I guess February is the month for love with Valentine’s Day last week.
That being said, the past couple of days, I’ve made note of a few things that come to mind that I love.
Now, of course, I love my family, my friends, and Homer; things like “health,” “travel,” and “traditions” would be on the list of things I love, but today’s list is a look at some of the “littler” things I love
For starters, I love a Thursday. It’s my favorite day of the week. It’s a great day to be productive, and the weekend is right around the corner.
Here are some other things I love…in no particular order…
A cup of warm coffee to start my day.
A good book.
A rainy day.
A good snow fall. (And a snow day!…We have another one today.)
A “crispy” Diet Coke…McDonald’s does it best, followed by Chick-fil-A. There’s nothing better than that fizz.
The glow of a Christmas tree.
All my family being at home at the same time.
*This pic –we aren’t at home, but I like the pic. haha
The school copier not jamming when I have copies to make. Literally…I say a little prayer every time I make copies.
A new set of pens.
When a lesson in class goes well.
Clean sheets!
A beach sunset.
Turning the page on my desk calendar. The fresh start of a new month is always something I look forward to.
(Old calendar, but you get what I mean…)
When someone gives me a compliment about my kids.
*The same goes for a good sub note and compliments on my students.
A word search.
A three day weekend with no “Sunday Scaries.” (Although, I must admit that I’ve had a great year with very few Sundays dreading Monday!)
A bowl of cereal. I’m on a Cap’n Crunch kick right now.
Mint chocolate chip ice cream. It’s the superior flavor.
Being tan.
Funny memes.
Appointments like getting my nails or my hair done. I also love my monthly facials.
A good nap.
A card.
A snack plate.
A cookie cake.
A show to binge watch. Currently, Travis and I are making our way through the second season of The Night Agent. I also love most of Bravo’s “Housewives” franchise.
Emojis. If you get a text from me, you know that it will almost always include an emoji….
Some of my faves: 🎉🙃🤣👀☠️😬😭🙋♀️👸
Unfortunately, I’ve had to use this one the past couple of days 🤒…because Hayden has the flu.
…and we have yet another NTI day thanks for snow and cold temps so…🥶
What about you? What’s something simple that you love?
Hello and TGIF! Happy last day of January. It’s felt like the longest month.
Y’all, only a few hours stand between us and the weekend, and I’m grateful to have made it through this five day week. It’s been a minute since we’ve logged a full week of school thanks to winter break and the weather.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
…to share my…
One of my favorite posts to write at the end of the year is when I take a look back on the year. While I will still probably write that post, I thought it would be fun to share the highlights of each month.
My goal is to share four to five moments rather than a laundry list of all that we did in a month.
Since these are some of my favorite moments from the month, I’m still on track with a Friday favorites post.
1. SnOMG
First of all…SnOMG! We got snow and ice on January 5th, and there’s still some snow in some spots. Well, it will be gone today thanks to the rain we’ve been getting.
We had one week of traditional snow days. Then, we had three NTI (non-traditional instruction) days before finally going back to school on Thursday, January 16th. The following week, we had another NTI day due to the below zero temps.
The snow was so pretty, but I’m also appreciating the warmer temps now.
2. Reformer Pilates
Thanks to the snow days, I was able to go to a few Reformer Pilates classes. I think I’ve been to five now, and each one is different! I really enjoy this workout, and I hope to do it when I can…especially in the summer when the class times align more with my schedule.
3. My Birthday
I celebrated my birthday…on a snow day! I’ve never had a snow day birthday in all my 23 years teaching. Since it was an NTI day, I was able to go to a Pilates class, grab a Starbucks and then head home for my Zoom meeting.
We went out to dinner, and then had a Bundt cake for dessert.
4. Volleyball
Hadley started her club volleyball season a couple of weeks ago. Her team made it to the gold bracket in their first tournamnet, and had lots of fun playing!
5. KC Chiefs
To round out the month, the KC Chiefs beat the Buffalo Bills in a nail-biter AFC Championship game last Sunday. It was such a good game, and we’re looking forward to the Super Bowl!
Screenshot
The news of the DC plane crash is so heartbreaking, and I can’t imagine what those families and communities are going through. Life can change in an instant.
I hope to share this post on the last day of every month…just a way to be grateful to the moments each month, both big and small.
With the first day of the new year, I’m looking back on 2024 to share my “year in review.” These years seem to fly by, and it’s always fun to look back on all we did!
January:
I tend to take less pictures in January than any other month! It’s typically a slow month for us which is why January is a favorite month of mine.
We started off January thinking about my “words of the year” from our New Year’s Eve night dinner. Faith, forgiveness, growth…good focus for the year.
