How was your weekend? Mine was exactly what I needed it to be…slow mornings, errands, school work, pool time and a few other odds and ends. Moving forward, we’ll have some kind of kid activity most weekends for the foreseeable future, so I tried to savor this slow paced weekend.
For today’s Monday Memo, I’m sharing a bit about me lately…
I saw this “finish the sentence” graphic on Pinterest and thought it would be fun to share.
I’ve seen every episode of…The Golden Girls.These ladies are the best…they keep me laughing, and I get a feeling of nostalgia whenever I get a chance to watch an episode…or four. Since we’re talking about TV…do you know what I’ve started to “binge” watch?—Mad About You. It’s on Hulu, and I’ve started watching episodes here and there. I do the same with 227. These series are blasts from the past!
People say I look like…Hermoine Grangerfrom Harry Potter movies…That character is played by Emma Watson, and when people have said I look like Hermoine, that’s what they say…and not specifically Emma Watson, necessarily. She’s ten years younger than I am, so I think it’s just the dark eyebrows!
I’m currently addicted to…Favorite Day Sea Salt Caramelsfrom Target. I usually get the dark chocolate ones, but this last time, they only had the milk chocolate. They are 10/10!! I do show restraint and only occasionally have a couple of them.
Knows everything about you…a few good friends…and Trav.I’m pretty private, so I try to keep things to myself or in my inner circle of a few close friends.
The last text I sent…“No practice on Friday.” Volleyball carpool is underway, but we realized that the JV team doesn’t have practice on Friday, so I was filling another mom in on the schedule in case she didn’t see the email.
I wish I was living in..(truthfully, a few places…but for the sake of this post…Del Mar, California) It’s been a favorite place to visit through the years when Travis has work, and I don’t think I could live “just anywhere” in California…I’d have to be rich enough to live in Del Mar. haha
That being said, Cali is far away, but just saying…who doesn’t love no humidity and sunshine?!
This was a fun little post. I will share the graphic on Instagram in case you want to share your answers too.
We were all the struggle bus yesterday …so tired and disappointed from that Super Bowl loss. While I didn’t have high hopes they’d win, I did hope it was respectable! haha.
Hopefully, we don’t have to wait too long for another Chiefs Super Bowl appearance.
Today, we have an NTI day thanks to snow that should be on the ground as of this morning. While I’d be surprised if this turns into more than one day off, I will take what I can get with sleeping in a bit before online school at home.
I’m linking up with Erika and Shay for Let’s Look.
I believe Shay said they were changing the day to the second Tuesday of the month?? If not, I’m a day early!
This month’s topic is…let’s look at how you work on your marriage.
It’s hard to believe, but Travis and I will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary in June.
Truly, it is crazy how quickly these past twenty years have flown by. We’re not perfect, but I still feel like we are perfect for each other.
I actually feel like we used to do a better job at making intentional time for each other…then, insert two kids with very busy schedules on top of both of us in the thick of our careers, and we’re busy and tired!
That being said, I still love when we go out to dinner, watch a show together, or sit on the back patio in the summer.
We both go for walks occasionally, and maybe we should do that together…but right now, when I walk, I just want silence after a long, over-stimulating day. haha!
Even better, is when we can find a short weekend to get away, but that doesn’t happen as often as I’d like.
While the kids and their activities shouldn’t completely overtake our lives, we both are in agreement that we aren’t going to miss their games, meets, and activities unless we absolutely need to. We’re going to blink, and the fast-paced high school years will be over.
We’ve had some glimpses of what “the next chapter” will look like when both kids are out of the house. While they might just be at a friend’s house and not at college yet, we end up having a spontaneous chunk of time to go out to eat or watch a movie.
So, while we might be as planned as we once were, now it just sometimes happens that we have some time to hang out together.
Communication is, and always will be, key. Travis hears it all from me…when I’m sad, happy, grumpy, tired or need to vent. There’s not another person in this world that I will turn to for all the things I turn to him for…and he’s always there for me. He’s never once let me down or disappointed me, and I hope he can say the same thing about me!
