Here we go! Another Make an Effort Monday! 

Sorry, there won't be a ton of pics for this outfit. My photo buddy and I got out to our site a little late and then the camera died! But you get the gist. 

Gah! I love these shoes. They have a bow on top! Bows make just about everything better. 

This sweater. I'm in love. I wish everyone could feel this sweater. It's fantastic and I wear it with SO many things. Here's a closer look at the appliqué. 

That's it people! Like I said, not a lot of pictures this time. Have a fabulous week! 

Keep it Casual

I know I haven't posted a Make an Effort Monday in QUITE a while, but for those of you who have been through college finals, well, you understand :) 

I typically don't do casual when I dress professionally since, well, the point is to dress professionally, but most schools and offices there is Casual Friday, so it begs the question, "What do I wear that's professional, but casual?" A LOT of people choose to use Casual Friday as a day to wear whatever is against dress code OR a day to show off their most fashion forward outfit. This can turn out okay, but mostly it just changes the view of coworkers and most importantly, students. Wearing something unprofessional just because of Casual Friday is simply unacceptable. As a teacher, student respect is ESSENTIAL, and having a student think less of you because of what you wear is a pretty sad way to lose respect. 

SO, now that i'm off my soapbox, let's get down to some pics of one of my casual outfits.

This outfit is just a step or two down from what I would wear normally. Instead of a skirt or dress pants, just some nice jeans. NOT too tight or anything crazy, just normal jeans. 

You've seen these shoes before on my blog, but on a teacher budget it's important to get those shoes that you can wear with LOTS of different outfits and have them look totally different. 

This is my FAVORITE accessory, and the one I wear most often. It's NOT my purity ring, though I do support purity :) This is my PROMISE ring. To me it represents all the promises I have made to myself,  to others, and to God. 

And then we have another sweater (sigh). I absolutely love sweaters because school buildings have a WIDE variety of temperatures, and sweaters become very important. I also love the gray and purple combo. 

That's really all there is to this outfit! It's very similar to what I would wear on a normal day, just a step down. This is NOT what I would wear to the supermarket on saturday at 10:30 at night. It is presentable and casual. Thanks for reading! Have a great day and may the Lord shine a light through you! 

Make an Effort Monday

Hello folks! So, i'm new to the blogging world, but I wanted to start off with one of my absolute favorite topics in my life right now: Make an Effort Monday! We've all struggled with mondays, the grogginess, the weekend recovery, the general laziness that seems to linger on the first day of the school week. WELL, this semester I started something that has changed my life. Every monday, I simply make an effort, at EVERYTHING! It started with just my outfits, but then spread to every other aspect of my life. I make more of an effort on my relationships, my schoolwork, my hair, my workouts, etc. It has completely changed my life! Mondays are no longer terrible. I actually find myself saying "I love mondays". Yes, that's right. I LOVE MONDAYS. 

So, here we go! Make an Effort Monday! 

Make an Effort Monday started when I had to start dressing professionally a few days a week. As a future educator, it's important to keep in mind that being a conservative dresser is NEVER a mistake- in or outside the classroom. Here's what I love about this outfit: It's comfortable, warm, flattering, bright, fun, and most importantly, EVERYTHING IS COVERED, without it being too obvious. 

Let's break it down. First, we have the dress. 

It's black, my favorite neutral. It's also a good length; it won't be too short when I sit in front of a class. I seriously wear this dress every few weeks, with tons of different sweaters/accessories. It is THE most versatile thing I own. 

Next we have the scarf. 

I borrowed this scarf from a friend, and it adds just enough interest to set this dress apart from the  other times I wear it. It has a little sparkle, but not a lot! I love it! 

The scarf led to the shoes. 

They're grey, matching the scarf, but not boring! They're also flat, which means I can walk quickly! 

Finally, my favorite part of any outfit: the sweater. 

It's simple, but adds so much to the outfit! It's the bright pop that kids love. 

That's it folks! It's professional but also fun, AND I can wear it to a college class without looking look a dork (in the outfit department, at least). 

Chalkboard and a Bible

Once Upon A Time, this girl wasn't so happy. She didn't have joy in her heart and she didn't want very much out of life. She was disappointed in a lot of people around her and basically heartbroken, for a lot of reasons. But day by day, that changed! As a sophomore in college, I think about who I was years ago and am pretty ashamed. I am more disappointed with who I was than I am with anyone else. I was once a very hostile person who cared a lot more about myself than other people. This may seem a little depressing as my first post, but the reason i'm writing this is to explain the title of this blog. I can't say how much of a different person I am now than who I was before, but for now, just know that now I DO have joy in my heart and there are a thousand things I want out of life. The thing that changed my life was the Bible. There is nothing on this earth that can bring me closer to God than the Good Book, because nothing else can tell me more about His love for me, and it's His love that has changed me forever. Everyone deserves to feel His love, and I have decided to love His children by teaching them, with a Chalkboard and a Bible.