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Posted in Amazon

Prime Purchases

Hello and happy Monday!…except now that it’s Monday, that means Thanksgiving break is over, and it’s time to head back to school. That’s ok because I actually like December at school. I feel like the weeks usually fly by as we wrap up first semester.

Speaking of “flying by,” how is it December?! I’m linking up with Tanya to share my recent Amazon purchases.

This month’s post has quite a few purchases thanks to the kids’ birthday and prepping for Christmas.

I needed file folders for school, so I bought this pack. So much of what we do is digital, but I still have plenty of hard copies to keep up with in my filing cabinet.

I loved my fall “Cozy Girl” coloring book so much that I purchased the Christmas version. It’s just as cute as the fall one.

Bummer! BOTH pencil trees that I have (but have had for four – five years) needed some help in the light department. I bought two packs of these hundred bulb strands to use on mine and Hadley’s bedroom trees. They worked perfectly for what we needed.

I’ve had these remote controlled outlets for quite a few years, and I purchased another pack because Hadley wanted one for her room. I’ll use the other two for our outside lights.

This set of three is truly so handy. From my original set, I use one for the Christmas tree in the living room, one for the set of trees on the chest in the living room, and then the last one for the tree in the bedroom. I just use the remote to click them on/off in the morning and then before bed at night.

Well, my life changed forever when this label maker arrived! I actually had it on my list as a suggestion for Christmas, but once I got out all my Christmas decor, and I have quite a few remote controls (like for the set above), that I wanted to get organized. I use the app on my phone and then it prints! I’ve been a labeling fool since it arrived!

Hadley requested these slides for her birthday. They are a great price and all the rage for teens!

Hadley also had this cute little cotton bag on her birthday list. The price is less than $9 and such good quality. I filled it with cosmetic things she uses which was a good refill for what she needed.

One of the things I put in her bag was this blush stick by e.l.f.

One of Hayden’s requests was this brush to clean his golf clubs. He’s really into golfing this year!

‘Tis the season for shopping…and finding good deals! I’ve purchased a few things via Amazon, but they are Christmas gifts. I never know who reads my blog, so I don’t want to give anything away!

It’s Cyber Monday, so I’m sure Amazon will have some great deals!

In case you missed my last “gratitude” post on Saturday, here it is.

Happy shopping,

{This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Thanks for supporting my blog.}

Posted in Blog challenge

Nov. Gratitude Challenge {days 29 & 30}

Hello and happy Saturday!

Well, it’s the last day of November…how is that even possible? It’s time to wrap up this gratitude challenge.

Day 29: 3 of your favorite foods

Only 3?!

Off the top of my head, I’d have to say:

  • chips and queso
  • sushi
  • a warm chocolate chip cookie from Starbucks

Day 30: 3 things you love about your family

Listen, there are plenty of days where I seek the peace and solace of my quiet bedroom to get away from the crazy. That being said, I’m part of the crazy too haha! I’m very grateful for my family or four.

To keep it simple, I’ll share what I’m grateful for in regards to my three faves:

  • Trav: He takes care of all of us. He knows when I’m feeling overwhelmed and will take something off my plate. Listen, I’m an independent woman…until I don’t want to leave the house one more time 😂He takes care of the things that I have no desire to take care of…for example, bills that need to be paid. He’s just the best. I remember when we first started dating, I got the flu. He brought me medicine and a People magazine. He’s been taking care of me since day 1. He’s the best role model for the kids, and he’s always there for anything they need too.
  • Hadley has the best smile and gives the best hugs. She brightens anyone’s day!
  • Hayden will tell me he loves me out of nowhere. (Don’t tell him I told you! haha) Listen, no one prepares you for raising a teenage boy, but he’s maturing right before my very eyes. I appreciate his love when he’s willing to give it to me 😉

This challenge was a great way to keep up with my blogging and share things that I’m grateful for in my life…including my blog readers 🙂

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Holidays

Friday Favorites {#235}

Hello and happy Friday!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Just a few favorites this week as we didn’t have a ton going on which was obviously a favorite.

Saturday was a pretty dreary day, and with a Saturday with some extra time on my hands, I put up the Christmas decorations. I don’t dread putting them up, but I know that it takes some time. Well, this year, I was finished in about an hour. I still decorated pretty fully, but I just followed last year’s blog post and also edited what I didn’t want to use a long the way.

