How is the week treating you? We’re hanging in there! Today should have been the last day of school, but we still have a week to go. Don’t even get me started!
I’m a little behind sharing my monthly Monday Memes post as I took Monday off from blogging and then didn’t have time to write the post for Tuesday. Anyway, I hope these memes provided a mid-week laugh or two!
Am I right or what?! (Also, if I could ever work a four day week, Monday would be the day I’d choose to be off for sure!)
I’m not sure there’s ever been a more “me” meme than this one…
Well, this one certainly applies to me too! lol
Field day in the 80’s and 90’s was elite. Kids these days will never understand.
Um…why is saying goodbye to the cashier always this awkward? LOL
Absolutely!
My kids owe me…and I probably owe my mother. Or…does that somehow make us all “even?” haha
I do this too many times to count!
Hi, it’s me!
Have I mentioned that I’m ready for this school year to be over?!
After the past few days with our state testing, I’m definitely ready for the weekend. Actually, I’m also ready for a regular day of school which we have today. Then, I’m definitely ready for the three day weekend.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are a few favorites from the week…
Last weekend, we were in Indianapolis for Hadley’s volleyball tournament. While they played ok on Saturday, the team locked in on Sunday and won the silver bracket. They really have come a long way this season, and Hadley has had a lot of fun playing with these girls.
Tuesday, we didn’t have school thanks to Election Day. Honestly, after being gone most of the weekend, I was “living” for this day off. It was nice to sleep in a bit and have a slow morning. I treated myself to a Dunkin Donut coffee after running a few errands.
I voted…
We watched lots of baseball this week too. While Hayden’s JV season is over, the varsity team had the district tournament. They played Tuesday and Wednesday nights. The weather was so rainy all of Wednesday, but it held off for most of the game. The craziest thing happened …with only one half inning left to go, the power went out! It was out for over an hour, and it got darker and darker outside. We headed home, but the power finally came back on, and they played the final half inning. We won the district championship game!
Favorite Mom Meme:
This one definitely hits home!
With Memorial Day weekend coming up, it’s the unofficial (or is it the official?!) start to summer. Anyway, I figured it was the perfect time to share some of my favorite summer staples. It seems I share a similar post most years, and some of these items have made the list for many years while others are new finds.
I’ve raved about these sandals more than once, and Hadley and I have each own two pairs through the years. I turn to these more than I do my Birks. I do size up one full size.
These Havianas from Nordstrom are my absolute favorite, and I have two pairs of them that I’ve had for years.
This one shoulder swimsuit is another one I’ve had a for a few years; I might just pick it up in another color!
I have a couple colors of this lightweight swim cover up. When I wash it, I do let it hang dry as it’s easy to shrink, but I love the cut and pockets. Unfortunately, it seems there is only one color way available now (in size small), but here’s a similar one, and this longer Cupshe version has caught my eye!
If you prefer a sleeve, this cover up that I have could also double as a summer dress!
This longer sleeve cover up is a new find for me, and but I was pleasantly surprised by the style and fabric; it seems easy to dress up or down if needed.
This maxi dress is one of my favorites. I’m honestly surprised I haven’t ordered it in another color. I wear it often in the summer, and then I also wear it with a cardigan during the school year.
I love a good hat to wear at the pool or at the beach, and I have a couple including this one with a strap. I usually tuck the strap up, but it does come in handy on a windy day or while on a boat. I also wear this visor often too; it rolls up and is so easy to pack.
These sunglasses are some of my favorites…so much so that when I lost the gold rimmed pair, I bought them again!
This is my newest pair and the ones that I’ve been wearing the most recently. I love the tortoise pattern and rectangle shape, but there are other options.
I tend to have sunglasses in my car, in my purse, in my house, in my pool bag, etc., so it’s nice to have options.
A few summers ago, I became a Turkish towel girl; we only have two, so I ordered a couple more recently. The original ones I ordered a couple years ago weren’t in stock, but I bought two of these, and they seem to be great quality. I love how quickly Turkish towels dry and they seem easier to pack!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
As we kick off summer, I love this look back at the kids’ first pool days. This plastic pool was the best $30 we ever spent. Our previous house had a screened in porch, so we spent so much time out there. We’d fill that pool up and they’d splash around. Such sweet memories!
Well, May sure is moving right along…it’s hard to believe that this weekend is Memorial Day weekend!
