Top Five

Back in the day when I wrote over at Love Your Love the Most it was a trend to do a Friday Five. This was fun. So I am going to bring it back to this corner of the field.

Starting with FIVE.

Here are the TOP 5 requests, purchases, and messages from the week.

This sweatshirt is amazing for mom life/ cozy life. On sale.

These teacher sneakers.Y’all LOVED these. I wear them a TON.

Coach Cain’s favorite pants. I had about twenty messages this week asking for Coach’s favorite pants so wives could grab them as a Valentine gift. Coach was sad that I could throw on my leggings and sweatshirts to run errands or go anywhere on the weekends. So he LIVES in these things during the winter months.

The OG Teacher Suit. It’s kinda insane that someone came up to me one day and said, “You’re Carley Cain that sells earrings and wears teacher suits.” Yes, I guess?

A basic shirt to wear with all of the fun gems. If you are new here, I sell earrings with my best gem. Two Hidden Gems on Facebook. I get a message or twenty weekly asking what shirt I love to wear with all of the fun and unique statements. THIS one is my go to. This is a great price and goes with anything and everything.

FOUR.

The Whoop.

I made a post this week that I have been reading about Apple Watches not accurately tracking your step count. I wear an Apple Watch to tell time, text, call, and a Whoop for fitness tracking. I have lots of messages asking about this. I may need to do a whole post about it.

THREE.

This week I broke out of my comfort zone and took my children with me to the gym. At 5am. I feel like I have unlocked a whole new chapter of life.

TWO.

Coach Cain was out of town for two nights. This is why I had to take them with me to the gym because I could NOT miss a hero WOD.

ONE.

This week was an emotional journey for me. It has been up and down where one thing is great, then in the same breath I am hit with another worry. BUT GOD.

God has been so so so good. If I could wrap this week up in one sentence it out be: “God has shown me time after time that it is all going to be PERFECT, so I can’t drain myself with worry anymore.”

I need to write about some HUGE prayers that have been answered JUST THIS WEEK.

Integrity

The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change.

I feel this in my soul. I feel the desire in my heart. It is my purpose.

I made a comment yesterday in a video and as soon as I said it, I wrote it down: I refuse to be uncomfortable in life.

It is a running “joke” that I won’t wear shoes, clothing, ANYTHING that is uncomfortable. I won’t do it. I won’t walk around being uncomfortable.

Honestly, I have found myself standing on this principle when it comes to life in general. I don’t sit in a room that makes me feel uncomfortable. If I have a bad vibe, I find myself getting out as soon as possible. I don’t have “friendships” that make me uncomfortable. I don’t spend my personal time in situations that are uncomfortable. To be VERY dramatic: I love Crossfit, but you will never find me attempting handstand pushups….. being upside down…. too uncomfortable.

In all seriousness, I made a list of things I was not giving my time to anymore. I don’t give my peace to uncomfortable situations. Please don’t come to me with “uncomfortable situations is where you find growth.” Ehhhhh…… is the situation aligned with God’s purpose for my life? Is this situation, friendship, goal, activity going to build my relationship with Jesus? If not? I don’t want it.

What does this look like?

I don’t sit in conversations that are super negative.

I don’t spend my personal time with people that have shown that they are untrustworthy.

I don’t spend time worried or upset about situations that I have no control over. (Coaching carousel.)

I have professional and kind relationships with people, but I don’t get upset when we aren’t “best friends.” I take it as, “I am not being uncomfortable” in a friendship.

My home is the most important field I have. The 4 walls of my classroom is my happy place. These two places bring me comfort…. because of integrity. I never want to lose that. the Bible study I am working through said this, “I’m sure I will make mistakes; we all do. But I can choose to make the patterns of my life line up with God’s truth by doing what the Bible instructs, prioritizing emotional health, and being someone my people can trust.” THIS

I refuse to be uncomfortable in life.

“Whoever walks in integrity, walks securely.” Proverbs 10:9.

I find comfort in security. I find comfort in my integrity.

From My Field to Yours,

I Do Love A List

I truly love love LOVE a list.

I have created a few lists of items we LOVE and use in our very REAL LIFE.

In order to be truly real life: I do earn a small commission from these posts. It pays for this space. So if you support this space: You’re a real MVP.

THIS is my FAVORITE list of CCTM (Comfy Cozy Teacher Mom) items. We only do comfort at work and home, and EVER really.

THIS is my list of classroom items that I use time after time again in my little happy place.

THIS is a newer list of items that I am asked about when it comes to toddler learning and play. I am VERY passionate about building vocabulary, fine motor skills, and social skills early on in your child’s life.

THIS is a list of items we use in our home to keep this team winning no matter the season of life.

THIS is where all of the lists are: in one place.

THIS is where I keep all of my daily OOTD teacher outfits. I also link anything and everything else we use and love.

Again, thank you for being here and supporting this corner of the field. We hope your season is full of wins!

From Our Field To Yours,

To Be Real Life

That is always the goal. To show the highlights, but also the real life. I feel like to do that pretty well when it comes to Teacher Life/ Coach’s Wife Life/ somewhat Mama Life… because I feel comfortable sharing MY real life. I wouldn’t share anything that has to do with someone else’s life. That is kinda the rule here. I will be as open about MY REAL life as I possibly can be.

So…. if I am being REAL LIFE…. Let’s talk about a recent opportunity I was given.

LTK.