Our first dance at our wedding he picked out the song…and it was a surprise…just something he said he’d handle. He chose “Someone like You,” and it’s a sweet song, but I laughed because we’d seen the movie “Someone like You” that starred Ashley Judd. All men, of a certain age in Kentucky, have had a crush on Ashley Judd at some point in the 90’s! She’s a huge Kentucky fan. Anyway, it’s a sweet song that makes me smile with that memory as we took the dance floor.
We do have traditions like going out somewhere nice around Valentine’s Day and for our anniversary. I always look forward to the fall and spring when we go to Keeneland, and we usually go to Oaks as well in May.
I’m lucky that finding “my person” didn’t take too long, and I’m grateful for the years we’ve had together and all that we’ve celebrated and all that we’ve been through together.
And…he writes my name in bubble letters…what more can a girl ask for?
Marriage is hard work…but it’s worth it. My daily prayers include growing “old, old” with him.
I like sharing Enneagram posts, and @the.freckled.home on Instagram had some goal setting and words for the new year posts based on Enneagram types.
It’s hard to believe that we only have one week of January left. So, I’m taking a look at these before this first month of the year is in the rear view mirror!
I’m not a big goal setter for January, but I did have one goal which was to get back to working out. I figure if I have one thing to focus on, I’m more likely to be successful!
In the new year, I’ve completed 17 workouts in 22 days. I have done a really good job of getting workouts in most days which was a main goal, and I’ve enjoyed doing a variety of things: walking, elliptical, Pilates, and weights.
I’m a 5w6 in the Enneagram world, so these posts were fun to look at.
2025 Goal Setting:
Goal Ideas for 5’s:
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Set reading goals: Yes! I’ve set a goal of reading 40 books this year. While I’ve fell short of that goal the past two years, maybe this will be the year I accomplish that goal again.
Monthly home minimalizing: Well, you’re talking to the girl who still has her skinny Christmas tree up in her bedroom! I just love the glow at night! I am going to take it down today. That being said, there’s nothing like putting away the clutter of Christmas. I do love having all my regular decor out.
Daily screen free time: I’m sure I’m on my phone the average amount of time, but I also do read my Kindle…that’s a different kind of screen time. One thing I’ve done in January, is do a word search every day. One of my stocking stuffers was a daily calendar with word searches. I love a word search!
Hike more: No ma’am.
Create a new nightly routine: My nightly routine does vary more than my morning one. That being said, I’m pretty consistent with showering, skincare, reading, and going to bed at a decent time. Of course, some nights I stay up later, or I will watch a show instead of read a book.
Goal Ideas for 6’s:
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Try new quick workouts: Well, it looks like I’m off to a great start! I’ve been to a few Reformer Pilates classes lately, and I really have been enjoying them.
Make it through a whole planner: The only paper planner I use is my lesson plan book, and I always make it through that.
Create a morning routine: I think my morning routine is pretty good. As a matter of fact, I’ve done a really good job being on time to school this year. Not that I’ve been really late in the past, but I was always pushing it to be there on time. This year, I’ve started getting up ten minutes earlier, and I’ve also set an alarm on my phone for 6:45, so I quit sipping my coffee and get up and moving to get ready for school. Now, I leave around 7:30 instead of 7:45.
Connect with online friends: That’s what I do with you all, my blog fam!
Create a water goal: I’ve been pretty good at being consistent at drinking water for quite some time. I’ve had this tumbler for a year and a half, and I don’t leave home without it. I drink at least two tumblers of water a day. It comes in so many colors and patterns. Y’all, look how cute this heart one is!
2025 Words of the Year:
Thanks to our NYE progressive dinner tradition, I start the year with a few words in mind:
Ennegram 5 words for the new year:
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Of the words for 5, better, growth, and balanced popped out to me. I’m always trying to do better while growing and finding balance in my life.
