Hey! Hey! We are so close to the weekend which is giving me life at the moment! Today, I’m sharing a Currently post just sharing a little bit of this and a little bit of that about what’s been going on. So..
I’m Currently…
Reading:
Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand. I’d heard everyone talking about Trouble in Paradise, the third book in series, and realized I needed to start at the beginning with this book. I’m flying through it and certainly enjoy it. I think I will add the other two to my list to read in January (as I’m going to read Christmas books in December like I did last year!)
Prepping:
for the kids’ birthday! The weather is going to be pretty mild tomorrow, so we decided to let them each invite a couple friends over to play outside for a couple of hours. I ordered these cups from a local small business (@cupsoncochran) as a party favor. We are going to fill them with candy and add in a small hand sanitizer in the cup as well. #2020bday
Reminiscing:
about how we went from this…
to this…
in the blink of an eye. I can’t even believe how quickly these years have flown by!
Planning:
for a very different and simple Thanksgiving. The holidays are such a special, but sometimes stressful, time. This year is just so complicated. Ugh.
This year, we’ll make the most of it. There will still be turkey, carbs, and pumpkin pie, so I will be ok 😉
Last week, I did share some of my favorite things about Thanksgiving, so I will cling to those and pray that next year we are back to some sense of normalcy.
Opening:
The kids have been opening cute (and funny!) birthday cards over the past week or so.
My dad is taking Covid seriously by not taking unnecessary trips to Hallmark and using the resources he already has on hand 😂
While my mom and Gma always deliver with the beautiful handcrafted cards!
Watching:
Thanksgiving and Christmas baking shows! This time of the year, I love to watch these shows on the Food Network. The shows put me in the holiday spirit!
Laughing:
(so I don’t cry) at this meme. I’ve loved watching the Queen’s Gambit, and 2020 has been rough, so this meme really hits home!
That being said, I’m certainly also…
Reflecting:
On this year and counting my blessings even if the holidays and our daily life look differently right now. 2020 has forced my family of four to slow down, I found time to take care of a health issue, the kids have a wonderful school schedule with awesome teachers, and we’ve been able to navigate these uncharted waters somewhat successfully. Of course, there have been times of stress; it’s sad not being able to see family easily, that mask wearing is now the norm, and my kids are missing out on a regular school year.
We just keep taking things one day at a time, and hope that there is light at the end of this dark tunnel.
See you back here tomorrow for a VERY special Friday Favorites…the twins turn 11!
Hello! Life has kind of come to a standstill (for me) this past week. So…there’s no real Weekend Wrap Up or Life Lately material to share…but I figured it’s the perfect time for a Currently post 🙂
So here’s a little bit of what I’ve been up to…
I’m Currently…
Recovering:
One week ago today, I had a total hysterectomy. Long story short, it was a long time coming. There would never be a perfect time, but mid-October was as perfect as any to have the procedure done.
So, I’ve been napping, snuggling with Homer, reading, and binging Netflix for the past week or so. I feel better with each day, but I can’t get over how exhausted I am.
Do you have any Netflix recommendations? If so, send them my way!
Light up pumpkin, Food Network, and Homer snuggles. The perfect combo for recovery.
Reading:
I’ve been reading November 9 by Colleen Hoover. I’m a big fan of her books, and this one doesn’t disappoint.
But… every time I start reading, I end up dozing off! 😂 Hoover should take no offense! 😉This book is definitely a good one, and I’m almost finished.
Watching:
I was so excited a few months ago when I saw that Supermarket Sweep was coming back on TV! I remember watching that show as a kid on Lifetime. Now, I know, I could crush it on that show #momgoals
I also watched all six episodes of Dream Home Makeover on Netflix. I wish there were more episodes! I watched the entire first season this weekend. Thankfully, there will be a Season 2 in the spring.
Celebrating:
We are celebrating the end of hayden’s fall baseball season. Now, I’m not celebrating that the season is over… 🙃 Just celebrating him growing as a player the past couple of months with a new team and celebrating their successes. We were with a great group of players and parents which made the season even more fun.
On the pitcher’s mound during Saturday’s game
Enjoying:
We are enjoying all the food and desserts that people have dropped off. So many goodies and wonderful meals have kept us going for the past week. We truly appreciate it.
The kids were super excited to show me the monster cupcakes they made. When we FaceTimed last Wednesday night from the hospital, they told me they’d made me something tasty with the sitter! My friend brought over the ingredients, and the sitter helped them bake and decorate the cupcakes.
Remembering:
Remembering and thinking about those who’ve suffered a pregnancy loss or loss of a child. This day isn’t necessarily marked in my calendar, but when it’s shared on social media, I always pause and reflect.