What is LTK? It is an app. It is a free app that you download. When I post items we use/ teacher outfits/ products I love…. I can easily link the items/ pieces there.

WHY?

To be real life, I LOVE teacher style. I love seeing other teachers dress. I love watching videos of moms cooking dinner for their family. I love seeing how mom’s run their houses while protecting their mental well being. I LOVE seeing other moms THRIVE.

So I stated posting MY teacher outfits.

I started posting MY dinner plans.

I started posting books I read to MY children.

I started posting.

Then people asked for links.

Then I was given the opportunity to post commissionable links and be paid for time I put into writing recipes/ time I spend adding links and resources.

It honestly became a space for Carley to be Carley.

Because if I am being REAL LIFE…. I often find my identity in being a Coach’s Wife/ Mama/ Teacher/ Small Business Owner. But who is Carley? So this space was born.

I have BIG plans for this space. I have some insane blessings in the works that I would LAUGH about years ago….

So if it’s your thing….. download the LTK app and follow for this new season. I think it is going to be a winning one. Maybe.

The Plan

The plan is that I have no plan.

I should really start by saying I am very new at the whole Bible reading journey. This year I knew I was going through the motions of being a Christian, but I was missing something. After hearing many messages each Sunday, I knew that it was Bible reading daily.

So in mid 2024, I made that part of my daily morning. I am FAR from perfect. I can tell you that it has changed my mornings, for the better. I found myself NEEDING to start each morning with my chair, silence, and the word.

I get asked what “plan” I follow.

I have no plan.

I love journaling. (obviously. You’re reading my public journal.) So I wanted something I could jot with.

I’m also so new to the Bible, that I really wanted something from start to finish, and not skipping around like most daily devotions were doing. (Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a daily devotional.) I just knew I needed something different.

I kept seeing the Spiral Bible. I went with that one.

I LOVE the large book. It can lay flat on my lap as I sit in my chair.

I love the lines on the side for the notes.

It has the perfect pages for flair pens. If you know you know.

As for my reading plan: No plan.

I stated with the New Testament.

Matthew chapter 1.

I say a quick prayer each time I start. “Lord, help me hear what you need me to hear today.”

Then I read one chapter. I underline what sticks out to me.

On the side I write down questions, thoughts, prayers that relate to what I just read.

THEN: (remember, I am so new to this.)

I go to my friends and tell them my questions and ask them to clarify for me. Because I have THE best friends that I am fully comfortable asking my questions. They are WAY smarter than me. I HIGHLY suggest finding someone to discuss with. (These friends often tend to be my admin team. Usually when they are exhausted from a long day of school… then here I come with my deep questions. HAHAH.)

At the end of each book, I will flip back and look at each note I took and write a summary of what I learned from that book. (Sounding more and more like a teacher.)

Is this the best plan? Not sure. I am sure it works for me.

I still love questions that make me “think” and respond…. (I am a reading teacher after all.) My goal this year is to slow down a bit. I ordered THIS to help me reflect daily on that. She is one of my favorite writers.

For the Coaches Wives:

THIS daily devotion CHANGED me. During the season I read this along with my Bible reading and it truly changed my heart. I give this book the credit for lighting the fire in my heart that I needed. I honestly plan to pick it back up and work through it again in January. SO SO good.

Each morning I try to spend 10 minutes reading from the Bible and reflecting. Then I’ll spend around 10 minutes with a devotional.

I also highly recommend adding a little rescue Weim and a great cup of coffee to your morning reading plan.

No matter what season you are in…. I’m cheering for you!

The Opposite.

I am not very big on “resolutions.” Honestly, the “New Year” to my brain is in August. (Any other teachers feel this?) When reflecting on my year, I don’t really think: “I wish I did more.” The way my brain functions:

I exercise daily. (multiple times.)

I cook most meals at home.

We eat dinners together.

We pack lunches from home.

I have become closer to Jesus this year than I have ever been.

I love my teaching career.

My marriage is thriving.

Maybe just maybe my children are growing up enjoying their childhood.

I guess I can floss more and limit Starbucks?

I am 3. Can you tell?

My day is built around a mental checklist. I find myself going through the motions of life and constantly feeling “rushed” to get to the next strike off of the to do list that lives in my mind. I wake up each day around 4:50am, but still find myself a few minutes late to everything. I tell people daily: I am not late because I couldn’t get out of the bed. I am late because I tried to do too much in the time before I needed to be somewhere. I constantly live in the state of “HURRY.” I am even 2-3 minutes late taking my class to every place we need to be every day. In fact, I was recently called out by an 11 year old when I said, “Y’all. We gotta hurry. We are 3 minutes late to lunch every day!” To which she said, “Mrs. Cain, we have to be at lunch at 11:50, but you set the reading group timer to END at 11:50. Why don’t we set the timer to end at 11:47. Then we might be on time.” Silly 5th graders. Why are they so logical and smart?! And why do I not do this?

So I decided to do the opposite of “rush.” What is that? So I googled antonyms for “rush.”

It broke me.

Inactivity.

Laziness.

Lethargy.

Faintheartedness.

If I was to describe my biggest fears: To be seen as any of the above words.

Until 2025.

I plan to do the opposite of “rush.”

I won’t stop working hard. I won’t stop checking off that daily to do list. I won’t stop giving 100%.

I just won’t rush to do more.

I don’t want to spend 2025 in the constant state of “hurry.” My goal for 2025 is to eliminate the sense of constant RUSH.