Posted in Books and Shows

September: What I’ve Been Reading

Happy October 1st! ….one of my most favorite days of the year. October is the real beginning of fall (in my mind) which makes it my favorite month.

Lately, I’ve been feeling “a day late and a dollar short…” and this September book review on October 1st is kind of what I’m talking about.

I do feel like I’ve had less time to read lately…and by the time my head hits the pillow, I’m out! So, I hope to get back into reading a bit more soon, but today, I’ll share with you the three books I read in September.

Wild at Heart:

Wild at Heart is the follow up to The Simple Wild which I shared about in my June What I’ve Been Reading. In Wild at Heart, Calla returns to Alaska after Jonah shows up in Toronto, and they decide to give their relationship a chance in Alaska.

The plot of this story is Calla getting acclimated to the Alaskan way of life. Jonah is a pilot, so he’s gone a lot. That leaves her home alone, trying to build relationships in the community, renovating and decorating their log cabin on a huge piece of land while also trying to grow as a couple in a new relationship.

This book, like the first, could be deemed R Rated at times. I did enjoy this book, but probably liked the first book a bit better. I felt like the plot of this one moved a little slowly at some points. That being said, there’s a third book, Forever Wild, that comes out in December, and I definitely plan on reading it as well.

In Five Years:

Listen, y’all. I’d been wanting to read In Five Years since it came out in the spring. Then, the pandemic threw everything out of whack…including the library wait list because our library closed on Friday, March 13 like so much of the world.

Anyway, the library started curbside pickup at the end of the summer, and it was finally my turn to read this book. It’s by the same author as The Dinner List which is one of my favorite books…ever.

In Five Years is about the main character, Dannie, who is asked where she sees herself in five years during an interview. Later that night, she falls asleep and wakes up in 2025 to a different life. Then, when she wakes up again, she’s back in 2020. Dannie is very career driven and settled in her life with her longtime boyfriend. The plot of the book is the next 4 1/2 years as Dannie navigates the ups and downs of life and then finds herself meeting the man that she saw when she awoke in 2025.

This isn’t your average love story. This book is pretty short and a quick read. I loved it! I don’t want to give anything away, but I wasn’t a fan of the ending…until I was. I went from “huh?” to “ohhhh,” real quick!

From Goodreads: “Brimming with joy and heartbreak, In Five Years is an unforgettable love story that reminds us of the power of loyalty, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of destiny.” Yep. Couldn’t have said it better myself.

I definitely think this will be a top read for me in 2020.

Two Can Keep a Secret:

One of my friends recommended Two Can Keep a Secret. I didn’t realize until I picked it up from the library, that it’s a teen fiction novel. I actually like to read TF sometimes, so I can give recommendations to my students! Also, I didn’t realize until I picked it up that it’s written by the same author One of Us is Lying which is another teen fiction fave of mine.

Two Can Keep a Secret is set in a small town. Ellery and Ezra end up there living with their grandmother while their mother works through some personal issues back in California. Ellery and Ezra always wondered about Echo Ridge, the town their mom, Sadie, grew up in, because their mom was always hesitant to go back.

Sadie’s sister, Sarah, went missing in 1996 and Sadie left town the next year. In October 2014, another girl is killed at Murderland, an amusement park nearby. In 2019, after Ezra and Ellery arrived in Echo Ridge, they are trying to get used to small town life. Then, there are anonymous threats that something will happen at the high school homecoming…and then, you guessed it, another girl disappears.

So, much of this book is Ezra and Ellery trying to get to the bottom of the missing girls in the community. I did enjoy this book and can certainly see why teens would like this mystery. I wasn’t necessarily on the edge of my seat trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle, but it was a good teen fiction read.

So…those are the three books I read this month. I’ve already picked up a book at the library to read this month and have downloaded a few to my Kindle as well. Now, let’s hope I can find a bit more time to read.

I’m taking tomorrow off, but I hope to be back with a blog post on Monday! I hope you have a great rest of the week and weekend.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Kids, What's up Wednesday

What’s Up Wednesday

Happy What’s Up Wednesday! On the last Wednesday of the month, Sheaffer and Shay host a link up to share a bit about what’s going on!

I can’t believe tomorrow is October! It’s no secret that I love fall, but October is my favorite month of the year. By October, we are in a school routine (even for an odd year like this one!), the weather is turning cooler, we have fall break, we visit the pumpkin patch, and of course, there’s Halloween!

