How was your week? Overall, ours was good…we seem to be finding a back to school groove. That being said, I’ve been dragging the past couple of days. I’m definitely ready for the weekend.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
My favorites from the past week are pretty short and sweet…
Well, August is almost over, and I realized I’d never shared my book trackers for the month. As always, I save them in an Instagram highlight. Feel free to use them and tag me!
I’ve had some coloring time lately which has been nice. This was something I did quite a bit but then fell out of that routine. I purchased a new Cozy Girlbook and dusted off my markers, and I’ve spent some time, usually after dinner, coloring for a bit.
If we can’t find Homer, the first place we look is in Hadley’s bed. She was gone for a bit last weekend, and look where I found him…
Hadley wrapped up summer having lots of fun with friends…from birthday parties to time spent at the lake, she had a great summer.
I have a few new Trader Joe’s finds that are faves…
These S’mores clusters are legit!
I can’t quit on these Cinna-Dragons…they are so good.
Last weekend, when I was at Trader Joe’s, I was shocked that they already had their apple cider donuts out…what a treat!
Travis picked up a couple of Bundt cakes the other night including the new Biscoff cookie flavor…it’s a 10/10 and definitely got us in the mood for fall.
Both of my kids are taking Art 1 this year, and I found this on the counter…
This Daisie foaming body wash from Target is a new fave…It’s such a favorite that Hadley took it from my shower and put it in hers. My niece had it, and I was influenced by her!
Favorite Mom Meme:
Let’s just say it’s been a process getting up and moving these first few days back to school…
Weekly Recap:
I had a few posts this week in case you missed one…
Well, we made it through the first few days of school…and I made it through my first full week.
It has been a great start, but to say I’m ready for the weekend is an understatement.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Today’s favorites are the first day of school pics…
We had horrible weather on Wednesday morning. We had torrential rains, thunder, lightning, and flash flooding in some areas. That meant our traditional first day of school photos had to be postponed, but I did get this pic of the kids before I left for school…
…and Hadley suggested a selfie of the three of us to send to Travis. He’d been out of town for a few days, and was flying home that morning.
Hadley is my 1st block peer tutor on our “A” days (since we have block scheduling). Isn’t she cute?! (BTW- her first day of school top and sandals are Amazon. Her top is a new purchase, but she got the sandals in the spring and has worn them quite a few times. She rates both a 10/10!)
I saw this our on school library door…such a sweet sentiment.
The weather was cooperating after school, but our front porch wasn’t, so we moved to the backyard for photos. (We have brick front steps, and some of them were crumbling, so those were getting fixed which means we had yellow caution tape up the couple of days they were being worked on)
First day of kindergarten for comparison!
All smiles to be finished with the first day of school. haha
Per (high school years) tradition, we went to IHop for dinner. Honestly, it was raining really hard, and we were tired, but we rallied to make this happen…plus, I didn’t feel like cooking!
In all the years of first day of school for the kids, I really think that’s the first time we’ve had a rainy first day. Oh well, the pics happened eventually.
Favorite Mom Meme:
It’s cliche, but it’s so true. Where is the time going?!
What are your weekend plans? For starters, I plan on not setting an alarm…and I hope to finish the book I’m reading! Also, I hope to get caught up on my blog reading and responding to comments on my blog. Please bear with me as I get back into my school routine!
Well, I’ve almost made it through my first week of school, and I’m definitely feeling TGIF.
It’s been good to get back in a routine and see my friends and colleagues, but those early alarms have been quite the reality.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week…
I was so busy getting back to school this week that I didn’t realize that Tuesday was my 7th blogiversary for Show Me and Sweet Tea. This is still a fun hobby for me, and I can’t believe I’ve been at it for seven years.
(If you’re somewhat new here or have forgotten, the blog has it’s name due to my Missouri roots in the “Show Me” state and then is there anything more southern than sweet tea which highlights my moving to Kentucky, where Travis was born and raised.)
I don’t know if he misses me, but I already miss my breakfast buddy now that I’m back to school. Homer is my sidekick most of the day in the summer.
Hadley and friends went to the Chris Stapleton concert in Cincinnati on Saturday night. Her outfit is linked in Monday’s Prime Purchasespost.
Despite the rain delay, they had a great time.
There was a strong line of storms, so Stapleton’s 9:00 start time was pushed to past 10:00. She sent me this pic, and said he was worth the wait!