This year, made me pause for a bit longer. Of course, I count my blessings of Hayden and Hadley, but I’ve suffered a miscarriage as well. And, the juxtaposition of this day being the day after my hysterectomy is a cause for grief as I turn the page on that chapter of my life. My decision for the surgery weighed heavily on me for years and so much of that was because what if…What if one day we could have one more? But…here we are and I need to be here, active, and present for my two greatest blessings. My heart is always with those struggling to start a family, to add to their family, or who have experienced loss.
Reminiscing:
Reminiscing about Keeneland in the fall. Y’all, there’s no better time in Lexington than the fall and being at Keeneland. We miss going to one of our favorite places.
2018
Loving:
I’m loving using this phone wallpaper for my background. I started following @Ashton.creates on Instagram, and she shared this free wallpaper for use for phone backgrounds. It brings a smile to my face every time I unlock my phone 🙂
Laughing:
At the fact that both my kids are running for President of their pod. They had elections yesterday, and Hadley won the first set of votes, and then Hayden and another friend tied. So, there are three of them running for Pod President. Pod President gets to bring snack of their choice to share with the pod, create a seating arrangement for the day, choose the recess activity, and choose a movie to watch during their down time.
They are learning how voter registration works, why it’s important to debate, what electoral votes are, what a swing state is, and about the election process.
Before voting, they will give one speech at lunch, create ads and buttons, and participate in one debate. I joked that they’ve mastered arguing with each other, so the debate shouldn’t be an issue for either one of them 😉
When they got home yesterday and told me about it, Hayden said, “Hadley, how’d you get so many votes?” Hadley said, “Well, I guess people like me?” 😂
Thanks so much for reading. I hope you are having a great week.
Hey there! How is your week going? We are in a pretty good groove over here with school, work, and activities. Thankfully, I think we have a good school routine going which helps whether the kids are at school or at the tutor’s house. Travis is very busy with work, so I’m just doing the best I can keeping these kids fed and getting them where the need to be 😉
Anyway…
I thought I’d share a Currently post today with just a bit of this and that of my thoughts and what’s going on.
I’m Currently…
Enjoying:
Cooler temps! It’s really felt like fall since the weekend. I will even consider low 80’s as fall-ish weather as it can be 90+ sometimes in September around here. I can’t wait for Friday and Saturday with highs in the upper 60’s. #livingforfallyall
I even broke out some red wine over the weekend. I’m the type that drinks white wine when it’s warm and red wine in cooler and colder weather. Saturday night, I watched the Royals game in the sunroom with a cozy blanket and a glass of red wine. It felt like fall, and I was here for it!
Reminiscing:
about my first date with Travis. We went on our first date 19 years ago this week. We hiked on the M-K-T Trail in Columbia, Missouri followed by dinner at Bambinos. With no fancy cell phone back in 2001, I don’t think we have many pics from our first few years of dating, but this is definitely one from 2001 or 2002.
Waiting on:
on my Gibson order. Fancy Ashley shared this Gibson crossover top, and it was on major sale ($19 each). I bought two of them a couple of weeks ago, and hopefully they will arrive this week!
Eating:
too many of…these Pumpkin Flavored Joe-Joe’s. Impulse buy when I popped into Trader Joe’s earlier this week…and they don’t disappoint. They are perfect for the kids’ lunchboxes or a mid-afternoon sweet treat…(or for dessert with a tall glass of milk #dontjudge) 😂
Loving:
this Homer moment. Our pumpkin on the pumpkin pillow 😂…which is cute as long as he doesn’t ruin it!
Laughing (at):
This meme.
It’s so true. 😂
Meeting and Following:
Lots of new (to me!) ladies and moms on Instagram. I’ve joined a couple of Follow Loops lately which has been a great way to “meet” some new accounts that I most likely wouldn’t have otherwise found. Women supporting and lifting up other women…
So…that’s just a little bit about what’s been currently going on around here!
Hello! How is your week going? This week has been filled with activities (baseball games and dance classes) as well as many hours of learning for me (online professional development). In some ways, it feels like life is kind of normal again. BUT…I know that it’s not. We are living in far from normal circumstances, and there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight. For me, some days, that can feel overwhelming. That being said, I know the day will come where I don’t have to remind the kids to bring a mask or stress about what school will look like.
It’s been a bit since I’ve written a Currently post, so I thought I would do so again. These posts are a way to share what’s going on, but are also a way to to share a little bit of what’s on my heart or in my mind.
I’m Currently…
Marveling:
I’m marvelingat the fact that yesterday was my blogiversary! I posted my first ever blog post on August 4, 2019. This week, I will write my 200th blog post. Writing three days a week was pretty manageable for me, but since April, I’ve been writing a post almost five days a week…Once we get back to school, I may have to scale back again, but while I can find time in the day, I’d love to write as much as possible.