Before I get too far into dreaming about October, I first need to wrap up September! Here’s what’s happening with us!

WHAT WE ARE EATING THIS WEEK:

I’ve been a slacker…and off my meal planning game…

  • Sunday: Subway sandwiches in between baseball games.
  • Monday: Rotisserie chicken, Trader Joe’s mushroom risotto, and broccoli before the kids’ cross country meet.
  • Tuesday: Shay’s Sloppy Joe’s , Bob Evans mashed potatoes, and salad.
  • Wednesday: leftovers
  • Thursday-Saturday: I had hoped to make my favorite Pumpkin Sausage Penne recipe, but I may push that to next week and wing it for meals the rest of the week.

Hadley earned the Red Plate last night because her teacher called and left me a message about how hard Hadley is working in class as well as how she is being a leader and a good classmate. Makes my mama teacher heart very proud.

Also, this week, we’ve enjoyed treats that the kids made in their pod on Monday. They were put into three baking groups for an apple baking challenge. The three groups made one of the following: mini apple pies, apple turnovers, and apple monkey bread bites.

They had such a great time, and the leftovers have been amazing.

WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT:

Last fall break when we went glamping . It was definitely a fun experience.

I’m also reminiscing about this sweet little troop of girls. They started off as Daisies and are now Junior Girl Scouts. They had their first meeting of the year last Friday.

2017

WHAT I’M LOVING:

My new bar stools for my kitchen. We’d had the previous ones since we moved in six years ago, and it was time for an upgrade. I found these at At Home store, and they are two inches taller and more sturdy. Hopefully, we can get five years (or longer!) out of these too!

WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO:

I feel like a broken record, but yes, our lives revolve around our kids’ activities right now. From cross country to dance to baseball to Girl Scouts…that’s where you’ll find us. I do enjoy watching them do the things that they love even if it means early wake ups on the weekend, later bedtimes (for me!) on a weeknight, and miles on put on my car.

I’ve mentioned before that Hadley’s trying competition team this year. There will be three competitions (hopefully!) in the spring. She was excited to find this sign in our yard on Friday.

Friday evening, the kids had a cross country meet. The hosts of the events we’ve gone to have done such a wonderful job following protocols that then allow these kids to compete. I’ve been very impressed.

Hadley finished in 7th place, and Hayden had his first ever first place finish. We are so proud of both of them, and I love that Travis is coaching them.

Real talk: Trav’s family is a running family. My family is not. I always joke if you see me running, you’d better help me because that means someone is chasing me! πŸ˜‰So, I guess they get their speed and agility from his side!

Friday night Hadley’s Girl Scout troop met for the first time this year. One of their fun activities was roasting marshmallows and making s’mores. It was the perfect evening for an outside meeting.

Saturday and Sunday Hayden had a baseball tournament. He pitched two of the four games over the weekend, and did an amazing job.

This team lost in the championship, but enjoyed their weekend playing ball.

Funny Hayden quote: When we arrived home very late on Sunday night from the championship game, Hayden was excited to see Homer. Homer sniffed Hayden a whole bunch, and Hayden said, “What Homer? Do I smell like a runner-up?” πŸ˜‚

Then, Monday, some of the area schools put together a cross country meet here in town. We haven’t had rain in over two weeks, but Monday’s weather was the real test for these runners. They ran in wind and a light rain with cooler temps. The cooler temps were perfect for running…not so much the wind and rain. But…they persevered. Hadley placed 6th and Hayden had another 1st place finish. This was their first 3K meet of the year. The other two meets have been 1.2 miles.

WHAT I’M DREADING:

This topic always throws me off each month! I never want to sound negative. Sarcastic, yes. Negative, no. πŸ˜‰

We’ve been in such a blessed position with the kids going to a pod to learn two days a week, our sitter comes over one day, and I’m with them the other two days. That being said, we haven’t had much clarification for a timeline to at least start with a hyrbid model, and I was really hoping my kids would be able to at least start going to school, even for just a couple days a week, soon. It sounds like November is our earliest option, but unfortunately, we still need the number of Covid cases to decline.

