Hello!
I’m keeping it short and sweet. I thought today might be a good day to share a day in the life on Instagram stories.
My handle is @showmeandsweettea
We have a few things planned for today as well as a bit of downtime.
I hope you are staying cool and able to beat the heat!
Hello from hot and muggy Lexington. 😩
Hadley had her dance recitals over the weekend, and we loved all her performances. Kind of like my baseball wrap-up for Hayden, I like to have all the dance memories in one place for Hadley as well.
There were three recital times: one on Friday evening and then one each on Saturday afternoon and evening. That meant three recitals practices for Hadley as well last week leading up to the recitals.
Friday night, Hadley just danced in the opening number and the finale, so I just dropped her off for that one and then caught the end of the recital after Hayden’s basketball game.
Saturday was a busier day with recitals at noon and 7:00. The noon recital was extra special because that’s when Hadley helped with her younger cousin’s class. Hadley also danced in the opening and finale numbers as well. My mom was in town to see Layla and Hadley’s Saturday performances.
Then, Saturday evening, Hadley had six dances overall! All the family was there, including Hayden! 😆
The opening number was one of the competition routines with all of the competition team members at the studio. It’s a fun, action-packed performance.
Then, Hadley danced in her other competition routine which was a small jazz ensemble performance. It’s one of my favorite dances, and Hadley has the opening turn to start the performance.
Great group of girls with their amazing teacher.
This was my favorite costume and Hadley wore it for jazz and ballet performances.
They did an awesome job.
Then, Hadley had her ballet performance before quickly changing for the finale.
Hadley and Layla after their routine on Saturday…
Lots of fun memories and family….
Of course we had to get flowers for our dancing queen!
…and a family photo…
Hayden obliged for a photo after Hadley’s final performance.
(Halfway through the Saturday evening performance, Hayden did ask for money for the concession stand…😂! (There were no snacks at the recital!)) Also, when Hadley asked which dance was his favorite, he mentioned “the tap routine with no music.” That was a great acapella performance by the older girls…but Hadley wasn’t in that one. Oh, brother!
Well, you’d think we’d have a bit of a dancing break, but Hadley signed up for hip hop and ballet conditioning this summer. It is only one night a week, and she loves being at the studio and dancing with her friends.
I always say that I’m not sure where Hadley got her rhythm and grace, but that she also has the heart of a dancer. She loves being up on that stage.
Thanks so much for reading.
Hello! How was your weekend? We had a great one that was mostly centered around Hadley’s dance recitals. Hayden also had a basketball game, and we enjoyed some family time too. The weather was great, and we savored our time outside because this week the temps are definitely cranking up a notch into the upper 90’s!
It’s the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting our Not Just a Mom link-up with these fun bloggers:
So far this year, we’ve discussed:
This month, we are sharing dream travel locations.
I wrote this post in March because I think I was getting excited about Spring Break and summer being right around the corner!
My “bucket list” is on there, but my top five dream travel locations include:
Where is somewhere you’ve been that I need to go? I’d love to add it to my list.
If you are a blogger, mark your calendar for next month when we share family food traditions.
In the meantime, we hope you’ll link up and/or read the other posts about dream travel locations.
I hope your week is off to a great start!
Hello and Happy Friday.
We had a good but busy summer week. Personally, it was nice to not get up and think about school, but I still had to set an alarm every morning due to Hadley’s activities.
Also, I’ve felt “off” all week. I guess it’s a summer cold, and Hadley has been dealing with congestion too. On top of having a sore throat and drainage, I was tired and sometimes achy. I did test neg for the Vid, so who knows! Maybe the hustle and bustle of the end of the school year caught up with me.
I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
I mentioned in Tuesday’s post that what was supposed to be a couple of hours at the pool Sunday turned into many hours at the pool and a Pina Colada with Trav.
Hadley has decided she wants to play volleyball again, so we signed her up for a camp this week with a friend. That meant 9-12 camp four days this week!
Hayden left on Monday to go to the lake with a friend, so I had lots of Hadley time this week.
