Turkey rice soup is a favorite recipe. We have it after Thanksgiving, using our leftovers. I also make it with chicken too.
Pumpkin sausage penne pasta is another fall recipe that I look forward to making for dinner. It’s a fall favorite for sure.
Favorite dessert:
Apple cider donut cake was a fave Pinterest find a few years ago. Now, I bake this delicious cake a few times in the fall.
Favorite candles and hand soaps:
I love switching out candles and hand soaps seasonally.
Favorite mug:
I’m a fall lovin’ girl…what can I say?
Favorite fall decorations:…old…
I have had two of these pumpkins from Michael’s for years, and they are my favorite to set out.
…and new…
Y’all, for the life of me, I can’t find my fall doormat. I looked all over the garage, and it’s not with my other seasonal mats. So, I turned to Amazon and purchased this cute doormat. It arrived yesterday, and it’s perfect. It’s actually really soft and oh so cute.
Fave fall flower:
The mums have arrived on my front porch. Now, I just need to get the corn stalks and pumpkins.
Fave find:
Speaking of pumpkins…I saw Tina (@to_mimishousewego) share these cuuutee embossed pumpkin plates from Hobby Lobby. I haven’t made it to my local store, but I’m hoping they still have them.
Where did this week go?…but also…TGIF! We had a good but busy week. I feel like we’ve finally gotten into a school and evening routine which feels nice. Of course, this is just in time for us to have one more week and then a week off for fall break! I’m not complaining, but after that week, we’ll have to get back into a routine again.
Anyway, as always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are a few faves from the week:
Last week, I went to Bath and Body and picked up a few fall things…three hand soaps and one candle. See, I can show restraint in Bath and Body! haha!
One of my favorite seasonal things to do is to swap out the hand soaps in the bathroom and in the kitchen. I only purchased one candle, because I have quite the fall candle stockpile in my hall closet.
I also purchased a set of three candles from Trader Joe’s, and they’ve quickly become a favorite as well.
Last week, I had a dermatology appointment. It had been over two years since I made a skin check appointment. The PA had no concerns, and I was happy to cross this off the list. I did joke with her that they should just team up with a gynecologist, so we can get two awkward appointments over with at one time!
Last weekend, I spent time in Tennessee with Hadley and the volleyball team. They had a fun weekend of volleyball, but they also were able to hit up the indoor water park. I had fun with some of the moms, and I also enjoyed a bit of downtime at the hotel.
The girls were 5-2 on the weekend and the runner up in the silver bracket. Overall, they played well, and I feel like they found their groove.
The weather was pretty and the views were pretty too. I got a walk in on Saturday morning before the games.
The kids’ school pics were available to download this past week, and they turned out sooo good! I asked Hayden to wear something besides a t-shirt, and he obliged!
How was your week? I started the week sick, but I am feeling better now. The short weeks always throw me off, and I was only at school three days this week…and I’ve constantly had to remind myself what day it is.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week…
Honestly, I’m finishing up this post pretty late, so I will just get to it…and it’s mostly kid related favorites since we’re back in the thick of all the sports.
Hadley and friends went to the first UK tailgate of the season, and they had so much fun. Travis and Hayden went to the game as well.
Hadley’s volleyball pics came in, and they are so cute…
I love this one too!
I stayed home from school on Tuesday, and this is what Hadley sent me from Spanish class. lol
One of the dads takes pics during the games, and it’s been fun to have a few action shots of Hadley on the court.
This is another fun one too…
Hayden had his second race of the season last weekend, and he ran well overall. He was bummed to miss a PR by two seconds, but it was a beautiful morning and a great course. He’s just getting started.
Yesterday, Hadley had small group early in the morning, so I decided to drop her off and then head to school. I don’t know that I’ve ever been to school at 7:15…but it was nice.
My room was so peaceful, and it was nice to have an hour before school started! Maybe I can try doing this a bit more often. I’m having a really great start to the year, but I truly feel like I can’t get caught up. So, this extra hour was nice.
Earlier this week, I shared my September book trackers on Instagram. I love when others use them and tag me in them!
They are saved in a “August” book highlight. Feel free to use them and tag me. I enjoy seeing what others are reading.
