Hello! We’re home today due to the impending ice storm. The kids have an ortho appointment and then we will be inside for the foreseeable future.
It’s a perfect time for me to share with you some of my Valentine’s Day decor. I don’t go overboard with decorations, but I love to add a few things here and there around the house.
Outside:
I change my garden flag with the seasons, and the heart door hanger is one of my favorites!
I add this simple X O X O banner to the mantle every year.
It’s a cute little festive touch along with the wooden love sign.
The Hershey Kisses don’t last long in our house, but I refill the heart jar a few times. My friend made me the wooden heart sign a few years ago, and the conversation hearts are another family fave in the pink bowl.
The gold X O X O and white ceramic heart are TJ Maxx finds from a few years ago.
That’s about it for the Valentine’s Day decor.
Mix, Match, Move Things Around
Mid-September is when I put up fall decor followed by Christmas decorations. Every January I try to remember where my regular decorations go! I even take pictures, but then fail to look at them. I do kind of like moving things around until everything is “just right.”
I’ve tried to use what I have rather than purchase new when decorating. I’ve seen some decorate with a wooden tray to hold their cooking utensils. My friend gave us this personalized cutting board for our tenth wedding wedding anniversary in 2015. I use it often for charcuterie, but I thought it was the perfect touch for this corner of my kitchen.
I’ve had the “T” and “J” for years, and moved them to this little corner of our built in. Usually, I have a candle there, but decided I wanted these on display for now.
I also like changing out this frame of the kids. Usually, it includes a precious photo of them at the beach a few years ago. That being said, I will rotate seasonal photos as well to freshen up the frame.
If I buy something, even an inexpensive piece, I try to use it for a variety of seasons. I bought these these metal risers at Hobby Lobby in the fall, and have already used them to hold pumpkins and pinecones. I moved them to mantle and found these topiaries at TJ Maxx. I love the pop of green with spring right around the corner.
Lastly, I’m about to play “musical” wall art with a few pieces. I’ve had a family photo on this wall for years, but wanted something a little bigger for the space. This wooden arch has been on a wall in our office, and I’ve just propped it on our entry table for now. I actually purchased another one (on the half off week), and may hang both together somewhere. I need Travis for hanging things…otherwise, we end up with lots of holes in the wall!
I’m happy with how everything is put back together now that the big holidays are are over. I always feel better once I declutter after the first of the year, and I always feel like the house looks so much brighter once I get everything back in the right place.
See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites. In the meantime, I’m going to hunker down at home.
The governor declared a state of emergency, and this was Trader Joe’s last night:
No bread, no dairy, no produce, no freezer items, oh my!
Hello! Happy February 1st! I have a few Amazon items to share and am linking up with Tanya to do so.
My recent Amazon finds:
This Neoprene bag was a birthday gift from my mom. So, while I didn’t purchase it, I did suggest it to her! I’ve used it a few times for school as well as to pack when I know I have a busy weekend. I also used it to carry my personal belongings and cosmetics when we went to Cincinnati for the night in early January. I plan on using it more in the spring and summer when I’m headed to the kids’ track meets and activities. I love the cute pattern, and it’s great quality!
Hadley needed some new rain boots, and I had ordered her some Sperry’s on sale for Christmas, but they didn’t fit. When I went to order another size, the price had gone way up, so Hadley found these instead. They are so cute, and perfect for rainy days; she’s even worn them on snowy days when we are out running errands. If only she was a size 9…then, we could share! She’s almost there.
I technically purchased this mattress topper at the end of December with some Christmas money, but I wanted to use it for a bit before sharing. We’ve had our mattress for quite some time, and probably need a new one. A friend mentioned buying a pillow top mattress topper, and I’m so glad she did.
This one is a dream! It has 18,000 four and a half star reviews, so I felt good about buying it. It’s not too soft, but it’s just enough to really help our really old (and firm!) mattress.
I had actually suggested this as a practical Christmas gift for the kids, and my mom each got them one for their double beds. We all are all overdue for new mattresses, and these quilted toppers will help extend the mattress life a bit.
Lastly, with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I thought this sweater looked fun! It arrived, and I loved the quality and design, but wasn’t sure if it was right for me.
