Happy Tuesday! Today, I’m linking up with Erika and Ashley for this month’s Tuesday Talk.
For Tuesday Talk, we can blog about any topic we choose, and today I’m tackling Thanksgiving with a fun This or That edition!
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There’s no stress of gift buying, and the food is the best! I found this graphic on Pinterest, and I’m excited to break down these choices. So, here we go!
TurkeyorHam: Turkey all the way. If ham is also being served, I will grab a slice, but the turkey is the Thanksgiving food for me.
LunchorDinner: Usually somewhere in between. My extended family usually eats around 3:00 or so. Last year, when it was just my brother’s family and mine, we ate later for dinner.
StuffingorDressing: I’m not really a fan of either, but last year, I made sausage dressing for the first time, and it was really good.
Dress UporDress Down: Usually we dress up, but it’s not anything too fancy. I ask Hayden to wear something besides Nike shorts, and Hadley will oblige with something besides a sweatshirt. When the kids were little, I definitely had them wear something festive when they’d let me.
2014
Mashed PotatoesorSweet Potatoes: I’m definitely a mashed potatoes kind of girl. But…guess what?! I don’t like gravy.
Football orMovies: Parade?! First, I watch the parade in the morning and then football does tend to be on in the background the rest of the day.
Black Friday orCyber Monday: Hands down, my answer would be Cyber Monday. I don’t think I’ve ever shopped on Black Friday, and I don’t think I ever will. I usually take the weekend after Thanksgiving to start making lists of what to buy, and then I do try to shop as many sales as possible on Cyber Monday.
Pumpkin PieorPecan Pie: Pumpkin pie is my fave.
How would you answer these? I will post the graphic in my Insta Stories, so if you share your answers, feel free to tag me!
Hello and Happy Monday! Well, I sure feel like the weekend flew by! Today, I’m recapping the highlights of our weekend!
Friday was a hard day. Very hard. I was counting the minutes until I could get home and put on my pajamas and just relax. We got carry out pizza, and I watched a movie and two episodes of Maid on Netflix. The movie I watched was Love Hard with my favorite comedian Heather McMahan. She was actually in Cincinnati on Friday night, and since I couldn’t be at the show, I decided to watch her new movie. She’s only in it a bit, but it was a cute movie, and she was so funny in the scenes she was in. I was happy to be in bed by 10!
On Saturday, I did a quick Trader Joe’s run, and picked up some of these cookies. They are so good!
Saturday evening my kids ran in a track meet at Bellarmine in Louisville. My nephew hosted the inaugural Lloyd White Memorial Distance Festival in honor of Trav’s dad (Jacob and my kids’ grandpa) who died tragically when Travis was in high school. There were so many awesome runners. The weather was cold (37 degrees at race time), but I loved seeing my kids run in honor of their grandfather. Hadley hadn’t laced up her spikes since last February, but she finished with a great time. Hayden crushed his run.
It was great seeing family, and we were all proud of every runner and Jacob’s team for hosting the event.
Brrr!!
Hayden had a basketball training session on Saturday morning. I know this may sound silly, but just sitting there watching him play while reading a book was a highlight of the weekend. Honestly, I usually schedule every second of the week and weekend. I typically would have run an errand during that time, but was glad to just hang out and watch.
Last night, Hayden had a game which was an exciting one to watch. His team won by two points, so it was an action packed game!
Hadley helped me make our first (only?) pumpkin pie of the season.
This one can definitely be filed under “tastes better than it looks.” My oven was acting up, so I was lucky to even get it baked! It tasted delish with a dollop of Cool Whip on top!
So, that’s how we spent our weekend! Travis has been really busy with work, so I’ve been extra busy on kid duty. Thankfully, we have just this week before getting a week off for Thanksgiving. Our superintendent changed our calendar about a month ago to give us a week at Thanksgiving. I’ll take it!
Hello! Well, we made it to Friday! This week was a good one! While it was busy per usual, we did have a couple of nights without any evening activities. That meant I had a couple of evenings to sit and enjoy the glow of my Christmas tree and fall scented candle while watching episodes of Holiday Baking Championship. Tis the season for all things festive.
Since it’s Friday, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika to share my favorites from the week.