Enneagram 6 words for the new year:
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For the words for 6, content caught my attention. I do feel very content with my life. We’re in a great phase of life with the kids, they’ve adjusted to high school, and Trav and I both enjoy our work. I want to continue to create, which for me, is writing blog posts. I’m a very driven person, but sometimes I don’t feel that way. I guess we all go through “funks” sometimes. I will say that I’ve really enjoyed having a few classes this year, and I’m very driven when planning lessons for them and adjusting to our new curriculum.
As always, the Enneagram topic is always interesting to me…and I love seeing how it applies to a variety of topics like goals and words of the year!
Well, this was a different kind of week for us…three NTI days and then two days back to school. Yesterday, was a good day, but I’m tired! It kind of felt like the actual first day of school.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
This week was basically about my birthday. If you know me, then you know that’s really “on brand” for me….as I always look forward to my birthday. haha
But, really –with all the snow days and the kids just in the practice phase of their sports right now, we didn’t have a ton going on. It was a good week though.
A few days before my birthday, we went to Jeff Ruby’s for a family dinner.
Jeff Ruby’s went all out for my birthday…just look at the menu! haha
We’ve been to this restaurant a few times, and I usually get sushi whereas Trav and the kids usually order steak. The sushi was delish.
Then, it was time for dessert. Jeff Ruby’s doing the most…
I didn’t want any attention, and out walks our server with my dessert on fire! At least no one sang to me!
We also ordered cheese cake and a gooey butter cake as well to share around the table. For special occasions, the server takes your picture, prints it out and gives it to you as a keepsake.
This one is a keeper:
On my actual birthday, we had a snow day. In 23 years as a teacher, I’ve never had a snow day on my birthday. That morning, I went to Pilates class and then picked up my free Starbucks. I got an email for a free Jimmy John’s birthday sandwich, so since we were home for the snow day, that’s what we had for lunch.
(BTW: I’m sure both of these freebies have a time frame in which to cash in…I just had the time to do so on Tuesday)
After dinner, Trav and the kids gave me flowers and a card…and bubble letters on the card, of course.
Then, it was cake time! Bundt cake for my birthday! It was delish.
Wednesday morning, I picked up another Starbucks (I’m loving the cold brew with peppermint foam) and had a slice of cake for a late breakfast. This is one of my traditions (if we have cake leftover. haha)
Yesterday, was back to school. I packed my lunch in my new containers that I got as a Christmas gift. These were my suggestion to Trav’s mom as she needed some ideas, but now that I’m using them…the lid only seems to snap on/stay secure on one side…which is a bummer. I will give them another try, but I might have to find a different brand on Amazon.
My lunch was perfect…and I was able to take one of my favorite things…a “snack plate” lunch to take to school.
I still love sharing what I’m reading on my Instagram account. When I started making the book trackers last year, I only had a couple for January and February, so I made a couple new ones to add to my Instagram highlight.
Well, we were back to school for two days, and now we have a three day weekend. It’s hard to get in a groove lately, but I will take the extra day of rest!
Well, I feel with the start of the year, I usually “reintroduce” myself via a blog post whether it’s a link up topic or just a post I plan on writing.
Anyway, every year, I seem to have a few more readers which I appreciate so much. If you’ve read ten posts or one hundred, there still might be some gaps in what you know about me, and I always feel like I should re-explain the blog title for new readers.
My Share Our Livespost from last year is a quick way to get to know me with a few other posts linked as well.
So…here are a few things about me:
Missouri to Kentucky:
I was born and raised in a suburb of Kansas City and then attended the University of Missouri in Columbia for college. So, I’m a loyal Chiefs and Royals fan. In my senior year of college, I met Trav, who was working in the same athletic office as me. Working in college athletics was Trav’s real job while I was just working part time to earn money before and during student teaching.
Anyway, he eventually decided that he wanted to get in the horse business. He’s from Louisville, but went to school at UK, so he settled back in Lexington and started his work in the horse business. I moved to Lexington a year later. We got engaged right before I left KC, and then I found a teaching job just outside of Lexington.
