Posted in Clothes, Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#82}

Hello and Happy Friday! How was your week? Overall, we had a good one. It’s always nice when the week starts off with no work/school on Monday!

It’s Friday, so I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Favorite Moment:

Hayden has been running for the middle school cross country team. Hayden is definitely running with the big boys…there’s quite the difference in some 6th graders vs some 8th graders! Last Saturday, Hayden ran his first ever 4K (2.4 miles). You may remember that Travis was the kids’ coach for 4th and 5th grades at their elementary school. This is Hadley’s first year not running since she wants to focus on dance, so Travis has been helping Hayden on his off days and during the meets. I know he was so proud of Hayden’s effort. He was the second 6th grader to cross the finish line!

Favorite Clothing Item:

I was clicking around on Walmart looking for this jacket that someone had shared, and purchased this dress on a whim to get free shipping. #math

I wore it the other day to school, and love it. It’s perfect for spring, summer, transition to fall…and it’s only $9!

Favorite Food(s):

Hadley woke up at 10:00 on Sunday and requested IHOP for breakfast. It was a dreary and cool day, and IHOP actually sounded good. We got a round of crepes, pancakes, and French Toast. It definitely hit the spot!

Also, I picked up these frittatas at Trader Joe’s last week, and they are so good. There are two in the box, but I’ve just had one with some fruit a couple of mornings this week. I will definitely buy them again.

Other Faves:

Hayden’s been loving golf, and his first match was last Saturday. He was on a team with two friends, and they scrimmaged another group of three. I hope my kids always have fun in whatever they do, but golf is certainly more recreational for him, and it’s nice to see him just go out and play.

Hayden usually has a weekday race as well as a Saturday race. The weekday races are 3k, and Hayden ran a minute faster than last week’s 3k. While the weather was warm, it wasn’t 98 degrees like in previous weeks. Also, I can tell he’s finding his groove and feeling more confident.

Homer under the kitchen table is a favorite from the week. I moved the basement rug up and put it under the kitchen table, so I think he likes a softer place to rest!

Favorite Mom Meme:

My kids definitely ask for less things now, so my years of saying “No” must be paying off.

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

With the big MU vs UK this weekend, this flashback from 2012 is timely. My kids (especially Hayden) bleed blue now, but at least they were Tiger fans for a while.

2011

Weekly Recap:

This week I shared my (many) Amazon purchases, some of the shows and podcasts I’ve been enjoying as well as how I meal plan. Here are the posts in case you missed one:

Also, Monday is our Not Just a Mom link up….

This month’s topic is morning routine. We’d love to have you join us!

Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the anniversary of 9/11 tomorrow. The world feels so heavy right now. There are times I feel anxious and sad. I remember feeling that way twenty years ago as well. The years may pass by, but I will never forget that day, how I felt, and the ones who lost their lives when the unimaginable happened.

C/o Fox Baltimore

See you back here on Monday,

Posted in Friday Favorites, Kids

Friday Favorites {#81}

Happy Friday! We made it to the (three day) weekend! I’m ready for it. We had a great week, but I’m ready for some downtime, which I think we will have on Sunday and Monday.

As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Today, I’m sharing some favorites from the week, day by day.

Saturday:

On Saturday, Hayden had his second middle school cross country race of the season. He ran 1.8 miles in the 98 degree heat, and was the second 6th grader to cross the finish line. He’s finding his stride (literally and figuratively) with racing with the big boys. We’re always proud of his effort!

Saturday night, Hadley spent the night at a friend’s house, and Travis was out with friends. Hayden ended his evening reading in bed with his mama! I love that he loves to read, and that he wanted to hang out with me. #wildsaturdaynight

Sunday:

I mentioned in Monday’s post that we had a long Sunday afternoon and late night of baseball. The first game was at 3:30, and his team was down 0-3. They just looked flat. Finally, two kids walked, and it was Hayden’s turn at bat. He had a solid single to center field, and drove in two runs. His team ended up winning and moved on to the next game.

They won that game, and ended up in the championship.

…and they won! It made the hour and a half drive home worth it 😉

His team is comprised of a great group of boys and wonderful coaches. They pray before and after each game, cheer each other on, and have so much fun together. I think we have one more tournament left. This season has been quite the commitment, but Hayden has grown so much as a player, and has had so much fun.

