Well, it’s the last week of month which means it’s time for all the end of the month link ups.
I’m linking up with Holly and Patty for Monthly Musings.
This month’s topic is how we show love.
1. What’s your love language?
My love language is definitely acts of service. I appreciate it so much when Travis does things for me…anything from making the bed if I don’t have time to running an errand for me or even doing bigger things like planning vacations.
I truly do appreciate it when he helps out in those ways and takes things off my plate. Just yesterday, he came home during lunch to help start dinner in the slow cooker.
2. Favorite love songs?
I like music, but I’m the worst with song titles. I still love the classic Someone Like You as it was our first dance at our wedding. I mostly listen to country music and love Chris Stapleton’s Joy of My Life.
3. Flowers, chocolate or something else?
I love (and appreciate!) flowers and a card….which is what I got for my birthday (along with a nice dinner out and cake, of course!)
4. Favorite romantic movie/rom com?
Oh…there are too many to count. My faves are While You Were Sleeping, Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, and Sweet Home Alabama.
In the past year, I’ve watched all of these with Hadley to show her some of my favorite movies. Just a couple of weekends ago, we watched Sweet Home Alabama. I’d forgotten how much I love that movie.
5. Favorite childhood Valentine’s Day memory?
Oh…I fondly remember class parties for Valetine’s Day, making our Valentine’s Day boxes and giving and receiving Valetines.
The kids had quite a few fun class parties, and I was glad to help out a time or two.
6. How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Our Valentine’s Day is typically pretty low-key. We give each other cards, and then I pick up a few things for the kids.
When the kids were younger, we always made a point to get a sitter to watch them and then we’d go out to eat the weekend before or after Valentine’s Day.
We still try to go out to dinner, but obviously we don’t need a sitter now.
7. Any love or romance traditions?
I truly love the tradition of receiving a card…and Trav writing bubble letters for my name is icing on the cake. haha
8. When do you feel most loved?
I’m sure I feel loved every day, but especially on my birthday and Mother’s Day. Facebook messages, texts, phone calls, and cards are always nice on my birthday. Mother’s Day means a lot to me too, and it’s nice that the kids take some time to show me some love. I really appreciate it.
9. Big night out or chill at home?
At this stage in life, if chilling at home is an option, that’s probably my choice. That being said, I like an early dinner or happy hour and then hanging out at home watching a game or movie.
10. Do you wear red/pink on Valentine’s Day?
I’m not big on either of those colors, but I love a seasonal/holiday sweatshirt. This one from Target was a fun find this Valentine’s Day season.
Well, after a somewhat consistent couple of weeks, this week was an odd one. We had no school Monday for Presidents’ Day, went to school on Tuesday, and then we had NTI days due to snow and cold temps Wednesday and Thursday. As I type this, my district said they’d make the call for today this morning. Besides the wacky school week, Hayden has had the flu! He’s doing better now, but he was pretty sick.
As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
Last Friday was Valentine’s Day.
The kids had practice after school, but when they got home, I had a couple of gifts for them. They both got a few odds and ends, but I bought Hayden a quarter zip from Good Good Golf, and Hadley’s main gift was one of these wristlets from Lululemon. They are all the rage with teen girls right now.
I got Trav a card and chocolates, and he gave me a card and some chocolate covered strawberries.
I had to go to Kroger for my prescription, so while I was there I got the kids some candy, their favorite drinks, and a couple of smaller items like Chapstick. I picked up some cupcakes for dessert.
Anyway, it was a low-key evening, but fun to celebrate a bit.
We really didn’t have much going on last weekend which was perfect timing because I was getting over a sinus infection.
A couple of months ago, we were out with friends at a new pizza place in town. We spotted the private room they had and asked about it. We looked ahead at the UK basketball schedule, and booked the room for last Saturday. The fire was going, there were a few TV’s, serve yourself soft drinks, and we had our own waitress. So, we ordered apps, pizza, and drinks throughout the night. For the room, you had to spend $500. We spent a bit more than that, but we divided it among eight families. So, it was just a fun way to get together and watch a basketball game.
