How was your weekend? We had a good one…mostly centered around the Kentucky Oaks and Derby festivities taking place…more on that later in the weel.
Today, I’m linking up with Tanya to share about my Amazon purchases this month.
Here are my purchases this month:
Well, this jacket was actually purchased last month before our trip to Washington, DC, but I wanted to wear it before sharing. I have a longer rain coat from Target that I’ve had for years, but for our trip, I wanted a light-weight jacket that was waterproof to wear with pants/jeans.
This one is cute, and I like that it has the drawstring to cinch at the waist if you want.
After we finished putting Hadley’s cabinet together, I thought a candle would be cute to add a little glow to her room. We only used one from this three pack, but it’s been a good touch to her room, and the remote comes in handy.
We all like this Core Power protein shake, so Travis bought two packs of the chocolate because Amazon had a better price than Kroger.
I saw Tina (@to_mimishousewego) share this scrub stick for black heads/pores, and I thought it would be good for the kids to try. Hayden’s been using it a bit, and anything to get him to take care of his skin is a win in my book.
When I got my pedicure a few weeks ago, I chose Arigato from Tokyo. Thankfully, my pedicures tend to last a while, but I wanted to have it in case I needed to touch up my pedicure which I just did over the weekend.
I’m still using this sunless tanner (Hadley too) that I’ve been using for almost two years…
I misplaced a pair of my sunglasses, and I thought this pair was cute. I’ve worn them a few times, and Hadley approves! They are currently 50% off on a lightning deal.
Admittedly, I have quite a few purses, but they are mostly cross body or clutches. I know how it is at Oaks trying to navigate crowds, holding on to things like the racing form or a drink, so I wanted a purse that was still small, but that I could put on my wrist if need be.
This one is pretty, is super soft, and big enough to hold just what I need.
(FYI- I bought these heels two years ago, and they are pretty comfy. I did size up a half size)
So those are my purchases this month…per usual, a little bit of everything!
{This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Thanks for supporting my blog.}
How was your week? We had amazing weather, but I feel like the temps heated up quickly! It was nice to be outside a bit more, go for walks, and enjoy some time on my front porch.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
Well, I know I share about track every week, but this really is a fun season (of track…and of life), and I can’t say enough how much I love that track is the one thing they both still do.
Friday night, I got this sweet pic of Hadley cheering Hayden on as he ran the 3200, finishing with a state qualifying time.
Don’t get me wrong…there are many times they don’t get along, but I do think they encourage each other more often than not.
Hadley has had her eye on the prize trying to run a state qualifying time in the 200m, and she’s accomplished that the past couple of meets.
Friday night was a late one, but my mom got this pic of the kids after the meet, and I think it’s a good one!
The last cotillion dance was a fun one! Hadley’s dress was my favorite one she’s worn so far. It’s the “fun is calling”dress from Hello Molly, and it comes in a variety of colors.
The moms of the girls in this group have shared some dress stories…some dresses never arriving, wrong material, not what they ordered, etc.
Thankfully, for these dances, we’ve had lots of luck from Hello Molly and Lulus. (FYI for returns, Lulus will give you a full refund if return within the window of time…but Hello Molly only does store credit. Believe me, I learned that the hard way. haha)
I stopped by Aldi’s for a few snacks, and this “charcuterie party platter” was a hit.
My mom came to visit last week, and we celebrated her birthday a bit early. I was going to order a bundt cake, but I thought an ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins sounded good.
It was pretty and tasted delish.
Smiles and ready for cake…
I shared some new book trackers and added them to my Instagram highlight.
These have been a fun and creative outlet for me.
Feel free to use them to share what you are reading! Tag me if you do. 🙂
I ordered this in early spring, and I was excited to wear it yesterday now that the weather is warmer. It’s the “Taylor” dress, and while sizes do seem limited, there are a few colors. I wear my typical size large, so I think they do a great job running true to size with what they design.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Honestly, I am surprised that I don’t feel like we have more laundry than we do. Sunday continues to be laundry day, and everyone usually has one load. One thing that still is an issue is getting the laundry put away! The kids put their own clothes away, but tend to be on their own timelines for that. haha!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
I’m sure I share this every year, but the week of Derby is big around here…even at school…especially elementary schools.