Favorite Moment:
Once his middle school cross country season wrapped up, Hayden started running with Thomson Training. Thomson Training is a club team developed by our nephew, Jacob. On Saturday, Hayden finished 6th. It was so fun to see him coached by his cousin in his first national race as a middle schooler. Thomson Training had the highest team score in all four races they competed in. I’m so happy that Hayden’s enjoying himself, and we are proud of Jacob and all that he’s accomplished and how he’s helping kids achieve their own goals now!
Favorite Food:
We’ve had so many great dinners this week!
Bev’sSimple Chicken Pasta Soup is always a favorite.
Shay’s Easy Skillet Enchilada was also perfect for a quick and delicious weeknight dinner.
Favorite Photo:
Hayden missed out on having the team and individual cross country school photos taken when he was out with Covid. Thankfully, we have a professional in the family, and Uncle Chet took some amazing photos of Hayden a couple weeks ago. The fall colors were showing off, and Hayden was a good sport. I know getting his photo taken isn’t his favorite thing to do, but Chet sure got some good shots of my boy!
That little smile is my favorite.
Favorite Kid Quote:
The other day, Hadley, in a random quest of wanting to add a dog to the family said, “Mom, we need a replica of Homer!” When I looked at her after using the word “replica,” she said, “Hey! It’s a vocab word!” haha
Favorite Clothing Item:
I ordered this tunic top from Amazon recently, and I love it.
It comes in a variety of colors, and can be dressed up or down. I wore it the other day to school with jogger style pants and one of my favorite pairs of flats. I also can’t wait to wear it with jeans or leggings soon. I think this will be one that I purchase in another color at some point.
Other Faves:
This meme made me laugh. 🤣 It’s been so true this week!
A few more photos from Uncle Chet:
This one seems like it needs a “hype” song playing along with it…
…and I love the leaves in the background of this one along with Hayden’s sweet smile.
Favorite Mom Meme:
I finally made my kids purge their candy collection. They sorted through their faves, threw away the empty wrappers, and swapped a few pieces. The rest is going in the trash today!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
This pic of Hadley in kindergarten is always a favorite memory. She wore these sunglasses with no lenses off and on for a few weeks when she was five! So sweet.
Weekly Recap:
I had a few posts this week including two fun link ups (NJAM and Let’s Look) as well as a Thursday Thoughts post!
I hope you have a great weekend! Of course, we have a few things on tap, but I’m looking forward to no plans tonight, and hopefully sleeping in a bit tomorrow.
I’ve shared Erin’s (@cathartic_word) Enneagram graphics in previous posts. When I’m scrolling the ‘Gram, I immediately stop and look at her posts. Her Enneagram graphics are amazing, and I immediately swipe to see what she’s created for 5w6.
I’ve had this “Things each Enneagram loves” post saved for a while, and today I’m breaking down my thoughts on the 5 (investigator) and the 6 (loyalist).
Things each Enneagram type loves…
Type 5:
Quiet time: Heck yes. I’ve shared before that I need my morning quiet time to start my day. If I can have pockets of quiet time throughout the day, that’s even better!
Take out: While I love eating out, I also enjoy just getting take out and eating dinner at home in the comfort of my home. There’s nothing better than pajamas, a good book, and food I didn’t have to cook 😉
No plans: Do you know what’s better than no plans? Cancelled plans! haha
Long talks: This one is less like me than the others. I think after talking all day long with students, I’m ok with shorter conversations. That being said, it’s always good to catch up with someone I haven’t seen in a while.
Their bed: Absolutely! While I don’t mind travelling, there are times I’ve left my house thinking about how many nights of sleep until I’m back at home and in my own bed (with my favorite pillow, my weighted blanket, and my sound machine! #highmaintenancesleeper)
New books: Have you met me? This is a definite yes. I love a new book! It’s like meeting a new friend.
Type 6:
Stationery: It must be the teacher in me because I do love stationery.
Multiple cups: of coffee?? haha I do have my favorite coffee mug, water tumbler, and wine glass. I guess I am particular about my drinkware!
New pens: Again, the teacher in me…I start every year off with a new pack of pens. My faves are Optimus Fine Point Pen or Paper Mater Flair.