Another reason I love January…it’s my birthday month!
We had our first snow day in January which means I made snowman pancakes, per tradition.
“Snow pretty” haha
February:
The kids had their third cotollion dance in February. “Malibu Mingle” was semi-formal attire.
Trav and the kids went to Florida to cheer on our nephew as he ran an Olympic qualifying race.
I stayed home and my friend helped put the finishing touches on Hadley’s “room refresh” by putting up the wallpaper.
The Chiefs won the Super Bowl, and of course we were excited about that! I don’t want to jinx it, but we have our party prep down!
Of course, we celebrated Valentine’s Day.
Hayden’s 8th grade basketball season wrapped up. His time as a “baller” was officially over…another middle school milestone.
March:
We went to the Bailey Zimmerman concert in Cinci. This was the kids’ first concert, and he put on a great show.
We celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with corned beef, cabbage, and Irish soda bread.
Hadley had fun playing volleyball during club season.
April:
We celebrated Easter at the beginning of April…
…and then headed to Washington, DC for spring break. We had a fun few days touring the nation’s capitol.
We had one extra day of spring break thanks to the solar eclipse.
Hayden went to Louisville to run in the Eastern Relays meet.
Both kids had lots of track meets.
Trav and I went to Keeneland for the afternoon.
The kids dressed in more formal attire for their final cotollion dance.
Hayden ran in the Dream Mile in Louisville which was the top 15 8th graders in Kentucky.
While Hayden was running, Hadley was at the 8th grade dance with her friends.
May:
Travis and I went to the Oaks races with friends.
We celebrated Mother’s Day by going to church and then out to brunch.
Hadley’s club volleyball season wrapped up and they finished runner up in the tournament.
The 8th grade track season finished with both the city and state meets. Hayden holds the school record for the 800, 1600 and 3200 times and Hadley’s relay team holds the school record in three relays. The city and state meets were a perfect way to end their middle school running careers.
With the end of middle school came 8th grade graduation. The students had a wonderful celebration and then we went out to dinner.
The next day, they kids had a fun pool party with all of their friends.
June:
We were so happy to be out of school by June. We headed to KC for a few days. We went to the Royals game, and they had a huge come back win. It was nice seeing family and kicking off our summer that way.
Hadley went to camp and had the best time.
We celebrated Trav for Father’s Day.
Then, it was time for our trip to the Pacific Northwest…Oregon and Washington. We went to the Olympic Track Trials, saw the Oregon coast, stayed at a resort and toured Seattle. It was a trip we’ll always remember.
While in Oregon, Trav and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary.
July:
After a couple of days home, I went to KC to help dad after his knee surgery the first week of July. The kids celebrated the 4th as Hayden ran a 10k, and then Trav and the kids went to our spot to watch the fireworks.
When I got home, we celebrated Trav’s birthday.
Hayden had fun at running camp.
I spent a lot of time at the pool!
We celebrated Trav’s mom’s 75th birthday.
Hadley had volleyball tryouts, and was excited to make the team.
August:
Volleyball and cross country commitments cranked up. The kids had meets and games.
We all prepped to go back to school…
I tweaked our back to school breakfast/brinner to dinner at Ihop…and none of us were mad about that new tradition.
The kids started high school, and I started my 23rd year of education!
Trav and I went to the Larry Fleet concert in Lexington…on a school night!!
September:
By September, Hadley was in the thick of volleyball season.
Her team had a fun weekend in Tennessee at a tournament. Their freshman team placed high in the JV bracket, so it was a fun and rewarding experience.
Hayden ran Varsity in many competitive meets.
The kids went to more Kentucky football games then Travis and I did. haha
At the end of September, we had bad storms and lost one of our favorite front yard trees.
October:
We started October in 30A on fall break with our friends. This was the third year, and we love this tradition. We’re so lucky to have these friends and families to go on this vacation with year after year.
The KC Royals made it to the playoffs and were fun to watch!
Hayden ran an awesome race in the city meet. Trav was getting over Covid, so he watched from a distance, but I got a pic with Hayden! (Then, it was my turn for Covid.)
Screenshot
Trav and I were able to go to Keeneland one afternoon which is one of my favorite fall traditions.
The leaves changed our our remaining tree, and I got one of my fave pics of the year!
Right before Halloween, the kids carved their pumpkins per tradition.
November:
Hayden ran another great race in the state meet. He won a freshman award at the end of season banquet.
Hadley had her volleyball banquet, and earned an award too.
We’re proud of all that the kids accomplished in their first high school seasons, and they had a lot of fun with their teammates.
