This week, I feel like we’ve gotten into more of a routine which has been nice, but we all definitely have school-itis…and are ready for the weekend.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
The kids’ track season is finally in full swing.
Last Friday night, the kids had their first meet (after the first two modified meets were cancelled) in the cold temps! I had to wear my heaviest winter coat and gloves most of the time!
Per tradition, I got a quick pic before we headed to the meet.
What a night. They ran four races. Hayden had two PR’s and state qualifying times in the 1600 and 800. Hadley ran the 200 and 400 and had a PR and state qualifying time in the 400.
Hadley and I left before Hayden’s last race because it was getting late and she had a volleyball tournament the next morning.
At an invitational meet, the top three athletes in each event get medals. The kids got them earlier this week. Hadley was 3rd in both of her events, and was excited to show me her medals. Hayden’s medals are in the bottom of his backpack, I’m sure.
Hadley’s volleyball team played well this past weekend.
They played on Saturday and Sunday and ended up the runners up in the gold bracket. We still have a few tournaments left, but this club season is close to wrapping up.
The highlight of my weekend was going to my friend Sarah’s wedding. It was so nice to be reunited with friends and celebrate Sarah and her new husband on their big day.
The difference in weather in less than 24 hours was incredible. It was a beautiful day filled with sunshine.
Hadley and Sarah’s daughter have been friends since birth. Their birthdays are five days apart, and they grew up going to the same sitter until they started school.
The boys were busy, so we had a girls’ day at the wedding.
After Hadley’s volleyball games on Sunday, she went to Rupp Arena with friends for the press conference for the new UK basketball coach, Mark Pope. She had a good time.
We had more track this week with beautiful weather on Monday and Wednesday for their meets.
Hadley ran the anchor leg of the 4×100, and they ran a qualifying time for state and were close to breaking the school record.
Needless to say, we’ve had fun watching them run, and the season has just started.
On Wednesday, the kids had their annual checkups. Since they were little, we’ve always gone for ice cream afterwards. They didn’t let me forget this treat.
Last night, Hayden’s coach had the basketball banquet to wrap up the season. While the season has been over for a bit and a few couldn’t make it, it was nice to celebrate the boys one more time.
They ended up in the gym hooping it up at the end, but did let us get one more pic. These boys are a special group for the coach because his first year was as their 6th grade coach, and now he’s the head coach.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Y’all, this week has been hard. While we are in a good routine, we are tired in the morning.
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
On the left, was the first track meet of the kids’ 6th grade season. Of course they are older and look different, but obviously Hayden has changed quite a bit! They’ve grown into those jackets.
Weekly Recap:
After a slow start to the week, I had a couple of posts towards the end:
Hello! It’s been a while since I’ve done a Thursday Thoughts post…
…and after reading John Stamos’ memoir…
I got to thinking about the title and…if you would have told me.
Here are a few if you would have told me thoughts from my life.
1. Moving away from KC
If you would have told me…that I’d move away from my hometown…
My homebody tendencies started young and run deep. I didn’t even want to leave home for college. I stayed home my first year, and then went to Columbia to MU for my sophomore year. Some people want to move away from their hometown for various reasons, but I never felt that way. I truly always thought I’d move back to KC and live there forever.
When people ask what brought me to Kentucky, I always say, “I was young, dumb, and in love.” Now, that’s not to take anything away from Travis and our relationship, but how many times are you 24 with nothing really tying you down, so that you can take a leap of faith? Today, Travis could get the job offer of a lifetime now, and I really think I would hesitate to move anywhere besides where we are. This is our home, but I do say that the word “home” is complicated for me. I feel “at home” in KC and in Lexington.
Also, guess I’ve always been pretty practical…and when Travis wanted to branch out of working in college athletics, and get into the horse business, the horses are in Kentucky. I could teach anywhere.
Obviously, things work out how they are supposed to, and we have a very blessed life, but it would be nice to be close to family.
A few KC/MO memories through the years…
2. Twins
If you would have told me…that I’d have twins, I think I’d be speechless. In fact, I was speechless when I found out. haha
Never in a million years would I have guessed that I would have twins. Thankfully, we knew pretty early on, so we had lots of time to prepare. Also, it’s kind of amazing that Travis and I each ended up with a little “mini me.”