Monday:

Hadley had dance team tryouts for school last week, and on Monday night she found out she made the dance team. We had ice cream on Monday night to celebrate all the middle school milestones and achievements so far this year. (I told her that even if she hadn’t made the team, we would have ice cream because she tried her best and gave 100% of herself in the audition.)

Tuesday:

Thanks to Hurricane Ida, we had tons of rain all day on Tuesday, so Hayden’s cross country meet was canceled. While I wasn’t celebrating the fact that he didn’t get to run that evening, unexpected canceled plans on a rainy evening is always a favorite for me.

Wednesday:

Hayden earned the “You are Special” red plate last week, and Wednesday night was Hadley’s turn to be celebrated for dance. We even had her favorite dinner: salmon and Bob Evans mashed potatoes.

Thursday:

You know I love the library, and I had three books to pick up yesterday. I’m excited to read Yoga Pant Nation, and a friend recommended The View was Exhausting. I’m hoping to have time to read this weekend.

The kids are reading the first Hunger Games book for their reading class at school. They both seem to enjoy it, and Hayden already finished it. He requested book two in the series, so I was able to pick that up as well. I enjoyed the series when I read it a few years ago.

We had breakfast for dinner last night which is always a family favorite.

Other Faves:

The kids both received surprise balloons from sweet friends on the porch recently. Hayden, before cross country tryouts at the beginning of August, and Hadley, before dance tryouts last week. Such a fun surprise!

This sweet pic of Homer is a favorite from the week. He was being such a good boy!

Favorite Kid Quote:

In preparation for the upcoming basketball season, Hayden apparently Googled “ways to quickly grow taller.” He found yoga to be an answer and asked if I knew of any stretches to make him taller.

Then…

On Saturday, when I found Hayden in my bed reading his book, Homer was all snuggled up with him. Hayden said, “Homer and I are in a two person book club…even though Homer can’t read.” 😂

I don’t know where he comes up with these things, but Hayden was on a roll this week!

Favorite Mom Meme:

I can definitely relate to this meme…

Favorite Fall Quotes:

With the calendar officially turned to September, here are a few of my favorite fall quotes:

Tis the season for cooler temps and all things pumpkin!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

How about this throwback from 2012 during one of the *many* times that Hadley was in timeout! Well, thankfully she doesn’t get in trouble very often now, but she can still roll those eyes…let me tell you!

Weekly Recap:

This week I shared some of the highlights from our weekend, the books I read in August, and a fun This or That post all about fall.

What do you have planned this weekend? Hayden has cross country and golf on Saturday, but we should have lots of downtime on Sunday and Monday.

I’m going to take Monday off from posting, so I will see you back here on Tuesday.

Take care,

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#80}

Well, we made it to Friday! This was our first five day week of school, and we handled it pretty well! The kids started to have a little bit of homework this week, so I think middle school is starting to feel real for them 😉

As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

I’m sharing a few favorites from the week, day by day.

Saturday:

On Saturday, I stopped by the cross country fundraising car wash. My car was all sparkle and shine after a wash for Hayden and his crew!

We enjoyed the evening at the pool. The kids swam, I read for a bit, and we even had dinner there. It felt like a great summer night!

Sunday:

On Sunday, we were back at the pool for the Back to School Bash. This is a fun event with lots of prizes that are given away. Poor Hadley…there are at least two other Hadleys at our pool, and they both won prizes. When their names were announced on the loud speaker, Hadley thought she won not only once, but twice! Oh well, the weather was great, and it was a good way to wrap up the summer.

Then, we had our neighborhood block party. It was nice to see neighbors, and we kept it simple this year. Instead of people bringing an appetizer to share, we had a local taco truck come by. We really enjoyed our evening with neighbors and friends.

Monday:

On Monday, I tried a new recipe shared by Andrea. Her Bacon Ranch Penne Pasta is definitely a new family favorite and will be in the dinner rotation this fall and winter.

Hayden earned the red plate for starting the school year off strong as well has for effort in baseball and cross country.

Tuesday:

Tuesday was a fun day because the first cross country meet of the season was that evening. Even at 7:00 PM, the feels like temp 98 degrees! The fire department had the hoses going at the finish line for the runners to cool off. Hayden’s team did great and earned 3rd place!

Since we’ve moved up to middle school, that means more (and bigger!) kids running the meets. That combined with the heat, made for a tough race, but Hayden did an awesome job.

