What's up Wednesday
Happy Wednesday to you! Today I’m sharing a hodge podge post covering things from what I’ve been reminiscing about lately, to what I’ve been loving. Here we go!
what I'm eating...
Since I’m just getting back into the swing of things with school starting up again, I’ve been sooo crazy busy! As a single girl, one of my least favorite things to do is cook & meal plan. I must not have inherited the “wife material cooking” gene! I truly believe that the meals I don’t have to prepare, honestly taste better lol I always tell my mom that after I eat at her house! I’ve used Eat to Evolve for over a year & am so stinkin’ excited that I now working with them!!! I almost always have one of the on-the-go meals for my lunches at school. Just throw them in your bag with some yogurt or fruit & you’re set! Some of my favorite dinners include the bbq brisket burger with sweet potato salad, the buffalo chicken mac & cheese, & the pork carnitas with chayote. So much flavor, great portion sizes (I can usually get two meals out of each if I add a salad & some fruit on the side), & they all freeze really well!
You can use my code (ALLIRICE20) or go straight to their website (where my discount is automatically applied) by clicking here to get 20% off your first order!!!
I almost always have one of the on-the-go meals for my lunches at school. Just throw them in your bag with some yogurt or fruit & you’re set! My coworkers are always jealous when they see what I’m bringing for lunch! Sharing a few pics of my favs below!
This one is the Italian Grab & Go. It has pepperoni, salami, olive & salt & pepper pistachios. So stinking delicious!
This one is the Buffalo Chicken Grab & Go. It has buffalo chicken, carrot & celery sticks, & house-made ranch for dipping. The chicken is always so tender that I can cut it with my plastic fork!
Some of my favorite dinners include the bbq brisket burger with sweet potato salad, the buffalo chicken mac & cheese, & the pork carnitas with chayote. So much flavor, great portion sizes (I can usually get two meals out of each if I add a salad & some fruit on the side), & they all freeze really well!
This one is the pork burger with summer salad & it lasts me two meals, plus is beyond tasty!
what I'm loving...
My dad made me this adorable rack to hang some of my bags! I picked out the knobs & he stained the wood & put it all together. I love it & how it turns my bags into almost a piece of decor in my mudroom!
I recently had to upgrade my laptop (ouch, I know)! Getting a new laptop means getting a new case since it’s a different size than my old one. I’ve always been really picky about the things that I buy, especially when I kind of have a vision for what I’m looking for. I already had this aztec-style slip so I knew I wanted something that would be neutral & would match the style. I found this plant case & fell in love!!! I don’t think I even really need to explain why — it’s so cute that it speaks for itself!
When it comes to makeup, I want products that are good quality, but aren’t going to cost me an arm & a leg. I was getting close to running out of blush & I had this one screenshotted from seeing so many other bloggers share about it. My skin has olive undertones & I’m naturally fairly tan so I like blushes that tend to lean more towards peach than actual pink. I really like this one & how long it stays on! It’s not super pigmented which I like because that makes it buildable. I dab my brush into each square / color & it’s such a great color for me, plus the price is great!
My mom had THE CUTEST cookies delivered to my sister & her roommates at K-State! The girls just finished up rush week (sorority recruitment), so she had a cookie made for each sorority they are in + a variety of others. If you are in the Manhattan area, check out Cammie’s Cookie Co! (Oh & she even delivers)!
Y’all know I’ve been obsessed with liquid I.V. for years! They recently sent me a cute little water bottle + their new flavor, yellow cherry, to try out. I actually really like it & I’m very picky! It tastes like cherry, but doesn’t taste like medicine at all (I think everything cherry flavor tastes like medicine). My all time favorite flavor is still lemon lime, but this one is moving up the scales! I have a code for you to get 25% off + free shipping! My code is SIMPLYSMALLTOWNBLOG! If you’ve never tried their products before, now is a wonderful time to dive in, & if you’re as hooked as I am, then now is a great time to stock up! Click here to be taken to their site!
Some of you may know this, but along with being a middle school counselor, I’m also the high school’s cheer coach! This is my first football season as a coach (I started last year right before basketball season). I’ve had a lot of fun in this new role & we’ve been able to incorporate my love of supporting small businesses through Etsy! We got these custom bows (plus one other) from CheerbowsbyBonnie. She did such a phenomenal job & was so easy to work with that I think I’ll use her every year!
Target’s dollar section gets me every time!!! I stinkin’ love these!