Having twins is really special for us as parents, and I am grateful that my kids are boy/girl twins, so it’s easy not to compare them really. My kids have been different from day one, and it’s amazing to see their personalities stay pretty consistent through the years.
They are very lucky to have each other, and I hope they realize that. I do think Hayden could work on appreciating his sister a bit more… but she does know how to drive him crazy. 😉
I think it’s special that they have their own friends, but those friend groups overlap. I hope that continues into high school, so they can keep each other in check.
I think it’s been fun for them (whether they will admit it or not) that they’ve had a couple of classes together this year.
Also, as busy as they are with their activities, and they each have their own interests, it’s really special during track season that they have that in common. That being said, true to their strengths and their personalities, Hayden runs the distance events, and Hadley runs the shorter distance events.
3. Blog
If you would have told me…that I’d have a blog, I might have believed you. 😉
I guess for being a pretty private person, it’s a contradiction that I share so much about my life. I am more of an introvert who is forced to be extroverted.
When the kids were babies, I remember someone suggesting blogging as a new stream of income for some…so that would be have 2010 or so. Who knows…had I figured out how to start a blog then, maybe this gig would have become lucrative. haha
That being said, I blog because I like to write. It’s my outlet, a way to have my voice heard, and a way to capture the moments in life.
As the kids have gotten older, I’ve tried to respect their privacy a bit more although they are pretty indifferent about what I write.
I’m really grateful to have this space as a scrapbook of the past few years; I truly wish I’d started blogging sooner.
Thoughts:
This was a fun topic to write about. Like most things, I’m really grateful that my if you would have told me examples are pretty light-hearted and not serious. I know many people have been faced with health issues, deaths, and other challenges in life that are much more serious.
How is your week going? I didn’t mean to take a short blogging break, but last weekend was busy from beginning until end, and Monday night the kids had a track meet. So, I just couldn’t find the time to write anything.
Anyway, I’ve shared parts one and two of our spring break trip to Washington, DC, and today I’m sharing the final part.
Wednesday:
Wednesday was the rainiest day of our time in Washington, DC, but we still had things to see, so we didn’t let that stop us.
When we were ready in the morning, it wasn’t raining, so we decided to get going.
We stopped in the hotel lobby for a quick Starbucks breakfast before walking to the Metro.
We were “pros” at Metro riding by this point 🙂
As soon as we exited the Metro and went up the stairs, we were met with a cold rain. The kids pooled together $8 cash to buy an umbrella from a guy selling them by the Metro.
(FYI – We’d brought a golf umbrella, but I’m not sure why Travis continued to leave it at the hotel!)
We headed straight to the…
…World War II memorial.
It was a really pretty memorial, and we took our time walking around it.
When I went to DC with my mom and brother in 2004, there was a kiosk where you could look up WW2 soldiers. I tried to find it again, but…it is twenty years later and 2024, so now, there was a QR code to scan that takes you to the website registry.
I looked up my dad’s uncles and showed their pictures to the kids. They thought that was really neat.
The cold rain was more than a mist at this point, but we were close to the cherry blossoms at the Jefferson Memorial.
Even though it was an overcast and rainy day, we were glad they were still in bloom.
The Jefferson Memorial in the distance:
Hadley took this pic:
…and this one…influencer in the wild 😆
Then, we started our walk to the American History Museum…and it was BeReal time, and this was Hadley’s post for the day. She sent me the silly selfie.
We all enjoyed a couple of hours in the American History Museum.
I loved the First Ladies exhibit…
…with the White House China. Then, we learned about the different wars and the Medal of Honor.
We spotted Dorothy’s ruby red slippers…
…and the Rockford Peaches! I love the movie A League of Their Own.
Travis checked out the beer display.
Hadley played Prince’s guitar, and we saw Archie Bunker’s chair and all about Micky Mouse Clubhouse.
Of course, Hayden loved seeing Muhammad Ali’s robe and Michael Jordan’s jersey.
The Star Spangled Banner exhibit was neat, and we were in awe of the original flag (but no pictures allowed in the exhibit)
Once we wrapped up at the museum, I’d hoped we could go to the National Archives, but it was still raining, and everyone was hungry. We still had Georgetown University on our list, so we rode the Metro…
…back to our hotel because the kids knew there was a Chipolte next door. At first, Travis and I tried to convince them to try somewhere new, but honestly, they’d been troopers, and it was raining pretty hard…and Chipotle makes everyone happy.
