love pentagons + other jr. highisms

Have I mentioned that I LOVE being a jr. high teacher?! Because I do. I learn so much from those kids... and not just like the deep, meaningful, life lessons that Mr. Feeney teaches from his side of the fence, but also the really important stuff! Like that there are such things as love pentagons--you know, like love triangles, but more people? Apparently it's a common problem in jr. high, since I heard one of my student's complaining about it.

Love pentagons aren't the only thing I've learned from them, though. If it wasn't for my students, I'd have no freaking idea why they keep breaking into weird fits with their arms any time they make a basket or score in ultimate frisbee. Apparently that's called "dabbin'." Actually, come to think of it, I'm still not sure if I completely get it. Can we just go back to a more simple time and just do the stanky leg, kids?

Another thing I've learned is that jr. high kids are more than willing to keep their hand raised through three minutes of me giving directions just so they can ask a completely off-topic question. Example: "Um... do you wear contacts Mrs. Gourley?" "No." "Wait, really?! Weird..."

Man, you just gotta love those kids! They really can teach you a lot. Sometimes I think I might even miss them a little bit while I'm on my Spring break this week... sometimes ;) Speaking of which, my Spring break officially started at 3:30 when I got home today. This is what it looks like so far:

Just one more reason to love being a teacher...

I'd say this break is off to a pretty good start, wouldn't you agree? I've been telling myself I really really need to enjoy this break because after this one, I have no more breaks for two months (what are these 5 day work weeks!?).

Good thing I love the people I hangout with all day at work, huh?

3.14

When you wanna celebrate Pi day, but you don't like pie...

Did you know the Gourley's are huge into Pi day?!? 

Okay, okay... you caught us. We just needed an excuse to go get a cookie. The excuse "for family night" has run it's course, so Pi day was kind of our last option. Also, YES that is a sugar cookie from Sodalicious--NOT Swig. Don't worry, I'm setting up an appointment to go talk to my bishop about it... but, you guys! I can't deny it anymore--Sodalicious makes better cookies than Swig! But Swig if your'e reading this, their drinks mean nothing to me. Nothing! Also, could you please stop raising your prices? And maybe pick me just once for your Instagram giveaways? Besides that, I really do love you.

Anyway, where was I going with this post before going off on a fatangent (fat + tangent = fatangent) to convince you all that me and Chris are just mcfatties? Oh yeah, Happy Pi Day! The only day I actually ever enjoyed in math class.  And while we're on the subject of being a mcfattie... is it Fry Day yet? Because I'm sooo ready for my spring break next week--even if my thighs aren't (I'm using Pi Day as an excuse for that, too!)

Move Over Dr. Seuss...

Raise your hand if you think these two are the cutest couple ever.

Hard to believe that babe on the left is 50, seeing as how she could easily pass as my sister! Milf town population: Jelynn!

Aren't those decorations the cutest?! My sister-in-law Janeene is just awesome like that!

March 2nd is not just a day you eat green eggs and ham and celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday, it's a day you celebrate one of the greatest people on this earth--my mom! Today we celebrated Jelynn being on this earth for 50 years! Can you even believe that? FIFTY! It was just a little weird for me to think that I've been around for half of my mom's life now... Ah! Age is so weird. 

Anyway, to the woman who always had the best chocolate chip cookies waiting for me after school, the only person in the world who I was okay with waking me up in the mornings, the woman who took me to get my first bra (despite all my tears about being the only 3rd grader in a bra...ha!), the woman who taught me to love musicals and Doris Day movies and Cher and Lifetime Movies, the woman who always reminded me to be nice and say hi to everyone, the woman who pronounces 'cheeseburger' as 'cheesebooger', the woman who I call 20 times while making a recipe to try and get it to be "just like hers," the woman who all grandkids are just genetically programed to love more than their parents, the woman who calls me "Punkie," who is my best friend, and the woman who I want to be like when I grow up. . . HAPPIEST OF HAPPY BIRTHDAYS TO YOU!!! Forget Dr. Seuss, March 2nd is definitely YOUR day!

Happy 50th Birthday, mom. Please bless I look even half as good as you when I'm 50!