Wednesday:

No photos, but on Wednesday night, we grilled out with friends. One of the moms organized a get together for the middle schoolers to hang out, reconnect, and compare middle school notes after the first few weeks of school.

Thursday :

On Thursday, Hayden started playing in a fall PGA junior league. He was so excited. We haven’t been able to make a lot of time for golf, so he’s excited to have that on his schedule this fall.

Favorite Kid Quote:

I have two favorite quotes this week…one from each kid…

I was reminding Hadley of a few things before bed one night this week, and she said, “Mom, I don’t live under a rock. I’m a tween!” Oh….don’t I know it! haha

Yesterday, Hayden was taking forever to get out of the car. I asked him why he was taking so long, and he said, “Mom, when you turn 11 things to start falling apart, and then you move slower.” If I only he knew what it felt like to be 41!

Favorite Mom Meme:

Right?! Things just go missing because of my tweens! Random things!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

Since yesterday was National Dog day, here’s a throwback to when we first got Homer two years ago:

Weekly Recap:

I had a few posts this week. I shared some funny memes that I saw this month. Then, I linked up for What’s Up Wednesday and Monthly Musings (fall planning and back to school.)

I hope you have a great weekend. We have a busy one ahead! I do hope to finish Four Winds this weekend, and share my August books with you next week.

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#79}

Hey! We made it to Friday! How has your week been? We’ve had a good one, but we are definitely still working on getting into a new school routine!

Honestly, last week was so nice with all the back to school enthusiasm by all, but this week has been stressful. Our Covid cases have been on the rise (much like everywhere) and many kids are being sent home to quarantine. Lots of my kids’ friends are at home at the moment, and I have held by breath all week waiting for the quarantine phone call from school. Thankfully, we made it through the week without one. (I hope I didn’t just jinx us for next week!)

Today, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites post.

Favorite Kid Quote:

I forgot to share this last week, but I found this note on my desk on my first day back to school. The kids had been up to school with me the week before, and Hadley left this note on my desk. I’m glad she added her last name, or I wouldn’t have known which Hadley left me this note 😉

Also, I’m loving allll the middle school details I’m getting from the kids…especially Hadley. She fills me in on every class when I pick her up from school.

(**One thing I’ve loved so far with the kids starting and ending later than my school, is that I can now usually do pick up after school. I always wished I could do that when they were younger, but now I get that opportunity most days.)

Favorite Food:

I met some friends out last weekend to hang with a friend who was in town. I always love getting together with them when we can, and the food (and friendships!) was amazing.

Last week, I treated the kids to milkshakes after school for surviving the first few days of middle school. They were surprised by the sweet treat.

Favorite Picture(s)

Hadley’s studio did head shots for their competition teams last week. These two photos were the ones I ordered and I love them. I also can’t get over how much older Hadley looks.

Favorite Moment:

Hayden used to be my most organized child…but he passed that organization baton to Hadley last year. The other night, she was getting her binders organized, and ended up helping Hayden…for a small fee. They negotiated, and $8 (one $5 and three crumpled ones) later, Hayden’s binders were as organized as Hadley’s binders.

Favorite Clothing Item:

This blouse has become a favorite of mine. Like most of my wardrobe, it’s versatile. I’ve worn it with shorts, but then paired it with my white denim (and my favorite sandals) for school on Tuesday.

Hadley saw this Rolling Stones shirt at Target a few weeks ago, and wanted it for back to school. She wore it this week, but couldn’t even tell me one song by the Stones 😉 She paired it with the gray ruffle Amazon shorts (women’s xs) that she has in a few colors.

Other Faves:

Hadley loved the fun surprise she found in our front yard celebrating her being on her studio’s competition team again this season.

Baseball photos on repeat continue to be a favorite. Even though Hayden is now running cross country for school, he’s still playing a few more tournaments with his summer team. They got two games in last Saturday, but Sunday was rained out. These are some of my favorite pics from Saturday’s games:

Hydrangeas are my favorite flower, and we have a few bushes in our backyard. My last Trader Joe’s flowers lasted almost two weeks, but then I decided to turn to the backyard to refill my Mason jars.

Kroger is speaking my love language having mums out already. I always wait until mid-September to buy mums and decorate my front porch, but the sight of these brought a smile to my face.

