Fashion Spotlight: Trend Boutique

Today, I am sitting down with Crissy Cates. She is the co-owner (along with her husband) of Trend Boutique which I am now a huge fan of. She is quite a fashionable mommy, wife, teacher, and now entrepreneur. I asked her a couple of questions about her and her shop....so let's get started!

1. Tell us about yourself.
I am a child of the King, wife, mother, sister, friend, and 3rd grade teacher who is blessed beyond measure. I seek to venture through life with poise, grace, and style. Like every other woman, many days I fall short! But my heart is full and my dreams are big. If I make it through a day and bless my family or others in some small way, I consider it a success!

 2. How would you describe your style?
My personal style tends to be primarily bohemian: laid back, easy, comfy, and trendy. At the moment my staples are anything with fringe, gorgeous kimonos, all things flowy, destroyed jeans, and basic tees all topped off with a long pendant stacked over a delicate gold necklace OR a statement necklace around the neck.

3. Tell us about Trend and your vision behind it?
The idea for Trend was born over a breakfast conversation at IHOP with my husband. We both have big dreams and a great desire to serve others while building a legacy for our family. We've had many discussions about turning our passions into a business. We knew my passion for fashion and Rob's tenacious spirit were a perfect combination to start our own boutique! This has been the most exciting adventure I've ever taken!

In my thirties, I have been awakened to such a new sense of confidence that I never knew before. I want to impart the ability to feel confident from the inside out to women of all ages, shapes, and sizes. No woman stands taller than when she's dressed on the outside in a way that reflects her inner beauty.

A verse that has inspired me for Trend is Proverbs 31:25, "She is clothed in strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future." There is such beauty, strength, and inner peace in this verse.

4. What are your 3 favorite pieces in your boutique right now?
Hardest thing EVER to pick only 3, but here it goes:

1. This Sweater Tho: This open knit, slouchy sweater is such an awesome piece that you can take from winter to summer. I have both dressed it down with sweats or tights and dressed it up with pants and jeans. (HERE)

2. Go with the Flow: This flowy, figure flattering sun dress has such a fun, on-trend, totally wearable pattern and can be worn alone at the beach or paired with a denim vest for a day out shopping. (HERE)

3. Damsel in a Duster: Because I am just LOVING dusters right now. They are such an easy statement piece and can go over anything from shorts, jeans, tights, swimsuits...you name it!(HERE)

5. What would be your fashion advice to readers?
My fashion advice is first and foremost, to be comfortable in whatever you choose to wear. Take notice on what you're wearing on the days you feel best about yourself. Don't hesitate to use Pinterest or some of your favorite fashion blogs (like this one and yourfriendontrend.com) for inspiration. Work your favorite trends into your wardrobe only in ways you feel comfortable. What works on some, doesn't work on all! I love this quote by Judy Garland. "Be a first rate version of yourself not a second rate version of someone else."

I am definitely a customer and wanted to share some of my recent purchases from Trend and my wish list for the spring!

1. Chic Chambray (click HERE to purchase)

I 

This will be my spring staple. I paired it with some white skinny jeans and the cleopatra necklace from Trend. I can't wait to pair it with fun shorts, with a sundress, and pastel skirts. This fits so much better than other chambray shirts I have tried before. This is a softer, light material. Other ones I tried before made me feel boxy and uncomfortable. This is fitted, so I got a large and it's perfect!!! I will note I also have wide shoulders so a medium would have worked if it weren't for my shoulders.

2. Barely Bell Top (click HERE to purchase)

I love this shirt. It is so feminine and has pretty detailing to it. This would be cute with jeans, shorts, or white skinny jeans. It is perfect for warm spring and summer days. I love the cut outs on the arms. Great for a date night and it also comes in a gorgeous blue.

3. Demigoddess Denim Tunic Dress (click HERE to purchase)

This is a perfect dress if you're a Southern girl. I paired it with boots and a multi-layer turquoise necklace. I can't wait to wear this to little festivals and out shopping on spring afternoons. My favorite part is the lace detailing on the arms.

