Life With a Challenge

I posed this question the other day on Twitter

Wondering if anyone would be interested in a spending freeze/cleanout your closest/wear what you have linkup.
— Rachel Schultz (@racheltoo2) July 28, 2012

After Easter, I decided to clean out my closet and challenged myself to not spend any money on clothes until the end of the school year. I also thought it would be fun to wear a dress or a skirt everyday. Except Fridays when I could wear jeans. It was such a relief. I forgot how much fun it was to create outfits out of stuff I already had in my wardrobe. After a few weeks, I didn’t even feel the need to walk into a store.

I’ve gone a little spend crazy these last few weeks. I want to do it again.

So here’s what I’m thinking:

-Clean out your closet.  

-Set a “last spend budget” (This is super important, you need to get spending out of your system. Plus, you’ll want some new things to inspire new outfits!) 

-Buy everything you want/need.

-Stop spending money on clothes,accessories, and shoes until Christmas (long time I know, but it will give you extra spending cash for presents!)

-Each week link up here with the outfits you created from your closet.

Do you think this is doable? Would you even want to participate?

Let me know in the comments!  

Life in a Dress

I promised a dress challenge wrap up.

Please don’t call me a liar!

I really don’t understand why that one picture is sideways, I tried to fix it to no avail!

A few things I’ve learned from this challenge:
*I don’t need any more clothes! I ended up not wearing at least six dresses in my closest.

*Simple pieces in basic colors are essential to a well rounded wardrobe.

*Having a “uniform” makes dressing easier. You don’t have to wear the same thing, just the same type of outfit. Clearly my “uniform” is a maxi shirt paired with a bright shirt and a belt.

*Shopping your closest makes you see your clothes in a whole new light. I pulled out pieces I haven’t worn in months, and got rid of stuff that didn’t look right. 

*Think like a French woman: Simple elegance. Doesn’t hurt to have some killer statement jewelry either!

Life on Thursday

Did this week go by super fast for anyone? Don’t get me wrong, I’m more than happy that it’s Thursday!

Here’s some highlights (and maybe a few lowlights!)

* It’s Teacher Appreciation Week. Also known as The Best Week Ever! Seriously, I wish I had a picture of all the goodies, cards, and amazing gifts that are taking up residence on my desk.

*Can we just give an amen to gift cards? Especially ones from Forever 21 and Target. Umm, let’s just say they have already been spent! Since putting myself on a clothes spending freeze until the end of the school year, I haven’t even stepped in my favorite stores. It was fun to only walk out with stuff that was “free”!

*The Olympic torch was lit today! I’m kinda an Olympic nut. So excited for London!

*Did you watch the season finale of Castle?

Let’s just take a moment as we collectively squeal!

I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve probably watched it more than 5 times since Tuesday. This might be the longest summer ever!

*Dress Challenge Week Four

I’m totally going to keep this up over summer! It’s been so fun.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Linking up with Sar and

Life on Thursday

It’s Thursday!

Around here that means another round up of random thoughts/brilliantness and my weekly recap of dresses.

But something pretty remarkable happened today, a story too good to pass up!

We’ve been having some shake ups at the school I work for. Nothing too out of the ordinary, nothing earth shattering, but enough annoyance to warrant complaining!

After a long, frustrating and non-linear staff meeting, we retreated to our classrooms where we all regrouped. All I wanted to do was go home and think some unkind thoughts, I tried to focus myself on being positive and going about my business is the kindest manner possible. However hard that would be for my stubborn German brain to comprehend. 

The aftershocks of “the meeting” were felt again today. I was very out of sorts, short with the kids, moaned about my aide (who is a dream to work with, by the by!), and was a overall pain in the biscuit to deal with. During my lunch time (which I share with three other co-workers) we rehashed the meeting for the two teachers who were not present. This of course, brought up more bad thoughts, more ugly comments, and all around ungrateful behavior.

We were all in agreement that next year would not be easy, we figure that this is God calling us to our Esther moment. This is our “such a time as this” God is asking us to be warriors even when the odds seemed stacked against us. (If you can’t tell, I work at a Christian school!)

This is such a long set-up to a quick ending, but I promise I’m getting there!

After lunch, I walked back to my classroom still gloomy with a touch of grumpiness. I unlocked the door for my afternoon bambinos to come to school. The first family to walk in happened to be the twins in my class with their grandma. She and I have talked many times about our Bible Study friends.

