Well, Mondays tend to be my least favorite day of the week, but this type of Monday hits different.
We only have a two day week of school and…today Hayden and Hadley turn 14! So, today is a great day!
We spent the weekend doing all the things they love….
Hanging with friends…
…running cross country…
…playing volleyball…
…and basketball…
…& eating cake!
I feel like we went from this…
to this …
in a flash!
(excuse the lack of #4 on the cake — we couldn’t seem to find it. Welcome to my life!)
It was a very hectic weekend as we wrap up a very busy month, but it was a good one.
I saw this meme…and chuckled.
I feel like it can also apply to parenthood 😆
November is going by so quickly, but we still have quite a few more things going on between now and Thanksgiving break…including two days of school and two evenings of volleyball.
It might be that our evenings are busy with cross country and volleyball, but I felt like we all had to manage every minute of our evenings this week. The kids have really seemed to have a lot of homework, so they were up late a couple of nights.
Anyway, we’ve made it to the weekend!
As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are my favorites from the week:
On Saturday night, Hayden ran in distance festival at Bellarmine. Thomson Training, my nephew’s running club, hosts this event in honor of Trav’s dad. Some of the best runners in the state were there. Hayden ran a great race around the track with a sub 5 mile.
It’s been amazing to see how this event has grown in the past three years, and it’s inspiring to see all the runners there in honor of Trav’s dad who was a huge supporter of cross country.
On Sunday, we went to the UK volleyball game. Some of Hadley’s friends went too, and my brother, his family, and my mom were there as well.
Kentucky won, and it was a fun afternoon at Rupp!
Since my mom was visiting, she brought the kids their birthday gifts a few days early.
The main reason my mom came to visit was to go to the Eagles concert. They are on their “Long Goodbye” tour. She really wanted to go, so my brother and I went with her. It was a late night on Tuesday, but we really enjoyed the concert. The Doobie Brothers opened for them, and I knew most of their songs too!
Hadley had quite a lot of fans at her volleyball game on Wednesday. Besides my mom and brother, my niece and nephew came too.
Remember my trip to Walmart on election day? I picked up these two trees, and I finally put them up over the weekend. They are perfect!
I can’t wait to get my other Christmas decorations out…maybe this weekend?
I’ve shared these in previous years, but these wireless outlets (with remote!) continue to save the day, especially during the holidays. I used one for the tree in my room, one for the tree in Hadley’s room, and then one for these trees. It’s difficult to get behind the mirror, so I plugged the trees into a power strip, and then plugged the power strip into the wall.
Every night, I use the remote to turn off all the trees. (Hadley sometimes turns her tree off by clicking the button on the outlet before I go to bed.) So, you don’t have to use the remote.
Anyway, I just thought I’d share in case they might come in handy for you.
Our weekend includes a volleyball tournament, a cross country race, some basketball games, and we’re squeezing in some time to let the kids have fun with their friends to celebrate their birthday.
I’ve been wanting to share another “Five Things” post, but my house isn’t in its “normal” state thanks to fall and now Christmas decorations.
So…today, I’m sharing…
school bag…
I got this bag at Target about three years ago, and it’s held up nicely. I like that it’s big, but not too big, and it has an inside and outside pocket. I always leave my badge and school keys in the inside pocket and not my purse. I want to keep things separate in case I lose one or the other.
So, here’s what’s in my school bag.
1. Lesson plan book
I have had a lesson plan book in my bag for over 20 years! This is my third year using a Happy Planner, and it’s the second year that I’m using the smaller version of the Happy Planner.
I prefer the vertical column layout with the dates going down the left hand side, so this one is perfect. I use the columns for each hour of the school day, but then I use the far right column to remind myself of meetings, appointments, and the kids’ activities.
I love using Happy Planner stickers to brighten up each week in my planner (and on my desk calendar too!)
2. Folders
Of course, I have a few folders in my bag. The blue and white one I’ve had for years, and I mostly use it for my blogging calendar and other personal papers. I should probably get a new set of these folders as this one definitely is showing some wear and tear.
Other folders usually get switched out depending on my needs or what meetings/ training sessions I’m attending.