4. Cleopatra Necklace (click HERE to purchase)

All I am going to say is a statement necklace goes a long way. It adds a pop and a bit of glam to a simple outfit. I can't wait to pair this with a fitted white tee, jeans, and wedges or with a dress.


Here are a couple of items I hope to purchase soon...I hope Joey is reading this!

The Cleopatra Necklace in WHITE! Perfect for Summer. (HERE)

This Sweater Tho in white. I love how Trend paired it with these stinkin' cute shorts! (HERE)

Again, thank you to Crissy at Trend for taking the time to chat with me about her amazing store! I know I am a fan and am sure you will be too. I love the fact that she is a mom, wife, fashionista, teacher, and follower of God. It is quite motivating to see a working mom (along with her hubby) doing it all while counting her blessings.

If you would like to check out Trend, you can start shopping HERE!

National School Counselor's Week 2015

It's that time of year to celebrate all that you do. This is also a great time of year to advocate your school counseling program. Below are a list of ideas that you can use this week:

-School Announcements
Last year, I used ASCA's announcements. This year's resources are listed here.

-Certificates for Staff
As a teacher, I loved getting certificates to add to my portfolio. This is a great way to thank them for all that they do to support your campus program. Below you can find my freebie in my TPT store. I tried to keep it as generic as possible so that you can use it at any campus. There are two signature spots. If you're the only counselor on campus, you may sign it along with your administrator. If you have 2 counselors, there is room for both of you and if you have multiple counselors, you could possibly divide up staff and pair up and sign! You can get your freebie HERE!

-Cupcakes and Counselors
Have cupcakes set up somewhere on campus along with counseling information for the staff to come pick up on breaks.I have done this before at the elementary level and called it Donuts and Data. I had donuts set up along with brochures I had made with data on our school counseling program (ex. number of guidance lessons to date, number of students seen individually broken up by reason, number of small group sessions done, etc). What better way for your staff to see how amazing your program is????

-Proclamation
Want to make it official? Have a proclamation done in honor of School Counseling Week!

Check out other great resources from ASCA HERE!

I hope you all have an amazing School Counseling Week and that your school celebrates how amazing and hard working you are....from the bottom of my heart.....

Liebster Award!

I have been running on caffeine....not a lot of sleep...and may have put my shirt on backwards this morning. Things have been a bit crazy lately so when I opened my email and saw I had been nominated for a Liebster Award...I was super excited.

Thank you so much to my new friend all the way in Maine... Angela over at The Mommy Stories. Her blog, y'all...precious. Her family...too cute. You have to check it out for yourself HERE.

Sweet Angela asked me the questions below....so let's get started!!!

What are 3 words to describe how it felt when you learned you were going to be a mother? 

Amazed. Nervous. Thankful.

When did you start your blog? Why did you start writing?
I actually had started in 2007 as a way to document Grayson's stats and to update our family on what we were up to since we have family all around the world.   

What is the coolest thing about your life right now?
Honestly....it's that I am learning. I have been heartbroken about certain things lately but they are things that I am thankful I am heartbroken over. Things like spending more time with my kids, being a better wife, and being a Godly woman. God is doing some amazing things in my life and works in my heart. It is hard but so eye opening. I would say I have learned more in the past year about what kind of mom and wife I want to be than I have in the past 9 years of marriage and 7 years as a mommy. It's changing the way I view things and see things which has been a battle but I am just trying to have an open mind and heart.  

If you could not do the job you do now (and tell us what it is), then what job would you want to have and why?
Currently I am an interim assistant principal/school counselor. It is a blessing. If I wasn't doing what I was doing now I would hands down be a stay at home mom or Kindergarten teacher. Every job I have had has been a huge blessing and great experience and each kiddo has such a special place in my heart. Middle school is where I am and I love the kids' sense of humor and personalities but elementary has always been "my place." Luckily, I currently am at an amazing school and have always had the privilege of being at great schools with great people.Aside from home, there is no place I would rather work than in schools!

Interim assistant principal/counselor

Me and Lauren (doing her observations hours) in my Kindergarten class

What is one of your child's names and where did you get name from?
Funny story....our first one is Grayson. We were watching t.v. one night and saw a Severe Thunderstorm Warning on the news for Grayson county. I also liked Dallas. Haha so his name was picked based on counties and bad weather. We knew we wanted a New Testament middle name, so...it was Luke.

