Skin care was a very distant thought in my teens and early 20's. I remember sleeping in makeup and never even considered using a moisturizer. When I did wash my face before bed, I remember grabbing the Dove soap bar. My how times change. My habits changed in my late 20's and really made a turn in my mid 30's. Here I sit at 38 and I marvel at how much my skin has changed for the better. I spent most of my early to mid 30's puzzled by break outs while noticing those fine lines increasing.  Let me just stop and say...the change was not really for aesthetic purposes...it was how my skin felt ..read more

My favorite thing about the New Year is that it brings hope for so many. Although we can make a change anytime we are ready and take steps to move forward, a new year signifies a fresh start for many.  I don't know about you but during quarantine life and 2020, I had more time than ever before to reflect on what is important to me. I also learned the importance of living in the present. One of the biggest lessons I learned is that being intentional makes a huge impact in all areas of my life. I have never cherished so many moments with my family, took the time for self care, and reflecte ..read more

Happy Sunday! I hope you all had a chance for rest, renewal, and relaxation. I don't know what it is like where you are but in Texas the weather has been gorgeous! It has been in the 70's and low 80's which is total fall weather to us. I want to break out the flannel and boots and drink all the pumpkin spice lattes. I know...so basic. Haha. With school back in session whether in person or virtual, the need for social emotional learning is bigger than ever before. We have students who may be struggling with anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, or struggling with emotional regulation. As a past teache ..read more

Hey, friends. I hope you are well and took some time for self care this weekend. I enjoyed indoor camping and lots of baking. I hope to top off the weekend with reading. I am currently reading EQ Intervention and it is so good!  Today I wanted to talk about wellness check in's. With what we are all facing right now, wellness check in's are so vital. Checking on our students, teammates/co-workers, family members, and friends is key to supporting each other socially/emotionally. I recently created a wellness check in to utilize in Zoom meetings. Many times in our meetings, we are very focused ..read more

With many schools closing around the country, educators and parents are working so hard to ensure they are taking care of kids! I can personally speak to how hard it can be to juggle working from home and "homeschooling" your own kids. I can't even imagine for parents who are having to work outside the home, as well....I am thinking of you all and sending positive vibes your way.  I think we can all agree that staying connected to our students and providing easy to use activities is our goal. It is has been so heartwarming seeing the joy on students' faces talking to their teachers. I think ..read more

I am so excited to share a book review with you all today and a book giveaway. I think we can all agree it has been a heavy past few weeks so I am eager to share something light and upbeat today. Today I am sharing the book Marcy's Having All the Feels by Allison Edwards. Y'all, this book is pretty precious. It reminds me a lot of the Disney movie Inside Out. Marcy, the main character, is struggling with her emotions. She really wants to just have the good feelings but realizes how important ALL of the emotions are. I love how it breaks down the different emotions and gives examples o ..read more

Good evening, friends! The world has been full of anxiousness lately. People are fearful, businesses and schools are closing, and the toilet paper struggle is real. LOL! (I had to add something light). There are SO many different conversations happening and planning that is occurring. However, one of the most important conversations to have is with our kids. If we think about what our kids may have been exposed to (seen or heard) when it comes to COVID 19, it can be concerning and understandable that some kids have increasing anxiety. Some may even have some form of post traumatic stress. An ..read more

Hello, friends. I don't know about all of you but I have had the most amazing weekend because, here, in the Dallas area we have had the most beautiful weather ever. It was a beautiful 75 degrees today so we enjoyed plenty of time outdoors. I truly believe that sunshine and playing outside brings JOY!!! There is even some research that proves sunshine brings the positve vibes. "Exposure to sunlight is thought to increase the brain’s release of a hormone called serotonin. Serotonin is associated with boosting mood and helping a person feel calm and focused."  "Sunlight cues special areas in th ..read more

Sometimes caring too much can hurt. I have struggled with this a lot as an educator and parent. I care so much that sometimes it causes stress. For those of you who may be reading this and are educators, this may sound familiar. We love our students so much and so badly want to ensure we are supporting them to the very best of our ability. We think about how they may be doing over breaks, for some we may worry if their basic needs are being met, and we may worry or stress about how they are doing socially, emotionally, and academically. There are many professions that can experience compassio ..read more

Negative self talk. This is something I think every person struggles with. I pride myself on having a positive outlook but can I tell you that negative self talk creeps in at times and it can sometimes limit what I do? I am an adult who is trained in mental health yet I am such a victim of this at times. So, how can we work with kids and teenagers with negative self talk? I received this book a few weeks ago. It is called the Awfulizer: Learning to Overcome the Shame Game by Kristin Maher and illustrated by Robert Dunn. Y'all, I am LOVING it. If you know me, I love all books but this one i ..read more