Happy Saturday! I’m keeping up with the Bloganuary prompts…
One of the Bloganuary prompts this week was …what’s a color that fits your personality and why?
Y’all, the first thing that popped in my mind was gray. 😂
I didn’t think of gray because I’m moody…well, not moody all the time. Haha
That being said, my personality isn’t outgoing/bubbly like I think yellow would be. I’m just more mindful, cautious, conscientious. You know, gray.
I just try to blend in. I guess I could have been khaki as much as gray. I don’t need to stand out or be “loud” like bright pink or red, for example. Gray is more subtle, and I think I am too.
I’ve always just kind of hung out on the peripheral until I’m comfortable in a situation whether it’s at work or in a friend group. Once I’m comfortable, I reach out or speak up.
I feel like gray goes with everything. Gray can go with navy or khaki but it also matches bright colors too. So, I think that kind of goes with my personality. I’m adaptable and can fit in wherever…but on my own terms, I guess.
I feel like there’s a lot to “unpack” here. 😂
What about you? I think this is so interesting. What color fits your personality and why?
Hello! I hope you had a great Saturday. I sure did. It was a pretty lowkey regular Saturday with some birthday fun last night. More on that later this week.
Yesterday, I wrote about books that have changed my life…
One of this week’s Bloganuary prompts asked about memorablegifts.
Here are a few:
First of all, I’m spoiled because Travis is a great gift giver. I give him gloves and handwarmers for when he works outside. He gets me photos of the kids. *sigh*
The first thing that popped into my mind was for our first Christmas as a married couple, I opened a little blue box from Tiffanys —he’d gotten me silver heart earrings. I still wear them and love them.
While I was pregnant with the kids, I remember feeling miserable and sitting in the chair with my feet propped up on the ottoman. He came in with a gift bag. I opened it, and it was a David Yurman bracelet. I swear I’m not fussy about jewelry, but I appreciate that he’s given me things that are timeless and I wear often.
The first Christmas we lived in this house, he gave me this sign that now hangs by our front door. It has our last name (obviously) and our address with Est. 20014 because that’s when we moved in.
When the kids were in 3rd grade, I opened up the sweetest pic of them (and a few others). This one sits on our mantel. I had no clue that he’d has these photos taken.
We are lucky because Trav’s brother is an exceptional photographer! I cried when I saw these. (And then laughed as Hadley recounted Travis taking them to Target for shirts —which I had seen in their closets and thought was odd…haha and keeping the photos a secret.)
Before Homer, we had two Boxers, Shiloh and Scout. Shiloh was older by about a year and a half. When Scout was 10, he passed away unexpectedly, and then we still had Shiloh. For Christmas, I opened up a box with this sweet bracelet. It has our anniversary, the kids’ names, and Shiloh and Scout engraved. I cried.
This Christmas was no different. He had this photo made/framed from Smallwoods.
While these were for the kids, I had no idea he was getting them. When they opened them and I saw them, I cried. #cryingisaChristmastheme
I love them so much.
This Christmas, I asked for perfume because I was running low. I’m not really picky about perfume, so I suggested Travis choose one that he liked (and still told him a couple of suggestions as ideas). Anyway, on Christmas, I opened up not one, but three perfumes. I love them all, but what makes them more special is that he took Hadley with them, and she helped him pick them out.
I got: Juliette has a Gun, Daisy Dream, and Perfect by Marc Jacobs. I love them all and just rotate day to day.
Last night, after dinner, the kids and Travis gave me their gifts. I wasn’t expecting it, but Travis gave me some new earrings while the kids gave me this jar with slips of paper to use throughout the year. Hadley led this charge, I’m sure, but I appreciate that they all gave ideas like “cup of coffee, watch a tv show as a family, and my choice of takeout.” Both gifts were so thoughtful…and unexpected.
Happy Happy Saturday. See, Saturdays get an extra “happy” when it’s also your birthday.
I’m continuing on with some Bloganuary posts this weekend because I’ve really been enjoying writing about what pops up…
One of the suggested prompts this week was: has a book changed your life?
