Well, Mondays tend to be my least favorite day of the week, but this type of Monday hits different.
We only have a two day week of school and…today Hayden and Hadley turn 14! So, today is a great day!
We spent the weekend doing all the things they love….
Hanging with friends…
…running cross country…
…playing volleyball…
…and basketball…
…& eating cake!
I feel like we went from this…
to this …
in a flash!
(excuse the lack of #4 on the cake — we couldn’t seem to find it. Welcome to my life!)
It was a very hectic weekend as we wrap up a very busy month, but it was a good one.
I saw this meme…and chuckled.
I feel like it can also apply to parenthood 😆
November is going by so quickly, but we still have quite a few more things going on between now and Thanksgiving break…including two days of school and two evenings of volleyball.
I hope you are having a great week. The day off yesterday was just what I needed to have a bit of downtime mixed in with productivity. Now we’re on the downhill slide to the weekend.
I had to double check my calendar. I can’t believe it’s the second Wednesday of the month! That means I’m linking up with Shay and Erika for Let‘s Look.
I skipped October because I’d already shared a post about fears for the blog challenge.
This month we are looking at…stocking stuffers.
Tis the season, y’all!
I looked back at my Amazon history, and today I’m sharing a few favorite stocking stuffers.
I know it seems random but this tissue box cover “elevates” an eyesore on the counter. There are a variety of colors, and it’s less than $8! I have this “pastel gray” one and have gifted it to others as well.
I stuck this razor kit in Hayden’s stocking last year. While he doesn’t need it often ☺️, it has definitely come in handy.
This heatless curl set is Hadley approved. It comes in a few different designs…including “candy cane!”
Both Travis and Hayden have these stocking caps with a light for running. It’s the perfect gift for a runner during the winter months.
I hate to exaggerate, but this ground meat chopper is a game changer for cooking! I use it every time I cook ground meat.
I have this watch band, and I love the scallop detail. It comes in so many cute colors; maybe I should grab another one.
These rose gold earrings are my favorite, and I wear them almost every single day. They are less than $10, and have a $1 off coupon.
These socks are fun for any gamer or teen in your life. For only $6, they’d be a perfect stocking gift. I got them for Hayden a couple of years ago.
Bananagrams is a fun game for all ages. It’s the perfect size to take for family fun when you travel.
I’ve shared these portable chargers before, and they’ve worked great for us through the years. They got us through the five day power outage last spring. I have my eye on this one because it’s slimmer, and we could use one or two more.
Honestly, stockings have always been my favorite part of Christmas morning.
Happy shopping!
{This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Thanks for supporting my blog.}
Wow! That escalated quickly. I feel like October went by in a blink, and November is one of our most hectic months. I guess I’d better buckle up!
Well, I guess we’ve hit the “new norm” of having older kids on Halloween. For the second year in a row, Travis and I sat on the front porch and passed out candy while the kids did their own thing.
Here’s a recap of our Halloween festivities these past few days.
Last Thursday, Hayden and a few friends went to a nearby haunted house. The mom who took them is officially the “fun mom!”
They had a great time, and let’s just say that the “creatures” at the haunted house quickly determined that Hayden was the “weak link.” lol
No pics, but Friday night the kids went to their school’s haunted house and had lots of fun.
Over the weekend, I made Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies. I’ve made this recipe before, but I don’t know what went wrong. They tasted delish, but were flat and sticky even after baking.
I put out my “scary” skeletons in my mums. My porch is still decorated with pumpkins and mums, but right before Halloween I usually put a couple of these guys out. They prop up nicely in my mums.
Then, I typically put spider webs and spiders on the front bushes, but with the really soggy weather this past weekend, I never got to it. I will save the cobwebs for next year.
On Sunday, we had mummy dogs, “brains,” and “eye balls” for dinner. It’s a family favorite.
Sunday night, we found a bit of time to carve pumpkins. I still love this tradition and will cling to it!
Hayden carved “UK” for Kentucky, and Hadley found this “scary” face online with little horse shoe shaped eyes and a big mouth. After she carved it, we laughed because we thought it looked like a bear! Oh well.