So, my blog title is mesh of the “Show Me” state Missouri where I’m from and the “sweet tea” reference of the south.
Family:
We’re in the stage of life where life is centered around the kids and their activities. We’re typically shuttling them to and from whatever sport they need to go to. It’s nice when we are all home. Teenagers –they like their rooms –haha…sometimes, we’re all home and in our separate areas, but it’s nice to spend time together when we can.
Travis:
It’s hard to believe but Trav and I will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary this summer. Where has the time gone?
I joke that he’s stayed the same, and I’m the one who’s changed a bit throughout our years together. He’s just the steady, hard-working, likable guy that I met 23 years ago. I know I have good qualities too (haha)—but I was just younger when we started dating and I’ve certainly changed a bit from my 20’s to 30’s to now mid (wow!) 40’s.
I never would have imagined that I would have moved away from Missouri, but that “risk” has paid off. We have a blessed life.
4. Reading:
I’d say my #1 hobby (besides watching my kids’ activities and this blog) is reading. I love to read, and will take my Kindle anywhere. For years, I would usually read one actual book and then have one book on my Kindle, but in the past year, my Kindle has become my go to. On vacations this past year, I’ve only taken my Kindle to read.
Anyway, I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t read at least a few pages. There’s nothing better than starting and/or finishing a great book.
5. Teaching:
This year is my 23rd year in high school education. I taught for a year outside of Columbia Missouri, and then I taught a year at a school in KC when I decided to move back home. Then, I moved to Kentucky and taught for 12 years at a more rural school outside of Lexington. This is my 9th year at my current school, and I assume it’s where I will finish my career.
When I moved to my current school, my kids were in 1st grade. I remember thinking that this will be the school they’d go to one day, and this year we’re there together. Seeing them and their friends at school has been surprisingly meaningful for me. I do have some of their friends in my advanced class which was more of an adjustment for me than the students. haha
After this year, I have seven to ten years left just depending on my retirement. I have two Missouri years and then I was .7 for three years when the kids were little to spend more time with them. So, I get paid for my 23 years experience, but to get full retirement, I may have to stick it out closer to the ten years than the seven years, if that makes sense. It’s still quite a ways off, but wow!…it is crazy to at least even have retirement on my radar.
So, that’s a bit about me. I hope I didn’t bore you! haha
We’re off again today thanks to the snow/ice we got Sunday/Monday. My street is a bus stop street, and it’s still snow covered, so who knows if we will go tomorrow or Friday. So far, we’ve had “traditional” snow days as it’s at the start of the semester, and I’m afraid many elementary teachers hadn’t seen Chromebooks home yet. Also, we still have quite a few areas without power.
I have no clue what this means for us in regards to making these days up. We’ve relied on NTI (non-traditional instruction) the past five years without many traditional snow days. Anyway, there’s nothing I can do about the weather, and we have more snow on the way this weekend! I do love a snow day, but I also feel ready to get back to school. I like to space the snow days out if possible. But, I’ll enjoy the time off while I have it.
I know many of my readers are moms, but I also know that Mother’s Day (and Father’s Day) can be very difficult for some.
When those days roll around, I truly do also think about those who are sad on those days. I’ve been the woman wanting to be a mom, and I’ve also been the mom really grateful for her three-year-old twins, but sad after a miscarriage. You just never know what people are going through or what they’ve experienced.
I’m really grateful for the thought and care that my kids and Travis show me on Mother’s Day. We have a few traditions which I appreciate, but I do miss the days of hand print gifts and snuggles.
This year, I slept in a bit (we all did), and I woke up to flowers, a card, and a gift.
Travis picked up Panera bagels, so we had those before heading to church. We joined our church five years ago on Mother’s Day. Life can get busy, but I appreciate when we have time to go to church, especially on Mother’s Day.
Recently, our church started doing name tags, and Hadley wanted to write my name tag:
How sweet, right?