If you’ve been around here for awhile, then you know that I love to always have my nails done. I’ve had my own shellac machine for 5+ years & I’ve built up my collection of colors, but I’m always down to try new things. I’ve seen tons of bloggers post about Red Aspen Nails — a up & coming company that sells glue-on nails, amongst other beauty products. My mom, sisters & I each bought a set for ourselves to try, & we all loved them so much that we ordered a bunch more sets — you can reuse them which is SO nice! Mine stay on for 10-15 days! I’ve been loving bright colors this spring & thought these were too cute! The color is Harper Picks Peonies Nail Dash Square. I typically keep my nails pretty short, but I’m not necessarily opposed to having them a bit longer like these. If you’re interested in getting some for yourself, you can go to my page here to order & I’ll get some commission off of it! Y’all know how much I appreciate all of your support!
This is the set I put on for the 4th of July! This color is Americana Nail Dash Square (unfortunately it looks like it’s out of stock).
what I’ve been up to...
I started year two of being a school counselor last month! Man oh man does it feel good to be back in the building with my kids. Being back & being reminded of how much I love my job makes me so dang thankful!
One of my favorite parts of my office (I have many) is the DIY custom shelves my brother & dad made me. They did such a fantastic job & it was pretty stinkin’ cool to get to display not one, but two college diplomas this year (B.A. in Social Work, M.S. in School Counseling) + the beautiful picture my parents got me for a grad gift. I call this my “inspiration wall”. Never limit myself. You never know what you’re capable of. Allow yourself to dream. & dream big!
Another one of my favorite spots is the coffee bar that my dad & brother made me. This little cubby truly is my happy place in the morning!
i’m not able to get commissionable links of the following things, but figured I could link the words for you here anyway: ‘coffee’ white wooden wall decor / mug coffee hustle grind wall decor dupe
Last week I did a post all about my desk essentials as a school counselor. You can read that post by clicking here!
I’ve been spending quite a bit of time in various gyms watching my sister play volleyball! She’s playing varsity & is the libero this year (she’s in the white jersey). & one of my best friends from high school is her coach this year! It was so much fun to watch both of them & I can’t wait to see how they grow this season.
For lunch one Sunday, we went to Food Trucks at the Fountain in Wichita. It was absolutely delicious & such a fun summer tradition!
My sister & I got some pulled pork fries (leftovers for days, yay!!), my dad got a chicken burrito, & my mom got a shrimp taco & some breakfast burrito bowl thing & shared some of it with my dad. We all really enjoyed it!
Two weeks ago on Sunday, my dad was working the John Deere booth at the state fair, so my mom & sister & grandma & I decided to go to the fair to have lunch with him & walk around for a bit.
It’s been a tradition since high school to get fried oreos or cookie dough. This year I went with cookie dough & it was just as delicious as I remember!
The best part was that we ran into my cousin & her sweet little fam!
It was a really fun day!
what I’m reminiscing about...
On Labor Day Monday, we took a little day trip to Manhattan to see my sweet sister!
Being on campus & listening to her talk brought back a flood of memories.
She lives in the same dorm hall that I lived in six years ago when I was a freshman!
How cute is her space!?
She joined Kappa Delta & it’s so cute to see her excited about this new sisterhood!
We ate lunch in Aggieville at a yummy restaurant called Coco Bolos. They had great Mexican food, delicious drinks, & the cutest dishes!
So thankful for the experiences I had there & can’t wait to watch her journey, too!
what I’m dreading vs. what I’m excited about...
Not posting this to brag, but to encourage others! If I can do it, you can do it! Thanks to some guidance from Dave Ramsey & a lot of hard work, today I paid off my car three years & two months early! I’m super super excited about this milestone, & it’s easy for those emotions to be clouded by the reality that up next are my student loans.
what I'm watching / reading...
Since starting school again, I haven’t had very much free time which means my books have taken the backseat. However, I have been able to have some football playing in the background while I’m working on my computer at home! I’m not sure about y’all, but I’m stinkin’ pumped that football season is back!!! I’ll be honest & admit that I totally jumped on the Chiefs bandwagon last year. ;) I’m super excited to watch them again this year & I’ll get to do it while wearing some darling new game day gear from a darling momma’s Etsy shop!
I’m obsessed with these!!! I love how they look a little bit worn because it almost makes them look kind of retro! They’re made on unisex Gildan brand sweatshirts which is my favorite brand. I got a medium for a little bit of an oversized fit so that I could wear them with leggings & have my booty covered, but they look darling with jeans, too!! This one is so fun & unique!