Yesterday, at my school, the teachers decided to dress like students (& it was a surprise to the students! 😆) *not pictured: my AirPods I’m my ears*
Hadley and friends had a last minute idea to be Alvin and the Chipmunks for Halloween. Their costumes were so cute!
Hayden and friends…had no theme! haha…but they had fun. Hayden didn’t grow a mustache week, per my suggestion, but he still wore his Travis Kelce jersey.
Oh! It was a cold evening, but Travis and I passed out candy while the kids had fun with their friends.
Alvin and Kelce!
It was so cold that I wore my winter coat and warm boots.
We ended the evening at our friend/neighbor’s house for chili and s’mores.
Her “spooky” charcuterie board was so cute (and delish!)
Now that it’s November, it’s time to focus on the kids’ birthday and Thanksgiving. How much longer until I put up my tree?! haha
I haven’t written a “this or that” post in quite a while, so I thought a Halloween one would be fun. I found this one on Pinterest.
This or That:
Trick or Treat
Definitely treats, please!
Spooky stories or Spooky movies
While I love reading books that are suspenseful, a spooky movie is fun this time of the year. That being said, I’d take a Halloween/fall themed movie over a spooky one.
Apple cider or pumpkin spice latte
I like apple cider, but I prefer coffee with a splash of cream and a dash of pumpkin spice.
Hocus Pocus or Nightmare Before Christmas
I definitely prefer Hocus Pocus. We watched the new one last year on fall break.
Hay maze or haunted house
I definitely prefer a hay maze. I don’t think my anxiety could take a haunted house. haha
Hayden and friends went to a haunted house last week. My friend who took them definitely wins for “fun mom!”
Then, my kids’ school hosted a haunted house for the community like they did last year. The kids went last Friday night and had fun.
Carve a pumpkin or paint a pumpkin
We always carve them. I love that tradition…and I’m clinging to it.
Scare someone or be scared
Neither!!!
Buy a costume or make a costume
Through the years, we’ve always bought them. When the kids were little, my mom did make one of their costumes…just like she did my brother and I were little.
Trick-or-treat or pass out candy
We are back to passing out candy after many years of trick-or-treating. I do think the kids will go out tonight for a bit. Hadley and friends have a group costume, but Travis and I will be on the front porch handing out candy.
Halloween party or cozy spooky movie night
Definitely a night in would be on my list. It’s not spooky, but I miss the tradition of watching It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
Pumpkin patch or apple orchard
You know I love a pumpkin patch!
That being said, I grew up across the street from an apple orchard, and I loved going to pick apples. I haven’t done that with my kids though!
What would your answers be? I will post this one on Insta!
Well, it’s almost time to turn the page of the calendar to November, so today I’m sharing my answers to Patty and Holly’s fun end of the month link up.
This month’s topic is Thanksgiving prep.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. We get to see family, enjoy great food, and don’t have the stress of gift giving!
1. What are your Thanksgiving plans?
We typically alternate staying home vs. going to KC for Thanksgiving. This year is a KC Thanksgiving year.
I love green bean casserole at Thanksgiving. I always just use the classic recipe on the side of the French’s fried onion container.
I also love corn casserole, but I tried to make it once, and it was a fail. I will leave it to the Thanksgiving pros (AKA my sister-in-law and/or Trav’s aunts)!
3. Best food prep tips?
I’ve really only hosted Thanksgiving a time or two, and it’s so much work. I’m really grateful for those who have hosted through the years.
Of course, making a list is always helpful, and asking others to bring some of the food is essential too.
4. Favorite Thanksgiving traditions?
I love starting my Thanksgiving morning with the Macy’s parade.
5. Turkey? Ham? Other? Both?
To me, turkey is for Thanksgiving and ham is for Easter!
6. Apple pie? Pumpkin pie?
Pumpkin pie all the way. I love my pumpkin pie served cold with a dollop of Cool Whip!
7. Football or family movie?
There’s typically football on in the background while everyone hangs out and eats at Thanksgiving. Christmas movies start the Friday after Thanksgiving.