I loved the name Elle from Legally Blonde but my sister said she claimed that name for her next one (she has since had two boys...just sayin') so I went with Ella. Joey loved the name Grace and we wanted something somewhat spiritual (there's nothing better than His grace) so we went with that. Both were pretty laid back experiences. 

Where in your home do you write your blog posts most often? Why there?
In our bedroom in bed. I wait until the kids are asleep to do any blogging or work. It's cozy and I feel like I am not disrupting Joey or the kids. I usually only blog if Joey and I already watched a show or spent time together or if he is asleep or watching something on his phone.  

What would you do with an extra $100 that you can only spend on YOU?
Buy Starbucks and hit up Groovy's. (Which I just did...ha) I was going to somehow say pay it forward but it said only ME so I am going with that. But who are we kidding that is what I usually do?

 Favorite meal you make? Bonus points for the recipe.
We love breakfast food. The thing that everyone loves in this house is breakfast food. Each week I make egg white muffins and sausage balls.

Egg White Muffins

-egg whites (I buy the carton)

-1 lb ground turkey

-Nature's seasoning

-shredded mozzarella cheese

-add in's (bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, sauteed spinach)

Brown ground turkey and season. Put one heaping tablespoon of ground turkey in each muffin tin (greased). Put one tablespoon of mozzarella cheese over the ground turkey. Add any vegetables or extras. Pour egg whites in each tin and fill it about 3/4 of the way. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. 

3 things you typically do on Sundays? 
1. Go to church or do a lesson at home if we miss. (I will post about great resources to use all week with your family on my personal blog soon).
2. Hang out with family (we usually go to my parents' or Joey's and hang out). This is one of our favorite parts of the week and we are blessed that our parents and siblings are all local. We also love squeezing in time to play with our nieces and nephews.
3. Prep for the week. I try to make sure things are signed, organized, Joey and I have our schedules laid out for the week, the kids' stuff is all clean and ready, and as much food is prepped as possible, and laundry has to be away!!!

What is something you do often to make yourself a healthier person?
I try to de-stress and for the most part eat healthy. I drink lots of green tea and eat all of my veggies...lol. I do need to work out but I haven't fully adjusted to my new position. Basically, I try to make sure I have quiet time whether it's listening to music in the bath when the kids are asleep or reading my bible...I make sure I do something to try to keep my mind from going and going which in turn makes me a healthier person.

What is something you want to be sure your kids learn from you?
To not live by the expectations of the world but by the expectations of God. To live with joy and compassion and to have servant's hearts. I have always tried to live up to expectations my whole life whether it's my parents, friends, teachers, peers, bosses, spouse, kids, and even complete strangers' expectations. I want Grayson and Ella to know the Lord and have a heart for Him. I want them to learn to put God first and follow priorities that He lays out and everything else will come together.  Expectations aren't bad but they shouldn't be our driving force....God should be. And of course....I want them to love others and always think about where another person is coming from. There is always so much to a person far more than what we can see. Sometimes it just takes a little time and care.




So.....now I would like to nominate the following bloggers for the Liebster Award and to join in on the fun! Simply link back to this post, answer the below questions, and nominate some of your fav bloggers!! 


Melissa over at The Lone Star Ginger Boutique
She is adorable and so are her products. She also features Wonder Woman Wednesdays on her blog which are also so fun to read. Don't forget to check out her Etsy shop.

Amy over at When Life Gives You...The Lemons & Step Into Second Grade With Mrs. Lemons
I love reading her blogs on her adorable family and their adoption journey but also all of the amazing things she does in her classroom!

Lauren over at Williams Party of Four
I love her blog about the life of a mommy, teacher, wife, and shopper!!! Plus she is my sister in law who I just love!

Crissy over at Your Friend on Trend
I love her blog about fashion and upcoming trends!!! She has a good eye for being trendy and it being mom friendly.

