Hurrah Stay-cation!!!

So, the upside to devastating budget cuts in our district is that we are privy to an extra long winter break this year.  This, of course, means that I don't have much to blog about until twenty ten because I don't have work to get dressed for!  My new effort for break is to spend an equal ratio of time in elastic waist garments as those involving buttons and/or zippers.  I know what you're thinking, how does one do this without rocking heinous tapered sweatpants or appearing to be en route to or from rehab or yoga class?  Well, lucky for us ladies we've got tights and leggings and dresses and even skorts if you're bold!  Considering that I have no plans for Xmas (I already enjoyed my holiday latkes with the fam) and will be spending NYE on a mountainside, there isn't much to be planning radical new outfits for.  I was hoping to break out some heels this celebratory winter season, but that'll have to wait until Sundance festivities i suppose!!
Thursday of the last full week of classes!

Friday that I headed to LA for Bro's 30th:

Monday--two day countdown to break:

Tuesday--last day of school!

I wear al ot of dark colors... perhaps I should resolve to wear more bright colors in the new year.

Cold Front

Here's the thing.  I said I remembered what I wore last Thursday, but I don't think I do!  I wrote it feeling confident that this essential information would come to me, but it hasn't yet...oy.  On the bright side, I do recall that on Friday I pulled out the turquoise Orla Kiely sweater that I got on sale at Tangerine in Chicago when I was in high school.  Yes, I remember where I bought a sweater almost ten years ago, but I can't remember what I wore to work less than a week back.  Bygones.  The sweater was over my red and white striped T (H&M t-shirts are essential), with jeans and cream Chuck Taylors.  Administrators were out of the building all day, so I violated the rules a touch.  However, I DID have fieldwork that day, so by this logic it was acceptable to wear jeans.

The theme of this week's clothing choices is "holy-cuss-it-is-so-cold-even-my-chonch-is-shivering".  It can be challenging to make excessive layering look cute when your morning thought is actually, "what can I wear so that I don't get frostbite in the 10 minutes that I am outside walking the dog?" and not "does this look cute?" In my opinion, tights is always the answer.  I mean, Bessie Dogg has not confirmed or denied that she approves of my clothing choices, but she does sit real cute and wag her tail when I finally exit the closet to let her out.  That may have less to do with my clothing choices and more to do with the fact that I am letting her out.

Monday

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Ta-da!  The rest of the week still to come...

Half of Last Week

There are holes in my week.  I can recall that on Friday I did not have the opportunity to take a photo of my clothes because I took students to Denver for First Friday on Santa Fe and then went straight to meet up with friends to recover from the fact that I had just spent 10 straight hours with teenagers.  By recover I mean drinking and visiting strip clubs and dancing. I should probably find more productive recovery habits. It is coming up on "winter of yoga" in which I have pledged to use my three weeks of winter vacation to recommit to my Yoga practice via using and abusing every cheap and/or introductory offer for studios in and around the Boulder area.  I also have aspirations of nordic skiing, but I don't want to set myself up for failure here...

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

I will recreate Thursday and Friday at some point for integrity's sake.  I recall what I wore AND what I did on both these days.  That's always good sign that my desctructive recreational habits have not made any lasting impacts on my memory...yet.  In other news, its getting time to start the Sundance countdown!!!  Who's ready for back to back days of movie watching and rock banding???  I know I am.  Best week of my year is less than two months away. 

Missing Link...

A few pics I forgot to post... let's be clear that there are no repeats.  Don't want to cheat.  

Frye Boots, how I love thee. Let me count the ways...

One would think that after being at this for sometime now, that I would be able to melt away into a dreamy sleep after a week of restful turkey (and bacon) consumption.  However, it never seems to fail that the night at the end of a vacation leaves me wide-eyed and twitchy into the wee hours.  I preemptively planned this time around by attending a late showing (9 pm on a school night!) or Fantastic Mr. Fox.  That was some hilarious cussing comedy in that film.  Oh, Wes Anderson, always so delightful.  Despite my late movie move, I am still up with a nervous mind that seems to be telling my belly to do all sorts of anxious flips and a few flops.  Alas, still awake.  Perfect time for a delinquent blogger to get some shit up to date.

