It’s already the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting with some of my favorite bloggers for our monthly link up.
Before I get to the post. Today is 9/11.
It’s hard to believe so many years have passed since this unbelievably difficult day in our history. Like most, I will never forget where I was when I heard the news and how scared and uncertain I felt.
Well, at this current stage of my life, I feel like my #1 hobby is shuttling my kids wherever they need to be…haha
But really, I do try to carve out time to do a few things that I enjoy.
I’d say that reading is something that I try to do every single day. Some days, I have a half hour to read and other days I might only have ten minutes, but I still try to read when I can…and I always travel with books and my Kindle.
I really enjoy cooking and baking. Even better is that Hadley likes to bake too. She’s a pretty independent baker, and we also bake together.
Of course, this blog is a hobby. I can’t believe I’ve been blogging for four years.
I really enjoy writing these posts and engaging with my readers. Some days, it’s hard to find the time to get posts written, but I usually get them finished some way, somehow. Writing is a good way for me to be creative and express myself….and have so many memories in one spot!
I’m not sure if it’s really a hobby for me, but walking/working out are another part of my routine most days. Admittedly, I’m not in tip top shape, but a good workout or walk is good for my mental health…and physical health too, I suppose.
I’d say my real #1 hobby is watching my kids’ activities. They keep us on the go quite a bit, but there’s nowhere I’d rather be than cheering them on.
So, those are a few of my hobbies. I can’t wait to see what others share.
What about you? What’s your favorite hobby?
Next month, our topic is…money saving tips. Oh boy…maybe I should have Travis be a guest blogger. haha
How was your weekend? We had a really good one. Well, I was asleep by 9:30 on Friday night, and I predict I will do the same this Friday. Those early alarm clocks and long days caught up with me.
On Saturday evening, we went to Hadley’s friend’s bat mitzvah, and we had so much fun with our friends too.
Sunday was all about getting back into a routine including church, groceries, laundry and more.
Anyway, it’s already the second Monday of the month, so I’m linking up with some of my favorite bloggers for our Not Just a Mom post.
Well, I’ve shared this crossbody/belt bag a few times this summer, and it’s been my “go to” bag all summer. (I tend to switch out bags per season –I usually carry my “hobo” crossbody bag in the fall and spring and then my bigger Barrington tote in the winter)
Anyway, this crossbody has truly fit my needs this summer.
…and what’s inside? Not much!
The white zip pouch holds my credit cards, some cash, lip glass, chapstick, and Airpods. I also always have a pair of sunglasses, a pen, my phone, and my Invisalign case…and that’s it.
I continue to be impressed with myself (haha) for packing a carry-on suitcase, not once, but twice this summer, so I’m going to share about that today too!
So, I’d packed my medium sized suitcase to go to KC because I didn’t have a smaller one for myself.
When I flew to Florida, I borrowed Trav’s carry-on suitcase, but he needed his, so I borrowed Hadley’s once we got to KC. She’d packed using packing cubes, so she just used those when I had her suitcase in California.
The kids have had these suitcases for a couple of years, and they’ve held up nicely.
Since I’m still a “chronic” over-packer, my mom let me use her “compression” packing cubes. I’d never even heard of those! She said she saw them on the Today Show and has used them for travel.
I really was able to pack a few more things because of them.
Here’s how they looked in the suitcase:
Under the biggest one, I was able to put a pair of heels (that I didn’t end up wearing), my tennis shoes (that I only wore once), and my crossbody purse.
My flip flops and flat sandals were under the other packing cubes on the other side of the suitcase.
The only “downside” to these cubes is that they aren’t mesh/see-through to know what’s in them. That being said, I was able to remember what was in each one because I still grouped clothes together.
From top to bottom:
Biggest –5 dresses and crepe top/shorts set
Medium –2 swim suits, 2 pjs, cap sleeve sweater
Medium/large – 2 swim cover-ups, 2 workout leggings, 2 workout tanks, a pair of black shorts, one t-shirt
Small –underwear, bras, socks
I also packed a long sleeve light-weight sweater and light-weight sweatshirt that I just put on top of the packing cubes.
