Hello! How was your weekend? Ours was really good. We had a late night Friday night watching Hayden run at an invitational track meet, and another late night on Saturday at the Chris Stapleton concert at Kroger Field.
Y’all- we were up until midnight two nights in a row. I couldn’t complain on Sunday because Travis actually got up at 4am to head to Louisville to meet clients and watch Derby horses workout.
Thankfully, yesterday provided some time to get ready for the week as well as a quick nap! The weather was beautiful for the entire weekend which was such a bonus.
With the month of April wrapping up, it’s time to look at some favorite memes that are both relatable and funny.
1.
Nothing says Monday (especially this Monday) like this meme:
2.
To go along with meme #1…
3.
Y’all! I do thisssss! 😬
4.
Hadley had a candy necklace recently and then I saw this meme 🤣
5.
Kroger pharmacy has changed the process for refilling prescriptions when you call…Instead of pressing 1 or 2 or whatever, I have to say what I want…and I hate it. This is who I am now…
That being said, if I can actually speak to a person, you better believe I’m saying “representative.” 🤣
6.
Pro tip. When Homer wakes up in the middle of the night, I lightly nudge Trav and tell him I “heard something.” It’s not a lie. What I heard was Homer, but hey, while he’s up, he can let Homer out 😉
7.
Relatable.
8.
I definitely do this! Even the first thing I jot down on our running grocery list goes on the list according to where it is in the store. (Produce up top, etc)
9.
My worst nightmare is replying all by accident!
10.
I’m embarrassed to admit to how bad I am at following GPS instructions…
I hope to post pretty regularly this week! We do have lots going on, so I will just take it day by day.
Hello and Happy Friday. How was your week? Ours had some ups and some downs, and I think we are all looking forward to the weekend…that’s for sure.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
Favorite Photo(s):
The kids on Easter is a favorite. The tree was blooming so beautifully and the sun was shining. These two really are growing up on me!
The kids had two track meets this week (and one more tonight), and I’m having the best time watching them do this together. It’s super sweet that they will have these memories!
Favorite Moment(s):
We had so much fun at Keeneland on Saturday. It was just so nice to catch up with some great friends and hang out.
I’m so thankful that the egg dyeing tradition has continued. I’m also very thankful that they can do most of it on their own 🙂 Kind of like pumpkin carving…I’m happy to just sit back and relax!
Favorite Food:
Well, what does one do when they have a dozen hard boiled eggs and is the only one who eats them?! They make a week’s worth of chef’s salads!
I have a darker denim jacket that I’ve had for a few years. When I saw this distressed one that was on sale (for $15) at Old Navy, I jumped on it. It doesn’t seem to be on sale now, but it’s perfect for the days when I need an extra layer but don’t want to wear my heavy winter coat.
…but I purchased it again in this hot pink color. It’s the perfect cardigan for spring. This was my outfit on Wednesday and so many people complimented me on the color. 💓
9,000 4.5 ⭐️ reviews, affiliate link above
Favorite Kid Quote:
Well, I don’t have a kid quote this week…but Hadley’s school chorus had a performance on Wednesday, and I loved hearing the two songs they’d been working on.
Favorite Mom Meme:
The number of times that I come home to find that they’ve left lights on for hours are too many to count.
Other Faves:
I picked up these tulips from Trader Joe’s, and they were showing off in the morning sunlight.
Besides two track meets, Hayden has also had two baseball games. He did an awesome job pitching on Tuesday night.
At Wednesday’s meet, the coaches had the kids run different events. Both of my kids ran the 100m dash which was fun to watch. They’ll admit they are more distance (Hayden) and mid-distance (Hadley) runners, but I love seeing them push themselves and try something new.
Who do you think ran the 100 m race quicker?
By the fourth track meet of the season, I finally figured out exactly what I needed to pack for the two to three hour meet…including my Kindle.
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
Do you ever see a photo from the past that you clearly remember taking? This is one of them from me. During a very difficult season of life in 2013, I remember asking the kids to sit on the porch and smile, snapping the photo, and counting my blessings. #pinchycheekcute
Weekly Recap:
This week I blogged about a little bit of everything. I recapped the weekend and Easter on Monday, wrote about Keeneland (and what Travis does for a living) on Tuesday, and then shared favorite spring shoes and sandals yesterday.