After church, we came home for a bit. I noticed the two hanging ferns on the front porch. That’s my traditional gift which I really appreciate. I keep the ferns on the porch until Labor Day weekend. Every year, we seem to end up with a nest of baby birds in one of the ferns. I love that my Mother’s Day gift ends up being a spot for a mother to care for her babies until it’s time for them to spread their wings and fly. (I’m not ready for that actual symbolism of my own birds flying the nest yet!)
We got a quick pic (another tradition/miracle!)
We wanted to go somewhere for lunch where we could sit outside. We’d never been to the Burl Brewery, but it was really nice. They had the garage doors open, the sun was shining, the Kentucky baseball game was on, and they had flowers for moms!
I ordered the avocado toast, and it was delish.
The kids played pool for a bit…
…while Trav had a beer, and I enjoyed a grapefruit mimosa….served by one of my former students!
We were there for a couple of hours, and then we came home. I put my flowers in a vase and set up my NEW KINDLE! Thankfully, that was a seamless process. I’ve had my other Kindle for six or seven years, and it wasn’t holding a charge for very long and was slow to download. I had told Travis I wanted a new one, but that I’d get one this summer. I was pleasantly surprised!
Then, I sat on the front porch and called my mom. We’d sent her flowers, and I’m glad she enjoyed them.
Travis had moved the TV out to the back patio to finish watching the UK baseball game. So, after I hung up with my mom, I decided to go out back and finish my book.
The Many Lives of Mama Love was so good…very inspirational.
Then it was time for dinner. Travis grilled steaks, Hayden put the asparagus in the oven, and Hadley was in charge of the (mircowave) Bob Evans mashed potatoes. When she asked me to stir them at the midway point, I said, “No ma’am!”…and she said with exasperation, “Being a mom is SO HARD!” 😆
We had dinner on the patio. I forgot to snap a pic, but here’s an old photo….which was probably my Mother’s Day dinner last year. haha
Hadley had volleyball, so I took her. Then, when I came home, I decided to do a few of my “mom responsibilities” that I’d neglected throughout the day. I made a grocery list, swapped out the laundry and then tidied up a bit.
I picked Hadley up around 9:15, and we ended the day with ice cream!
Overall, it was a really great Mother’s Day. I saw so many friends sharing their kids’ high school prom pics this weekend, and a few have graduation coming up soon. It was hard for me not to think the next four years are going to fly by. Ok, enough about that. I think I will live in denial for a bit longer 😉
I shared a Pinterest post in January, and I’d intended to share even more ideas that I have pinned to my Pinterest boards, but hadn’t done that yet.
I will still get to that but lately on Instagram I’ve seen some fun Pinterest searches. The ones that I’ve done have really been ones that I think fit my style, and I’m sharing those today.
Here are some of recent Pinterest searches:
My Vibe:
Celebrity:Jennifer Garner. Yes, ma’am! I think I could be besties with her.
Outfit: This outfit is definitely my vibe. Black leggings, sweatshirt, and sneaks…my favorite.
Quote: I’m definitely a work in progress. haha
Aesthetic: Cozy vibes! A book and a cup of coffee are certainly my aesthetic.
Home Edition:
Kitchen: This kitchen looks pretty similar to how we’ve updated our kitchen through the years. We have gray cabinets and white tile.
Garden: Well, I’m not the gardener in the family, and we do have a small one. But if we had more space, I would love raised beds and a cute little shed.
Bedroom: We have a similar headboard and we have gray walls too. That being said, this bedroom is definitely an updated upgrade that I would love.
House: We’ve often talked about painting our brick, and I love the look of gray and white!
How Pinterest Sees Me:
Fashion: This is why Pinterest is an inspiration…I have all three of these pieces in my closet…black sweater, jeans, and tan mules.
Mood: There’s nothing better than a glass of wine and the beach (with friends/family!)
Color: I’m not sure when it happened, but I love light purple/lilac!
Place: A cozy spot by the fire…sounds good to me!
Animal: I love baby goats!