What’s also hard to believe is how quickly the years fly by.
I’ve enjoyed taking a look back to 2010 (January, February, March, and April), and today, I’m sharing some snippets of May 2010.
By May 2010, the kids were six months old. I truly remember enjoying this time. They were good sleepers, good nappers, and Hadley’s colic had improved so much. She was a happier baby. They also started sitting up more and were able to have a bit more fun.
Propped up in the bed…what cuties!
They both had little frogs that a friend of mine had given them. Their names were Finn and Fern.
Hadley was very serious during her playtime with Fern.
We celebrated my first Mother’s Day! (Shew! I thought I was tired then. haha!)
Trav’s brother got married, and we traveled a few hours away for the wedding. Hayden wore his onsie with a tie on it, and Hadley dressed up for the occasion too…matching headband and all!
Family photo…
A big milestone was that we started cereal right around Memorial Day weekend. I remember thinking that we had a good routine down, and I didn’t want to really add anything new until school wrapped up. So, we started cereal at the end of the month.
Anyway, cereal and solids were hit or miss for a while.
The kids also had a new fun activity at six months…bouncing around in the jumper.
Oh what fun!
We just had one jumper, so they learned to take turns at an early age 😉
Oh what I wouldn’t give to hold those six month olds one more time!
Have you heard the Justin Bieber song “Everything Hallelujah”? I feel like it’s all I hear when I’m scrolling Instagram. I’ve shared many Enneagram posts from @mirabellecreations and this one stopped my scroll…(thanks to the song and the content)
As always, these Enneagram lists really did ring true for my 5w6 self…
Type 5:
Plans getting canceled: Well, of course that depends on the plans. I do love to hang out with friends and family, but yes, oftentimes if plans are canceled, especially if I’ve had a long day, I’m not mad about it.
Being alone in my house: I love a little quiet time to decompress.
Learning a random fact: I’m a teacher, so of course I love learning something new (but maybe not necessarily at 1 am. ha!)
Noise canceling headphones: After a year of use, I still love these, and use them on my walks. I can definitely still hear around me, but they do quiet the outside noise.
Someone texted instead of calling: Definitely my preferred method of communication, but of course, it’s nice to catch up with family and friends via phone call.
Having enough social battery to survive the function: Yes.
An uninterrupted afternoon to hyperfixate in peace: I’ll take an uninterrupted afternoon anytime!
Enneagram 6:
Having a back up plan for a back up plan: Is there any other way to live?
Getting “made it home safe” texts: Well, this certainly hits home these days. I’m very grateful for Life 360 “arrived home” alerts.
Knowing exactly what’s going on: I don’t like to live in uncertainty!
Someone being reliable for once: That’s always nice. ha!
Triple checking and still being correct: This is so me!
Group chats that answer quickly: Always appreciated.
Realizing the thing I worried about never actually happened: Amen.
That last one reminded me of this quote from Mel Robbins that I recently saw…
Perfect timing to read that. I’m a work in progress in regards to worrying about things I can’t control or even worrying about things that I can control. I do tend to figure it out…so maybe I need to focus on worrying less.
Well, in true end of the school year fashion, I’m holding on for dear life which means sometimes the blog goes to the bottom of the “to do” list.
I shared Friday’s post late, and today I’m finally putting the finishing touches on this post. I’d hoped to finish it last night, but we got home late from a long weekend of volleyball, and then I hit the ground running this morning with state testing!
I haven’t shared a Weekly Report in a bit, and I wanted to start the week off with this post, so here we go…
This is only my second “Weekly Report” post, and I think most use it to capture reading, eating, prioritizing, obsessing, recommending, and treating…
I’m putting my own spin on a few of the letters:
Reading:
I was on the library wait list for Meet the Newmans, and I added it to my Kindle a few weeks ago. I finally started it, and I’m about halfway finished with it. I’m really enjoying it!
I needed a new book to listen to, so I just did a search on the Libby app, and this one popped up…bookshop and London…I’m sold! This has been a great read so far too!
Enjoying:
Spring! I love how the grass is green, and we have pops of colors with flowers.
The front yard refresh is coming along.
I will say that the springlike weather is out the window…It’s been in the 90’s today, and that was too hot too fast! I know it’s almost Memorial Day weekend, but I’m not ready to be hot yet.