The kids turned 15!! How is that possible?
We celebrated Thanksgiving in Louisville.
Then, we headed to Charlotte for Hayden to run in the Foot Locker South Regional race. We’d never been to Charlotte, and it was a fun city to explore for a couple of days.
December:
In December, we did all the holiday things.
We celebrated Christmas a couple of days early, and then…
…we headed to KC for a few days to see family there!
Now, we have a little less than a week before school starts back, so we’re taking the time to relax but also be productive before heading back to the hustle and bustle of life.
Today’s the fresh start of a new year, and I hope 2025 is a great one for all!
This week started off slowly, but is certainly picking up the pace.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve shared a day in the life post, so that’s what I’m doing today!
I’ve captured last Monday…September 16th.
I forgot to screen shot my phone when my alarm went off, but I got up at 5:50. This is a new time for me this year. I used to get up at 6, but 5:50 has given me a few extra minutes in the morning with a new time frame of the kids getting up a bit earlier than they did in their middle school years.
The day before, I had put out my fall decorations, so I was happy to turn on my pumpkin and light a fall scented candle.
While my coffee brewed, I found my best friends in the fridge. I applied my eye mask, grabbed my coffee and went to the living room.
‘Tis the season for this mug:
I always watch the local news…while I drink my coffee, read blogs, and scroll Instagram.
I usually play my daily Bejeweled Blitz during this time too.
I try to get moving by 6:50, but I was lazy and lounged until this time:
…before trying to wake my sleepy heads. They set alarms, but definitely know how to hit the snooze button.
Then it was time to wash my face and do my morning skincare routine.
Of course I made the bed.
Then, I applied my under eye concealer…I like to let it set, while I drag the kids out of bed and make my way to the kitchen.
I pulled out my slow cooker as a reminder to start dinner when I got home from school.
Then, I packed my lunch. Mondays are often lots of prepackaged items…
The kids were eating breakfast, so I went ahead and got ready. I did my makeup and my hair…
…and I was ready for the day.
I filled up my travel coffee mug, grabbed my school stuff, hugged everyone goodbye, and headed out to leave.
On my way out, I realized there was a load of laundry that needed to be moved to the dryer, so I did that.
On my drive to school, Trav called to get organized for the day. Hadley and I used to have the same Apple account/ID?, so when Trav calls, it says, “dad.” haha
I got to school, and got my board ready. I always update the date, write the agenda, learning targets and learning intentions. Ugh…don’t get me started on the things I have to write on my board that the kids don’t care about 😉
This year, I purchased a digital set of Google slides from Teachers Pay Teachers, to use for my agenda. Some slides have timers and “welcome” messages.
It’s really helped keep me organized, and the students know what we are doing when they walk in the room.
On this day, we were going to the library, so I didn’t have much to prepare.
Here’s an example of what a typical class period looks like:
First hour, my English 1 students went to the library. We have an amazing librarian who is really involved and plans fun activities. She talked with the students for a few minutes, but then they played “break out games” in groups to open boxes using clues about the library. It was a fun way for them to get acclimated with the library, learn new info, and work with others.
2nd hour is one of my intervention hours. A teacher sent me a few students who needed additional support answering comprehension questions for the Cyclops part of the Odyssey.
After 2nd hour, I have tardy cart duty with another teacher. If a student is late to 3rd hour, we scan their ID and give them a tardy pass to class. I only have to do this for five minutes or so.
3rd hour is my planning period, and I maximized my time.
I went to make copies after tardy cart duty. Most of what we do is online, but I still have to make a few copies throughout the week.
Then, I went back to my room to get organized. I started a binder with everything we are doing in Unit 1, so I had some pages to add to that.
Then, I sat down and scanned the sections of The Odyssey that we were reading last week. I like to have the student book out when I’m teaching as it’s lighter and easier to carry when I’m walking around the room. Since we got new curriculum this year, I’m having to prepare day to day.
I jot down questions and answers in the student book that I keep, so I’m not dependent on the teacher edition when I teach.
Then, I take some time to get my Canvas page organized. This does take a few minutes, but I know the pay off is great if I stay organized, and it helps the students.
Then, I had time to grade a few assignments. Friendly reminder that I haven’t had to grade papers in close to five years….so this has been my biggest adjustment going back to the classroom. I will say that the online grading is pretty seamless, and then Canvas syncs with our grading system every night to update grades.
I also had a few more minutes to plan reading strategies for my students as we read The Odyssey. Since this is our first year, I’ve given them a reading/literacy strategy to do before, during or after reading our assigned text for the day.
This way, they stay engaged in the reading and will know these strategies as we use them throughout the year.