Stapleton is from Kentucky, and Trav and I went to his concert at Kroger Field here in Lexington a few years ago, and he was amazing.
My mom was in town, and one of her specialties is making these cookies and icing, and then the kids decorate them. They had a good time doing so, and the cookies were delish.
I’ve mentioned that Hayden has been coaching a 5th grade basketball team this summer. We all made it to the last game of the season. His team has come a long way as have his coaching skills. I think it’s been a fun summer for all.
At dinner on Sunday, I gave him the “You are Special” red plate to celebrate his first season coaching basketball.
Hadley and I went to Walmart for some school supplies, and then we went to Target. Well, this tumbler “found” me, and it’s perfect for my “to go” iced coffee.
A quiet classroom to get work done is always a favorite. Many of my favorite school supplies are linked in my Amazon Storefront.
Speaking of school supplies, the first thing I did on Tuesday was organize the school supplies that I’d purchased. Then, I took some time to put everything away and label the tubs for my supplies.
I have some secret snack storage in my classroom for my teens, and I told Hadley she had a $50 budget to get us restocked. She sent me this pic from Kroger, and proudly told me she spent $44. I’m not sure why she didn’t get a shopping cart. haha
Favorite Mom Meme:
Wow…this one is so true!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
With school starting next week, you know I always love a trip down memory lane.
Here the kids are on the first day of kindergarten. Now they will be juniors.
Share Our Lives:
Monday is the second Monday of the month, so we have our Share Our Lives link up. This month’s topic is favorite current music. We’d love to have you join us.
Weekly Recap:
Here are my posts from the week in case you missed one:
I hope you have a lovely summer weekend. I have to keep reminding myself just because we’re going back to school doesn’t mean all the summer fun has to end!
How was your week? We made the most of ours…the kids had workouts a couple days this week,we embraced the cooler temps, saw a movie, ran some errands, and squeezed some pool time in.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
Last weekend, Hadley went to the lake with some friends. Most summers, these girls go together and spend some time on the lake…unfortunately, there was some rain off and on last Saturday, but they made the most of it.
Umm…how cute is Hadley’s set? She showed it to me, and I had a gift card, so I got it for her. Once it arrived, and she tried it on, we both gave it two thumbs up.
She said, “Mom… it comes in lots of colors if you want one!” I love that she knows I loved a good set 😂
It’s no secret that I don’t change up my nail color much…I usually do OPI’s Bubble Bath or Funny Bunny. My sister-in-law mentioned “Bubble Bunny” as a combo of the two, and this is the second time I’ve gotten it. It might just be my new “go to.”
After writing last week’s Hodgepodge post, I realized I hadn’t made this fave dessert in a while. It made it on Tuesday, and it hit the spot!
I only have two episodes left of Little House on the Prairie, and I don’t want it to end. Surely there will be another season?!
One of the movies I’ve been wanting to watch since I saw it was on Netflix is People We Meet on Vacation….but first I wanted to read the book. I read the book the end of June/early July, and I loved it!!
Since Tuesday was an overcast and somewhat rainy day, I decided to watch the movie. I couldn’t have loved it more. It was quite a bit like the book, and I couldn’t have loved the actors who played Poppy and Alex more. It’s definitely a movie I’d watch again.
On Monday, Travis was available for lunch, so the kids and I met him at one of our favorite local spots. It’s not fancy, but it was nice to meet and have lunch together. Those types of things definitely don’t happen during the school year.
The Odyssey movie was high on my list to see, and imagine my surprise when my family wanted to see it too. Shockingly, the kids only kind of remember reading it as freshmen…but it’s one of my favorite things to teach in English 1. It’s crazy to think how many times I’ve taught it through the years.
I was a little worried about the movie being three hours long…and our 7:00 time to see it on Wednesday, but it exceeded ALL of my expectations.
I think Matt Damon deserves on Oscar! I loved how the plot was woven together between the Trojan War, the suitors/Penelope/Telemachus at home in Ithaca as well as Odysseus trying to get his men home. It was absolutely amazing, and it didn’t feel like a three hour movie. Everyone in my crew enjoyed it too.
To offset some of the TV and movie viewing I did this week, I did spend time outside in the beautiful weather…and I also read this book in 24 hours. I’ll recap it in my July book post, but it was so good!