….but, I tried it on again (excuse the wrinkles on the sweater) with denim and wedges and I do think I really like it! I also ordered it in gray with a white heart, but I’m still waiting on it to come in. Then, I will keep one and return the other.
I had a pretty “light” Amazon month. Of these four, two were bought in late December, and one was a gift! I’m still going to try and slow my Amazon roll for February as well. I know Travis will really appreciate that! haha
Before I get started with today’s post, I have to share that Ronda is the winner of the Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag.I will be in touch soon!
I can’t believe it’s the last day of January. I saw this meme, and it felt so true!
Honestly, January gets a bad rap, but it’s one of my favorite months. January is for a fresh start, it’s a calmer month coming off the holidays, it’s my birthday month, and we usually get a snow day or two which is my fave.
Before we turn the calendar to February, I have to share the books I read this month. I’m hanging on to my monthly average of reading three books.
This month I read…
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
Going There:
Summary:
For more than forty years, Katie Couric has been an iconic presence in the media world. In her brutally honest, hilarious, heartbreaking memoir, she reveals what was going on behind the scenes of her sometimes tumultuous personal and professional life – a story she’s never shared, until now. Of the medium she loves, the one that made her a household name, she says, “Television can put you in a box; the flat-screen can flatten. On TV, you are larger than life but smaller, too. It is not the whole story, and it is not the whole me. This book is.”
Beginning in early childhood, Couric was inspired by her journalist father to pursue the career he loved but couldn’t afford to stay in. Balancing her vivacious, outgoing personality with her desire to be taken seriously, she overcame every obstacle in her way: insecurity, an eating disorder, being typecast, sexism . . . challenges, and how she dealt with them, setting the tone for the rest of her career. Couric talks candidly about adjusting to sudden fame after her astonishing rise to co-anchor of the TODAY show, and guides us through the most momentous events and news stories of the era, to which she had a front-row seat: Rodney King, Anita Hill, Columbine, the death of Princess Diana, 9/11, the Iraq War . . . In every instance, she relentlessly pursued the facts, ruffling more than a few feathers along the way. She also recalls in vivid and sometimes lurid detail the intense pressure on female anchors to snag the latest “get”—often sensational tabloid stories like Jon Benet Ramsey, Tonya Harding, and OJ Simpson.
Couric’s position as one of the leading lights of her profession was shadowed by the shock and trauma of losing her husband to stage 4 colon cancer when he was just 42, leaving her a widow and single mom to two daughters, 6 and 2. The death of her sister Emily, just three years later, brought yet more trauma—and an unwavering commitment to cancer awareness and research, one of her proudest accomplishments.
Couric is unsparing in the details of her historic move to the anchor chair at the CBS Evening News—a world rife with sexism and misogyny. Her “welcome” was even more hostile at 60 Minutes, an unrepentant boys club that engaged in outright hazing of even the most established women. In the wake of the MeToo movement, Couric shares her clear-eyed reckoning with gender inequality and predatory behavior in the workplace, and downfall of Matt Lauer—a colleague she had trusted and respected for more than a decade.
Couric also talks about the challenge of finding love again, with all the hilarity, false-starts, and drama that search entailed, before finding her midlife Mr. Right. Something she has never discussed publicly—why her second marriage almost didn’t happen.
If you thought you knew Katie Couric, think again. Going There is the fast-paced,emotional, riveting story of a thoroughly modern woman, whose journey took her from humble origins to superstardom. In these pages, you will find a friend, a confidante, a role model, a survivor whose lessons about life will enrich your own.
Quick Thoughts:
Shew! That was quite the summary! My friend let me borrow Katie’s book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love a good autobiography, and Katie definitely went there. This book is filled with tons of short chapters. I enjoyed reading about how she grew up, and my heart broke as she shared about losing her husband and having to be a single working mom to two young girls. I thought her professional journey was really interesting, and she did a great job owning up to mistakes and discussing being in the news business as a female. I always had Katie, Matt, Al, and Ann on in the background during my college and early teaching years. I always assumed they were one big happy family. Through the years, when she moved on, Ann awkwardly left, and then, of course, the Matt Lauer scandal came to light, I knew going into the book that the Today show wasn’t all sunshine and roses. She definitely talked about the Matt Lauer situation, and I will say those chapters made me cringe. Anyway, she found love again, enjoys time with her two grown daughters, and is definitely living a great second chapter of life. This book didn’t disappoint.