Then, it was time for Advisory. I share an Advisory with a math teacher. Advisory is only 25 minutes, so I head to his room to help out. Just this week, our principal moved Advisory to the beginning of the day to hold students more accountable with attendance, so that’s been a bit of an adjustment.
4th hour is my other MTSS hour. I helped a student with a Newsela assignment.
Then, I had lunch and a 30 minute meeting.
My last two classes of the day are my Advanced English 1 and Co-teach English 1. Those classes went to the library as well.
When the librarian told me when she was available, I jumped at the Monday availability because it was nice to start the week that way with something different for my students to do.
After school, my kids came to my room, and we left pretty much immediately because we had a busy evening.
As soon as a I got home, I saw that Amazon had delivered my new garden flag. It was the perfect addition to the front yard, so I put it out immediately.
Then, I went inside and made Hadley a quesadilla before I had to take her to her scrimmage.
I put meatballs in the slow cooker for dinner later. When I know we won’t eat until late, I prefer to put food in the slow cooker later rather than have it sit all day. I made Shay’s meatballs and rice.
Then, I changed my clothes. I always change out of school clothes as soon as possible! I have this over-sized t-shirt in a couple of colors, and I love it.
I picked up two of Hadley’s friends, and dropped them off at the school where they had three scrimmage games.
I came home for about thirty minutes and had a snack and did my Bible study.
My favorite snack lately is a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios. It just hits the spot!
Then, I went to Hadley’s games. They played at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30, but of course the games were running late…
…so a soft pretzel became my dinner!
Once we got home around 9, I helped Hayden study for his Biology test the next day. My kids hate it, but I tell them note cards are the way to go. Yes, it’s true…kids don’t know how to study. I tried to stay awake while talking about homeostasis!
I watched a few minutes of baseball…
…before mustering the energy to take a shower…and then it was time for my PM skincare routine. One of my friends sells Mary Kay, and for my birthday this year, she gave me this Retinol. I use it Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, and I love it.
After my skincare, I brushed my teeth and got ready for bed. The kids came in to tell me goodnight as I was reading my Kindle.
Then, it was lights out at 10:20. I was tired!
So, that’s a peek a relatively normal day for me. If Hadley doesn’t have a game, she still has practice, as does Hayden…but at least I get home a little earlier on those evenings.
Like any year, we had our ups and downs, but overall it was a really good one. Here’s the more in-depth recap:
January:
Hadley and friends went to their first school-wide middle school dance.
Hayden played basketball for school.
I turned 43!
February:
The Chiefs won the Super Bowl!
The kids went to the Valentine’s Day dance at school.
I sent Valentine’s Day cards to family per tradition.
Hadley had her first dance competition of the season.
March:
We started off March by losing power for 5 days.
The kids ran in an indoor track meet.
April:
We spent a few days in Greenville, SC for spring break.
We celebrated Easter.
Hayden got his braces off after almost three years.
Track season started.
Hayden met one of his goals by running under five minute (4:59) mile and qualified for state in a few events. Hadley did too in the 400 m.
Travis and I spent an afternoon at Keeneland.
May:
Travis and I kicked off May by going to Oaks.
…and watching Derby at home.
Dance competitions continued…
…including ones on Mother’s Day. I still felt celebrated and loved 🙂
The kids wrapped up 7th grade.
The kids ran in the state track meet in Louisville to wrap up the month.
June:
Hadley had her dance recital at the beginning of June, and decided to hang up her dance shoes to focus on volleyball.
Travis and I made a trip to Julep Farm for a few days.
We also celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary.
July:
Hadley went to camp.
We celebrated the 4th of July, and Hayden ran his first ever 10k.
Hadyen went to running camp, and he loved every minute.
Hadley and I spent a week in Florida, and she brought one of her friends along for the vacay.
We went to KC for a bit to see family. The kids hung out there while Travis and I went to California for a few days.
August:
Del Mar, California…one of my favorite places.
The kids hung out with some UK athletes when we got home.
Volleyball Photo Day.
Tommy Quarles | UK Athletics
We celebrated a friend’s birthday in Nashville.
…and one of Hadley’s friend’s at her bat mitzvah.
We headed back to school in August…8th grade for the kids and year 22 for me.
Cross country ramped up with Hayden starting his 8th grade season, and Travis as the coach again.
September:
Hadley got back into volleyball in September.
The kids, more than the adults, attended the UK football games with friends.
Hayden won the district championship cross country meet.
October:
For fall break, we spent a week in Florida with friends.
Per tradition, we hit up the pumpkin patch.
Hayden ran in the state meet with a top 10 finish.