8. Stuffing or dressing?
It’s the same thing, right? But…one is inside the bird and one is out?! I definitely don’t like stuffing, but I’ve made sausage dressing a time or two, and I really like it.
9. Turkey trot or Thanksgiving parade?
Thanksgiving parade all the way.
10. Have you ever done Friendsgiving?
Our neighbors hosted a Friendsgiving a few years ago, and it was so nice to get together. That being said, the month of November about takes me out every year with Travis working so much, the kids’ activities and birthday, holiday travel, gift buying and more. So, it’s hard to find the time, at this stage of life, to do some of the extra fun things like Friendsgiving.
Thanksgiving always has been one of my favorite holidays. What’s your favorite part of Thanksgiving?
A few week ago, WordPress had a writing prompt: How do you celebrate holidays? I thought it was a good one to write about.
Today, I’m taking a look at how my family celebrates most of the holidays…in calendar order…
Valentine’s Day:
Travis and I have never been big gift givers on Valentine’s Day. He knows I love a card, so I typically get one from him (with his signature bubble letters for my name). We’ve always tried to go out to dinner at some point around that time of the year as our gift to each other.
Once we had the kids, I started celebrating it a bit more because of them. I probably make too big of a deal about it, but I usually give them chocolates and a few small gifts.
I miss the dress up days:
Last year, the kids had a school dance around that time. Hayden was thrilled.
I always enjoy decorating a bit for V-Day too…
One of my favorite traditions is that we always send family a Valentine’s Day card.
St. Patrick’s Day:
Growing up, we’d always have corned beef and cabbage, and that’s a tradition I started carrying on quite a few years ago. My brother and his family come over for dinner, and my dad typically visits us around this time of the year. I don’t do much else for St. Pat’s Day. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been to a parade or anything like that.
I usually make “lucky” pancakes if I remember!
Easter:
I enjoy putting out a few Easter decorations after St. Patrick’s Day.
We always dye Easter eggs a few days before Easter.
We do Easter baskets and find the hidden eggs in the morning…
…before heading to church.
Then, we typically drive to E-town to see Trav’s family.
Mother’s Day:
For Mother’s Day every year, I ask for a card, hanging ferns for the front porch, and for my children to behave. We go to church, and then typically go out to brunch or an early dinner.
Last year, Hadley had a dance competition, but it was still a lovely day.
Don’t blink!
Of course, I call my mom and we always send a gift. Sometimes her birthday even falls on Mother’s Day.
Memorial Day:
Memorial Day Celebration with American Flag on background. Text “Memorial Day – Remember and Honor”
Growing up, my dad’s side of the family often got together for Memorial Day, 4th of July, and sometimes Labor Day too. For us, Memorial Day weekend is obviously when the pool opens, so lots of time is typically spent there.
Through the years, we’ve also had ball games, track meets, and other commitments. The past few years, we’ve gotten together with neighbors which is nice.
Father’s Day:
There have been quite a few Father’s Days spent at the ball field, and sometimes we are on vacation. No matter where we are, we celebrate T-rav.
Last year, we went canoeing and had ice cream cake.
I call my dad and usually send him some kind of gift and card. If he’s visiting sometime around his May birthday and Father’s Day, we’ll make a point to grill out steaks and have a nice dinner.
4th of July:
Ah! I love the 4th of July. Again, as a kid, I remember getting together with family, grilling out and watching fireworks.
Of course, when the kids were little, I loved dressing them in red, white, and blue.
Some years we are on vacation, and other years we are at home.
There have been a couple of years Hadley has been at camp, and I’ve missed having her home for one of my favorite holidays.
I typically make red, white, and blue waffles.
If we are home, we typically grill out, light a few low-key fireworks, and then go watch fireworks from our favorite place.
Labor Day:
Labor Day weekend is usually pretty relaxed. With school starting a few weeks before, we typically like having down time at home.
That being said, the pool is still open, so we usually end up there at some point.
The past few years, Hayden has had a cross country meet that weekend, and often times there’s the first Kentucky home football game.
Sometimes, we get together with our neighbors too.
Halloween:
Oh I’ve loved Halloween through the years. Since the kids’ first Halloween, we have had some pretty great traditions. For years and years, we got together with the same crew of friends.