After we ate, we headed to the hotel to get our car, and we drove over to Georgetown University…
…because of course Hadley’s souvenir was a hooded sweatshirt. Hayden got a t-shirt.
We didn’t see much of the campus, but it looked pretty!
We went back to the hotel for a couple of hours to warm up, shower, and rest.
Travis and Hayden had big plans to go to the Wizards vs Lakers NBA game, so they left around 6:00 to ride the Metro there.
Hadley and I left about 6:30, and drove back to Georgetown to meet friends at Founding Fathers Fishers & Bakers.
Our good friends (Hadley’s bestie) were also in DC for spring break, so we made plans to meet up with them while Travis and Hayden were at the game.
Hadley had salmon (her fave) which was the special, and I had a Caesar salad.
Travis sent me this pic to tell me they’d made it:
…but Hayden worked his way closer to the action. haha
After dinner, the girls wanted ice cream, (of course they did!), so we walked to a nearby place.
Then, we drove back to our hotel around 9:30, and Hadley took this pic out our window:
We started to tidy up and pack and Travis and Hayden got back a little after 10.
Thursday:
Well, we had big plans for Thursday before we left, but the only real thing we accomplished was that Hadley was able to get an acai bowl from the nearby place she’d been eyeing since we got there!
Our plan was to go to Arlington Cemetery before heading home, but when we got there, there was a line a mile(s!) long. We parked, got out, and contemplated waiting, but we would have been in line for hours. I’m not sure if it was the fact that it was spring break or if because the weather was finally beautiful…or if that’s normal, but I was bummed we couldn’t make that happen.
We stopped in Charlottesville for lunch, but it was blustery and raining there, so we skipped Monticello (again!…I knew that would happen). We ended up driving through snow in West Virginia which was so crazy.
We got home around 9:00, and the next day was pretty cold and dreary at home. That gave us time to sleep in, do laundry, unpack, and be lazy.
Overall, it was a really great trip, and I’m so glad we made it happen. I was impressed with DC and how clean it was and how safe we felt there.
I do wish we’d planned a little better on a few things. I knew we’d need to get Holocaust and Air and Space tickets in advance, but I wasn’t really on top of that. So, if we ever get back there, we’d like to prioritize those two things and see Arlington Cemetery. Somehow, we missed the Vietnam Memorial, and I wished we’d seen that as well.
Anyway, I think the kids really enjoyed it, and will have great memories of our time in DC. Let me know if you have any questions about our trip.
TGIF! We survived the first week back after break. Of course, it helped that we didn’t have school on Monday! We did have a good week, but it was a rainy one around here.
I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
Monday was the Solar Eclipse day, and it was nice to have one more day of break. I guess because of the eclipse, we didn’t have school. One of Hadley’s best friends had her birthday party that day, and these girls had lunch while viewing the eclipse and then enjoying some cake! I think they had a great time.
Meanwhile…Hayden and I kept checking out the eclipse as the sun dodged in and out of the clouds. We were finally able to catch the eclipse a couple of times. Our area was at 96% coverage, and it was neat to see.
I saw this meme on Monday, and it made me laugh!
Hayden was “bored” the other day and organized our fridge. He sent this pic to our family group text:
Of course, I appreciate the effort, but I told him to maybe check out his bedroom too. haha
Also, please don’t judge the White Claw/Truly inventory. Most of these are from last summer. haha
He even unpacked my favorite snacks!
One of the things on my spring break “to do” list was to watch We Were the Lucky Ones on Hulu. I loved the book, and it was one of my Top 5 reads in 2021.
The series is so good, and I’m caught up on the episodes. There are two more to go I think.
Before our DC trip, I bought some new tennis shoes. My back was starting to bother me a bit, and when that happens, I usually realize that my tennis shoes are over a year old. I can say after logging many miles walking around DC and doing some at home workouts this week, I really do like these shoes.
I got mine at DSW, but I couldn’t find them on the website, but found them on the New Balance site.
It’s track season, and I was hoping to be able to say that the kids out running on the track is a favorite but… the first meet was supposed to be on Wednesday, and it was rained out. Yesterday was supposed to be the second meet of the season, but it was also rained out.
Fingers crossed the rain moves out by tonight’s invitational meet.
Favorite Mom Meme:
When they take out the trash without me asking, I know something is up! haha
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
I feel like I went my whole life without ever hearing about a solar eclipse, but my kids have experienced two in a matter of seven years.