Favorite Mom Meme:
LOL…why?! (Also, if I don’t respond to their texts quickly, I hear all about it. haha)
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
This pic from 2018 was in my Instagram memories…Hayden used to fall asleep reading all the time.
Weekly Recap:
Here are my posts from the week in case you missed one…
How was your week? We’re clinging to summer break around here!
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are a few favorites from the week:
It’s not until early to mid-July before our limelight hydrangeas start blooming…but when they do, I snip a few each week for a fresh bouquet for the coffee table.
I finally made it to two of Hayden’s basketball games. It was fun to watch him coach a couple of games; he does a good job with his team. He did tell me he wishes they listened to him better. See, he’s learning a lot from this experience. haha!
I went to Trader Joe’s for a few things, and here are a couple of new favorites I picked up…
I’ve never seen the “Beach Day” scented candle before, and it’s lovely. These lobster candies caught my eye, and I picked up a couple of bags. They are a fun treat.
If I’m listening to something, it’s usually a book, but I got on a podcast kick on the plane ride home from Florida a couple of weeks ago. Open Book with Jenna is a new fave. She interviews so many amazing authors. I enjoyed this podcast with Shelby Van Pelt as she talked about the writing process for Remarkably Bright Creatures as well as the Netflix adaptation.
Speaking of “adaptations,” I’m loving The Five Star Weekend as much as I loved the book. I’ve watched a couple episodes a day this week, and I don’t want it to end.
This was my “view” one morning this week, and it was a favorite because I realized it was a little “snap shot” of what I love about summer mornings. I put flowers in a vase and I was making muffins. I’ve always kept my baking cups in a mason jar.
I’m not trying to get a big head about it, but I’m an Antique Candle Co fall candle tester! Well, I had to pay for these samples…but I’m still excited to scan the QR code and share my thoughts on the four scents they sent.
I’ve shared that this summer I’ve tried to make a commitment to start my days reading for a few minutes before getting out of bed. I want to do this before scrolling my phone, and I’m loving this morning habit. Homer stays in bed as long as I do most mornings (He’s hard to see in the pic, but he’s there!)
I bumped into a friend at Target the other day, and she said she had peaches in her car for me. She’d just purchased them from the peach truck, and this is the haul she gave us:
How thoughtful!
While at Target, I was tempted by another icon glass…the watermelon. How could I say no?
On my “to do” list for this summer is to take photos of the kids’ elementary artwork and create a keepsake book, so I can toss most of the artwork. I have a storage bin for each kid for kindergarten-2nd grade and then another for each one for 3rd-5th grade. Of course, this is taking longer than I thought, but I almost have Hadley’s K-2nd book finished.
Looking through the artwork was a trip down memory lane…
And I found this photo of Hayden. I think this photo was from 3rd grade, and I can’t remember all the details, but there were animals coming to school for a presentation, and I refused to send Hayden to school with $20 to pet a turtle. There was a presentation, but then they could take photos with certain animals…or something like that.
Anyway, this photo was in his backpack when he got home from school…he’d taken his own money. LOL!
Hadley had a hair appointment yesterday, and her hair turned out so pretty! She was way overdue for a trim…I think the last time she got one was December, and she wanted a few highlights in her hair. I’ve held off, but figured going into junior year, she could add a bit of dimension to her hair. I had a hair appointment Wednesday, and she had one with my hair girl yesterday. We’ve been high maintenance this week!
Favorite Mom Meme:
The way this made me LOL…
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday.
Hayden has this picture framed in his room. Travis helped coach Hayden’s basketball teams during the elementary years, and I remember snapping this photo. The way Hayden is listening to Trav with his little hands together and his little sweet face…a fave memory for sure.
Hayden pointing in his coaching photo reminded me of this one…
Weekly Recap:
I had a few posts this week in case you missed one:
I know I’m going to sound like a broken record over the next few weeks, but summer needs to slow down! I still have a few weeks before I go back to school, but I do feel like I should probably start checking my school email…haha!
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Since last week’s Friday Favorites post was a recap of our few days in Siesta Key, my favorites list is a bit longer with some faves over the past couple of weeks.
While we were on vacation, it was our 21st wedding anniversary. Once we got home, my mom had sent us a gift…she’d been at a market and spotted a water color painting of the church where we got married in KC! So cool.