In my first post, I mentioned wanting to start a blog as a way to do something for myself and have a creative outlet to share about family, recipes, books, and more. Show Me and Sweet Tea as provided me with just that…and so much more.
I’ve “met” so many people along the way. I’ve read a few blogs (Mix and Match Mama, A Little Bit of Everything, Momfessionals, Bev Cooks and more) for a few years. BUT…interacting with other bloggers, finding new blogs to follow, and reading comments on my posts from readers has been so rewarding for me.
I don’t get all caught up in the stats of my site, but WordPress makes it easy to take a peek at site activity.
This is my 199th post that I’ve written.
This year, I’ve had 12,400 visitors and 27,800 views on my site.
My most read post had 694 views.
My mind is just blown by those numbers. Again, I don’t get too caught up in the numbers game as there are people who have thousands of views every single day, but again, it’s just gratifying to be a part of this blogging community.
Thanks for following along on this journey!
Planning:
I’m currently thinking about and planning our back to school breakfast. I started this tradition a few years ago, and even though we start from home, virtually, on August 26th, I will still make that first morning back special for the kids.
I always luck out and find books on Amazon with the kids’ grade (5th) in the title.
Last year’s books were Fourth Grade Rats and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.
This year, I found Tales of a Fifth-Grade Knight for Hayden and President of the Whole Fifth Grade for Hadley!
Reminiscing:
I’m reminiscing about the kids when they started kindergarten. How in the world will they be in the 5th grade already? That means next year is middle school. Start praying for me now, y’all.
This pic popped up in my Facebook memories…Hadley with the crossbody purse and Hadyen’s toothless grin…⚾️
I clearly remember taking them into their school, having them meet their teachers, and praying that they’d remember how to count to 20 and spell their name, so I wasn’t a total failure as a parent who is an educator 😉 Now, flash forward to today when I had to watch a You Tube video to help them with their math in their summer workbook.
Watching:
I’m watchingTaste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi. Travis found this show, and I’m hooked. I love food and learning about other cultures and cuisine. Padma explores food and culture across the United States. It’s on Hulu and most episodes are 30-40 minutes long. I’ve seen the first few episodes which focused Mexican food in El Paso, hot dogs and German food in Milwaukee, Indian cuisine in New York, the Gullah Geechee people of South Carolina, Chinese food in San Francisco, and Persian food in Los Angeles.
Every episode is so informative, interesting, and inspiring.
Ordering:
I’m orderingbaseball and dance photos. I don’t always order the photos, but I’m realizing how big my kids are getting, and I loved the pics. With that combo, it was hard to say no to placing a picture order!
Laughing:
I’m laughingat this meme that I saw on Instagram. I have a “note” on my phone where I keep a daily schedule and “to do” lists. It’s become really easy for me to move some of my least favorite “to do” items to the next day!
Trying:
I triedsomething new at Sonic last week. I always get a Cherry Limeade or (diet version) at Sonic. This time, I had them add in Nerds candy because Hayden and Hadley get that option in their Sonic slushies. Y’all! It tasted SO good!
Snuggling:
We are all snugglingwith Homer any chance we get. I know Homer loves having us home so much!
Reading:
I’m currently readingMaid. I’ve had this book on my list for a while, and I finally started it. In Stephanie Land’s memoir, she shares about being homeless, a single mom, and working to do whatever it takes to provide for herself and her daughter. This book explores poverty in America and shines a light on the inequities of working, middle, and upper class societies.
I’m about halfway through with the book, and it’s an interesting and eye-opening read so far.
Praying:
I’ve been (worrying and) praying about the start of the school year. At this time, our district is starting with virtual learning on August 26th. Usually, our first day of school would be a week from today. Teachers will start back August 10th and prepare for the start of the year.
I’ve had to let go of some of the things I took for granted like walking my kids to school on the first day which is what we’ve done every first day of school since kindergarten. This is my kids’ last year of elementary school, and it saddens me that this year will look so different for them. Kids are resilient, but honestly, they shouldn’t have to be.
Last year, I realized all the fun privileges the intermediate grade level students receive like being in chorus, on academic team, and so much more. My kids are going to miss out on some of those opportunities, not to mention simple pleasures like lunch and recess with their friends. It hurts my heart just thinking about it.
Parents are having to make decisions about school that they never thought they’d have to make. Classmates that Hayden and Hadley have had for five years may be educated virtually when we go back to face to face instruction. Some friends may enroll in private school for this year. It’s heartbreaking to me that elementary school will look so differently for them compared to what they’ve experienced in previous years.