Packing:
Over the weekend, when I was drafting this post, I was thinking about how I’ve become a pretty good packer. One thing about me is I hate packing, but now I’ve “mastered” the overnight packing situation since we’ve gone out of town for one night pretty often with Hadley’s volleyball season.
I’ve had these clear travel pouches for years (almost four years to be exact!), and they come in so handy.
I use two of them the most often…one for my skincare…
…and the other for travel size items. I love that they are clear, so I can easily see what’s in them or what’s missing.
The larger one with handles, we’ve used to carry all the family chargers in when traveling, so it seems like there are sizes for all kinds of things.
I’m also still loving this silicone mat/pouch combo for travel. I bought it a couple of months ago, and it’s been so handy. I put my curling iron in it, and then it also sits on the counter to protect the counter from heat.
Screenshot
Ordering:
More phone chargers because Hayden can’t seem to keep up with his!
Screenshot
And…more facial towels. I’m officially hooked on these towels. They are soft, absorbent, and biodegradable. I feel so much better using a fresh new towel after washing my face as opposed to a wash cloth.
…and the movie! Sally Field was simply amazing (Lewis Pullman was too!), and I love how accurate the movie felt compared to the book. I know it’s one I’ll watch time and time again.
Teaching:
Y’all, we still have ten days left of school, and I’m trying to finish up Macbeth with my English 2 students. I do love this play, and we only have Act 5 left to read, so the end is in sight (for Macbeth and the school year)…
I’m also reading Night with my Adv. English 1 students. We only have a couple of chapters left to go. This is such a powerful memoir, and it certainly fits the unit focus of Survival, but I wish we didn’t end the year on such a serious note.
Pretty soon all my classes are starting their final projects to wrap up the school year. First, we have to get through state testing on Wednesday and Thursday!
How was your week?! Mine was good, but obviously a little much considering I’m just now posting today’s Friday Favorites.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea to share some favorites from the week. #betterlatethannever
Here are some favorites from the week…
I had a few more Teacher Appreciation Week gifts! My students are so thoughtful…
On Sunday, I watched Remarkably Bright Creatures, and I loved it as much as I loved the book (one of my fave reads in 2023!) I plan on watching it again soon!
For Mother’s Day, I got some flowers. So funny story – Hadley gave them to me Sunday night, and when I went to put them in a vase, I asked Trav where she got them because they were droopy. He said, “She bought them yesterday (over 24 hours before) and I wondered where she put them.” lol –uhh…apparently, she didn’t put them in water! I didn’t say anything to her, and they perked up a bit once they got in water. They’ve hung on for the week.
Also for Mother’s Day, I got my front porch ferns!
Trav did some planting this week, including the front porch pots. The flowers look so pretty. I asked him to make sure and buy flowers using the “filler, thriller, spiller” rule, and he understood the assignment.
He’s also made some progress with the front yard area…
The JV baseball team wrapped up their season this week. Hayden was the starting pitcher for the last game on Monday night. Hayden pitched almost four full innings (they only played five since it was a late start due to senior night), and pitched the best he has all season. In a great team effort, they won 12-2 to cap off the season.
Isn’t this 2019 memory timely?! Same but different for sure!
I didn’t know what to expect when Hayden made the decision to take up baseball again, and baseball season is no joke! He typically had games, practices, hitting or lessons six out of seven days a week. He kept up with it all, drove himself where he needed to be, and really seemed to enjoy being a part of the team. (He only wore the wrong pants once! haha!)
Hadley’s Adv. Foods class was featured on the school’s social media page…bread week! Why couldn’t bread week be during Teacher Appreciation Week?!
Favorite Mom Meme:
If I really need them to answer me, I will send them a Snapchat…they don’t want to lose that streak!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
Since I was on the topic of baseball, this sweet 2018 Facebook memory also stopped my scroll! Trav’s brother took this pic, and I love it so much.
May is just (thankfully!) chugging right along. It’s the second Wednesday of the month, so I’m linking up with Shay and Erika for Let’s Look.
So far this year we’ve looked at…
Things we outsource without regret in January…
Ways we’ve turned into our parents in February (I missed out on the February post, but I’m sure I’ve turned into them in the best possible ways.)
Hardest thing we’ve ever done in April (I didn’t have a post, but I’d say the hardest (but most rewarding) thing I’ve ever done is raise these kids of mine!
This month we’re looking at…making couple friends.