I wore most everything – I guess I didn’t need the heeled sandals, and I probably could have done without my tennis shoes, but I wanted to commit to working out at least one day (and I did). Also, sometimes we go for hikes, but we didn’t this time. I did get a long walk in two days, but that was mostly on the beach, so I didn’t need the tennis shoes.
There was one dress I didn’t wear, but otherwise, I did a pretty good job wearing what I packed.
I also used my Walmart bag that I got earlier this summer as my other carry-on again. Honestly, this bag was packed full and kind of heavy, but it fit right on top of the suitcase when I pushed it through the airport.
I even got lucky and on the flights back to KC, there was room in the overhead bins for both my suitcase and my bag, so I had a lot more space to stretch my legs.
In my travel bag:
I bought these clear zip travel bags last summer, and they’ve come in handy for all of us when we travel.
White jewelry pouch
Two books, Word search book
White cosmetic bag – makeup, medicine, deodorant, toothbrush, etc.
Brush and curling iron,
Clear zip pouch – chargers (phone, Kindle, watch, and portable charger)
Kindle
Clear zip pouch – skincare products
Sound machine
Then- I usually wore my cardigan, and put my hat on top of the bag
Overall, I know it’s easier to pack in the summer because the clothes are lighter, but I’m so glad I figured this carry-on suitcase out. It was so nice to just get on and off the plane…especially when we landed in KC after midnight!
I can’t wait to read others’ posts about what’s in their handbag…but bear with me as I’m sure this week will be hectic getting back to school with students!
Next month’s topic is about sharing our hobbies. We hope you’ll join us then too whether you are reading our posts or blogging.
Today definitely feels like a Monday; we still have two more work days, and then the students come on Wednesday.
Thanks for reading,
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This month’s topic is top 5 favorite family activities…
Outside fun:
I like when we get the chance to be outside doing things together. We tend to have more outside time in the summer taking Homer for a walk, making s’mores, kayaking, and going on a hike and other fun activities.
Games:
My kids have always loved doing puzzles and playing games. Covid/2020 definitely allowed us more time to do those things. Admittedly, we don’t make the time to play games like we did when the kids were little, but we do still enjoy doing those things when we have time.
Movies:
Like with playing games, we watched more movies when the kids were little, but we still do that now too. I like when we are able to make time for movie night. In 2022, I was intentional about having a movie night at least once a month, and we took turns choosing movies. Also, we saw some movies in the theater, and we even went to the drive in.
Recently, we’ve been watching a few more movies — The Little Mermaid, Flamin’ Hot, and A Man Called Otto.
Out to dinner:
I often cook at home, and Friday and Saturday nights we usually get carry out. Of course, we eat out too. The past couple of years, we’ve made a point to eat at nicer restaurants as a family for birthdays and other times like “end of summer/back to school” meals.
We went to one of our faves, OBC Kitchen, on Friday night for Trav’s birthday .
Last summer, we went to Jeff Ruby’s before going back to school.
Other faves…This past year, we went to Carson’s for the kids’ 13th birthday and Frank and Dino’s for my birthday in January.
Sports:
We like to go to games whenever possible. Most Saturdays in the fall, we go to the UK football games. Travis and Hayden make it to a couple of basketball games a year. Sometimes, Travis and I go to a basketball game or two as well.
This past year, we made a pit stop in Columbia on the way home from KC to watch UK play Mizzou basketball. My tigers won which was a fun memory –for me 😉
The kids have been to Keeneland a few times, and that’s always fun. Travis and I go more often, but it’s nice to include the kids when we can.
Last summer, we made it to a Royals game when we were in KC.
We’ve also enjoyed watching the Chiefs when they play nearby.
It’s always fun going to games, and even better when our teams win 😉
A couple more favorite family activities…pool time and travel.
Whether it’s the lake, the beach, or the mountains, we always have fun together. (Well, most of the time…haha!)
We hope you’ll link up with us today if you wrote about favorite family activities…and join us next month for…what’s in my handbag.
So, what about you? What are some of your favorite family activities? Honestly, sometimes I feel like my family is being pulled in every direction, so I really do like it when we can sit and have dinner together, play a game or watch a movie. It’s the little things…
I’ve been looking forward to this post because I know everyone’s story will be different, and I can’t wait to read them.
While our journey to become parents wasn’t too long of a road, it did have a few twists and turns and bumps along the way.