On Monday, since we were off of school, and everyone was still healthy, the kids and I ran some errands and then stopped for lunch at Shake Shack. We were only out and about for a couple of hours, but it was nice doing something with them on a day off. As you know, we’ve had a ton of snow days, but we’re usually at home or Hadley will go to a friend’s house to do her school work. Anyway, it was just a nice afternoon.
I know it’s crazy the amount of snow days and NTI days we’ve had, but our winters aren’t usually this active. While I’m ready for spring, the snowfalls have been pretty and you never know what the next year might bring. We’ve had winters with only a couple inches of snow in the past.
Not a favorite but the NTI days saved me from using sick days to take care of Hayden. Also, the pediatrician’s office feels so odd at this age. Seeing the little kids compared to my teenage boy is bittersweet. We’ve gone to the same pediatrician the kids’ whole lives, and when he walked in to see Hayden, he said, “Well, who is this guy?” haha…I don’t think Hayden’s been there since last spring, so I’m sure he’s grown a bit.
Wednesday night Travis and Hadley went to the UK basketball game and had some great seats. I was receiving lots of texts and messages with people spotting them behind UK’s bench. haha
Last weekend, Hadley and I watched Sweet Home Alabama. That’s one of my favorite movies that I hadn’t seen in years, and it was on Hulu. Hadley really liked it.
Speaking of Reese Witherspoon, I also watched her new movie with Will Farrell, You’re Cordially Invited. One of my favorite comedians, Leanne Morgan is also in it. It’s a quirky and funny movie…but I’m glad it was included in my Prime membership, and I didn’t have to pay extra to watch it.
Favorite Meals:
I kept our dinners pretty simple including sheet pan nachos…
…and a new recipe I tried: Bubble Up Pizza Bake…I didn’t get a picture of it as I assembled it and Hadley baked it…but we all loved it. Per Hadley’s request, I actually might make it again next week and add sausage to the pepperoni.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Man, this is so true, but I also know that in less than two years, they can take themselves wherever they need to go!
How was your week? Ours was odd with a snow day on Tuesday. That meant that Wednesday felt like a Monday again! And, I’m still battling my cold which I think is now officially a sinus infection. I’m hoping this is the end of the sickness at my house!
As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week.
On Saturday, Hayden had his second indoor mile race of the season, and he ran a PR of 4:47.
While Hayden was running, Hadley was playing in a sand volleyball tournament with her friends.
Last Thursday, I (finally) put out a few Valentine’s Day decorations. My Valentine’s Day decor doesn’t really change from year to year, but this little heart vase and flowers were a cute addition to my kitchen island tray. The Hershey Kisses don’t last very long!
On Sunday, Hadley and about ten friends had a Galentine’s Day party. One of her friends hosted and was sweet to ask her to come.
They had lots of fun hanging out, having a few snacks and making their own floral bouquets.
Sunday evening, we went to my brother’s house for the Super Bowl. Obviously, the outcome wasn’t a favorite, but we’re lucky to say it’s a tradition to watch the Chiefs in the Super Bowl these past few years.
Win or lose, getting a cookie cake is a favorite tradition too.
All smiles…before the game! haha
My mom gave me this belated birthday card. My favorite ladies!
…and a belated birthday gift. She has this butter dish from Crate and Barrel. I thought it was neat and pretty, so she gave me one too!
Valentine’s Day Card:
The Valentine’s Day card for family continues. This is a fun tradition through the years.
Favorite Mom Meme:
This…#accurate
Favorite Teacher Memes:
As a teacher, I thought these next two graphics are very relatable for me.
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
I will always share these pics of my little Valentines…
How is your week going? We’ve had one day of school, a snow day, and then I’m not feeling well. I feel like I have a cold, but I’m hoping it’s nothing more.
I’m linking up with Joyce for her weekly Hodgepodge post.
This week’s questions are Super Bowl/Valentine’s Day themed which is fun.
