I might have a problem....

When you're home on Spring Break, and not off on some exotic vacation, there's no excuse to put off the Spring Cleaning.  So that's what I've been doing!!  Cleaning out drawers, closets, under my bed, cleaning the closets, etc.  I find when I do this type of cleaning, I spend more time going through things and reminiscing.  I also realized that I may have a problem.  It's a jewelry problem.  I might have too much!!  Organizing my jewelry organizers this clicked!  HA!

This is one it's just two-sided!

This one is just for my bracelets and for larger pieces that I don't need to worry about getting tangled.

After organizing the hanging things, I headed over to organize the jewelry on my dresser!  I won this jewelry organizer form and tray, along with a bunch of Lia Sophia last year at my school's action.  I really love it!!  Pretty cool!!

This is my most reached for jewelry!

The other side of my dresser holds my old school jewelry box that I received as a gift years and years ago!  I very rarely open it.  But inside is my oldest and most precious pieces.

Cleaning, I decided to open it and a huge smile came across my face!  So many special pieces I hadn't seen in forever!!

This egg pendent, I got from my Nana YEARS ago.  It's from  The Franklin Mint circa 1978, two years before I was even born.  When I was little, my sisters and I used to have sleepovers at my Nana and Pop's house.  I loved it.  We had ice cream, root beer floats, and watched the Golden Girls.  I remember those days like they were yesterday.  My Nana and I must have been doing some Spring Cleaning of her jewelry, when I admired this and she gave it to me.  I will admit to never having worn it, just because it was to delicate but am so thankful to have it. 

This locket I got after my Nana passed away!  That's my Pops in there.  I wore this many times following my Nana's death, but now unfortunately the locket doesn't lock.  Just having it though is a great reminder of the love my grandparents shared.

These are some of my first pieces of jewelry...these name pieces were really big in the 80's.  It hurts my heart that I don't remember who I received them from or why.  I tried to ask my sisters but they were unsure too!  

My first birth stone ring, initial ring and claddagh.  The initial ring I know I received for my communion from my aunt and uncle.  It is the first ring I ever remember receiving.

My jewelry box with these special pieces in it, is rarely ever opened these days, but I am so glad I took the time to do this.

I've also been scoping out more jewelry online (because clearly this is what I do!  ha!!) and found an awesome site that has really great jewelry actions called  Invaluable.  I am not looking to auction off my own jewelry any time soon but it's fun to see so many beautiful jewelry pieces out there!

A girl can dream...a girl can dream!!

The Spring Challenge is finally here!!!

It's Here!!  It's Here!!  The Spring Style Challenge with Alison at Get Your Pretty On began on Monday! Once again the Style Me Bloggers are linking up and sharing our looks with you!! And a huge thank you to Alison for featuring us on her blog last Wednesday!!  If you haven't seen it yet, check it out here!  It's so hard to believe it was a year ago already since we first began participating in Style Challenges!!

The first outfit arrived in our email on Sunday night.  I was excited when I first heard camo jeans would be in the challenge.  I was shocked though that they made an appearance on day one.  I couldn't really wear them to work, so I subbed another look for the day and put this on when I got home.  I posted it to the FB group as my "sit on the front porch after work with a glass of wine and catch the last bit of sun" look.

The day's look paired this with a bright jacket and bright flats.  I liked everyone's interpretations and have some looks in mind for next time I wear this....further then the rocking chair on my front porch!!  :)

Day two I really liked!!  The striped dress from the preview outfit made it's first appearance.  Since I was wearing mine to work, I wore leggings underneath.  I was presently surprised to find lots of ladies who did the same!!  Even my fellow Style Me Friends!!  Great minds think alike!!  Rather than wear the wedges the look called for, I went with leopard flats.  I really liked this with the bright coral sweater and long necklace!

  I also wore this ahead of the challenge on Sunday this way...

Today is Day Three and I played a little dress up...I could ALMOST get away with this at work.

Day three calls for a cardigan, black tank, patterned scarf and wedges.  I like e this look!!  For work I'm wearing white trouser pants  and flats instead.