The 2017 solar eclipse was spent making crafts and hanging with friends after school was called off.
No crafts for the 2024 eclipse although now I’m realizing that was a missed opportunity!
What are your weekend plans? Besides track on the calendar, Hadley has a volleyball tournament this weekend, and we have a wedding to attend. Thankfully, I think the sun is actually going to shine this weekend.
Hello! I can’t believe it’s already Thursday. We’ve had really dreary weather which has made the early alarms feel even earlier!
Anyway, I’m picking up where I left off with Part 1 of our spring break in Washington, DC.
We were a bit late seeing about a tour, but through a contact of Trav’s she helped us get a private tour appointment given by an aide to one of the Virginia representatives.
We met him at his office in one of the other buildings.
Then, he got us passes to walk to the Capitol. We walked through the underground tunnels like the representatives do to get to the Capitol building. He told us that high school students can submit artwork to their representative, and then if chosen, their work hangs in the tunnel for a year.
I stopped and took a pic of the Kentucky students’ selected artwork:
Once we got to the Capitol, we traded in our tunnel passes for passes for the Capitol tour. Our guide was really good, and we learned a lot about him, and he asked us a lot of questions about Kentucky.
Some of our favorite pit-stops on the tour included learning about The Statue of Freedom, Abraham Lincoln, and the center point of DC.
The ceiling of the Capitol Rotunda was stunning.
The Rotunda included famous paintings and statues – Washington, Reagan, the Pioneers for Women’s Suffrage, and Henry Clay.
The Old Supreme Court Chamber (1810-1860) was really interesting…
…as was the Old Senate Chamber (1810-859)
Our tour lasted about an hour, and the last stop was at the 9/11 Memorial.
After we left our tour guide, we had access to the House of Representatives chamber of the Capitol. No phones or smart watches were allowed, but it was really interesting to see.
Once we left the Capitol Building,there was just a bit of light rain, so we walked around the National Mall since we’d only seen it at night.
A nice Duke fan took our photo and then gave Travis condolences on UK losing in the first round of the tournament…since Trav was wearing a UK zip up. haha
Hayden had seen his cousin “touch” the Washington Monument, so he wanted to do the same…which meant Hadley wanted to do that as well.
We planned to walk to White House but the rain picked up so we got a snack at the art gallery and then headed to the Natural History Museum.
We were there about an hour and a half. It was nice that the museums were free because we saw as much as we could, but also didn’t feel like we had to see everything. It was kind of crowded, but it wasn’t too bad. Hayden and I like museums a bit more than Trav and Hadley, but they enjoyed themselves too.
When we left, the weather was better, so we continued our walk to the White House.
My mom had sent me this pic of my brother and me at the White House in 2004.
This is what that same spot looks like now:
We’d spotted a Metro stop, and the kids were tired at this point. Well, so was I…haha…but I assumed we’d at least be able to see something on the other side of the White House. It didn’t take long, and we made it to:
…and ta da….
We got a couple of photos.
…for memory’s sake, of course.
The White House was pretty neat to see in person. The kids thought it was cool.
As we walked toward the Metro, we looked back, and the flowers were pretty even on the overcast day.
We made our way to the Metro stop.
Once back at our hotel, we relaxed for about an hour. Then, we headed to Georgetown. We went to the Metro station by our hotel, and the employee said the bus right outside makes stops in Georgetown.
So, we rode the city bus a short drive across the river, and walked to our restaurant for dinner.
We gave il Canale a 10/10. The atmosphere was great, and the food was delicious.
Then, we walked a few blocks to Georgetown Cupcake. I was excited to go there because I watched every episode of DC Cupcakes back in the day!
So many choices!
I settled on Lavender Early Grey, and it was so good.
At this point, it was probably 8:30 or so, and we were tired. Rather than figure out the bus situation, we got an Uber back to the hotel.
While we waited for the Uber, we saw our friends (Hadley’s bestie and fam) who were also in DC for spring break.
Once we were back at the hotel, the kids went back to the room, and Travis and I had a drink at the hotel bar.
It was an earlier bedtime for all…we were tired! I walked over 18,000 steps that day…and the kids and Trav had more.
I guess I will have one more post to wrap up our trip, and I will share that next week.
Well, I survived the first day back to school in ten days, and it was a good one. As much as I love a break, it’s always good to get back in a routine.