Food: Pizza…yes, please! If a taco popped up in the search, Pinterest also wouldn’t be wrong either!
It seems like Pinterest knows me pretty well! I think it’s a great source for inspiration and ideas.
Do you use Pinterest? See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.
Thanks for the love yesterday when I shared my 1,000th post. It definitely feels like a fun blogging milestone. Today, I’m linking up with Joanne for Talking About it Tuesdays…
…to continue discussing…
Today, I’m looking at the next ten blog categories and sharing posts about most of them.
Interior Design:
On the website, I have “Home Updates” and “Home Decor” tabs. In the spring of 2020, when I had a little more time on my hands, I went through my house room by room and showed how we updated it. I shared many “Tuesday Transformation” posts. Now, we’ve been here almost ten years, and there’s so much I’d still like to do…or even update again!
I’ve also shared smaller changes, like a couple of years ago, when we added ship lap to our living room wall.
Hobbies and Interests:
I’ve written about a few interests and hobbies through the years. You know I love reading, and I guess right now I’m in the phase of life where my main hobby is watching my kids do what they love to do. I wrote about those two things, and a few other ideas, in a Not Just a Mom post last year.
Favorite Products:
I’d say my most popular posts are when I share Amazon favorites! Of course, I have an Amazon tab on the website.
This month, I’ve made it a daily point to share an Amazon favorite in my Instagram stories. Then, I add the product to my Amazon Instagram highlight. It’s been a fun goal for me to keep showcasing things I’m buying and then saving them in one place.
In my Friday Favorites posts, I typically throw in a few favorite products or clothing items from time to time. As I mentioned in yesterday’s posts, I’ve shared my favorite Dime Beauty and Seint products.
Travel:
We go on a few trips a year, and I love having these posts as a “scrapbook” of sorts with the memories. There’s a “Travel” tab on the website. Our most recent “travel” was to Cincinnati a couple of weeks ago, but I’ve also recapped summer vacations, fall break trips, and even a look at what states I’ve visited. That was one of my favorite posts to write.
Technology:
I’m not much of an an expert on technology. I’ve written a couple of posts about favorite apps like the Cozi app. One Not Just a Mompost was about our favorite phone apps. I always love seeing what others have to say. I’m sure I’m missing out on the latest technology!
Local Activities:
I wrote a Lexington post a couple of years ago, and it was another favorite post that I’ve put together.
When the we do yearly traditions like going to Keeneland or the pumpkin patch, I tend to recap those fun events too.
The first week of May is always a busy time in Kentucky. It’s all about Oaks and Derby!
Cooking/Cookware:
Under the “Meals and Recipes” tab, I’ve shared quite a few “Monday Meal” ideas. Truly, there aren’t many recipes that I’ve created on my own, but I love sharing meals my family enjoys. Plus, o can look back on them for dinner ideas when I’m in a rut 😉
Pumpkin Penne Pasta and Corned Beef, Cabbage, and Irish Soda Bread are my two favorite recipes to highlight.
I’ve shared some Instant Pot recipes, but I actually donated my Instant Pot when I did a good kitchen purge after Christmas.
I can’t live without my slow cooker, and I use it at least once a week.
My new favorite gadget is my egg cooker. I make six perfect hard boiled eggs every week now!
Baking:
Oh! We love to bake. I’ve always loved to bake, and so has Hadley. Just think weekend, Hayden decided he wanted to learn how to make the box of brownies and Krusteaz cinnamon swirl cake. Now, of course, those are not home made, but at least he’s interested in baking for himself!
There’s a “Delish Desserts” tab with anything from seasonal desserts to other faves like Graham Cracker Pudding recipe.
Like I mentioned in yesterday’s post, earlier this year, I shared twelve desserts we made last year.
Entreprenuerhsip:
I’m not very entrepreneurial, but I do share my Amazon buys every month thanks to Tanya’s link up. Being an Amazon Associate means I make a small commission.