Three days down!  These next few weeks are just going to fly by!!  I hope you come back next week to see more great looks that we put together.  And the Style Me Bloggers are linking up again on Friday, sharing our our faves for Spring and have a fabulous giveaway for you!!  Don't miss it!

But first, go check out how these lovlies takes on the first few days of the challenge!  So much Style Inspiration to be had!!  And don't forget to link up with us too!!

Shoes to Shiraz | R Squared | Two Teens and Their Mama |
Confessions of a Frumpy Mommy | A Lovely Little Wardrobe |
Mishaps and Mayhem of Solitary Life | Puppies and Pretties | Daily Style Finds |
Making the Most of Everyday | She Thought She Could | Foxy's Domestic Side |
Quilty Joy Joy | Curls and Cardigans | Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After |
My Running Stitches | From Plaid to Pearls | Stashed Blog | X-tremely V |
 A Little Bit of Cheer | Nick and Nik

An InLinkz Link-up

Have a great Wednesday!!

Katie

Linking up today with:

Alison at Get Your Pretty On

Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy

 Because Shanna Said So

Sarah at Tucker up

Madeline at Cappuccino and Fashion

WIWW....Spring!!

This morning's post is a little different!  Next week starts the 2015 Spring Style Challenge with Alison at Get Your Pretty On.  Last Friday we got the shopping list and I am happy to say I had everything on the list but one item!!  Go Me and a huge thank you to the 2014 Challenges for helping me get everything thing I need for a great wardrobe.  (And to me for having camo pants, before camo pants were really in!  HA!)

The first outfit is Monday.  I'm very excited.  I am sad though too, because I'll be done with Spring Break and back at work so I know I'll be making substitutions. Last year it worked out that for over a week's worth of outfits I was home on Spring Break!

But speaking of last year's challenge,  today I thought I'd share some of my most favorite looks from that challenge.  Because I am still wearing them...when the weather cooperates!!  (Still super chilly here..)  And because Alison focuses on both staple pieces and trends during the challenges, I can!

Before these challenges, I probably would not have mixed stripes and leopard. Now I might be a bit of an over mixer!!  I just wore this outfit the other day!  These two are probably my most favorite of all the challenges! And the two I have re-worn the MOST!!

White before Labor Day??  Absolutely!!!  Throw that rule out the window!!  HA!!  This outfit was another fave.  I wore it during the Spring challenge and throughout the summer!!  And I went bold that day wearing my riding boots and white jeans!  I feel like this Spring is much colder than it was last year.  Like we are struggling to get out of the forties!!  I am hoping Spring comes during these next three weeks!

After 4 tries on the maxi skirt, this one is one that finally fit!!  Then I ended up getting the striped one too!  It's safe to say i was in maxis all late spring and summer!  Just so easy to throw on and go!! 

If you've been on the fence about joining a Style Challenge with Alison, just go for it!!  It's a lot of fun!  I have met so many awesome ladies and have such a great time mixing and matching!!  It's not too late!  Sign up here!  And don't forget to come on back next week when I link up with the Style Me Bloggers and showcase the first three outfits!!

Check out all the looks I've put together during the previous Style Challenges {here}!

Have a Happy Wednesday!!

Katie

Linking up today with:

Alison at Get Your Pretty On

Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy

 Because Shanna Said So

Sarah at Tucker up

Madeline at Cappuccino and Fashion

Show and Tell Tuesdays: Vacation Memories!

Back today linking up with Andrea at Momfessionals for Show and Tell Tuesdays.  Today we're telling about our favorite vacation.  This is really hard for me.  I love traveling.  I used to do so much more traveling before I had this mortgage to pay!!  I've gone on countless family vacations to North Carolina over the years, lots of cruises to the Caribbean with my bestie. To Disney a few times and Spring Break here and there in college.  It's really hard to narrow it down!! So here's a few of my favorite vacations!