We stopped by to see cousin Wyatt Wednesday night to drop of his birthday presents. Time is flying by. He turned seven yesterday.

Favorite Mom Meme:

This meme made me laugh out loud. I can’t handle the number of times I find the chips without a clip or the boxes not closed! Ugh!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

I love this photo from 2012. The kids had come to help me set up my classroom and have lunch! Now they are big kids in middle school!

Weekly Recap:

Here are my posts from the week. I enjoyed recapping my trip to southern California with Travis. Then, I chatted about Storyworth and what a great gift it’s been for my mom. Lastly, I shared my makeup purge and reorganization which had been on my “to do” list for a few weeks!

Believe it or not, we don’t have much on tap this weekend which is very much needed. We have a break from baseball which gives me some time to get a few other things accomplished and give us all some much needed downtime. Travis is still recovering from knee surgery, but is already off crutches and back to work.

Today, I have school, but we don’t have any students. This day off is always on our calendar, but it definitely feels needed this year to regroup and catch our breath from the start of the year.

What was the highlight of your week?

See you back here on Monday!

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#78}

Hello! How was your week? We are definitely in “back to school” mode. There’s no tired like “teacher tired” at the beginning of the school year! I sat down on the couch Wednesday afternoon and accidentally fell asleep! It’s been quite the week with early wake calls and a new routine.

I’m excited to link up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Favorite Kid Quote:

Both of my favorite kid quotes came via my mom. She was watching my kids and took Hayden up to school to see the cross country tryout results. Hadley apparently told Hayden to act like he didn’t make the team when they walked back to her car. He did make the team, so we have another fall season full of races.

My mom gave each of the grand kids a card saying she’d treat them to ice cream during her visit. When my nephew Wyatt finished his cup of ice cream, he apparently got up to get back in line. They asked where he was going, and he said, “I have a coupon for a free cone!” haha

Favorite Pic(s):

My favorite photos of the week come from one of my favorite places…our visit to Del Mar, California. We had a great few days there, and I hope to recap the trip next week.

We had a fun afternoon at the race track.

Favorite Clothing Item(s):

Two of my favorite clothing items I took on vacation were new woven sandals and this pretty blue and white plaid dress.

When the dress arrived, it was in a bag that made me think it was a beach cover up! When I pulled it out of the bag, it felt and looked like a dress. I looked back at how it was styled in the Amazon photo, and the girl was wearing it as a dress, with wedges and a purse. I styled it similarly, and I wore it to the track. I’m so pleased with this purchase. It’s great quality, and so cute. I love the split neck hem, the button detail, and seersucker fabric.

I wore the sandals with shorts and with a different dress on a another night. They are so cute and comfy. I’ve worn them the past two days to school. These are definitely a win!

Lastly, Hadley had a “vision” for her first day of school outfit. She found this black t-shirt at Target, but couldn’t find shorts she liked. Then, she looked on Amazon and found these dark pink lines ones (women’s sizes). She’s very picky about shorts and often just wears athletic running shorts, so I was thrilled that these were school appropriate and can be dressed up or down.

As I was typing this post, I realized some of the colors are now on sale. So, we bought two more pairs since the price dropped to from $21 to $12.

Dress // Sandals // Shorts

Favorite Moment:

My favorite moment of the week was getting back to school. I’m so pleased with how the kids have transitioned to middle school which includes a whole new morning routine as well as getting the lay of the middle school land.

Favorite Food:

Our Back to School Brinner was so delish. I made my favorite breakfast casserole as well as some muffins. Yogurt and fruit rounded out the meal. I love breakfast for dinner.

Other Faves:

Trav’s brother is a sports photographer, and he took Hayden’s baseball team’s photos a couple of weeks ago as well as individual photos.

The team photos are amazing…

…and Hayden is killing me looking like a 16 year old!

Speaking of looking 16, Hadley had competition team head shots this week, and she looked so much older to me too!

We wrapped up the summer enjoying ice cream with friends after the last basketball game of summer league. (Hayden’s team came in 2nd place in the tournament!)

Favorite Mom Meme :

I miss the Olympics already, and I certainly feel like I could win gold in this regard:

Weekly Recap:

I had three other posts this week:

I hope you have a great weekend! We have baseball on tap this weekend and hopefully some down time to catch up from the week! See you back here next week.