It’s already the second Wednesday of the month, so I’m linking up with Shay and Erika for Let’s Look.
This month’s topic is let’s look…our daily quiet time/prayer time.
This topic got me thinking a bit about my morning quiet time and when it started. Quiet morning time is such an important part of my routine and the “need” for it started when the kids were babies. While I’ve always needed to “ease” into my morning, having two crying babies wake me was not the best way for me to start the day. So, once the kids were on a predictable schedule, I made a point to get up at least a half hour before them.
The years really are short…because on spring break, there were mornings I was up for hours before them and even I was sleeping in a bit! haha
It’s just nice to start my morning with a cup of coffee, eye masks, and reading some blogs!
Anyway, a few years ago…probably 2018 or so, I started incorporating in a bit more “faith” into my morning quiet time routine. I try to start the morning in the Bible app with the verse of the day and the videos and texts that come with it. It’s only about five minutes, but a good way to start the day.
Yesterday’s verse:
I’ve had my Bible for a few years. A couple of years ago, I used the Bible app to guide me through the entire Bible in a year. I was glad I did that, but obviously I could re-read it multiple times for better understanding.
In December, I was scrolling Pinterest and saw this reading plan:
…which prompted me to buy this Bible study journal and these pens…
…and now I’ve been doing a new reading plan every month. Like the morning, this only takes a few minutes, but I usually do this quiet time when I get home from school. This journal is set up using the SOAP method with space for “scripture, observation, application, and prayer.”
I like that there’s a habit tracker which I started in January.
This is my April reading plan:
Screenshot
I tend to be more private with my faith, but once we found a home church over five years ago, I just wanted to know and learn more…for my kids and for myself. Also, for me, my learning style is to take things a little at a time. I like to read, learn, reflect, and write. I guess it’s the teacher in me…wanting to learn, but also wanting to have the time to process information, reflect, respond, and apply to life.
Well, all good things must come to an end. It’s off to school we go today with around thirty school days left in the year.
Before too much time passes, I want to start recapping our spring break trip to Washington, DC last week.
We are the worst at planning spring break trips. Honestly, as a teacher, I’m tired by the time spring break rolls around. Since the kids started elementary school, we’ve just made it a point to go somewhere nearby for a few days. It is nice to have the family time, but it’s also nice to be home and do things that we don’t normally have time to do.
Anyway, for once, we kind of did plan a spring break trip in advance. A few schools around here take 8th grade trips to DC, and while I knew that wouldn’t be the case for my kids at their school, I always “earmarked” the idea of going to DC during their 8th grade year. I figured it would be something they’d remember for a while and are old enough to appreciate it.
Thanks to a few friends who have been in the past year, we had an idea of what to see and do in a few days in DC.
Anyway, here’s a recap of the beginning of our trip.
Charlottesville, VA
Sunday:
Trav’s aunt wasn’t hosting Easter this year, so we decided to start the drive to DC after church on Easter Sunday.
We left around 1:30 and drove the six hours to Charlottesville, VA.
Our hotel was in a cute part of town…and I immediately spotted a Trader Joe’s, so I knew I’d like the area. haha
Anyway, before we even checked into the hotel, we saw Torchy’s Tacos which looked like it would hit the spot. So, we had dinner there and then went to the hotel to check in and settle in for the night.
Monday:
Monday morning, Trav and the kids got up early for a track workout. Travis had planned ahead and found a high school track for the workout.
Once they were back, Travis hit the treadmill in the gym, and the kids and I hit up the hotel breakfast! I knew it was our only free hotel breakfast, so I told the kids to eat up! haha
Then, we packed up the car and headed to UVA’s campus. We love a college campus, and of course, they wanted to check out the track.
The pic doesn’t do it justice, but it was a nice facility.
We then drove around campus a bit, and spotted the football stadium. It was neat that the stadium was right in the middle of campus.
Then, we checked out the Rotunda which was really pretty.
Multiple people had suggested Citizen Burger for lunch, and it hit the spot!
We’d planned on going to Jefferson’s house, Monticello, while in Charlottesville, but when we left lunch, it was raining pretty hard. We discussed catching it on the way back through on Thursday (which I was afraid wouldn’t happen), but it made sense to start the two hour drive to DC.
Washington, DC
We arrived at our hotel in Arlington, VA after a couple of hours and a pretty easy drive.