Out of town cousins were in town, and the kids had lots of time hanging with them. It’s wild that they are old enough to hang out and not need us…they all hop in the car together and are out on their own. We did crash their “pool party” last Friday night!
On the 4th, the kids were in and out of the house, but we did grill out and then I caught some of the fireworks show in NYC. I love the 4th of July, and in some ways, I’m sad that it’s not the same as when the kids were little. I almost didn’t even go watch fireworks at our local traditional spot, but Hadley wanted to go as did Trav.
The fireworks show was spectacular, so I’m glad we went!
We’d borrowed a few sparklers from Trav’s brother, and Hadley had fun with those when we got home.
After celebrating America’s 250th birthday, it was time to celebrate Trav’s birthday…on Tuesday!
As a family, we went out to dinner…to a pizza/pasta place we’d never been to. It was delish.
Once my nephew was finished with baseball, my brother’s family came over for ice cream cake. Happy birthday, T-rav!
That evening, the sky was so pretty….the pic doesn’t even do it justice.
Fave beverages:
I went to Trader Joe’s last weekend, and I saw this sparkling watermelon juice, and it’s delish.
Amy shared about this flavor of Chobani creamer, and I found it at my Kroger a couple of weeks ago. I just cracked it open, and I like it! I still think S’mores is my favorite, but this flavor is #2, and I will definitely buy it again. It’s great for summer.
House Updates:
As I shared in Wednesday’s post, this summer we had a few “to do’s” that we really wanted to get crossed off our list: finish the landscaping out front, paint the primary bathroom, get a new driveway, find new rugs for kitchen and living room, and find new bar stools for the island. Well, we’ve been busy the past couple of weeks, and the only thing not accomplished now is finding a neutral rug for the living room.
While we were out of town, we had someone paint the bathroom, and we also got a new driveway. Adulting is so fun.
On to the actual “fun” stuff. I almost purchased a rug from Wayfair because they were having a sale, but then I remembered I’d saved this rug on the Walmart app after someone shared it. Well, there were a few in stock locally, so Trav and I went to pick it up on Sunday.
We got it laid out on Tuesday, and I love it. It’s an indoor/outdoor rug like what we had before, but the raised pattern is so soft, and the quality is amazing. It’s a 10/10.
A couple of months ago, I spotted some Pioneer Woman dishes at Walmart, but I didn’t get them. Then, a few weeks ago, I was back at Walmart, and the dishes were marked down, so I couldn’t resist! I bought eight dinner and salad plates as well as eight bowls. In our twenty years of marriage, this will be our third set of dishes….so I feel like this is justified, and each piece was $3-$5. (My Walmart didn’t have the set, but it’s only 12 pieces anyway)
Also of note, so far not a single person in my family has mentioned the new dishes 😂
Also, we still use some Pier One plates that we had on our gift registry, and I don’t think I will ever get rid of those.
You know I can’t say no to a hydrangea dish towel, and Drew Barrymore’s “Beautiful” brand never disappoints.
When I say we’ve been looking for new bar stools, I’m not exaggerating that we’ve been looking off and on for a couple of years. The other ones we’ve had for years were stools, and the fabric on top had seen better days. Most of our “issue” was we just never wanted to spend the money on new ones. I could always find a few I liked…and this time I did want to get a stool with a back. Patience paid off…I found these at World Market a couple of months ago, but Trav and I finally went last Friday when he was off work.
I still wasn’t 100% sure, but once we got them home, I knew we made the right choice.
I love them!
Sandals:
Well, you know since I cleaned out my closet and got rid of things, I couldn’t resist adding some sandals back to my closet. My sister-in-law had these, and my Target had one pair left in my size…I saw that as a sign. They are so comfy, and the “jelly” sandal rage is taking me back to being an 80’s baby growing up in the 90’s.
Book Trackers:
Like I do every month, I shared my book trackers on Instagram. They are are saved in a highlight, so just screen shot, use them, tag me and let me know what you’re reading!
Favorite Mom Meme:
Why do I relate to this so much?!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
I’ve shared this pool photo in a previous Throwback Thursday post…
…and here the kids are in 2012. This just popped up in my Facebook memories. We got a lot of use out of that plastic pool!