Family Vacations to North Carolina:
In 1988, my family started renting a beach house on the Crystal Coast of North Carolina at a place called Emerald Isle.  It was pure heaven!!!  Back then it was not too well known, and not very crowded.  Pretty perfect!  We went there for years and years and years and I loved it.  Each year, our crowd got bigger and it made it that much more fun.  These past few years though we've gone to the Outer Banks.  It's about three hours closer.  (Still a 10 hour drive, but that better than 13!  Ha!!)  These days just my family alone fills up the house!!  We've come a long way since 1988!

Caribbean Cruising:
I've been on lots of cruises. I started going on cruises after college.  They were affordable on my measly catholic school teacher salary (especially when you go during hurricane season!) and lots of fun.  Ironically, my favorite days cruising are the super relaxing days at sea!  It's really hard to beat a beautiful day, laying out on the top deck, looking out and seeing nothing but beautiful, blue water. But I've done lots of awesome exscursions too!  Swam with dolphins, para-sailed, swam with sea otters, zip-lined in Belize.  took a Mexican cooking class (where the margs flowed like water!). Such awesome stuff!!   Actually one of my best vacations was when I went on the Mexican Rivera cruise out of Cali!  We broke the bank that trip!!  Went out to California a few days before the ship set sail! Stayed in West Hollywood and toured Hollywood Blvd in a red convertible, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Disneyland...the whole nine!! So fun!!

High above Labadee!

Nashville:  One of my favorite places ever!!  I love country music and one day my bestie and I just decided we would go to the CMA festival, the 4 day music festival they have each June for fans.  We got an awesome deal for the event, so we jumped on it.  That trip was a lot of fun, but it was the hottest June ever there and we pretty much died.  Like the sun was down and it was still 100 degrees.  So the next time we went in April, and that was more bearable.  The CMA trip was packed with so much to do, when we went in April, we basically did the touristy things, went to bars and listened to music...pretty perfect! Oh and we took a road trip to Dollywood!!  It was further from Nashville than we thought (and a different time zone!) but it was so much fun!  And we ended our long day with Sonic!!  My first Sonic (and only so far) experience ever!!  I will return to Nashville one of these days!!

Disney World:
Just wanted to end with a little funny!!
Is it bad that I've been to Disney so many times and loved it each time, but my favorite was probably when I was 8 or 10. My whole family got to go with my dad on a business trip. We probably stayed in one of the nicest hotels I ever remember staying in The Lake Buena Vista something.  At that hotel they had the BEST waffle cones ever!!!!!!!  I got one every night!!  I wanna say my that 10 year old self  thought they were free, but they probably weren't.  I know that probably pretty pathetic that my favorite part of that trip were those waffle cones, but that seriously was the best ice cream I've ever tasted!!

I just love traveling...it's one of my favorites!!  I hope to travel somewhere in 2015....
Can't wait to read about everyone's travels!!

High Five for...Saturday!!

Yesterday I linked up with my bloggy buddies for one of my favorite posts!  We shared our favorite books.  I got so many recommendations!!  I wrote them all down and I think I'm set for the year!  HA!  I didn't link up with the Friday 5 ladies, but since I've been up since the crack of dawn and have lots of things I wanna talk from about this week , I'm putting together a five for your Saturday Morning, to enjoy with your coffee!!  Here goes...

/ONE/

I can't stop laughing at this...I'm a full on country music fan and typically only listen to what loaded on my old school iPod, so I only hear today's music on things like this on FB and YouTube (or The Voice!) I really like this song!!  And this is hilarious.

/TWO/

I didn't get a weekend recap up this past Monday, but on Saturday night I had a Gone Girl Girls Night with my sisters and bestie.   We went to my sister's house for Mexican and the movie.  We planned this on my birthday night when we found out that my sister Tara was reading the book, thinking that a month and half later she would be done with the book.  Well, she wasn't!  But we kept the date and watched the movie.  I mentioned when this movie came out in the theater, that I would probably wait to watch this on DVD, because I have such a love-hate relationship with this book.  Thank goodness I didn't pay to see this in the movies.  I was not a fan!!!!!  What a crazy psycho!!!!