My brother and his family would come over too. They’d come to our house, and we’d have soup or chili before trick-or-treating.
Once the kids hit middle school, they wanted to run around the neighborhood a bit more with school friends, and they started doing that.
I’ve loved their Halloween costumes through the years.
Now, we’re a week out from Halloween, and there hasn’t been any costume talk. I won’t be surprised if Hadley and friends throw something together, but I don’t think it’s on Hayden’s radar. Maybe he’ll help me pass out candy?
Last year was the first year that Travis and I were back sitting on the front porch passing out candy. It was bittersweet, but I guess that’s where we are now.
Thankfully, our pumpkin carving and “spooky” dinner traditions live on!
Thanksgiving:
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Time with family, great food, and no gifts!! When I first moved to Kentucky, I declared that we’d go to KC for Thanksgiving and Christmas as often as possible. From 2004-2008, we didn’t miss a KC Thanksgiving or Christmas. In 2009, we stayed home because the kids were just born. After that, we drove to KC for most Thanksgivings and Christmases. Around 2019, we started alternating between Thanksgiving and Christmas each year.
Anyway, no matter where we are, I love starting my Thanksgiving morning with coffee and the parade.
We either have Thanksgiving at my cousin’s house in Kc…
… or Trav’s aunt’s house in E-town if we stay home.
My sister-in-law hosted us in 2020.
I love a pumpkin pie for dessert on Thanksgiving.
There are no better leftovers than Thanksgiving leftovers. Our tradition is to make turkey rice soup on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Christmas:
Christmas is a busy time of the year for most!
I always enjoy decorating the house, and usually put out decorations mid-November.
We make the most of December with a few holiday parties, seeing the Christmas lights at the horse park, and baking cookies.
For years, our elf would visit.
Since the kids were little, most Christmases we celebrated early at home because we’d go to KC for Christmas. Trav’s mom has always hosted his family’s Christmas on the 23rd, so when the kids were little, we’d leave a note for our elf to take to Santa asking him to come on the 22nd. Thankfully, this always worked, and we didn’t have any questions from the kids.
I love sending out Christmas cards every year. I love it so much (and have a tough time deciding) that I typically choose a couple of cards to send.
One tradition I love is that the kids still pick out something to give each other on Christmas morning.
Whether it’s a year we stay home or go to Kc, we always go to Louisville on the 23rd and celebrate with Trav’s family. Then, we head to KC on the 24th.
In KC, we spend Christmas Eve at my dad’s cousin’s house and then spend Christmas Day at my dad’s, mom’s and Gma’s houses.
While in KC, we usually make our traditional Christmas cookies, and go see the “magic tree.”
In Lex, we go to church on Christmas Eve and then let the kids open one gift before leaving milk and cookies out for Santa when the kids were little.
Then, we open gifts in the morning, have breakfast and relax most of the day. No matter where we are, we watch A Christmas Story on Christmas day.
New Year’s Eve and Day:
This will probably not come as a shock to anyone, but I’ve never been a big fan of NYE. I miss the days of tricking the kids with a countdown at 9:00!
For many years, we didn’t have tons of plans and the kids would be in bed early with us following not too far after.
Some years, we’ve hung out with neighbors and the past couple of years we’ve had a progressive dinner with friends. It’s nice that the kids can kind of do their own thing while the adults hang out.
Most of New Year’s Day is spent hanging out, watching football, and clinging to the final days of winter break!
Shew! What a fun way to look at an entire year of festivities. At times, life can feel so hectic, but we sure have a lot of fun!
In June, I shared my ABC’s of Summerpost, and it was such a fun post to write. So much fun that I’m following the same format to share all about fall just in time for the autumnal equinox on Saturday!
A- autumn: My favorite season…which provides some of my favorite quotes:
B– back to school activities like open house, football and volleyball games. The kids have had a really great start to the school year.
C-cross country: It’s hard to believe that this is Hayden’s last middle school cross country season. He’s had a great season so far.
D-apple cider donuts: I used to only get apple cider donuts when we went to the pumpkin patch, but now I pick them up at Trader Joe’s too!