After camp on Monday, we hit the mall for a few things and lunch in the food court. What is it about kids and the food court?! It seemed like a treat to her. haha
She has had dance recital practice three nights this week with the recital this weekend. It’s nice that she’s old enough to handle costume changes, but I definitely sweep in at the end to make sure she has everything!
Wednesday night’s recital practice included Hadley (and her friend) helping cousin Layla’s tap class up on stage. Super cute group of little ladies.
While at the lake, Hayden had so much fun with two of his friends. With limited WiFi, they had all kinds of good old fashioned fun. They swam, ran around, went in the kayaks and fished.
Hayden was so excited to catch a few fish (a first for him) including this large mouth bass.
On Wednesday, we celebrated our 3 year Homer-versary! Since we don’t know his actual birthday, we celebrate him on his “Gotcha Day,” and he obliges for a few photos in his birthday scarf thanks to a few treats!
6/8/19
He’s calmed down since we got him and is overall a pretty good boy (even though he destroyed a roll of toilet paper this week!)
Travis and I finally finished Season 4 of Ozark. I love me some Jason Bateman, but man, that show is intense! I wish it ended a bit differently, but I’m glad we finished the series. Now Travis and I need to find something else to watch together. Let me know if you have any recommendations!
Is anyone shocked that my favorite clothing item is a new pair of pjs?
I bought these a couple of weeks ago when both the top and the bottom were each on sale for $8. I’d pay full price for them though! They are cute and light-weight…perfect for summer!
I actually have this pair ready for pick up too. I will let you know how they are once I get them.
Me…all week!
In honor of Hadley’s dance recital this week, here’s a throwback to her first-ever dance recital in 2016! #pinchycheekcute
I had a couple of link up posts this week as well as one other one:
Also, before I go…we have our Not Just a Mom link up this coming Monday. The topic is dream travel locations.
If you are a blogger, we hope you join us! It’s the perfect topic as we dive into summer!
What are your plans for the weekend? We don’t have tons going on today, but Hadley will be a busy dancer this weekend! I can’t wait to see her routines!
Thanks so much for reading!
Hello!
Well, this is probably a post that’s more for me than anyone else. I want to have all of my baseball memories in one spot!
Hayden headed into this spring baseball season with some hesitation. I think he was worried about juggling both track and baseball. I will say there weren’t any other kids on the middle school track team who played baseball. We got “lucky” with the schedule as he only missed one baseball game for a track meet, but it was a lot to juggle.
I did encourage him to finish up baseball with his 12-year-old season because I knew he’d have fun with his team, be a leader for the younger kids, and, honestly, I knew he still had some baseball left in him.
As the kids have gotten older, of course they’ve had to make decisions and start cutting out sports or activities because we can’t do all the things all the time! Hadley did gymnastics for a couple of years and stopped with Girl Scouts once she got to middle school while Hayden played soccer off and on for a few years. Hayden has really found his groove with running, and I think that will be a focus for him moving forward.
Baseball is the one sport that stuck with Hayden…for the past nine years.
Like many sports, baseball was an outlet for Hayden to temper his anxiety and shyness.
Like most things in life, Hayden started baseball with his sister by his side and some of his best baseball memories include Trav as his coach.
I will never forget seeing him on the pitcher’s mound for the first time. I texted Trav and said, “What (the heck) is he doing out there?” Trav said, “He wanted to try give it a try.” As an introvert on the mound, he blossomed with confidence after hearing, “Strikkkkeee!” for the first time.
From digging in the dirt to striking out batters…From t-ball to the Majors…From losses to wins and all the memories in between…Hayden has accomplished so much and made us very proud.
While he accomplished so much on the field, our hearts swelled with pride when he was given the Sportsmanship award last fall. I’m not entirely sure what goes on in a baseball dugout, but I love hearing him cheer for his teammates and give tips to the younger players.
…from the Mud Hens…
…to the Timber Rattlers…
…to the Twins…(how fitting!)
….to the Mariners…
…to Turkey Feet…
…and Crush in the summer…
…to the Reds as an 11 and…
…12 year old…
Hayden has had quite the baseball “career.”
Honestly, I’ve been a bit emotional this season…not necessarily tears, but just more about savoring each baseball moment. Every at bat, every play at first, and every pitch meant something a little bit more this season.