Dinner date: Sure! It’s not often we get to go out, but I do love grabbing dinner out with Travis.
Reliable Friends: I’ve learned through the years it’s the quality not the quantity of many things, including friends! I appreciate those who “get” me and are there for me.
Mismatched socks: uh no. This is definitely not me! It drives me crazy when I can’t find the match to a sock.
I feel like this glimpse of what a 5w6 Enneagram type loves is pretty spot on.
You should definitely check out Ashton’s Instagram account. She has so many fun Enneagram posts, and she often shares cute seasonal graphics that can be used for phone backgrounds.
I think I’ve shared in previous posts, but we are typically with family on Thanksgiving which means I’ve rarely had to do much cooking! Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday because there isn’t the stress of buying presents, the food is delicious, and I love starting my morning with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.
For Thanksgiving, besides seeing family and the great food, I love a good table scape.
My cousin always knocks it out of the park with her holiday decor:
2019Who doesn’t love a personalized chocolate turkey?
With the 2020 restrictions, last year, we celebrated Thanksgiving with only my brother’s family. So, we didn’t see extended family, but at least we were able to get together with nearby relatives.
My sister-in-law outdid herself as well with the dinner table.
I believe she got the place cards off Etsy, and then everyone had a delicious cookie on their place setting.
The only time I eat the school lunch is when they serve the Thanksgiving menu. It’s always a day to look forward to!
Thanksgiving Menu:
On the big day, we are pretty traditional with our Thanksgiving food:
Turkey
Mashed potatoes and gravy
Green beans or green bean casserole
Hash brown casserole
Cornbread casserole
Stuffing
Mac and cheese
Sweet potato casserole
Rolls
Pumpkin and pecan pie
Last year, we had a friend deep fry the turkey. Then, my sister-in-law and I split up some of the side items. I made sausage dressing for the first time ever, and it was delish.
Pumpkin pie is my favorite fall dessert. I actually plan on making one this weekend! Then, we’ll have one again for Thanksgiving. (Fun fact: I like my pumpkin pie served cold.)
So, that’s a look at our Thanksgiving menu!
Next month’s topic is: favorite traditions. Well, we have many! I can’t wait to share.
What’s your favorite Thanksgiving menu item? I’ve seen this graphic shared before, and I’m definitely more Missouri than Kentucky! #givemeallthecarbs
Hello! Happy Monday. How was your weekend? We had a pretty good one with a bit of downtime, but also a few activities like Hayden’s cross country meet and basketball game as well as the UK football game.
I’m one of the weird ones who likes to “fall back” an hour. Don’t get me wrong, I also enjoy when we “spring forward,” but during the fall months, I like to embrace the early darkness and enjoy time at home.
Today, I’m linking up with some of my favorite bloggers for our Not Just a Mom series.
Today’s topic is: favorite small shops
I’ve written a few posts about my favorite Etsy purchases. When I think about shopping small, I immediately think of Etsy. Through the years, I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed with a single purchase from Etsy.
Of course, I try to support local small businesses too. If you are in the Lexington area, some of my favorites are: The Front Porch, Peggy’s,Story, Queen Bee, and Peacocks and Pearls.
SummerDuffyDesign has so many cute gift options, but this pencil sign/door hanger was the perfect graduation gift for our sitter as she started her new teaching career!
Other really cute items in the shop include key chains, ornaments and bookmarks!
ThatInspiredChick has so many awesome gift options. From wood signs to tumblers to mugs to earrings, and so much more… You won’t be disappointed with the cuteness and the quality.
Many of the items above are linked in these posts, but there are even more gift items in these as well:
Hello! How was your week? We had a good one. It was jam packed as usual, and I swear it took us a couple of days to recover from Halloween. Thankfully, we had no school on Tuesday, so that was definitely a favorite and gave us some time to catch up on errands and household chores!
Today, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika to share my favorites from each day.
Saturday:
Saturday, we went out to lunch before having a pretty relaxing afternoon at home. That evening, Hayden had a basketball game, and cousin Wyatt came to watch him play.