WHAT I’M WORKING ON:

Basically, I’m just over here trying to get my life together! So, that’s what I’m working on. I’m also hoping to get a blog post together for this week (hopefully tomorrow!) about the books I read in September.

WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT:

I’m excited about having a couple of days off starting tomorrow. It will be nice to relax, unwind…and not set an alarm for a couple of days.

WHAT I’M WATCHING/READING:

I’m almost finished reading Two Can Keep a Secret which one of my friends recommended.

Lately, I feel like I haven’t had tons of time to read or watch many shows. If I have a few minutes, I like to watch some mindless shows like Real Housewives. I only have a couple episodes left of The Home Edit on Netflix. I’ve loved watching those ladies purge and organize other people’s closets, kitchens, and homes.

WHAT I’M LISTENING TO:

I’ve been listening to random podcasts here and there, but lately, I turned back to Even the Rich podcast. This season focuses on the Chappaquiddick saga with Ted Kennedy.

WHAT I’M WEARING:

Cardigans. On Repeat. I added this Amazon cardigan to my collection recently and love it. It’s so soft and not too heavy.

Also, I’ve continued to wear my Universal Thread cardigans from Target.

WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND:

We are taking a break from all the sports action and kids’ activities. I’m hoping for a few days of relaxation and family time.

WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH:

All things October.

Thanks so much for reading. Don’t forget to check out Sheaffer and Shay’s posts too!

I hope you are having a great week!

Posted in Memes

September Monday Memes

Hello and Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Ours was pretty much the same as last weekend with all activities involving the kids! They had a cross country meet on Friday followed by Girl Scouts for Hadley, and then Hayden had baseball the rest of the weekend…which means we did too!

Hadley was able to go to the pumpkin patch with a friend yesterday, so she was relieved of some baseball duties πŸ˜‰

We are ready for our short school week this week. Fall Break for us is Thursday and Friday of this week

I thought I’d start Monday off with a laugh or two!

1.

This meme is 100% me. I can’t control my facial expressions…and I’ve really realized that during Zoom meetings. 🀣

2.

I’ve said it before but half of my motivation when getting out of bed is being so efficient with my time with work, activities, and to do lists, that I just stay focused on the ultimate goal of being back in my pjs by dinnertime!

3.

2020. Am I right? Burpees are my least favorite exercise of all time.

4.

This! So funny and sadly true.

5.

Yes. Real talk. 🀣

6.

#adulting

7.

This one makes me laugh and want to cry at the same time. School pictures from a few years ago popped up in my Facebook memories yesterday. Truly, I hope the kids are back in school soon, and I certainly hope school pics are on the school calendar!

8.

I’ve seen this saying a few times. Too funny. And…it’s almost October. We’ll blink, and it will be Halloween!

I hope these memes provide a good start to your week. Have a good one!

Take care,

Posted in Friday Favorites, Home Decor

Friday Favorites {#40}

Hello and Happy Friday. We had a pretty great week around here. Of course, we had school, work, and activities as well as flu shot appointments, and I had a dental cleaning. I’m a weirdo who loves the dentist.

Again, the weather has really been cooperating and feeling like fall. I think we are supposed to warm up this weekend before getting cool again next week. Speaking of next week, somehow, it’s already fall break at the end of next week. The first few weeks have flown by…and we are supposed to have answers next week about school moving forward. We shall see…

As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Here are some of my favorites from the week.

First of all, I’m just so happy it’s fall which is my favorite time of the year. I saw this cute graphic, and thought I’d share. It certainly includes so many favorite fall things.

Favorite Moments:

I had a couple of favorite moments with Hayden this week. No picture, but it was just the two of us for dinner on Monday night. I’m pretty used to Travis taking Hayden where he needs to go and I tend to get Hadley to her activities. Anyway, I picked him up from baseball, and we went ahead and had dinner before I picked up Hadley. He told me all about his school day with his pod and then about baseball practice. It was just a rarity that it’s the two of us at home.

Then, yesterday morning, Hayden went to sit outside for his morning work. They were to observe their surroundings and write about what they hear, see, feel, etc. Well, I looked out the front door and just saw him out there enjoying his quiet time while journaling. So simple and sweet.