#katiedaily2015

/THREE/

On Monday I found a little package at my door.  I got another Influenster #VoxBox.  This time it was one product...Carefree Pantyliners.  I received this complimentary to test and review to find out why #FreshisFierce.  These things are tiny!!  Which is good! I use pantyliners way more than one would think (is that too TMI?!?) but I really like these and would definitely buy them. Happy the box came with a coup too! I'm happy I was chosen to receive this #VoxBox and am so glad I signed up for Influenster this earlier year!

/FOUR/

Another thing I got in the mail this week was a Stitch Fix package. It was my 4th.  I have never blogged about any of my boxes. I don't get one a month like is recommended.  I do every other.  I always like what's in my box but I don't have a consistent stylist (because I'm not a frequent enough Stitch Fixer!).  I did keep one item this time which is typical of me!    I liked all the others, but I had similar items that were in my box! This happens a lot.  I think this means that I'm doing well in the style department.  I really, really loved a pair of pants they sent me, but they were supposed to be cropped and me, being me, they were too long. I also didn't like the $98 price tag.  HA!!  Recently, Stitch Fix said they now carried petite, so maybe in my next one I'll get a pair of petite pants.  I really think Stitch Fix is convenient and fun and would really recommend giving it a try.  Check it out here!

Here's what I kept.  I like the zip back, high/low hem and colors.  I can wear this with navy cropped pants I have or coral shorts.  When I wear it, I'll put it in a #WIWW post!

Easter Sunday I'm gonna wear a dress I got in my last Fix.  It's still chilly here!! BOOOOOO!!! Follow me on Insta to check it out!! I'm @missmitch2!

/FIVE/

So, if you've been reading the blog these last few days or follow me on Insta, you know that on Wednesday at 3 p.m. I started my Spring Break!  Woo Hoo!!  Well, I think I already need to go back to work.  Because a) I still wake up early (not 5:45 early but...) and b) I tweeted Carson Daly yesterday during the Today Show and got a little too excited when he tweeted me back!!  HAHAHAHAHA!!!  But c'mon...I was such a TRL Girl!!  And I really did wanna know about that zucchini chocolate muffin!! 

Have a happy Saturday and a Blessed Easter Sunday!!

Katie

Linking up today with: 

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

April and the girls for Five on Friday

Caitlin and the girls for High Five for Friday

I like big books...and I cannot lie

Linking up once again with my Style Me Blogger Buddies.  And this time were talking BOOKS!! One of my favorite topics!!  My reading list is a long one.  This year, I've set a goal to read 16 books and am working my way through this list!  I am enjoying it! And I am so happy because I'm on Spring Break!!  I don't have many plans, so I'm going read, read, read!  Right now my nightstand is stacked with books just waiting to be read.  I have so many favorites, it's hard to narrow it down! But these are some of most favorite EVER!!


Wonder- This is definitely my most favorite book!  I've blogged about it lots!  {here, here, and here!}  It's really a book for kids and young adults, but in all honesty, it's a book for EVERYONE!!  It's a sweet story about a young boy who was born with a facial deformity and how he navigates life in the fifth grade in public school for the first time.  Highly recommend!  I shed a few tears...ok, maybe I bawled!!

#choosekind

The Husband's Secret I just read not too long ago!!  So crazy, twisty good!!  Loved it (even though I pretty much figured out the secret early on.  (I watch way too much TV!).  It was the first book I had ever read from author Laine Moriarty and I plan on reading more!  I really enjoyed her writing style.

The Deep End of the Ocean I'm not gonna lie...I read this one years and years ago when it was picked as Oprah's first book club pick. (I read a number of her picks over the years. Even Anna Karenina...go me!)  I read this in like three days.  I loved it so much!!  It's roller coaster of emotions.

The Pact kinda of threw my for a loop, and remains at the top of my list!!  A scary ready...not scary in a mystery book read kinda way, but scary that it could very well happen! (Confession...this is the only Jodi Picoult book I've read!)