Andrea over at JyJoyner Counselor Blog
I absolutely love Andrea's style and counseling blog. She shares great ideas on work outfits and activities for those in the counseling world!

Shay over at Mix and Match Family
I love this blog. Her family is absolutely adorable and I love reading about their adoption journey. She also shares great traveling and fashion tips and has some amazing recipes.

Andrea over at Momfessionals
She is a super cute teacher, mommy, and creator! She shares amazing mommy tips, fashion tips, and home decorating ideas that are super creative.


Below are your 10 questions to answer.


1. What are your top 3 favorite life moments to date?

2. What are some stores that are your go to places to shop for you (and your kids if you have them)?

3. How would you describe your style? (Bonus: share some pictures)

4. What is your occupation? If you didn't do that, what would you do?

5.  What is your favorite room in your home and why?

6. What are 3 things on your wish list right now?

7. What has been your favorite vacation to date?

8. If you could share one of your best organization tips (whether at home or at school) what would it be?

Can't wait to read the link ups and posts!!!

Winter Wear To Work

Hey y'all! I am so excited to team up with the oh-so-beautiful and stylish Andrea over at JyJoyner Counselor blog. We are doing our Winter Wear to Work series and I couldn't be more excited. Honestly, my winter fashion has been a hodge podge of randomness. It has been a little bit of glam mixed with a whole lot of comfortable.

But first, let's "oooh and aaaah" over how cute Andrea is!! Here she is....

Yes we're back with one of my favorite topics...school counselor fashion!  I'm so excited to team up with my favorite school counselor/now assistant principal fashionista Melanie from The Stylish School Counselor Blog.  

We'd like to share some of our Winter Wear to Work Gear.

This season, I had a "little" obsession with wearing vests and thanks to jcrew, I went from owning 1 vest to 5 vests this season.  To justify my purchases I vowed to wear a vest at least once a week (makes sense right).

 Here are a few more wear to work gear looks:

Shirt: Nautica, Dress & Belt: Gap, Tights: Macy's, Boots: Coach

Cardigan: JCrew, Belt: Gap, Skirt: Banana Republic, Shoes: Bass Weguns

Scarf: Gift, Sweater: Gap, Pants: Banana Republic, Shoes: Cole Haan

Old Navy, Belt: Gap, Skirt: Thifted, Shoes: Bass Weguns, Necklace: Belk, Glasses: Kate Spade

 It's me....Melanie, again! Here is a little of what I have been wearing this winter!

Just like Andrea, I have been loving vests! I bought two this season. A furry black vest that I swear keeps me so warm and a white one that I wear with so much! 

Black fur vest (Apricot Lane), Dress (Nordstrom), Silver Tassel Necklace (Gap)

White Vest (Old Navy), Tunic (Groovy's), Scarf (Nordstrom), Skinny Jeans (Gap), Boots (Groovy's)

I have also been loving jewelry. Whether it's a bold pop of color or simply and dainty...I want to wear it all!!

Coral statement necklace and earrings (Charming Charlie)

Pendant and Drop Earrings (Kendra Scott)

 When the weather is cooler, scarves become my instant BFF! They always tend to tie an outfit together plus keep you warm!

Leopard Scarf (Nordstrom), Green Long Sleeve Tee (Express), Skinny Jeans (Gap), Boots (Target), Purse (Kate Spade)

Leopard Scarf (Nordstrom), Striped Dress (Groovy's)

And here is a pic to show how much I am lovin' these items altogether!!

Chunky Scarf (Nordstrom), White Vest (Old Navy), Tunic (Groovy's), Earrings (Kendra Scott)

I hope you join Andrea and myself during National School Counselor's Week for our School Counselor Fashion Challenge on Instagram and Facebook. We can't wait to see all of your style (guys and girls)!! Simply upload your outfit each day with #nscw15fashion

Short and Sweet

With Pinterest and all of the great ideas on social media, sometimes we get sooo excited in the delivery that we can sometimes forget about the meaning. I am only saying this because I have been caught up in this.

Sometimes, it is the short and sweet things that you can get so much from. I have some kiddos I have been seeing and I needed a quick activity that was a bit hands on so it wasn't pure writing. I gave them some color paper, scissors, a sheet of paper with boxes to cut out, and glue. It was an easy task!