Hadley had a fun overnight at Great Wolf Lodge. While going there was probably a favorite for her, my favorite moment was when she arrived home! Of course, she was worn out and fell asleep on the couch at my brother’s house, but we were happy she was back home.
Sunday:
Sunday was a full and busy day. Again, we had family in town, went to church, and had a Halloween lunch. Then, of course, it was Halloween! Lots of trick-or-treating going on and tons of candy!
Monday:
Monday was a pretty typical Monday, but my favorite part was Hayden’s hyperbole homework. It made me laugh out loud!
Actually, another favorite part of Monday was staying up late to watch the Chiefs win on Monday Night Football. It was nice knowing I could stay up a bit later with no school on Tuesday.
Tuesday:
On Tuesday, I slept until 8:00! That never happens, even on the weekend. After sipping my morning coffee and watching a show, I decided to go to Michael’s to purchase another pencil tree. I got this one last year on sale (on Election Day!) for the sun room. Then, I moved it to my bedroom once we bought our real Christmas tree for the living room. We have a bigger artificial one that we used in the sun room last year. It was on its last leg, so we decided to toss it.
So, this is me–I have up two trees, and the rest of my house will remain full of pumpkins for a couple of more weeks. I just love the glow of a Christmas tree and figure, “Why not?!”
After my successful trip to Michael’s, I put up both pencil trees. One in the office off the living room (until we get the real tree) and then the other one in the sun room.
A few more notes about my favorite tree: its’s currently on sale, last year it sold out in a couple of weeks, teachers get an additional 10% off at Michael’s, and the Michael’s employee at check out said there’s a shortage of trees this year! Consider yourself warned 😉
While I was doing all of that, Hadley went roller skating with her friends!
That afternoon, we met my brother-in-law at a nearby park, so he could take Hayden’s cross country photos. Hayden missed out on the school xc photos when he was out with Covid. I can’t want to see how they turned out, but here’s a sneak peek:
That evening, Hayden had a basketball game which is always fun to watch.
Then, I finished up the day reading my book by the glow of tree.
Here’s what the one in the sun room looks like:
(I used a blanket as a tree skirt until my one from Amazon arrives)
Wednesday:
On Wednesday, I made a pit stop at one of my favorite places: the library! Hayden wanted to read the third Hunger Games book, and I had placed a hold on The Girls in the Stilt House.
That evening, I finished Not a Happy Family on my Kindle, and I enjoyed it.
Thursday:
Yesterday, I had my monthly facial and did dermaplane. It’s my favorite treatment! I had to miss my appointment last month because we were in the thick of Covid, so I was so happy for a little pampering yesterday afternoon (in between shuttling the kids here, there and everywhere!)
Favorite Mom Meme:
Haha! This meme made me laugh..
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday
Afters seeing my Halloween post, my aunt remembered this photo of Hadley in my mom’s witch hat! I think this was probably 2012. Such a sweet memory.
One more fave:
Look at this exciting notification I received on my Word Press app! It still blows my mind that so many people stop by and read my posts! This is such a fun community. I’ve only been blogging for a little over two years, and I really do enjoy it, and I’ve “met” so many great people along the way.
Weekly Recap:
This week I had a few posts where I shared the books I read in October, my Amazon purchases over the past month, and a recap of Halloween!
One more thing before I go. Monday is our NJAM link up, and the topic is favorite small shops. I know I will share some of my favorite Etsy finds! This is the perfect time of the year to share these shops, and I try to “shop small” when I can.
We had a really great Halloween, and I love that it fell on the weekend because it gave us some extra time to hang with family and have a few extra minutes without being rushed to put on costumes and take photos.
Leading up to Halloween, I wanted to find an evening with no activities to have dinner together and carve pumpkins. On Wednesdays, for now, we don’t have any evening activities. So, last Wednesday, we had our “Spooky” dinner (bloody finger hot dogs, brains (mac and cheese) and eyeballs (green grapes) which is always a fun tradition.
Then, we carved pumpkins…
Actually, for the second year in a row, the kids did this pretty independently, and I love how they turnd out!
Hadley got major use out of her Halloween costume. She wore it to turnk or treat with her friends last week.
She then wore it to an overnight at Great Wolf Lodge last weekend.
