BaubleBar Fashion Jewelry + a GIVEAWAY!

If you're anything like me, you like the idea of having super cute, fashionable jewelry, but don't want to pay the cost to get the goods. So you sift through the statement necklaces at Francesca's and earrings at Target for the pieces that look Stella&Dot-ish but often find that the pieces that match what you're looking for are just over that $20 max price-point you're willing to spend. Sound familiar?

If so, then you will LOVE the online shop I'm sharing today!

A friend introduced me to Baublebar a few months ago. I like to think of it as an online outlet mall for jewelry. They have super trendy necklaces, bracelets, and earrings at affordable prices! And the website is very easy to navigate.

Here are some of the pieces I'm loving right now.

When you go to their website, you'll see a pop up window that asks for you to enter your email for some sort of discount off of your first purchase. If you fill that out, you'll get the discount and they'll send you emails whenever they're running extra sales on top of their already great prices.

Plus, when you make purchases, you receive what they call "vault points". These points can be used as credits toward future purchases. So it's like having the benefits of a store credit card without the actual credit card part.

Now for the best part- the giveaway!!!

1. To enter to win this necklace, visit Baublebar and leave a comment below telling me which piece of jewelry is your favorite.

2. You can earn extra entries for following Notes from the Nelsens in any of the ways listed below- just make sure to leave a separate comment for each follow as each comment counts as a separate entry.

The winner will be announced next Friday morning!

Winner chosen via random.org

Good luck!

This giveaway is now closed. Click here to see the winner.

Girls' Weekend!

This weekend marked the 10 year anniversary of when we moved into the Clemson dorms our freshman year. 10 YEARS?! Somehow, our 10 year high school reunion was easier to grasp than this... even though they were obviously a couple months apart.

Of the five of us girls, three live in Atlanta and two live in Charleston. So we decided to meet in the middle in Columbia and stay with Meagan's parents for the weekend. It was so great to spend the weekend together... it just went by way too fast!

We decided the setup of the houses in their neighborhood would be the perfect way for us all to live together again- we each get a house and share the little courtyards. :)

Grouchos- duh

Columbia's Clemson store- 10 years?! Really?!

We laughed SO hard at this picture. And Meagan probably laughed the hardest. Elementary school pictures anyone?!

So we'd tried again. ;)

Meagan's sweet mama...

...and dad!

Registering with Steph! They're hoping to bring a baby home before Christmas. You can read more about their adoption story here.

The "lesson" I taught on the first day of school

One of my favorite parts about being back in the classroom (I taught K-4 pullout for gifted and EIP reading last year) is the time I have to talk about life with my kids. People say that teachers wear many different hats throughout the year... my favorite "hat" is that of counselor/problem solver/encourager.

Most kid problems seem trivial to adult ears because we've been there, done that, and know that everything will work out when Lucy gets her feelings hurt and has a complete meltdown over her friend choosing to sit with someone else at lunch. But to Lucy, in that moment when she feels like she's been rejected, her feelings are real... and it doesn't feel like it will be okay eventually. When you get down to it, kids really aren't that different from adults. We all want to feel important. And we all want to be heard.

So knowing that I would have these same kids for the entire year, I decided we would start the year off with a little inspiration and self-reflection.

I showed them this 3 1/2 minute video clip that my principal showed us on our first day back. I wanted all 85 kids (we rotate for each subject, so I teach reading to the entire 5th grade) to start their year with a purpose and realize that no matter what last year looked like for them, this year was a new year. I wanted them to reflect on what they wanted out the year. To imagine themselves on the last day and picture what they hoped to have accomplished- academically, personally, and socially.

The video talks about "being awesome." So after we watched it, I asked the kids,

"How can you be awesome this year?" 

Then I gave each them a sticky note and asked them to write down three specific and personal ways that they could be awesome this year.

After a few minutes of thinking, I shared my list to help them with their own:

How can I be awesome this year?

1. I can make each child feel like they are wanted in the classroom and that if they are gone for a day, they are missed.
2. I can be a better teacher than I was last year because every year I want to be a better than I was the year before.

