I’ve chatted with a few friends lately about nail polish…I always have my nails painted. Always. So, I thought I’d share some of my faves.
I paint my nails once a week, and once every six weeks or so, I treat myself to a gel manicure that lasts two weeks.
I’m pretty basic with my nail polish….for years, I wore Bubble Bath by OPI and would occasionally change up the shade of pink I’d wear. For the past six months or so, I’ve pretty consistently worn Funny Bunny by OPI thanks to Living With Landyn’s recommendation.
In the fall or winter, I will use a darker polish occasionally on my fingernails but more often on my toes…I like OPI’s Lincoln Park After Dark, How Great is Your Dane? and Taupe-less Beach. I hope to try Krona-logical Order some time soon…another Living with Landyn recommendation.
My trusty lineup is below:
Bubble Bath, Let Me Bayou a Drink, Lisbon Wants Moor, It’s Pink PM, Beyond the Pale Pink, and Funny Bunny
Andrea at Momfessionals, shared about the Seche Vite base and fast drying top coat. I now swear by these. They definitely help my *at home* manicures last longer.
Pretty random favorites, but my mom is visiting, and she bought me this cute new travel coffee mug. #englishteachersunite and sent these cookies via my Grandma. When they last visited, my Gma brought these pumpkin cookies that she found at Tuesday Morning. She sent three boxes with my mom…and this box didn’t last long #IblameHayden
I heart school artwork ….especially artwork that involves pumpkins. Hadley painted this in class, and I just love it….certainly a favorite of mine.
A little 1:1 time with Boo while he did his homework was a favorite this week. I was able to pick the kids up from school one day this week which is a rarity….Thankfully, they didn’t need my help with math homework (haha), but he was supposed to read this story aloud to me, and I loved having the extra time with them.
It’s a miracle! Somehow, my friends and I have made a point to go out to dinner two months in a row…on a school night! #rebels I enjoy my much needed time with my girlfriends, and we tried a new(ish) restaurant here in Lexington…Agave and Rye. It was so good….I had the Easy Ranchero Taco – fried egg, salt and pepper tator tots, queso, aged white cheddar, salsa, cilantro, and I 86’d the sour cream (hashtag: I hate sour cream) This taco was out of this world (and the marg was great too). I honestly hope to go back as soon as possible. There were so many tacos I wanted to try!
That’s a wrap on this week….this weekend the kids finish up their cross country season at the state meet, Hayden has a soccer game, and Trav and I hope to go out to dinner one night since GG’s in town to stay with the kids.
Happy Wednesday! I touched on it a bit in Monday’s post, but going to the pumpkin patch in the fall is hands down my most favorite family tradition.
Through the years, we’ve gone with family, with friends, and with just the four of us. We were limited on time on Sunday before Hayden’s soccer game, but we made it to Evans Orchard for about an hour and a half on Sunday. Rather than wait in the long line to buy tickets for the activity area, we just took our time looking at pumpkins, getting our hot apple cider and apple cider donuts, and enjoying the nice weather.
I love that Evans Orchard changes the picture backdrop each year, and I’m even happier that my kids know the way to my heart is a good family photo. #hushupandsmile!
Trips to the orchard used to just be Travis and myself, and we haven’t missed a year at an orchard since the kids were born…and here’s the collage to prove it! 2010 – 2018.
2010 to 2018
2019 pic!
The weather was perfect on Sunday. Some years it’s soooo hot and last year was freeeeeezing…I couldn’t believe it. The weather was so cold that I almost broke tradition, but of course, I’m glad I didn’t.
Trav and the kidsHadley always asks me to take the photo in portrait mode #diva
My favorite part is seeing the pumpkins in various sizes, shapes, and colors. I swear when I was a kid these kinds of pumpkins didn’t exist.
We learned a long time ago that one 6 pack of donuts isn’t enough, so we at least buy two!
I don’t remember this photo op last year at Evans Orchard, but I loved it. And, what I loved more was Hadley said, “Mom, take our picture by the truck!” #girlaftermyownheart
Hot apple cider and pumpkins…what more could you ask for?