The kids made these hats in kindergarten, and were so excited to show them to me when they got home.
Weekly Recap:
Here are my posts from the week in case you missed one:
We have a slight break from sports this weekend, but today is the Kentucky Oaks, and tomorrow is the “most exciting two minutes in sports” is when the Kentucky Derby horses “run for the roses.”
Well, I kept track of another month of workouts which has continued to be some motivation for me to “push play” or go for a walk at least half of the days in the month.
This month started with lots of steps in DC, and I continued on with my Bodi workouts while incorporating shorter workouts on busier evenings when the kids had track meets.
Here’s my Bodi tracker for April:
Here are my workouts this month:
April 1: Our first day in DC, and I got in about 10,000 steps. I know some people get that many as a daily average, but my average is more around 7,000, so I will count 10k as a workout.
April 2: DC day 2 was the most walking we did, and I got over 18,000 steps in.
April 3: DC day 3 was also busy, and I walked over 12,000 steps.
April 6:21 Day Fix: Lower Fix
April 8:Fire and Flow: Restorative Flow
My back was hurting, so I did Pilates, and it felt really good to stretch.
April 9:Fire and Flow: Cardio Fire 2
April 10:Sure Thing: Endurance Strength
April 11:Job 1: Start Strong: Shoulders, Arms, and Glutes
April 16: 21 Day Fix: Cardio Fix
April 18:Job 1: Finish Stronger: Arms, Shoulders, and Legs
April 20:Fire and Flow: Lower Body Fire 2
April 22:Job 1: Build and Burn: Glutes, Arms, and Core
April 23:21 Day Fix: Dirty 30 (*one of my fave workouts!)
April 24: I went for a walk.
April 27: Fire and Flow: Lower Body Fire 2
April 29: I didn’t have time to workout before the kids’ track meet, but I did go for a walk when we got home. I was tired, but decided to get to 10,000 steps, and I’m glad that I did.
April 30:Job 1: 20 Minute Sweat Session (I really didn’t want to workout on Tuesday. I came home from school with a headache, so I pushed my workout to 8:00…after dinner. I never workout after dinner, but I knew the rest of the week might be crazy, and to get a workout, even a short one, in while I could.)
I was able to color in 16 of the 30 blocks in April. While I know I had a few walking days instead of workout days, at least I kept my body moving. Now that it gets darker a bit later, I feel like I will try to go for a short walk when I can if I need to get a few more steps for the day.
I’m kicking off the month sharing the books that I read in April. After a slow start to 2024, I’ve had a couple of months of my average of reading three books. This month, I loved two of them, and thought one was ok.
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
The Women:
Summary:
An intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided.
Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.
As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over- whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.
But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.
The Womenis the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.
Quick Thoughts:
This book is pretty popular, and I can certainly see why, as it was heartbreaking, inspiring, uplifting, and beautiful. Honestly, I don’t know that I’ve read anything set during the Vietnam War. Of course, with war, we think of the soldiers, but I’d never thought about other heroes of war…the doctors and nurses tending to and trying to keep the wounded soldiers alive. Even more heartbreaking was thinking about the PTSD that these women suffered while having their emotions and concerns brushed aside.
Some quotes that stood out to me:
In reference to the women not being seen for the work they were doing
“The world changes for me, Frances. For women, it stays pretty much the same.”
In a letter to Frances from her mother:
“I imagine it would feel wonderful to be good at something that mattered. That is something that too many of the women of my generation didn’t consider. With love, Your mother”
Rating:
I bet this book will be in my top 5 for 2024!
None of This is True:
Summary:
Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.
A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.
Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.
But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.