Hello! Happy Friday Eve! Our weather started off soooo cold this week, but it’s turning the corner with highs in the 70’s and low 80’s this weekend. The warmer weather combined some recent shoe shopping got me thinking about spring shoes and sandals.
I always treat myself to a pedicure over Spring Break, and then I’m annoyed with the cold weather we have off and on in April and May which means I can’t wear my favorite flip flops and sandals.
Today, I’m sharing some recent shoe and sandal finds that are perfect for spring, and some of my tried and true faves as well.
DSW:
Every spring, Hadley’s foot has typically grown enough (she now wears a women’s 7.5) that she needs a new pair of flats for church and Easter. Our Target was picked over, so we ended up at DSW. I always forget how many shoes they have!
After only a few minutes in the store, Hadley chose these ballet flats in the beige color. They are cute and comfy.
Once I knew we were going to Keeneland last weekend and the weather was on the cooler side, I wanted a pair of close toe wedges. I have a variety of booties and a favorite pair of open toed wedges, but thought I’d check out DSW again. I found these and love them. I tried on my regular size 9, and they fit. Well, I compared them to the 9.5, and actually did purchase the 9.5 because they seemed to fit the best.
I wore them to Keeneland on Saturday and church on Sunday, and they are so comfortable. I know they will look great with jeans or white pants too.
I’ve had these Nine West wedges forever…I’m talking at least six or seven years. They are my “go to” dressier sandal option. They’ve been through it all, and when I went to take the pic really noticed how much they’ve been worn.
Here I am wearing them…
So, I have my eyes on this pair at DSW for a replacement. I will see what I may need for spring before buying them, but I saw them in the store and took note!
Target:
Hadley saw these on one of our Target trips, and we picked them up for her to have as a summer option with dresses. She usually has a pair of ballet flats and sandal flip flops, but I thought these were very age appropriate for her. She got them in the cognac color, and she loves them.
She wore them for Easter and gave them rave reviews.
I saw these when we were at Target, but they didn’t have my size. I’m having flashbacks to the 80’s, and I’m sure my mom had a similar pair of these. I’m definitely going to keep them in mind once summer is in full swing.
Amazon:
{Amazon affiliate links…}
While I’m sharing sandals, I figured it’s a great time to share some of my faves from Amazon.
I wear these rose gold slides whenever I can! I bought them last summer because Hadley had them in white from the previous summer. She still wears hers often and they’ve held up beautifully. I did size up to a 10 in these, and that’s a better fit.
40,000 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️rating
Here are Hadley’s white ones and then comfort slides that I have in both white and pink. I purchased both pairs last summer (and sized up to a 10), and they are perfect for the pool or sitting out the ball fields.
Comfort slides 47,000 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️rating
These sandals were the purchase of summer 2021, and I didn’t even buy them until the end of the summer!
It looks like my exact pair isn’t currently on Amazon, but here is a similar option. (with almost 3,000 four star ratings)
I’ve seen so many share the braided heels, and Target has a cute option that goes in and out of stock. I have my eyes on these from Amazon. The memory foam insoles are a selling point for me 😉
I need to go through my shoe sitch ASAP before adding more to the mix. That being said, I know there are some shoes and sandals in my closet that haven’t been worn since before the pandemic!
Hopefully, warmer days are ahead because I’m ready to wear my spring sandals.
Whenever I go to Keeneland, I always think about what a special place it is. When I’ve shared about about our Keeneland outings, I’ve gotten a few questions and same about Trav’s job in the horse industry. So, today I’m sharing a bit about both of those things.
Travis made his way into the horse industry after a few years working in college athletics. He met me when he worked at Mizzou, but after a few years he wanted to move back home to work in the horse industry.
His job has evolved through the years but his primary role is as a “Stallions Nominations Manager.” That means that he’s basically a match maker for horses. 😂Really, what he does is his farm stands stallions for breeding. Owners submit requests for their mares breed to the stallions, and Travis has the final say on the request to breed. He looks at the mare’s pedigree and decides if it’s a good match for the stallion. They want the mares to produce the best horses, so he finds the right fit for the stallion or denies the request if there isn’t a good fit.
Then, he keeps up with the offspring of the stallions and promotes the race results on social media. During the various horse sales throughout the year, he also follows up with the offspring to look at their track performances and confirmation (physical structure). The past few years, he’s also started buying and selling horses for clients as well.
Travis is always working. Always. He loves what he does. I have never met anyone who looks forward to going to work every single day more than he does.