3. Notepad(s)
Sometimes, when I feel like I have a lot to do, I use these bigger notepads to make a big list either day by day, or I categorized activities. I bought this colorful pack of legal pads, and it’s lasted me over three years! I’m on my last pad of paper.
Of course, I also use the note pads for note-taking during meetings or professional development sessions.
4. Pencil pouch
Ahh…this pencil pouch has been in my bag for over four years. I like that the front part has a spot for extra storage. I keep it filled with markers, highlighters, pens, pencils, and a pad or two of sticky notes. I’m always prepared!
5. Book/Computer
ok — so I lumped these two together. haha
I usually have a book that I’m reading to help with English classes, and often times I have my school computer in my bag. Sometimes, I leave it at school if I’m not going to need it at home, but it’s typically in my bag more times than not.
What about you? What are your essentials that you keep in your school or work bag?
I’ve heard nothing but good things about Aldi, but it is rarely a place I shop for groceries. That being said, there was a stretch of time these past few months where I was near Aldi, so I stopped by once a week or so.
Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite finds.
Pretzel tray, Oreo muffins, crackers, and cranberry cinnamon goat cheese!
The preztel tray I bought on a whim when my mom and Gma were visiting. It was a Sunday afternoon, and I thought it would be good to have a snack on hand. This tray comes with two bags of pretzels and two dipping sauces. This was definitely a great buy! We all enjoyed them. That being said, baking them in the oven is the way to go. Hadley microwaved a couple, and they were as hard as a rock.
I bought the Oreo muffins as a dessert, and the kids loved them. What’s not to love?!
I’ve purchased the goat cheese a couple of times, and it’s a great snack or appetizer with the crackers.
Up next: some snacks
I’ve purchased the pretzel and cream cheese packs from Kroger before, so I knew I’d like these.
These “Sweet Snack Selects” are actually why I was making time to stop by Aldi once a week. Now, I buy quite a few of the 3 packs at a time. They are the perfect (healthy-ish) sweet treat. They have white cheddar cheese, milk chocolate chunks, dried cranberries, and graham crackers bites. 10/10 recommend!
I LOVE the caramel rice cakes. Actually, last time I went in there, they didn’t have any, and I was so bummed!
The prosciutto, provolone, and breadstick pack is an easy and delicious snack.
All of these are convenient for me to pack at for school or just enjoy at home.
…and…a couple of lunch items…
The “Everything” Bagel Skinnys are perfect for making sandwiches.
The Panera soup is a great option for a school lunch for me.
Do you shop at Aldi? Amy is who got me to go back there…she shared about the pumpkin K cup coffee they had, so I went there for that, and have continued to find things that I love.
This is definitely the time of the year for comfort food.
To me, comfort food is warm and hearty like chili, soup or a casserole.
Here are a few of my “go to” recipesthat are definitely comfort foods:
I shared this recipe in my Friday Favoritespost. I just saw it on Instagram, and decided to make it. It will definitely go into my cooking rotation as we move into winter.
It’s almost time for me to make our traditional Turkey Rice Soup. We use Thanksgiving turkey the day after for this soup.
Mac and cheese! Mac and cheese has always been one of my favorite foods. While Hadley can live on the box of white cheddar shells from Trader Joe’s, my favorite is this one that I occasionally make, and when I do, I always wonder why I don’t make it more often. (maybe because of all the calories…haha)
Anyway, this was quite the list…and it’s inspired me to make some of these recipes soon! I can’t wait to see what others share as well.
What’s your favorite comfort food?
I can’t believe next month will be our last Not Just a Mom post of 2023. Our topic is favorite books/series. We’d love to have you join us!
How was your week? Ours was good, but just felt extra busy. I’m ready for the weekend, that’s for sure.
As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
Well, this was me all week…can you relate?
That being said, I love DST and “falling back.” I know, I’m the odd (wo)man out!
Last Saturday, Hayden had is first race of club season in Louisville. It was a national race with runners from California, Missouri, Georgia and more! The weather was perfect for running, and he ran a great race…a minute faster than the same race last year.
His team got second overall, and they also gave out awards by state, and he was a top runner in Kentucky.
Hadley had so much fun at her friend’s birthday party on Saturday night. These fun girls got together for fun, food, trivia, and a movie.