Love,
Your favorite daughter

The Best Drugstore Mascara's

If you know me, you know I love me some makeup! More specifically, I love me some mascara. I am constantly buying new one's to try, whether it be high-end or drugstore. Let's be honest though, most of the time I'm on the drugstore side of Ulta because, ain't nobody got money for $30 mascara all the time! So I thought I'd share some of my favorite drugstore mascara's with ya'll. And yes, I just typed ya'll and it was as awkward to type as it probably was for you to read it. Almost as awkward as me writing a blog post about makeup... but! In my defense! I have a lot of people ask me what mascara I'm wearing, even if a lot of those 'people' are 13 years old...

Anyway, onwards! To the best drugstore mascara's! Actually, most of these are just my favorite mascara's in general. Also, quick disclaimer: I have naturally long lashes, so I'm usually just looking for mascara's to give me more volume instead of length. I get that everyone has different types of eyelashes/needs, so I can see how you might try some of these and hate them. But if you try them, let me know what you think! Oh! Also, whenever I'm trying a new mascara, I wear it about 3-4 times before I judge it. You gotta break 'em in! Yes, just like you do with new shoes.

Okay, FOR REAL NOW. Here are my favs!

1. Maybelline Lash Sensational   This is my favorite mascara ever! This mascara is one of those that if it didn't say Maybelline on it, you'd never know it was a drugstore mascara! It's seriously that good. I actually prefer this over some of my more expensive mascara's. What I love about it is the brush-- it's curved so I can get reaaallly close to my lashline + the bristles are short and stiff so it really grabs onto my lashes and lets me comb through them if they start looking a little too chunky/globby. It's really buildable, so I can put a few coats of this on and the brush will still comb through them and help me avoid that spider eyelash look (no one can pull that off). Try this mascara and thank me later.

2. L'Oreal Voluminous Volume Building   I know I just said that the Lash Sensational is my favorite mascara, but this is a really close second. This one gives my lashes so much volume, but also really lengthens them! What has surprised me about this mascara is how long it lasts. Most cheap mascara's dry out within a month or so--not this one, though! I've kept a tube of this stuff for 5 months and not had it dry out at all. My only complaint I would have about this mascara is that it transfers onto my brow bone sometimes, but that's really my only complaint! This is definitely a go-to mascara for me and one that I'll always go back to after trying a bunch of different ones.

3. Rimmel London Lash Accelerator Just by the name you can already tell this one isn't meant for volume, but I still LOVE it. I first got it per Jaclyn Hill's recommendation for just using it on the lower lashes (which is amazing--the brush is so thin and tiny!), but I also found that I love using this on top of other mascara's to give my lashes more length. Sometimes I'll even just wear this mascara when I want that "no makeup makeup look," aka I'm running errands and don't want to look completely dead so I put on some mascara. Couple of swipes of this and I'm good to go.

4. CoverGirl LashBlast Volume  This is an oldie, but a goodie! I remember using this in high school...typically with too much eyeliner and purple eyeshadow... but at least my eyelashes were on point! This is one of those that I always come back to. I think I'll find better or that I don't need it in my life anymore, but somehow I always come back to it and think, "how did I live without you?!" It's just a staple in my makeup drawer.  I love it because I can use this mascara to give me a really natural looking lash with just a couple of swipes, or coat it on thick and get huge voluminous lashes to go with a smokey eye! Because the brush has really firm bristles, I also like to use this on my lower lashes because it really separates them. Really the only thing I don't like about this mascara is that this one does dry out really fast, so you have to buy it more often, but you know me, I'll take any excuse to go to Ulta!

If you read this entire post... fist pumps to you! + I'm assuming your'e a makeup lover as well, so in that case... what other mascara's do I need in my life?! Do you like any of my favorites?! If you're not a makeup lover but were nice enough to read this post, don't worry! I'm sure I'll be back to blogging about 8th graders and diet Dr. Pepper soon!

Speaking of 8th graders... Happy "It's Justin Bieber's Birthday, Mrs. Gourley!" Day to all of you, too. Oh, and let's not forget that it's Ron Weasley's birthday today as well! Ron, you the real MVP, even if the 8th graders of Fort Herriman don't agree with me.