Quick Thoughts:
I’ve read and liked Lisa Jewell books in the past, but this book was just odd to me. Of course, it is a psychological thriller…but I just didn’t enjoy the characters and I thought some of the plot was disturbing. I did want to keep reading to see the lies unfold and clarified, but it was just a book that felt odd and flat to me.
Rating:
3.5 stars, to be fair.
The Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI:
Summary:
In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. After oil was discovered beneath their land, the Osage rode in chauffeured automobiles, built mansions, and sent their children to study in Europe.
Then, one by one, the Osage began to be killed off. The family of an Osage woman, Mollie Burkhart, became a prime target. One of her relatives was shot. Another was poisoned. And this was just the beginning, as more and more Osage were dying under mysterious circumstances, and many of those who dared to investigate the killings were themselves murdered.
As the death toll rose, the newly created FBI took up the case, and the young director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to try to unravel the mystery. White put together an undercover team, including a Native American agent who infiltrated the region, and together with the Osage began to expose one of the most chilling conspiracies in American history.
Quick Thoughts:
I’d heard quite a bit of hype in regards to this movie, so when my friend let me borrow the book, I was interested in reading it. From the first page, I was hooked. What the members of the Osage nation went through was so heartbreaking, but the making of the FBI was so interesting. The book also had so many pictures, and it was neat to put faces to the names.
I’m torn on if I want to watch the movie or not, but the book is definitely one that I will always remember…and for sure another top read in 2024.
Rating:
It’s hard to believe, but I’m going to start working on my summer reading list. Some books I usually want to read in the summer don’t come out until mid-summer or have long library wait lists, so I want to prioritize and get organized for my summer reading!
Well, the kids had their last cotillion dance of the year, and it’s hard to believe we are in a season of “lasts’ for middle school. I received a couple of cotillion questions, and I thought it would be nice to have all the dances and memories in one post, so that’s what’s on tap for today.
The kids have friends and neighbors a couple of years older, so over the past few years, I’ve seen the cotillion pictures without really knowing what it is.
Every school submits names of interested 8th graders to the Lexington Cotillion Club coordinator who then sends invitations to those on the list. If you receive an invite, you of course don’t have to go…and that’s probably would have been Hayden’s preference. haha
There’s a total fee for cotillion dances whether you go to one dance or all four dances. Students receive an invite in the mail for every dance, and RSVP if they can’t come to that dance. There is a theme for every dance, and two of the dances are informal and the other two are more formal. For the formal dances, boys are supposed to wear ties, but can even wear suits or tuxes, and the girls are supposed to wear long dresses.
As you can see from the photos I share, the kids seem to follow the dress code loosely.
For each dance, the kids check in and get a name tag and dance card. The dance card has eight lines on it, and for five of the dances, there are names written in. Then, there are “girl’s choice,” boy’s choice,” and “everyone’s choice” written on the other lines.
Most of the time, the kids dance whenever they want, but there are eight dances on the dance card, and when those are announced, the girls are supposed to go to the part of the ballroom based on their last name, and the boy comes to find them to dance. Let’s just say that I think it’s pretty rare for that part of the dance etiquette to actually happen.
When I talk to others who went to cotillion five years ago or twenty years ago, it seems that this dance as always been at the same hotel and most of the kids socialize more than dance. haha
All of the dances are from 7:30 -10:30 which is such an odd time…and the hotel isn’t close to our house. We always carpooled which was nice, but after dropping kids off (and usually a pit-stop at McDonald’s for food and ice cream), it was 11:30 before everyone got home.
They have light snacks and punch for the kids and there are a few parent chaperones for each dance to help the club coordinator.
With cotillion, to my knowledge, there’s not really an etiquette class, but Lexington does have something called Halls School of Dance for 6th graders. Halls takes place once a week over a couple of months. It’s definitely more formal with girls wearing gloves and tights, and boys have to wear coat and tie. The kids learn different dances and etiquette and then there is a dance at the end where parents can come watch.