We stayed at the Hyatt Centric Arlington, and it ended up being a nice hotel in a great location.
From our room, through the buildings, you could see the Potomac River and Georgetown across the way.
We had about an hour to get settled and get our bearings.
We took an Uber for a quick dinner at DC’s Union Market. This was a cool place with foods from all around the world. We had less than a half hour to eat because we needed to get to our tour, so we just got slices of pizza from Parachute Pizza, and the kids got a cookie for dessert too.
I have a feeling Travis thought this was near Union Station where we needed to go for our tour pickup because when our first Uber driver mentioned it being a couple miles away, we realized we needed to eat quickly.
Anyway, we took a second Uber to Union Station to board one of those open air buses for the tour.
Numerous people suggested a nighttime tour of the monuments, and I’m so glad we did that first. We were able to see so much on our first night, but we also were able to get oriented on where everything was in the city.
It was a chilly evening, but we mostly stayed warm. We wouldn’t have had very good views if the plastic windows were rolled down.
Our tour guide, Jason, was really good. He was funny and of course shared the history and lots of facts (and dad jokes!)
Capitol Building:
Supreme Court:
The National Mall and Washington Monument
There were three stops on this tour. Our first stop was at the Iwo Jima Memorial. It was a powerful sight to see. We were here about fifteen minutes before getting back on the bus.
We drove past other sights and then our second stop was at the Lincoln Memorial part of the mall. Before going to see Lincoln, we checked out the Reflecting Pool and the Washington Monument all lit up.
Hadley is great at getting a family selfie!
There were quite a few people there, but we were able to get some pics of Abraham Lincoln…
…as well as Abe with the kids and a family pic with him too.
I’d forgotten to get a pic of the entire monument, but Hadley saved the day.
View from Lincoln Memorial looking at the Washington Monument.
After thirty minutes, we got back on the bus, and Jason drove us to our final stop: the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.
It was so pretty with the trees…
…and the monument was massive.
We were able to see the Thomas Jefferson Memorial lit up in the distance.
The bus driver mentioned that if we let him know ahead of time, he would drop people off at their hotel if it was on the way. Trav talked with him about a good hotel to catch an Uber, and he suggested the JW Marriott. It meant a shorter Uber ride than if we left from Union Station.
He dropped us off and we hung out in the JW Marriott hotel until our Uber driver picked us up. It was a coincidence, but our driver was the same one that picked us up at our hotel to go to dinner.
It was about 10:15, but we were a bit hungry, so we ate at a bar near our hotel. It wasn’t crowded, the women’s final 4 games were on, and we had a few appetizers before going to bed around 11.
Tuesday:
Needless to say, we were tired, so we slept in a bit. Travis always gets up early, so when we woke up around 8:45, he’d already figured out the Metro system and got us each a card to ride.
The Metro was right outside our hotel lobby, so that was very convenient.
The escalator down to the trains was a sight to see. I feel like we were on it for a couple of minutes.
The kids had fun looking at the maps. I swear riding the Metro a few times was one of the highlights of the trip.
Travis had planned ahead, and a few people had suggested Ted’s Bulletin for their homemade Ted’s tart, similar to a Poptart. Once we got off the Metro, we walked a few blocks to one of the Ted’s Bulletin locations.
Our breakfast was delish! Hadley got the s’mores tart, and Travis got a big breakfast with the cherry tart on the side. I had a bite of both, and they were both really good…but the cherry was delish!
I ordered avocado toast, and it was amazing. Hayden enjoyed his biscuits and gravy.
Then, we walked a bit to the Capitol Building for our scheduled tour.
I was worried about the weather for our few days in DC because it looked like a good chance of rain the entire time. On Tuesday morning, it was mostly overcast but no rain. We arrived at the Capitol Building early, so we checked out…
The Library of Congress and…
…the Supreme Court (in the daylight)
…before meeting our tour guide.
An aide for one of the Virginia reps gave us our tour, and I will pick up there when I get to Part 2 of DC.
Have you been to DC? What was your favorite thing that you saw?
And, thanks to the eclipse, we have one more day of break. Per usual, I feel like I could use one more day to get my life together. I was really productive on Friday unpacking, ordering groceries, and doing laundry.
Then, we ended up having a stressful/long weekend and on top of that, I’ve been having back issues…feels like a pinched nerve, so I’ve been moving slowly and not sleeping great.