And, lastly, a pic with my two pumpkins. They sure are getting big! They each chose a great pumpkin to carve, and we will do that closer to Halloween…Don’t get me started with pumpkin carving…someone always ends up crying. haha. Why do my kids overestimate their parents’ pumpkin carving skills?!
That’s a wrap on our traditional pumpkin patch visit. What are your favorite fall traditions and activities?
Why do the weekends always seem to fly by?! Per usual, we had a busy weekend filled with athletics, but we also had a few other fun activities too.
My dad was visiting this week, so the kids were excited for him to pick them up from school on Thursday and Friday. Hayden later told me, “I love when Major picks me up. AND I love the smell of his car!” 😂 #cigars
Also, when my dad visits, he always requests a pic of him with all the grand kids on the front steps…each time, the pic gets easier to take because the know which step to sit on and know to sit and smile ASAP.
From oldest to youngest: The Major (haha), Hayden, Hadley, Wyatt, and Layla
If you know anything about the state of Kentucky, you know they love their basketball team. Travis took the kids to Big Blue Madness Friday evening. Both kids loved seeing both the men and women basketball players as well as the coaches…BUT Hadley loved watching the dance team the best! She showed me their dance routine when she got home.
While they were gone, I had a glass of wine, read my book, and binge watched Shark Tank with my dad. #winwin
When we were dating, Travis took me to Big Blue Madness once and back then it started at midnight. Full circle moment taking the kids. Memories I know they will all cherish.
All the big blue merch
Lots of UK activities this weekend as Hayden and Travis also went to UK’s football game with their exciting win over Arkansas! (Missouri won their game too!)
Saturday morning started with another cross country meet. It’s been fun to see the kids and their teammates improve each week. This was the first meet with much cooler weather, so the kids actually looked like they enjoyed running during this race. haha.
Both kids had top 10 finishes with Hadley placing 7th out of 100 3rd/4th grade runners, and Hayden placed 5th out of 123 runners for the same age group. AND…so exciting….BOTH the 3rd/4th grade boys and girls teams finished in 3rd place and brought home a trophy.
Running is in my kids’ DNA (#notmysideofthefamily), and I preach to them how fortunate they are that running comes so naturally to them, but again, it’s always so awesome to see the team come together and cheer for one another. Each runner reaches some kind of personal goal each week which is amazing to watch.
And, what’s better than two top 10 finishes?? Having so many of their fan club there to cheer them on. People who have family who live nearby tend to take for granted grandparents, cousins, etc who can just pop in to watch the kids or attend athletic and school events. In our lives, most visits are planned around the opportunity to see a ball game or field day.
Quite the cheering section: Cousins, the Major, Mamaw, and Uncle Connor
Hayden had two soccer games this weekend. This team is so fun to watch play together. They won on both Saturday and Sunday, and Hayden was one of the players of the game on Saturday. More soccer next weekend!
It’s no secret that my favorite time of the year is fall. We make it a point to go to the pumpkin patch every year. We go to Evans Orchard and we usually have time for the kids to run around on the hay bales, go down the slides, feed the animals, and play on the inflatables, but this year we were on a time crunch…so we went to the orchard Sunday for about an hour to pick out our pumpkins to carve, get our hot apple cider and apple cider donut fix, and enjoy the beautiful weather.
Family funMy favorite part of the pumpkin patch!
Bonus…
I made pumpkin muffins Sunday morning. I used the mix from Trader Joes, and it made 18 muffins! The kids love these as much as I do!
I hope you had a wonderful weekend and are ready to tackle the week!
Part 2 of our Asheville trip entailed glamping. By last Friday afternoon, we were settled into our tent and sipping on White Claws while the kids ran around. I was really pleased with how nice the facilities were and the area was so pretty. Like I said, we’d be to Asheville many times and even hiked in different areas like Chimney Rock, but Pisgah and Lake Powhatan were new to us. My friend Krista found this location, and the pictures online certainly do it justice.
After a little while, we decided to hike down to the lake. It was a little over a mile or so, and it was good for the kids to run around and for us to get our bearings. We were gone a little over an hour and then decided to make dinner.