Halls is quite a Lexington tradition, but my kids didn’t participate when they in the 6th grade because it was on Thursday nights when Hadley had her competition dance classes, and I didn’t force Hayden to do it. Hadley really wanted to, and I would have let her if it was just a couple of weeks, but Halls was around eight sessions I think.
I’m guessing when Lexington Cotillion Club started, it was probably more formal than it is now.
Anyway, cotillion is something that I’m glad the kids did…even if one of my kids was more excited about it than the other.
Here’s a look back on cotillion season:
Harvest Moon:
The first dance was in October, and it was informal. That day, Hayden had the state cross country meet, and then he wanted to go to the UK football game, so only Hadley went.
She got together with friends to get ready, and I stopped by to see her before they left for the dance. They spent a couple of hours getting ready, had some snacks, and were a bundle of nerves when they left.
When Hadley got to the dance, she texted me that she didn’t know anyone on the dance card…which I replied, “That’s the point!” haha
Of all the dances, I know this one was the most awkward as the kids got the “lay of the land” and figured out how cotillion worked. Overall, she had lots of fun.
Glitter and Gold Gala:
This was the first “formal” of the dances. Hayden had a cross country meet in Louisville that day, so we were gone for most of the day.
Once we got home, I took Hadley to get her hair trimmed, and she got it curled too.
The kids let me snap a quick pic that I ended up using last minute as our Christmas card.
Then, we met at a friend’s house to hang out a bit while the girls finished getting ready. Then, we carpooled to dinner. Since this was a more “formal” dance and we knew many of the kids would be busier in the spring with baseball, soccer, etc., we went ahead and reserved a room at a nearby restaurant for the kids to hang out and eat beforehand. There were about 30 kids.
The parents hung out too until it was time for the kids to go to the dance.
It was nice hanging out with parents for a bit during a busy holiday season.
Overall, the kids had a great time, but they seemed to stay pretty much with their friend groups.
Malibu Mingle:
The February cotillion theme was “Malibu Mingle.” The boys took the less formal theme and ran with it …wearing shorts and Hawaiian shirts.
My friend picked up Hayden and took him and her son to meet up with the rest of the boys for dinner.
Again, the girls met at a friend’s house to finish getting ready together while the moms had some appetizers and a glass of wine.
They added leis to their outfits for the Hawaiian/Malibu theme.
This dance, the kids really seemed to branch out from their friend groups. Hadley gave me all the details when they got home…but mostly about new kids that they met from nearby schools.
Belles and Bowties:
This past Saturday was the fourth and final cotillion dance. This time, the girls got ready at our house. I got a few snacks for them to eat while they got ready.
Like the December dance, we reserved a room at the same restaurant for the kids to eat before the dance.
Before we left, I quickly got a couple of pics of the kids. Hadley’s dress was my favorite one she wore from all four dances.
My mom got some individual pics of them which I appreciated.
The girls…so pretty in their spring colored dresses.
Friends for life.
A group pic before we left, and then a girl group and whole group photo at the restaurant. The boys are tough to wrangle!
After the kids went to the dance, the moms hung out for a bit for a drink and some appetizers.
When the kids got home around 11:00, Hadley filled me in that it was the most fun dance. It seemed like they got lots of pictures with friends that they’d made from other schools and some of their dance partners. Sounds like Hayden even had a good time 😉
While Hadley was into the cotillion activities more than Hayden, he did make the most of it and had fun. I know they will remember their cotillion experience, and this has been a fun 8th grade tradition for them.
May will be a busy month for us as they wrap up their 8th grade track season, have an 8th grade dance and 8th grade promotion. The middle school years have flown by!
How was your weekend? Just like last weekend, we were busy from start to finish…and mama needs a break!
The kids had a track meet on Friday, and we didn’t get home until late. On Saturday, Hadley played a couple of volleyball games, and then both kids had the final cotillion dance of the season which meant another late night.
Tis the season for “all the things!”
Since April is wrapping up, I’m sharing some memes that made me laugh this month:
1.
As you know I get up early, but at this point in the school year, I’m definitely pushing it to the limit being on time for school.
2.