E- election day: Obviously, elections are important, but having a random Tuesday off in November is great. The past few years, I’ve taken the time to pull our pencil trees out of the attic and put them out in the office and sun room.
F-Fall break: We always look forward to a few days off from school…even better is when we take a trip. We’ve gone to Asheville quite a few times, and last year we had a whole week at the beach.
G-gourds: I can’t wait to decorate the front porch…maybe this weekend?
H-Halloween: Well, gone are the days of the kids in cute costumes. Before the kids, Travis and I would sit on the front porch and pass out candy. Well, last year, we blinked and had come full circle doing the same thing again while the kids ran around the neighborhood trick-or-treating with their friends.
I- I love fall: What more is there to say?
J-jack-o-lanterns: Thankfully, we’ve kept this tradition alive. I always love seeing their creations.
K-Kickoff of Chiefs football: We’re always excited to watch our Chieefffsss!
L-Leaves: Our front yard trees are always so pretty. I wish the colorful leaves lasted more than a month or so.
M– Mums: I always love decorating the front porch in the fall, and the mums are the perfect touch.
…and Mizzou football…is another favorite part of the fall…especially when they are winning. So far, so good!
N-Nutmeg: Rather than drink all the calories of a PSL, I usually just use hazelnut creamer and a dash of nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice.
O-Orchard: My favorite tradition is heading to the apple orchard/pumpkin patch whenever we can find a free afternoon.
P-Pumpkins: I know you didn’t see that answer coming! haha
Q- Quiet, cozy mornings: I always love starting my morning off with some quiet time, but it’s even better in the cooler months…cozy with a candle, a blanket, and a cup of coffee.
R-Raking the leaves: Those leaves are so pretty…and thankfully these kds are big help raking them up.
S-Sweater and sweatshirt weather –nothing better.
T-Thanksgiving: AKA – my favorite holiday.
Start off with the parade, eat some turkey, and end the day with pie! And…no stress of gift giving.
U-UK football: a big part of our fall is spent at Kroger Field cheering on the CATS.
V-Vino! Red wine time! I usually switch to red wine when the temps dip below 70 degrees!
W-Warm days, cool mornings and evenings. While I’d be content with 70 degrees or cooler after Labor Day, that’s not usually the case around here. I’ve embraced warmer days with no humidity and cooler mornings and evenings.
X-eXtra hours of darkness. I’m one of the odd ones who love when we “fall back” and it starts getting darker earlier. (I’m also always ready to “spring forward” in the spring too!)
Y-Yummy baked goods: We do our best baking in the fall….and it’s usually all things pumpkin!
Z-ZZZ: October and November offer a few days off of school to sleep in and have slow mornings. Thanksgiving break has always been my favorite break because it’s just enough time off but not too much to get us out of a routine.
Our temps have actually started to cool off a bit which has been so nice, and it got me in the mood to pull out our fall decorations. My plan was to decorate this past weekend, but I actually went ahead and did it the weekend before. It doesn’t take too long and I had an extra hour, so I went for it.
Not much changes through the years, but I always pick up a new thing or two…it’s hard for me to resist when I see a cute pumpkin.
Now, I’ve been able to enjoy my pretty mantle, candles and light up pumpkins for over a week.
When I told Hadley was I going to decorate, she said, “Yay!” I’m raising her right, y’all.
Come on in.
Entryway:
The only thing new in the entry way is I bought some pretty satin pumpkins at Hobby Lobby to put in the glass cloche.
The other decorations I’ve had for a few years.
Living room:
I keep it pretty simple on the trunk and add a few neutral touches including this pumpkin that I picked up last year.
Real talk: This pic is from last year.
As much as I would love for my couch to look neat and tidy with pretty pillows, it doesn’t look this way 90% of the time….and we keep it mostly covered because of Homer.
I still love my grapevine pumpkins…and you can’t go wrong with an Antique Candle Co candle.
I added these cute light up pumpkins from Hobby Lobby to the fire place. Shay shared hers recently, and I was influenced. The cute cat was one of my first ever decorations that I bought years ago, and I still think he’s cute!