Hadley and friends went to the first cotillion dance of the season.
October means Keeneland with friends!
The kids were still old enough to have fun on Halloween.
November:
Club season started for running, and Hayden (and team) was off to a great start.
Hayden ran another sub five minute mile, and enjoyed being coached by his dad and his cousin.
School volleyball started for Hadley, and she loved it.
The kids turned 14!!
They had fun with their friends celebrating their birthday.
We headed to KC for Thanksgiving.
We celebrated Hadley at 8th grade night, and volleyball season wrapped up in early December.
December:
Club season continued, and Travis and Hayden traveled to Tallahassee, Florida. Hayden ran in a downpour, but achieved his first All-American status.
Hayden had one more race mid-December to cap off club cross country season.
The kids went to the second cotillion dance: Glitter and Gold Gala
Hadley started off break having so much fun with her friends eating pizza, ice skating, and having a Secret Santa exchange.
We continued Christmas traditions like baking cookies,
…sending Christmas cards,
…seeing the lights at the horse park, and…
…adding a new tradition into the mix: Operation Secret Santa.
Christmas Eve Eve we went to Louisville for Christmas with Trav’s family.
We celebrated Christmas Eve with dinner at home followed by church, and then hung out with friends for a bit.
Christmas day we were at home, and I got the sweetest gifts.
The week between Christmas and the new year was much like it is for everyone…a blur of days with a mix of lazy and productivity. Unfortunately, I was sick for a few days with a sinus infection, but at least I had the downtime.
We celebrated New Year’s Eve with friends last night.
My “focus” words for the year are: faith, forgiveness, and growth.
We have a couple more days of break which we greatly appreciate. And… we’ve started 2024 off with a bedroom refresh for Hadley, so that’s been a fun focus this past week.
I hope you have had a great holiday season.
Last year, I participated in WordPress’ Bloganuary which means I hope to post all 31 days in January. There have been days this past year where it’s been harder to find time to write, but I do feel like January tends to be a slower month, so I’m up to the challenge!
In August, I discussed worst habits in a blog challenge post.
This month, we are looking at…our evening routine.
I captured a pretty “routine” evening on Monday. Here’s what it looked like:
Most afternoons, I pick up the kids up from school and we head home.
I planned soup for dinner, so I put that in the slow cooker as soon as we got home. I made one of our favorites…Sausage and Cheese Tortellini Soup.
Then, I checked in on the kids as they were working on homework. Hadley was working on Algebra…
…which reminded me of this meme that I saw recently…haha
So far, the kids are in a pretty good groove with juggling activities and homework. Hadley has had more homework this year than Hayden has. I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned it…but they are in the SAME Language Arts class…and they are currently seated in alphabetical order….which is unfortunate for Hadley…haha
In 6th grade, they didn’t have any classes together, and last year they had one semester of PE together. This is the first core class they’ve had together. Oh to be a fly on that wall…
Right now, with most of their activities being in the evening, they usually have a couple of hours after school to relax, have a snack and do homework before heading to cross country or volleyball practice.
Hadley usually chooses to jump right into the homework, whereas, Hayden usually watches a show and has a snack before doing his work. This year, I’ve really tried to let them manage their time…until they show me I need to manage it for them…So far, so good.
Anyway, I change out of my school clothes as soon as I can.
Monday’s outfit was actually pretty comfy…
…but it was time to change into my workout clothes.
I checked in again on the kids, filled up my water bottle and headed to the basement to get a workout in.
I’d hoped to get in some kind of morning workout groove, but it hasn’t happened. I usually get up on Friday mornings, but otherwise, I’ve had at least an hour after school to get a workout in before taking the kids wherever they need to be.
Once the school volleyball season starts, I will probably have to go straight from school to games, so I may have to incorporate more morning workouts then.
Anyway, I’m almost finished with the Sure Thing program, and I’ve been loving it.
Then, I spent a few minutes working on Tuesday’s blog post. I’ve had a hard time getting in a writing groove since school started. While I’ve been posting regularly, I’ve just had to find pockets of time to write in order to make that happen.
So, I had about fifteen minutes between my workout and taking Hadley to volleyball, so I worked on the post then.
I dropped Hadley off and ran a couple of errands. I don’t really love evening errands, but her volleyball nights are the same time that Travis is with Hayden at cross country practice. Since Hadley’s volleyball is only for an hour, I usually run an errand or two nearby.
On Monday, I took a couple of books back to the library, and stopped by Walgreens before…
…heading back to watch the last twenty minutes of her practice.
Once we got home, we all sat down for dinner together. We kept it simple with just the soup, but it was a good meal…even though we didn’t eat until late.
