Being Bradfords: July 2018

Trip to Vegas & SD

I just got back from a two week trip to Vegas and SD. I had a blast seeing family and friends and the time spent there flew by! I hadn't been home in a year which is the longest I've ever been away. These coast to coast trips are no joke! I also flew with the pups for the first time. It was interesting to say the least but the pups did very well. Not sure that I will be bringing them on any trips in the near future though.

The trip was too long to go over every moment but I'll include some fave pictures :)

My parents had a BBQ for me the first night I was home. It was nice to see some of my fave people and spend some quality time together. Katie and I took a picture but unfortunately I was wearing the most unflattering top so I won't be posting that pic lol. Sorry Katie!

On Wednesday, my MIL and I flew to SD so we could head up to Anaheim for Chase's games. We had a fun crew there both nights. So fun!!

The rest of the weekend was spent eating at all the places I missed, shopping (lots!!), hanging out with my girlfriends, and spending time with extended family. I also got to meet baby Jackson for the first time and he is adorable!!

I flew back to Vegas on Monday and spent the week relaxing with my parents. I hung out with Katie and Breyen a few nights and one of them ended with us watching the lightning from Breyen's office. We took so many pictures with a "scary face" but I was the only person who actually looked scary lol.

Before I left we celebrated my mom's birthday with a yummy Mexican dinner and a trip to the spa! Such a fun time!

I had the best time being home. This has been a pretty tough year for me so it was nice to feel comfortable in my own skin again. I'm learning to like Virginia more and more but there's nothing quite like home :) I hope it's not a full year before we can visit again!

Five on Friday: Summer Edition

Hey everyone, Happy Friday! Today I'm sharing some current faves with you guys. As you can tell from my last few posts I have been on a shopping spree lately :) I blame Mark because when he's gone I like to shop hah! Kidding, kidding!

San Dog

I was in San Diego this past weekend and had the best time! I promise I will post more about that next week in a full recap of my trip. I miss my girlfriends so much but I'm so thankful for the time we had together.

Fave Book

What would a Five on Friday be without a book recommendation?? I loved the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. My friend Kayla recommended it and I flew through the book. It's an easy read but keeps you wanting more until the very end.

New Sneaks

I picked up these sneakers while I was in San Diego and I really like them. I'm super weird about wearing tennis shoes with jeans but I will make an exception when they look cute (and not like work out shoes) and I'm not actually wearing them to work out lol. This lilac color is perfect because it's more of a blush and very neutral. I see myself wearing these a ton to school this year, especially this fall.

Amazon Steal

Buying bathing suits is one of my least favorite things to do. :( NOT FUN! But when I see a good deal, I jump at it! This was not apart of Prime Day but one of my fave bloggers posted about it and I decided to give it a try. I purchased a large in this off the shoulder tropical version and it fits perfectly. It sucks you in without feeling tight and uncomfortable and the off the shoulder and ruffle detail draws the eye up, which I'm a huge fan of :)

The white with the palm fronds is my fave but I was skeptical about how this inexpensive white suit would hold up when you get it wet. So that's why I opted for the darker color. I paid $13 for this suit and now it's currently $14.99, still crazy reasonable and worth the try!

Mini Travel Regimens

You guys know how much I love my R+F products so I have to share this amazing deal going on right now. One of my most frequently asked questions (when it comes to R+F) is do they have a travel sized version? Sadly, we don't sell them but every now and then they will release the mini travel sizes in some kind of promotion. I have had several of the Redefine travel regimens and they last me forever which is crazy because they are small (and TSA approved!). Well right now you can get any of the four regimens in travel size when you purchase a full sized regimen. Such a steal! If you have thought about trying out some new skincare, let's chat about what could work for you.

Here is the link to the solution tool. It takes less than a minute to complete and can help narrow down some skincare options that are specific to your needs. I'm giving away a few free Microdermabrasion paste packets (one of my fave products!) for anyone who completes the solution tool today. Just comment below with your results, or comment on FB or Instagram and I'll enter you to win!

Nordstrom Sale Picks 2018

It's a shopping kind of week! I posted about my Prime Day picks yesterday so if you're reading this within the sale window then head to that post and check it out too.

Last weekend I was in San Diego visiting family and friends and we had the most perfect girls day with a coffee date, brunch, and shopping! We hit up the Nordstrom sale which was so fun because 1. I love shopping with my friends and 2. I really hate buying clothes online. I just like to see how it will fit because I feel like sizes aren't consistent even within the same brand. I found sooo many good items but tried to restrain myself... key word, tried!

This Barefoot Dreams Circle Cardigan has been on my wish list for two years now. I have the hooded one and LOVE it but wanted one that can be worn out of the house too. Plus this oatmeal color (stone is the official name) is just perfect. I might save this for a Christmas gift... if I can restrain myself lol! It's currently backordered so we will see when it actually arrives.

The High Waisted Zella Live In Leggings are a must! I'm not a very big "leggings as pants" person but I will wear these under dresses in the fall and winter. I have a pair that I wore the heck out of last year and they are still in great condition. Never hurts to have a backup though right?

I have this same Zella tee in green and I love it! It's super easy to throw on to run errands but I can work out in it too. This color is Purple Moss which looks like a very light purple/ blush in person. It's different but I love it! I saw a lot of this color at the sale.