I added a few pumpkins to our built in shelves in the living room.
This might sound silly, but when I put out this votive candle holder, I had a flashback to 2004.
I don’t put this out every year, but I found the perfect spot on our shelf. Anyway, I remember picking it up at Walgreens during the first fall at our first house. I know back then that I didn’t decorate to the extent I do now, but I do remember being excited to make our first house a home…even on a tight budget. A few seasonal touches made our house homey. We’ve come a long way, but I still want to have a cozy and inviting home.
Sorry for that trip down memory lane!
Office:
I always swap out the regular pic that’s in this frame for the one of the kids the first time we took them to the pumpkin patch. You know how much I love that tradition!
I still have my “morning pumpkin”pillows that one of my former students made for me.
Kitchen:
I added a few fall touches to the tray on our island. The squishy plaid pumpkin was a find at Hobby Lobby.
The buffet in the kitchen is one of my favorite areas to decorate.
A variety of pumpkins…
…seasonal plates and flowers help make it festive.
I still love the my plates from Target.
I filled up this cute bowl with the rest of the fabric pumpkins.
I shared this peek of the mantle recently…
…but here she is in all her glory. When I was at Michaels, I bought this four pack of candles, and they have a subtle fall touch with the gold leaves on them.
This is the second year that I added lights to the leaves…and I love the glow.
Sun room:
Like the living room couch, I’d love to say that our sunroom stays this tidy, but we usually flip the cushions up, so Homer isn’t tempted to get up there. Anyway, I sit out here the most from September to December, and it’s one of my favorite spots.
I will read, sip my coffee, and enjoy the scent of the pumpkin apple candle. There’s nothing better.
I swap out my regular wreath for this one:
Bedroom:
I have my other Michael’s pumpkin in our bedroom with a seasonal candle.
….and Hadley is still enjoying her neon “Boo” sign that I got her a few weeks ago.
I haven’t decorated my porch just yet, but I’m hoping to get to it this weekend.
What a week…I can cross four days of professional development off my list!
As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Before I get into today’s post, I finally picked a gift card winner.
Hadley drew the name from pile, and the winner is…Angela!
I sent you an email last night, so check your inbox!
Thanks again, everyone, for the blogiversary love.
Also, a reminder that Monday is our Not Just a Mom link up.
The topic is…what’s in my handbag.
If you are a blogger, we’d love to have you join us and share what’s in your handbag.
Now, on to today’s post…
Well, a favorite has been summer, and I can’t believe we’ll be back to school next week! So, I want to take a look back on all the fun we’ve had these past couple of months. Having fun is of course a favorite.
We started the summer with the kids running in the middle state track meet. We always love watching them run.
Hayden ran in a Hoka sponsored race in St. Louis.
We had lots of pool time this summer, but the kids were pretty independent on when they went. There were times I was there on my own, and other times they were there together. I love reading at the pool.
Hadley went to UK volleyball camp and had so much fun.
She also had her dance recital weekend. We love watching her dance, but I think she’s hanging up her ballet slippers for her volleyball sneakers! This will be a different year for her for sure.
Travis and I spent a few days at Julep Farm, and I sure hope we don’t let too much time pass before going there again.
We went Kayaking with friends…
…and celebrated Travis on Father’s Day.
Speaking of celebrating, Travis and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary and had a lovely dinner at Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse.
Hayden went to Fripp Island, SC with his friend’s family, and he had so much fun.
Hadley loved every single second of camp…
Hayden ran his first 10k race on the 4th of July…
….and we did sparklers once Hadley got home from camp.
Hadley had fun at the lake with her friend.
We celebrated Trav’s “big” birthday in July.
We tagged along when Travis checked out some horses near Louisville and then went to the outlet mall.
We went out to dinner with some friends…
Hayden went to running camp and loved every minute…
He also played basketball this summer and had so much fun.
The kids got to hang with some of the UK volleyball players.
Volleyball Photo Day.
Tommy Quarles | UK Athletics
The kids and I went to KC, and the kids had a great time with family…
…while I met Travis in California for a few days. I always enjoy spending time in Del Mar; I loved capping off summer in one of our favorite places.