I can’t believe Hadley will be the next one is this group to be 14!
Hadley helped me pick out the Christmas tree on Saturday. On Sunday, she helped me fluff it and add the garland…then she swiped my favorite Christmas sweatshirt…haha
I shared in yesterday’s post that we usually get a real tree for the living room, but last year, after cleaning up the dry needles and mess, Travis said, “never again!” While that’s a bold statement, I am ok with an artificial one for now. It just means I can put it up whenever I want. haha
Anyway, I heard all the hype about the “viral” Home Depot tree. Since it seems sold out, I saw others share this one as a good second option. I knew when Hadley saw that it has white lights and/or colored lights, this would be the one she wanted. While I prefer the white lights, the colored lights are fun too.
This tree comes with a remote, and the lights can also faded off and on and blink. I don’t really need that feature, and the other one had a twinkle option. I do think I would like that, but this one has worked out great, and the price is really good too.
No school Tuesday was a favorite. It was nice to have some downtime, but I was also really productive too!
Tis the season!
Hadley sent me a birthday/Christmas wish list, and this attention to detail made me LOL.
I have a new favorite nail polish.
My nail lady almost doesn’t know who I am anymore. I almost always get Funny Bunny or Bubble Bath, but I tried a pretty brown last time, and this time, I tried this navy color. It’s OPI Less is Norse. I really like it! Like…who am I making these bold statements with my nail color choice?
Their new Ainsley pullover is so soft, comfy, and stylish!
Favorite Mom Meme:
Amen.
Not Just a Mom:
On Monday, we have our monthly Not Just a Mom link up. This month’s topic is comfort food. I think I will start with the recipe in today’s post and go from there. We’d love to have you join us for this link up.
How is it already Thursday? This week is flying by.
On a whim, I decided to capture a “day in the life” on Tuesday when we had a day off from school.
I look forward to this particular day off every year. It’s a random Tuesday in November which made Monday more tolerable. It’s nice not to set an alarm, vote, and get some things accomplished on a day where I would have been at school.
Anyway, here’s a peek at my Tuesday:
I woke up around my normal 6:00 time, but I knew because it was so dark out it still must be early. I refused to get up before 7, and actually dozed off for another hour or so.
When I woke up, I remembered that I had laundry in the wash that I had started the night before. Monday night, I went to bed earlier than I usually do which meant I forgot about this load that needed moved to the dryer.
While my coffee was brewing, I went ahead and made some pumpkin muffins for the kids to have for breakfast. On Sunday, I made a list for Tuesday of things I didn’t get accomplished over the weekend (which is another reason why I love this day off), and making some muffins was one of those things.
Yes–I have my tree up. I put it up on Saturday night. We usually get a real tree for the living room, but last year after we dragged it out of the house and had a mess of water and dry tree needles everywhere, Travis declared, “never again!” So Hadley helped me pick this one out at Home Depot (no, it’s not the viral Tik Tok one) this past weekend.
I still have my fall decor out, so be prepared for holiday whiplash if you come visit me.
Hadley also picked out his mug for me at a recent trip to Michaels.
I scrolled my phone, read a few blogs, and watched an episode of Southern Charm while the kids slept in.
After that, I added some pictures to my Wednesday blog post and saved that on my phone.
Then, it was time to wake up Hadley. (Hayden got up around 9:00) and do my morning skincare routine….
…before making my bed.
I gave the kids their instructions for the day. Hayden had to mow the yard one final time this season, and Hadley had to finish bagging the leaves. Like me, they are good at putting off weekend things for the Tuesday day off.
Then, I went to vote!
After that, I had two errands. I needed to return a Christmas tree to At Home, and I stopped at Walmart….where I picked up two more trees. haha (as well as a few other odds and ends)
While I was running my errands, I missed a call from Hadley. She was requesting Starbucks, and her mind was blown that I wasn’t near one. “But mom, they are everywhere!!” haha
Anyway, I didn’t have time for a Starbs run because I needed to get back home to grab lunch before my appointment.
I’m back trying to eat low carb on Mondays and Tuesdays which you can probably tell by my plate.