Halloween morning started with pumpkin muffins for breakfast. I love the Trader Joe’s mix.
We then had a “Spooky” lunch with my mom, Gma, my brother and his family. At the last minute, I decided to make mummy dogs, and they were so good.
After lunch, Hadley and Travis went to Goodwill to finish getting Hayden’s costume. Travis had the idea of Hayden being Happy Gilmore, and Hayden thought that idea was funny since he loves golf and likes that movie.
A giraffe and Happy Gilmore…
Annual photo with the cousins: Ariel and a ninja!
Then, my mom joined in the fun with her witch costume that she’s had for years!
Then the kids went to trunk or treat at our church. Hadley helped some friends pass out candy to the little ones while Hayden walked around with my niece and nephew.
We changed up our trick-or-treating this year and instead of hosting, we went to a friend’s house so the kids could all T or T together.
Great group of kids ❤️
Hadley and crew who dressed as animals in their onsies.
The kids took off to trick-or-treat, and Travis and I walked home. I’d left out the candy, but was able to pass some out for about 30 minutes when we got home.
I haven’t passed out candy since 2009 when I had a very big pregnant belly. Time flies.
My kids got so much candy it was ridiculous.
This was me:
I’m giving them a few days, but then I’m going to have them pick a few favorite pieces of candy while I take some to school for my students. They love earning a piece or two when they’ve finished an assignment!
We had a great Halloween and the weather was perfect! I’m still struggling with the fact that it’s now November! In a couple of weeks, I will have two 12 years olds! Again, time flies!
I’m not sure if I will have have a post ready for tomorrow, but I will for sure be back on Friday to share my favorites from the week.
Hello! The Halloween costumes are put away, so now it’s time to start thinking about birthday gifts for my kids, turkey, and of course, Christmas gift ideas. November and December are very overwhelming months for me. I need to start making a list (and checking it twice!) I’m hoping Amazon will be of big help like in years past!
Since it’s the first Tuesday of the month, I’m linking up with Tanya for her this month’s Prime Purchases.
This month month I bought:
I have these 7/8 leggings in gray and black. I purchased another pair in navy. I can’t say enough good things about these leggings. I love the length, the angled hem, and the side pocket. My other pairs have held up nicely, and are the perfect fit.
I wanted a bigger purse for fall and winter. I still use my messenger bag, but sometimes I want something that will hold more. I guess in the cooler and colder months, I feel like I have more to carry. I loved the look of this purse, and it also has the cross body option. I’d been missing a purse that has pockets, and I love that this one has so many storage options. I purchased the gray brown gun metal color, and I love it.
Hadley and her friends decided to make their costumes pretty simple, and they each were a different animal for Halloween. Of course, I would have bought Hadley a costume anyway, but the fact that she will wear this onsie as pajamas was a win as well. The past two Christmases, I’ve given her onsie animal pjs (from Target), so I knew she’d wear this one over time as well.
A quick and easy costume and cozy pjs…what more can she ask for?!
I usually put Christmas lights up around my white board at school in the winter months. I decided I wanted something for year round, so I ordered this pack of string lights.
I put them up in my classroom within minutes. They come with a remote with different settings, but I just keep them on the regular setting. Students get distracted enough without the help of flashing lights!
I’m very pleased with my Prime Purchases this month. What have you been Priming?
We don’t have school today, so I’m going to get caught up on my weekend chores! Tomorrow, I’m sharing the details from our fun and festive Halloween.
Hello! Happy November 1st! How was your weekend? We had a good one, and the kids had a great Halloween.
Today, I’m sharing the books I read in October. I read two, and then as I sat down to write this post, I realized I could add in a book that I read with the English 1 students that I’ve regularly helped this month.
Before moving in with the Crouch family, Juno thought Winnie and her husband, Nigel, had the perfect marriage, the perfect son—the perfect life. Only now that she’s living in their beautiful house, she sees the cracks in the crumbling facade are too deep to ignore.
Still, she isn’t one to judge. After her grim diagnosis, the retired therapist simply wants a place to live out the rest of her days in peace. But that peace is shattered the day Juno overhears a chilling conversation between Winnie and Nigel… She shouldn’t get involved.
She really shouldn’t.