Pics from our hike to the lakeFamily fun x2Lake PowhatanYes, I said, “Hey kids, turn and look at the lake!” but Hadley’s arm around C just shows their naturally sweet friendship.
After we returned from getting the lay of the land, we started dinner. We were hungry and didn’t give our fire time to roar, so we ended up having hot dogs and hamburgers rather than the original plan of the foil packs with chicken and potatoes. Then, it was time for s’mores and ghost stories.
Hayden’s turn to tell a ghost story. “It was a dark and stormy night…and I ended up sleeping bed with my mom!” haha
This is going to sound stupid—but I didn’t realize how dark it would be…and so early. Thank goodness for our flashlights and lanterns…but even still, we were in bed by 9:30.
I woke up to this view the next morning…and a huge dip in temperature!! Friday was in the 80’s and Saturday was in the low 60’s and a drizzle rain most of the day. I am a fan of the fresh air, but I also am wise enough to pack my allergy medicine!
I spent a few minutes on the porch sipping my coffee before we got the day started.
Travis went on a trail run #showoff while the moms read , and the kids ran around and then played games. Go Fish for the girls and Chess for the boys!
Just a few pics of our manly men manning the fire as well as some of our food. Saturday morning breakfast included sausage, bacon, and pancakes on the cast iron skillet. #howdidthepioneerwomendoit ?!
After breakfast, we all went on about a 3 mile trail hike and ended with us by the lake. The evening before, we went to the fishing pier, but that morning we ended up on the beach. The kids were so awesome on the hike! They were usually way ahead of us and in charge of the map. We stayed on the blue trail, and they had fun finding the mile markers.
After the hike, we cleaned up and headed to Asheville to have a late (3:00!) lunch at the Wicked Weed Brewery. We usually go there when we are in Asheville, and the food, beverages, and atmosphere never disappoint. Hadley went to check on a table option while we waited, and I ended up checking on her…what was taking so long was she had found the free pretzels and was stocking up for the rest of us while we waited. haha
After lunch, we walked around for awhile and even ended up getting coffee and hot chocolate before heading back to the camp site.
We were all pretty full from lunch, so we just ate snacks and more hot dogs for dinner followed by more s’mores and ghost stories. Then, again, another early bedtime of 9:30 or so.
We woke up the next morning around 7:30, packed up, and left by 9:00. We had fun but were ready to get home, start laundry, see Homer, and sleep in our own beds!
I’ve only been camping one other time (besides my Girl Scout days when I was in elementary school) When Travis and I had been dating for almost a year, we went camping for one night near Columbia, Missouri where we lived. We had a great time, but even then, with just the two of us, it took so much effort, planning, and packing! I’ll never forget as we drove home from that camping trip in the spring of 2002, he turned, looked at me, and said, “You passed the test!” haha…Listen, I’m not high maintenance, and he (and my friends and family) know that…I love the outdoors. I will hike, bike, paddle board, etc…eat hot dogs, s’mores, and all the things…I just prefer to sleep at a Marriott! I struggle with needing to be in control, and it’s hard to control all the things in nature, so it takes me a minute to let that character trait of mine go. That being said, I would definitely do this again. It definitely did take a lot of planning and preparation (and I think my friend did most of that!!), but the effort was worth it in the end. It was a great as a family to unplug for awhile, let the kids run around, and see what the world has to offer. And, it was certainly fun to go with another family who we are great friends with!
These memories will last a lifetime, I’m sure!
Sweet friendsHadley slept most of the four hour ride home!
That’s a wrap on Fall Break, Part 2! We went from novice campers to somewhat novice campers!!
It’s time for this month’s Let’s Look with Shay and Erika. This month’s focus is yummy fall recipes. One of my favorites is…Pumpkin Sausage Penne Pasta…and guess where I got the recipe? YEARS ago from a Kroger coupon pack they sent me in the mail. I make this a few times a year but only in the fall…
Ingredients:
8 oz whole wheat penne (I usually use the whole box)
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1 Tblsp olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. low sodium chicken broth
12 oz pumpkin puree
1/2 c heavy cream
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
pinch of ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Cook pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In a medium skillet, brown sausage and set aside.