And, of course, there’s the weight, worry, and burden that teachers carry thinking about their students and preparing for the school year with so many unknown factors.
I’m always positive when talking about the upcoming school year with my kids, but some days it is hard to put a smile on my face, answer all their questions, or wipe away a tear when they are sad or frustrated.
That being said, I’m trying to keep this in mind moving forward…
So, that’s a bit of what’s been currently going on. As always, thanks so much for reading.
I’ve seen some bloggers do Currently posts about what they are up to or what’s on their minds. I found this list of verbs (not that I couldn’t think of my own…but #yeahGoogle) to use for a Currently post, and thought I’d give it a try!
So here’s a post about what’s currently going on and what’s currently on my mind.
I’m Currently…
Scheduling:
Orthodontics appointments. Both of my kids are due for their phase 2 braces, but Hayden is going first! He gets his braces next week.
Baseball practices have started up this week, so I’m now writing all of those dates down on our family calendar.
Lastly, Hadley’s dance studio has a few workshops this summer, so I’m signing Hadley up for a couple that she wants to take.
Practice makes perfect
Appreciating:
This mild weather. The weather this week has been awesome. Of course, last week were hanging out in the hot weather of Florida, but truly Lexington weather has been so great this week!
I’ve been able to get my walks in without sweating too much!
Organizing:
My closet. It’s a disaster, and I decided to tackle it this week. By “tackle,” I mean keep moving it to the bottom of my “to do” list. Organization will happen this week. I hope. 😂
Reading:
Simple Wild on my Kindle.
Cooking:
I tried to choose a few healthy(ish) meals this week for dinner to get our family back on track. Upon our return home, we had very little food in the house, so I had to make a quick grocery order. I turned to Pinterest to find a few healthy(ish) meals that I had saved.
Tuesday, I made this Weight Watchers Mexican Casserole. It was so delish!
Last night, we had salmon and Jasmine rice. I love that our Kroger has this option for cooking the fish in the oven. I just tell them what seasonings and ingredients I’d like, they put them in the oven bag with the fish. Then, you just bake the salmon in the bag. Easy clean up, and it’s delish. Both my kids, especially Hadley, love salmon!
Thursday night we are having steak/arugula/cheese flat bread wraps.
Ordering:
I ordered these books off of Amazon for the kids. Each year, I get the Summer Bridge Activity books for the next grade and have the kids do an activity or two a day. #mykidsloveme 😂
Hayden started reading the Harry Potter series with his teacher’s read aloud group. He read the first two with them, but then wanted to read the third book.
Lastly, I ordered Love Doesfor kids for the kids to read this summer.
Wondering:
About what the start of school will look like. We still don’t have any answers.
Sending:
A Father’s Day card to my dad. I always buy him a Peanuts series card, but there weren’t any this year. I’m hoping he will like the Tom and Jerry card instead.
Happy Father’s Day to the Major!!
Drinking:
I finished my 48 hour cleanse, but I was drinking these juices from Whole Foods.
Celebrating:
The library re-opening! Well, one of our libraries is now open for curbside pick up. I had one book to pick up. While this isn’t my regular library, I went ahead and drove to get it on Monday afternoon. We still can’t return books, so I don’t know how often I will have books to pick up, but I was happy to do so.
Also celebrating my brother’s birthday. We haven’t gotten together much lately, but it was good to get together and let the kids play and have a slice of cake.
Loving:
A touch of flowers around the house.
Laughing:
At Hayden’s tan lines from his glasses. I seriously never see him without his glasses on. Even at night, he tells me good night, puts them on his bedside table and then immediately puts them on in the morning before exiting his bedroom. On this day, he’d been outside playing and was a sweaty mess. He took the glasses off to wipe his face, and I laughed at his tan lines. The contrast doesn’t show up as great in the pics…but it’s funny in person!
Reminiscing:
About this pic of the kids from 2010. Facebook has it’s flaws, but I appreciate when the memories pop up! Hayden and Hadley are wearing hand-me-downs from another set of boy/girl twins. Peace. Love. Twins.
Side note: Summer of 2010 was one of my faves. I was actually dreading it because I wasn’t sure if I could cut it as a stay at home mom (Real talk: I can’t), but the summers always provide extra quality time with the kids that I don’t take for granted, even now.
That summer was really good. The kids were on an awesome schedule, sleeping 10+ hours at night and still taking two solid naps a day. That summer, they started to sit up, acknowledge each other more, smile and were actually pretty easy.
Enjoying:
Strawberry Shortcake. On Tuesday, we went to pick strawberries (more about that tomorrow), and then made the natural pit stop at Kroger to get whipped cream and yellow sponge cake shells. So good!
Strawberry picking was a fun experience.
Thanks so much for reading my first Currently post! See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.
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