Favorite Food:
On Tuesday, I placed a Kroger delivery and threw the ingredients in the slow cooker for a new recipe…This is a version of the Tomato Feta Pasta that was going around on Tik Tok. It was easy and delish! I will definitely keep it in the rotation. It would also be delish with chicken or shrimp added in it.
Favorite Mom Meme:
This! LOL!
Share Our Lives:
We have our monthly Share Our Lives link up on Monday. This month’s topic is 5 things we like to do in the fall/winter/spring/summer. We’d love it if you link up with us!
Weekly Recap:
I had a random week of posting, but they were all fun ones to write:
Well, thankfully, we don’t have too much going on this weekend…at least nothing that entails an early wake up call….and, for that, I’m appreciative! I might pull my fall decorations out. I usually don’t do that for another couple of weeks, but we’ll see!
See you back here on Monday! Thanks so much for reading.
How was your week?! Ours was good…but the busy Thursday nights are catching up with me…I’m hitting “publish” a bit late on this Friday morning!
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
My favorites are short and sweet this week.
I spent Saturday afternoon at the pool which was nice. Admittedly, I’m not the best at going to the pool once school starts, but I’ve been making an effort to go on the weekends. I’ve reminded myself it’s ok to take a little time to relax even if I have a to do list. The pool closes soon.
Sunday, we had more pool time to celebrate my nephew’s birthday.
Shay shared these Trader Joe’s crepes on her blog a couple of weeks ago, and when I went to TJ last week, I picked some up. They are good! Hadley loves a crepe, so I bought them for her, but I’ve had a couple too.
{Screenshot from Shay’s blog, so I would remember to buy these!}
Hayden’s cross country meets have started, and my mom was in town to go to his first meet last Saturday. He ran well, and I was happy for him to start the season off strong.
Hadley’s regular season games have also started, and we’re hoping for a great season.
{Shes’s near the net passing the ball}
Favorite Mom Meme:
LOL –why do I feel this at home and at school?
Actually, I must say that I’ve had a really great start back to school…and my classes seem really good. I have two Adv. English 1, two co-teach English 1 classes, and two English 2 classes. We’re all still getting the hang of block scheduling, but my students seem great!
I can honestly say that even though the first two days back to school have been great, I’m also very happy to say, “TGIF!” Your girl is Tired…with a capital T! I’m very much looking forward to this weekend.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
I’m keeping it short and sweet this week and just sharing our back to school traditions and photos.
Last week, the stars aligned, and we could actually have dinner together. We took advantage of that opportunity and headed to IHOP for dinner. This is the second year we’ve done this, and while the kids still had a few days left of summer, I appreciated the tradition.
This week, the night before school started, I baked a Krusteaz cinnamon coffee cake for the kids to have for breakfast on Wednesday morning.
I thought these plates and napkins were so cute. I picked them up at Target or Michael’s…I can’t remember now.
These kids are really growing up! All set for their sophomore year…
I appreciate the first day of school smiles.
And, we always take one more pic without the signs.
I actually saw both kids a couple of times on the first day because my room is a little more centrally located now.
One of my friends from my former school is now at my school, and she’s my classroom neighbor…and Hayden is actually in her class. Anyway, she snapped our picture after school which I really appreciated.
One thing about block scheduling is that I realized I now have two first days of school. I was ready to roll yesterday to meet my other classes.
Hopefully, we’ll all have a great year.
Favorite Mom Meme:
WHY can I relate to this one so much? haha
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
With it being back to school, of course I’m sharing first day of school pics through the years…
I hope you have a great weekend. I’m looking forward to not setting an alarm and hopefully doing what it takes to feel like I have my life together next week!
Hello and happy Friday!…and happy August 1st. I’m not trying to be negative, but I think August is my least favorite month, but it also does mean a fresh start and routine once school starts, and I do like both of those things.
How was your week? I made the most of my last full week of summer…I spent some time finishing getting my classroom in order, went to Pilates, went to the pool, read, went to a movie and more!
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites...
….to share a look back on July.
July 1st, Hadley went to Young Life camp in Michigan with lots of her friends.
Hayden and other family members ran the Bluegrass 10k on the 4th of July.
I stayed in one spot to cheer them on!
Our nephew won the race.
We wrapped up the 4th by going to our favorite spot to watch fireworks.
I got lots of pool time in July…which meant I had time to chat with my friends, float in the pool or read.
