Honeymoon Prep!

Our wedding is only a few days away, and I am getting so excited! I am especially excited for our honeymoon, and have already begun the packing prep! 

As much as I love to travel, I hate traveling. There is nothing more annoying to me than waiting in airport security lines, or feeling frustrated about my carry-on sized bag not fitting into the overhead compartment and thus needing to be checked (I am in constant fear that my bag won't make it--as I experienced last summer when I traveled to Ireland with a girlfriend and didn't get my bag for 3 days. Suffice it to say, I smelled and I was livid!) I utterly loathe cramped airplane seats with zero leg room. So what's a gal who wants to go on a fabulous honeymoon in Turks and Caicos to do?

Try and pack my carry-on tote like a pro!

To avoid the stinks in case my bag doesn't make it to the destination at the same time that I do, I put some essentials (including an extra pair of underwear--and for the sake of this trip, a bikini) in my carry-on to keep me fresh and clean-clean ( and make sure I can still splash around on the beach!):

For the plane ride, I want to be as comfortable as possible, so I packed a few items in this cute pouch I got as a holiday gift from one of my students:

  (From top left)

 - I stash ibuprofen in this adorable tin that my mom brought me back from France a few years ago.

- To avoid dry skin, I use this little tub of lotion.

- The sterile smell of the airplane bathroom soap makes me sick! I prefer to use this sweet smelling hand sanitizer!

- On planes, I have been told, it is uber-important to remain hydrated. It is also uber-important not to get sick on your way to your honeymoon! Emergen-C to the rescue! 

- Band aids (for blisters, shaving nicks, etc.)

- My favorite solid perfume from L'Occitane. The green tea scent is fresh and calming. Perfect for the plane and a night out! 

- Lip balm in a fruity acai-berry flavor. Very appropriate for a trip to the tropics! 

- Tide stick. Because I am accident prone, and for some reason I love drinking plain Bloody Mary mix on planes. You do the math.

**Not pictured--gum. Especially after the Bloody Mary mix :)

Fortunately, the trip to T&C is not very long, just a little over 3.5 hours (and a direct flight--yay!) Still, I need things to keep me from getting antsy and staying relaxed on the plane. I downloaded a few books from the library onto my Nook, including The Husband's Secret and Margot. In case I don't feel like straining my eyes and taking a little rest, I also downloaded the audio-book of A Secret Kept and have plenty of music on my phone. I always travel with my neck pillow and an eye mask, as well as ear plugs to drown out the engine sounds and keep my ears from popping (that is, of course, if I don't have headphones in!) Planes can get chilly, so I always bring a scarf that can double as a blanket. This one is very light-weight, so it will be a good wrap to have on hand for cooler evenings on the island!

One of my coworkers got me this notebook  to keep a journal of our honeymoon as a shower gift. I can't wait to fill the pages with our wonderful adventures on the island! It will be so special to revisit the entries as we grow old together!

I am looking forward to sharing some photos from our trip to paradise, and hopefully some shots from the wedding day, soon :)

School's Out!

Oh my goodness! This year is OVER?!?!

Wasn't it just the first day...like...yesterday?

This year came with A LOT of change and new responsibilities. I moved from NYC to Philly and started teaching in a new school with a different structure (mixed aged classes). I rejoined the world of car owners after a 5 year lapse (ugh--car payments...although I did the math and it turns out my monthly car payments are only slightly higher than the monthly subway passes I had to buy in NYC). Oh yeah--I have also been planning my wedding that is going to happen in JUST TWO AND A HALF WEEKS!?! WHAAAAT??!?

But back to the whole teaching thing-- I feel really good about this year. I made great friends at work and wonderful connections with my students and other students in the school. By the end of the year, I was bombarded with lovely cards and wonderful colorful pictures to take home with me. I also got a few "extra" goodies from families:

I am SO EXCITED about this beach bag!!! I can't wait to tote it on my honeymoon in Turks and Caicos!

I received this cute card from a student's family (along with some delicious chocolates). I love funky greeting cards! 

 I always like my students to reflect after any unit/project/trip. I had my students complete this end of the year survey on the last morning of school:

It was great hearing about some of the things they most enjoyed about this year, and I felt pretty good about myself as a teacher, too:

Can I add "superior awsomeness" to my resume? I'm gonna miss this group!

Of course, nothing screams end of the year like lots and lots of treats!!! I made brownies for the class, and a student brought in these super colorful sprinkley cupcakes! YUM!

Obviously, by the time dismissal rolled around, we all kind of looked like this after all that sugary goodness:

Am I the worst person ever for sugaring up kids and then sending them home to their parents? I mean, they were already super hyper! Last day of school, ya'll! 

So, the room got packed up today. It looks sad and empty...

 

...but I know I'll have a whole lotta fun reorganizing it in late August. Especially because I am teaching a new mixed age (2nd/3rd grade) and am getting all new furniture! WOOT WOOT!

Lastly, I just want to thank everyone who kept reading my blog this year! I wasn't sure if I could keep it up, and sometimes there were longer breaks between posts, but I appreciate all of you who visited again and again! I might have a few fun Summer posts, so don't disappear! 

XO, and HAPPY SUMMER!!!!