Then, I decided to knock a couple of gifts off my list. This started because I had Old Navy cash that expired the next day. Anyway, I braved Old Navy, and then I went to Kirklands for a few decorations. After that, I went to an outdoor shopping area and went to a couple of stores to get gifts for Hadley.

The area had their tree up, and it looked pretty on the dreary day.

I was gone a few hours, and came home to relax for a bit. Then, who are we?!? That afternoon, a group of us decided to go out to a new pizza place for dinner. Everyone was available on a Saturday night. The group is the same couples we go on fall break with, and it was so nice to get together for a couple of hours.

I’m not a big beer drinker, but if I do drink a beer it’s because we’re having pizza.

When we came home, it was lovely to see the glow of the Christmas lights.

On Sunday, I went to Trader Joe’s and spotted peonies, so of course I had to buy some. I don’t recall seeing peonies in the winter at Trader Joe’s. They are my favorite.

Sunday afternoon, Hadley got back home from her Young Life weekend. She had lots of fun with her friends…

…and even saw baby goats. She filled us in on her weekend, and I was so happy to have her home.

Random picture, but Hadley sent me this at school on Monday….haha.

I started yesterday morning off watching the parade before we headed to Louisville for Thanksgiving lunch.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Works every time…haha!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

This pic popped up in my Facebook memories. In preschool, the kids made little Indian costumes. I don’t remember how they got their “names,” but funny that Hadley’s starts with “princess” and Hayden’s starts with “running.”

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the last week:

My thirty day blogging streak will end tomorrow with one more gratitude post.

Have a great weekend.

Posted in Blog challenge, Holidays, Seasonal

Nov. Gratitude Challenge {days 27 & 28}

Hello and happy Thursday…and…

I can’t believe my November gratitude challenge is almost over. I only have a few days left.

Picking up where I left off…

Day 27: holiday traditions you are grateful for…I’m grateful for many traditions. Of course, Thanksgiving and Christmas typically have quite a few traditions. For us, Thanksgiving looks different year to year. Some years, we stay home (but have to travel to E-town or Louisville for Thanksgiving), and other years we are in KC.

On Thanksgiving, a tradition I have no matter where I am is to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.

As for Christmas, we always bake cookies at some point during the holiday season. We also go to the Horse Park to drive through their lights display.

One of my favorite traditions is letting the kids pick out a gift for each other to open, usually on Christmas Eve if we are home. It’s always fun seeing what they pick out for each other.

Day 28: something that made you smile today…

Thanksgiving always makes me smile. It’s my favorite holiday…great food, time with family, and no stress of buying gifts!

Gobble til you wobble! If you need a way to use up your leftover turkey, this recipe is a day after Thanksgiving tradition in our family.

If you need me, I will be sipping my coffee and watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade this morning.

I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving.

Posted in Books and Shows, Seasonal

November 2024 Reading & Holiday Books

Hello and happy Wednesday!

I forgot to finish up this post last night, so it’s coming to you a bit late!

Well, unfortunately, another month with minimal reading.

{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}

The House in the Pines:

Summary:

Maya was a high school senior when her best friend, Aubrey, mysteriously dropped dead in front of the enigmatic man named Frank whom they’d been spending time with all summer.

Seven years later, Maya lives in Boston with a loving boyfriend and is kicking the secret addiction that has allowed her to cope with what happened years ago, the gaps in her memories, and the lost time that she can’t account for. But her past comes rushing back when she comes across a recent YouTube video in which a young woman suddenly keels over and dies in a diner while sitting across from none other than Frank. Plunged into the trauma that has defined her life, Maya heads to her Berkshires hometown to relive that fateful summer–the influence Frank once had on her and the obsessive jealousy that nearly destroyed her friendship with Aubrey.

At her mother’s house, she excavates fragments of her past and notices hidden messages in her deceased Guatemalan father’s book that didn’t stand out to her earlier. To save herself, she must understand a story written before she was born, but time keeps running out, and soon, all roads are leading back to Frank’s cabin….

Quick Thoughts:

I haven’t read a book by this author, and I thought the book was ok. I liked the sense of mystery, but I had a hard time making connections with Maya’s past and how the story ended. I liked the flashback elements, but that took me a bit to get in a rhythm of reading. So, while I wasn’t disappointed, I was kind of surprised that this was a Reese’s book club book.