And…yoga for recess yesterday. The kids don’t know how lucky they are ❀️

Favorite Kid Quote:

Well, Tuesday was flu shot day for the kids. On the way there, Hadyen said, “Mom, you know when the nurse usually asks what medicines you are taking?” I said yes. (but was surprised he knows that’s a part of a doctor appointment routine) He said, “You’ll have to update her now that I’m taking my allergy medicine.” It was just a random Hayden thought that made me chuckle.

Then, when I woke Hadley up Wednesday morning and she said, β€œMom, I just had a dream that all I ate for dinner was carrots!” Again, random but sweet.

Favorite Pic:

Since the kids were little, getting a shot means getting ice cream afterwards. Hadley ordered the unicorn “character creation” ice cream at Baskin Robbins. I swear…some days she’s 10 going on 15, and other days she’s 10 going on 5. πŸ˜‚

The ice cream was super cute and came with…

the unicorn head band! πŸ˜‚

Favorite Food (drink):

For years, I’ve liked a PSL from Starbucks, but a couple of years ago, someone shared that for their morning coffee, in the fall, they use their creamer and a dash of pumpkin spice. So, I typically do that now during the fall months. It’s just enough to give me the pumpkin flavor without being too creamy and heavy like the Starbucks PSL.

Favorite Porch Decorations:

Throughout the week, I continued to add decorations to my porch. I put out the pillows, door hanger, and doormat after Labor Day. Then, I added my pumpkins and a few other touches this past week.

Homer is saying hi!

The corn shocks were the final touch that I needed, and I picked these up at Fresh Market earlier this week!

A little front porch peek:

Give me all the pumpkins!

I clearly have zero chill when it comes to decorating my porch for fall πŸ˜€

Favorite Teacher Meme:

I saw this meme shared on Facebook. Teaching in 2020…πŸ˜‚

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

A couple of years ago, Hadley was with me at Home Goods and told me she needed this sign. It still sits on her bedside time! Girl Boss from day 1!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week in case you missed one!

Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ posts! I hope you have a great weekend.

Posted in Monthly Musings

Monthly Musings

Hello! It’s the last Thursday of the month (How is that even possible?), so I’m linking up with Patty and Holly for their Monthly Musings link up.

This month’s topic is Halloween and Fall.

Favorite Fall Tradition:

Hands down my favorite fall tradition is going to the pumpkin patch. When the kids were little, they’d run around and play. We always snap a few photos, pick out our pumpkins to carve, and bring home lots of apple cider donuts! My fave.

Pumpkin patch through the years…
Last year at the pumpkin patch!

Favorite Halloween Tradition:

My favorite Halloween tradition is getting together with friends, trick-or-treating, and having dinner while the kids sort all their candy! We’ve been getting together with the same core group of friends for about ten years! Through the years, we’ve added some more friends and neighbors to the mix. We always have so much fun.

lifelong friends

Halloween this Year:

This year, hopefully Halloween will look quite similar. While scrolling Facebook, I saw a post that the CDC put out their recommended guidelines, but I haven’t read the article.

So far, Halloween hasn’t been cancelled. Fingers crossed it stays that way!

Favorite Fall Recipe:

My favorite fall recipe is Pumpkin Sausage Penne Pasta. I got the recipe years ago from a Kroger coupon packet. I think I’m going to make it next week!

Last year, due to weather, trick-or-treating was moved from Thursday to Saturday afternoon. Usually, we’d have our friends over and have chili (which we did on the Saturday night). Since we were home for Thursday night Halloween dinner last year, I made a quick and easy “spooky” dinner for the kids after seeing Andrea share about her Halloween dinner for her family.

My kids loved this! I’ll need to remember to do it one night leading up to Halloween this year.

Favorite Fall Fashion Staples:

I love fall weather. You’ll most likely find me wearing a light-weight sweatshirt with shorts or a turtleneck sweater with leggings. Those are my fall staples for sure!

Using this pic again! Used it in yesterday’s post too πŸ˜‚

Favorite Halloween Costume:

I’ll admit that I’m not big on Halloween dress up as an adult…but Halloween costumes for my kids are a must (of course!) My favorite costume combo that my twins have worn was in 2013 when they went as Batman and Robin.

I clearly remember Hayden saying he wanted to be Batman…and Hadley very sweetly said, “Well, I’ll be Robin!”❀️

Every time I see this photo, I crack up at her in her mask.