1. Did you watch the Super Bowl? Did your team win? What’s your favorite game day snack for whatever sport is happening?
Well, we were cheering for our Chiefs, so of course we watched the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, that means we were disappointed in the outcome. While I wasn’t expecting the Chiefs to win…it was just one of those seasons where they scraped by, I didn’t think it would be such a blow out. It felt like everyone wanted us to lose, so I hate that that was the outcome.
We went to my brother’s house, per tradition. Our Super Bowl menu is always pizza, wings, and cookie cake. The cookie cake was still delish, even with the loss.
We really have been spoiled being able to watch so many Super Bowls with the Chiefs playing, win or lose. Hopefully, they’ll be back some time soon.
2. What’s your “superpower”?
I think multi-tasking is my superpower. Not sure you can be a teacher and a mom without being a good multi-tasker.
3. Will you do anything special on Valentine’s Day? If so, do share. Any thoughts on/about this particular holiday? Share a favorite verse or quote relating to love.
Trav and I will typically go out to dinner at some point. I always try to do some type of Valentine’s Day themed family dinner at home on the 14th if our schedules allow. Through the years, I’ve made heart shaped pizza, let everyone choose their favorite dinner item and had a hodgepodge dinner, and we’ve also had heart shaped nuggets and some sides.
Chicken nuggets are on the menu for Thursday or Friday this week.
I think it’s a fun holiday to celebrate, but also not one that should carry too much weight. Travis and I only exchange cards, and I buy the kids a thing or two for Valentine’s Day. I’ve tried to make it special for them through the years.
I also like putting out a few Valentine’s Day touches. I don’t put out a lot, but I only just decorated last weekend. The decorations mainly stay the same from year to year.
Hadley and friends had a Galentine’s Day party last weekend. They made bouquets….and this heart shaped pic of their creations is cute!
My Bible plan for this month has been this one…all about love.
4. Are you a fan of the rom-com genre? If so, what’s one of your favorites? If you’re not a movie go-er, then what about a book you love that features a great love story? How about a favorite love song?
I love a rom-com movie. You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, and While You Were Sleeping are always my “go to” rom-com movies.
I don’t read as many love/chick lit books as I used to. I read The Match last month and thought it was cute.
5. Let’s get creative…write an acrostic using the word L-O-V-E.
My answer to #5 is both fun and also give me a moment to stand on my soap box. From an education standpoint, AI is a problem. AI can also be used for good. At the start of this school year, it was the first time we, as teachers, had professional development on how to use AI. Honestly, it is pretty amazing. I can make a twenty question multiple choice quiz over Romeo and Juliet in about thirty seconds.
Of course, it’s also a curse while trying to get students to write. Just like with plagiarism, I can typically “catch” students who’ve used AI. I’m not perfect as I’m sure some kids have gotten away with it, but for me, I always ask students to cite our textbook with page numbers, so that helps.
So, in our Google waffle, we have “Gemini.” Starting Tuesday, our students will have “Gemini” in their Google waffle too. So, I guess we’re telling the kids it’s ok to use these resources. Of course, just like for teachers, students could benefit from these AI resources…but call me old school…I think they should have to learn to write a paper, provide text evidence, support a claim, cite the text, and write a concluding paragraph.
Hopping off my soap box to share my AI Gemini generated acrostic LOVE poem.
Luminous and bright, a guiding star,
Outpouring of warmth, near and far,
Valuable and precious, a treasure to hold,
Eternal and boundless, a story untold.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
I hadn’t really thought about it, but the current unit for my students is Crazy, Stupid Love with Romeo and Juliet as the main text. The essential question for this unit is “What is true love?” Perfect for February.
It’s been a minute since I’ve had to struggle through Shakespeare with some freshman, but it’s been fun to do so far. Obviously, Shakespeare isn’t everyone’s “cup of tea,” but we have lots of resources.
For Act 1, I read the “bridge text” with my general English 1 students. This is a shorted version with summaries of each scene before a bit of the Shakespeare text. The textbook provides this resource online, so I just print a class set of the act.
Another English teacher shared the PDFs of the graphic novel for Act 2, so we’re reading that this week.