After dinner, Travis and I cleaned up the kitchen while the kids finished up their homework.
Then, it was shower and skincare routine time.
After my shower, I watched tv until about 10:00…and I enjoyed some ice cream. I felt like I really deserved the ice cream 😉
We all headed to bed around 10:00. Travis was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow….even though he thought he was going to finish watching the football game. haha
I read every night before bed…sometimes it’s just for a few minutes, but Monday night I actually read for about thirty minutes.
That’s a look at a pretty typical evening routine for me.
What a week…I can cross four days of professional development off my list!
As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Before I get into today’s post, I finally picked a gift card winner.
Hadley drew the name from pile, and the winner is…Angela!
I sent you an email last night, so check your inbox!
Thanks again, everyone, for the blogiversary love.
Also, a reminder that Monday is our Not Just a Mom link up.
The topic is…what’s in my handbag.
If you are a blogger, we’d love to have you join us and share what’s in your handbag.
Now, on to today’s post…
Well, a favorite has been summer, and I can’t believe we’ll be back to school next week! So, I want to take a look back on all the fun we’ve had these past couple of months. Having fun is of course a favorite.
We started the summer with the kids running in the middle state track meet. We always love watching them run.
Hayden ran in a Hoka sponsored race in St. Louis.
We had lots of pool time this summer, but the kids were pretty independent on when they went. There were times I was there on my own, and other times they were there together. I love reading at the pool.
Hadley went to UK volleyball camp and had so much fun.
She also had her dance recital weekend. We love watching her dance, but I think she’s hanging up her ballet slippers for her volleyball sneakers! This will be a different year for her for sure.
Travis and I spent a few days at Julep Farm, and I sure hope we don’t let too much time pass before going there again.
We went Kayaking with friends…
…and celebrated Travis on Father’s Day.
Speaking of celebrating, Travis and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary and had a lovely dinner at Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse.
Hayden went to Fripp Island, SC with his friend’s family, and he had so much fun.
Hadley loved every single second of camp…
Hayden ran his first 10k race on the 4th of July…
….and we did sparklers once Hadley got home from camp.
Hadley had fun at the lake with her friend.
We celebrated Trav’s “big” birthday in July.
We tagged along when Travis checked out some horses near Louisville and then went to the outlet mall.
We went out to dinner with some friends…
Hayden went to running camp and loved every minute…
He also played basketball this summer and had so much fun.
The kids got to hang with some of the UK volleyball players.
Volleyball Photo Day.
Tommy Quarles | UK Athletics
The kids and I went to KC, and the kids had a great time with family…
…while I met Travis in California for a few days. I always enjoy spending time in Del Mar; I loved capping off summer in one of our favorite places.
This was a different summer for us. Obviously, we did so many things…but it did feel like everyone just kind of did what they wanted to do. I’m still bummed we didn’t get a family vacay, but we have fun planned for fall break; that will be here before we know it!
Of course, we still have lots of summer left even though school is starting. We head back to school soon, but we also have a pretty fun August on tap.
Hello and happy Thursday…and hallelujah! …the electricity turned on Tuesday night…right in time for bed. haha We were all so excited!
Well, most of the time I plan out my blog posts. Other times, I just let the blog topics come to me. Having no power for over four days, has me thinking about some of the things that came in handy during our days on the prairie (without power.)
When the power went out on Friday at 5pm, Travis was out of town for the night. Hayden went to the basement and came up with a bag. He said, “Dad said if the power went out, we might need these things.” In the bag were some hand warmers, which we thankfully never needed, his running headlamp, batteries and more.
I do want to start by saying it could have been worse. From Saturday – Monday we had very mild weather. I spent a lot of time on the front porch. It was warmer outside than in my house.
The kids were able to play outside most of the days, and even on Tuesday, when the temps were cooler, they still kept busy during the day with friends. If the power had gone out in the winter, we would have been freezing. If it went out in the summer, we would have been hot. Also, we were pretty busy most evenings, so we only sat in the dark for about an hour before bed every night.
Our thermostat never dipped below 60 degrees, and it was easy to keep warm with sweatshirts, fuzzy socks, and blankets. We had no damage to our yard or house, and others definitely can’t say the same.
Anyway, here are a few other things that came in handy during our days without power:
Who knew when I purchased the flameless candles in January for decorative purposes, they’d be our lifeline at night? Also, I’m so thankful I bought the seven pack! I kept one on in the hall over night, the kids each kept on in their rooms and their bathroom, and then we had one in our room too.