Rating:

‘Tis the Season for Holiday Reading:

I hope December is a better reading month for me. I shared this photo last year, and I just love it:

I love reading in December and the past few years I’ve read winter/Christmas themed books. I hope to do the same this year and can’t wait for some downtime over Christmas break to read hopefully more than one book! I’ve already added a couple Christmas books to my Kindle.

My favorite series is the Elin Hilderbrand’s Winter Street series…

…and here are a few more suggestions…

Happy reading!

Posted in Blog challenge

Nov. Gratitude Challenge {days 25 & 26}

Hello and happy Tuesday!

This Tuesday feels like a Friday for me! For that, I’m grateful. Speaking of gratitude…I’m picking up where I left off with the gratitude challenge.

Day 25 is a favorite quote that helped you…

I love a good quote! I wrote this post four years ago (wow!), and so many of them are still my favorites.

Day 26: 3 hobbies or activities you love

I love when I find time to read, but I haven’t been in a great reading groove lately.

I’ve always loved to color. When the kids were little, I’d sit down and color with them. Lately, I’ve been loving this marker set and coloring in my “cozy girl” book. I’m going to order the Christmas one soon I think.

Ok, while not really a “hobby” or “activity” (that I’m proud of…) I enjoy watching the Real Housewives franchise. I don’t watch them all, but I watch most of them. My faves are OC and Beverly Hills. I think sometimes my mind needs to relax and doesn’t want to think, so I veg out with my trash TV. Hayden asks me, “Mom, is that one of your trashy shows?” haha

What’s one of your favorite hobbies or activities?

Have a great day,

Posted in Memes

Monday Memes

Hello and happy Monday!

How was your weekend? Ours was really good…and the best part was that it was a slow weekend. I put up Christmas decorations, did a little Christmas shopping, met friends for dinner and even had time for an afternoon nap.

Did you catch my posts on Saturday and Sunday?

Today, is the start of a two day school week, so I think we can do it!

Since it’s the last Monday of the month, I’m sharing memes that made me chuckle in November!

Why does the weekend always seem to fly by?!

I had to get my “lighter” heavy coat out last week, and it felt too soon for that. haha

Y’all know I’m a fan of daylight savings and “falling back” but this meme is on point:

Well, I’m not making the Thanksgiving feast, but you never know what these teens will actually eat.

I’m not a “Black Friday” girlie…

This usually just happens when my kids are trying to help me at the self-check out…no matter how many times I tell them the item has to go in the bag after it’s scanned before scanning the next item.

Core childhood memory with Little Debbie!

The tree went up last week and the decorations went up on Saturday. I love the festive glow!

Me…too often to admit!

We got a new microwave a few years ago, and it doesn’t give you ten seconds before it beeps to alert you to open the door. It’s so annoying! I wish we’d tested that out before purchasing!

Also, this!

I hope these memes started your day off with a laugh or two.

Posted in Blog challenge

Nov. Gratitude Challenge {days 23 & 24}

Happy Sunday!

I’m continuing to play “catch up” with my gratitude.

Day 23 something you often take for granted

Well, I try not to take things from granted, maybe one thing is that most of the time Trav is able to help take kids to school, pick them up, run out on his lunch break to pick up gifts, etc. Not everyone has that kind of support. Since we don’t have family in town, it’s nice that we are able to help each other out as needed.

Day 24 something you have that you used to hope for

I’d say my kids. It took us a while and a little help to have them, so I of course I’m grateful that the wish was granted (x2). We were never able to add to our family of four which makes my gratitude for them more meaningful as well.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Posted in Blog challenge

Nov. Gratitude {days 20-22}

Hello and happy Saturday!!

With a full week of blogging, I got a bit behind with my gratitude challenge.

Day 20 is a risk you are happy you took.

Moving to Kentucky was definitely a “risk.” Granted, Travis and I were engaged, but I just mean that I did pick up the life I knew and moved to a new place. I joke that I was “young, dumb, and in love,” but that’s not to take anything away from Travis…I just mean, I would never do that now that I’m settled in my life….if that makes sense. We have a really blessed life that I’m thankful for.