{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…}

Posted in Everyday Life, Friday Favorites, Home Updates

Friday Favorites {#77}

Hello! Long time, no talk! How’s it going? My blogging break has been much needed, but I sure have missed posting!

Today, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for Friday Favorites.

Here’s what we’ve been up to the past couple of weeks along with some of our favorites.

These bracelets are one of my favorite things to wear lately.

My friend, Amy, sent these to me. She hand makes these custom bracelets. She has so many cute and fun options. Check her out on Instagram (@soulshine.kc)! I know you’ll love anything she makes!

Hadley went to sleep away camp and had the best time! She was so sad last summer when camp was canceled, so she was so excited to go back this year! We were one of the first in line for drop off, and she had a great time with friends, old and new. Camp was definitely a favorite for Hadley this summer.

I loved seeing the photos on Facebook. I missed her, so it was nice to get daily updates and see her smiling face!

Hadley at camp was one of Hayden’s favorite parts of summer (haha!). He also went to golf camp for the first time, and he loved it!

One things that wasn’t a favorite…poison oak! It’s never good when your kid wakes you up at 3 am to tell you he’s itching all over! We aren’t sure where he picked it up, but it sure did spread quickly. Thankfully, we got into the doctor the next day and the steroid meds helped immensely.

We’ve also continued to have lots of baseball this summer. It’s always a favorite watching Hayden and his team play. They have lots of fun together.

Another favorite…we FINALLY got our new basement floors. I shared that our master bath shower leaked down to the basement bathroom and living space in early May, so the floors had to be ripped up. What we had put down when we updated the basement a few years ago was no longer being made, so we found something pretty similar and are really pleased.

The original floors after Travis ripped up the damaged flooring vs the new finished product:

Then, I found this pretty rug at Home Goods to replace our previous area rug. It’s super soft and I love the gray tones.

Another favorite is my new messenger bag. I’ve been wanting one for quite some time. I stopped in a favorite boutique that I hadn’t been to since before the pandemic, and saw this gold toned bag. It was my summer gift to myself for teaching summer school 😉 They had some fun straps and I liked the one it came with, but I got this one (in pic below) from Amazon!

Another favorite is dinner al fresco! The kids were having too much fun playing with friends, so Travis and I ended up having dinner on our back patio by ourselves on Sunday night. Steak and asparagus by Travis…and microwave Bob Evans mashed potatoes by me!

Once July hits, I start thinking about school. I always feel better after I get my room unpacked (which will maybe happen next week?…they are still cleaning my area of the school), buy my desk calendar and lesson plan book.

I decided to try the Happy Planner teacher planner. If you know any teacher, you know we are picky about our planners. I’ve used a variety through the years, and I just thought I’d give this one a try. I was close to ordering one online and then realized Michael’s has some and they were 30 (or 40?)% off…+ my teacher’s discount at Michael’s! I love a good deal.

We are soaking up these last days of summer. We’ve had a couple pool days this week after a three week hiatus. June is our big pool month, then we had vacay, camps, and lots of rainy days that took the pool off our fun list for a bit. The kids have had lots of fun with their friends this summer at the pool. It’s definitely a favorite part of our summer.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Me…all summer long trying to keep up with my kids…vs. my parents in the 80’s (Although, the Major was pretty strict about knowing our whereabouts!)

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

One of my favorite vacation photos popped up in my Facebook memories recently. Siesta Key in 2017…sunset and the kids playing in the ocean.

I still hope to post intermittently over the next few weeks while continuing a little break.

I will share my Sentence a Day for July and what I’ve been reading this month as well once we get to the end of July.

I hope everyone has been enjoying their summer! See you back here soon.

Posted in Friday Favorites, Holidays

Friday Favorites {#76}

Hello! How was your week? I can’t believe we are in the full swing of July! Up next will be school supply displays. Actually, I think they are already out…but I just close my eyes when I see the words “back to School!”

Anyway, as always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

My first favorite for the week:

My traditional red, white, and blue waffles for the 4th! I made them for the kids, and I even had one! So good.

We had a great 4th of July. I spent most of the day unpacking from vacation and going to the grocery store. Travis took the kids to the pool for a few hours in the afternoon. We had steaks for dinner and watched fireworks at our favorite spot.

Then, we shot off a few fireworks and sparklers before heading to bed.

The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays.

Another favorite for the week was Travis didn’t work on Monday, so we decided to celebrate his birthday a couple of days early. We went out to lunch at one of our favorite places and then went bowling at the new Lex Live. We had lots of fun.

