These are the days...

Busy weeks rounded out by weekends filled with so much love and joy. This weekend was no different than the last few that we've spent surrounded by family and friends. A wedding on Friday night celebrating dear friends, an amazing fundraiser for my school filled with so much love and dedication to our students, and a day spent making memories with the family. We are blessed.

I thought I would do something a little different tonight and share my weekend in photos accompanied by the lyrics to one of my favorite Van Morrison songs. The lyrics and tune will always hold a special place in my heart just like the memories made this weekend...

Friday started with an incredible sunrise that had to be captured... for memory's sake.

These are the days of the endless summer
These are the days, the time is now
There is no past, there's only future
There's only here, there's only now

Oh your smiling face, your gracious presence
The fires of spring are kindling bright
Oh the radiant heart and the song of glory
Crying freedom in the night

The wedding we went to was made extra special with a surprise stay at the Ritz! Thank you Mr. Jones you know how to make a girl feel special. Love you.

These are the days by the sparkling river
His timely grace and our treasured find
This is the love of the one magician
Turned the water into wine

Amazing silent & live auction held by our students parents to raise money for our school.

These are days of the endless dancing and the
Long walks on the summer night
These are the days of the true romancing
When I'm holding you oh, so tight

Sunday afternoon with the family.

These are the days by the sparkling river
His timely grace and our treasured find
This is the love of the one great magician
Turned water into wine

These are the days now that we must savour

And we must enjoy as we can
These are the days that will last forever
and you've got to hold them, in your heart

Fall is here and the season has certainly already proven to be one full of so much to be thankful for. Counting my blessings tonight friends. Hope yours is a week full of too many to count.

XOXO- Miss V.

Teacher Bag!

I saw this little link up over at The Inspired Apple and wanted to jump on the bandwagon because I LOVE teacher bags! My bag of choice is a Vera, because I'm a sucker for loud and punchy patterns and I love how structured and sturdy they are! I switch mine out here and there depending on what I need, ex: for my summer school class I used my "messenger" Vera Bradley b/c I was walking home every day and it was much more comfortable to carry, lately I've been using this cute black and green one because it fits my lap top and "teacher" binder perfectly b/c of the length.

Thanks Grandma for my cute teacher bag! This was a Christmas gift last year!

And here are the goods inside! Seriously it's completely a Mary Poppins bag.

Teacher Binder, full of lesson plans, class work to correct/ laminate, copies, worksheets, etc.
Oh and complete with my own personal silhouette collage. Which was the art project I had the students do on the 1st day.


Teacher treats...
Lunch bag, coffee mug, and water bottle ;)

Personal planner, stickers and band aids round it all out hahah.

Among these items are also my sub badge for the other schools I work at, about a million pens, and I always have my camera in there as well to capture all of the learning!

There it is folks! Looking forward to seeing my 2nd graders tomorrow I have lots of fun things planned for us, one of which is a nature walk and outdoor art project on big quilts and blankets to celebrate the 1st day of Fall!

Hope all of you teachers out there enjoyed my little teacher bag tour! For those of you that aren't teachers if you've made this far give yourself a little pat on the back and a sticker for making it to the end hahaha.

xoxo- miss v.

I heart the weekend.

Another lovely weekend coming to a close too soon yet again. We spent the weekend with family and friends and a little us time today. The perfect combination for any weekend in my opinion.

The weekend was off to a great start on Friday with the arrival of my brother who is in town visiting again! He is such a sweetie and stopped by my classroom to visit and even read a little story with the kiddos. They LOVED it and I was so excited to share my little world with him as well.

"Lilly's Big Day" read by none other than the worlds cutest baby brother.

The kids were so cute and could not understand how he could possibly be my baby brother when he is so much taller than me? He must be my BIG brother?? hahaha.

We also did a great Constitution Day activity that turned out really cute. I mean you can't go wrong with having the students create their self portrait. Love how the completed activity turned out. Also loved that we were able to combine, art, lang arts and social studies into one great lesson.

Such cuties.

I also have to give a big thanks to Mr. Jones for helping with the banner in the middle! He did a great job! Nice to have a resident artist in the house ;)

My little helper hard at work.

After a busy day at school I headed to the Joneses for the Mr.'s birthday dinner. We had a great time eating, chatting and enjoying a few bottles of wine a great way to end the day and start the weekend.

The Birthday boy!

We woke up to a perfect Indian Summer day (finally it seems that summer has arrived in the Bay Area) and I relaxed outside while Mr. Jones and his dad washed cars ;) I was busy snapping pics and playing photo shoot. ha.

While these two were hard at work... I was busy snapping away..

I never get tired of taking pictures of their home. This is the front "garden" so serene and picturesque! Love weekends here.

We headed out and back to the city with a few extra treats thanks to Mum and Dad Jones! A few sweets for the birthday boy!

English candies and delicious tea cakes! They are similar to a moon pie if you know what those are...highly addictive.

Today was another warm and sunny day, we spent it brunching outside and lounging by the pool. Why can't I just have one more day of this...

I heart the weekend... sighhhh...

And not only did we spend time with family, had dinner with friends, (failed on the photos.. sorry Jules!) brunched and sunned until our little hearts were content, we also managed to run a few errands and pick up some stools to complete the new kitchen island!! Finally real dinners around a table. Cannot wait.

Voila! Dinner like real adults. ;)

I must say thank you to Mr. Jones' brother for gifting us with a Crate & Barrel gift card for Christmas that we've been hanging onto for just the right thing. I love the new stools and they are the perfect addition to our home.

Hope all of you have had lovely and relaxing weekends filled with love and fun. Looking forward to a busy week but I have to be honest... I'm already counting down to Friday! What can I say.. I heart the weekend.

XOXO- Miss V

Crazy Beautiful.

I'll admit...it's been a teensy tiny bit overwhelming lately. Between a new schedule that has me one million and one different places during the week, a packed social calendar until the end of the month, and trying to stay on top of my usual "stuff" I have put blogging totally to the wayside. I have been snapping away so that when I did have a minute I could sit down and share what life has looked like during the in between time.

Between all of the craziness that is the work week life has been quite wonderful. It helps having the photos to prove it to myself, otherwise, I'm pretty sure I'd only remember the last few weeks as a total blur. It's all been a crazy kind of beautiful though and I know that I'm just around the corner from finding my groove yet again.

We've been spending time enjoying a quiet moment people watching and lunching in the sun.

Perfect Saturday afternoon retreat...

With my favorite date...

We've headed out of the city to spend time with the Joneses and enjoy quiet small towns.

Mr. Jones' "American" Home Town.






Mr. Jones and I made a dinner pick up at his old stomping grounds...

Posing outside the restaurant he worked at in High School... still so proud ;)

We've been hanging with the Joneses celebrating birthdays...

(How sweet is that card... "mummy"...melt my heart Mr. Jones)

Birthday girl glass.

All of the handsome men working hard in the kitchen...

Looking forward to a repeat this weekend for Mr. Jones' birthday.

And Mr. Jones isn't the only handsome face occupying my time. Tuesdays are instantly sweeter since I get to spend them taking care of this little man.

Thank you Mama Kylie for sharing your little guy with me. I love spending time with your sweet babe.

I've been spending a little time working in my "garden" planting a few new things...

And adding in a few new additions...

Enjoying the view on a perfect weekend morning.

While I'm looking forward to things kind of slowing down, and feeling a bit more settled I wouldn't trade these days for anything. It's a perfectly crazy, beautiful, life.

Happy almost Friday my lovelies!

xoxo- miss v.