In a skillet, over medium heat, add oil and saute shallots and garlic for 3 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, pumpkin, cream, crushed red pepper, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
Reduce the heat and simmer 8-10 minutes to thicken.
Stir in cooked penne, sausage, and cheese.
Serve hot with grated Parmesan cheese.
The four of us typically get two nights out of this meal! I bet I’ve had this recipe card for 10 years!
Other fall recipes I love are pretty simple: pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, chili and soups!
Since I shared a recipe, it got me thinking about grocery shopping and then this memory popped up on Facebook. Feels like a lifetime ago that I often had both of the kids with me at the grocery store pushing that dang car cart while other customers looked at me and said, “Well, bless your heart!” 😂
Funny story about this picture. I would often give the kids an apple to keep them entertained while I shopped. I’m 99% sure this is the time that when Hadley went to hand me the core of her apple, I asked Hayden where his apple was…and he said, “I ate it. I ate ALL of the apple!” Core. And. ALL 😬 Those diapers were fun to change for a few days. Ugh.
I wish Kroger Click List (grocery pick up) would have been around when the kids were little. It’s a life saver now, but it would have been so nice to just pick up groceries rather than be in the store for an hour with two little ones. I’ve done grocery pick up for almost five years, and I can’t imagine going back to the old way I shopped.
A few years ago, I bumped into a friend in the store and she had a printed list of what she usually gets. I loved that idea, so I do that now and just add in what I need. I have a running list on the side of my fridge when we run out of things, but before I place my weekly Click List order, I get out my template and circle what we need for the week. I typed this out once a couple of years ago and add/delete as our needs change. To make it, I looked at a Click List order that I had placed and categorized what I bought, so making the template didn’t take me very long. Our regular items take up a couple of pages, but at least it’s all organized for when I sit down to place my order. I have extra lines in each section to write in other needs, and I cross our items we don’t need that week. Here’s one of the pages:
Grocery pickup has been a life saver. It still takes me time to plan meals and place the order, but at least I don’t have to spend as much time in the store, and if I forget something, I don’t mind running in the grocery on my way home to pick up a few things since it’s only a few minutes of my time.
Also, every other week or so, I stop in Trader Joe’s and meander around to pick up things and plan meals on the fly…and I enjoy doing that knowing I have my basics at home. Also, occasionally, I will go to Aldi’s and pick up a few items just to mix it up and get some good deals on items.
Next month’s Let’s Look is focused on entertaining ideas …odds are that I will share some of my kids’ birthday parties. I can’t believe they are almost 10!
I hope you enjoy this meal! Don’t forget to check out Shay and Erika.
We had a short fall break with a four day weekend. While our summer vacations are usually traditionally spent at the beach, for fall and spring breaks, we usually mix it up. Sometimes we stay home and do things around Lexington that we usually don’t have time to do, other times, we have family visit or we go visit them, but often times we try to go somewhere new or do something a little different in the few days we have off.
This year, the four of us went to Asheville (we go there once every couple of years or so–there’s so much to do outdoors…and so many breweries, that we have some faves but also try new things) on Thursday, but then on Friday met up with our Lexington friends to go glamping at Lake Powhatan.
So–this is me…today…with tons of laundry and trying to get our life back on track!
Travis found an Air bnb (our first experience staying at one) and said, “Jen, the location is perfect!” (read: riiiight across from New Belgium Brewing) When we arrived Thursday afternoon, we got settled and walked across to the brewery. Kids were running around the grassy area, there was a food truck, and others were sitting in adirondack chairs with a view of the French Broad River. Travis and I enjoyed a flight of beer while the kids had a Sprite and looked around. Then, we headed back to get ready for dinner.
For dinner, we went to White Duck Taco which was also nearby. I got the Bangkok shrimp taco and the steak and cheese taco with a margarita! So good. Travis tried a few other tacos while Hayden also had two steak and cheese tacos, and Hadley enjoyed the black bean taco…Fun fact about Hadley: she can eat her weight in black beans, so she loved these tacos! We all split the chips and queso. After dinner, we found an ice cream place for dessert and went to bed pretty early.