My Advanced students are reading the No Fear version which has the original text on the left and then a modern English version on the right. As we read the No Fear text, we listen from the online textbook. I think this is a great way to tackle the text as we can hear the various characters’ voices…and we can listen on 1.25x speed! It’s worked out nicely so far.
Lastly, another colleague shared the link to the Orlando Bloom on Broadway Romeo and Juliet play. Again, if I had the students watch the play from beginning to end, I wouldn’t be able to hold their attention. So, I’ve used it sporadically. On Monday, we read Act 2 scenes 1 and 2, and then watched the play…Act 2, scene 2 which is the famous balcony scene…”O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” and…”Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.”
It’s always interesting to see what students think of Romeo and his impulsiveness with love…Juliet too! I always here, “Ms. White! He just thought he loved Rosaline,” and “Ugh! They’re only 14!” haha!
Hayden and Hadley are reading the play in their Adv. English 1 class too. It’s fun to see the play through their eyes too.
I hope you had a wonderful weekend. A week from today, I’ll be headed back to school…but let’s not be negative, shall we?!
I feel like my two week break has been broken into two parts. The first part was all about the holidays and this week will be about having a bit more time to relax and accomplish some things on my to do list like tidying up and going through closets!
I’m linking up with the Hello Monday ladies to share about all our Christmas fun the past week or so.
Before we get started, I’m linking Friday’s post which was my…
…this is one of my favorite posts to write, but it posted late. I had scheduled last week’s posts ahead of time, and I apparently set the date for Saturday. Anyway, for me, it’s a fun look back on the year.
Now, on to Christmas…
Going all the way back to Friday, December 20th. This was our last day of school before break. Hadley and friends had their Secret Santa party that evening to kick off break, and they had lots of fun.
On Saturday I was feeling the Christmas “time crunch,” and made time to watch one of my favorite movies…The Holiday.
Sunday (the 22nd) was our Christmas morning for our family of four. In true teen fashion, the kids slept in a bit. Hayden was up first at 9:15, and went and woke Hadley up. I remember the days of telling them not to leave their rooms before 6:30! haha
Ready to open gifts.
Per tradition, they picked out gifts for each other:
My favorite gift was this necklace from Trav and the kids. It’s the kids’ birthstone.
Travis is always creative with the present tags…
Then it was stocking time, Homer got some treats in his stocking.
We said Homer looks like he’s smiling 😆
Hayden was excited for his new golf clubs and Hadley loves her new Dandy sweatshirt. (I think these sweatshirts were the #1 request from most teen girls)
That morning, I watched another favorite movie that I always watch around Christmas…While You Were Sleeping.
While we had breakfast and hung out, I used the simmer pot ingredients from one of my students. The house smelled delish!
That afternoon, my brother and his family came over, so the kids could swap gifts. While they were also going to KC for Christmas, we didn’t want to haul so many gifts back and forth.
We hung out the rest of the afternoon, and then Travis fixed steaks that one of his clients sent for our Christmas dinner.
Instead of pulling out the Christmas China (that I love), I just kept it simple with the plates from Target that I’ve had for years.
On the 23rd, we went to Louisville for Trav’s family Christmas. All the cousins are getting older, and some live out of state, but they all made it back to Louisville for Christmas.
On Christmas Eve, we continued our Christmas journey and drove to KC. Our first stop before hitting the road was Starbucks, of course. The cold brew with peppermint foam is my fave of the holiday this season.
We made good time to KC and got to my mom’s house after our seven+ hour drive. We had a few minutes to rest, and then everyone showered and got ready for Christmas Eve.
We got a good family pic!
We made our way to my dad’s cousin’s house who always hosts Christmas Eve. We hadn’t seen the Major in a few months, so it was nice to see him and our extended family.
That’s usually a late night for us after a long day, so we were ready for bed that night back at my mom’s house. The kids slept in a bit and then we had Christmas morning at my mom’s.
I got a gift from a blog reader! One of my mom’s friends reads my blog, saw this book and thought of me! So sweet. Thanks, Ann.
Then, while we lounged around, we (mostly me) watched…
…before breakfast.