Here comes the best part:

She stopped me and said she had a word from the Lord she would like to share with me. Her friend had sent it to her and she thought it was so beautiful.

*This never happens to me, I repeat, NEVER HAPPENES TO ME!*

Romans 12:12

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Grandma kept repeat over and over “Patient in affliction, patient in affliction.”

I lost it.

I was overwhelmed with Love from my Father.  Only a gracious God could have known what I needed to hear and when I needed to hear it.

Even through the mess of my easy life, God brings to me a word of comfort through a person who has no clue what we are dealing with.

Amazing, simply amazing.

AND, if you sat through all that (Told you it was good!) I’ll reward you with my dresses from this week!

Monday

Spot the Bindi! I swear that dog thinks she runs this show!

PS. This pink skirt was the BEST $10 I’ve ever spent at Old Navy.

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Finally, a new pose!

 

Linking up with Sar

and

Life on Thursday (or the one that introduces Holiday Cheese)

Three Cheers for Thursday! One step closer to the weekend.

Please snack on my list of random musings:

*If you follow me on twitter (@racheltoo2), you heard part of the holiday cheese story.

My Monday afternoon class was working diligently spending all their time talking to each other as all four year olds do, when one smarty pants thinks his life is a musical and he must burst into song. This is such a typical occurrence that I didn’t even comment on it. However, Mr. Song Writer’s lyrics caught my attentions “Holiday cheese, holiday cheese, I love you holiday cheese. Oh holiday cheese, oh holiday cheese, please get in my belly, you are so yummy!”

What the what? Where do they come up with this stuff? I wouldn’t be looking for his single to drop any day soon.

*There was ANOTHER bobcat at school this week. Of course, the kids “spotted” him allover campus for the rest of the day. And seriously, who announces that a bobcat is on campus over the intercom?

*Can I give a shot out to my new running shoes?

Actually, these babies probably deserve their own post, they are that wonderful.

Excuse me while I stare at them again.

*Dress Challenge Week Three

Monday (one of my favorites!)

Tuesday

Wednesday (again with the dog!)

Thursday

(ignore the afterschool hair craziness and the dog who insists on being in the picture!)

Have a great weekend!

Linking up with Sar

and

Life on Thursday

Another Thursday, another round of random thoughts and pictures of my dress challenge!

*Indulge my annoyance with the weather for a hot second.

It’s supposed to be 100 this weekend. This is not ok.

*I’m in the market for some new running shoes. Any suggestions?

*My love for peanut butter has hit an unhealthy level.

We’re talking intervention level here, folks.

Help!

*Week Two of Dress Challenge 2012, where I’m wearing a dress or skirt every day until May 24th.

Somehow Bindi made her way into every picture, nothing like being photo bombed by your own dog!

Monday

(with red toms)

Tuesday

(with tan flats)

Wednesday

(with leopard print flats)

Thursday

*I’m starting to see a trend with my outfits. Dress or skirt, cardigan, belt. Maybe I’ll branch out one day! My new goal is to not repeat an outfit.

*Today is my sweet niece/goddaughter, Sabrina, second birthday! She obviously gets her sense of style from me!

My brothers and sister-in-laws make adorable kids!

Linking up with:

Sar’s Thursday Thoughts

and

Life on Thursday

* I love dresses. Like, a lot. I have, at last count, 34 dresses and 14 skirts. On Easter Sunday I decided to challenge myself to wear only dresses or skirts to work (except for jeans on Fridays) until the end of the school year. (May 24th) Check back to see my progress on Thursdays! Anyone want to join me?

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

                

*Started the whole taxes bisnass (yes, that’s a word) yesterday. Not because I’m lazy, which has been the case the last few years, but because the bank messed up our W2’s not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES!

Finally got the go ahead on Monday to us them! Shaweet!

*I’ve started using Twitter.

 @racheltoo2 if you care to join along. I’m not funny or clever. Let’s be honest here, I use twitter to stalk celebrities. Don’t pretend you don’t!

* There’s this guy in my complex, we call him “Overly friendly neighbor” who keeps popping up wherever I happen to be at the moment.

Kinda like my Visa card, He’s everywhere you wanna be.

He also catches me at the worst moments, like post workout.

*The weather in Phoenix was crazy this week!

Over 90 on Tuesday and down to 69 by Saturday? What? Not that I’m complaining, summer will be here all too soon and that makes me want to cry.

Linking up my Thursday Thoughts with Sarah!
And my Tid+bits with