Did you know?
All horses turn one on January 1st. So, you want a horse to be born in January if possible. (There is breeding season to ensure that they are born in January/February)
Three year olds run the Kentucky Derby hence why it’s important to have an “older” three-year-old by May.
The Triple Crown of racing starts with the Kentucky Derby (in Louisville on the first Saturday in May), followed by the Preakness Stakes (in Maryland), and the Belmont Stakes (in New York).
I’ve learned a lot through the years, but still always have many questions for Trav!
Keeneland:
Now, on to a more exciting topic: Keeneland.
When people think of Kentucky, they often think of horse racing and Churchill Down because of the Derby. When my family would visit after I first moved here, they’d want to visit Churchill, but I will tell anyone who will listen that Keeneland is the place to be. Churchill is much more commercialized, whereas Keeneland is picturesque and just so special.
A few facts about Keeneland:
It’s located in the Horse Capital of the World, Keeneland.
The horses only run twice a year: the fall meet in October and the spring meet in April.
They have tours and people also come to watch the horses’ morning workouts.
There’s a Keeneland Kids Club with various events like Easter egg hunt and Sunrise Trackside with activities and breakfast.
Their corned beef sandwich is my favorite!
No racing on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Keeneland’s mascot is Buckles.
When visiting Keeneland:
You often need to buy tickets in advance, especially on Friday and Saturdays.
Keeneland is family friendly, and many bring their kids out especially on Sundays.
“The hill” is the hotspot for tailgating. There’s a jumbo tv, food trucks, and betting. (Some people hang on the hill and never even enter the track)
Seating:
As far as the different seating areas…well, I think I’ve experienced close to all of them. Of course, I’m lucky to have Travis who can get his hands on some pretty great tickets somewhat easily, but we always have fun wherever we sit.
General Admission:
General admission and reserved Grandstand tickets are where most people sit.
General admission is fun if you can get close to track. We’ve been bringing the kids since they were little.
April 2011
Hayden’s horse lost by a nose!
October 2015
Keeneland is always a fun place to hang with friends: both big and small!
Grandstand tickets are under cover which is a bonus.
Also, in the Grandstand, many companies and farms have reserved boxes. If it’s sunny, a parasol can be provided! (hashtag: how southern!)
When your dad picks you up from school but needs to watch a couple of races….you get to hang out in the box!
We typically get Clubhouse tickets through Trav’s work, and it does seem like you have to “know someone” to get those tickets or be a club member.
There is a dress code for the Clubhouse: coat and tie for guys and no denim.
ready for the races in 2018
Clubhouse tickets are nice because it’s less crowded which means shorter lines for food, drinks, and the restroom. The Clubhouse has multiple levels and passes, and I feel like we’ve “done it all” through the years.
On the main floor, there are tables that aren’t reserved, both inside and outside. Once someone claims one, it’s probably theirs for the day.
(Forgive the photo quality – 2012 pic!), but the white tables and chairs options for outside seating if you can snag one!
Last spring, Travis and I had a great day hanging out in the sunshine on a Friday afternoon. (Spring 2021 had very limited ticket availability for the spring meet due to Covid)
You always need a racing form
More Clubhouse pics through the years…
2015April 2018October 2018April 2021October 2021
The 4th floor has suites…
October 2010
The 4th floor also has other dining rooms like the Phoenix room, Lexington room and Equestrian room where there are full dining menus and betting.
On Saturday, we were blessed to hang out in the Stakes Lounge on the 4th floor. Travis has been everywhere in Keeneland and he even said, “I didn’t know this room existed.”
A horse trainer couldn’t use his tickets and gave them to Trav. It was actually a smaller room with a couch and chairs as well as some high top tables and about ten tables of four seats. There was a buffet of food and a private bar and restrooms.
The roof top view was so pretty!
We had some friends who were available to go with us which was such an added bonus. As busy as everyone is, the Saturday before Easter apparently means no kids sports!
The Keeneland Bloody Mary can’t be beat!
We stayed until the second to last race, and it was a great day!
Through the years, as Travis has gained more responsibility at work, he really does end up at Keeneland a bit more than he used to. Sometimes, he gets an eyeroll from me 😆,but he has clients who have horses running or may be interested in buying a horse. Also, the stallions at his farm have horses running as well. How those horses perform certainly impacts the stud fee of the stallions who stand at the farm.