We celebrated Trav’s birthday when Hadley got back from camp. We got him a few gifts, went out to dinner, and had some Crumbl cookies to celebrate.
As I’ve shared a few times (sorry to be repetitive!), Trav and I went Lake Michigan to celebrate our 20th anniversary that was in June. We made do with what time allowed for us to get away for a few days, but honestly, it was still such a perfect vacation. It was nice being able to drive a few hours to a couple of beautiful towns, and the weather was great with low humidity.
I recapped our two days in South Haven in this post.
We stayed at a bed and breakfast right by the beach, and it was lovely.
We also spent two days in Saugatuck, and I shared all about our time there in two posts. (post one, post two). We stayed at a boutique hotel, spent time in town, got a massage, ate a few delicious meals, and went to the beach.
A couple of weeks ago, we went to Louisville for our nephew’s wedding. They got married on a Friday with a dinner to follow and then a bigger reception on Saturday. It was a great couple of days with family.
In July, both of the kids’ sports started. Hayden’s been going to 6am practices the past couple of weeks, and Hadley’s been busy with volleyball. Her first tournament is this weekend.
I also spent the last couple of weeks at school off and on setting up my new classroom. I’ve worked in my room over ten hours, and Hadley has been such a big help.
Just yesterday, we finished the final bulletin board, and now I actually need to start thinking about actual school stuff like curriculum and syllabi! haha
Overall, July was a good month with lots of summer and family fun.
How was your week? Our week was pretty productive, but every day was different. We only have about two full weeks left of summer before heading back to school. How is that possible?
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
This week was a mix of sports, school (classroom set up and PD for me), errands and just trying to get on track after a busy weekend last weekend.
So my favorites for this week are all about our nephew’s wedding last weekend.
One of Trav’s sisters has four kids, and Grace got married in June while Jacob got married in July. I don’t know how they pulled off two beautiful and unique weddings in as many months, but they did!
On Friday, we headed to Louisville, and checked into the Omni hotel. It is stunning! We got to our room and got ready as the shuttle was leaving about an hour after we arrived.
The wedding was held outside at an Air BNB. Yes –an outside wedding at 4:30 PM in July….but the space was gorgeous.
The photographer got this amazing shot:
The pond was also so pretty in the background.
It was hot, but it was a beautiful ceremony filled with only immediate family and a few close friends. The bride’s brother officiated the ceremony and Jacob’s sister also did a reading which made the ceremony even more special.
After the wedding, we headed down town an event space where they hosted a dinner.
The bride hand-stitched napkins for every guest as their place setting. The groom’s mom and grandma (Trav’s mom) made bourbon balls that were also at each place setting. So sentimental and sweet.
We got a few photos…
…after rallying from the heat! My hair looked better at 4:30 than it did at 7:00! haha
The cake was simple and beautiful…
This phone where you can leave messages for the bride and groom must be a popular guest book idea, and it’s so fun. I did joke that who knows what kinds of messages were left by the end of the evening (or the reception on Saturday!)
(Also, on Saturday, we showed the kids how to dial the rotary phone…their minds were blown!)
Hayden is so lucky to have Jacob (a professional runner) as a mentor for him when he’s training.
Trav’s brother is a photographer, so he got some awesome pics of Trav’s mom with her grand kids. Unfortunately, we were missing two cousins who were out of town.
Trav and his mom and siblings. This photo was taken by one of the grandsons who is becoming an excellent photographer and videographer himself.
It was a great evening. The Omni has a bowling alley and while some made it down to bowl once we got back to the hotel, Aunt Jen did not! I showered and put on that hotel robe and was ready for bed. haha
The next morning, we explored the hotel a bit more, and the kids liked going to the market to buy snacks when needed.
The bar area is so pretty…
We walked to Another Broken Egg for brunch, and it hit the spot.
We had family time most of the day and enjoyed the hotel’s amenities, and then it was time for the reception.
So, yes…this was a two day event for some. The reception was Saturday evening and more friends and extended family were there. The bride and groom really wanted a more intimate day for the wedding and then a bigger reception.
When we arrived at the reception, we picked up our seat assignment. Every guess (150-ish!) received post cards that correlated with the assigned table. Each post card had a hand written note from the bride or the groom.
The tables were named after places that were meaningful to them.
This bar was hand made by the groom’s dad and was at both our niece and then nephew’s weddings in June and July. How special!