Rating:
The Royals Next Door:
Summary:
Piper Evans: elementary school teacher by day–avid romance reader and anonymous podcaster by night. She lives a quiet, reclusive life, taking care of her mother, who struggles with mental illness, avoiding her regrettable ex, who bartends in town, and trying to make inroads in the tight-knit island community that still sees her, five years in, as an outsider.
And she’s happy with how things are–really–until British royals rent the property next to hers and their brooding bodyguard decides she’s a security threat. Piper quickly realizes that one person’s fairy tale is an ordinary woman’s nightmare as a media frenzy takes over the island and each run-in with Harrison Cole is hotter and more confusing than the last. But beneath Harrison’s no-nonsense exterior lies a soft heart, one that could tempt a woman who’s sworn off attachments into believing in white knights.
But when Piper finds herself smack in the middle of a royal scandal that rocks the island she’ll need more than Harrison’s strong arms to shield her–she’ll have to do a little rescuing herself. With careers, hearts, and friendships on the line, Piper and Harrison will have to decide what they’re willing to give up for a chance at their own happily ever after.
Quick Thoughts:
This book. Sigh. When I started this book, I was really enjoying it. It had a very “Meghan and Harry move to the United States” vibe. It was even a bit predictable from the beginning, but I’m ok with books like that. Then, in the middle of the book, it went left real quick and become R rated. I think at that point, I realized I didn’t even like how it was written. I became picky about word choice and simplistic sentences and was kind of over it. It may be the first book I’ve read that I wanted to take my English teacher red pen and mark it up! Anyway, if you’ve read it, I’d love to know what you think, but this book was a bust for me.
Rating:
I give it three stars for first half and two stars for second half of the book. My first ever two star book rating!
We Are the Brennans:
Summary:
When twenty-nine-year-old Sunday Brennan wakes up in a Los Angeles hospital, bruised and battered after a drunk driving accident she caused, she swallows her pride and goes home to her family in New York. But it’s not easy. She deserted them all—and her high school sweetheart—five years before with little explanation, and they’ve got questions.
Sunday is determined to rebuild her life back on the east coast, even if it does mean tiptoeing around resentful brothers and an ex-fiancé. The longer she stays, however, the more she realizes they need her just as much as she needs them. When a dangerous man from her past brings her family’s pub business to the brink of financial ruin, the only way to protect them is to upend all their secrets—secrets that have damaged the family for generations and will threaten everything they know about their lives. In the aftermath, the Brennan family is forced to confront painful mistakes—and ultimately find a way forward, together.
Quick Thoughts:
I can’t remember who shared about this book, but I added it to my Good Reads list a couple of months ago. I really enjoyed this book. The big Irish family aspect provided dynamic characters and interesting family relationships. As the secrets of the family members unfold, I was invested in seeing just how the book would end. I liked how each chapter picked up with the last line of the previous chapter making the ideas flow. This was a good one!
Rating:
I always feel like after the holidays and reading light-hearted books, I want to read more serious books. Two of the three books I read this month were just that. I’ve started Our Woman in Moscow, and it took me a bit to get into it, but I think I’m going to like it.
*sigh* these posts from the KC library were fun while they lasted. We have some sad Chiefs fans in the house today. The better team won, and I guess there’s always next year.
I hope you have a great start to your week. See you back here tomorrow for my *short* Prime Purchases post.
Hello and Happy FRIDAY! When I say this week has been a doozy, it’s been a doozy. Nothing bad happened, but I’m really busy at school and every evening was jam packed. Travis was a little under the weather (thankfully, not the vid), so I was in charge of evening activities for a couple of nights. I feel like I was on the go until bed time and then up early to get my day started most days this week.
Also, let’s get real….we had school one day last week, and this week I worked five! I’m definitely ready for the weekend.
Anyway, per usual, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
My first favorite is the fact that today is my 500th blog post. Who knew when I started this blog in August of 2019, that I’d still be sharing so much 500 posts later?!
Thank you to all who read SM&ST each week.
