Aaaaand we’re back! I hit snooze on the Recent Finds series in August because of the chaos that defined my life then. Really nothing too bad; just summer travel, not adhering to a schedule, and the presence of an (adorable) infant. 😜
But fall is approaching, and I’m starting to look forward to switching my closet over. Of course, I can’t fit into most of it, haha, but that’s why the fashion gods invented leggings, right? ;)
Anyway, here’s what’s at the top of my list right now!
Today, I’m sharing several *amazing* teachers’ classroom wish lists. Please help to #clearthelists! Above is Hannah, who teaches in Ohio. Read her inspiring story below and help fund her classroom here!
Note: I didn’t want to include too many stories because I feared that some would go unread, so I’ll be doing a second post with more! To be included, simply e-mail me (Kelly@kellyinthecity.com) a link to your wish list or project, a photo, and some information about what you do! Put #clearthelists in your subject line. :)
If you’re new here, Mitch and I used to be teachers. Through the New York City Teaching Fellows, he taught math and I taught English for seven years at an underserved public school in the South Bronx… and it was there that we actually met! When we left New York for Chicago, I stopped teaching. But Mitch continued on, and he celebrated a decade of service in public education a few years thereafter. (So proud of him.)
We have the utmost respect for teachers. They empower our children, help them realize their potential, and instill a love of learning in them. But teaching is tough. Really tough. (Frankly, it almost destroyed me, and I clearly wasn’t cut out for it!) While it’s an incredibly rewarding career, it’s also a grueling–and often times thankless–job. Why are there not multiple national holidays every year celebrating our educators? They shape the future of our country!
My school was particularly corrupt, but the administration would stockpile supplies in a locked closet and hold them hostage. For what reason, I’ll never know, as they largely went unused. But one time, the door was unlocked and I investigated, and the pens were so old that the ink had dried up and the sticky part of the post-it notes no longer stuck to stuff. Okay; I’ll admit it. When I was in there, I smuggled out a whole lot of loose leaf which I later used to teach the five-paragraph essay. And while I’m coming clean, I might as well fess up to pretending I was part of the Teach for America organization and using their photocopier once a week to slowly reproduce 35 copies of Death of a Salesman. But it’s fine, right? I’m confident that both Arthur Miller and Teach for America would have approved. ;)
Hello!
I’m so excited that it’s September. ☺️ Weather-wise, September and October are wonderful months here in Chicago, and I just love settling into a daily routine again. Life moves a lot slower for us in early fall, and I so appreciate the down time. (And the no-plans weekends!)
^ This one contributes quite a bit to our laundry situation, but boy, is she cute!
Mitch here!
Kelly and I have been in some dire laundry situations over the years. I’m talking about late-night New York laundromats, coin-operated basement clunkers, and weekend trips to our parents’ with suitcases full of dirty clothing. You’d think that by now, especially considering we have a proper upstairs laundry room, we’d be past all this. But you’d be wrong. Because now we have not one but two kids!
On sale: Calf Hair Flats
Hope everyone is having a great Labor Day Weekend!
I don’t know about you guys, but until recently, I was using the same razor that I always had. Well, not physically, of course. (I did replace the thing when needed.) But I just kind of blindly grabbed the same thing, year after year, when at the drugstore. Out of habit, I suppose?!
Mitch here!
Let’s all give a big, raucous internet applause to the teachers out there on these last days of August. It’s tough being a teacher as the summer winds down; I should know. I used to be the guy behind the supply list!
Ballard Designs Shiloh Spool Chairs
^ Sorry for the quality of these photos! I snapped them right as the delivery crew arrived to pick them up. Killin’ it over here. ;)
I’m having a lot of fun reviewing the furniture we’ve been buying for the house! I won’t lie: furnishing a home isn’t easy, and it can be frustrating and overwhelming when you thought you’d love something but it ends up not working for the space. Is anyone else completely daunted by furniture returns? 🙈 I am! I suppose it’s because it’s just one more thing to add to my to-do list when I’d hoped that the purchase would help me check something off said list. For example: “Pick out and buy chairs for the living room.” Check!
…Or not. 😭
Oh, hello, Lucy Larkin!
I can’t believe our little lady is nearly four months old. 😭 It’s crazy how much she’s grown and changed since her arrival in May! So in honor of these four fantastic months, I thought I’d take a minute to share four of our favorite baby products–some of which we’ve used since she was born and others that were more recently added into the rotation.
$28 Amazon Vivimos Mumu (Here’s the maxi version, which I might like even better!) / J.Crew Factory Huarache Sandals / Tortoise Phone Case for iPhone XS Max, X and XS, and 6, 7 and 8 / Master bedroom room reveal SOON, but this is a pretty solid sneak peek, no?! Some room details: Chandelier (Also have this one in the office), Wallpaper, Cane Bed, Jute Rug, Sconces, Curtains, Duvet, the Mirror I Wish I Had ;) and Interior Define Rose Chair
Oh, hey! Just tryin’ to blend into my surroundings over here. 😎
I was recently out to lunch with my girlfriends, and they were like, “WHY haven’t you bought the $28 Amazon mumu yet?! It’s a Kelly Dress!” And I thought to myself, “Yeah! Why haven’t I ordered that thing yet? It would cover both my arms and legs–a quality that I really look for in a good dress.” 😂 (Partially for the sun protection and partially because I find myself becoming more and more modest as the years pass. 👵🏼)