While of course some books immediately popped into my mind, overall, my first thought was: reading has changed my life…
From the time I was little, I remember reading.
Both of my parents are readers. My dad always had a stack of books on the side table by his recliner, and my mom was the one to take us to the library.
In the summer, we’d go to the library pretty often, and we’d always complete the reading challenge…
Around 4th grade, I have memories of reading in my room. I had a little cozy corner (I started making things “cozy” early on!) where I’d sit and read.
I also loved my school librarian, Mrs. Jones. She made reading so much fun. A favorite elementary school memory was when I was in the intermediate grades, some of us would get to help on our class visits and scan books out to our classmates and then tidy up the libary.
Of course, there was the school reading program…
Ahh…I remember those Pizza Hut coupons like it was yesterday.
I feel like I naturally introduced reading to the kids. Even when they were babies, I’d rock them, read them a book, and then put them in bed.
In the summer, it was always a weekly activity to take them to the library. They’d sit and listen during story time, make a craft, click around on the computer, and check out books. The library was a great way to burn a couple of hours once a week in those hot summer months.
My mom, after she retired from teaching after 31 years, worked at the public library for ten more. She even did story time with the little kids, and we’d join her during our summer visits to KC.
Just like when I grew up, during the elementary years, the kids would complete the library summer reading challenge earning free books and stickers instead of pizza.
Hayden’s my reader. I will never forget listening to him read chapter books for the first time. Most nights, I would sit with him in bed, and we’d take turns reading pages of the Magic Treehouse series. There were many nights that I thought he was sleeping only for me to go to bed at 10:00 and see his little lamp light still on. I’d encourage him to finish a chapter and then turn off his light because he needed his rest.
Hadley always preferred shorter books and graphic novels.
She was a serious reader as a toddler…haha
I wish she enjoyed reading, but I think some of it is her attention span. She’s on the go, and it’s hard for her to settle in and focus. That being said, she loves a theme…and “Character Day” in elementary school was always her fave.
Reading through the years...
I loved Madeline.
I remember asking for Babysitter’s Club books, and even buying them as they came out one by one.
In 7th grade, we read Where the Red Fern Grows with Mr. Freeman, and I cried.
My dad gave me Tuesdays with Morrie when I was in high school, and I knew it would be a book I’d read time and time again.
I bought Cliffs Notes for every Shakespearean play I read in high school. Even as a high school English teacher, I dread teaching Shakespeare.
One of my favorite courses in college when we read one “classic” young adult book per week and created a lesson plan. I remember classmates grumbling because we “had” to read one book a week…but I couldn’t wait. We read Chocolate Wars, The Outsiders, The Giver, and more.
I hadn’t read To Kill a Mockingbird until I taught it my first year teaching…and couldn’t have loved it more. (*Side note: I wanted Hadley’s name to be Harper, but Travis nixed that suggestion from the start. That being said, we did have a dog named Scout!)
As an adult some recent books that have stuck with me…
The Giver of Stars
We Were the Lucky Ones
American Dirt
Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive
Where the Crawdads Sing
I feel like I said, “I remember…” quite a bit in this post, but I have such fond memories of reading, connecting with a story line, empathizing with a character, and having the best feeling of not wanting a story to end.
Reading has changed my life in more ways than I can count.
Well, remember when I started writing my own “blog challenge” last month and now I’ve also started writing some of the “Bloganuary” posts on the weekend…You are really going to know me pretty well by the end of the month!
It’s very “on brand” for me to have nothing to write about and then work my way through two blog “challenges.”
I don’t have tons and tons of old photos of me which is something my kids will never have to say when they are grownups. That being said, my mom was always good about taking pictures, but of course the 80’s and 90’s weren’t the digital age!
I actually have an old scrap \book she made of my first five years as well as my baby book. Also, I’ve taken photos of photos to save as well to save.
Anyway, here are a few….
This one with my brother on Santa’s lap always makes me laugh.