On Friday morning, we ate breakfast at Biscuit Head in West Asheville. Listen, I’ve said it before…I’m not from the south…I’m not all about the big southern breakfast of biscuits and gravy (Hadley, on the other hand, eats gravy with a spoon! #southernbelle)…but these biscuits were so good. I got the Classic Biscuit Sandwich with egg and cheddar cheese and a side of bacon. We all shared the biscuit donuts tossed in cinnamon sugar and served with a side of lemon curd. So delicious!
New Belgium Brewery, White Duck Taco, and Biscuit Head
This meme cracks me up…and is so true. I could eat Mexican food and/or tacos at least once a week…so I was definitely in my happy place at White Duck Taco.
After breakfast, we packed up and Travis had mentioned to the kids about a place you could zipline nearby. Well, once those words were out of his mouth, there was not turning back (unfortunately, for me! haha) Since day one, Hadley has always been more adventurous and Hayden more reserved. Let’s just say the kids get these traits honestly—Hayden from me and Hadley from Travis. As soon as we got out of the car, I saw the big ziplines…and Hayden looked uncertain. That’s when Travis told them about the Kid Zip area. I’ve never been happier that my kids weigh 65 (ish) lbs. You could be eight years old and zip on the big lines but have to weigh 70 lbs! So–we were limited to the kid zip area. Honestly, I think zip lining is fun, but I like to remind everyone that I’m trying not to break any bones at this point in my life! Hayden was a bit hesitant at first and even said, “Uh, I’m not sure this is for me. I don’t even get on the monkey bars at recess!” haha. Anyway, after some instruction, we were set! We all had so much fun….Hayden too. Hadley liked to show off with, “Look, mom! No hands!” There were definitely some higher zip lines in the kid zone and even some that went through the trees. We were able to zip line from 1:00-3:00, and after a few times on the nine zip lines, we even let the kids just zip on their own.
After zip lining, we headed to the grocery to pick up a few last minute items before meeting our friends at the glampling place.
Here are the kids at our tent, and our friends were just a couple of tents away.
Here’s the inside of the tent. The bed was comfy and the tent included a fan (which we didn’t need as it got into upper 50s/low 60s at night), coffee pot, lamp, towels, charging station, cot, etc.
We got settled and then hung out with our friends before walking around Pisgah.
We all love Young Sheldon. I watched The Big Bang Theory for years and the last couple of seasons, the kids would watch some of the episodes with me…especially Hayden. Hayden has some Sheldon-like tendencies, so it’s no shock to me he likes both of those shows. Sheldon is a hoot, and by being the smartest in his family provides for another layer of comedy. Besides Sheldon, his grandmother (MeMaw) played by Annie Potts makes the show for me. I love her, and she adds a lot of sass to the show. Young Sheldon is definitely a hilarious show that has something for everyone.
Goldbergs
The Goldbergs is one of my favorite shows. The whole family is hilarious. The show is produced by Adam F. Goldberg, and it’s based on his life and his family growing up in the 80s. They often show true footage of videos that he made during his childhood which are hilarious. The 1980’s references alone are enough to keep my attention. How they dress, how their home is decorated, and every part of their day to day life reminds me of my childhood. The mom, Beverly Goldberg, makes the show! She’s loud, overbearing, and embarrassing! She’s obsessed with her kids and often calls them by loving nicknames like schmoo….and now I’ve started doing that to my kids and Homer…but never in public 😉 . One time, I got fired up a Hayden’s basketball game, and my brother said, “Sit down Beverly Goldberg!” So funny! The seventh season just started, and I can’t wait to watch!
Fresh off the Boat
I’ve watched every season of this show, and the kids enjoy it too. It’s loosely inspired by the life of chef Eddie Huang (who apparently has an autobiography by the same name (I didn’t know that) thanks to the info on Wikipedia #bloggingresearch) 😉 The Huangs moved from D.C. to Orlando and opened Cattleman’s Ranch restaurant in the 90’s. #lovethe90s The kids are all very different but funny together and Louis and Jessica are opposites in parenting and personality. She’s the tough cookie to his softer side. Their neighbors as well as Louis’s mother Jenny provide even more comic relief. Like I said, I’ve watched all five seasons and feel like it’s a pretty good family show. My only complaint so far is with season 6, episode 1…we watched it earlier this week, and it was a little more “middle school” in content (for my liking while watching with two almost ten year olds). I’m hoping the rest of the season is like the first five seasons.