We snapped a photo before his end of season tournament game because you just never know when the last game will be.
Hayden played first which is where you’d usually find him if he wasn’t pitching this season.
He had a couple of great hits to do what he could for his team.
Ultimately, they lost, so Saturday was the end of the season. And…we were all ok! While a win would have been nice, it just wasn’t in the cards for the Reds that day.
During one of Hayden’s coach pitch seasons, the Twins won the end of the season tournament.
Lots of memories with Hadley playing on the same team, digging in the dirt, Trav coaching third base, and post-season awards.
This is one of my favorite baseball photos that my talented brother-in-law snapped after a game when Hayden was 8 (I think!)
So many at bats, so many strike outs while pitching, and so much advice from Trav through the years…
Quite a few stolen bases too!
He played through many hot summer games and usually had a smile on his face. Those games provided additional memories for us as a family, more laundry for me, and a few rings and trophies for Hayden.
It’s been an honor to watch him grow, mature, and flourish on the field.
Hayden…We are proud of you. We’ll always be your biggest fans. No one supports you like your dad or loves you like your mom.
It’s been quite the ride, and there’s nothing better than seeing your kids have fun, learn life lessons, make choices, and grow into who they are supposed to be.
If you need me, you can find me clapping for Hadley after her upcoming recital and cheering for Hayden as he runs track, cross country, and up and down the court for basketball.
See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.
Hello! I hope you are having a great week so far!
Well, yesterday was the first Tuesday of the month, so I shared my Amazon purchases, and today is the second Wednesday of the month which means that I’m linking up with Shay and Erika for Let’s Look.
So far this year, we’ve looked at:
Well, this week I’m trying to get us into a summer routine. Sometimes lunch is chicken tenders and fries at the pool. I do try to have us eat at home most days and then just pack snacks for the pool. On Fridays, I usually let the kids pick somewhere to drive-thru which usually means Chick-fil-A, Raising Canes, Sonic, or Taco Bell.
I’ve shared some lunch posts before, but here are some fave options when I’m at home:
Shrimp tacos are pretty easy to make. I just sautee some shrimp in EVOO and the Chile Lime seasoning from Trader Joe’s. I add lettuce cabbage with a sprinkle of cheese and a drizzle of Ranch dressing.
To me, nothing says summer like a snack plate. I just love that I’m home to have more than 18 minutes to eat, and can just put together a plate of favorites based on what we have at home.
Anything can go on the plate: cheese, fruit, almonds, pickles, lunch meat, prosciutto, sausage, etc. I usually have one meat, one cheese, one fruit and then go from there.
I eat this Cheeseburger Bowl on repeat! I just cook ground turkey and add in taco seasoning. Then, I put the meat on top of some lettuce and add a few chopped up pickles, a sprinkle of cheese, and then a drizzle of the Magnifisauce from Trader Joe’s.
Other quick lunches we have often: quesadilla, grilled cheese, turkey sausage with sides like fruit, pretzels and hummus or peppers.
This recent Not Just a Mom post has some lunch ideas and links back to some previous posts I’ve shared as well.
Truly, one of my favorite parts of summer is not packing a lunch, picking and choosing what to eat based on what I have at home, and having some extra time to eat as well.
What are your “go-to” summer lunches?
Hello! Well, I didn’t mean to take Monday off from blogging, but a couple hours at the pool on Sunday turned into staying until 7:00, a lazy dinner, and an episode of Ozark with Travis…which I guess is how summer should be.
It’s the first Tuesday of the month (I actually had to check my calendar!), so I’m linking up with Tanya for this month’s…
This month I bought…
I have quite the assortment of purchases this month…
Well let me start off with a random situation. These thin strap sandals are SO comfy (and so cute) I’ve worn them to school all day long, and my feet love them. That being said, they make an airy sound when I walk. I checked with Amy, and hers do it too! Let’s just say I won’t wear them on testing days at school! So random.
These block heeled sandals were perfect for Hadley to pair with the dress she wore to friend’s bat mitzvah.
She danced the night away in them, and loves them.