This was a different summer for us. Obviously, we did so many things…but it did feel like everyone just kind of did what they wanted to do. I’m still bummed we didn’t get a family vacay, but we have fun planned for fall break; that will be here before we know it!
Of course, we still have lots of summer left even though school is starting. We head back to school soon, but we also have a pretty fun August on tap.
How was your week? Ours was really good. It *finally* felt like a pretty normal week. We didn’t really set alarms, stayed up a bit later, Hadley had dance, Hayden had basketball, we had pool time and did a few other things too.
I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorite from the week:
Going all the way back to last Thursday…since Hadley wasn’t home for the 4th of July, we took a moment for sparkler fun. The sunset was so pretty too.
Friday was Trav’s birthday!
Friday night, we went out to eat with Trav’s brother and sister-in-law. If gnocchi is on the menu, I often order it!
We were pretty full after dinner, but Hadley convinced us to order dessert. Smiles for everyone.
When we got home, Travis opened his gifts. We just got him a running shirt, socks, and beer mugs because he loves a frosty beer! Overall, it was a really good night.
The next morning, Hadley left for the lake. I’m telling you, she doesn’t let the grass grow under her feet! haha.
She spent the day on the lake and overnight with her friend.
On Sunday, Travis had to work in the morning, but then his family came in town from Louisville, so we could celebrate him. My brother and his family also came over as well as a couple of Trav’s cousins who also live in Lexington.
We picked up fried chicken, and the rest of us made some sides. We had a few desserts including a Bundt cake for the birthday boy!
I also ordered cups from a local vendor…He really appreciated all this attention 😉
We got a quick photo before cake…
After everyone left, I got off my feet and relaxed on the back patio. The sunset was pretty, and the weather was great!
Speaking of the patio…
On the 4th of July, Travis and I went to Walmart to pick up a new couch for the patio.
We’ve had the same love seat for fifteen years…and Homer and #homered it when he was a puppy. This is the same couch we have in the sun room, and Travis noticed it was on sale. We figured we have loved that set for over three years, and it would be nice to have one more spot to sit with a couch vs a love seat.
So, the three piece set is $100 off, and we had to drive to a Walmart about 30 minutes away to pick it up. Hayden helped him assemble it, and we’ve been enjoying it ever since.
We have the cushions it came with , but we also picked these dark gray ones as well.
Hayden’s been playing basketball this summer like usual, but he’s missed a couple of games when he was out of town. So, that’s back on our agenda. It’s a laid back summer league, and fun to watch him play with different kids.
Wednesday night, we watched two episodes of the new Quarterback series on Netflix. Hadley even joined in on the fun! Of course, we’re excited that Mahomes is featured, but it’s interesting to learn about Cousins and Mariota too.
We’ve had some pool time this week. It makes me sad that pool days are already numbered. I’ve been able to go at least twice a week, but Hadley tends to go to the pool the most in our family. haha
Well, I didn’t mean for this to be the case, but lots of my “pampering” appointments lined up this week. On a whim Tuesday night, I decided to get a pedicure. It had been almost two months, so I was ready for a refresh.
I chose “Mexican City Move-mint” again because I like to choose one that I also have the color at home if I need a touch up.
I used my Mother’s Day gift card and had an hour long hot stone relaxation massage on Wednesday…and it was wonderful.
I probably end up getting two massages a year. While I will schedule my facials, hair appointments, and pedicures a few times a year, I usually only get a massage if it’s a gift…so I always appreciate those gift cards.
Then, I had my hair appointment yesterday, and it’s always nice to get fresh highlights and a trim.
Favorite Clothes:
I’ve been wearing this romper non-stop. It’s just easy to throw on with a tank and go.
I got this navy crepe set from SSYS, and I love it. I’ve worn it a few times and can’t wait to wear it more. (It comes in a few colors!)
Favorite Mom Meme:
We laughed when Hadley got off the camp bus wearing a new sweatshirt. She loves a sweatshirt all year long.
Weekly Recap:
I had a couple of posts this week including our monthly Not Just a Mom link up and tons of Amazon faves.
showmeandsweettea.com 