It is hard being away from family, but are in a pretty good visiting routine during the year and for holidays.

Day 21: something from your childhood you are grateful for

Growing up, I can now look back and appreciate the sense of traditions and family. Family is important to me as well as creating traditions and memories with my kids.

Day 22 3 things about your personality you love

I like that I’m sarcastic….it gets me through being with teens all day and at home. I’m an honest and loyal person too. Those traits are important to me.

Tomorrow, I will catch up with today and tomorrow’s topics.

I’m off to hopefully pick up a few Christmas gifts and get my house decorated for the holidays.

Posted in Friday Favorites, Holidays, Kids

Friday Favorites {#234}…Birthday Edition

Hello and happy Friday…from a wintry Kentucky! We had our first measurable snow of the season…and of course school was crazy yesterday! haha

TGIF for sure!

As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.

This week’s post is all about the kids’ birthday this week! How are they 15?!

Hayden didn’t feel the need to have a party, but Hadley still wanted to have one with her friends. Literally, the only time in the near future where we had a free afternoon was last Sunday.

Hadley’s friends came to the house for a bit, and then we headed to the bowling alley.

Apparently, the dress code was sweatshirts and black leggings. haha!

They bowled for about an hour and a half, and Trav and I sat in the bar area and watched football. The girls wrapped up their games right as the Chiefs game was starting.

We went back to the house for presents and cake. Hayden was there watching the game.

Hadley “polled” her friends to see if they liked red velvet cake (her fave!), and they all agreed. She also polled them on what activity they should do for her birthday. Kids these days…

The cake was super cute.

…as are these girls.

Listening to them open the gifts, chat, and laugh was the best. They really are great girls and celebrated with Hadley all afternoon.

After that, Hayden requested a burger and fries, so Trav got him that, and they finished watching the game.

Meanwhile, I took the girls for hibachi for dinner. They were so excited. I had told Hadley that I could sit in the other part of the restaurant (the sushi side), if they didn’t want me hanging around. She said they didn’t mind, so I did get to join the crew at the table.

It was a great meal, and then I took them all home.

Tuesday night, per tradition, I put streamers on the kids’ doors. Hayden did tell me that I didn’t have to put the “paper strings” on this door. haha

I told him that I liked the tradition, so he said I could!

Birthday morning, I had baked them some muffins for breakfast. Oh how times have changed. They used to both sit at the counter, eat their muffins, and open a gift or two.

That morning, Hayden had PT at 7am, so he was out the door early. Hadley got up, got ready, we picked up her friend, and we headed to Starbucks before going to school.

That day, was the 9th grade field trip. It was a just a few hours at a college/career Expo at the convention center downtown. Students ride coach buses, and the kids were on my bus. I stayed outside the bus to take attendance, and when I got on the bus, I was shocked that they were sitting in the second and third rows close to me! It was a nice afternoon.

One of my teacher friends spoils them…and she made them brownies. She told them she wished she’d had two pans, but that they’ve been sharing things since day one. haha

After school, I went and picked up their cookie cake…

…and put out their presents.

Once Travis got home, they opened their gifts. I wasn’t sure on a few of their gifts, but apparently Travis and I knocked it out of the park.

Hayden always asks for this college basketball magazine, and I got Hadley a Dr. Pepper ornament. That’s her fave drink.

My mom had these little Funko dolls made. Hadley’s is wearing flip flops and has a volleyball. Hayden’s has on tennis shoes and is holding a video game controller. She also gave them some money!

After presents, we went out to dinner. It was a nice treat on a weeknight!

The Christmas lights were up, and they let me snap a pic of them. They look so old!

Then, we went back to the house for cake.

My brother’s family came over which was really fun!

May all their wishes come true!

It was a great day…even for a school day! I know we still celebrated them big, but it sure is different compared to when they were little.

Favorite Mom Meme:

I got my answered prayer…x 2!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

I don’t know why but the past couple of months whenever I would think about their upcoming birthday, I would think of them being five. These past ten (15!) years sure have gone by quickly.

Truly, this picture…and them holding up “one whole hand,” is etched in my mind forever.

Weekly Recap:

My November blogging streak continues…

I have some catching up to do on the “gratitude” front, so I plan on writing posts Saturday and Sunday too.

I hope you have a great Friday!