This one is my FAV!!! Leopard + football = love! My sisters are trying to convince me that all three of us need to share these sweatshirts because they love them just as much as I do! The best part of all of this is that Ashley is offering y’all 10% off from her shop using my code (ALLI10)! Y’all know I love supporting small businesses, so if you’re in need of some fall Chiefs gear like I was, SweetMommaBlair is your gal!
what I'm wearing...
Etsy…
Fall wardrobe, here I come!!! I’m absolutely thrilled to be partnering with ImpressedGiftsDotCom this week! I have two adorable fall-inspired pieces from them — this black fall tee & a fall vibes crewneck (scroll down to see). Both are wonderful quality & fit great! & I’ve got really great news! Not only did she give me a code for y’all to get 10% off her shop (ALLI10), we’re also working together to give y’all a $100 gift card to their shop!!! Click here to enter on her end & don’t forget to follow us on Instagram as an extra entry! Code & giveaway will end on Wednesday 9/29!
This assorted fall tee looks darling with my mustard popcorn cardigan & black booties as well!
COME ON!!! Coffee, pumpkins, & books… does it get any more fall than that?! I love the font, too!
Last Tuesday’s OOTD for this teacher (or counselor ;) ) t-shirt Tuesday!!! Last week I partnered with Olivia from LifeStyleCo & she's offering y'all a 40% off discount code (active for one month) for anything on her site!! My code is: SMALLTOWNBLOG
She's got tons of great options in her shop. I obviously had to snag this darling counselor tee because I love the retro design + vibrant colors of this one! So so fun! Show her some love!
I mentioned this earlier, but I’ve been on the hunt for some new Chiefs gear to wear this season. I found Bailee’s shop, shopsimplyknot, on Etsy & fell in love with this tee! It’s simple & neutral & can be worn a whole bunch of different ways (keep scrolling to see some of my stylings)! Bailee was kind enough to offer me a code for y’all for free shipping off of anything in her shop (code is ALLISON)! It expires 9/26 at midnight, so use it while ya can!
This would be my go-to way to wear it to school! My cardigan is from Walmart & is super soft! The exact color isn’t in stock anymore, but I’ll link the other color options below.
It’s neutral enough that it looks cute with a striped cardigan & fun red glasses to make the red font pop even more!
Or dress it down in some comfy leggings & my cardigan from Tin Roof Gift Shop! My discount code is no longer active, so I’ll link some other options below.
H&M…
My mom & I both snagged this striped sweater from H&M the last time we were at the mall! It’s super soft & fits well — I’m wearing a small & my mom got an extra small. I love a good go-to neutral sweater & this one is such a great addition to my closet for fall & winter. It comes in other plain color options, but for some reason I’m always drawn to stripes!
Walmart…
First up is this light grey camo lounge set from Walmart! The two pieces come together — I’m wearing a medium in both. The crew has a very wide neckline & I would say it fits pretty oversized. The pants have a cinched waistline & are a jogger fit which I really like. I like the material & love love love this light grey camo print!
Mooore camo! Do you guys remember those crewnecks from Walmart that have been pretty much famous for the past couple of years? Well they’re back & better than ever & in a bunch of new patterns & colors! I am OBSESSED with this muted green camo print!!! Same fit & detailing as all of the other crews — thick seams & cute side slit. I get a small in these crews & would say they fit a little bit oversized (I usually get a medium in most crewnecks). I have noticed that they shrink a tiny bit, but it’s not enough to make me want to get a bigger size. Literally $12, y’all! This is not a drill!!
Y’all know how much I’ve been loving skirts lately! This super cute crinkle skirt is from Walmart! I’ve seen tons of dupes & lookalikes from Amazon, but this one is so much cheaper that I wanted to try it first. I’m just under five feet tall & it hits my lower shin. I went with a safe choice & got a medium because I don’t like when the waistband is tight. I paired it with my white Amazon t-shirt bodysuit. I think when you’re trying to dress up a skirt, it looks best paired with something more fitted on top. It’s super flowy & comfortable & feels like great quality.
It looks stinkin’ cute dressed down with a gameday tee & some sneakers as well!
Don’t be afraid to mix in some different patterns as well! I think polkadots are so versatile & especially when they’re in a neutral print like this one. Three totally different outfits — one darling skirt!