On Saturday morning, when Hayden woke up, he asked when the power came back on. I told him it didn’t –it was only daylight! haha
Anyway, as he bounced the basketball around the house, Hadley said she really needed him to have a charged phone. That’s when she told him he could charge his phone through his chromebook! Genius.
So when we could, we charged our computers at friends’ houses because they worked as another opportunity to charge our phones. We also charged them in the car occasionally.
Dual USB chargers that we bought a couple years ago to use during baseball tournaments also came in handy. I don’t think I’ve charged them up in years, and when I found one Friday night, I was able to charge my phone! So, these clearly hold their charge. I ended up charging these when I could too.
One thing I missed the most was just being able to drink coffee first thing in the morning. A friend brought me some on Saturday morning. Then, on Sunday, we were at the hotel. Monday and Tuesday, Travis did a Starbucks run before going to work. He suggested putting my second cup in my travel mug because it would stay warm until I could drink it. Again, genius!
My Kindle was the real MVP of this time. I was able to finish the second half of Spare, and read almost all of Wrong Place Wrong Time. Thankfully, my Kindle holds a charge for quite a while.
Hadley was really missing her sound machine at night. On Sunday night, I remembered that her old sound machine (that I keep in my overnight bag for travel), will run on batteries. She was so happy…that night, she put on her “snuggy” –the blanket with a hood-, blasted her sound machine, and slept like a baby.
Thankfully, our water heater is gas, so we could still take hot showers. That being said, I think I had a claw clip in my hair Saturday-Tuesday!
Also, my brother and sister-in-law let us hang out here…and especially on Tuesday, as I started this post, we’d hung out here for most of the day. I was able to work on some school things, and the kids did too. I also did laundry and charged all the things (again) since I never knew when we’d get power.
Another helpful tool was this travel power strip that I got Travis for Christmas. We were able to charge everything at once just using one outlet.
While our fireplace doesn’t put out much heat, we were grateful for some warmth (and light) in the mornings and nights.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have a plan for the fridge and freezer. I thought about saving a few things but also hoped the power would come back on. Obviously, it didn’t. So by Sunday night, our fridge and freezer looked like this:
*silver lining* The fridge needed a good clean, and now it has it.
In my almost 20 years in Lexington, this is only the second time we’ve been in a house that’s lost power. In January 2021, we lost it for a few hours. So, this was obviously more extensive, but we’ve never thought we needed a generator. As friends started to get power, one reached out and offered us their generator which was so thoughtful of them. Tuesday night, we went to dinner and continued to see the utility trucks on our street. So, I was hopeful we wouldn’t need the generator. Right as we were going to bed at 10:00, the lights clicked back on! We appreciated the kind offer, but I’m glad we didn’t end up needing it.
While I’m sure hoping we never need a generator, maybe we should add that to our household list for the future!
Again, counting my blessings. It could have been worse.
Happy last day of 2022! I can’t believe another year has passed.
This is a post I start in January and just add to each month. It’s a fun way to take a peek at the year.
Here’s a look back at 2022:
January:
We started the year in Cincinnati cheering for the Chiefs (vs. the Bengals). It was a heartbreaking loss for our Chiefs.
Per usual, we got our first snow day(s) of the season. Sledding with friends is always fun.
On my birthday, I went to see my fave, Heather McMahon, with some of my friends.
February:
We were still cheering for those Chiefs in February.
We celebrated Valentine’s Day with a festive lunch.
Hadley had her first dance competition of the year.
March:
In March, Hadley had her second dance competition of the season.
6th grade basketball wrapped up for Hayden with a heartbreaking loss (why are those our ‘thing?’), but it was a great season none the less.
We *finally* were mask free at school! Look at those smiles.
We cheered on my school’s boys basketball team in the sweet 16 at Rupp.
April:
April started off with Spring Break in Asheville.
While there, Hayden and I visited the Biltmore.
Hayden’s final year of baseball started.
I’ll treasure all of the baseball memories!
Travis and I were able to go to Keeneland with friends.
Middle school track started for both kids.
We celebrated Easter.
Travis and I went with friends to the Chris Stapleton at Kroger Field.
Hadley had her final dance competition of the season, and they came home with lots of awards.
Track season continued.
May:
Travis and I started May by attending the Oaks.
We celebrated Mother’s Day.
Baseball continued…
Hadley had her end of the year chorus concert.
The kids had their 6th grade championship meet for track.
Sixth grade went by in a blink!
June:
With June, came the end of baseball for Hayden.
Hadley had her dance recital.
We spent lots of time at the pool.
Hadley had swim team.
I had Covid (and cleaned my closet!)
Towards the end of June, Travis and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary.
We went to the lake with friends.