I seem to get a pair of ankle boots each year at this sale and this year I was on the hunt for a blueish gray. I have a couple tan booties and a pair of black booties too. This pair immediately caught my eye especially because they are Sam Edelman which are normally so comfy. I ended up ordering these online the next day because I have a Nordstrom Note that encouraged me buy them lol. I will let you know about sizing and if I keep them! This specific color is called Stone Blue Suede.

And last but not least, who doesn't love a good plaid?? People rave about the Rail plaid shirts but they are just too expensive, so when I saw this B.P. version I was sold! They are so comfy and cute. They are very oversized so you might want to size down. I usually wear a large and I purchased a medium. I really want the green version too but they didn't have my size.

Happy shopping!!

Prime Day Picks

Today is the day.... Amazon Prime Day! I love a good deal and between the Nordstrom sale and the Amazon deals popping up, my wallet is taking a hurtin'. Here is a list of my top pics... some items are things that we have already and some are on my wish list. Happy shopping!

Books

I have heard so many good things about this book so I was excited to scoop this up today. Certain books are an extra 50% off at checkout so it brought the price down to $5! Go get this now before it sells out!

This was a favorite book of mine from last year. If you haven't read it yet, then do it now! It's also on super sale!

Such a cute book! I love this story and have several copies in my classroom. Scoop this up to read to your kiddos or teacher friends, get it for your class!

This is on my "to-read" list so I am contemplating getting it today too. It's a lightning deal so only available for a short period of time. I've heard it's great though!

Kitchen

We bought an espresso machine several years ago but haven't used it much because of the mediocre quality in general and the milk frother isn't great either. I really just love a good frothy coffee without the espresso so want to pick up this little guy, plus it's so inexpensive!

I am still on the fence about the Instant Pot but everyone raves about them! This one is on sale so I might pull the trigger and just get one. Do you have one? How do you like it??

This is another item that I have been eyeing for awhile. It cooks your meat perfectly while keeping it tender and delicious! I might just have to add this to my cart.

These battery-operated salt and pepper grinders are awesome! They are super inexpensive too!

Random

We are debating between a ring doorbell or investing in a keyless entry with a camera included. Any advice between the two? My parents have a ring doorbell and really like it. I would just like one with the keyless entry included as well.

Here is the other option.

Hope you find some goodies!

My Educational "To-Read" List

I have been on quite the reading kick this summer and it's been wonderful! Reading is one of my favorite things to do and summer time means I actually have time to make some progress on my list. I have tons of books I want to read and quite a few professional books too. I asked on Instagram and most of you want to hear about those too so here we go.

1. The Wild Card

The book I am the most excited about is the Wild Card by Hope & Wade King. I follow them both on Instagram and LOVE everything they do. The book is all about student engagement which is something I know I could be better at and these two are the experts. Can't wait to start this one!

2. The Google Infused Classroom

I started this book a few months ago but just couldn't devote the time to reading it. Professional books just aren't as exciting as my fictional choices to they take more concentration. :) I actually attended a session by Holly Clark (the author) while I was at FETC. She is a great speaker and really is an OG when it comes to using technology in the classroom. I am hoping to pull out some great ideas for next year.

3. Shake Up Learning

This is another book I tried to start a a few months ago but didn't have time to finish it. I listen to Kasey Bell's podcast and love her ideas about infusing technology into the classroom and how to change our teaching into something truly dynamic and engaging for the students. When you purchase her book you also gain access to her digital resources. This is what I am most excited to look at because they contain templates and tons of other ideas to implement in the classroom.

4. Reading Strategies Book

I have had my eye on this one for awhile. I've heard so many good things and I know this can help beef up my reading instruction. There is a writing strategies book that has also been sitting in my Amazon cart forever. I just need to click "buy" but it's hard to justify when I have so many books right now lol! Has anyone else read it?? What do you think of it?

5. A Boy Called Bat

So this isn't really a professional book but it's for my class so I am adding it here haha! I have been looking into the Global Read Aloud and I'm excited to join in this year. The book for my grade level is called A Boy Called Bat. I want to read it this summer so I have a good idea of how to use the book in my classroom and it's always good to make sure there are no surprises that I need to know about!

Six Year Anniversary

Friday was our six year anniversary. I seriously can't believe it because time has flown by. I know people always say that but that's really how it felt this year. In the last year, things have dramatically changed for the Bradford fam. We have experienced a cross-country move, purchased our first home, and both of us started new jobs. It has been a very interesting year for sure but we survived! :)

I am so thankful for this man and the journey we are on together. He is so loving and affectionate but at the same time such a good protector and provider. He makes me belly laugh and we have an absolute blast together. Plus have you seen his wood working skills?? There is no one I would rather spend time with and I seriously won the marriage jackpot.

We had dinner together on Friday night at one of our favorite sushi places and then had a drink at the Cavalier. The views were pretty amazing! We had to call is an early night because I had to be up at 1:00 am to drive up to Bethesda, MD. So tired! Last year we were moving on our anniversary, fun times lol. One year we won't have five million things going on during our anniversary and we can take a trip. :) It was still a great night! I love you Mark!!