Kids Baking Championship
My kids (and myself) love all kinds of competition shows. The kids watch American Ninja Warrior, game shows, Top Chef, Food Network Star, Guy’s Grocery Games among others. But…Kids Baking Championship is one that we love and watch together. The kids always end up rooting for two different kids to win which amps up the competition from our living room! haha. I’m always amazed at what these kid competitors can do in the kitchen!! Also, my heart breaks each week when one gets sent home. I think Duff and Valerie do an awesome job both critiquing and encouraging the kids!
Just a few favorite shows that are pretty family friendly! What do you watch with your kids and family?
I hope you have a great weekend; we are still enjoying our fall break (and fingers crossed, I think the temp is starting to drop this weekend!)
Where did September go? I think we are finally in the groove of school and activities while trying to find the balance of relaxation and productivity on the weekends.
I’m so happy that it’s finally October, and I think by the end of the week it may actually feel like it in our neck of the woods. October has always been my favorite month as it usually means cozy sweaters, apple cider, and pumpkin picking. I’ve always loved this quote by Anne of Green Gables.
On Friday night, we went out for a pizza dinner at a place we hadn’t tried before, and it was delish. Then, our niece was in town playing volleyball, so we watched her game! The kids are her biggest fans!
Homer is so funny. On Saturday morning, it was just the two of us at home. I was looking for him to put him in his kennel, and found him on Hadley’s bed snuggling her stuffed animals.
Hayden’s artistic mind has always amazed me…especially his attention to detail. Apparently, the art class assignment was to draw a mermaid of any kind. Well, Hayden focused on his love of the Kansas City Chiefs, and drew a Patrick Mahomes mermaid. Note the yard line markers, the receivers in the ocean with him, as well as the commentators on the top left of his painting. Ocean Chiefs Touuuucchhhdown!
Saturday afternoon was spent at the kids’ cross country meet. Dang, it was hot! They ran 2000m in the 95 degree heat. Their perseverance and focus always amaze me, and it’s so fun to see them cheer for each other! Both had top 10 finishes. Having happy and healthy kids is something I’m thankful for each and every day.
Sunday was exciting as we actually got the Chiefs game on TV. Hayden wears his Mahomes shirt(s) pretty consistently on Sundays. The Chiefs made it a nail biter of a game, but they came out on top with a W! (And, we watched the last Royals game of the season. Not their best year, but it’s always fun watching them as a team, and it was a bitter sweet ending with Ned Yost’s retirement…We are looking forward to the 2020 season!)
Another Tooth Fairy visit for Hadley! She probably only has a few more left to lose!
Homer is nervous that the TF is coming for him. 😂
Sharing a few of my Amazon Prime purchases because a couple of them are my faves. The Meyer’s dish soap and the OPI Funny Bunny nail polish are two of my must haves. A couple of years ago, someone gave us a house warming gift of lots of Meyer products, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Bubble Bath nail polish used to be my go to polish, but now it’s Funny Bunny. The leopard sweater arrived, and I was so pleasantly surprised. It’s thick, comfy, and cute!
The other items are kind of random. The single air mattress is because we need some extra bedding for our fall break trip. (I will let Hayden review it later as to if it actually stayed inflated or not 😉 ) Exciting stuff—new replacement toothbrush heads for my my Dazzle Pro sonic toothbrush. Lastly, the Bissell pet hair vacuum has been a life saver. A friend recently told us about it, so I purchased it to use on our couch (and other areas of the house). After having two Boxers who had short hair, Homer’s fluff is a major adjustment!
I always love seeing what others out there are purchasing with their Prime account, so I thought I’d share.
A little book update…
Real talk: I started Summer of 69 and couldn’t get into it. I read about 100 pages or so and kind of gave up. I’m not sure what I wasn’t loving about it, but I decided to put it aside.