Let me just say that when I went back to read it I noticed that there was some super deep information and also just fun facts that helped me know them a little better. I would definitely suggest this if you need an activity for a small group or maybe a student who doesn't want to talk.

The next thing seems silly because it's a no brainer. I forgot about the power of a handwritten note. I had some students that were tough. I didn't know how to get through to them. I knew they probably hadn't heard many words of encouragement from an adult that didn't seem so generic so I thought I would write them handwritten notes. My relationship with one of them completely turned around from one word answers and a little attitude to telling me I was like a mom they never had. Tears...y'all. Am I saying I did anything great? No way. Silly me forgot what it means to slow down and look at the kid and who they are. So often we get caught up in the day to day duties that we forget to look at what our kids truly need and sometimes it can be something so simple.

 I hope you are able to use these quick little ideas. What are some of your easy, go to activities??? I would love to see them! Feel free to share in the comments below!

Too Much....Hello, 2015!

Hey, y'all!!! I have missed you. I have missed catching up on reading other counseling blogs. I have missed creating. I have missed chatting with my counseling colleagues from around the world.

I kept saying I would be better about blogging and so this time I won't say it...haha. Life gets busy. Family, work, and friends have kept me busy but in a good way. I think taking a little break has been good for the soul but now I am ready. I have a crazy lady notebook of all of the things I want to create for you all!

I first want to say THANK YOU for all of the new Facebook "Likes" on The Stylish School Counselor. It kinda just warms my heart. I won't lie, I do feel a little more pressure (in a good way) to keep up with the blog even more so. I want to make sure I can continue to be a positive, useful resource for you all.

And...now...the bombshell. Some of you who follow me on Instagram (melroseacker is my username) saw me post a pic of my office change. I received some emails and Facebook messages wondering what in the world is goin' on?? Well, let me tell ya'........

 Starting on Monday, I will be the 7th Grade Interim Assistant Principal at my same campus. I am going from 8th Grade Counselor to this new position. I will still see some of my 8th grade "regulars" and work with them. It is a bittersweet change.

Some of you may be like, "Oh, no you didn't!" Haha...but let me first tell you what my career goals are and it might make sense why I want to continue this blog strong and why I am excited about this change. My goal is to one day work in a type of position supporting counselors or teachers like a mentor/new teacher coordinator or a director of guidance. This is in the way future because with the "in between" I want to learn how to be an administrator. My heart will always be in counseling just like it is still in teaching. I have always loved working with students and they bring a smile to my face every stinkin' day but I absolutely LOVE working with teachers and counselors and just educators in general. Helping provide resources, encouragement, constructive criticism at times, motivation, and help is absolutely where my heart lies.

One question I have gotten the most of is how am I going to handle discipline after being such a sweet counselor??? That is a great question and I can see why one would ask that. Many people think you have to yell or be super mean to be effective in discipline. My belief is that most kids that get into trouble may already hear yelling...nonstop at home. How effective is that going to be in creating a change? I think being firm, holding high expectations, and being wise in words to hold students accountable is even more fierce and effective than yelling.

Is this position permanent? No, not at this time. I am filling in and gaining experience and after this semester I am not sure what next year holds???? I am just thankful for the chance to get a glimpse into this side and get my feet wet. I will say, though, that this change is encouraging me even more to support fellow counselors. I feel taking step to the side of counseling while still being somewhat involved gives me a new perspective and new ideas if that makes any sense. Over break, I feel instead of focusing on my counselor to do's that I would usually be working on, I have been able to write lists and ideas for new units and products for my TPT store and also Freebies.

I am so excited for this new year. I already have some guest posts in the works by fellow counseling bloggers and Ms. Andrea over at JyJoyner Counselor and I have a fashion post heading your way soon!

Since I am so thankful for all of you, I have two Freebies in my TPT store to help you get organized for this new year!! I have a Counselor In & Out sign to hang on your door and I even made one for Social Workers since I have had a lot of requests for those too!!!

You can get your own for FREE HERE.
Note: Once you download, the words and website above will NOT be on your printed copy.