Truly, just yesterday, I received my monthly earnings gift card, and I used it to finish buying a couple of things for the kids’ Easter baskets. I appreciate the support of my blog, whether it’s big or small!
Book Reviews:
Some of my favorite posts to write are my monthly book reviews as well as the end of the year book post where I share my Top 5 books of the year. Reading is one of my favorite things to do.
On my Instagram page, I’ve added a highlight with book trackers for anyone to use. Thanks to a reader’s idea (hi, Christina!), I have a highlight of the books I’ve read so far this year. I can’t believe I haven’t thought of that idea before now.
It’s a big day over here at Show Me and Sweet Tea…Today is my 1,000th blog post!
Who knew when I started this blog in August of 2019 that I’d have enough to say to write 999 posts + today’s post?!
I’m linking up with the Hello Monday ladies, Sarah and Holly, to share my thoughts.
I saw this graphic on Pinterest recently.
Honestly, the word “lifestyle” kind of made me cringe. I don’t know why. I’m just living my life and sharing, but not trying to tell you how to live your life. haha
That being said, I really can check so many boxes on this list.
You know I love a recap of sorts…so today I’m going to share and link back to some of the posts I’ve written that would fall under the first ten categories.
Personal Style/Fashion:
I don’t do it often, but I’ve shared some “What I Wore Wednesday” posts. Of course, I share other clothes that I love…mostly from Amazon, Target, and Shop Style Your Senses.
Beauty:
When I first think of “beauty,” I first think of skincare, but that’s it’s own topic!
I’ve been using Seint makeup for about a year and a half. I’m a creature of habit, so I haven’t really changed my makeup routine at all.
So, I think I’ve only written one Seint post, but I really love these makeup products.
Hadley shared her “heatless curl” hair tutorial last summer, and it was one of my favorite posts to share.
Spirituality:
Just by nature, I’m pretty private with my faith, but just recently, I’ve shared about about my daily Bible routine. I hope to share more in the future.
Skincare:
I’ve been using Dime Beauty products longer than I’ve been using Seint, but, again, I think I’ve only written one post.
Dime Beauty products are reasonably priced, have clean ingredients, and are so easy and convenient to use.
Hadley recently wrote about her skincare routine. Again, I loved having her share her thoughts, and she really appreciated the sweet comments.
Productivity:
I try to be as productive as possible.
I use the calendar on my phone, I write our activities and dinners on a magnetic pad, I use a desk calendar at school and write my lesson plans in a planner.
I tell my family they should be thankful for my time management and planning skills. 😆
Personal Finance:
Oh…I don’t get much into finances on here, that’s because my least favorite thing to do is talk about money…unless it’s sharing a good deal.
I literally just had to ask Travis why my paycheck where my stipend was $100 more than the previous paycheck didn’t reflect $100 more in the net amount…he reminded me about taxes. Boooo!
One of our Not Just a Mom posts last year was about money saving tips.
Self-Care:
I think I share a lot about self-care on this blog. Anywhere from quiet time, to working out, to monthly facials, I think self-care is important, and I still fail at it!
The first Monthly Musingpost of 2024 was about self-care during the winter months.
Foods/Drinks/Dining:
I have a “Monday Meals” and “Delish Desserts” tab on the website, but I don’t feel like I add to them like I used to.
Last year, Hadley and I made a dessert a month, and I shared that post in January.
I always try to share new recipes I’ve found or recap what we’ve eaten in the week if I think it’s something others will be interested in.
Wellness:
I share quite a bit about wellness…and, again, it’s still an area that I’m always working on improving.
At the end of 2023, I recapped the Bodi programs that I completed last year.
So far this year, I’ve recapped my January and FebruaryBodi workouts.
I’ve shared some goals like drinking more water, getting in more steps, and eating more protein.
Recently, I’ve started using these essential oil sticks (Awaken // Sleep) in the morning and before bed. They’ve been an easy addition to my wellness routine.
Mental Health:
I guess I haven’t really written a post on mental health, but I think I reference it when I share about my morning routine, taking time for myself, working out, quiet time, blogging, and more.