Can it be sixty degrees out & the leaves be changing right now, please!!!??? I want to wear this outfit so dang bad, but I sweat my butt of just trying it on! This oversized cardigan is from Walmart & when I say oversized, I mean oversized — this is a small! The buttons are functional, but I thought this was a super cute way to style it. I love buttoning up my cardigans when I can! The sleeves almost look like a balloon sleeve because of the cuffs which I love. Comes in other colors as well!
All of these sweaters are so dang tempting to me & I’m so mad I can’t wear them yet!!! This sweater is the same brand as the cardigan that I shared above, so similarly, it is very oversized (I had to roll the sleeves three times). I love the pocket on the right side & how dang soft it is! This sweater would be super cute untucked with faux leather leggings & mules as well!
The cutest & comfiest Walmart olive green sneakers for less than $30!! They do come in a few other color options as well, but I love these green ones. My sister loved them so much that she got a pair for herself! The smallest size they have is a six — my sister is typically a size seven, but a six fit her perfectly so they run a little bit big.
These are some biker shorts from Walmart. They’re incredibly soft & I really love the material. I’m wearing a medium & they’re super fitted — not necessarily in a bad way because they’re sucking me in in all the right places, but if you’re wanting more of a lounge feel, I’d recommend sizing up. The quality feels really great & they’re squat proof (meaning they don’t get too thin & sheer to where you can see your butt through them when you bend over)!
Y’all know how much I love my sweaters & how ready for fall I am!!! This one is from Walmart & it is fantastic quality & is super similar to some of my Aerie sweaters! All the way down to the neckline, open seam & side slit — the only difference is that this one is thicker than my Aerie ones. I love this brown color for fall & winter, but it does come in other color options as well. This sweater is one of the best Walmart finds ever in my opinion because it’s so similar to my Aerie sweaters & for a fraction of the price!! My black suede booties are from Target!
You guys know that some of my favorite outfits for school involve being casual & comfy, but school approved at the same time. I’m not allowed to have holes in my jeans at school, so I don’t own hardly any pairs of distressed jeans & not a single hole-y black pair. It’s kind of hard to tell in pictures, but these jeans are distressed, but have backing so you don’t see any skin!!! How cool is that?! I’ll share a better picture below, but I love these because I’m able to get by wearing them to school! I’m wearing a five in the jeans, I’m typically between a four & a six depending on how I’m wanting them to fit, so a five was perfect! They’re high waisted & I did have to roll them once at the bottom in order for my ankles to show & to not look like my pants blend into my shoes. My crew is from Aerie & I love the open seam look. I’m wearing an XXS — I always get this size in Aerie tops because they run big. Comes in other color options as well!
These pants are from Walmart & I had the impression they were supposed to be like linen work pants, but they’re honestly more like a satin material! They’re super comfy & kind of feel like pajamas, actually. I’m wearing a small & would say they fit a little big (I usually get a medium in bottoms for a looser fit). They’re high waisted & have nice pockets. They come in a bunch of other color options as well!
I don’t know about you guys, but I literally never get tired of getting new pjs! Especially when they’re amazing + affordable! This set is from Walmart & the two pieces come together, so I got a medium in both. When I tell you that it is beyond soft, hear me!!! The shorts have a functional drawstring, but no pockets (literally THE ONLY downside of this set). The t-shirt is super comfy & fits me really well — not too long & has a tiny slit on the side.
The best part about this set is that the tee is cute enough & nice enough to pair with jeans for school! WIN STINKIN’ WIN, Y’ALL!!!
This top is from Walmart & I’ll be honest, it seemed kind of funky online so I wasn’t expecting to love it, BUT, I totally do! I’m wearing a small & it fits big — wide & the sleeves are long. It gets a little bit longer in the back which I love because it’ll cover my booty in leggings! The body of this top in the front is like a sweatshirt, but the sleeves & the back of the top are like a sweater. So it’s literally half & half a mix! It has a full kangaroo pocket in the front which I love. This top is just so perfect for school because it’s right in between a sweatshirt & sweater. It’s under $30 & comes in other color options as well. I haven’t seen anything like this anywhere else so it’s super unique! You did real good with this one, Walmart!!