I also had a request for a portrait To Do List so it be kept in their binder. This is a great way to keep your daily or weekly To Do List in one binder so that you can see what you have coming up and can keep track of students you need to see, lessons you need to do, and phone calls or emails to make!

You can get your own HERE for FREE!

And if that wasn't enough excitement, I am having a sale this weekend in honor of us not wanting to wake up early...haha!

Today, I am working on a unit to add to my TPT store and I will also begin creating early literacy activities for classroom teachers or moms to use. I have been working with sweet Ella on reading and writing and have been working on creating some activities for her that I thought I would add to my store!!!


I hope y'all have a great rest of the weekend!!! Please feel free to message me any activities or themes you would like to see!!

melroseacker@yahoo.com

Haters Gonna' Hate....

Resiliency is something that I feel students are just really struggling with these days. The ability to bounce back...and the coping skills to become stronger. I was thinking long and hard about this the other day because "bless their hearts" my heart breaks for them. I was sitting at my desk after many conversations that day wondering what I could do? How can I help them see that this is only temporary? Why are kids not as resilient as years past?

Then it hit me. These kids deal with a whole ugly side of bullying, judgement, and attacks. They deal with technology. I can't imagine as a kid to deal with drama at school and then have it follow you home 24/7 because that's how long these kids usually have their phones on them on top of whatever is going on at home and with school work.

When I was in school (I know I am officially old for saying that), kids could escape the name calling or the comments at home but now it's on a whole new level. It's funny because when I talk to kids and we work on coping skills, I always tell them..."Haters gonna hate."

The kids give me a super awkward look and then say, "You're so right, Mrs. Acker!" Of course, this is after laughing at me (an old person who is a mommy and watches My Little Pony and Pokemon every night...don't judge)!

One of the things I discuss with students when we discuss coping and building resiliency is that there are negative people out there and we can't change or conform to their opinions about us because some of those negative people will STILL have something rude to say regardless. We use YouTube, online articles, and Instagram as examples. I spoke with a kiddo the other day about the new Taylor Swift video that they loved. We discussed the comments on the video and if they thought there were more negative or positive.

We then talked about how our actions and choices affect what people say. Will it stop all rude comments if we are wise in our decision making? No, not always. But we can find confidence in knowing that we are doing what we can do to make things better for ourselves and there will always be "haters."

I refer to this so much that I made a sign. Is it cheesy. Maybe. Is it a good saying? Oh yes! So for Cyber Monday...I am sharing a freebie with you along with a long story and example. Ha!

 You can get your own HERE! 

I think it's important to show our students that there are negative people and we can't let them control how we feel about ourselves or the decisions that we make. We can be respectful and show kindness in the face of negativity and after that....it's out of our control. We can't control other people's feelings...we can make an impact but we can't control them.

It's also important for parents to understand the difficulties that our kids face these days by educating them through parent meetings and providing resources.

Here are some helpful resources for you to use: 

Article on Helping Teens Manage Technology:
http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/five_tips_for_helping_teens_manage_technology

Article on Building Resiliency in Children:
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/Building-Resilience/Pages/Building-Resilience-in-Children.aspx

25 Ideas for Teaching Your Kids Resiliency: (Great for Younger Kids/Toddlers)
http://creativewithkids.com/25-ideas-for-teaching-your-kids-resiliency/

Many of you have asked or emailed to see what I have been up to. I just love y'all! I love seeing my counselor friends on Instagram so you can find me there when I don't blog as much! My username is: melroseacker or you can click the icon on the top of this page.

So...what have I been up to? I have been enjoying Thanksgiving break with my sweet family and friends and getting excited for the Christmas season! I was able to attend an awesome counseling conference at the beginning of November and got some amazing ideas from the impressive presenters which I will share in another post! Other than that, I am just being thankful for each day...

Sweet time with sweet kiddos

Fun with friends

Getting ready for Christmas!

Enjoying a little Starbucks before the conference

Thanksgiving with my biggest blessings

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and take time for YOU to relax during this wonderful yet busy time of year!! Happy Holidays from my family to yours!