It’s not lost on me what a privilege it is to get to experience Keeneland whether it’s from the green benches in general admission or on the top floor with a view of the entire track. It’s always a magical experience spending the day at Keeneland.
While I’m sharing about Keeneland, it’s also worth sharing about the Horse Country farm tours. Much like the Bourbon Trail tours, there are so many farms you can tour as well. There’s actually a Horse Country passport to collect stamps from all the farms you visit. You’d think all horse farms are alike, but they aren’t. There’s so much history, and each one provides such a unique experience.
I hope you’ve enjoyed a little peek at one of the best things Kentucky has to offer: Keeneland. Let me know if you have any questions!
Hello and Happy Monday. How was your weekend? We had such an amazing one! Both Saturday and Sunday were super busy but in the best way!
I’m linking up with Sarah and Holly for Hello Monday.
Here’s what we were up to this weekend:
Friday, right after school I took the kids to their annual checkups! Hayden has caught up to Hadley on height, but was still disappointed that she’s officially half an inch taller than him still. haha I keep telling him he will pass her one day!
After their appointment, we got ice cream, per tradition! Then, we picked one of Hadley’s friends who came over before I took both girls to a sleepover.
Then, I went to Target, Ulta and Oldy Navy while Hayden and Trav went to my school’s Varsity baseball game. After my errands, I picked up Jason’s Deli for dinner and watched an episode of Real Housewives OC. I enjoyed a little “me time” before they got home and then it was time for bed.
I actually slept in a bit on Saturday. Hadley was picked up pretty early from the sleepover (after getting only a few hours of sleep!) and then went to church to help with the pancake breakfast and Easter egg hunt for the younger kids. With the lack of sleep, I will give her credit for following through with her commitment to helping out.
After enjoying my coffee, I went to the gym to work out while Hayden had baseball practice.
Then, Travis and I went to Keeneland with some friends.
More on that tomorrow, but it ended up being a beautiful day, and we had the best time.
After the track, we came home and ordered carryout dinner. While Travis went to pick it up, I got everything set up for the kids to dye Easter eggs. I told them I will carry on this tradition until they are 18. Hadley said, “Well, what happens while we’re 19?!” I told her I’d be happy to have her dye eggs then too!
They did a great job, but always seem to end up fighting about who has dyed more eggs. You’d think it would be six each, but somehow one of them tends to end up dyeing one more! I’d make more eggs to dye, but I’m the only one who eats hardboiled eggs. 😉
They turned out so pretty.
Then, we watched some TV before bed. Guess who was the first in bed by 9:00….hint: the one who had two hours of sleep the night before!
Sunday, was, of course, Easter.
I woke up around 7:30, and then woke the kids around 9:00. I knew they needed to sleep in, but I also wanted to get in our Easter family time in the morning.
When they woke up, they found their Easter gifts and candy.
They each received clothes and a book. Hayden got another Gatorade bottle, and Hadley received some bracelets. Both seemed to love everything.
Then, it was time to find the eggs that were hidden (by the Easter Bunny?!)…which took two minutes!
Then, I made breakfast. I was going to make the cinnamon roll bunnies that I’d seen so many make, but that was a fail. Every time I tried to unroll the cinnamon roll, it fell apart. So, I pieced everything back together and just baked them in a pie plate like usual. I also scrambled some eggs and cut up some fruit.
Then it was time for church.
We enjoyed the lovely service, and then snapped a few photos. They looked so grown!
I always appreciate a family photo when we can get one.
Then, we went home to quickly change our clothes before heading to Elizabethtown to celebrate Easter with Trav’s extended family. It was good catching up with everyone, some of whom we hadn’t seen since Easter 2019.
We got back to Lexington around 6:00, and it was time to make a grocery list (because, again, I didn’t get my Clicklist order in for earlier in the weekend), do laundry and finish up this blog post. We had leftovers from Saturday night and wrapped up the weekend watching American Idol.
I hope you all had a blessed Easter. See you back here tomorrow.
Hello and Happy Friday! How was your week? Per usual, we had a good one, but I will say I felt like we (ME!) had to manage our time wisely and plan for every second. Besides baseball or track in the evenings most nights, both kids had tests to study for, I had some errands to run, and more.
As always, I linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
I’m rewinding all the way back to the weekend.
I’ve been loving the Beachbody workouts, and I’m so glad that I purchased this subscription last summer. With so much going on, I’m still not perfect about getting workouts in, but it’s so nice to just head to the basement when I have thirty minutes to spare.