This collage has a few photos through the years…
The two on the left, I believe I was four or five years old. Peep the Madeline doll in my hand while I sported a red jumper and long white socks. Whenever I see the pic of me in the blue and white dress, I always notice my sticker earrings! I didn’t get my ears pierced until I was 12.
Let’s skip middle school (haha…) but really — I don’t know that I have many middle school photos…and none easily on hand. Top right is one of my senior photos…
The bottom right photo my cousin just sent to me recently. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it, and she found it at her mom’s house. I almost didn’t recognize my early 20’s self, and I’m sure that I didn’t appreciate not having to take a collagen supplement and full lips when I had them!
I just shared about our trip to Columbia to watch the Tigers play UK, and here’s a throwback to when I graduated college.
Time sure does fly!
8. Piercings and Tattoos?
Well, I finally got my ears pierced when I was twelve. For whatever reason, that was the rule…I had to be twelve before I could get my ears pierced.
Over Christmas break, Travis and I went out to lunch. He was sitting across from me and said, “Do you have two ear piercings?” I couldn’t believe that he could see the second hole in my ear. I think I was 18 when I got my second piercing and only wore earrings in that second hole for a couple of years. Over twenty years together, and that’s the first time he’d mentioned it. haha
I had always wanted a tattoo and got one on my foot over fifteen years ago. Just a simple shamrock as a nod to my Irish heritage. I also always wanted a simple tattoo on my wrist, but have never done it. Just recently I really started to think about getting one…so we’ll see.
9. First Celebrity Crush
Jason Bateman. I loved the show The Hogan Family and instantly thought he was such a cutie. *Also, fun fact – we have the same January 14th birthday…but not the same year 😉 (He was also a huge reason I faithfully watched Ozark)
Also, what girl growing up in the 80’s/90’s didn’t watch Saved by the Bell? I thought Mark-Paul Gosselaar was so cute. One time, he had a scheduled appearance at the Ward Parkway Mall near my house, and I went there with a couple of my friends. We were in junior high, and I think every teenage girl within a fifty mile radius was there too. I remember him being up on the stage, and all the girls were cheering for him.
What about you? Who was your first celebrity crush?
Today, I’m writing about what is a treasure that is lost?
Well, I think this topic can piggyback off a bit about what I wrote yesterday…
Two things that immediately pop into my mind are…hand-written notes/birthday cards and Christmas/holiday cards.
I have always loved receiving a hand-written note and birthday cards. I actually have a couple of boxes that I keep notes and cards that I’ve received through the years. By taking the time to write a note whether it’s a sticky note “love you” or a lunch box note providing encouragement for a test or sending a birthday card, it shows that you took the time out of your day to think about someone else and show them that you care.
Now, my mom, Gma, and aunt send some amazing creations…
My dad always sends me a Snoopy card if he can find it. He’s so funny…he gets lots of free cards sent to him when he donates to various charities. This one, that he sent the kids, cracked us all up…
It’s been a tradition, even before we had kids, to send a Christmas card. To be honest, I know Travis and I received them when we were dating and engaged, so I was so excited to send one once we were married. That tradition has continued on through the years with the kids, and sometimes, if we are lucky, we get a family photo.
December is such a hectic and stressful month, that I actually look forward to checking the mailbox and opening the cards that we do receive. I figured out a way to display this this year.
I remember that Lauren shared that she prays for each family who sent a card as she puts them away at the end of the Christmas season. I love that idea and have kept it in mind these past couple of years.
I think social media is to “blame” for both of these kind of going to the wayside more and more. It’s easier to write on a Facebook wall “Happy birthday” than send a card. I don’t think people feel the need to send holiday cards because we all know what’s going on with our immediate friends thanks to Facebook and Instagram. Also, don’t get me started on the price of stamps. haha
Hello and Happy Saturday! I’m not sure if I’ve ever typed “Happy Saturday” on a blog post or not.
In December, I received an email from WordPress about their January writing challenge. I clicked the link to sign up, and have been receiving daily emails with pretty simple topics including introduce yourself, what brings you joy in life, what brings you joy in life and more.