But this could be her chance to make a few things right.
Because if you thought Juno didn’t have a secret of her own, then you were wrong about her, too.
Quick Thoughts:
I loved this book. It had just enough suspense. I held my breath for Juno on many occasions. The last quarter of the book, when the action really picked up, I was kind of like “huh?…” I wasn’t expecting that character involvement. The ending was creepy but tied the plot all up nicely. I’ve read The Wives by Fisher, and I loved this one so much more.
The fan favorite star of the Bravo hit series Southern Charm offers a witty and candid collection of essays on dating, pregnancy, and parenthood.
Growing up in South Carolina with a family that goes back ten generations, Cameran Eubanks knew from a young age that Southern women are expected to want the white picket fence life. But Cameran has never been your typical Southern belle, and she was always determined to flout expectations.
She set out to paint the town red, enjoy her single life, focus on her successful real estate career, maybe join the cast of a hugely popular reality show…and then she met her future husband, Jason. After falling in love and getting married, Cameran faced the same dilemma so many women encounter: whether or not to have kids. Ultimately, her own journey to motherhood was anything but simple.
Now, she takes you deeper into her life—from her first foray into reality TV on The Real World to dating in her twenties to the honest truth about her pregnancy and motherhood—to get to know the person behind the camera. Known as the voice of reason on Southern Charm, she’ll share the same honest advice she gives to her castmates and guide y’all through dating, pregnancy, and motherhood. Charming, hilarious, and a hell of a lot fun, One Day You’ll Thank Me is for anyone who has ever wondered if they should or can.
Quick Thoughts:
This book reminded me a bit of the Jenny McCarthy book, Belly Laughs, I read while pregnant with the kids. This wasn’t all about pregnancy, but it definitely was mostly about motherhood. Cameran is one of my favorite Southern Charm cast members (I love that show), and missed her during last season. She definitely tells it like it is on both the show and in this book. I appreciate her sense of humor, sarcasm, and truth.
I enjoyed reading about her days on The Real World. While I realize this isn’t a Southern Charm tell all, I do wish there was more Southern Charm insight.
This was a quick read for me, and one I’d been wanting to read for a while.
Rating:
Honestly, it should be more like a 3.5 star review, but I like her… 😉
An intimate portrait of two men who cherish the slim bond between them and the dream they share in a world marred by petty tyranny, misunderstanding, jealousy, and callousness. Clinging to each other in their loneliness and alienation, George and his simple-minded friend Lennie dream, as drifters will, of a place to call their own—a couple of acres and a few pigs, chickens, and rabbits back in Hill Country where land is cheap. But after they come to work on a ranch in the fertile Salinas Valley of California, their hopes, like “the best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men,” begin to go awry.
Of Mice and Men also represents an experiment in form, as Steinbeck described his work, “a kind of playable novel, written in novel form but so scened and set that it can be played as it stands.” A rarity in American letters, it achieved remarkable success as a novel, a Broadway play, and three acclaimed films. Steinbeck’s tale of commitment, loneliness, hope, and loss remains one of America’s most widely read and beloved novels.
Quick Thoughts:
I hadn’t read this novella since college, and I’ve never taught it. I enjoyed reading it with a small group of students because we were able to discuss so much…themes of lonliness, power vs powerless, friendship, character development, the American Dream, the setting and Great Depression time period.
A few favorite quotes:
“I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why.” ~Lennie
“As happens sometimes, a moment settled and hovered and remained for much more than a moment. And sound stopped and movement stopped for much, much more than a moment.” ~Of Mice and Men
“As happens sometimes, a moment settled and hovered and remained for much more than a moment. And sound stopped and movement stopped for much, much more than a moment.” ~Of Mice and Men
Rating:
As an English teacher, it feels awkward giving such a classic a less than five star rating, but it was a pretty heavy read with a very heavy ending.
In November, I’m going to read at least one Christmas book, and decided to start with this one:
I won it from a Goodreads giveaway! I’ve enjoyed other books by Kristy Woodson Harvey, so I’m excited to start the holiday season off with this one.
What have you read this month? Next month, I will share the Christmas books I’ve read in the past during the holiday season! I know we are going to blink, and it will be 2022!
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