Hello! Shew! What a week. I swear we went from 0 to 100 which has left with less time to blog. It’s been a while since I’ve shared a little update on each of us, so today, I’m sharing Three Things.
on the field after the big UK vs Florida victory!
The middle school cross country season is wrapping up, and Hayden has had a great season, especially considering the adjustment to running with 7th and 8th graders! His team celebrated their successes yesterday with a party after school. They still have the state meet left and then Hayden will also run a bit competitively this fall. He’s also started basketball which is another love of his!
Hayden finished reading the Hunger Games book and immediately started the second one, Catching Fire. I always love when my kids find books (or a series!) they love to read.
Hayden’s had a successful start to middle school. As the first quarter is wrapping up, he said his favorite class is art (and he’s not mad to have PE this semester as well!).
xoxo
Hadley has doubled down on dance with dancing for her school and in the studio. In the studio, she’s taking ballet, tap, and jazz as well as competition team. Middle school dance was paused for a bit with some many out due to quarantine, but Hadley’s happy to be back with that crew and looking forward to cheering and dancing at an upcoming school basketball game.
Over the weekend, Hadley and a friend took a babysitting class at the YMCA and passed! Hadley is so good with younger kids, and now has the credentials to prove it 😉
Hadley is also loving middle school. Besides dance, she’s signed up for Student Council, and says her favorite class is Life Essentials. She’s extra excited because first quarter was all about kitchen safety, and second quarter they get to bake!
**I think it’s interesting both kids chose their electives as their favorite classes. Middle school perks!
Travis is glad to be back to work. Also, he’s officially recovered from his knee surgery and happy to get back to working out and running. He’s been helping Hayden with cross country when Hayden missed school. After the state meet, Travis will keep training Hayden for other races.
I’m happy to be back to school as well now that everyone is healthy and resumed their normal activities. This is the first “normal” year of my academic intervention job, and I’m really loving it. I feel pretty good about our school routine, and I’ve been able to get a workout routine going. I still love the Beachbody app, and have started a new program: Morning Meltdown.
Homer sure loved having us home so much over the past few weeks. While he’s still ornery, I really do think he’s maturing. It dawned on us recently that he hasn’t destroyed much lately! He still likes to dig holes in the backyard, but that’s better than chewing the remote or shoelaces!
So that’s bit of what’s going on with each of us. These feel like seasonal posts to me! I’m sure the next update will be in the winter!
Hello and Happy Monday! I know most people either love Mondays or hate them. I fall somewhere in between, but today I’m loving this Monday. Even though fall break is now over, this is the first Monday in almost three weeks that all of my family is going to school or work after being sick and/or in quarantine. Travis went back to work last Monday, Hayden went back to school last Tuesday, and now it’s Hadley’s turn to head back to school. Hallelujah!
Today is our Not Just a Mom link up, and I’m co-hosting with these lovely ladies:
Our topic this month is: how we handle busy nights.
Well, I know this is shocking, but I always have a plan! 😂
Every Sunday, I write our weekly activities and dinner plans on our fridge calendar. I always try to use my slow cooker or have leftovers on busy nights, so I plan those meals accordingly.
Also, if we are double booked with the kids, I make sure Travis can pick up or take one of the kids while I handle the other one’s activities. Also, I have a great group of mom friends, and if we can carpool, we do.
If our evening is so busy that we don’t have time to come home after school or between activities, I pack a few snacks for the kids to grab if needed. I try to make those options as healthy as possible: granola bar, Chomps, cuties, variety pack of chips, etc. That way they eat something somewhat healthy to hold them over until dinner.
Also, if needed, I make sure the kids have practice clothes laid out (or packed) in the morning, so we can use our time as efficiently as possible after school.
Since the kids are in middle school now, they have to manage their time wisely with completing homework on busy nights. On Sunday, we try to look at their evenings and deadlines for assignments, so they know on less busy nights, they may need to complete more work to make up for more hectic evenings when they may have less time to complete schoolwork.
…and then…
What about you? How do you handle busy nights? I will take any tips I can get!
Next month’s topic is: favorite small shops.
Make sure check out everyone’s posts. I hope you have a great week!
Hello! How’s your week going? We’re hanging on around here, but I’m very excited because today is the first day of our (short) fall break! I will take what I can get. Today, I’m sharing some bits and pieces of what we’ve been up to, so it’s just a little bit of some Life…Lately.