Anyway, it’s already the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting this month’s Share Our Lives with some of my favorite bloggers.
This month’s topic is…favorite make up and hair products
Well, this post went from “I’m not sure I will have much to share” to apparently I’ve written a doctoral thesis on products I love.
Here are some of my “go to” makeup, hair and skincare products.
Makeup:
I’m a creature of habit, and haven’t changed my makeup in a couple of years.
I still wear Seint makeup, but two other products I love are:
TarteShape Tape which I use for under eye and blemish concealer
L’Oreal Lash Paradise mascara. I’ve used this mascara for about a year, and it’s thick and lasts all day.
Hair Products:
Like makeup, I try to keep it simple, but I do have a few favorite products.
Hadley uses dry shampoo more than I do, and we prefer the Batistebrand, but we’ll use the Kroger brand too.
A new favorite of mine, and now Hadley’s, is In Common Magic Myst. If Jen Reed shares something, odds are I will love it. I use this on my wet hair as a detangler, and I use it for a heat protectant too. Hadley caught wind of it — literally –the scent after I sprayed it in my hair–and started using it too. I just purchased a second bottle with Jen’s code, and it included a travel size spray too.
Pureology: I’m not a hair person, and my hair never looks as good as when I leave the salon, but I do know that a good shampoo and conditioner go a long way, and I’ve been using the purple Hydrate bottles for years.
I’m such a novice at hair care, that my hair girl still has to share hair washing tips with me…like a little shampoo and conditioner go a long way , use your finger tips to massage in the shampoo on your scalp (not your finger nails), and to put a bit of conditioner on the tips of your hair and then use your fingers to comb the remaining conditioner in evenly.
Hadley needs no hair care tips. haha
Her favorite shampoo and conditioner are from Function of Beauty. There are various shampoo bases like wavy hair, straight hair, curly hair, etc. Then, you add in a booster. There are different “shots”: strengthen, volumize, deep condition, etc. Hadley uses “lengthen,” and she loves it. Of course, she doesn’t do much to her hair to damage it…it’s not highlighted, and she only straightens or curls it occasionally, but I’m very envious of her hair!
Skincare:
Well, I know the topic didn’t include skincare, and I’ve shared skincare in the past…but I just thought it would be nice to have everything in one place.
I still use Dime Beauty pretty religiously…especially these three products:
Dewy Day Cream
Super Firm Serum (I use this at night with…)
Restorative Night Cream
They did change the packaging of the day and night cream…and I’ve gotten used to it…but I still prefer the pump which is also easier to pack for travel.
Other tried and true favorites:
I use Thayerstoner morning and night. I have a travel size too.
Vitamin C serum that I use in the morning. It looks like I ordered this for the first time a year ago and am on my fourth bottle.
Gold Bond Neck and Chest Firming Cream that I try to remember to use at least once a day, if not twice! The price is a affordable, and I do feel like it helps!
The real MVP of Hadley’s Easter basket:
This e.l.f.Holy Hydrationset. It was perfect to take on on trip to DC, and she loves the products. On the trip, I borrowed the cleanser to use with…
The facialsponges. (Hayden got some in his basket too) These are perfect for travel, and I’ve been using them most mornings when I wash my face.
Other:
Well, while we’re at it…here are a few other “beauty/skincare” products I love:
I bought thisJergens Instant Sun about a year and a half ago, and I still have the same bottle. The mitt is a must as well for applying it. I have “light bronze” which gives a subtle hint of color when needed. I use it the most in the spring and then in October when my summer tan is fading, but a little is just enough to keep color without being obviously tan. I’ve helped Hadley use it just to give herself a little color before the cotillion dances. She says she’s not ready to apply it herself. haha
I’ve been using Billierazors for years. Every other month, I receive four new blades. When Hadley started shaving her legs, I got her a razor too. I also like that they have a cute little travel case for easy packing.
For Christmas, Hadley requested shave oil when we saw it at Target. I’d never even heard of shave oil, but now we both use it!
The razors have a magnet on them for easy shower storage.
I’ve still been using the JergensEssential Oil sticks in the morning and before bed. I just apply a bit to my wrists and neck, and I love the scent of both. I ordered both in January, and they are nowhere near being close to gone.
Ok…I’m saving the best for last.