My mom had baked and decorated cute cookies… (Hadley helped her make another batch later in the week)
Then, we went to my dad’s house for the afternoon. The Chiefs were playing, and won.
My dad had cinnamon rolls for us from a favorite bakery. They hit the spot.
On the 26th, we went to my Gma’s house to make waffle cookies. The kids have gotten used to making them on the 100+ year old waffle iron.
Success!
Almost too good to eat…almost…
That evening Trav, the kids, and I went to see the Plaza lights.
We hadn’t taken them there for quite a few years.
We walked around for a bit and popped in a couple of shops.
Then, we headed back towards where my parents live, and had dinner.
One of my Christmas gifts from my mom this year was an actual light from the Plaza lights. I put it on my tree as soon as we got home this weekend.
My Plaza pics don’t do it justice, but I’ve shared this professional photo before…
The Plaza lights are just a neat KC tradition, and I remember going to see them plenty of times when I was a kid.
My brother and his family got to KC that evening, and then on the 27th, we hung out with them a bit and just had a low key day.
I always make Shay‘s Peppermint Mocha Bunt Cake, but decided to make it in KC rather than for our earlier Christmas meal in Lex.
I figured more people could enjoy it that way…
That evening, we went to my Gma’s house for Christmas with her and my aunt and uncle.
We snapped a few pics.
It was a really nice evening. After that, we headed to see the Magic Tree to cap off our time in KC.
It’s just another neat little KC tradition.
The kids and GG.
My mom with my brother and me.
Glow up moment for Hadley! haha
…I apparently lied to my kids at my Gma’s house when I said those would be the last photos…
…of course, we needed one more family pic.
We headed back to my mom’s house after the Magic Tree and started to pack up as we were heading back to Lex the next day. I actually “hit a holiday wall” and was asleep almost as soon as we got back to my mom’s.
We had such a great week in Lex, Lou, and KC with friends and family. My goal yesterday was to not leave the house and stay in my pj’s all day. I, in fact, met that goal! I watched You’ve Got Mail (another fave I watch around the holidays), unpacked, did laundry, placed a grocery delivery order, so we had breakfast, lunch and dinner options, and even got a little nap in. While I’m always sad to leave my KC family, it was nice to be home and get my life together a bit yesterday. haha
The blogging world is often quiet this week, but I still have more favorite posts to share…like the books I read this year, including my top 5 faves…and a recap of 2024!
Thanks to all of you who read and comment on my posts. It’s been fun getting to “know” some of my readers, and I always appreciate the kind comments.
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
From my family to yours…
…we’re wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season.
I know the Christmas season can be a difficult time for some. Even for those who “have it all” or “have it all together,” it can be a stressful time. I know a few people spending their first Christmas without a loved one, and my heart aches for them.
I hope to be back later in the week to share my favorites posts of the year.
This is the best kind of Friday with only about seven hours standing between me and winter break! That’s my first favorite.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Like last week, I have a few festive favorites…
I shared earlier this week that we made Christmas cookies with my brother’s family last weekend. All the cookies turned out great. I made an additional batch of the peanut butter blossoms this week too.
Baking crew:
On Sunday, I finished wrapping presents while watching Frosty the Snowman. I don’t love wrapping presents, so I just carve out some time once or twice in December to get everything organized and wrapped. Watching a holiday show makes that task more tolerable.
I picked up some really cute wrapping paper at Walgreens!
Ok, the Cranberry Sprite is elite! I purchased a couple of twelve packs because it’s that good! This week, my hall of teachers had a Mexican themed pot luck…we ended up having enough leftovers for two days of food. It was so nice not packing a lunch…and eating with a fun group.
Last night, we went to the Horse Park to see the lights. This is at least our 20th year going. I love this tradition. The kids wanted Homer to “see the lights,” so he hopped in the car too.
A few more festive things:
This or That:
I like to write a “this or that” post during the various holiday seasons, but never got around to it. So, here are my answers to this fun one I found on Pinterest:
I love both movies, but The Holiday is one of my faves.
I chose Christmas presents only because I enjoy giving them.
I still love the garland on our mantle that I picked up at Kirkland’s last year.