I had a Bath and Body Works coupon (two, actually) to spend, and when I parked outside right by the store, this Lexington mural caught my eye. I don’t think I’ve ever noticed it before, and it looked so pretty on a beautiful Saturday. When I left the store, a family was taking a photo in front of it. So fun.
Speaking of Bath and Body Works, here’s my haul:
I knew the three wick candles were on sale, and I had a coupon for 20% (or maybe 30?) plus a coupon for a free small item.
I purchased Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin body wash, Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte lotion for Hadley, Marshmallow Fireside candle (one of my favorite scents!) and Pumpkin Apple hand soap for my bathroom.
Next time I got to BBW, it will be for Christmas fragrances!
This Kroger pumpkin roll was an impulse buy a couple of weeks ago, and now I’ve picked up a couple more. It’s the perfect fall dessert, and doesn’t last long in our house!
I won a book! I got a notification on the Goodreads app about a give away for the Christmas in Peachtree Bluff book. I received an email a couple of weeks ago that I won one of the copies! It arrived this week, and I plan on reading it in November before sharing some previous Christmas reads before the holidays. I love books by Kristy Woodson Harvey.
I was so excited to get this new mirror from Wayfair. (The app says it will be back in stock soon, if interested) This wall in our living room has been blank for 7+ years now, and I’ve always wanted a mirror there. I saw one years ago that I loved at Hobby Lobby but never got it. When I checked out Hobby Lobby recently, I didn’t see any that I liked, so I searched Wayfair next. This one was on sale and just my style. What I’d really like to do is put some ship lap on that wall and then hang the mirror, so that’s a project I may move up on our “to do” list. For now, I just have it sitting on the antique chest.
…and I love how it looks with the glow of my pumpkins and candles.
Another new item that arrived this week is this new rug (the Rachel) from Boutique Rugs. We’ve had the same runner rug in our hallway for a few years, and Travis, of all people, mentioned that it’s always bugged him how short it was. So, when Tina (@to_mimishousewego) shared her Boutique Rug code on Instagram for some of her favorite rugs, I went for it. BR was having a FALL60 sale, but Tina had MIMI70! Even better. The rug is going down a different hall, but I moved it here for the photo with better light.
I try to keep it pretty light-hearted around here, but we’ve had a rough couple of weeks. Our family has either been sick or in quarantine for the past two + weeks. Unfortunately, Travis was the first one diagnosed with Covid and was very sick for a few days. Four days after Trav’s symptoms, Hayden started having symptoms, and four days later, you guessed it…it was Hadley’s turn. My people have taken turns living in the basement, I’ve been wearing a mask non-stop, and it’s been a crazy couple of weeks with some sleepless nights and lots of stress. I knew vaccinated people could still get Covid, but I didn’t realize how sick they can still get. My kids were a couple months shy of being eligible for their vaccine. Thankfully, the kids had pretty mild symptoms (low grade fever, headache, and congestion) and after a few days and some medicine, Travis turned the corner. Travis finally went back to work Monday, Hayden went back to school Tuesday, and Hadley can resume normalcy tomorrow (with school on Monday). It’s been hard, and this mama is tired, but very grateful for all the love and support from family and friends over the past couple of weeks.
If you need Covid care tips, well, I’m ya girl: I’ve never been so thankful to have a basement for immediate and easy isolation. I wore my mask at all times, and served all food on disposable plates, bowls, and cups that they would throw away on their own in Kroger bags. Once Travis and Hayden were both in the basement, I bought basement snacks and breakfast items. The basement fridge came in handy for Gatorade, water, fruit and lunch meat. I disinfected the house and basement many times a day and even bought fabric disinfectant for couches and chairs, especially in the basement. And needless to say, stock up on the Clorox wipes! Also, all the vitamins are necessary: C, D, Zinc and whatever else you can get your hands on. I hope I never have to be the expert on this topic again!
Also, the school work, y’all! The kids’ teachers have been great and the amount of work is manageable, but it’s been full time job helping our kids get caught up, especially with the end of the quarter drawing near and them missing ten days of school.
Speaking of the generosity of others, we’ve had lots of fun and thoughtful porch packages from lasagna to Trader Joe’s faves, to margaritas and wine, to milkshakes, groceries and more, we’ve felt the love. While I could still go do what I needed to do, I still worked some days, helped the kids, tended to the sick, and more! We are so appreciative, and thankfully, the worst is past us now.