Isn’t there a saying that friends are for a season, a reason, or a lifetime? I remember hearing that and thinking “that’s sad but true.” I guess you would just think that all friendships last forever?! But, as an adult, I do see where that saying holds true. That being said, making couple friends can be tricky, but we’ve been so blessed to have so many couples who we hang with whether it’s long time friends, new friends, neighbors, kids’ friends’ parents and even work friends.
First of all, we’re truly blessed with awesome neighbors. Truly, we see each other out for a walk, go out to dinner, help when needed and more. That being said, we are in kind of a busy season of life when we’re all pulled in different directions, but it’s comforting to know so many good people are literally a stone’s throw away if we need anything.
When I moved to Kentucky, I knew no one besides Travis! Thankfully, Travis had a whole crew who he was friends with from college. Many of them were engaged or married when I moved here, and the girls took me right under their wing. So, it was so easy to hang as couples. Most of them have kids just two to three years older than my kids, but it’s crazy to think they had some of the first babies I held or bought gifts for, and now their kids are in college.
Anyway, there’s a whole slew of couples that are all friends thanks to Trav’s college days, and I’m really grateful for them.
I’m also a lucky girl because my kids have awesome friends who have awesome parents. I’ve carpooled, had game nights, gone for walks, gone on vacations, laughed, cried, vented and more with these ladies, and they truly are a blessing in my life. I also feel blessed that we all live near each other thanks to meeting them during the elementary days for my kids.
It’s cliche, but it’s true that we have seen less of each other now that the kids are all driving themselves around. That being said, the group texts continue, and I know with summer we’ll reconnect more. They truly are just a phone call away which they’ve proved to me time and time again.
And, I know this post was about “making couple friends,” and it’s so great that the husbands get along just as well as the wives do!
I hope from the bottom of my heart that this crew falls in the “lifetime” friendship category!
Well, my first thought was to share my school lunches. Those lunches aren’t necessarily “on the go,” but my lunch time is brief. ha!
Honestly, this topic isn’t ideal this time of the year because I’m over, with a capital O, packing lunches.
First of all, whenever possible, I try to pack dinner leftovers at least once a week. Soups, casserole, chicken, tacos, etc are all good options.
If I meal prep anything, it’s usually just one meal a week like taco meat for taco salad to take a couple of days.
Also, most months of the school year, we have food trucks that come about once a week, and I definitely treat myself to lunch if I like the menu.
Sometimes, I pack my own little Lunchable in these containers that I’ve had for a couple of years.
The possibilities are endless 😉
I love a bagged salad, and will usually add chicken to it and get two lunches out of that. Whenever I have a salad, sometimes I pack a couple of turkey sandwiches using Hawaiian rolls. I will also have fruit or chips as well.
One of my “go to” lunches this year has been to use a Caesar bagged salad and chicken to make sandwich wraps. I will leave the salad and pack of chicken in my school fridge and bring a few tortillas to use. I can usually get three wraps over three days out of this combo.
By Friday, I’m usually throwing one of these in my lunch bag along with a Cutie, carrots and Ranch, and a little pudding cup.
I’m still loving the insulated lunch tote I bought a couple of years ago. Just last week, I made a mental note to purchase a new one for next year. This one has held up great, but I’ve spilled a few things, so now there are stains on it. I don’t leave home every morning with out my lunch tote or my tumbler!
Now, if we’re talking about lunches on the go when we’re out and about, well, we grab lunch on the go too often. We’ll get Jimmy John’s (I love a slim 1), Chick-fil-a (I usually get grilled nuggets and BBQ sauce), or Chipolte (I often get the kids quesadilla with black beans and rice)
How was your week? Ours was good, but it sure felt long! Also, where are the springlike temps? We’ve been lucky to hit 60 degrees this week!
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week…
Teacher Appreciation Week is a fave for sure. Every day this week, we’ve received some kind of treat at school…from bagels to coffee to cookies and more.
On Wednesday, I hit the jackpot! So many of my students gave me gifts and notes.
I truly felt the love. And, I don’t need gifts, but of course, that’s so thoughtful of students to think of me and purchase a few things. I really appreciated the notes too. One of the notes was written with the help of Gemini (AI) which actually did make me LOL.
Spring time me thanked fall me because I pulled out this lavender vanilla Antique Candle Co candle to burn. I’d purchased it on sale last fall. I love the spring time scent.
Derby was extra exciting! Golden Tempo, trained by a female trainer, won which was a first for the Derby. It was a thrilling race with Golden Tempo coming from waayyy behind to win!
