me feel grateful! And doing this was a lot of fun!


Have a happy week!
Katie

A Fab Friday Five!

ONE: 

Girls Chase Boys by Ingrid Michaelson

My new favorite song at the moment...it's been on repeat all week!!

TWO:

Rodan + Fields Foaming Sunless Tanner
Mel at The Larson Lingo is a R+F Consultant and I saw on Insta that she was running a cool special for their Essentials Sunless Foaming Tanner.  So me being me and a sucker for a deal, I bought it!! It's smells great, is a super light foam (which is both good and bad, because sometimes I can't tell where I put it!) and is not that expensive for a product that's not an over the counter!  And it's brown color showed up super fast...I had the color I was looking for after the second application! Oh and it dried QUICK, so no walking around the house necked for 30 minutes waiting for it to dry!  SCORE!!! Wish I had thought to take a before and after pic! HA!

THREE:
40 Bags in 40 Days Update!
Lent and Easter have now come and gone so I thought I'd share my progress with the Lenten Challenge. original post {here}
Did I get rid off 40 bags over the course of the 40 days? Yes, maybe even more.  But did I cross off everything on my list? Not even close!!!  I'm ok with it though.  I checked off many of the items on my list, and can keep it going!!  I'd still have a lot of unnecessary stuff around, if I hadn't challenged myself in the first place!


FOUR:
Camo Military Jacket

I received this camo military jacket from Anthropologie as a birthday gift in February, after seeing it on Pinterest Told Me To.  This week I've finally been able to bust it out because the weather's been warm enough...but not too warm!  I love it!  It's my third military jacket, which some might think is excessive, but seeing as all three are completely different, I do not!  I have been wearing it with everything!  The camo is understated and I am really liking mixing it with other prints!  I will be wearing this jacket all spring.  Mine is currently sold out but {here's} their current option!  The lace detail camouflages it!


FIVE:
Grey's Anatomy Music
I know this totally random, but is anyone as obsessed as me over the covers of the 80's tunes totally reworked on Grey's?  LIKE EVERY WEEK?? I mean really... Maneater, Every Little Thing She Does is Magic, Holiday, I Wanna Dance with Somebody...the list goes on and on.  Completely different and yet AWESOME!!  These days I'm more into the music than the storyline!!  But I will say I AM looking forward to watching Christina's Farewell episodes!!
This one was my FAVE!!

Check out more Grey's music in the ABC Music Lounge {here}!

Have a great weekend!

Katie

Linking up today with Darci, April, Christina, &Natasha for 5 on Friday

Lauren Elizabeth for High Five for Friday and Style Elixir for Friday's Fab Favorites.  

Go check them out!