Today’s post is a bit different. I’m sharing how I spent a bit of my birthday money, and all of the items have become favorites.
It kind of feels weird to receive birthday money as an adult, but I will say, through the years, you know how it goes…moms tend to put themselves last. So, I do enjoy buying a few things in January that maybe I wouldn’t have purchased for myself throughout the year.
T3 Curling Iron
I shared a couple weeks ago that I bought this when T3 was having their sale. I purchased the T3 Twirl which was $100 off.
In the past couple of weeks, Hadley and I have both used it quite a bit, and we both like it. Most of the time, I do use a curling iron as a wand, and I find that works best for me. I don’t think the version I purchased is available any longer (which may be why it was on sale!). This curling iron heats up quickly, and I have noticed that my hair curls quickly and in one pass which provides less heat on my hair.
Would I have spent $160 on this? No. Am I happy with it as a $60 purchase that Hadley and I will both use? Yes. I’m sure I will use it for years to come.
Kendra Scott Jewelry
So, I had no clue until last year (when Amy shared) about Kendra Scott’s 50% off birthday discount. So, this is my second year visiting KS in January to cash in on my birthday discount. I only wear stud earrings, and I picked these up. They are the Kapri Stud Earring, and I’ve been wearing them non-stop.
Kendra Scott is also having 22% off select gold jewelry, and I picked up this stretch bracelet to add to my collection. I don’t see my exact one on their site, but here’s a similar one. I now have three stretch bracelets, and I love wearing them together.
Here I am this week…on my way to school with curled hair and my new earrings!
Thank goodness I have a hair appt soon! My roots (and grays!) are catching up with me.
Lululemon Belt Bag
So–two words I wasn’t really familiar with together until recently…belt bag.
Listen, “belt bag” is the 2022 version of a Fanny pack! Jen Reed share the Everywhere Belt Bag recently, so I ordered it in black. Before it arrived, I was out to dinner with my friend, and she gave me the pink one for my birthday!
I had a couple people ask about it, and I wanted to use it a bit before giving a full report 😂
I’ve used this the past couple of weekends. It actually is quite spacious, but I just use it for running errands or going to ball games. I throw my phone, keys, small wallet with essential cards, a mask…and that’s about it.
Here I am headed to Hayden’s game on Saturday.
…and it also fits over my winter coat just fine.
But also…am I wearing it correctly? Haha😆 I have no clue…but this has worked for me. I don’t see myself ever wearing it as a Fanny pack, but it’s definitely useful as a cross body.
Favorite Mom Meme:
My kids probably wonder why I need to much quiet time. Love them, but I often just need a minute!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday
How about these throwback pics? January 2014 when I thought the kids were napping and later found Hadley’s first “selfies” on my phone…
…along with this photo she took of Hayden napping 🤣
Weekly Recap:
I’ve had a few posts this week: funny memes, life lately, and the Monthly Musings link up.
In honor of my 500th blog post and my birthday month (I like to celebrate for as long as anyone will allow!), I’m giving away the black Lululemon belt bag that I ordered. I’d love to give it away to a reader as a thank you for reading!
To enter, just leave a comment on this post with your favorite thing about winter! (I love when it snows ☺️) and follow me on Instagram (@showmeandsweettea) or leave your email address with your comment, so I can message/email if you win!
I will look at comments and draw a name on Sunday after 6pm (EST).
I know it’s not much, but I do want to show my appreciation!
I hope you have a great weekend. We have lots of basketball on the calendar as well as cheering for our CHIEEEEFS on Sunday.
Hello! How is your week going? I can’t believe it’s already Thursday. I do feel like this week is flying by! I’m happy that Holly and Patty are continuing their Monthly Musing link up for 2 0 2 2!
It feels crazy to be thinking about Valentine’s Day already, but I guess it is just a couple weeks away.
1. Favorite Valentine’s Memory?
I don’t have a special Valentine’s Day memory that jumps out to me, but I do remember how fun it was to exchange valentines during the elementary years. I loved a class party and always thought it was so fun to exchange valentines with classmates.
I loved re-living those days when my kids were in elementary school. The kids’ Valentine’s Day boxes from a couple of years ago crack me up. Hadley was all about the bling, and Hayden just wrote his name on the box. This says a lot about both of their personalities.