We had cookie cake on Tueday (a day early) because we all barely even saw each other on his birthday (Wednesday) because I was with Hadley at her swim meet while Hayden and Travis were at baseball. Anyway, our neighbor bakes cookies and cookie cakes, so I ordered one for Trav’s birthday.

I laugh every time I look at this photo because Homer was desperate to be included in the pic…or maybe he just wanted to get near the cake! (Remember when he ate our anniversary cookie cake last year?! 😂 )

We did presents and cake eating Tuesday evening when Hadley got home from dance.

The cookie cake was so good! The buttercream icing was the best part.

Hadley’s final swim meet of the season was another favorite of the week. She swam her fastest times of the season in all strokes.

I was a bit hesitant about the 8:45 practices during the summer, but with the help of other swim parents, we’ve carpooled and made it work. It’s been a big adjustment after not swimming last summer and now she moved up an age group and swims 50’s. I’m proud of her commitment and determination. Hadley proved that you show up to the things you love…and donut days on Thursdays! 😉

Favorite Mom Meme:

🤣🤣

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

Since I’m on the topic of swim team, how about this flashback to the kids’ first ever swim season in 2017? My oh my how they have grown! Hadley’s swim cap and goggles slay me!

Weekly Recap

I had a few posts this week!

Monday is our Not just a Mom link up!

If you are a blogger, we’d love to have you link up with us for a tour of your home!

We’re thankful for those who read our blogs, so we hope you’ll check out everyone’s posts on Monday! I can’t wait to see what others share!

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Baseball is back for us after having last weekend off. So, we’ll be at the ball fields off and on! Hadley is thrilled 😉

See you back here on Monday!

Posted in Friday Favorites, Travel

Friday Favorites {#75}

Hello and Happy Friday! Also…

Or should I say…😂

Linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

This has been quite the week with lots of favorites.

The kids had lots of fun with friends this past weekend.

Hayden’s on a summer basketball team, and following their game on Friday, we went out for pizza and ice cream with friends.

Hadley spent most of Saturday and Sunday at a pool / slumber party for a friend.

Hayden had two baseball games on Saturday and he and Travis went to the pool Saturday night and met up with some friends.

Sunday, Hayden’s team won in extra innings to move on to the championship game of the tournament.

There’s a grandma on the team who takes the photos with her nice camera. She gets some great shots of all the players and the team.

The dugout photos are some of my faves.

…and another favorite is Hayden’s team won in the championship game!

Right after Hayden’s game, we hit the road for…

Isle of Palms, SC.

We went from 90+ degrees in Kentucky to the sand, saltwater, and sunshine of South Carolina.

We’ve eaten delicious seafood all week!

Shrimp tacos

Hayden and Travis were able to enjoy some oysters…

I always say if I win the lottery, I’m buying a house here!

We often vacation in Siesta Key, Florida, but we head to SC every few years. With the short window between baseball tournaments, it was the perfect getaway destination. The last time we were here was for Fall Break 2018. I love the Charleston area.

2018

A few fave photos from the week:

Family time
Sunshine Sis
Mom & Dad
Surfer Boo
Beach Bums

Favorite Beverage:

I still love White Claws, but Trulys have been my drink of choice this week, & I’ve loved the Fruit Punch variety pack!

Favorite 4th of July Tradition:

We will be home for the 4th of July this weekend, and I will be serving my favorite red, white, and blue waffles for the kids.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Currently me…

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

We were cruising down Middle Street on Sullivan’s Island, and Travis remembered the photo I took (it’s on our gallery wall at home) of the kids in 2013.

While my kids have grown over two feet since then, and the house was definitely updated, some things will never change: they had to be bribed with ice cream for both pics 😂

Weekly Recap

I had two posts this week:

I hope you’ve had a great week. We definitely have, & I hope to share more details about our trip soon!

Have a great weekend. If you need me, I will be unpacking and dreaming of the beach!

Posted in Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#74}

Hey, hey! Happy Friday. How was your week? We had a pretty good one around here. We had a pretty lazy day on Monday due to lots of afternoon rain, and then Tuesday’s weather was sunny and 70 degrees! We enjoyed the “cool front,” and then the rest of the week has been back to regular summer temps.