We’d been married a couple of years when we decided to try to start a family in 2007, I wasn’t sure what to expect and I was always really private about it all. After about six months, I had an OBGYN appointment, and started medicine to help regulate my cycle and eventually started a low dose of Clomid. After six months of using Clomid as well as other medications, she sent me to a fertility specialist.
He was really nice, and I had other friends who had used him as well. The next step was a test/procedure called HSG. It’s where the doctor injects dye through the cervix into the uterus. This checks to see if the dye can move through the uterus and into the tubes. While this procedure wasn’t super painful, it also wasn’t pleasant. During that procedure, he did say the dye moved through my tubes but very slowly. He joked that the HSG test was like an oil change.
What I liked about him was that there was no pressure to jump into other fertility measures like IUI and IVF. He suggested a few more months of Clomid, and we’d go from there.
During all of this time, I was never really down. I had friends who had successfully started their families using IUI and IVF, so I felt like if we needed to do that, it would work for us too. Also, I wasn’t even 30 yet, so I knew time was on my side in that regard. That being said, there were a lot of appointments and medicines. I had a pocket calendar that I kept in my bathroom to track my cycle and medications and other things.
After a couple of months, I felt a little off…I was really tired. So, I took a pregnancy test, but it was negative. I remember feeling defeated a bit at that point. Then, it was Easter. On the ride home from Easter with Trav’s side of the family, I cried. A few people had asked when we were going to have kids, and it finally got to me. They weren’t being insensitive by an means, and I’d been asked those questions before, but it just got to me.
Well, a week or so later I was still feeling really off…so I took another test. I couldn’t believe that it was positive. So, while I was apparently “in my feelings” at Easter…I guess maybe it was hormones!
I was so excited, and showed Travis the positive test that morning. He was excited for us too.
I called the fertility doctor, and they had me come in for blood work. When the nurse called to confirm I was pregnant, she said my numbers looked “really, really…really good.” I thanked her and set up the appointment to see the doctor.
We went to the appointment the next week, and apparently I was so excited, that I misunderstood, and we were a week early! They still had me see the doctor, and when he walked in, he said, “Let’s see how many are in there!” We just nervously laughed, but I guess from my hormone levels with the blood work, he knew we were having multiples. Fun fact about Clomid: while taking it, the chance of having multiples is 5-10(ish)%…and we fell in that percentage.
As soon as I looked at the screen, I could see the two sacs. Obviously we were shocked. The first thing I wondered was if we’d have to buy them each a car when they turned sixteen. haha –I’m not sure why I skipped over things like sleepless nights, changing diapers, and more…
Since I was early in my pregnancy, only baby B (Hadley) had a heartbeat. He told us not to worry and come back in two weeks. We did, and baby A (Hayden) also had a heartbeat. We saw the fertility doctor one more time before being released to my OB.
We told family pretty early on, but waited a bit to tell others.
Throughout my pregnancy, we had many doctors appointments. One of my best friends was pregnant at the same time I was with a singleton, and she, I think, only had a couple of ultrasounds. We saw the kids at almost every appointment.
At our 14 week appointment, we found out that baby A was a boy and baby B was a girl.
Back then, there were no gender reveal parties…not sure we would have gone over the top, but feels like a missed opportunity for me to have a party. Haha
Whenever I see these sonogram photos (from later in the pregnancy,) I’m always blown away at home they really do look like the kids!
I also saw a high risk doctor throughout my pregnancy. My OB always sends pregnant women with multiples to a high risk doctor.
There was a point in my pregnancy where the high risk doctor had some concerns about Hayden. That was a stressful time for us…but especially for me. Around that time, we were meeting with pediatricians. The doctor that we felt the most comfortable with is who we still take the kids to. During that time in my pregnancy, when I felt stressed, both the doctors in the practice reassured us that they thought everything would be just fine.
I was due on December 18th, but by 36 weeks, I was so tired and Friday, November 20 was going to be my last day of work. Honestly, I was so excited for a week or two at home before the kids came…and we had big plans to go to a movie and Cracker Barrel for Thanksgiving the next week.
On November 19th, I wasn’t feeling great, and I finished up some things at school and called the doctor. They had me go to the hospital, and Travis took me. They checked everything out, and we were there for a couple of hours. They sent me home.