2. Chocolate, Flowers, or Both?
I love chocolate…probably too much! That being said, my favorite part of holidays and birthdays has to be receiving a card. For some reason, Travis always writes my name in bubble letters on my cards. It’s now a sweet tradition.
3. Favorite Romantic Date?
We don’t really purchase gifts for each other, but we typically make a point to go out to dinner around February 14th. We do exchange cards on the 14th though.
4. Any Valentine’s Day Traditions with Kids?
I always buy the kids a little box of chocolate, a book, and a few other things. Sometimes, I purchase a game I know we can play as a family.
The past few years, we’ve had a Valentine’s Day dinner at home where we eat everyone’s favorite dinner item which means a fun mix of foods for our meal.
5. How Do You Show Love?
I get a lot of grief for not being a big hugger, but I think I show love with kind gestures and notes/cards. My “love language” is Act of Service, and I really do appreciate when Travis helps me with an errand or an at home chore that I don’t want to do.
When the kids were babies, I decided to order a card from Shutterfly to send to immediate family for Valentine’s Day. I love this tradition.
2020 card
6. Do You Decorate for Valentine’s Day?
I don’t go all out with Valentine’s Day decor, but around February 1st, I put up a few Valentine’s Day touches.
7. Do You Wear Red or Pink on Valentine’s Day?
If Valentine’s Day falls on a school day, then I will wear something red or pink. I’ve always loved having the kids wear red/pink for Valentine’s Day through the years.
I guess we are probably past that stage, but Hadley will find something festive in her closet, I’m sure.
8. Valentine’s Day—Big Deal or Small Remembrance?
I’m team “you should show your love year round,” so I just think the day is nice to celebrate small. Again, I love a card, and it’s nice, with our hectic lifestyle, to make a point to go out to dinner around Valentine’s Day. Honestly, I have loved celebrating at home through the years with the kids too.
9. Favorite Ideas for School Valentine’s Parties?
I typically couldn’t help with holiday parties as I was usually at school myself. When the kids were in elementary, I was always happy to donate baked goods or craft supplies. Again, I have fond memories of holiday parties from elementary school, so I wanted to help my kids’ teachers as best as I could.
With my kids now in middle school, I guess the days of buying class Valentines are over. That being said, for a couple of years, I used Andrea’s awesome printable Valentines. She has so many amazing ideas. Like her directions say, you just save the design and then print (I print to Walgreens) and add to whatever snack, candy or toy you are sharing.
Hadley chose the s’mores one to give to the kids in the class pod last year.
10. Have You Ever Had a Secret Admirer?
I don’t think I’ve ever had a secret admirer. Again, with my kids in middle school, I’m reminded of the fun notes and candygrams that can be sent via Student Council, and sometimes they say “secret admirer.” It’s always fun to guess who may have sent the sweet treat.
Do you have any Valentine’s Day traditions? It will be here before we know it.
See you back here tomorrow for a different kind of Friday Favorites + a GIVEAWAY!
Hello! Shew! Yesterday felt like quite a Monday. We were up really late on Sunday watching the Chiefs game which meant the 6am alarm was rough, I was really busy at school, and then it seems that Mondays are always our busiest evening with activities for the kids.
Today, I’m sharing a little bit of…
Last week, we only had school (in person) one day! Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday were NTI (non-traditional instruction) days for our students.
I had a few questions about how our NTI works, so I thought I’d share a few details. On these at home learning days:
Instruction is asynchronous.
Assignments are posted on Canvas.
No new material is to be presented.
The district assigned office hour times for teachers at the various levels: 8:30-10:30 elementary, 10:30-12:30 middle school, 12:30-2:30 high school. Teachers are always available via email, but they are on Zoom during those assigned times to answer any questions.
Students have three days to complete their work after each NTI day. (That way, if a student doesn’t understand the assignment, doesn’t have internet access, is sick, etc., they still have time to complete the work without penalty.)
Attendance is marked by participation of turning in assignments.
After having three of these days under our belt, I’ve been pleased with the amount of work my own kids have received. Also, I’m able to work on school things and then Zoom with my regular students in the afternoon.