We took a family photo…
…which led to Trav’s brother being kind enough to take a few photos. You know my kids were thrilled. haha!
We did go outside because the gardens at the Presbyterian Seminary were stunning.
I already have this one in a frame…
I loved this one too!
The kids let me take their pic…
…and then it was time to hit the dance floor. The kids had fun…Hadley told me she had to get used to dancing to a live band…kids these days!
Trav’s brother got this pic to finish up the evening! A time was had…
…before the bride and groom headed off to start married life…
We helped with clean up before getting back to the hotel late. What a weekend!
Favorite Mom Meme:
This isn’t necessarily a “Mom” meme…but these kids could never!
I hope you have a great weekend! We actually don’t have much on tap, so I hope to take it easy. I’ve already spent a lot of time thinking about school, and then next weekend Hadley has her first volleyball tournament of the season. So, I better rest while I can.
How was your week? I feel like we’re finally hitting the summer groove with only a couple of more weeks until we go back to school!
As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
This is a rather short week of favorites as we didn’t have a ton going on, but that, within itself, is a favorite. I’m savoring these slower summer days.
Here are some other favorites:
I typically don’t shop much when we go on vacations…besides picking up the occasional sweatshirt, but on our last day in South Haven, we had some time to walk around and shop.
The first shop I popped into had so many cute things…and I bought a candle and two essential oil rollers. I loved the scent of all of them, and they are a fun way to think about the trip when I use them. I’ve now been using the vanilla scented one on my wrists in the morning and the lavender one at night.
I’ve been enjoying these souvenirs so far!
This week turned into a little bit of self-care this week. On Monday, I got a long overdue manicure, had my monthly facial on Tuesday, and yesterday, I went and got a pedicure. It was nice to have these pockets of time to get some things done for myself.
Homer is always a fave but especially recently. I really think he missed us as the first two weeks of July were different. Hadley was at camp, and then Hayden went to camp, and Trav and I were gone. He likes to sit a beg for a bite of my breakfast!
You guys…my cute little rechargeable dimmable scalloped lamp from Walmart is back in stock. I picked up one for the kitchen, and it’s oh so cute.
Our limelight hydrangea bush is popping off! That thing really grew this year, and right now, the blooms are everywhere. So, I snipped a few to enjoy on the coffee table.
Favorite Meal:
I tried a new recipe this week. I wasn’t sure what to have for dinner, and I already had some pasta and ground beef. So, I went to the Skinny Taste website that I hadn’t been on in years, and found this recipe for Skinny Taste Hamburger Helper. I placed a quick Kroger delivery for the ingredients I needed as well as some frozen breadsticks. Dinner was delish.
Favorite Mom Meme:
“Later” and “I’m about to” are my teens favorite phrases.
I’m officially at the part of summer where I really need the weeks to slow down. I still have things to cross off my list, and I guess I will need to start reading school emails soon.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
I’m really loving this romper from SSYS. I love that it’s forgiving, has a flutter sleeve and is easy to dress up or down. I wore it last week when we went out to dinner.
The runners had to “carb load” before the Bluegrass 10k on the 4th of July, and we went to a fun pasta place. If gnocchi is on the menu, I usually order it! This definitely hit the spot.
I had some pool time over the 4th, and that was nice and relaxing.
Fireworks are always a fave, and the ones at our usual spot were 10/10 this year!
Hadley arriving home from camp is always a fave, but this year, given the devastation and loss of lives in Texas, I was just ready for her to be home. I think she was ready too. She had fun, but I know she was happy to sleep in her own bed.
Last weekend, I took a stroll through my favorite book. I went there to buy Kristy Woodson Harvey’s newest book since it’s on my summer reading list.
While I was there, I picked up a birthday gift for my Gma. Also, I spotted a few cute finds like this “book lovers journal”…
…and these cute playing cards that look like the book check out cards from the library. I resisted the urge to buy both.
Travis and I have been watching The Waterfront. To me, it’s Outer Banks meets Ozark, and we’ve really enjoyed it.
On Monday, we celebrated Trav’s birthday. We went out to dinner, gave him a few gifts, and had some Bundt cakes for dessert. Since Hadley was gone, and then Hayden went to camp, Monday was the one day we could all have dinner together…and it was Trav’s actual birthday.