The Major was in town last weekend. He was able to see Hayden pitch at his game, and he also saw two of my nephew’s games. Of course, we had to take the traditional porch pic…
On Sunday, Hadley baked a cake to celebrate the Major’s birthday a bit early. He doesn’t like the jinx birthdays before they happen (I’m the same way!), so we didn’t sing happy birthday. haha
Her Advanced Foods class is really paying off for all of us.
I went to one of my nephew’s games, and I couldn’t resist a couple of scoops of my favorite ice cream…mint chocolate chip!
Hayden was the starting pitcher in his game the other night! So far this season, he’s been a relief pitcher, so this was a first.
He pitched three innings, and the score was 3-3 at the end of the third. His team ended up winning, so that made the outing extra special.
I shared my May book trackers on Instagram last weekend. As always, I save them in a highlight. Feel free to use them to share what you’re reading. Tag me, and I’ll repost. I always love seeing what others are reading. I need to get my reading act together!
Favorite Mom Meme:
Truly, I would be less crazy if my kids would just do what they need to do when they need to do it!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
How about this gem from 2010! My first Mother’s Day. Woah…what a memory!
It’s hard to believe, but Monday is the second Monday of the month. I’ll be co-hosting the Share Our Lives link up, and this month’s topic is…go to lunches on the go.
Mother’s Day:
I share this every year, but I truly do mean it…
I hope you have a lovely spring weekend! We have baseball and volleyball on tap! I wouldn’t have it any other way. These years are flying by!
Hello and happy Wednesday! How is the month of May treating you? As a teacher and as a mom with two busy kids, I feel like I’m barely hanging on! Summer is in sight though, so I will cling to that good news.
It’s the first Wednesday of the month, so I’m linking up with Amy for Currently.
The Currently topics this month are…digging, weeding, enjoying, eating/drinking and shopping for.
I’m currentlydigging…up bushes in our front yard. Actually, I did zero digging…but Trav and Hayden did.
Travis used ChatGPT for his vision for this area out front. Step one was getting rid of some of the overgrown and dead bushes.
Amy also suggested that digging can be interpreted as something we’re loving, and I’m loving my new mini travel sound machine. I’ve had this saved on an Amazon list for quite a while, and I finally ordered it recently. We have a sound machine, but I wanted one that could be on my side of the bed and one that’s easier to pack for travel. This little guy is legit, and you can’t beat the price.
I’m currently weeding through/out my filing cabinet. All my English 1 files are in one drawer, and I want to keep it that way. I have so many extra copies that I’m going through the folders to recycle a few of the papers to help make everything fit. To be honest, most of what I save in folders probably doesn’t need to be saved because I keep master copies in binders for each unit. Also, of course, most things I can print again if needed. I guess old habits just die hard, but at least I’m trying to purge a little.
I’m currently enjoying some of the teacher appreciation “perks.” We’ve been served bagels and coffee the past couple of mornings. Also, one of my teacher friends went to Joella’s Hot Chicken to pick up our lunch on Monday; teachers got a chicken tender meal for free! It’s the little things.
That being said…
I’m also enjoyingthis set from Amazon. I’ve shared it before, but since I’ve been wearing it more and more, and I want to order it in another color, I thought I’d share again. It’s perfect to wear as separates or together, and I get compliments every time I wear it. I wanted to wear something comfy on Monday, and this fit the bill.
I’m also enjoying getting some steps in every day. I’ve been very intentional with going for walks nearly every day this past month. The fresh air has been just what I needed.
I’m currentlyeating/drinking…
I’m still in my iced coffee era. Right now, hot coffee doesn’t even sound good to me. A fun glass makes iced coffee taste even better 😉
As far as eating…I’m not eating too many sweets, but I couldn’t resist a couple scoops of mint chocolate chip (my fave!) ice cream at my nephew’s game the other night. Ice cream and baseball…what an all-American combo.
I’m currentlyshopping for… birthday cards…May is a big birthday month, and I also needed to pick up a Mother’s Day card. After school yesterday, I went to Target for a few things besides the cards. I picked up the Chobani S’mores creamer that I love as well as some snacks for school, the Shirley Temple flavored Poppi, some Tru Fruit, bananas, and the Starbucks Acai Refresher for Hadley to try, and a few others odds and ends.
showmeandsweettea.com 