My former district was more rural, and they have used weather NTI days for years. When I was still teaching there, this was the same format we used except there was no Zoom, but that was pre-Covid! Also, we often gave paper packets for students who needed them.
Anyway, I don’t know if my current district will continue with NTI for weather in the future, but I hope so…or at least a compromise that after the third/fourth snow day, we do NTI or something like that. I know some parents aren’t fond of the NTI model especially after being virtual for a year, but I also don’t think it’s necessary for us to be in school past Memorial Day because we have so many days to make up. No one is happy to be in a school building after May 31 😉
Moving on…
One snow day perk was that we met Travis for an early lunch on Friday. We tried a new taco place in town.
Friday afternoon, I went to Kendra Scott to use my 50% off for my birthday. I love my new earrings.
Friday evening, we went out for pizza for dinner. Then, Hadley went to an overnight, and Travis and I took Hayden and a couple of friends to my school’s basketball game. We had a great time.
On Saturday, Hayden had an early basketball game which went down to the wire.
Saturday evening, Hayden went to a friend’s birthday. It was bowling and an overnight which meant we got one on one time with Hadley. After dinner at home, we went to Cattywampus Station, and Hadley chose the cookies and cream milkshake.
When we got home, Travis and I watched the first episode of Ozark. I can’t wait to keep watching!
On Sunday, we went to church, and then caught Wyatt’s makeup basketball game. I feel like it was just yesterday that Hayden was that little and playing basketball.
After the game, I picked up my Kroger order, made chili, and watched the Bucs/Rams game. Then, per play off tradition, we went to my brother’s house to watch the Chiefs/Bills game. We all went from sad to happy in 13 seconds. What an amazing game. Of course, that meant that we were up too late for a Sunday night, but it was worth it!
After the game, my mom called. She asked Hayden if he was alright, and he said, “No!” 😂 He had told me during the game that he thought he was having an anxiety attack.
A few other things…
It’s no secret that Homer rules the roost. On Saturday night, I headed to bed and found him in my spot:
Last week, I made these Peanut Butter Protein Balls, and the whole family loved them.
Lastly, it’s competition season, and it was Hadley’s turn to be in the spotlight:
So, that’s what has been going on with us lately. We’ve been busy per usual, but it’s been nice to have the snow days mixed in as well.
See you back here Thursday for Monthly Musings and Friday where I’m sharing a few favorite things I bought with my birthday money.
Hello! How was your weekend? We had a good one filled with productivity, sports, errands and more.
I can’t believe January is almost over which means it’s time for me to share some of my favorite memes from that month.
Here’s the month’s edition of:
1.
You’ve probably seen this meme, and it just makes me laugh. Re-entry after a two week break is rough. On top of that, we haven’t had much consistency to our school schedule due to the weather, so this month just seems to go on forever.
2.
Am I right?
3.
Y’all, can we catch a break?
4.
Please tell me better days will be here by spring!
5.
This is definitely me. I wish it wasn’t…but it is.
6.
I feel seen.
7.
Target. Every single time.
8.
This one made me chuckle. I’m team #foreveronabudget
9.
You know I love Amazon. I am really good about returning items I don’t want or know we won’t use. Most of the time, I request for the money to be returned to my debit card, but other times, if the item didn’t cost much, I will just have them refund it back to my Amazon balance. What a side hustle!
10.
There are so many places that need to take note of CFA. I’m never scared of that line!
I just add in memes to this post throughout the month. Once I started writing this, I realized there are still so many Covid themed memes. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. I sure hope when you read this, your Monday started off with a chuckle. We’re all in this together!
Happy Friday! How was your week? You know how sometimes the short weeks feel the longest? Well, a short week due to a Monday holiday and two snow days sure did make this week feel long. I’m not mad about a few snow days, but my family just still isn’t really in a routine which can make the days seem extra crazy and extra long.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
This week, I’m sharing my favorites day by day.
Saturday:
My favorite from Saturday was the cookie cake Travis and the kids got me for my birthday. I love that tradition, and of course, the cookie cake was delish.
Sunday:
A big WIN for the Chiefs was a favorite of mine…and a favorite for Hayden too!
Monday:
An obvious favorite from Monday was having the three day weekend.
It also would have been Betty White’s 100th birthday. Have you seen Google? When you type in her name, roses float down the screen. What a tribute!