I’ve shared these eye masks, and they continue to be my favorite thing. Just recently I realized the “pro tip” of putting them in the fridge. Let me tell you what a treat it is to start my morning with these chilled eye patches and a cup of coffee. It’s the little things!
I even packed a few for our DC trip because I knew our hotel room had a fridge.
Next month…we’re talking about food…favorite and least favorite foods. As always, we hope you’ll join us.
I can’t wait to see what others are sharing today. I love learning about new favorite products.
Happy eclipse day,
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Well, the last Friday of break sure hits different.
That being said, I am happy to be home and sleeping in my bed after a few nights away for spring break.
I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
This is basically “Friday Favorites: Easter/DC Edition” recapping last weekend and then sharing a couple of pics from our few days in DC.
Easter:
Last Saturday morning the kids dyed a dozen eggs per tradition. They still have a good time doing this…but I’m the only one that eats hard boiled eggs. haha
Saturday evening, we went to our friends’ house for dinner and egg hunt for the kids.
I brought pasta salad and this cute cake from Kroger.
There are plenty of little kids in this group, so the big kids were warned to not hog all the eggs…but everyone had a good time.
Sunday morning, I put the kids’ Easter baskets out. When they woke up, they looked for the eggs, had breakfast, and went through their Easter baskets.
Then, we went to church. My favorite part of Easter service is when the little kids walk down the aisle to flower the cross.
The dogwoods (I think?) were in bloom this year (they weren’t last year!), so we took a couple of pics…
…a family one too…before heading home.
We packed up the car and drove to Charlottesville, VA to pit stop for the night.
On the drive, I made my April book trackers, and saved them to an Instagram highlight. Here’s one of them:
DC:
We were in DC Monday-Thursday, and had a great time. Shew! DC is a lot of work – planning, walking, etc…but we did a lot.
We took a night time monument tour Monday night.
The cherry blossoms were still in bloom, and Hadley snapped this pic on rainy Wednesday.
I’m sure I will recap our trip. We were able to see quite a bit, but, of course, there is still so much more to see and do.
*While we were gone, our area got severe storms with confirmed tornadoes nearby. All is good in our neck of the woods, but others close by lost power and had trees down. I received a few messages; thanks for checking in.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Today, all I’m asking of my kids is that they get their suitcases unpacked! I need to give myself that same pep talk.
On Monday, we’re having our April Share Our Lives post. The topic is Favorite Make Up and Hair Products. We’d love to have you link up and join us.
What are your weekend plans? I’m going to savor the last few days of break. As much as I love a trip, you know I love getting back home. I hope to have some downtime to unpack and get my life in order as we prep to go back to school. That being said, we also have Monday off because of the eclipse.
I shared a Pinterest post in January, and I’d intended to share even more ideas that I have pinned to my Pinterest boards, but hadn’t done that yet.
I will still get to that but lately on Instagram I’ve seen some fun Pinterest searches. The ones that I’ve done have really been ones that I think fit my style, and I’m sharing those today.
Here are some of recent Pinterest searches:
My Vibe:
Celebrity:Jennifer Garner. Yes, ma’am! I think I could be besties with her.
Outfit: This outfit is definitely my vibe. Black leggings, sweatshirt, and sneaks…my favorite.
Quote: I’m definitely a work in progress. haha
Aesthetic: Cozy vibes! A book and a cup of coffee are certainly my aesthetic.
Home Edition:
Kitchen: This kitchen looks pretty similar to how we’ve updated our kitchen through the years. We have gray cabinets and white tile.
Garden: Well, I’m not the gardener in the family, and we do have a small one. But if we had more space, I would love raised beds and a cute little shed.
Bedroom: We have a similar headboard and we have gray walls too. That being said, this bedroom is definitely an updated upgrade that I would love.
House: We’ve often talked about painting our brick, and I love the look of gray and white!
How Pinterest Sees Me:
Fashion: This is why Pinterest is an inspiration…I have all three of these pieces in my closet…black sweater, jeans, and tan mules.
Mood: There’s nothing better than a glass of wine and the beach (with friends/family!)
Color: I’m not sure when it happened, but I love light purple/lilac!
Place: A cozy spot by the fire…sounds good to me!
Animal: I love baby goats!
Food: Pizza…yes, please! If a taco popped up in the search, Pinterest also wouldn’t be wrong either!
It seems like Pinterest knows me pretty well! I think it’s a great source for inspiration and ideas.
Do you use Pinterest? See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.
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