It’s pool season which means I’m looking for all my beach towels. Honestly, I haven’t bought any new towels in a couple of years.
I wanted to try these Turkish towels because I like how light and long they are.
They are officially my “go to” pool towel.
I also picked up these thicker cabana striped beach towels, and they are great quality and super soft.
Is it even summer if I don’t buy a new swim cover up?
I love this cover up so much that I will probably get it in one more color before the summer is over.
Right as the school year was wrapping up, my favorite pens were starting to run out. I decided to go ahead and buy a new pack to finish out the year.
We logged a lot of time bleacher sitting between baseball and track this spring. I have a nice cushy stadium seat that Travis got for me, but I went ahead and picked up this two pack of Coleman stadium seats to keep in the back of the car. I purchased them right before my dad visited because I knew he’d need a seat at the track meet.
Confession: I love a tennis skirt…and I don’t play tennis! I actually have a couple that I love that I got at TJ Maxx a couple of summers ago. (Pro tip: TJ Maxx has some great workout wear options!), but I wanted a new one, and this one is perfect!
Summer uniform (just can’t wait to have tanner legs!)
What are some of your summer Amazon purchases? See you back here tomorrow for Let’s Look.
{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}
Hello and Happy Friday! This week was a good one, but it was a doozy! I was busy most of the week coordinating summer school while still also managing my kids’ busy social lives and schedules. I relied heavily on my mom friends, and I’m grateful for them!
Today, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
On my weekly Trader Joe’s run, I saw this candle when I checked out. I picked one up. The Mango Tangerine scent is perfect for summer.
The studio dance photos came in this week, and they are so great!
Then, the moms split the cost on some of the group photos. This is such a great group of girls.
Swim team started this week for Hadley. She had her first swim meet on Wednesday night. This is her second year in the 11-12 age group, and she’s happy to be on the older end of the age group!
She definitely found her stride (stroke?! 😆) with each race on Wednesday. She swam free, back, breast, and free relay. She got second in the breast stroke and her relay team was first! The swim meets make for late evenings, but it’s always fun to watch them swim and improve each week.
While Hadley’s been swimming, Hayden has been busy at basketball camp during the day, and baseball at night.
Tuesday night was the last regular season game, and here is lucky number 7 up to bat.
The tournament starts this weekend, and then that’s a wrap on baseball for Hayden (forever?) #sadbaseballmom
This is me pretty often but definitely this week!
In honor of the first swim meet of the season, here’s a throwback to the kids’ first ever swim meet in 2017. Hayden “retired” in 2019, but Hadley continues to swim and loves it.
I had a couple of posts this week. Here they are:
I hope you have a great weekend! See you back here next week.
Hello!
I’m a bit late sharing my May books, but this week has been a bit hectic with summer school.
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
Nikki Griffin isn’t your typical private investigator. In her office above her bookstore’s shelves and stacks, where she luxuriates in books and the comfort they provide, she also tracks certain men. Dangerous men. Men who have hurt the women they claim to love. And Nikki likes to teach those men a lesson, to teach them what it feels like to be hurt and helpless, so she can be sure that their victims are safe from them forever.
When a regular PI job tailing Karen, a tech company’s disgruntled employee who might be selling secrets, turns ugly and Karen’s life is threatened, Nikki has to break cover and intervene. Karen tells Nikki that there are people after her. Dangerous men. She says she’ll tell Nikki what’s really going on. But then something goes wrong, and suddenly Nikki is no longer just solving a case—she’s trying hard to stay alive.
Part Lisbeth Salander, part Jack Reacher, part Jessica Jones, Nikki Griffin is a kickass character who readers will root for as she seeks to right the world’s wrongs. S.A. Lelchuk’s Save Me from Dangerous Men marks the beginning of a gripping new series and the launch of a fabulous new character
A friend gave me this book to read, and I really enjoyed it. The main character was definitely a force to be reckoned with and it was fun keeping up with her. She definitely didn’t shy away from dangerous situations and Nikki was definitely a character to root for!
A wealthy hotel heiress.
Torie Bergstrom hasn’t been back to Georgia since she was ten, but she’s happy to arrange a job for her best friend at one of the family properties on Jekyll Island.