Have you seen this post? What a beautiful sentiment.
Also, Hadley had been wanting to watch Sing 2, so we did that. It is such a sweet movie. We all loved it.
Tuesday:
Well, Tuesday was a snow day, but it was a NTI (non-traditional instruction) day for us….our first ever NTI snow day. The kids did a great job completing their work, and we are thankful to not have to add these days to the end of the year.
In the evening, I met up with my friend for drinks and an appetizer. She gave me the sweetest birthday gift. It was so great to catch up with her.
Wednesday:
Wednesday, we had school…which was honestly a favorite. I’m in the midst of planning our school’s credit recovery session, and I needed to get quite a few things accomplished.
Then, I had a great surprise when I get home. My new T3 curling iron arrived. Do you follow @mommaflum (another teacher named Jennifer!) on Instagram? A couple of weeks ago she shared some of the T3 products that she loves because T3 had a sale going on. I messaged her to ask about the curling iron, and she realized it wasn’t on sale. Anyway, over the weekend, she messaged me to say the curling iron was on sale which I thought was so sweet of her to do. I would never spend $160 on this, but with the sale, it was $100 off, so I used birthday money to treat myself.
Hadley has already used it! I’m going to give it a try over the weekend.
Thursday:
Well, we woke up to about 3 inches of snow which meant another NTI day.
…and snow cream for a mid-morning snack!
Part Husky Homer thinks the snow is so fun, and welove watching him run laps in the backyard!
I love snow too! If it’s going to be cold, then I’m all about the snow. By mid-February, I will be ready for spring.
Favorite Mom Meme:
I’m Team Forever Needs a Nap!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday
This photo from 2016 popped up in my Facebook memories yesterday. I remember taking this photo on a snow day. Hadley has always been able to sleep anywhere, and she sure was worn out!
Weekly Recap:
I had a few posts this week including a recap of the weekend, sharing my favorite cookbooks, and some quick lunch ideas.
Well, as I finished typing this, we got the call that we have another NTI day today. While the roads are in better condition than the snow earlier this week, the temps are frigid and some side streets are still icy. Honestly, I think our sub shortage is also an issue. Maybe next week will be more “normal.”
This weekend, Hayden has some basketball, and then we’ll be cheering for the Chiefs and hoping for another win.
Hello! Well, since January 1st, I can honestly say that I’ve done a much better job about meal planning and meal prepping. One thing I struggle with is packing my lunch. I don’t know why, but that always feels like such a tedious task for me!
I have a few recent lunch faves that I’m sharing with you today!
Sweet Potato:
I’ve gotten out of the habit of eating sweet potatoes, and I’d forgotten how much I love them. Here’s a quick lunch I love:
Microwave the sweet potato.
Sprinkle Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel seasoning on it.
Add chicken (I use Perdue shortcut chicken bites)
I add a pinch of shredded (Monterey Jack) cheese.
A dollop of salsa
Salad:
This may seem like a random combination, but I love it.
2 cups of arugula
Sprinkle some Feta cheese on top
Add a scrambled egg
Top with salsa
Stir Fry Bowl:
What I love the most about this dish is that it’s a great way to use up any veggies I have on hand.
Sauté’ some shrimp in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and I use Trader Joe’s Chile Lime seasoning.
After those are cooked, I remove them from the pan and scramble three eggs.
Then, I remove those from the pan and sauté whatever veggies I have and add a few sprinkles of garlic powder and a couple of dashes of soy sauce. I usually do zucchini, onion, mushrooms, and broccoli (if I have it). Then, I add it some shredded carrot when everything is pretty much cooked through.
While the veggies are cooking, I put the cauliflower rice in the microwave.
When the rice is finished, I add it into the pan, and I also add the shrimp and eggs back in.
I stir everything together, and it’s ready to eat.
By using one bag of microwave cauliflower, I can get three lunches out of this stir fry which is why I scramble three eggs.
This is my most “time intensive” meal, but like I said, I get three lunches out of it and can use up what ever veggies I have in the fridge.
And…
Sometimes, I end up bringing some fruit, a protein shake, and some pretzels or popcorn as my lunch.