Weekly Recap:
Here are my posts this week in case you missed one:
Monday is our monthly Share Our Lives link up, and the topic is…favorite room in your house. We’d love to have your link up with us…I love seeing other people’s homes, so I can’t wait to read those posts!
How was your week? We spent most of our week getting back on track after being out of town last week. I did lots of laundry, meal planning, grocery shopping, and other odds and ends. The kids had their yearly check up yesterday, and I am almost finished with my closet/dresser clean out. It’s nice to get a couple of things checked off our list.
Anyway, as always, I’m linking up with Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Last week, we spent a couple days at the beach before heading to Orlando for Hadley’s volleyball tournament. Since Siesta Key is one of our favorite places, I’m recapping those days today.
Father’s Day Sunday:
We were up very early (which was honestly, unfortunately, a theme of most days on this trip) on Father’s Day to catch our 9:30 flight from Lexington to Orlando. The flight ended up being delayed a bit, but it was a direct flight, and we landed around 11:30. We had to rent a car and then drive the couple of hours to Siesta Key. Traffic was pretty bad for most of the way, but we arrived at the house we rented by late afternoon.
We typically stay at Trav’s aunt’s house, but her grand-daugther was there with friends during the time we were there.
No problem though because Travis does a good job finding places for us to stay. This house’s name was “White Wake.” It had three bedrooms, and was spacious and really nice!
This was the view in the backyard. The house had a pool and was on the canal which was lovely.
We settled in, unpacked, and even “rested our eyes” for a few minutes before heading to one of our favorite places…The Daiquiri Deck!
We got a drink and a few apps before going to the Siesta Key Market to pick up some grocery essentials.
We went back to the house and hung out for a bit. We decided since we were tired, we’d just eat at the house, so Trav went to Publix to grab some groceries.
I caught the sunset from the backyard, and we had tacos for dinner at home.
It had been a long travel day, so we had a low-key night at the house. College baseball was on as well as soccer, so we all hung out in the living room until going to bed.
Monday:
Three of us slept in on Monday (Trav is always an early riser), but when I got up, I enjoyed my coffee poolside.
Once Travis got back from his walk, he had a morning swim.
Then, we got packed up for the beach. Hayden wanted to go back to the Daiquiri Deck and also look for sandals, so Hadley and I headed to the beach. Trav joined us later.
Of course, it was HOT, but we appreciated the breeze and got in the water when needed.
I love reading with the sound of the ocean nearby.
Mid-afternoon, we headed back to the house, had a late lunch and swam in the pool for a bit. Then, it was time to get ready for dinner.
We went to Owen’s Fish House which is a restaurant in Sarasota that we’ve gone to through the years.
Meet Owen…
Both kids were “adventurous” with their meal selections. Hayden does like seafood, and he wanted to tackle the seafood boil on the menu. It is for two, so I split it with him. He almost mastered cracking the crab legs….almost.
Hadley only likes salmon and cocktail shrimp. She has had lobster bisque before, and liked it, so she said she wanted to try the lobster. She loved it. So, overall, it was a good meal!
We got back to the house, and I took a pic of Trav and the kids as a belated Father’s Day photo.
Hadley will always take a pic! ha!
Trav and I headed to the beach to catch the last few minutes of the sunset. This is always a favorite walk.
We got there just in time.
So so pretty!
We stayed for a few minutes, and as we walked back to the car, the sky was showing off!
Then, kids wanted ice cream, so we picked them up for that. Once back at the house, we settled in for the night.
Tuesday:
We had a very low-key Tuesday. The long travel day Sunday and the sun on Monday had us all seeking the shade. Well, not Hadley…she doesn’t shy away from the UV. haha
Anyway, we had a slow morning, and I spent time by the pool off and on throughout the day. I’d finished a book on Monday, so I was excited to start this one while on vacation…
Later, Trav and the kids went out to lunch, but I stayed home and had leftovers.
Hayden and I watched some soccer…
Then, Trav and Hayden went to get oysters at Siesta Key Oyster Bar…another tradition of theirs.
Before we had taco dinner at the house, I snapped a pic of the kids…
Then, Trav and I headed to Turtle Beach for the sunset. It was about a twenty minute drive, but it’s my favorite beach. It’s a short walk to the sand, and it’s not very crowded.
My favorite view:
We brought chairs and were there for about an hour. It was so lovely.