Here are their other costumes through the years! I loved last year when Hayden was a Ghostbuster and Hadley was a nerd. πŸ˜‚

Favorite Halloween Candy:

For me, nothing beats a miniature Snickers bar. I definitely love other chocolate candy like Twix or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

Hayden said his favorite candy is peanut M&Ms while Hadley says she loves Tootsie Rolls!

Favorite Family Halloween Movie:

Every year, I DVR It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, and we watch it as a family. I love that tradition.

Scary Movies. Yes or No?:

Scary movies are a hard no for me! I don’t need that stress in my life πŸ˜‰

Favorite Fall Beverage:

We all love apple cider in the fall, and I love a glass of Pinot Noir on a cool fall evening.

What are some of your favorite fall traditions and foods? Next month’s topic is Thanksgiving Preview.

Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ posts! Thanks so much for reading.

Posted in Three things

Three Things

Hey, hey! Now that we are in the swing of things with virtual school and fall activities, I thought I’d share a little family update with what everyone has been up to recently.

I interrupted his front yard golf game for this pic!
  1. Of course, the kids always have activities going on. For Hayden, this fall, he’s playing a short season of baseball with a new team. He knows most of the boys on the team, but this is the first season they’ve all played together. He’s also running cross country and playing the occasional round of golf (in the front and backyard or on an actual course) when time allows.
  2. Their learning pod is reading Indian in the Cupboard. Well, Hayden liked the book so much, that he stayed up late a couple of Saturdays ago to finish it. Then, he borrowed and has already finished the second book. I’d heard of Indian in the Cupboard but didn’t know it was a series of books.
  3. Lastly, Hayden is in a Fantasy Football league. Travis helped Hayden with the draft, and it’s funny how serious Hayden is when setting up his lineup each week. Of course, we’re over here cheering for the KC Chiefs this season, and Hayden’s FFL team, The Mahomies.
Pitcher Boo!
Sweet Sis
  1. On the fall activities front, Hadley is running cross country, taking dance, and occasionally going to volleyball clinics. This year, we’ve kicked it up a notch with dance because Hadley decided she wants to try competition team. So, she’s taking ballet/tap/jazz one night and then her competition team meets once a week.
  2. Hayden tends to be the drawer in the family, but Hadley is showing some artistic skills with her classwork. She’s enjoyed drawing for her morning work and in art class.
  3. Fifth graders can take band, and Hadley is interested in playing the flute. Sign-ups started earlier this week, and she’s hopeful she’ll get to play the flute (back up choice: clarinet!). I think it will be a great thing for her to try!
art by Hadley

Homer continues to enjoy having us home so much, and hasn’t destroyed any major property lately! His current hobby is finding cicadas and bringing them in the house. More than once, I’ve thought he caught a bird because those things are so big!

He’ll do anything for treat and is always on the hunt for food that’s dropped on the floor…or left on the counter. Ugh!

Good thing he’s cute.

I’m really enjoying the mix of working from school and home. I feel like my part time job is shuttling kids everywhere, but that’s mom life…and I love it. I’m continuing to blog when I can (obviously), keep up with school (both for my job and virtual for the kids), exercise as often as possible and read when I can as well.

Lastly, Travis is finishing up a busy month of work as well as coaching the kids’ cross country team.

So, that’s just a little of what’s been going on with us. I feel blessed that the weather has been so wonderful, we are in a good school/work routine, and the kids are able to socialize and burn off some energy with their activities. I mean, I’m forever tired, but it’s worth it.

I hope you are having a great week.

Posted in Home Decor

Fall Decorations, Y’all!

Happy (official) first day of fall!

It’s no secret that fall is my favorite time of the year. Give me all the pumpkins, cooler temperatures, and sweaters, and my heart is happy. While I like decorating for Christmas, I love decorating for fall. I usually try to have my inside decorations up by mid-September and then my front porch finished the next week. I guess I might love fall decorations more because I get to enjoy them a little longer!

I usually take pics of where I put things which makes decorating a pretty quick process. I swap some regular decor with the fall stuff, and put the regular decor in the fall decoration tub until I need to swap it out again.

So, today I’m giving you a peek at what fall looks like in my house.

Inside Decorations:

I swap a cookbook in the stand for this pumpkin sign. Then, I added some mini pumpkins from Trader Joe’s to the tray in my kitchen.