I completed the Morning Meltdown 100 program on Saturday. I very rarely did these workouts in the morning, but I really enjoyed them. Like most programs, Jericho (the head instructor) provides a mix of cardio, weights, yoga, and more.
This is the second program I’ve completed (also, Muscle Burns Fat) where it is the instructor’s first program with Beachbody. I know it may seem silly, but the last workout is always so special; they often tear up with gratitude for those who’ve joined them on their journey. I sure did get used to Jericho and her cast and I enjoyed this program.
With my mom and Gma visiting, we we out to a late lunch with my brother’s family on Saturday. I got the New Mexican Breakfast, and it was delish.
Saturday night, Travis and I went to see Black Jacket Symphony with some friends. They covered songs by Police, and it was a good time.
Hadley after church with the cherry blossoms in bloom are a favorite, for sure.
The kids loved all the Easter goodies they got from my mom and Gma. The kids thought it was fun that the baskets (that my mom made!) included edible grass.
On Monday, I tagged along with the Criminal Justice class to EKU. We toured the College of Justice, Safety, and Military Science, and it was so interesting. We ate in the food court on campus which of course high school kids thought was so cool. Chick-fil-A and Moe’s in the middle of the day was so fun for them. I love a college campus.
Hayden had two baseball games this week, and thankfully they were the earlier games.
Lucky #7
He touched an awesome game last night which was fun.
The kids had a track meet on Wednesday. Hayden ran his first ever 3200 and then turned around and ran the 800. Hadley ran the first leg of the 4×200, and did great. It’s always so fun seeing friends from other school as well.
Favorite Kid Quote:
Due to the storms we had on Wednesday, the kids’ school didn’t have power all day yesterday. When we asked how school was, Hadley said, “It was fine. We just did paper/pencil work. Back to 2019, baby!” 🤣
Favorite Mom Meme:
This! haha Why is it so hard to open a box correctly?!
Friday Fun:
Well, I guess “fun” is all relative, but have you heard of the website http://www.typingtest.com? Someone mentioned it recently, and I checked it out.
In high school, two of my favorite classes were Keyboarding 1 and Keyboarding 2. I can’t believe those were classes, but I loved typing.
Actually, when I was in middle school, I asked for a typewriter…and it was the kind that could go back and white out errors. I swear I had friends. Why do you ask? 😆
There are one minute timed tests. I don’t want to brag, but my highest WPM score was 80 WPM on the medium test. If you try it, let me know your score!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday
In honor of their first track season that is currently underway, here is a pic from October 2015 which is when they ran their first ever mile for a districtwide PTA run.
They crossed the finish line together.
{Real talk: I remember at the start of the race legitimately being worried that my two kindergarteners were going to get lost during this race! I mean we just let them go! I was like, “STAY TOGETHER!” and was worried until they crossed the finish line…
…which they did…together!
This pic of them made the local Lexington magazine which is too precious!
Weekly Recap:
This week we had our Not Just a Mom link up, I shared all about my trip to Aldi, Let’sLook at date night, and then my easy Easter table for our dinner last weekend.
Y’all, the Aldi post was so popular on my Facebook feed. I honestly neglect that space and mostly just have it set up to share my blog posts. Anyway, that post had probably triple the number views and tons of comments that day. Who knew Aldi was so popular?!
What are your weekend plans? I’m honestly not sure what we are up to tonight and tomorrow, but we’ll celebrate Easter with family on Sunday.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and thanks so much for reading.
Hello! Last week, I shared my Easter decorations, and today I’m sharing how I decorated my kitchen table for our pre-Easter dinner.
Last weekend, my mom and Gma were visiting. After my Gma mentioned picking up a ham at Aldi, we decided to have an early Easter dinner.
Kind of like “If you give a mouse a cookie…” Well, if you give Jen a ham, she feels the need to throw together an Easter tablescape. So, I’m sharing what I got together pretty quickly to make a festive table for our dinner this past Sunday.
After Aldi, I stopped by Michael’s because I couldn’t find the craft paper at home that I used last year as a table runner. Well, Michael’s was out of craft paper, but I picked up these cute egg shell baskets to fill with decorative eggs.
While at Kroger, I picked up some flowers and put them in Mason jars. I cleared off the normal tray items (napkins, S&P) but kept my mini Antique Candle Co. candle out on the small white pedestal.