I collected a few seashells like I always do when we go to the beach. I didn’t snap a pic of them until we get home, but then I added them to this vase I have in our sun room.
Look at all the seashells I’ve collected through the years:
Once back at the house, we spent some time out back…
….while waiting on the laundry to be finished. Then, it was a somewhat early bedtime because we had to leave by 6:00 on Wednesday morning to head to Orlando.
It was a quick couple of days, but I’m glad we made it happen. We’d hoped to go a day earlier, but we had to go to Trav’s cousin’s wedding on that Saturday before Father’s Day. So, we made the most of the time we had at the beach.
Trav and Hayden hadn’t been to Siesta Key since 2020, and Hadley and I went a couple of years ago for a few days. Since our fall break beach tradition, we’ve mostly moved away from beach vacations in the summer since it’s so hot, and we’ve been spoiled by the temps in the fall. That being said, it was nice to have a couple of days in Siesta Key.
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
Here’s a look back at the first time the kids went to Siesta Key. We drove that very long drive and arrived late at night. They were up early the next morning, and they couldn’t wait to check out the beach. That’s the pic on the left! Hayden was still in his PJs!
One more flashback Friday in honor of the 4th of July…here are the kids on their first 4th of July in 2010. Pinchy cheek cute!
Weekly Recap:
I had a few posts this week in case you missed one:
I can’t believe I’ve already had two full weeks of summer. I felt like the school year would never end, and of course, now I don’t want the summer to go by too quickly. Surprisingly, so far, most days have moved at just the right pace with some downtime, productivity and other odds and ends.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
I have quite a few favorites this week…
One thing about teenage boys is they both drive you crazy but also make you so proud. Hayden took it upon himself to reach out to a local basketball league (that he played with for years!) to see if he could help coach one of the summer league teams.
I have to be honest and say that at first I felt anxiety when he told us he was doing this…only because he had to communicate with parents, not be too intense as a coach (ha!), and keep up with the commitment.
One stop at Dick’s Sporting Goods for a whistle, a coaching dry erase board and some cones, and he was on his way.
Of course, I shouldn’t have worried. He’s stayed on top of this responsibility.
Coach White is coaching a fifth grade team, and they are 1-1 after their first weekend of playing. I hope to catch one of his games, but a friend sent me this pic as Hayden was coaching against her son’s team.
Speaking of Hayden, the baseball team had their banquet this week, and Hayden won the “Most Improved Player” for the JV team. What makes this honor even better is that it was voted on by his teammates. We all really enjoyed this re-entry into baseball life more than we thought we would.
I shared in Monday’s post that I’m obsessing over these new candles. I shared the lemon ones, but I also got a box of these pretty blue flowers too.
The lemon box with a Sweet Lemon candle is what’s on my coffee table right now.
I gave my mom one of those watercolor books for Christmas (I purchased it at local store, but I believe it’s this one that I also found online) as she’s pretty creative. She’s been painting quite a bit, and she knows my love of hydrangeas, so she sent me one of her creations. Last week, I was at Target, and found the perfect frame for it.
Speaking of flowers, it’s peony season at Trader Joe’s. Yay!
We had beautiful weather this week which meant I had three pool days!
Hadley’s been out and about and even played pickleball with a friend.
On Monday, we went to my brother’s house for cookie cake and to celebrate his birthday.
My friend texted me a couple of items in the “Aldi Finds” aisle that she thought I’d love, so I went there on Wednesday. While there, I spotted my favorite flavor of Chobani creamer, and it was even a bit cheaper than at Target. I grabbed a couple of them!
Now, on to the fave finds.
Uh…how cute are these icon glass candles? There were quite a few, but I picked up strawberry and gummy bear ones. I’ve been burning the strawberry one, and it’s heavenly!
Then, I also picked up one of these red/white/blue Popsicle icon glasses. There were quite a few options, but I showed restraint and just got this one.
Somehow, it made my morning coffee even better!
It’s not fall, but look at the lovely heart leaf I found by the pool. What a pleasant surprise.
Yesterday was such a rainy day that I let myself be lazy for most of the morning. I’d added Ticket to Paradise to my Netflix list and figured yesterday morning was the perfect time to watch it. This movie might just be a new favorite of mine. I love Julia Roberts and George Clooney, and this movie didn’t disappoint!
Well, with the first full week of summer under my belt, I can say that I’m settling in nicely to some much needed downtime!