There are two things you may note here:

1. On Thursday and Friday I wore jeans.  "Shenannigans!"  I hear you thinking it, but don't you worry about my teacherly integrity about following dress code--they were field trip days!!!

2.  My sweet as black boots that made their debut on Wednesday!  Yeaaaaaah, new Frye harness boots in distressed black.  Tough enough to shut a kid up with jab to the shin (or groin), but light enough for me to still make my escape with a swiftness.  They are leather and sex and magic.  Does the fact that I can pick up and take home and sustain a relationship with a perfect pair of flat-soled black leather boots make up for the fact that I can't do any of those things with a male?....I didn't really think so, but I figured there's no harm in asking.

In other news, I have been slacking on my blogging because the non-profit biz-nass side of my life is actually becoming rather labor intensive.  In a most excellent and exceptionally fulfilling way!  Who knew I could find such joy in overloading my schedule with even more shit that leaves me no time to acknowledge my complete failure at dating and meaningful personal connections!!!  I think I am reminded of this now and the bitter is squeaking out after spending a lovely week at home with my Mother who wants nothing more than for me to wind up impregnated at my earliest convenience.  Actually, I don't even know that she minds if its inconvenient.  Oh well, I'm just going to keep towing the line with my do-gooding and hope that the universe or G-d or Shiva or someone will look kindly upon me one of these days very soon.  In the meantime, you can expect me to wear the shit out of those black boots with continued devotion to seriously stunner outfits on a daily basis!

Worst Blogger EVER

      Turns out that my daily commitment to Blogging is about as consistent as my students' attendance.  I'm trying here, but things are awfully busy in teacher land from October until Thanksgiving.  Granted, there were two snow days thrown in there that I did not really utilize in order to get caught up on work.  Instead I got caught up on drinking.  I figure one should play to her strengths, and I am an EXCELLENT drinker.  Snow days were followed by Halloween weekend and then the Deadmau5 show which was only further confirmation that dancing until your face sweats off is maybe the best way to deal with stress!
    Other effective stress relievers I have found over the course of the last two weeks:

• Eating.  Amazing dinner with my sister at Brasserie on Saturday night.  Super excited for upcoming First Bite Boulder to enjoy some tasty meals at classy restaurants for cheap! http://www.firstbiteboulder.com/
• Running with doggy.  Had my first un-painful fun since hurting my back last week and it was AWESOME.  Perfect fall weather!
• Planning fundraisers with the Ks.  Shocking that adding more work to my plate is actually making me feel more calm.  We're having lots of success with Boulder establishments offering to help us out with fundraising events for our girls at MESA!  Trying to raise 5 hundo to pull off a hut trip in February!
• Remembering to be social.  Have had an excellent time getting out with friends more frequently this year than any other year of teaching.  Now that its off season, all my favorite buddies are done racing bikes and ready for the good shit!  Pie Off on Saturday, woo hoo!
• Shopping.  Luckily, Mama Hilary saved me from myself a little bit this season by sending me boxes of loveliness from a trip to NYC.  Sales at Forever 21 'aint too shabby either!  Check out some of the new duds

Let's talk about the pink flats... I want to wear them everyday.  I just sit at my desk with my legs outstretched rocking my toes back an forth in awe of the genuine adorableness of pink satin flats with a purple velvet bow.  Sometimes shoes really can make a girl happy :)

Spirit Week

Rah rah, go Skyview...or something.  I enjoy spirit week, but not so much for the spirit part but because I can get away with wearing jeans on multiple days.  Don't get me wrong, I'm all about supporting our kids in their after school endeavors, but I work at an art school.  Not to draw stereotypes, but I'm gonna draw stereotypes--the art freaks and band geeks generally do not overlap as one in the same with the jocks and I will take the freaks and geeks ANY DAY!  If there is a all-district paint off in the near future, I have no doubt that my moody hormonal goth girls and my angsty emo males would kick serious ass.  Until that happens, here is what I wore for regular spirit week.  rah rah.