I’m more apt to bake sugar cookies, but I love the Ginger People from Trader Joe’s.
I prefer more simple decor, and I really like the decorations I put out for the holidays.
We’re in such a busy stage of life it’s nice to have time with family during the two weeks we are on break. That being said, I also love time with friends for holiday parties.
Giving presents is definitely my preference. It’s always nice when you find the “perfect” gift for someone.
Again, just with us being busy and not home much, I enjoy staying home for our time off. Of course, we like visiting family too, and once we get there, we do have downtime.
Similar to what I said above, I always look forward to our familyChristmas dinner. This year, one of Trav’s clients sent him steaks, so I think we’re having those for our dinner. The couple of Christmas parties we go to every year are also fun seeing friends.
I like to hang out during the day, but have a nice dinner for Christmas.
Favorite Christmas Movies:
Another Pinterest find:
These are a few of my favorite movies.
I always watch: Home Alone, A Christmas Story, and While You Were Sleeping (which just takes place during Christmas time, but one of my faves). I usually watch The Holiday and then sometimes watch the other ones.
Favorite Kid Quote:
The other day, Hadley wanted Chick-fil-A before practice, and I questioned her because she’d had Raising Canes the day before. She said, “Mom, I don’t think I will ever get tired of eating chicken.” 😂
Relatable Meme:
…but TGIF!
Favorite Mom Meme:
This one is so true. We don’t do these every year now, but when the kids were little, I just had to let go of my “type A” tendencies.
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
Christmas 2010…Christmas pj edition…
Weekly Recap:
Here are my posts this week in case you missed one:
Patty and Holly are hosting Monthly Musings a week early due to the holidays next week. I’m excited to link up with them one more time in 2024!
This month’s topic is…last minute holiday tips/prepping for the new year…
1. What do you do about list minute gifts you forgot to buy?
Thank goodness for Amazon! Usually for me, I’m making a final list of things like gift cards and small stocking stuffers that I can pick up at the grocery store or Target.
2. Favorite last minute holiday recipe?
I love to drizzle honey over a wedge of Brie and serve with crackers. Easy and delish!
3. Favorite part of the holiday season so far?
It was nice baking cookies with my brother’s kids last weekend.
I also always love giving and receiving Christmas cards in the mail. I will share ours next week!
4. Best stocking stuffers/small gift?
I always give Trav and the kids gift cards to their favorite places like Starbucks and Chik-fil-A. I always put candy in their stockings too.
Usually, the kids get socks or underwear, and a new toothbrush. (I’m not a regular mom, I’m a cool mom!) haha!
I also get Hayden baseball cards, gloves, something for running, Chapstick and other odds and ends.
For Hadley, she will get gloves, lip gloss, hair ties, pens and a few other little things.
I’m also known for buying too many things for the stocking –and then they don’t fit!
No, but as December winds up, I usually commit to January for getting back on track. For the first time in quite a long time, I “fell off the wagon” in regards to working out. After fall break, I just didn’t make time for working out. Then, after daylight savings, I just loved coming home, putting on my pjs, turning on the Christmas tree and just being at home.
Thankfully, I haven’t gone off the rails with eating, but you know –’tis the season for sweet treats.
In January, I’m going to get back to a 20 minute workout plan that I love to get back in the swing of things.
7. Do you use a planner?
The only actual planner I use is my school planner for lesson plans.
I have a desk calendar at school that I use to write down meetings, bus duty, appointments and kids’ activities. I have most of those same things on my phone calendar.
I also have this magnetic calendar on the fridge, so the kids know when they have practice and also what’s for dinner! (and they can add to grocery list)
8. Stay up until midnight or asleep before the ball drops?
I shared in yesterday’s post that the past few years, we’ve joined a progressive dinner with some of our friends in our neighborhood. We start out at a house for appetizers, then have dinner followed by dessert at a few different houses.
9. What do you do on New Year’s Day?
We’re usually at home clinging to whatever rest and downtime we have until the end of break. This year, we don’t go back until January 7th, so we have a week at home before heading back to reality.
