Feel Good Friday

Happy happy Friday, sweet people!!

what I've been up to...

Sometimes being a school counselor isn’t just about the social & emotional health of students. Sometimes it’s offering to stay after school for an hour so they have a quiet place to read their book & take a test, to try to bring their grade up. Sometimes it’s telling them multiple times how proud you are that they’re being so responsible & holding themselves accountable for their grades. & sometimes you end the work day hearing the words: “thank you for believing in me, Miss Rice.” These are the moments that matter, people.

Supporting students brings me such JOY even when it includes helping them “sneak” into the school late at night after their first track meet to prank all the out going teachers / principal for April Fools Day!

I think middle schoolers sometimes get a bad rap, but let me tell ya, they are the BEST!

Well if it weren’t for security cameras, we would have pulled it off LOL!

I also went to my sister’s softball game on Friday night!

How gorgeous is my sister at her junior prom?!!

On Sunday I went & picked up my mom from her Mom’s Day weekend for my sister’s sorority. We ended up having lunch out by the lake & walking around a bit. I was able to show my sister all of my favorite spots from when I lived there!

outfits of the week…

For the past few months or so I’ve started *trying* to consistently share my OOTD (outfit of the day) just for fun! I’m typically able to link most pieces, but I also just share it to hopefully give a bit of inspiration & show you that you can recreate my outfits by just using pieces from your own closet.

Friday…

Tired OOTD from being up late pranking the school!

Saturday…

Casual outfit for my sister’s prom!

Sunday…

Super comfy outfit for running errands & going to see my sister at college. I’m totally obsessed with this hat & I know I’ll be wearing it all summer long!!!

Monday...

Repping the “right” Kansas team today ;) love messing with my middle schoolers! & not surprisingly, I wasn’t the only person wearing K-State gear!!

The absolute last thing I wanted to do on Monday evening was my workout, but afterwards, it felt so good!! & I loved that I got to wear this super cute tank!

Tuesday...

Actually convinced myself to get up before school & do my workout on Tuesday! Don’t mind me wearing the same shirt I wore the day before & also slept in lol…

I helped work the high school track meet after school on Tuesday which meant comfy jeans & a school t-shirt!

Wednesday...

Cozy little OOTD + a cute & easy hairstyle for day three hair!

friday favs...

Y’all seem to love the quick & easy ways to make a little extra cash on the side like I do, so I have two apps to share with you today! The first is receipthog. I’ve been using it for awhile now & just got notified that I can cash in another $40 just for uploading my receipts! You can pick from the three options from the picture on the left. The picture on the right shows how the coin system works. It’s the same for each pay out option, I just chose PayPal this time. You can even link your email or Amazon account & it will automatically pull electronic receipts from there as well. My parents use this too & it’s the best! You can get five spins (a way to earn coins to redeem for cash later) by using my referral code: kasp3507. I’ll link to the app here!

The second one is called getupside. This is an app that gives you cash back on gas (as well as some other stores including restaurants)! You claim the reward for the specific gas station, upload your receipt, & voila! It’s literally cash back for getting gas — something we all have to do! You can use my referral code (NVHGZJ) to get 15 cents / gallon back for the first time you get gas! I’ll link to this app here.

For those of you that work in a school setting, you know that lanyards are basically like another accessory — at least that’s how I see them! I’m always down to add a new one to my collection. This one from MilosbeadsBySamantha is just darling & totally matches my aesthetic — it goes with practically everything in my closet! It’s super light & comfortable. I love that it’s neutral, but the wooden beads add a little pop to my outfit. Plus, the beads that say “counselor” are just my absolute fav!! I stinkin’ love it! You can use code SIMPLYSMALLTOWN for 10% off! Get one for yourself or the educator in your life! & be on the lookout this summer because we may or may not be doing a giveaway with one of these. ;)

A few months ago I started trying the Alani energy drinks. My caffeine storage tank got a whole lot bigger when I turned 25 & now I’m tired all the time! Yes, maybe it’s because I’m not getting enough sleep & am a little stressed out, but that’s a problem for another day (lol says the counselor)! So far this one is my absolute fav! The other ones I’ve tried taste a lot like alcohol & that’s not what I want to be sipping on while at school. I’ll totally be buying this one again! 9/10

This one is also fabulous! Right up there with tropsicle. 8/10!

This one was absolutely disgusting!!! I wasn’t even sure if I could finish it! 0/10

I got a package in the mail last week from a sweet follower — Leslie from August Candle Co. She hand makes these beautiful candles & I was just stunned by the details of them! I’ve never seen anything like it. They smell delicious, but they’re also super cute for decor because they’re so unique. She’s also offering a discount code for y’all to get 10% off for the month of April! My code is ALLI10 — happy shopping!

Now it’s time for a Target haul!

I was needing some more tupperware, specifically for salads for my school lunches. I saw this set of five the last time I was at Target & grabbed them. They are glass & leak-proof (I’ve tested this & it’s true). These ones are the perfect size for me, but they do have other sizing options available including a variety pack. I actually really love these colors for spring, too!

Since I work in a school & have summers off, I pretty much spend my entire summer in shorts! These shorts are fabulous & come in several color options. They’re thin & airy so they’re perfect for summer. They have a cute detailing on the sides & fit a little bit small. This loose & drapey long-sleeved workout top is wonderful. It’s thin & airy & covers my bottom in leggings. It’s super oversized, I’m wearing a small here & would say it fits more like a medium.

If you’ve been around here this whole school year, then you know that in August I became kind of obsessed with skorts. Skorts are a really big deal in the school I work at — pretty much every single female staff member wears them! I have searched sooo long to find a good quality skort that I felt comfortable in & that fits me well. Last year I bought a black one & wore it almost every week, especially on game days! I saw that Target also has some more athletic type skorts, so I decided to try one. I’m wearing a small & would say it fits a tiny bit oversized — I usually wear a medium in most bottoms & this small fits me perfectly. It has nice pockets as well as built-in spandex shorts. My school has three flights of stairs so I’m constantly going up & down & really would like to avoid flashing my students lol so this aspect of the skort helps me to feel secure & covered, especially since it’s a little bit shorter than the other ones I have!

You guys know how much I LOVE wearing encouraging graphic tees to school & Target always has the best ones!!! The message & colors of this one are just fabulous & so perfect for spring! I got a medium & would say it fits more like a small. I always size up in Target’s graphic tees because I don’t like them to be super fitted.

I’ve seen these types of gauzy button downs, but just haven’t been able to convince myself to buy one because I didn’t think I’d like it, but boy was I wrong!!! Surprisingly, it’s not see through at all. It’s super soft & so easy to maneuver — roll the sleeves, tuck it in, etc. It comes in some other color options, but this classic white is just so perfect for spring & summer. I can picture wearing it with shorts too! I got a medium & would say it fits true to size.

Such a sweet & simple dress! It is very sheer & has a few cut out places, but it comes with a slip. It comes in another color that kind of looks like denim. This white one would be perfect for a bridal shower & sweet bachelorette party! I’m wearing a small & would say it fits true to size. This dress would be so flattering on any body type!

& this is what happens when you don’t realize the dress has a slip attached lol couldn’t help but share this funny moment!

Follow me on Instagram for more outfit inspiration including try ons in my stories! // @simplysmalltowncounselor

I don’t have anything planned for this weekend & I’m honestly looking forward to the down time! What are your plans for the weekend? Drop them below in the comments, or feel free to message us on Facebook or Instagram! We’d love to hear what you’re all up to. We hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

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