Like I said yesterday, I tend to have my Monday-Friday content planned and written and some of these topics I’ve previously covered, but thought I might pop in with a post on the weekends this month.
I liked yesterday’s topic, so I’m going to write about that.
Why do you write?
Well, I’ve always enjoyed writing. What little girl didn’t have a sparkly pink diary that locked along with a pen with a fuzzy poof on the top?
I remember having a few and jotting down my thoughts and feelings through the years. Not sure where those diaries are now.
For me, like many, writing is a way to express myself. In general, I’d say that I’m an introvert who is more reserved or quiet until I get to know someone. I’ve pretty much always been that way. I also kind of hang on the peripheral until I get the lay of the land and have something to say. I don’t jump right into a conversation. I like to have time to think before a response too. So, I think writing is a way for me to express myself, provide a thoughtful response and have my voice heard.
Also, I write to show others that I care. I love receiving a handwritten note or card, and try to do the same for birthdays and other occasions. I already miss putting notes in my kids’ lunchboxes.
In college, I most definitely preferred writing a twenty page paper vs taking a test. I think I have a smidge of test anxiety. Tests have answers that are right and wrong. Give me a few pages of writing where I can provide my opinion and back it up with text evidence and I at least feel like I have a shot at “getting the correct answer.” I earned two Master’s degrees without taking a single test. I wrote hundreds and hundreds of pages, but that never stressed me out.
As a teacher, I love teaching the process of writing to students. I love reading their final drafts of work and hearing their voices in their writing.
Now, of course, I write for fun. This blog is a hobby of mine. I love that I’ve “met” others through my site, I have pictures and memories in one place to look back on, and there’s a sense of community in the blogging world. I really do look forward to writing my posts, and engage in the readers through comments. Also, it’s fun to write a bit more informally and take off my “teacher hat” when I can.
I’m writing this right now while sipping my coffee, and it makes me happy. I’m going to proofread before posting because I can’t shake the English teacher in me, but it’s fun to just go ahead and “publish” immediately after typing out my thoughts.
Happy Thursday! How is your week going? Our evenings have been a bit less hectic which has given the kids some time to work on their science fair projects and study for tests. For them, unfortunately, it’s a glimpse into the next few years with end of unit assessments as the semester wraps up.
Anyway, today I’m writing about a couple more topics for the…
The first personality trait that popped into my mind is that I’m loyal. I’ve kind of always been a “quality over quantity” girl as far as friends go, and that’s certainly even more true as I’ve gotten older. I’m not over the top with my emotions, but if you need me, I will be there.
I try to bring humor to most situations. So, I guess I think I’m funny. I’ve always said that I think my humor is a mix of both of my parents. I can be sarcastic but quick witted. I try to lighten the mood when I have the chance to do so.
I think I’m a thoughtful person. I try hard to remember birthdays, check in on friends, say thank you and more. I know I’d want people to do that for me as well. So, you know how it goes…”treat others how you wan to be treated.”
**Honestly I struggled with this a bit…It’s difficult to write about myself!
7. 10 favorite foods:
Now this topic isn’t difficult for me to write about. I like to eat!
We’re chugging right along this week, but re-entry after break has been quite the adjustment. We’ve had school, activities, and even found time to put ornaments on the tree. Unfortunately, we “found” the time because Hadley was home yesterday (and last night) with another round of strep!
Anyway, I’m continuing on with my self-imposed (for lack of a better word)…
A few weeks ago, I shared Part 1 of my “Blog Challenge.” This all began because I had writer’s block, and now I hope to keep incorporating these posts into my regular blogging routine.
Today, I’m tackling topics #4 and 5…
4. Earliest Childhood Memory
Well, the first thing that popped in my mind was when I was three or four, and I was at day care. I pinched my finger in the folding chair and had to go to the doctor. At the time, I remember that my mom had a bad case of poison ivy and had to be careful picking me up. The injured finger was my left ring finger, and to this day, that nail is different…and one of the reasons I prefer having my nails painted!