Amazon…
Super comfy Amazon loungeset! It’s super lightweight so it’s perfect for right now since we’re transitioning to fall. At least, I’m trying to even if the weather doesn’t agree with me lol. The two pieces come together, I’m wearing a medium (which is my normal size in loungewear). The pants have a functional drawstring & fit true to size. The top has a wide neck which would be a cute way to show off a cute sports bra or bralette. I love this light heather grey color & my mom got it in light blue! I feel like you could totally wear this top as a normal shirt, especially under a vest & it would be super cute. I love finding pieces that I can wear in multiple settings!
This darling colorblock sweater is from Amazon! I’ve shared this sweater before in some other colors, but this colorblock style is new so I wanted to try it out. The details in this sweater are sooo good — from the super subtle side slit to the open seam stitching on the sleeves! Great quality & super thick material. I don’t own anything from Free People, but I’ve heard that this is super similar to some of their sweaters, for a fraction of the price. I’m all about that!
Please excuse the wrinkles, I was so excited to try this one on! Y’all know I love me some leopard & I just love how cute & unique this Amazon top is — I haven’t seen anything like it! The fabric is actually pretty comfy & it feels like a really soft denim jacket. It gets a little bit longer in the back which I actually really like because you can wear it with normal leggings or some faux leather ones (that would be so cute!) & it’ll cover your booty! I paired it with my cognac mules (also from Amazon) because there’s some cognac-colored stitching on the pockets & love how the brown tones accent each other. This one is so stinking fun!!
I’ve seen some different people sharing corduroy button-ups & figured I ought to try out the trend. You can wear them like they’re cardigans, or button them up so it’s its own shirt! I got a small & would say it fits oversized, but I think it’s supposed to. Loving the side scoop & the tortoise shell buttons. I love how comfy & casual this is!
Old Navy…
Y’all know just how much I love babydoll-style clothing & this leopard dress is so perfect! It’s a really comfy material & fits great. I’m wearing a small & it fits true to size. It’s currently 30% off with code HURRY making it only $26!
This is the cutest & most flattering cinched t-shirt dress from Old Navy! I’m wearing a small & it fits true to size. It’s super comfy, but the cinched waistline makes it incredibly flattering! You can dress it down with minimal jewelry & some fun sneakers to add a pop. It comes in a whole bunch of other colors as well & is also 30% off with code HURRY!
Or you could dress it up with some espadrilles, a tortoise banana hair clip & a jean jacket! So darling!
Swap out the espadrilles for a different color & add a belt & it turns into a whole new look!
I’ve haved a pair of mom jeans from Old Navy in a really light wash that I’ve loved for years, so I decided to try out some more in a medium wash. I’m wearing my normal size four & they fit perfectly as a mom jean! They’re a little bit loose in all the right places & I did one chunky roll at the bottom. For a casual look, I paired them with my absolute favorite tank from Old Navy, a chunky knitted cardigan from Walmart, & some leopard sneakers.
I wanted to prove to myself (& y’all) that they’re capable of being dressed up as well! I kept the tank (sorry for the wrinkles) & swapped out the cardigan for a patterned one, the sneakers for some mules, & added a belt. I also rolled the bottoms twice in a skinnier roll which I think makes it look just a tad dressier than one big chunkier roll.
Here’s another print in this same tank! I own it in so many colors & patterns because they’re my favorite for layering & I love wearing them by themselves in the summer because they’re super soft & flowy! I love the high neck & I wear my regular size small.
This is the white version of the tank from above & here’s how I wear it to school! Super casual & comfy at the same time. My cardigan is also from Old Navy!
One more pattern option just for good luck, right? ;) Y’all know I’m obsessed with camo this season & I love this neutral grey & black print option so much!!
Target…
Super cute heather grey t-shirt shawl from Target! It’s a one size fits all & it’s incredibly soft! It honestly feels like my barefoot dreams blankets, but a little bit thinner. I wasn’t sure what I would think of something like this, or if I’d be able to pull it off, but I love it! It’s warm & cozy, but it’s not too hot because of the t-shirt sleeves. For a length reference, I’m just under five feet tall & it hits a few inches below my knees.
You can also dress it way down to bring the cozy vibe into your comfies! Trade in your jeans for some leggings & your booties for some sneakers & voila! I love that you can wear it so many different ways! What a great timeless piece.
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. I’m going to have to buy this one in every color because I love it so much! I’m wearing a small & would say it fits oversized — I usually wear a medium in most bottoms & this small fits me perfectly. It has deep pockets, a functional drawstring, as well as built-in spandex shorts. For me, the absolute best part of this skirt is that it gets longer in the back. 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!
What about you? What’s up with you on this Wednesday?
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