Hayden took another trip to the lake and realized his love for fishing.
I went to the New Kids on the Block concert with friends.
July:
In July, we took a fun family vacay to Mexico.
Hadley went to camp for a week.
Then, we visited family in Kansas City.
We had family photos taken.
Then, we celebrated my Gma’s 90th birthday.
Before heading back to Kentucky, we made a stop at the Lake of the Ozarks with friends.
August:
Before heading back to school, we enjoyed a family dinner at Jeff Ruby’s.
Hayden finished up summer basketball.
…and the kids started S E V E N T H grade!
Cross country began (with Travis as the coach)…
and dance started back up.
September:
In September, cross country continued.
We attended many UK football games. (Well, I attended one…the rest of my crew went when they could)
October:
In October, we took the best trip to 30A with our friends for Fall Break.
Love this family photo.
Right after break, Hadley got her braces off after two phases with phase two lasting almost two years.
Of course, we went to the pumpkin patch.
I got to see Heather McMahon again! She taped her Netflix special in Lexington.
Travis, the kids and I spent an afternoon at Keeneland.
Hayden had state cross country. The boys team did amazing! (Hayden made the all area team and Trav was the area Coach of the Year!)
The kids had fun on Halloween.
November:
Basketball picked back up again in November.
Hadley reignited her love for volleyball.
We had fun with friends at the Breeder’s Cup.
Both kids ran in a meet in honor of Trav’s dad.
We went to McDazzle with friends.
…and the kids turned T H I R T E E N!
Hadley had her Winter Showcase for dance
We celebrated Thanksgiving.
We went to our favorite place to pick out our Christmas tree.
December:
Volleyball continued (& the professional pics finally came in)
We attended a few holiday parties and carried on traditions (like baking cookies and going to the Horse Park to see the lights)
Right before break, volleyball wrapped up and Hayden made the school basketball team. Also, the kids finished their science fair projects.
We spent the first week of break finishing up Christmas shopping, baking cookies, watching movies and more.
We celebrated Christmas early at home (with snow and frigid temps outside) before heading to Louisville…
…and then KC.
Like any year, this one was filled with highs and lows. We were busy, but were able to do quite a few things as a family. I continue to feel grateful for health and happiness for all.
Now, we are ready to bring in 2023! See you next year! 😉
Today’s Tuesday Talk is about a new app my family has been using…
…called the Cozi app.
I often send my kids (and Travis) texts with reminders for things like practices and upcoming tests. This year, I thought we’d try the Cozi app. I honestly didn’t know much about it, but I knew it was a way for stay organized and keep the family informed. I created an account, and had everyone download the app. I invited Travis to use the app via email, and the kids just used my log in info for access.
Here’s a sample week on Cozi (not my family!)…
A few things about Cozi:
I assigned each family member a color. There’s also a color for “everyone” in case the whole family needs to know. When you create an event, it’s basically like entering an event on your phone calendar. You can enter the event, location, time, and add notes if needed. Then, I click who is going, and it’s color coded.
Anyone can add to the calendar, and I’ve encouraged the kids (and Trav…haha) to add to it as things pop up whether that’s a test or a Student Council meeting. You can also set a reminder to the events just like on the calendar.
Emails are sent weekly with everything on the calendar for that week. That being said, since my kids weren’t invited via email, they don’t get those emails like Travis and I do. I just encourage them to check the app every Sunday and then daily as well just for reminders.
There’s also a place for lists…
Shopping lists: grocery, wholesale, other. This has actually come in handy because the kids will add in things like “toothpaste” or “Doritos,” and I check that part of the app when placing my grocery order.
To Do- There’s a “shared to do” list and then one for myself…I guess because I have the account. We haven’t used the lists as much, but I may use it for weekly chores like putting up clothes or taking out the trash.
I haven’t used it, but there’s also a “recipes” tab with quite a few recipes. If you choose a recipe, you can also add those ingredients to your grocery list.
We use Cozi for practice and dance schedule, test dates, doctor appointments and even things like UK football games, birthday parties and more. You can mark an event as “repeating,” and it plugs it in for each week. So, for example, Hadley’s dance is always on the same nights every week, and I only had to enter them once.
We have the free version, but I think it’s $30/a year that has other features like a monthly view, reminders, and a birthday tracker.
I’ve heard other busy families talk about “shared calendars,” but we’ve never done that. I kind of like keeping my phone calendar to myself because I have so many reminders and other things I put in it. This app, being separate, has been really nice.
Between the weekly paper calendar on the fridge with activities and what we are having for dinner and the Cozi app, hopefully we won’t miss any appointments or activities!
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