When thinking about my childhood, some of the memories that immediately pop in my mind are going to my grandma’s (Lulu, my dad’s mom) house most mornings before school. My dad would drop me off, and she would take me to school. She had a mean cat named Al. I also remember going to my other grandparents’ house (my mom’s parents) on days I was sick. I’d lounge on the couch, watch I Love Lucy reruns and eat Bon Bons.
My grandparents:
Lulu on the left, Gma and my grandpa on the right. (Just missing a pic of my other grandpa.)
5. My Guilty Pleasure
Ok…how lame am I? My first thought was waking up early in the mornings…That quiet morning time has definitely turned into my 45 minutes of calm, quiet, and peace to start my day.
Other guilty pleasures are a small fry and Diet Coke from McDonalds, soft serve ice cream at Jason’s Deli, Real Housewives, and a glass of wine!
What’s your earliest childhood memory and/or guilty pleasure?
Well, I’ve had my blog for over three years, and every once in a while I kind of draw a blank on what to share! So, I turned to the place I find ideas on all the things…Pinterest! I found a few different “blog challenges” with topics. Sometimes, I think I put pressure on myself to write full, lengthy posts. It might just be the English teacher in me!
So, I think over the next few months, I will occasionally chip away at the topics in this challenge. I like that some of these topics are quick and easy while others will require a bit more thought.
Also, I will most likely combine some of the topics as I know I’ve covered some of these in some way. That being said, I also feel so lucky to have new readers who might not have seen some of these posts!
1. Introduction:
My first ever blog post was published on August 4, 2019, and it was a little introduction about myself.
The short and sweet of it is…I grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, went to school at the University of Missouri and moved to Kentucky when I was 24 years old. I met Travis while at MU, and he’s from Louisville. He wanted to get into the horse business, so Lexington made the most sense for us to start our lives together here. We have boy/girl twins who will be 13 in less than two weeks. I’ve been a teacher for over 20 years which is so hard for me to believe! Blogging is a hobby for me, and it’s been such a fun thing for me to spend time doing.
2. Twenty Facts About Me:
A few weeks later, I followed it up with another post with 10 random facts about me.
To stay true to this topic, here are 10 more facts about me:
11. I love to read. I almost always have a book on my Kindle and a book on my bedside table.
12. I’m a high school English teacher (This is my 21st year in education)
13. I have one brother who I consider one of my best friends.
14. I’m a dog lover. If we lived on lots of land, I think I’d have 10 dogs at least!
15. I’m pretty introverted and quiet until I get to know someone.
16. My favorite place to be is on the beach with my toes in the sand, a view of the water, and a book in my hand.
17. I love to watch sports. As a family, we go to most of the home UK (Kentucky) football games. I joke that I don’t “bleed blue” like the rest of the family, but I’ll cheer for the CATS. I cheer for MIZZOU as well as the KC Chiefs and KC Royals.
18. Fall is my favorite season.
19. I have a very type A personality. I like to have a plan, make a list, and feel accomplished at the end of the day.
20. I love nothing more than a rainy, lazy Sunday, but Thursday is my favorite day of the week.
3. Meaning of My Business Name:
I’d wanted to start a blog for quite a few years, but I always wondered who would read it, and I struggled with the name.
In 2019, I remember that we were all in the car driving Hadley to summer camp. I told Travis on the way home that I’d thought of a name: Show Me and Sweet Tea. He said, “I like it!” which was the final bit of encouragement I needed to figure out Word Press and get my first post published!
Here’s my explanation of my blog name from my first Introduction post:
“I realized I should combine my past (my roots) with the present (my life) to form the name. I was born and raised in Missouri, so the ‘Show Me’ state will always have a special place in my heart. I’ve lived in Lexington, KY for fifteen years, and while you won’t hear me say, “Bless your heart,” my love for a good monogram and a “Hey, ya’ll” shows that I’ve picked up a bit of the south through the years, along with a sip (or two) of sweet tea.”
By the way, this is very “on brand” for me to go from “what should I write about” to cramming three responses into one post!
As always, thanks for reading…and let me know if there are any topics you’d like for me to write about!
showmeandsweettea.com 