Then, I decided to unload the dishwasher before heading to…
…my monthly facial. I had my favorite combo: dermaplane and chemical peel! It was nice and relaxing.
Hadley and her friend had been bagging the leaves, so I did pick them up Starbucks. Hadley is pretty distinguished with placing orders on the app for pick up.
Once I was home, I had about an hour before the kids’ dental appointment, so Hadley helped me with the pencil tree that I put in our bedroom. I bought this tree in 2020, and it’s become a tradition to put it up on Election Day. In 2021, I bought another one for the sunroom. Hadley has requested a bigger tree for her room, so I put that one in her room this year instead.
Then, it was time for the dentist. They just had their cleaning appointments, and it still feels so odd to me just sending them back…well, one at a time.
Hayden wanted to act like he didn’t know me 😉 (really, he had a better view of the tv from that spot while Hadley was getting her teeth cleaned)
Once we got home, I did a few things around the house, and then took a few minutes to finish up yesterday’s post.
Travis has been super busy with the November horse sale, and he had his longest and busiest day. He left early in the morning, and wasn’t home until after 10!
So, because of that, I didn’t have big plans for dinner.
Hallelujah! We had leftovers!
Hayden was playing Xbox, and Hadley had math homework to finish, so we all just kind of ate whenever we wanted to.
After that, Hadley clicked around looking for a dress for the next cotillion dance.
Then, Hayden had an 8:15 basketball game…on a Tuesday night… *sigh*
Hayden had a great game, but we weren’t home until almost 9:30.
Everyone took turns showering, and I did my PM skincare routine before…
…settling in to start a new book and wait for Travis to get home.
Once he got home, he still had work to do, but the rest of us went to bed.
It was a good day with a little downtime, some productivity, and crossing some things off my list!
I hope you are having a great week. The day off yesterday was just what I needed to have a bit of downtime mixed in with productivity. Now we’re on the downhill slide to the weekend.
I had to double check my calendar. I can’t believe it’s the second Wednesday of the month! That means I’m linking up with Shay and Erika for Let‘s Look.
I skipped October because I’d already shared a post about fears for the blog challenge.
This month we are looking at…stocking stuffers.
Tis the season, y’all!
I looked back at my Amazon history, and today I’m sharing a few favorite stocking stuffers.
I know it seems random but this tissue box cover “elevates” an eyesore on the counter. There are a variety of colors, and it’s less than $8! I have this “pastel gray” one and have gifted it to others as well.
I stuck this razor kit in Hayden’s stocking last year. While he doesn’t need it often ☺️, it has definitely come in handy.
This heatless curl set is Hadley approved. It comes in a few different designs…including “candy cane!”
Both Travis and Hayden have these stocking caps with a light for running. It’s the perfect gift for a runner during the winter months.
I hate to exaggerate, but this ground meat chopper is a game changer for cooking! I use it every time I cook ground meat.
I have this watch band, and I love the scallop detail. It comes in so many cute colors; maybe I should grab another one.
These rose gold earrings are my favorite, and I wear them almost every single day. They are less than $10, and have a $1 off coupon.
These socks are fun for any gamer or teen in your life. For only $6, they’d be a perfect stocking gift. I got them for Hayden a couple of years ago.
Bananagrams is a fun game for all ages. It’s the perfect size to take for family fun when you travel.
I’ve shared these portable chargers before, and they’ve worked great for us through the years. They got us through the five day power outage last spring. I have my eye on this one because it’s slimmer, and we could use one or two more.
Honestly, stockings have always been my favorite part of Christmas morning.
Happy shopping!
{This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Thanks for supporting my blog.}
Today is a Tuesday with no school, so I’m going to make the most of it.
A few weeks ago, I shared a Top 10 Tuesday post all about my favorite nail polish colors.
Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite movies.
There’s something about this time of the year, and when I have time in the fall and winter months, I like to watch movies whenever I can.
If I see that these movies are on, I will watch them. Some of them, I make a point to watch, especially during winter break when I have some extra time on my hands.
Here are my top 10 favorite movies:
These are in no particular order until I share the top 3.
10. You’ve Got Mail – I love the fall/Christmas setting of New York…and the dial up AOL gets me every time! Hadley and I watched this last winter break, and she loved it. Just this weekend, she asked if we could watch it again.