I’ve been reading Ask Again, Yes and love it. I’m more than halfway through and can’t wait to finish it.
I’m also reading The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House and I’m enjoying. The historical perspective and information have peaked my interest.
That’s a little bit of our life lately. Today is our last day of school this week as we get a four day weekend fall break. I always wish we got a little more time off, but I will take what I can get. We are headed off on a little get away with our friends for most of the break. I can’t wait to share about it when we return.
Fun Fact: When my brother moved to Kentucky in 2009, he lived with us for about six months. As a matter of fact, he moved in right when the kids were born and before Hadley even came home from the NICU. Let’s just say it was probably a shock to his 25 year old self to live in a house with his hormonal sister as I figured out how to parent newborn twins. He helped as he could burping a baby or two as well as counting down the time when Hadley’s colic would go away. Over Hadley’s screams, he once said, “Uh…the doctor said she should be better by the time she’s six months, right?” #shewasfourmonthsold haha.
After he moved out, he’d come over often and one time he made this stuffed peppers recipe. I have no clue where he got it, but the kids love it and request it now for dinner. #fullcirclemoment
Ingredients:
6 green bell peppers
1 1/2 lb mild Italian sausage
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 c. chopped red pepper
1 c. chopped celery
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 block of cream cheese
1-2 c. bread crumbs
Instructions:
Saute chopped veggies in skillet with olive oil.
When veggies are softened, add garlic.
Then, add sausage.
When sausage is cooked, add cubed cream cheese and mix well.
Let cool (I never have time for that step) and add bread crumbs.
Stuff peppers and wrap in foil.
**side note, there’s usually some mixture left, and I’ve eaten it as a dip with tortilla chips…so good!
Cook at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes (but I usually let them cook for closer to 25 minutes so they are softer).
Dinner’s ready!
Connor’s the type of brother who (still?) let me boss him around, sends me a pic of himself in front of the Golden Girls house, wears a goofy Christmas sweater (he’d want me to let you know the sweater was a joke), and is now a great dad to his two kids. And, he’s the funniest person I know…(Which makes my dad huff and puff because he wants to hold that title 😂)
While Connor probably aged a five years in the six months he lived with us, he got a crash course in adulthood #youarewelcomeConnor, and I got this awesome recipe!
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Have a great Monday,
For today’s Friday Favorites, I thought I’d share some of my favorite Instagram accounts. Admittedly, I can get sucked into Instagram…especially Instagram Stories. I give myself time to hop on Insta in the morning and then in the evening, and I even set a timer on my phone, so I don’t let it consume too much of my time! Instagram is all about the pretty pictures, and these ladies do post some pretty ones, but what hooks me in to their accounts is the fact that they also keep it real and their Instagram Stories are so engaging, funny, lighthearted, (serious when needed), and real.
Living with Landyn
Listen. If you don’t follow @livingwithlandyn, you are missing out. She is so real. So funny. Such a girl’s girl. I would want her to be my sister, my friend, my mentor…and she seems so approachable and loves to meet her followers.
She lives in Nashville, married to a former NFL player (her middle school sweetheart!), has two kids, and is opening a Living with Landyn store in Nashville very soon. She always talks about “making pretty choices,” and it’s not a superficial meaning…she just means make a choice to be happy, adding some pretty flowers from your yard to a vase, help a friend, go out with your girlfriends, make time for yourself, etc.
She really is such a warm spirit on Instagram, and that just makes you want to know her, be her friend, and support her new business.
I’ve been following Erin at Cotton Stem (@cottonstem) for a couple of years. She lives in Oklahoma, and is the mom to four sweet little girls. Her decorating style is 100% my decorating style. What I love about her stories is that she is super honest about how she handles life as a mom, wife, and influencer. She talks about how Instagram’s nine squares shows the pretty pictures of life, but her stories show the real life and I love that she’s so reflective and shares what she has learned on her Instagram influencer journey. For example, she sets boundaries like putting her phone away and staying off social media on the weekends. She’s had her home featured in magazines like Better Homes and Gardens. I also love that she’s not afraid to redecorate or rearrange and also shows how changing a few small items in the house, like a lamp or rug, can change a space in your home dramatically. Lastly, she often shows and explains how she creates wardrobe capsules for what she wears during each season, and I love this idea! She’s definitely an inspiring person to follow!