The past few days, Trav and I have been in Michigan. We wanted to take some time away to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary, and neither of us have been to Michigan. I’m sure I will do a recap, but here are a few favorite photos from our few days here:
We’ve had a great week of summer, and it was nice to not have too much our agenda. With today being a holiday, I’m not sure who all is blogging, but I can’t miss a Friday Favorites post with Andrea and Erika.
Here are some favorites from the week:
We have two hydrangea bushes in our yard, one in the back and one in the front. The backyard one rarely seems to bloom, but the one in the front yard is so pretty.
Trav told me I should snip a few blooms, so I can enjoy them in the house, and that’s just what I did. The pink is so pretty, and hydrangeas are one of my fave flowers.
Speaking of flowers, this lovely bouquet arrived, and these flowers are oh so pretty.
So pretty that I bumped the hydrangeas to another spot, so I can enjoy these in the family room..
We had one more update to the hall bathroom. This picture of the kids in the bathtub is one of my faves. We had it in a simple black frame, and once we put the bathroom back together, I wasn’t sure what do to with the photo. Trav even told me I had to find a place for it in the new bathroom because it’s just a favorite of ours. So, I found this pretty gold frame at Michael’s and we hung it this week. It’s the perfect finishing touch to this small blank wall.
Hadley and I had a couple of errands on Monday, and she likes driving me around. We tried a new coffee shop, and the first iced coffee that I saw on the menu was “the teacher.” It has vanilla, lavender, and honey, so I knew I’d like it…and I did! It hit the spot on a hot afternoon.
Hadley left for camp this week, and I sure am missing her. Look at this cute group of “Lucky Charms.” She will be home on Sunday, and we can’t wait to see her!
I was highly influenced by Amy when she shared her Aerie finds. Cornflower blue is my favorite color recently, so I just knew I needed to snag this sweatshirt. Aerie was having a sale, so I snagged the shorts too! I probably could have sized down in both, but I rolled the shorts once, and they fit perfectly and I liked the length that way. And, as you know, I love an over-sized sweatshirt, so I’m keeping both as is.
Yay! for pool time this week. I went to our pool a couple of days, and then Hayden and I went to my sister-in-law’s mom’s pool at her house to swim one afternoon. The temps have been hot, but not too bad…and even better when we’re just floating in the pool.
I shared a few July book trackers on Instagram. I love when others use them to share what they’re reading. They are saved to an Insta highlight, and feel free to tag me if you use them.
Favorite Foods:
Is she a food blogger now? I had a few recipes that I really liked this week.
Sunday, I wasn’t sure what to make the rest of the week, so I placed a quick Kroger delivery to get us through the weekend. I decided to try a slow cooker recipe I’d seen on Tik Tok. (@therapybysourdough)
In your slow cooker, put 6-8 chicken thighs. Then, add 5 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of garlic powder, 1 1/2 tablespoons of seasoning salt, and 2 table spoons of brown sugar.
Cook on low for four hours. Then, I steamed frozen broccoli in the microwave and when it was time to eat, I added the broccoli to the slow cooker. I microwaved Trader Joe’s Jasmine rice, and served dinner on the cooked rice.
This was easy and delish, and I will definitely make it again!
Then, as I was making my grocery list for the rest of the week, I was scrolling Pinterest and saw this recipe that I used to make all the time a few years ago. It’s perfect for low carb days that I try to do on Mondays and Tuesdays.
I made a batch and had some for lunch both of those days with this chips and and apple and peanut butter. Homer really wanted some too!
Lastly, I was trying to find an easy meal to make on Wednesday, and I stumbled upon these meatball subs. I just knew Hayden and Trav would love them, and they were a hit! I ended up buying mini hoagies which held three meatballs…perfect! These will also be added into the dinner rotation!
Favorite Mom Meme:
I will actually miss this once all the teens are driving…
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
Well, you knew I would have to share a few 4th of July throwback photos.
I love the 4th of July, and miss the days of the kids dressing in red, white and blue. Heck, at this point, I miss the kids just being home on the 4th. Hadley tends to be at camp most of the time on the 4th.
Weekly Recap:
I had a few posts this week! Also, if you read my SSYS post on Wednesday, I’ve updated it to include a few favorites if you’re interested in trying out that online shop.
showmeandsweettea.com 