Still Alice is another book I've only read recently, after having it on my shelf for like 4 years.  My mom read it and said I had to read it (it's one of her faves!) so I knew what to do if she ever gets Alzheimer's.  It's now one of my faves too!  Haven't seen the movie yet but definitely plan too!

I just LOVE. LOVE, LOVE P.S. I Love You!   This was Irish author Cecilia Ahern's first book.  It's a sad book but uplifting at the same time.  Funny story...this book was made into a movie too, (the book is always better!!) and I saw it in the theater when it first came out.  I cried a ridiculous amount....like FULL ON UGLY CRY and a woman behind me was so concerned she asked if I was ok and offered me tissues.  It was pretty embarrassing!!  LOL  Who doesn't love a good cry??

These are the books on my nightstand just waiting to be read (and finished)...this week I hope to get threw them.

Dying for Mercy is a book I picked up at the library before Valentine's Day.  I am about 100 pages in.  I just haven't had a chance to read it and it's not too easy.  Lots going on and lots of characters to follow.  When I got it, it looked like this:

HAHAHAHAHA

so I didn't know what it was.  I've never read a Mary Jane Clark book before. And apparently it's a series.   If you read Mary Jane Clark and love her, let me know!!

The nurse at my school and I talk TV and books all the time.  We have similar tastes in both. The other day she brought me the memoir Ghost Boy.  I have not started it yet, but it looks really interesting.

I also have the book Real Talk for Real Teachers waiting to be read.  I picked it up at the Book Fair earlier this year,  I started reading it, and realized it's probably more for the newbie teacher.  But it's also one I don't have to read straight through...filled with stories of teaching, I can read a few pages and leave it for a while.  I can also read other books while I'm reading it (if that makes sense!!)

I've blogged books a bunch of times...check out all my good reads here!!


I can't wait to read the posts today!  I'm always looking for new books to read!!  Go check out everyone's lists and link up your favorite books with us!  And let me know what I should be reading in the comments below!!

Shoes to Shiraz | Two Teens and their Mama | A Lovely Little Wardrobe | R Squared 

Confessions of a Frumpy Mommy | Family Love Inspiration Education  

The Mishaps and Mayhem of Solitary Life | The Blondissima | Positively Learning | Quilty Joy Joy

 Daily Style Finds | Making The Most of Everyday | Puppies and Pretties | She Thought She Could 

 Foxy's Domestic Side | Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After | Sprinkled Just Right

  

An InLinkz Link-up

Have a Blessed Easter and Happy Passover!!
Katie

Linking up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci for Friday Favorites  & Jennie for her Friday Faves, too 

Thursday Thoughts!

I'm linking up today with Vanessa and Penny for Thinking Out Loud Thursday!  Today I'm sharing total random thoughts.

I'm on Spring Break today!!  Woo Hoo!  For the next 11 days my alarm won't be buzzing at 5:45!  I'll be sleeping in and lounging around!  I have a few lunches and day plans with friends, but other than that nothing much!  And looking at the forecast, the April showers are coming...so clearly I won't be sitting out in the sun!  I see a Netflix binge-watch sess in my future!!  It ain't a tropical vaca on the beach but I'll take it!!

My daily photo from yesterday after school!

I've always been one to talk to myself. I guess it's just Solitary Life Syndrome!  Lately though, I find myself having full on conversations with myself.  And actually it's not like talking to myself, it's like I'm talking to someone who's not there, but like what I want to say to that person if I ever saw them or when I see them next!   Weird I know...I'm trying to figure out a way to stop this! HA!

via

Today is Autism Awareness Day. I'm supporting by sporting my Counting on Hope tee today!!

Can't wait to link up with the Style Me bloggers tomorrow!  Come on back for my book recommendations...cuz we like big books...and we cannot lie!!  And link up with us too!!

And thinking about how I met all these girls reminds me that registration for the GYPO Spring Challenge, ends tonight!  I'm participating again this year!  You too could get in on the fun here!!