The kids were busy with Hadley at daily swim team practices and Hayden attended baseball camp this week.

As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Our first favorite is from last Friday. Travis had the day off and joined us at the pool. The kids also got to swim with their cousins which made for a great Friday!

Also, last Friday night, our nephew ran in the 10k Olympic Trials. While he didn’t qualify for the Olympics, it was still exciting to watch, and we are so proud of him.

Summer means baseball on repeat around here. Hayden in his team warm up jacket is a favorite although he looks like such a big kid!

Of course, a championship ring is a favorite.

Hayden’s team had an awesome weekend and Father’s Day winning in the championship game.

We celebrated our favorite dad last Saturday with dinner out followed by…

milkshakes! They were so good…and definitely something to be shared.

Hadley made Amy’s Lemon Freezer Pie which we ate after the baseball games on Sunday. It’s so easy to make, refreshing and delish.

Like Hayden, Hadley sure is looking like quite the tween. She let me take this pic while we waited for our milkshakes on Saturday.

Big girl status!

…and ready for swim team pics on Wednesday…

Hayden attended baseball camp this week with lots of friends. He had so much fun.

I only get a few pedicures a year, and I try to take Hadley with me once in the summer and right before we go back to school. I know she loves a pedicure, so it’s a summer splurge that we do every once in a while.

Homer is always a favorite…and he was trying to take a bite of my favorite kind of summer lunch…a snack plate!

Nothing says summer like a lemonade stand, and these kids had a successful one earlier this week.

…and…nothing says summer like moms drinking White Claws at trivia night at the pool! We are quite the combo and all know a little bit of everything.

Anniversary flowers are definitely a fave…(and bubble letter cards!)

…and dinner out to celebrate!

Favorite Mom Meme:

Thank goodness for Google!

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:

Since we celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary yesterday, this throwback is timely….

We were in Siesta Key (one of our favorite places) for our 10th wedding anniversary in 2015.

Weekly Recap:

I hope you have a great weekend. We have a mix of baseball, basketball, birthday parties and more!

See you back here on Monday.

Posted in Family, Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites {#73}

Hello! How was your week? We’ve had a great one. I worked two days, we had some pool time, the kids had dance, baseball, and swim team, and I was able to run some errands and cross some things off my “to do” list.

As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

My dad visited for a few days which is always a favorite. He was able to hang with us and my brother’s family, see two of Hayden’s tournament games, take Hayden to the driving range, and we went ahead and celebrated Father’s Day.

Dugout laughs with the Major
Driving Range time

For years, we’ve taken a front porch stairs photo (per the Major’s request!), and we always laugh because he’s the hardest one to get to smile. He always says, “I AM smiling!” This visit, he wanted the kids to “smile like Major,” and they nailed it.

Of course, I needed a smiling photo, and then my brother and I hopped in for one.

Seeing Hayden play baseball is always a favorite. He’s having so much fun with his summer team. They are a great group of boys with great coaches.

My favorite flowers, hydrangeas, are starting to bloom…

…but they are showing off at my brother’s house.

My sister-in-law made a couple of pies last weekend, and Layla couldn’t wait to dig in. The pies were delish.

Homer is always a favorite. He loves it that we are home so much in the summer.

Summer nights and just hanging around are a favorite of Hadley’s. My kids kids love to climb this tree in our yard.

Pool time with Layla was another favorite of Hadley’s this week.

Snow cones at the pool are a great way to beat the heat!

Hayden wanted to go to a new restaurant in town, so we ate there on Wednesday after baseball practice. Freddy’s with my fave…

Favorite Mom Meme:

Yep. Summer always magnifies what little control I have around here. 😆

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

Since it’s Father’s Day this weekend, I’m sharing these favorite flashback photos!

In 2013, I had the kids take these pics and framed them for Travis.

And, another flashback…the Major and me in the 80’s…

and in 2005… (Travis and I will celebrate 16 years of marriage next week…which I can’t believe!)

Living away from family can be hard. Luckily, my mom and grandma visited around Mother’s Day, and then we were able to celebrate my dad this past weekend for an early Father’s Day.

Weekly Recap:

What are some of your favorites for the week? I hope you have a great weekend. We’ll be at a baseball tournament and celebrating Travis on Sunday!

Amazon Prime Days are Monday and Tuesday, so I will be sharing some Amazon faves on Monday!

Thanks so much for reading.