I previously shared about my new light up pumpkin from Michael’s. It’s perfect on my coffee table with the apple scented candle from Bath and Body Works. The pumpkin was the only new purchase this season, and I mentioned I should have purchased two of them. Well…

I did! I went back over the weekend, and picked up another one. I never decorate in the bedrooms, but I have a lantern that typically sits on my dresser. I swapped the lantern for the light up pumpkin, and I love having that little touch in our bedroom.

I only put a couple of fall items in our sunroom. I have a candle out there with the little wooden pumpkin in the tray.

I changed out the traditional wreath on our outside sunroom door for this fall one that I had forgotten I even had!

In the kitchen, I kept the buffet pretty much like last year except I added the white ceramic stack of three pumpkins (that lights up!) and added one more pumpkin in the cabinet that wasn’t there last year.

Close up of the buffet decorations:

My entry way table looks a little different than last year, but I still used what I had.

I usually put away the cloche that typically sits on the kitchen buffet, but I instead added mini pumpkins and gourds to it and moved it to the entry table. I also included a candle, a pumpkin, and added some faux orange sprays of flowers from a bouquet I had used in previous years.

Close up of entry way table decor:

I’ve had the light up pumpkin from Kirklands for years. I love it. Then, I just added a cute little wooden pumpkin that I’ve also had for quite some time to the antique trunk.

My kitchen mantle looks exactly the same as last year.

Then, sprinkled all throughout the house, I have fall pillows that I’ve acquired through the years.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s Weekend Top 5 post, I picked up some pumpkins at Trader Joe’s, and I’m almost finished with my front porch decorations. Hopefully, I can get that finished this week.

These decorations always help make the inside of our house more cozy and festive for the fall season.

They say, β€œHome is where the heart is.” Well, I think my heart is wherever the pumpkins are…πŸ˜‚

Thanks so much for reading!

Posted in Kids, Weekend Top 5

Weekend Top 5

Good morning, and happy Monday, y’all! Sheesh….we had a very busy weekend. I feel like we went non-stop with activities, to-do lists, and a bit of socializing. Since we were so busy, today I’m sharing a few details of our hectic but fun weekend.

Hayden and his team played in a baseball tournament this weekend. He knows most of the boys on his team, but this group hasn’t all played together until this season. Hayden got to pitch Friday night and Sunday morning, and did a great job.

His team made it to the semi-finals, but lost Sunday afternoon. We had beautiful weather all weekend which made baseball watching even better!

photo cred: Hadley

The “Mum Man” came to Trav’s work. He has the best mums and the best prices in town. So, I picked up some for my front porch…which then had me….

going to Trader Joe’s on Saturday morning to get pumpkins for my porch. I’d stopped by my regular pumpkin place on Friday, but that place looked like a pumpkin grave yard. There were hardly any of the whimsical stackable pumpkins or anything else, really.

One of my friends told me she heard there’s a pumpkin shortage which sounds like the saddest thing ever! πŸ˜‰

Trader Joe’s for the win!

The kids had their first cross country meet of the season. Again, the weather was beautiful, and it was the perfect day for racing.

Both kids had a 10 top finishes, the girls and boys teams did awesome overall as well.

The best part of the day was seeing the kids cheer for and run with their teammates to encourage them to finish their races! So very sweet.

Hayden cheering while Hadley (above) runs with and encourages their teammate.

Saturday afternoon, we went to Country Boy Brewery for a few appetizers and a beer with some friends. The patio was the perfect place to sit.

I made my first pumpkin muffins of the season. When I was at Trader Joe’s, I picked up a couple of boxes of their muffin mix. The best thing about pumpkin muffins (or pumpkin bread) is that they can be eaten for breakfast, for a snack, or for dessert!

One more highlight:

Two times this weekend, we sat with neighbors on their patios. On Friday evening, the kids roasted s’mores and celebrated one of the neighbor boy’s birthday while a few of the parents chatted.

Then, Saturday night, we sat together with our neighbors on a different patio. S’mores were again involved and the kids ran around for a bit.

It’s been a while since I’ve felt like I’ve needed a weekend to recover from my weekend, but that’s my current status! I’m sure we’ll have a good week…but first…coffee!