Just in time, I was able to get my Covid booster on Monday as well as my flu shot. Walgreens came to our school to give flu shots and added the booster as an option. Y’all, just like with the second vaccine, this one DID. ME. IN. Big time. Like this post was going to be for yesterday, but I was down for the count all day Tuesday and still didn’t feel 100% yesterday. Still, I’m thankful to feel like I have the extra protection now given what we’ve been going through.
I did rally for Hayden’s last regular season cross country race Tuesday night. I honestly physically didn’t feel like going, but I didn’t want to miss it. I showered beforehand, and the fresh air did me some good. Hayden always gives his best effort, but this race was a test after missing over two weeks (He was able to run some at home), three races, and running while still congested. As if that wasn’t enough, he didn’t tie his shoes tightly, and ran half the race with one shoe! 😆 It wasn’t his fastest time, but he still did great, and the boys team placed with their best score of the season!
I started fall break off right last night. I picked up a London Fog tea (thanks to a gift card from a friend), and was in my pjs by 4:18 PM. My neighbors are used to seeing me on my porch in my pjs these days! 😂
Weekly Recap:
I’m going to take tomorrow off from blogging, so no Friday Favorites for me, but here are my posts from this week:
Hello! It’s the first Tuesday of the month, so I’m linking up with Tanya for this month’s Prime Purchases.
This month, I bought a few things for me, a few things for the kids, and a few things for fall.
Here’s what I bought:
For the Kids:
Hadley has had the same lunch bag for a couple of years, and after a spill, she needed a new one. I let her click around, and this is the one she chose:
She said her lunch table friends said it was so cute. That’s a win for sure in middle school.
Speaking of lunches, since Hadley still takes her lunch most days, I restocked my favorite lunch box notes. I used these last year as well. They have such cute sayings and are on good, quality paper.
I bought these cooling towels for Hayden for after his cross country races. I can’t believe I didn’t buy them in the summer when he was playing so much baseball in the heat. He’s used them after some hot races, and they will be perfect for baseball season as well.
I purchased this runner for my kitchen table, and it’s the perfect touch of fall. (It comes in a variety of colors, and I got the 14″ x 108″ for our large kitchen table.)
I’ve been buying this base and top coat combo for a couple of years, and it was time for more. The top coat helps my at home manicures last at least a week!
Y’all these earrings are my fave. I only typically wear stud earrings, and these have been my “go to” pair for a couple of years. Sadly, I lost one at school a couple of weeks ago, so I just went ahead and ordered this same pair. I love the rose gold color, and they are less than $9 (with an extra $1 coupon too!)
My watch band that I’ve worn for almost two straight years broke recently, so I purchased the set to replace it. I’ve never been good about changing watch bands, but I’ve switched these out a few times already. I love this color set, but there are other color options as well.
Hello and Happy Monday! Today, I’m sharing a recap of this past month. It was the first full month of school, we had lots of activities…and then everything came to a halt.
9.1.21
At the beginning of the month, we celebrated Hadley with the You are Special red plate for making her school’s dance team.
9.2.21
On this day, I swung buy the library to pick up some books, we had breakfast for dinner, Hadley had dance, and Hayden had golf.
9.3.21
After a busy day at school, middle school Hadley wanted to go to my school’s football game to see her friends.
9.4.21
We kicked off Labor Day weekend with Hayden’s cross country meet, followed by Hayden’s golf match and Hadley tailgated with friends.
9.5.21
We had a lazy rainy Sunday with IHOP for brunch and soup for dinner.
9.6.21
On Labor Day, I got caught up around the house, the kids went to the pool for a couple of hours, and we grilled out for dinner.
9.7.21
It was back to school, grocery pick up, and a cross country meet for Hayden.
9.8.21
Hadley was excited for her first middle school dance practice, and then we had no other evening activities! Hallelujah!
9.9.21
On this day, more golf for Hayden, and more dance for Hadley.
9.10.21
After school on Friday, I had my monthly facial followed by…
Hayden’s end of the season baseball party (with special guest UK pitcher Alex Degen)
9.11.21
Wow! The 11th marked twenty years since 9/11, a cross country meet for Hayden, and then family fun at the UK/MU game.
9.12.21
On the 12th, Hayden had his last baseball tournament, and Hadley had her final bridging ceremony as a Girl Scout.
9.13.21
On Monday the 13th, we went to Hadley’s friend’s volleyball game!
9.14.21
The kids had an early morning ortho appointment, Homer got his allergy shot, and Hayden had a cross country meet.
9.15.21
This day was rainy, and we had no evening activities; I decided to get a pedicure after school and chose a fall-ish color for my toes.