I pulled out some placemats and chargers that I’ve had forever, and added in the cloth napkins and napkin rings.
In April of 2020 when just the four of us were home for Easter, I traced the bunnies and glued a cotton ball on as a tail. I just tape them to the napkin ring. Last year, we hosted Easter, and I made a few more and laminated them before adding the tail. Now I keep all the bunnies in a baggie to reuse each year.
The table looked pretty and spring-like very quickly with just a few touches.
That being said, it was driving me crazy because I couldn’t find the craft paper that I used last year as a table runner. I’m not a big fan of tablecloths, and most runners and pretty small for our farmhouse table. The craft paper was perfect last year, but it’s still missing. {I’m going to buy more and make sure it stays with the wrapping paper which is where it should be anyway.}
Once we decided to have a nice dinner, I wanted the table to be special as well.
The menu:
We had…
ham
Bob Evans Mashed potatoes
bagged Caesar salad
Sister Schubert rolls
green bean casserole
Last year:
I’m sure I shared this last year, but here’s how I set the table in 2021 when we hosted Easter for Trav’s side of the family.
The kids’ table was cute too!
With Easter just a few days away, I’m hoping you’ve found a few ideas if you are hosting!
Your faves from high school/college in March (I didn’t do LL in March)
This month, we are looking at:how you plan / do date nights
Date night. What’s that? Does a night at the ballpark count because that’s where we were last night. 😂
Well, date nights were easier before we had two kids pulling us in ten different directions. (Although I always say we’re blessed to be busy!)
We’ve been together since 2001. Travis says he’s never ‘gone with’ anyone as long as he’s ‘gone with’ me! 😆
2001
It’s very rare for us to have a traditional date night. We always go out to dinner around Valentine’s Day and for our anniversary in June. Do we go out other times just the two of us to eat? Yes, but we make an effort to make reservations somewhere for those two occasions.
Since we don’t have family in town, we’ve always had to schedule sitter when trying to go to football games, celebrate special occasions, and more. Thankfully, it usually worked out, but it’s still more effort than being able to rely on a grandparent in town.
Honestly, we just do simple things together when we can like run an errand, go for a walk, or watch a show together. Ozark is a fave show of ours.
Now that the kids are older, we are able to go out with friends spur of the moment if we can’t find a sitter. Just last Saturday, we went to see a concert with some friends pretty; those plans came together pretty quickly. (My mom and Gma held down the fort while we were out.)
In October and April, we try to get out to Keeneland for a few races. Travis goes out there quite a bit during the meets, but I try to take a Friday afternoon to join him at least once a meet.
I’ve been fortunate enough to tag along on some work trips which gives us stretches of time together.
We went to Del Mar last August which is one of our favorite places.
I remember after our first vacation as a family, the kids had a scheduled doctor’s appointment when we got home. Our pediatrician said leaving town, even to the beach, is more like a trip than a vacation while kids are little. I agree!
That being said, now that the kids are older, I do feel like we are on more of a relaxing vacation when we go out of town. On vacay, Travis and I will drink our coffee on the beach while the kids sleep in…
…or catch a sunset while on vacay with a glass of wine.
We are so busy that anything outside of the house probably needs to be scheduled. We are fortunate now that the kids are old enough that we can leave them home a bit to run an errand together or go to dinner.
Also, this past year has also proven that the kids have very busy social lives and there have been a handful of times when both kids have had impromptu overnights with friends leaving us with a free evening. Honestly, sometimes that means we order takeout sushi and watch a movie at home rather than go out on the town.
We are at least intentional about spending time together when we can. Even if it’s not a huge “to do” like going to a restaurant.
So, that’s a peek at how we do date nights. I know we should be better at scheduling these, but I’m thankful that I have someone that I enjoy spending so much time with even if it’s grabbing a Starbucks and wandering around Home Depot!
We’ll celebrate 17 years of marriage together in June.
Time flies!
Thanks so much for reading. I hope you have a great day.
I know y’all are used to my Trader Joe’s hauls, but today I’m sharing something different…my recent trip to Aldi.
We have an Aldi in Lexington, but I rarely shop there. Honestly, when I do, I always wonder why I don’t go back often. I guess I’m just used to my routine of Kroger and Trader Joe’s but Aldi has lots to offer.
Some Facts about Aldi:
Aldi is known having a basic layout and “no frills.”