Usually, I make some appetizers and we just hang out at home and watch college football bowl games.
10. Are you taking time off in December?
I’m really grateful to have a built in two weeks off from school break. I feel blessed that I have this time off and usually try to just hang out at home as much as possible, go see a movie, do a “purge” or the house and prep for the second semester of school.
How was your weekend? We started ours off going to a Christmas party. It was nice seeing friends and hanging out for a few hours. Saturday afternoon we went to my brother’s house to bake cookies. Today, I’m sharing the cookies we made!
…for eating too many cookies! haha
I always make these Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, but I add two teaspoons of peppermint extract instead of vanilla extract. These cookies are best if you make the dough ahead and put in the fridge for a bit. So, I made the batter at my house before we went to my brother’s house.
Hadley and Layla did a great job rolling the dough in the powdered sugar before baking them.
Wyatt helped Hadley with the second batch.
While they were doing that, my brother made the Spritz cookie dough. My mom always made these cookies, and my brother has a Spritz cookie press.
My brother wants everyone to know that 3 cups of flour is the key…He did 3 1/2 cups and complained about it the rest of the time! haha
When I asked him to send me the recipe, you can see he’s made a very important note for next year!
We added green food coloring to half the dough and red food coloring to the other half of the dough. So, we made green trees and red wreaths.
It takes a couple of presses to figure it out…and my brother had a captive audience.
Hayden’s turn…
While the few batches of Spritz cookies baked, we made the other cookie that I always make…peanut butter blossomcookies. They aren’t a Christmas cookie, but I only make them in my Christmas cookie batch.
Wyatt helped Hadley roll the dough balls in sugar, and then Wyatt and Layla helped add the Hershey Kisses once they came out of the oven.
Then, conveniently, everyone scattered and it was just my brother and I cleaning up!!
They did rally for a “Christmas cookie cousin crew” pic!
Let’s just say that three cookies was enough to bake for their attention spans.
Hello and happy Friday! (and it’s Friday the 13th…Pray for the teachers, y’all!)
How was your week? Ours was good. This has been an interesting time with not as much on our plates. Both kids have track three days a week right after school, and Hadley has volleyball two days a week. I know that still seems like quite a bit, but we have most of our evenings at home which is a nice pace for us right now.
It’s hard to believe, but a week from today, we’ll be on Christmas break!
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week…most of which are pretty festive:
Last Friday, I channeled my “inner Amy” and “broke up” my weekend a bit.
After school on Friday, some teachers went to a nearby Mexican restaurant for happy hour. I almost didn’t go because I only had about an hour before I had to pick the kids up from track, but I went…and it was such a good time.
A margarita to kick off the weekend!
Travis was sick, so Hayden and I watched the NCAA volleyball tournament Friday night. MU won, so that was neat to watch.
On Saturday morning, I met a friend at a Christmas craft fair. Again, I usually don’t have time on the weekends, but now we seem to have this downtime. I was able to pick up a few things for family members. We actually went to a second one that was by the mall, so I was able to shop for a couple of hours that morning.
Saturday afternoon, Hadley and I went to see The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, and it was SO cute!
I had a really great Saturday!
Sunday morning, church was beautiful, and we had an orchestra for the “Lessons and Carols” service.
That afternoon, the kids went back to church to pack food boxes. They had a good time doing that and then eating pizza afterwards.
One day this week, I popped into one of my favorite places…the bookstore! I love that store year round, but it looks extra pretty around Christmas time.
I saw this Christmas “favorites” list on Pinterest and thought it would be fun to share my answers.
I will share the blank one on Instagram. I’d love to see your responses.
‘Tis the season for being overbooked and stressed! Personally, I think this has been our best Christmas season yet having some downtime, having our Christmas shopping pretty much wrapped up, and incorporating traditions when we have time.
Here’s a sweet thought:
Favorite Mom Meme:
Haha…thankfully, this doesn’t happen to me too often.
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
I think this is the first time the kids really saw Santa. We’d never taken them to the mall or anything, and this was in 2013 at Trav’s work Christmas party. They didn’t get too close to Santa that year!
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