This one just made me chuckle:
3.
Relatable: (haha)
4.
For real!
5.
Current situation:
6.
Tell me it’s the end of the school year without telling me it’s the end of the school year:
7.
This one really made me laugh out loud:
8.
*Sigh* we’ve had a few car repairs, Homer’s vet check up which is always costly, and then we just had to get a new grill and a new dryer.
I hope these start your week off with a laugh!
It’s another busy week around here, but I hope to have a few posts this week.
How was your week? Ours was good, but I think the end of the school year fatigue is setting in!
As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
Track meets!
Friday night, Hayden ran in a very competitive mile race in Louisville during the Eastern Relays meet.
Hayden came in 3rd with a PR for the mile.
Since I wasn’t there, and Travis is too busy cheering/coaching him, I loved seeing some professional photos of the race.
Hayden sent me this pic which made me smile.
While Travis was with Hayden in Louisville, Hadley was running in a meet in Lexington. She ran the 400 and had a PR as well as the 4×200 which had a state qualifying time. The Friday night track meets can go past 10:00, so we were happy she was finished running by 8:30.
On Monday night, she ran the 100m dash for the first time ever, and won her heat and came in 3rd overall. She was happy with that run.
Over the weekend, she had a volleyball tournament. Her coach had her play libero for the first time, and Hadley was excited for that opportunity. She typically plays back row, but the libero can be subbed in and out with more freedom and gets to play a bit more.
Her team saw some tough competition, but still made it to the gold bracket. They had a fun weekend.
I saw this on Facebook, and loved it. What a cute idea for a book display this time of the year.
My trusty slow cooker that I’ve had for years had to be replaced. The insert cracked quite a while ago, but it was finally time for a new one. I ordered this one for Drew Barrymore’s Walmart line, and so far I like it.
I drink a few protein shakes a week, and I usually stick with the Premier Protein brand. We’ve tried Core Power recently, and the kids like it too. Honestly, the chocolate tastes like chocolate milk…so good, so we ordered a couple of packs from Amazon since our Kroger doesn’t always have it.
Travis and I were able to get to Keeneland yesterday afternoon which was nice. The temps were cool, but the sun was shining…and he “broke even” on the day which is a win in my book. 😆
Remember the Lego flowers I gave Hadley for Valentine’s Day because she thought they’d be cute in her room?! Turns out…Hadley doesn’t like putting the Lego flowers together. My mom saved the day. The bouquet turned out really cute.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Well, this one doesn’t make me laugh…but it is relatable. *sigh*
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
This pic from 2014 has always been a fave. Hadley having no boundaries…and Hayden wishing she had some!
Weekly Recap:
Here are my posts from the week in case you missed one:
Where has the month of April gone? I always love Patty and Holly’sMonthly Musing link up answering questions on a given topic.
This month’s topic is “all things spring.”
I’ve shared before that spring isn’t really a season on my radar. By spring, I’m just ready to skip to summer!
That being said…
1. Favorite thing about spring?
More sunshine! I do appreciate when it stays lighter longer, the weather warms up and the grass turns green.
I love track season with the kids. Truly, until the kids started middle school, I never thought much about track. It’s really turned into a family affair with Travis helping coach the kids, the kids running, and I bring snacks and cheer from the sideline.
Something else I really love is that the kids run different events. Hayden loves distance, and Hadley runs the shorter races.
I also love spring break. One of the things I like about spring break is that we have some time at home, and we usually try to spend a few days somewhere nearby but also new to us. This year, we had a longer trip to DC, but we still had some days at home.
…and another favorite is spring traditions….
2. What are your spring traditions?
Keeneland in the spring is one of my favorite traditions. Oaks/Derby time is really special too.
3. Favorite spring outfits?
After spring break, I’m all about wearing dresses when I can…
…and cardigans. I have this one in three colors, and it’s still my all time fave.
4. Favorite springtime meal?
I like when we grill out in the spring…the summer too, but it’s hotter outside then. Side dishes for dinner seem easier in the spring….veggies, fresh fruit, pasta salad, and baked beans are easy and our faves.