9. A League of Their Own
Tom Hanks yelling, “There’s no crying in baseball!” Classic. Also, Alice’s bruise…ouch! The end with the former players coming back to see the hall of fame is such a touching scene.
8. An Affair to Remember
I don’t remember the first time I saw this movie, but I just love it. Romance at its best and amazing actors. This is a timeless classic.
7. Swiss Family Robinson
This Disney classic is one from my childhood. When we took the kids to Disney World in 2019, and we visited the tree house, they thought it was so cool. As soon as we got home, Hayden wanted to watch the movie and enjoyed it.
6. Top Gun
This movie is so exciting, and just one of my favorites. Of course, we saw Maverick when it was in the theater in 2022. The kids loved it too.
5. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
This musical is the best. I love the actors, the songs, and the dancing.
4. Home Alone
Holiday classic for sure! We always watch this one around Christmastime.
Top 3:
3. While you were sleeping
This movie is so sweet and funny. I’m a big Sandra Bullock fan, and Bill Pullman is great too. The entire cast is great. I love Saul and Elsie….and Joe Jr. are my favorites too.
2. Sleepless in Seattle
This is just such a sweet movie. I love Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.
1. The Parent Trap
My all time favorite movie is the originalParent Trap. Again, it’s a Disney classic that I remember watching as a kid. I even had a VHS of the movie, and I watched it time and time again.
Of course, I’ve seen the Lindsay Lohan version, and it’s fine, but I love the Hayley Mills version the best.
I wish I had time to watch a movie today. What are your favorite movies?
Y’all, I forgot all about Daylight Saving Time until Friday when I read a couple of other blog posts! Then, I forgot all about it again until Saturday night…when I went ahead and set the clocks back.
I know it’s an annoying adjustment, but I definitely appreciated the extra hour yesterday.
As I always do on the first Monday of the month, I’m linking up with Tanya to share my Amazon purchases.
This month was pretty much all about me. Whoops. That being said, a few purchases were from late September, but I wanted to wear them before sharing.
Here are my purchases from the month:
Before our fall break trip, I picked up this cover up and swimsuit. I haven’t bought a new swimsuit in a couple of summers, and I can pretty much say the same thing about swim cover ups too.
Anyway, I thought this one would be a good option because I knew we might be going from beach to restaurants occasionally, and this one is even styled as a dress on Amazon.
Anyway, I really like it, and it comes in a variety of colors.
I have shared this swimsuit time and time again, but this swimsuit is a new fave for sure. I realize it’s fall right now, and you might not be going anywhere warm, but if you are, this one shoulder suit is legit.
It comes in a variety of colors and patterns, and I just bet I will share it with you all again this summer.
The thing about me and athleisure is that I tend to keep most leggings and tanks for quite a while. I did go through my athleisure drawer recently, and got rid of a few pieces.
I was trying to find another 7/8 length pair of leggings, and these are it. The fabric is soft, they hold you in, and they have the side pocket which I prefer. These are a new fave for sure.
I shared these in a previous post, but wanted to include them again in my monthly Amazon post.
These are definitely more of a yoga style with softer, thinner fabric. That being said, I’ve used them for low-impact workouts and just casual wear, and I don’t regret this purchase. The price is great too!
What caught my eye is side slit which I thought was a fun detail.
Real talk – I was influenced by Jen Reed when she shared this purse. What I like about this purse is that it is nice, sturdy, cute, and a crossbody. There are times, like when I go to Keeneland, that I take a clutch purse, but I wanted a nicer crossbody, so I’m not holding my purse the entire time.
This purse is on the smaller side, but it held what I needed it to hold for the day. It also comes with a longer adjustable strap too, but I used the shorter one that came attached to it.
Lastly, I’ve been using this magnetic meal planning pad to keep on the fridge, and needed to order another one after using it for a year. It’s the perfect size to write our activities and what we are having for dinner as well as using the right hand side for my grocery list.
So those are my purchases for the month. It’s hard to believe that November purchases might include birthday gifts for a couple of fourteen year olds as well as some possible early Christmas gifts.
{This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Thanks for supporting my blog.}
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