I’ve found if I can have a rotation of a few lunch ideas, I can get through a month at a time without thinking that packing a lunch is much of a chore!
One more idea:
Since we had a snow day on Tuesday, I was home for lunch. That gave me a bit more time to eat, so I prepared another fave:
Shrimp Tacos:
I just cooked the shrimp like I do for the stir fry bowls.
I put the shrimp in the Trader Joe’s Carb Savvy whole wheat tortillas, top the shrimp with shredded lettuce or cabbage and a sprinkle of shredded cheese.
What about you? What are some of your favorite quick and healthy lunches? I’d love to add to my recipe rotation!
Hello from snowy Kentucky! I’m pretty sure that was my intro one day last week, and now we’ve gotten more snow…with more on the way later in the week! I will be honest…I’m not mad about it, but by mid-February, I will be ready for spring!
I’m not sure if this link up is still a thing, but I still have things to talk about…on a Tuesday 🤣 …like my favorite cookbooks.
January is always the perfect time to regroup after the holidays and take more time to meal plan and meal prep. I don’t ever really stop meal planning, but sometimes I slack off with meal prep.
Anyway, today I’m sharing some of my favorite cookbooks that I turn to very often (and a few favorite recipes from each).
Growing up, I didn’t think much about cooking (besides the fact that my mom made dinner for us every night), but I do love to cook, and have taught myself a bit along the way.
Here are some of my faves:
Simmers:
If I had to choose one cookbook to have for the rest of my life, Simmers would be it. Dramatic or what? haha Seriously though, the busier my kids have gotten through the years, the more and more I turn to Shay’s cookbook for slow cooker recipes.
Some of my favorite recipes:
King Ranch Joe’s (We are having these this week.)
Taco Tortellini Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Beef Enchilada Tacos
Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joe’s
Eat Better Feel Better
I often ask for cookbooks for Christmas, and Travis got me one of Giada’s cookbooks. He knows I try to make healthy meals for the family, and that my love for Giada runs deep! I’ve made a few recipes, and I know I will continue to use this book to plan our family dinners.
So far, I’ve made:
Fusilli with Pesto and Green Beans
Green Fried Rice
Chicken Milanese
That Bowl Life:
Beth used to live in Lexington, and she’s a fun follow on Instagram. She’s had great success with the Faster Way to Fat Loss and created this cookbook after creating so many meals while on the program. I love how easy the recipes are, and the idea of just tossing some goodness in a bowl and that eating healthy can be pretty effortless is a win. {*Not all the recipes are in a bowl…}
Some of my favorite recipes:
Egg muffins
I’m a big fan of a snack plate because of her: a handful of almonds, a hard boiled egg, a few pickles, some lunch meat, pretzels and hummus, etc.
Arugula with shredded parm and proscuitto is another fave.
Watermelon, mint, feta salad
Lots of a great drink concoctions too!
She has another one, The Village Cookbook, coming out too!
Mix and Match Mama Meal Planner:
This is another cookbook by Shay that I love so much. What I love the most about it is that it is organized by season. Sometimes I think cookbooks can be overwhelming, but I love that I can turn to each season and there are four weeks worth of meals from which I pick and choose what to feed my family. There’s also a “sweet treat’ each week as well!
Some of my favorite recipes:
Beefy Cornbread Casserole (Winter)
Shrimp Caprese Pasta (Spring)
Caesar Salad Burgers (Summer)
Roasted Chicken and Sweet Potato Risotto (Fall)
What about you? What are some of your favorite cook books that I can add to my collection? Of course, I also turn to Pinterest for recipe inspiration, but kind of like the book vs Kindle debate…sometimes, I just like turning the pages to see what inspires me while making my grocery list!
Well, today is a first…our first ever NTI (non-traditional instruction) snow day. Of course, we became familiar with NTI in spring 2020 (followed by fall 2020 and winter 2021), but this will be our first snow NTI day. I guess the neighborhood roads are still a bit dicey. I feel like if we have to miss school for the weather, NTI is a good compromise. We had regular snow days (that we don’t have to make up) last week, so I’d rather my kids do a bit of learning now rather than be in school until June. As a teacher, I did weather NTI days in my previous district, and I thought they were a good option if we were going to miss lots of school due to weather.
showmeandsweettea.com 