My kids always request these “asparagus fries,” and we all love them.
5. Spring rain…love or loathe?
I love rain anytime of the year. Of course, days and days of rain isn’t ideal, but I like a cozy afternoon rain where I can watch a movie or read a book. If it’s not raining too hard, I like to sit on my front porch and read a book while it rains.
6. Favorite spring flower?
Peonies! I love when I can find these at Trader Joe’s.
7. Do you get seasonal allergies? Remedies please!
Yes! Everyone in my family has them. When I first moved to Kentucky twenty years ago, I kept getting sinus infections because of my allergies. I still get sinus infections, but now I’m pretty good about using nasal spray and allergy medicine year round.
8. Favorite springtime beverage?
I’m kind of boring in the beverage department. I like a glass of white wine, but once the weather warms up, I will start drinking White Claws or Trulys.
Trader Joe’s has the Rose’ “Simpler Wines” which are refreshing as well.
9. Do you change your home decor for spring?
I decorate for Easter…
…and then I change out of a few things after Easter for Keeneland and Oaks/Derby.
I also put out fresh flowers whenever I can…
…and switch my candle to light, fresh, seasonal scents.
10. Lemon meringue pie or strawberry shortcake?
Strawberry shortcake all the way!
These questions definitely have me in the mood for spring. Thankfully, our weather has been pretty nice the past couple of weeks!
This time of the year, it’s crazy to think that the next time I write a Monthly Musings post, school will be out for the summer!
Last week, Sarah linked up with Joyce for her weekly “Wednesday Hodgepodge” series, and I thought it looked like a fun post to write!
For the first time, I’m linking up with Joyce to share my answers.
1. When did you last have cancelled plans? Were you happy about that or disappointed?
Me:
Also me:
Off the top of my head, I can’t think of a recent time we’ve had cancelled plans. That being said, some of that is our schedule and just knowing if we want to do something, we probably have to make it work.
Depending on what’s going on, determines if I’m happy or sad about cancelled plans. haha
Over spring break, we had tentative plans to go to Keeneland, but a family matter came up that took precedence which was totally understandable.
2. On a scale of 1-10 how much of a planner are you?
I’m a level 10 planner….and I have all the things to keep me organized. I use the phone on my calendar, I have a calendar on the fridge with weekly activities and dinners, I have my school planner and school calendar, and then we use the Cozi app as a family.
I guess these things are both about having a plan and staying organized. For being in a busy stage of life, we need to have most days, weeks, and meals planned out.
That being said, I don’t enjoy planning vacations, and usually tag Travis as “it” for planning those things.
3. Do you have a menu plan for the week? If so, tell us one or two things that are on it.
This is what I use for the calendar on our fridge. I write down our meals for the week, kids’ activities, appointments, and the grocery list. I’ve purchased this magnetic meal planner three or four times. I like that it has the days of the week and a shopping list all on one pad.
This week, we’re having:
Sunday – chicken pot pie and bagged salad. I knew we were having a busy day with volleyball, so I wanted something quick and simple for dinner.
Monday – shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches, baked potatoes, and fruit. The chicken was just in the slow cooker with chopped red onion, BBQ sauce and some Italian dressing. I cooked it on low for six hours. Again, we had a busy evening with a track meet, so I wanted something ready for when we got home.
Tuesday – I made this Cheesy Taco Pasta, and we will have it with green beans.
Wednesday – Leftover taco pasta after the track meet.
Thursday – TBD – but either grilled cheese and tomato soup or taco pizza.
4. The Hodgepodge lands on National Bucket List Day. Do you have a bucket list? Is it written down or just in your head? What is one thing on your bucket list? If you don’t have a list, what is one thing you’d add to a list if you did?
I don’t really have a bucket list, so nothing is written down. Honestly, I don’t have activities that I really want to do…I don’t feel the need to jump out of an airplane or hike Mt. Everest. There are some places I’d like to go and things I’d like to see. At the top of my list is that I hope to go to Nantucket one day.