A suspicious death.
When Torie learns that her best friend has drowned, she knows this is more than a tragic accident: Lisbeth was terrified of water and wouldn’t have gone swimming by choice.
A fight for the truth.
Torie goes to the hotel under an alias, trying to find answers. When she meets Joe Abbott and his daughter rescuing baby turtles, she finds a tentative ally.
But the more they dig, the more ties they find to Torie’s mother’s death twenty years before. Someone will risk anything—even more murder—to hide the truth.
This book was a good mix of suspense, romance, and “who done it?” I loved the setting of Jekyll and the Torie’s background as a wealthy heiress who wants to blend in. I read this one pretty quickly, and I loved how events from the past and the present were woven together.
Single mom Robyn Caldwell needs a new plan for her future. She has always put her family first. Now, with her kids grown, she yearns for a change. But what can she do when her daughter has become the most demanding bride ever, her son won’t even consider college, her best friend is on the brink of marital disaster and her ex is making a monumentally bad decision that could ruin everything?
Take a vacation, of course. Press reset. When her great-aunt Lillian invites her to Santa Barbara for the summer, Robyn hops on the first plane to sunny California.
But it’s hard to get away when you’re the heart of the family. One by one, everyone she loves follows her across the country. Somehow, their baggage doesn’t feel as heavy in the sun-drenched, mishmash mansion. The more time Robyn spends with free-spirited Lillian, the more possibilities she sees—for dreams, love, family. She can have everything she ever wanted, if only she can muster the courage to take a chance on herself.
I still have a few pages left of this book, but I wanted to go ahead and share it. It was my first “summer” book, and I really enjoyed it. (Warning?) There were a few “R rated” references/moments. The main character Robyn had so much going on as a mom trying to figure out the next steps of her future. Her aunt Lillian was a sweet addition to the story, and the various characters all played off of each other nicely. This was a good light-hearted read with a few predictable parts.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever had a solid 4 star month…there’s usually at least one five star book, but overall these were pretty good!
Just a reminder….here’s my Summer Reading List…and I can already check one off that list!
I hope the summer is off to a great start for you. See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.
Hello there!
I hope you had a great weekend. Memorial Day always kicks off summer, but it’s an important time to remember and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.
It’s been a minute since I’ve shared a post, but today I’m getting caught up!
I’m sharing a bit of Life…lately.
A couple of weeks ago, Hadley attended a friend’s bat mitzvah, and looked so grown up!
She borrowed a dress from a friend, and then we ordered these cute shoes from Amazon. The outfit came together nicely. She had a great time with her friends.
We also had Youth Sunday at church. The kids all looked so grown up. Hayden handed out the bulletins and Hadley helped with offering.
It’s peony season at Trader Joe’s which I love!
Of course, we’ve had lots of sporting events including a recent CATS game. Travis took them, and Hadley sent me this photo. They had a great time.
Hayden was excited to get his baseball signed by a few players.
Then, we also watched my school’s baseball team the regional tournament.
We celebrated the last day of school. 6th grade seemed to fly by!
On Friday night, we went to see Top Gun Maverick.
It was SO good. I don’t know the last time I enjoyed a movie so much. I loved the nods to the first one, and we were on the edge of our seats with the action. The kids enjoyed it too.
They’ve been busy finishing up track season.
Two weekends ago they ran in a race just to get in more practice and work in speed. Then, this past Saturday, they ran in the state meet.
Both were in the 4×800 relay, but then Hadley got moved up from alternate to run the 4×400. So, Hadley ran in the first and last race of the meet. 😂 At least the weather was beautiful.
Anyway, they both did their part in they relays and ended on a high note for the season.
…and it’s officially summer. Of course, Memorial Day weekend is the most crowded, but we all went to the pool on Sunday and I had a skinny marg to kick off summer.
The kids spent a few hours there yesterday too, but I had a hair appointment and a few other errands like going to Trader Joe’s. Travis and I watched an episode of Ozark before grilling out for dinner.
With summer, I will still blog but it may be bit less…I will just see where the days take me…
Later this week, I will share the books I read in May and some Friday Favorites.
showmeandsweettea.com 