Happy Thoughts, Happy Thoughts

It's time to accentuate the positive! To that end, here are some things that I really, really love.

1. A couple of weeks ago, I went back-to-school shopping. My mission was to find skirts to wear at school. Unfortunately, every store in the Mid-South has utterly lost their minds, as they have somehow decided that every working woman in the area should wear formal shorts. Now, I don't know about other workplaces, but the teacher dress code at my school specifically states that we are not to wear shorts of any kind.

In addition, every skirt that I DID find (all four of them) was either pleated or embroidered with butterflies or working some sort of out-of-this-world neon pattern. That's not really my aesthetic. Also, pleats? With MY hips? Let's just say it would be nice if my clothes didn't prevent my passing through doorways.

When I came home (skirtless), I got online and did a little searching. And guess where I found the perfect skirts. OLD NAVY. I know! I had no idea!

Old Navy has lots of great age- and size-appropriate clothing for sale online, and at fairly reasonable prices.

I bought this canvas skirt and a khaki pencil skirt and they arrived Monday afternoon. It's always a bit of a gamble when you buy online, but they both fit perfectly. They don't show a lot of wrinkles at the end of the day (maybe because I only sit down for lunch?), and they are cool and comfortable. Plus, they are they physical embodiment of the picture I saw in my head as I was shopping.

2. It's so hot here right now that EVERYTHING sweats, so I definitely needed to wear something under my skirts to keep the thigh-chafing to a minimum. In the past, I've bypassed the more expensive Spanx for the cheaper WalMart knockoffs, but NO MORE! Those WalMart knickers would roll up and down, and they were made with inferior non-breathable fabrics that totally negated my reasons for wearing them. I picked up two pairs of Spanx at Lane Bryant during my shopping extravaganza, and I love them! They are breathable and comfortable, and they suck everything in but still allow me to make use of my full lung capacity. They stay in place and they don't leave marks on my legs.

3. A while back, I asked if there was such a thing as vegetarian barbecue. Yes! There is!

I found--totally unexpectedly--LightLife's Smart BBQ in the produce section at Kroger. I did not expect much from it at all, and you know I'm very picky in regards to my BBQ. But it was really good! Of course, nothing could ever compare to the meaty sandwiches I love, but this is a good substitute for a fledgling vegetarian who is easily tempted.

4. I've pretty much gone off caffeine, with the help of herbal and decaf teas. My favorite is Stash's Decaf Lemon and White. I've tried out a lot of teas this summer, and this is my only repeat purchase. According to the website, they also have a peach tea (though it doesn't say it's decaf), and boy do I loooooove peach tea!

5. On the first day of school, I (foolishly) wore a cute pair of strappy black sandals with a two inch heel. By the end of the day, I was really dragging, and I dreaded every step because my feet hurt so badly. My mom had gotten me this footbath for Christmas,

and I recently found it during a cleaning binge (it was in the pantry). I dumped a liberal amount of Avon's Foot Works Berry Mint Foot Soak (which appears to be discontinued; oh no!) into the water, and sat back on the couch for a very long time. The footbath is inflatable, so it cushioned my poor tootsies, and the foot soak almost immediately began to refresh and heal my aching soles. Within a few minutes, I felt as though I could walk miles (although I would never do that), and soon I was able to stride purposefully to the kitchen, rather than shuffle along like an old lady.

6. I've been looking through lots of non-fiction books for material to use in my reading classes. The Eyewitness series is a new discovery--I found them in the school library; have I ever mentioned how amazing our librarian is?--and skimmed through them. Before long, I was actively reading the books, because the pictures are so great, and the information is so interesting, that I was totally hooked. Today I used a couple of pages from Eyewitness Olympics to teach a lesson on how to read captions, and the kids were completely engrossed and hardly complained at all. Of course, I will read anything, but I think these books would be especially great for struggling or reluctant readers.

7. My skin is usually pretty clear, but at times it can be ... troubled. I picked up Aubrey Organics' Amino Derm Gel at Wild Oats this summer, and it is fantastic.

I use it in the morning under my makeup and in the evening before I go to bed. I haven't had any real problems (I won't count the stress-induced bumps), and in addition to maintaining my clear skin, the gel has also tightened things up a bit, so I don't look quite as wrinkly (I'll admit that there weren't a lot of wrinkles to begin with). The fact that it's all-natural is just a bonus!

8. I got disc one of Tom Jones from Netflix last week, and I finally started watching it Sunday afternoon. I've never read the book, but now I really want to! Disc one only had the first two of five episodes, but Netflix gives the option (on some movies) of watching online, so I went straight to the computer and watched the rest. The people who make those BBC miniseries really know what they're doing. The cast is great, and the costumes are gorgeous. I didn't quite understand some of the character motivations, but I'm hoping that the book will clear that up for me. Still, watching the movie is a great way to spend a Sunday.

9. Finally, I am really enjoying rehearsals for the play. We've blocked the first scene, and I've almost got it memorized. Watching someone else direct teaches me so much that I can use for my direction of the school plays. Also, sometimes it's just nice to spend time around grown-ups. What does it say about me that the best part of my day is watching someone point a revolver at a guy in a wheelchair?