Have a great week,

Posted in Friday Favorites, Home Decor

Friday Favorites {#39}

Hello and Happy Friday! How was your week? We had a pretty good week of school, work and activities. My favorite part of the week was that it actually felt like fall!! We’ve had pretty mild and even cool temps, and it’s just been amazing. I put out my fall decorations last weekend, and I’m so happy that I did. I would have enjoyed them no matter what, but since it actually feels like fall outside, that’s made the house feel even more cozy on the inside.

As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for their Friday Favorites link up.

Favorite Moment:

Hadley was excited to show me that she was featured on the 5th grade website.

Favorite subject: grammar πŸ‘πŸ» #shegetsitfromhermama

Favorite Kid Quote:

The other night, Homer was snuggling with Hadley. He hops in her bed every night for about ten minutes before she kicks him out, so she can get her beauty sleep. As I walked past her room, she asked me to take their pic.

When she looked at the photo she said, β€œCouples goals!” Cracked me up!

Favorite Clothing Item:

I ordered this sweater (two of them, actually) from Nordstrom Rack. I love a roomy sweater because I feel like I can wear it to school or wear it with jeans or leggings….the price couldn’t be beat.

Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find the link online…but here it is:

Favorite Pic:

Homer let me dress him up in his autumn bandana from Golden Dog Co (a shop on Etsy.) He will tolerate bandanas for a bit if they are flipped with the scarf part on his back. I let him wear them for a bit until he notices. haha

Favorite Food:

Nothing says fall like Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bagels and Pumpkin Cream Cheese. I don’t even like cream cheese, but love their pumpkin flavor.

Other Faves:

I’ve binged The Home Edit on Netflix over the past week (mostly last weekend!). It’s soooo good! Hayden even watched some episodes with me. He’s my tidier child, so that makes sense πŸ˜‰Seeing these two ladies work their magic on celebrity and “regular” people’s homes and closets is so satisfying. (That’s how Hayden described it!)

His other remark could go in the “favorite kid quote” section of this post because it made me laugh. After seeing the before and after of one completed closet, he said, “Mom, they need to help you with your closet. It’s a DISASTER!” #hesnotlying

As I mentioned above, I put out my fall decorations last weekend.

I always take pics of my seasonal decorations, so I was able to decorate for fall in about an hour when I looked back at last year’s pics. After getting everything put where I wanted it, I felt like I needed one more thing (Travis would beg to differ) πŸ˜‚,so I went to Michaels, and saw this light up pumpkin! It’s battery operated and so cute! Plus, I got it for 40% off. I almost grabbed a second one but reeled myself in! So, the only decoration I purchased this year was the LED pumpkin. I consider that a win! #andTravisshouldtoo

At Trader Joe’s, I picked up a few mini pumpkins and gourds to put in the kitchen.

The kids and I stopped by Bath & Body Works on Saturday for a few candles. I had a 20% off coupon, and I knew they were having a buy 1 get 1 free for the 3 wick candles. Honestly, I usually just buy the single wick ones because the 3 wick ones take up more space on the counter or on a shelf, but it was such a great deal to get one free.

I also picked up some single wick candles. Hayden picked out the Apple Weather scented candle, and Hadley chose the Pumpkin Pecan Waffle one.

I rarely go there, but on Sunday, I went to the At Home store, and picked up a couple of things. I need to remember to go there for servingware. I usually have success finding white plates or dishes at Home Goods or TJ Maxx, but At Home had so many awesome pieces. I held off for now on servingware, but did buy this quart basket to hold odds and ends that collect in the tray on my kitchen island. Inevitably, loose change, allergy medicine, paper clips, etc. end up scattered about on my decorative tray. Now my rule is, if it doesn’t fit in this basket, it’s trash or needs to go where it belongs.

I also found this this set to hold utensils. I wish I could keep it out all the time, but I bought it to use when we have people over….when that’s a “thing” again.

I love my Golden Girls, and their show debuted 35 years ago this week. I saw this on Facebook and loved it. That show is a classic.

September 14

Let me tell you Hayden’s favorite part of the week. The kids talked me into getting them Chick-fil-a yesterday (that’s usually a Friday thing) and then Hayden proceeded to watch the US Open while he ate his lunch…followed by a β€œround” of golf in the front and backyard for recess πŸ˜‚

Living his best life!