Monday (It was twin day, but I didn't know that):

Tuesday (Crazy hair day...no way to work jeans into crazy hair, so I passed)

Wednesday (Super Hero Day):

Thursday (Retro Day.  James Dean better watch himself, once I get a motorcycle I'll give him a run for his title)

Friday (Color Day--Black and White!)

Homecoming ended with a Class of 2008 reunion at the trampoline playhouse near school.  A fortress of bouncy fun some might say.  Or a death trap.  I got bounces so hard onto my back that it cracked like I ain't ever heard and I couldn't even move!!!  So, what's a girl to do?  Bad back and 18 personal days?  3 day weekend, bitches.  No picture for monday cause I spend most of the day wearing a white stretchy heating belt to deal with the pain.  Halloween awesomeness to come!

The Past Week in Outfits

Minus Thursday!  I forgot to take a picture when I got home on Thursday afternoon, but it was a pretty boring outfit because I was dressed appropriately for handstands.  Yes, handstands.  My Crew class has declared Thursday to be Handstand Thursday.  Actually, I declared it and they followed because they have to because I'm the teacher.  It was really more like "body inversion" Thursday if we were to get nit-picky.  For some reason not all of my students are willing to thrust their bodies head first into the ground on a wrestling mat with hopes that their arms will catch them.  I don't know why.  What pussies.

Monday:

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday:  For the sake of the deal, I will note that I wore my blue MJ trousers with a a white shirt layered over a white tank all tucked in.  Over that I was wearing my purple J.Crew cardigan which is also pictured below in my teacher work day outfit.  Additionally, green Chucks and my multicolored belt leftover from my Halloween costume as Terri Irwin.

Friday:

Better Late...

So, I fell a little bit behind on posting, but I have been documenting everyday.  It turned into winter this weekend.  Saturday morning it was a white winter wonderland.  Bessie was so excited about winter that she told fall to fuck off by eating my decoratively placed pumpkin.  Ate that festive accent piece right down to the seeds.  What a whore.  Tonight she is relegated to the bathroom for sleeping because I don't want to clean pumpkin barf off the carpet--no carpet in the bathroom.  

Tuesday was a grading night, so Wednesday's apparel was comfy.

Thursday was inspired by too much gym time with a Lucky magazine.  All about the blazer this fall!  I look kinda preggers in this pic.  Oh well.

Went to a movie on Thursday night, which somehow left me little time to dry my hair even though I was home by 9.  Maybe should've just gone out for drinks with Julian and Pete since I looked hungover on Friday anyhow!  All black because I had a tour to lead at the MCA on Friday afterwork.

Now, what to wear this week...

Beers and Grading

This combo is really the only way to go.  Any teacher who grades with coffee is wrong.  Nope, not an opinion, its fact.  Wine can be acceptable.  Heck, even a whiskey can be nice, but there is no coffee and tea when grading stacks of English papers.

Add a burger and you are doubly productive.

Monday:

Tuesday:

I'm In the Boat...

Or, at least I was in the Boat, but not the water floatin' kind.  Just back from a fantastic fall weekend in Steamboat Springs.  Probably the best part of living in Colorado is the ease of a weekend get away.  In less than three hours you are in a town that feels worlds away from home.  A town where I can where the same jeans on a 2 hour hike and out to the bars and nobody cares.  But these here were the clothes I wore to work on Friday:

Sadly, after 3 hours in the car I did not have the patience to capture the awesomeness of my belt that really pulls this whole ensemble together.  As is, a but boring, but it was Friday and a long week!

My weeks have felt full lately, but in a good way.  I've taken on a project to try and put together a winter hut trip for a few of my female students.  While its simple in theory, the actual practicality of funding this type of endeavor feels nearly impossible.  Grants are out there, but its overwhelming and slightly exhausting going through the leg work to get money.  I found a really excellent possibility today on the Title Nine website.  Fingers crossed I will be embarking on a two night back country adventure with some angsty teenage girls this February!!!

TGIF

Yesterday I finally figured out how to wear the little black balloon skirt my Momma brought me from Top Shop.  Top Shop is the best place EVER.