I started following The Rambling Redhead, Jenn, (@theramblingredhead) about six months ago. She is so much fun to watch on stories. She usually starts her stories with “Good Morning. Goooooddd Moooorrrrning!” (even if it’s 1:00 PM) haha. Her energy and positivity seem endless. Also, I don’t know how she gets it all done. She’s a mom of three, home schools her kids a couple days a week, is very present on social media, just opened a coffee shop with her husband, and now is filming a show for HGTV!! She also wrote a book a few years ago W(h)ine: 50 PerfectWines to Pair with Your Child’s Rotten Behavior. #classic
Her clothing try on sessions are always so fun to watch as she continues to keep it real but is also the best at sharing codes and links to what she’s wearing as well as home decor.
Watching her stories, definitely puts some pep in your day.
I’ve only been following Ellery Designs (@ellerydesigns) for a few months on Instagram, but she’s yet another who keeps it real “life is hectic” department. Her home decor is so cute and I especially love her entryway and mantle as those are two areas she updates seasonally. The entryway has little touches that make that season special while the mantle is a bigger undertaking. She re-wallpapers the mantle a few times a year, and it’s always a bold design or pop of color as a base to then decorate for the season.
Ellery also has updated the outside of her home and decorated it to be so inviting for those who see her home. I love the huge wooden planter that she has on her porch that I believe she and her husband built. The flowers are so pretty, and she mentioned that the planter was featured in an online commercial for Menards.
I really enjoy watching her talk about her home, ideas she has, as well as a bit of her family life.
Pic @ellerydesigns
Bev Cooks
Bev Weidner of Bev Cooks (@bevcooks) is sooooo funny. I’ve been reading her blog for years and following her on Instagram forever. She’s a food blogger who lives in Kansas City. She started her blog while going through infertility struggles, and it’s turned into so much more. She has boy/girl twins who are so cute, and it’s fun to see her family of four interact.
I’ve made so many of her recipes throughout the years, and they never disappoint. On Instagram Stories, she shares recipes, but she is just so funny. Her personality and humor draw you in. She shares about her clothes, what she finds thrifting, what she’s reading, and she even has a show on Foodnetwork.com called Mom Wins where she shares quick recipes that your family will love. It’s been fun (and inspirational!) to watch her family’s journeys the past two summers. Last summer, her family spent the month of June in Connecticut and this past summer spent a month in Oregon. Such amazing experiences as a family with awesome views, activities, and food. Also, most Fridays she posts a “Friday Flotsam” of what she’s been up to, what questions she as for her readers, as well as random pictures. Her posts are always hi.lar.i.ous!! I always look forward to her blog posts and her stories, and she just seems like so much fun to be around.
Kristy Wicks (@kristywicks) is just the sweetest person to follow. She is always smiling, always so encouraging, and always so positive. Her home is perfection and since it’s just her husband and herself at home, she’s honest about the fact that they purchased and renovated the home to be just what they needed even if it’s a smaller home. She’s so informative about the community in which she lives, shares so many stories about her girlfriends, her husband, her daughter, and their pup Maggie. Her husband, Jeff the Chef, as she calls him just seems to supportive of her (and she shares his recipes too!) They do so much together including travel to amazing places. As a former flight attendant, she shares her love of travel with her readers and viewers as well. My favorite part of her home is our backyard outdoor space. She’s so knowledgeable about her flowers and plants, and makes the outside space just as inviting as her indoor space. She’s certainly a friendly and inspiring influencer on Instagram.
Go check these ladies out! They will certainly add a little something to your day!
And speaking of inspirational ladies, my little lady is the best. It apparently was National Daughters Day on Wednesday, and well, Hadley’s been giving me a run for my money since 2009. I wouldn’t have it any other way. #GirlBoss #Whorunstheworld? #girls
This pic popped in my Facebook memories from last year!
Don’t forget to check out the others who link up for Friday Favorites.
showmeandsweettea.com 