Favorite Mom Meme:

This meme made me laugh. Since the day Hadley’s personality started to shine through, people would say, “She looks like you!” and I would (still) always reply, “Well, unfortunately she acts like me too!” 😬#sassandsarcasm #amen Sis does have a heart of gold, though!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

This memory was in my Facebook Memories this week. I included the whole caption, because the sass that I mentioned previously is evident in this post.

I also remember Travis sending me this photo! He’d taken her to a doctor’s appointment, and she was so worried about missing school since she was supposed to share her poster with the class. I loved how excited she was and the fact that Travis knew I’d want a pic of her with her poster.

Weekly Recap:

Here are this week’s posts if you missed one!

We have cooler temps, a baseball tournament and a cross country meet this weekend! I also hope to make some pumpkin bread if time allows!

Thanks so much for reading! I hope you have a great weekend!

Posted in Me, Self-care, Thursday Thoughts

Thursday Thoughts: Enneagram Ways to Cope

Hello! So, I’ve shared before about my Enneagram type being a 5w6. (Investigator/Loyalist) In my last Enneagram post, I shared how I’d started following @cathartic_word on Instagram. Erin’s graphics are so cool, and always seem to ring true for the Enneagram types which I think is so fun.

I recently saw her Ways to Cope series, and thought I’d chat about that.

Everyone copes with sadness, frustration, anxiety, worry, and more throughout their lives. I see with my students or my own kids, that they don’t always know how to cope with all of their feelings and emotions. Knowing how to cope is beneficial and a perk of being an adult. πŸ˜‰

So here’s the breakdown for my Type 5w6…

Type 5:

graphic c/o @cathartic_word May 20,2020
  • Solo trip to the movies: Solo anything! πŸ˜‰ I feel like when I’m overwhelmed, I need space. I need time to think and decompress. A movie would be a great way to do that, and I find comfort in watching reruns of familiar shows like The Golden Girls or cooking shows….I’m basically wanting to watch something where I don’t have to think.
  • Something innovative: For me, something innovative would be writing a blog post. Or…do you know what else I love? Those coloring books with all the details. I loved when my kids were little and liked to color. Hayden likes to draw right now. I’m not a drawer…but I definitely like to use colored pencils or the thin tipped markers for coloring pages. I even have a Golden Girls coloring book.
  • The entire pot of coffee: Yes. Coffee. On repeat. Besides needing coffee to wake up my brain and function, I always feel warm and cozy in the morning when I light a couple of candles, sip my coffee, and read blogs or scroll social media.
  • Writing: I’ve always loved journaling. At different points in my life, it’s been a priority and other times not so much. Obviously, the blog satisfies that need and can be a form of coping.
  • Learn something new: Of all things listed for Type 5, this is least like me. I’m not opposed to learning something new (I am a teacher, after all!), but actually when I need to decompress, it’s usually because my brain is too full, and I just need a minute to unwind my thoughts and feelings.

Type 6:

graphic c/o @cathartic_word May 19, 2020
  • Long walks: Yes! I love a solo long walk. It’s a great time to think about my day or plan upcoming days. Kind of like watching a familiar show, I enjoy listening to podcasts when I walk as a way to zone out and cope.
  • Dogs: Of course! You know I’m a dog person. I’ve shared about our previous dogs Shiloh and Scout…and now we have Homer. I’m always amazed at how animals know when you need them. Even Homer, who can be wild and crazy, knows when I (or any other family member) needs a good snuggle for comfort.
  • A good book: I love getting lost in a good book. Reading is certainly a way to cope for me.
  • Catching up on sleep: I’m forever tired. I always need more sleep, but even in my day to day life, which can be hectic, I find that I’m making sleep a priority more and more. If there is something I’m struggling with, then the lounging in my bed for a few minutes with my eyes closed is so helpful for me to calm my thoughts and get my mind right.
  • Music: I’ve never been a big music person. For me, like I said above, I’d probably choose a podcast over music as a way to decompress. I also really love silence in the car. I’m the type that turns down the radio to think. πŸ˜‰

I don’t get too caught up in my numbers…and sometimes I think I’m more of a 6 than a 5…I think 6w5 is an option;) but I do find it interesting. If you haven’t checked out Erin on Instagram yet, you should! Go find the graphic for your type!

What’s your Enneagram number? This is the test I took about a year ago. I’ve thought about taking it again…but then what if my number has changed? I’d be so confused! haha

See you back here tomorrow for this week’s Friday Favorites post.

Take care,