9.16.21
This was a busy day from start to finish with school, golf for Hayden, the kids attended their school’s football game, we had leftovers for dinner and then the kids had some homework to do before bed.
9.17.21
This was my favorite kind of Friday when I picked up pumpkins at Kroger and my favorite garden center.
9.18.21
On Saturday, Hayden had a cross country meet, a golf match, and I decorated the front porch and then had dinner with Hadley.
9.19.21
On this Sunday, we went to church, I finished a book, and the Chiefs were on Sunday Night Football.
Homer was ready to cheer on the Chiefs.
9.20.21
It was a rainy Monday with lots of driving: errands after school, I picked Hayden up from cross country practice, I took Hadley to dance, and ended the evening just hanging out watching KC Royals on TV.
9.21.21
Another rainy day, and I spent the evening getting my inside fall decorations finished up.
9.22.21
We had more rain, soup for dinner, and my mom came to town.
9.23.21
*This is when life slowed down a bit.
The kids were quarantined due to a Covid exposure, and my new Amazon fall pillows arrived.
9.24.21
I picked up donuts for breakfast, the kids did school from home, and my mom and Gus came to visit.
9.25.21
This was an unexpected lazy day that started with a rainy morning,
a beautiful afternoon with MU football on TV, and UK football on in the evening.
9.26.21
On this day, my mom went home, and the weather was so pretty that I finished up the front porch.
9.27.21
I stayed home with the kids all day, and they continued to do school at home.
9.28.21
I went to school, Hadley was home to check the mail when her new sweatshirt arrived, and I ended up going on an evening walk.
9.29.21
My new mirror arrived!
9.30.21
On Thursday, I went to school, Travis stayed home with the kids, and we had a sweet drop off from friends.
As you can see, the end of the month was kind of a blur and also felt like the movie Ground Hog’s Day all at once. It sort of felt like the wheels fell off the September bus! Thanks for hanging in there with me 🤪 I’m sure October will be better.
Tomorrow, I’m sharing my September Amazon purchases.
Hello and Happy Friday! Even more importantly….Happy October 1st!
I start getting serious about fall on September 1st. The autumnal equinox is September 22nd, but October 1st is the most official day for me because the weather should start cooling off, and the leaves on the trees will start changing soon.
Well, my first favorite is pretty obvious…
…but I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika to share the rest of my favorites this week.
Homer looking so handsome is a favorite. Although I felt like he was judging me during my workout.
*Funny Homer story: When I make pancakes, I always make a couple of little ones to give him. I made some on Wednesday, and put them on everyone’s plates. Well, I turned around and saw him sitting on the rug in the kitchen just looking at me (kind of like in the photo above). He was waiting patiently for his pupcake! I just know it. Hadley and I were laughing, and I can’t believe I almost forgot to make him one.
Another favorite was a visit from my mom’s dog Gus (and my mom). Gus is a good front porch visitor.
My front porch (and other decorations) continue to be a favorite. They bring a smile to my face when I pull up to our house.
Hadley made me this cute note! #shegetsme
Favorite Moment:
Saturday morning was dreary and I was tired. I needed some quiet in the chaos of life, and I loved my morning view.
FavoriteClothing Item:
Even though my Tigers keep losing, I’m loving my new MIZ sweatshirt from Sweet Momma Blair Etsy shop. I bought Hadley a sweatshirt from them last year as well as my KC Chiefs sweatshirt. You should check out the shop!…especially my Missouri and Kansas friends.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Am I right?!
That being said, I’m still fussing at them no matter how many countdowns I give them!
Favorite Amazon Purchase:
Is Hadley my daughter or what? She’s been a trooper this week, and I know she loves a seasonal sweatshirt as much as I do. This one from Amazon is so cute! We ordered her a women’s small, and she’s loved wearing it with shorts and leggings.
One more fave:
We received a couple of sweet porch drop offs. Our friends know us all too well. Hadley said, “Well, mom, the wine must be for you!” Treats for everyone!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday
This 2011 flashback is giving me all the feels. My kids used to love these motorcycles, and Hayden looks “bad to the bone” with his paci and bunny! 😂
I remember he was home sick this day which is why he was still in his pjs. We’d gone outside for some fresh air. Such a cutie!
Weekly Recap:
This week, I’ve shared some memes, my fall decorations (AKA my most favorite post of the year), and the one book I read this month along with what the kids have been reading too!
showmeandsweettea.com 