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week…
First of all, last Friday, I packed up my classroom for the summer. This doesn’t take too long, but this year it seemed to take less time thanks to a few extra shelves and the storage room I have in my classroom. If you didn’t know, the custodians pull out most of the furniture to wax the floors during the summer months, but I have a couple of permanent bookshelves, so it was nice to just stack things on them, and then I was able to put other things in the storage room.
Hadley and friends had the best time at the Railbird Festival. Last year, she only went one day, and this year she went on both Saturday and Sunday. While I would have loved the live music, I would not have loved the heat and thousands of people! Trav actually went Saturday night with his brother to hear Mt. Joy and the Lumineers.
Sunday was another fun day for her and the main headliners were Zach Top, Ella Langley, and Tyler Childers. She said Sunday was more crowded, but she had a great time.
Also, Hadley had a vision for her Railbird outfits (lol!) Sunday’s outfit is all Amazon. We bought these boots last year, and she’s worn them many times for hours on end, and says her feet haven’t hurt at all (of course, she has young feet!) (For some reason, I can’t link them, but the brand is Coconuts by Matisse, gaucho style) Her knit ruffle shorts, and peplum waffle knit top were just what she was wanted to be stylish but comfy! (The dress she wore Saturday is from Altar’d State, and it’s one I know she’ll wear time and time again)
I’ve been enjoying slow mornings with breakfasts on my new fave plates.
I’ve had porch reading time every day this week…
…as well as some pool reading time.
Travis has continued the front yard landscaping. He wasn’t going to tackle this part, but decided to go ahead and just do it. He and Hayden ripped out the boxwoods, and then Trav planted a variety of bushes and flowers. Thankfully, we’ve had some rain this week, so it hasn’t been a full time job getting everything watered.
I’m loving my new rechargeable lamp from the At Home store. It’s the perfect addition to the end of our hallway.
Fave Mom Meme:
Hadley always knows when it’s the best UV time. haha!
Weekly Recap:
While I seem to be posting late most days, I had some posts this week:
TGIF! Well, this morning my alarm clock is going off one more time as a faculty meeting stands between me and summer break. Yesterday, I cleaned out my room and prepped it for summer, then my school’s graduation was in the afternoon. It was a nice ceremony as always, and it’s hard to believe I will have two graduates in two more years!
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
This post will be short and sweet because your girl is tired, and the only favorite I need at the moment is that…
I wrangled the kids for the last day of school photos in the afternoon…
Truth be told, their summer started a bit earlier than mine thanks to some early finals and exemptions…Hayden did have two finals on Wednesday, but Hadley’s last final was Monday.
Anyway, the last day of school photo tradition had to continue no matter what…
First day of sophomore year…
I joked that we were “marked safe” from sophomore year because truly it felt like a marathon there at the end and we were surviving more than thriving. But, we made it to the finish line.
I was so bitter about being in school in June that I refused to put my June date on the board…Monday-Wednesday this week were known as June 32nd, 33rd, and 34th. haha
Being in school in June should never be an option. I know we had a crazy January/February with two weeks off due to the weather. My frustration is that we left five NTI days on the table that we could have used. I knew once the end of the year got pushed to June, attendance would be spotty…for students and for teachers. We had so many teachers that were out the last three days because they were doing AP grading, there were kids out because families had planned vacations and so on. By Wednesday, I had maybe ten students in every class. We give final exams the last few days, but students can take them early and some teachers give them early. Anyway, I hope we have a better plan for next year.
I know many areas of the country have school into June, but I believe they go back later. I will be back to school on August 5th, and I just know that will be here before I know it.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Ugh!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
This sweet memory from 2012 popped up on Facebook, and I love it so much. These kids are all still friends, and the other set of boy/girl twins just graduated high school last week! Hadley is still really good friends with the other little girl; I’m friends with both of their moms. We don’t all see each other like we used to when we taught in the same building, but I love that we’ve watched the kids grow up together.
Share Our Lives:
Monday is the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting the Share Our Lives link up with some of my favorite bloggers.
This month’s topic is…emojis used most often. This will be a fun post to read…I love to use an emoji!
I hope you have the best summer weekend. I’m looking forward to not setting an alarm, enjoying the sunshine, and getting my life together after the end of the school year busyness.
showmeandsweettea.com 