3. As a reading teacher, I can help each child love reading a little more than they did at the beginning of the year.

After a few more minutes, I gave them the opportunity to share any or all of the goals from their lists if they felt comfortable.. And you know what I realized?

5th graders are smart. They are far more intuitive and reflective than I realized.

Some of the things mentioned were:
1. Be completely me
2. Work on being more organized
3. Try to behave better this year than I did last year
4. Get along better with my family
5. Try to be friends with everyone instead of just a small group of people
6. Try harder on my work
7. Start my homework right when I get home so I'm not so tired when I do it.
8. Be a better friend

Pretty awesome, huh? 

So I think it's worth asking yourself.
How can you be awesome this year? What can you do to make this year better than the last?


Happy weekend, friends!

It's a Blog Hop!

I'm so glad you stopped by! 

If you're new to this space, you can learn more about us here, tour our home here, or read about places we've traveled here. 

For a list of places you can find me, click here.

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I would like to cordially welcome you to week #31 of one of the most POPULAR Bloglovin' hops.  This month, I am bringing you a special "Back To School" edition of the hop.  

Everyone needs good back to school supplies, right?  How about some "blog supplies", then?!  In addition to the regular blog hop fun, I am hosting weekly giveaways in August for some coveted ad space on my blog. This week is your chance to win one of our Bloglovin Blog Hop banner ads (they run across the top of the hop).   It's a great way to get exposure during a very popular hop!

                 

                  

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<a href="http://www.happykidsincblog.com/2013/08/bloglovin-blog-hop-31-giveaway.html" title="Happy Kids, Inc" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEi73oUc_3-UjlTmvrgNumGVnLPh4F91vX5HWgggTRiAeMaa8u4oJHh6hgrkmB7JqXkPCtjKXMPrWklKOar7P8IsgprjyBCqu368_Q6gHCSZC-n7s2jctV6-YQtKbtPgdDqSIzzXr2_-U8awj6zako0nFcJGtd6tO0tDZz3Al__vEDxVmka4BzTWSnzo_MGp4FGY3BIiP_BELvPR_jyLJht95DvZXN5u=" alt="Happy Kids, Inc" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

      

     

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Calling all hunters and gift buyers

I realize the average rifle-owning, duck-hunting, alligator-skin-wearing person is not a frequent visitor of this tiny space on the internet. In fact, I'd fall out of my chair laughing if someone commented on this post and proved me wrong (Orlando Nelsens, you don't count).

But while you may not BE that person, you probably know someone who fits the mold, right?! Sure you do! In fact, he may be the person that sleeps next to you every night, or the person you call dad (or mom or sister... girls hunt too ;)).

So why am I going into all of this randomness?! Well, last year, when we were visting family in Orlando, we got to see the beginning stages of a business that two of Matt's cousins started. And even though I'm not a big hunter (and my "not big" I mean, I've never hunted), Matt and I were seriously impressed with their products!

Mark and Graham, the creators of Nelsen & Nelsen, have hunted for years. 

For over a decade, they have participated in Florida's statewide Alligator Hunt Program and have mastered the art of skinning and hide protection.

All of their products are made from authentic alligator hides, not alligator printed leather.

They started out by making belts, wallets. and boots...

So Steve Irwin, don't you think? 

(I definitely just Googled searched, "Who was the crocodile hunter?")

...Okay, maybe not. But preppy business men can use a fancy belt and wallet. 

...and then began making pistol and rifle cases that are seriously, seriously impressive looking. Even for non-hunters like myself.

They use almost the entire alligator skin for one rifle case, while other, similar products are often made from multiple alligator skins that are pieced together. Using one skin creates a really smooth and high-end-looking product.

These products are great gift ideas for the groomsmen in your wedding, the boss that needs a little extra sugar-coating, or the husband or dad who is impossible to shop for because he has it all. 

Plus the owners are pretty awesome and will be great to work with on any customized order. Wait, was that biased? Just trust me on this one.

For more information about this company, visit their website or contact Mark Nelsen. I know you'll be happy you did!

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Tomorrow, I am co-sponsoring a blog hop with an ad space giveaway. If you're a blogger or just enjoy reading blogs, swing by and check it out!