Some of my Enneagram posts, tie in with mental health because it’s about better understanding others and how they might think, feel or react.
Some thoughts:
I’ve really enjoyed blogging over these past four and a half years. I still truly wish I’d started a blog when I’d first thought about it years before 2019.
Lately, it has felt like I haven’t had as much time and energy to give to it. I’m wondering if this is just a phase, where I’m at in life, or if I’m running out of steam. (I hope not!)
August 4th will mark five years of SM&ST, and I’d love to continue writing and sharing. I have felt a bit of “shift” recently just knowing my kids are getting older. They don’t mind the blog, but I do try to be very intentional with what I share. I’m wondering next year, with them being in high school, how much of that I will continue to share. I guess time will tell.
I’m also trying to navigate blog post ideas that aren’t just about the kids or what we are up to as a family. I’d like to dig a little deeper into other topics.
For any bloggers already in this “phase of life,” I’m open to advice and ideas. Also, if there are certain topics that I already share, and you look forward to those posts, let me know that too. Let me know what you want to hear about from me! I’m open to suggestions.
Through this blog, I’ve connected with so many readers, chatted with other bloggers, participated (and co-hosted) in link ups, and I’m an Amazon associate.
I hope to continue this recap of “lifestyle blog” topics throughout the week if I have time. It’s been fun to look back on these posts.
Thank you for showing up and reading my posts. Commenting on those posts also means the world to me. I try my best to respond to everyone!
I hope you have a great start to your week.
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While we don’t do much for Valentine’s Day…when it’s on a Wednesday when we have school and then sports in the evening, we really don’t do much!
When I was planning dinners this week, I knew that last night would be our only weeknight dinner together for the week, so I asked the kids their favorites to have for dinner. So, last night we had salmon (Hadley’s fave) with Bob Evans mashed potatoes while Hayden enjoyed some wings from Wing Zone 😆
This morning, I made the kids cinnamon swirl crumb cake for breakfast. Nothing says, “I love you” like cake for breakfast. Tonight, I will give them them a few gifts and Trav his card.
Anyway, I’m linking up with Shay and Erika for Let’s Look.
This month’s topic is let’s look…little things we do every single day.
I feel like I do a million little things every single day. Here’s a quick list:
Morning coffee
Light candles
Read
Respond to texts and emails
Pack my lunch
Skin care – AM and PM
Brush teeth – AM and PM
Make the bed
Charge my phone, Apple watch, computer
Remind kids of what needs to be done – homework, practices, other details like who is picking them up from practices, check grades, etc.
Kiss everyone goodbye as I leave for school.
Update the notes app on my phone for my daily and weekly to do’s
Read blogs
Tidy up
Bible study
Let Homer out 10 times (fill up his food and water bowl) (Of course, I’m not the only one in the house to do this)
Petting/snuggling with Homer
Drive kids around
Get the mail
Order things – Target pick up, Amazon, etc.
Returns to UPS and other errands (depending on the day)
Water house plants
Refill my water tumbler
Tidy up
Make dinner
Prepare coffee pot for morning coffee
Clean up dinner
House chores: dishes, dishwasher, laundry
Depending on the day–meal plan and place Kroger order
Shower
Shave my legs
Tidy up
Tell everyone goodnight /kiss on the cheek
Set alarm to wake up
Did you notice that I included “tidy up” in there a few times? That’s one of my “tricks” for not feeling completely overwhelmed during the week…I try to stay on top of keeping the house in order. Thankfully, Travis is very much that way too.
Of course, this doesn’t even include school where I update planner/calendar, write agenda and learning targets on the board, make copies, turn on flat panel and upload lessons, check Canvas, do hall and bathroom duty, prepare lessons, send and answer emails, write hall passes, answer the phone, oh…and teach!
I’m sure I’m forgetting some little things from my day, but those were ones that quickly popped in my mind.
What about you? What are a few little things you do every day?
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