Meanwhile, I had a super adorable outfit all picked out for today, but it involved a very flimsy floras skirt and as I walked out with Bessie Dogg this morning I realized two things 1) it was frigid with huge gusting winds and 2) my crew had a serious dodgeball match first thing and there was no way they were taking the W without my full effort as a stealth ninja ball dodger which could not happen in my heels.  Alas, I ran back in the house and put this on instead:

oh yeah, we won our dodgeball match.

Arghhhhhh!

Makayla, one of my Juniors, told me she liked my Pirate shirt today.  Arghhhh, I love stripes.  Its pretty much the running theme in our house.  Bridget and I love stripes.  In fact, today when we were both home I realized we were wearing almost the same striped shirt in different colors to work today.  I guess the longer we live together the more we rub off on each other!  

Halloween in coming up!  And there are actually no Pirate plans in the works.  What I would really like to be for halloween is Betty Draper.  This costume would be much better if I could find a Don and perhaps a few other Mad Men ensemble characters, but as it is I will be portraying just-kicked-the-cheating-bastard-out-and-now-I'm-single-and-hammered Betty.  Sigh, If only I coulda made just-kicked-the-cheating-bastard-out-and-now-I'm-single-and-hammered Katie look this good:

Looks like somebody's got a case of the Mondays!

Wish I had come home from Houston with nothing to do but cuddle with my puppy dog, alas, its Progress Report time!  Stayed out grading until midnight then woke up at 5 to get it all finished!  Was a rough day when you add in the fasting for Yom Kippur with the lack of sleep, but a huge relief to have everything done!  Now its 9 pm and I'm in bed!  Can't even drag myself to the TV for Gossip Girl.  Guess I'll have to catch it on Hulu.  XOXO

Plane Attire

An awesome weekend in Houston for my first experience at an Indian wedding.  I have never seen such an outrageous display of silk and shine!  Above is, as promised on a daily basis, my outfit from Friday that was worn to school and accompanied me on the plane.  I was so rank from sweating in my classroom and sitting on the plane that I couldn't leave these clothes on one second longer, not even to take a picture!  So, not a terribly exciting outfit, but I was shooting for comfort.

While there was no way I was going to compete with all the Saris and bangles, I had planned on wearing a pretty flashy little number.  Vintage floral paillettes in pale yellow!  Sadly, as I was rushing out the door to catch my flight I realized that I had left that stunner on the hanger in my closet!  Sigh.  Found a fun navy dress at Zara for the right price as I was perusing the Galleria with my Momma.  Now THAT is a mall a girl could do some damage in!

Thursday, Sept 24

Pretty tired tonight, but I must say that I am proud of my continued recessionista efforts.  Those are some WHITE jeans I'm wearing. And it is definitely after Labor Day folks.

I'm having a lot of issues getting my photos to upload, hence Thursday's pic on Monday.  Hmmmm.

One, Seasonal Sensation...

I HATE when people wear fabrics that are seasonally inappropriate.  Velvet in summer should lead to public floggings.  And I have always lived hard and fast by the no white after labor day mantra...

However, we are in a finacial crisis and I did not get my pay step this year.  As a teacher I'd usually have a hefty spending allowance for clothes.  Much like Anna Wintour's $200,000 budget provided by Vogue, the Mapleton Public Schools, in a more typical year, would provide me with a handsome stipend for essential designer pieces.  Having to forgo my usual spending, I have decided to revisit these seasonal norms.

It is only fall (though it feels like winter), but yesterday for Jury Duty I broke out my black velveteen vintage blazer that I picked up in London while I was studying abroad in college.  This is generally a strictly winter piece.  No Mas.  In true recessionista pride, I meshed said blazer with my favorite Jeans and and a slew of inherited and sale price gems:  AMAZING Sergio Rossi oxfords that were gifted to me by my Mama, vintage Lanvin belt that I took from my Dad's closet and had cut down to my size, purple J.Crew boyfriend cardigan that I used Bieber's employee discount to purchase.

Today for school I went layer crazy!  Cable knit leggings are pretty sweet.  Comfy comfy.   Time for the scarf collection to start coming out...