Bring a quarter because that’s how you get your cart. When you return your cart, you get your quarter back.
Bring your own bags because there are no Aldi bags at checkout. There are often a few boxes that you can use to bag your purchased items.
Speaking of bags, you do the bagging yourself!
Some Aldi purchases:
Well, this past trip all started with a ham. My Gma was visiting, and suggested picking one up to have an early Easter/Palm Sunday supper. She shops at Aldi, and says they have the best ham for the price, so that’s where we headed to get our supper planning started.
I think she found the biggest ham in the bunch.
Since I hadn’t been to Kroger yet, I decided to pick up some things I knew we’d eat for the week.
Oven roasted deli meat
Grilled chicken breast strips
I would have picked up the deli meet and chicken strips at Kroger anyway, so I thought I’d give these a try.
Bagel Skinnys – I had one of these with turkey and cheese that I picked up at Aldi. Very good!
Mini Bagels – I picked these up for Hadley. I got up something similar at Target a few weeks ago, and she loved them.
Crackers – We got these to go with a goat cheese log for an appetizer.
Mini quiche- We put these in the air fryer to have as another app, and they were so good!
Mini bear grahams: I thought the kids would enjoy these for a school snack.
Honey Crisp apples: I started buying a similar pack at Trader Joe’s because I like how small the apples are. The ones at Kroger are always too big for one person.
Chex Mix: A fave for all.
Bob Evans mashed potatoes: Of course, these are at Kroger too, but I snagged them for a side dish to serve with the ham.
Aldi has a huge cheese and meat selection as well as charcuterie options. Some pre-packaged ones included meat, cheese, olives, nuts, dried berries and more!
Gouda – to go on the crackers or sandwiches
Goat Cheese (Cranberry Cinnamon) – This goat cheese (served with crackers) was SO good. I would go to Aldi just to pick it up!
Caramels – My Gma said how great these chocolate covered caramels are, and they didn’t disappoint.
I didn’t do a ton of price comparison, but I do feel like most everything was a bit cheaper.
The thing about Aldi is I don’t feel like I can go in with a specific list. Of course, I know they will have cheese, crackers, meats, etc., but, for example, if I want Sparkling Ice drinks, those are at Kroger. Kroger really is one stop shopping whereas Trader Joe’s and Aldi have specific finds that make them unique.
That being said, one of the things I like about Trader Joe’s is just going in there to pick up whatever looks good or something knew I’d like to try. I can do that at Aldi too.
Do you have an Aldi near you? Do you shop there? I hope to stop in there more often now that I have a few faves from there!
Hello! How was your weekend? We had a great one with quite a bit of downtime. We have family visiting, so we hung out at my brother’s on Friday night, and we all went to lunch on Saturday. Travis and I went to a concert with friends on Saturday night, and then Sunday’s weather was beautiful. It finally felt like spring.
Today, I’m co-hosting our NJAM link up with these awesome bloggers:
I have a love/hate relationship with lunch. Somehow it always gets brought up with my students, but in 20 years as a teacher, I only buy the cafeteria lunch once a year for the Thanksgiving meal! That means, I pack my lunch the other 175 days in the school year…
It’s not even that I get bored with lunches, I just hate having another task like packing a lunch.
I often make something that will at least provide two lunches for the week like shrimp fried rice or a salad. Otherwise, I will pack cheese and crackers, a chip (pretzel, popcorn), carrots and hummus, a hard boiled egg, or fruit (strawberries or grapes). I typically pack a protein shake as well. Sometimes, I will include a small sweet bite like a Built bar or granola bar.
Lately, my “go to” has been a Cheeseburger salad. It’s delish.
If I’m home, I love to make a “snack plate.” I’m not sure why, but it feels like a treat!
The kids often took their lunches in elementary school. Now that it’s middle school, Hayden buys lunch every single day, and Hadley brings her lunch every single day. She tends to eat the same thing every day in her Yumbox: an Uncrustable in the big section, Gushers or fruit snacks in the small middle circle, fruit or vegetable in one section, and then a chip in the last part. She typically packs a granola bar for a snack. She occasionally will pack something in her thermos and then bring a chip and other snack for lunch.
What are some of your “go to” lunches?
We hope you’ll join us next month when our topic is: go to gift ideas.
If you are a blogger, we hope you’ll link up with us today.
I hope you have a great week. We have lots going on, but I hope to post pretty regularly.
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