5. Rain buckets, a drop in the bucket, couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket, sweat buckets, cry buckets…which ‘bucket’ idiom applies to your life in some way currently?
“Couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket” could definitely apply to me. I can’t carry a tune to save my life. I will sign along (quietly) to the radio in the car, and I love to watch American Idol, but that’s about it as far as singing in concerned.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
It’s hard to believe, but including today, we just have 24 days left of school.
What’s even harder to believe is that we’ll be celebrating the kids with their 8th grade promotion/graduation…and I feel like they just started middle school!
How it started:
How it’s going:
This was a fun post! I hope to share more “hodgepodge” thoughts now that I know about this link up.
Well, spring is officially “springing” and in the past year, I’ve shared the ABC’s of summer, fall, and winter. So, of course, I have to wrap up this series with one more post…the ABC’s of spring!
A-April: While March is the beginning of spring, April always feels more like spring to me.
B-basketball and baseball: March Madness and opening day for baseball are big spring time events.
C-chirping: birds! In the spring, we have chirping birds outside our window as alarm clocks. If only they knew which day was Saturday!
D- dances: There are so many dances in the spring. My kids have their last cotillion dance soon, and then in May, they have an 8th grade dance for their school.
Of course, the high school students have prom.
E-Easter: Easter is a great way to kick off spring. It’s one of my favorite holidays.
F-flowers and ferns:
In March and April, I start buying flowers at Trader Joe’s. Mother’s Day weekend is when we plant flowers in the porch planters and hang ferns on the front porch.
G- graduation: The countdown is on for 8th grade graduation for my kids.
I feel like they just graduated from 5th grade…
…and of course high school students have their graduation too.
H-hats (Oaks/Derby)
In April and May, Oaks and Derby fashion include hats and fascinators.
I-ice cream: Well, we eat ice cream year round, but in the spring, the kids will bike to get ice cream, and it’s a treat we turn to more often.
J- Jokes(for April Fool’s Day): I’m always thankful when we are on spring break and not at school for April Fool’s Day. We have enough jokes year round. haha
K-Keeneland: The spring meet at Keeneland is one of my favorite times of the year. We love to get out there a time or two each meet.
L-leaves on the trees: The green leaves start to grow and the trees fill out.
M-Mother’s Day: I always love Mother’s Day as we usually go to church and out to lunch. Then, we spruce up the yard and plant flowers.
N-nest: Every year we get a nest in one of the ferns on the front porch. I always have to check it before watering, and I’m always sad on the day I check the nest, and it’s empty.
O- Oaks: We love going to Oaks on the first Friday in May. What a special tradition in the Bluegrass State.
P-patio dinners: We just ate outside last weekend, and it was perfect. I like when we are able to grill out because it’s an easy dinner, and it’s nice to just relax for a bit.
Q-quiet: …mornings on the front porch and evenings on the patio.
R-rain and rainbows:
April showers bring May flowers!
…Even better when we spot a rainbow after the rain.
S-St. Patrick’s Day and spring break:
We all look forward to St. Patrick’s Day and our traditional meal.
We usually do a “low key” spring break trip for a few days not too far from home. This year, we took a bigger trip to DC.
T-trackseason: Track season is a family affair. Travis helps with the training, the kids run, and I cheer from the sidelines. I love that both kids do this sport together…but do different events.
U-umbrella: for when it rains…
V-Vernal Equinox – The first day of spring in March.
W-warmer weather: While springtime weather can be hit or miss, we know there are more warm days than not and summer will be here before we know it.
X-eXtra daylight hours: Amen!
Y-yard work: Last year was Hayden’s first year mowing our lawn. So far this year, he and Travis have taken turns.
Z– ZZZ: …needing more sleep because of all of the sports and end of the year activities.
Ok, some of these I had to make work, but this was a fun way to wrap up this series. I’m ready for consistent springlike temps and then summer!
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