There was a basketball game on that Travis wanted to watch, so we picked up dinner and headed home. He said my car needed gas, but he’d get it in the morning…
Well, surprise…my water broke that next morning! We called the doctor, and I showered while Travis went and got gas in the car. I was exactly 36 weeks, and there was no turning back. We arrived at the hospital, and I had a c-section. Funny story — in the operating room, Travis had on the gown and kept mentioning how hot he was. The anesthesiologist asked him a couple of times if he was ok…and he said yes. I could tell he looked a little pale and told him if he fainted, I’d be mad…this was my moment. 😆
The nurse gave him some water, and he was just fine. The kids arrived at 12:08 and 12:09 pm.
Hayden was delivered first, and as soon as they showed him to me, I got tears in my eyes. He looked like Travis from day one. When Hadley was born, they only showed her to me briefly…and then rushed her off to take care of her. Travis went with them while the doctor finished with my c-section.
I could tell that something was going on with Hadley. When they said their weights — Hayden was 4 lbs 7 oz and Hadley was 4 lbs, I remember thinking that couldn’t be right because at my 34 week appointment, they were estimated to be over five pounds.
While in recovery, Travis and the NICU doctor came to see me, and they said both kids were doing fine, but Hadley would be in the NICU for 12-14 days.
I could probably write a whole post about those two weeks when she was in the hospital and we were home…but I need to wrap this up.
We stayed four nights in the hospital, and the kids were reunited for a couple of photos before we headed home.
I always wish we had a family photo in the hospital, but we finally got one when Hadley came home, thirteen days later, on December 3rd.
It’s so crazy to think they were ever this little.
I received quite a few “bless your hearts” when we were out and about. 😂
If I thought I was tired back then…
Oh…the things I could tell that new mom now!
This post could have been so much longer, but I’m typing it really late on Sunday after a really busy day….Hadley had two dance recitals, so we were gone most of the day.
If you wrote about how you became a mom, we hope you’ll link up with us.
Also, I’m pretty sure my “target audience” is in the throes of motherhood, but please know that I know how it feels to want to start a family and be a mom when it wasn’t necessarily easy. I always have extra prayers for those who are struggling with infertility.
Next month we are sharing Top 5 Favorite Family Activities
Make sure to check out the other ladies’ posts! Have a great week.
How was your weekend? We had a really good one. Travis and I had an amazing day at Oaks on Friday, Saturday we did a whole lot of nothing, and yesterday we watched Hadley dance all day at her dance competition.
We’re ready to get the ball rolling on the week.
I’m linking up with my favorite ladies for our Not Just a Mom post.
Also, guess what…I wrote this post last month and was just about to link up for Let’s Look and realized the topic sounded really familiar. PIVOT!…Instead of posting, I saved it and updated a few things for today’s link up.
This month’s topic is our pet peeves…
Oh, don’t even get me started 😆
That being said, because I try to stay positive, I’m going to limit myself to only a few pet peeves for this post!
Well, I’d like to say loud chewing, but really just hearing other people chew is a pet peeve. I swear I must have a touch of misophonia because sometimes at dinner, I have to give my family the side eye because I hear every slurp and bite they take.
Speaking of “side eye,” people who talk during movies get a look from me!
Empty boxes/containers in the pantry…and dishes in the sink.
People who litter…hello! Let’s save the world, please.
My #1 pet peeve is those who don’t put away their shopping cart. Seeing a wayward cart in the parking lot just runs right through me!
I will be the first to admit that I’m not perfect. I’m sure I do things that get on other peoples’ nerves, but I try to at least not do the things above.
What are some of your pet peeves?
We’d love for you to join us next month when we talk about…how we became a mom.
After today, we only have two more Mondays in the school year! I can’t believe it.
I don’t think this post is for me. Just asked Travis 😆 I often have to ask him where our cleaning supplies are.
I guess my #1 hack is to marry someone who likes to clean. In my defense, I like to tidy. Travis is the cleaner, and I am the tidier.
These memes are funny:
The first few hacks/tips that popped in my mind were:
Cleaning white baseball pants with:
While I guess our baseball days are over, this really did come in handy during the dirty white baseball pants years.
While I touch up my rings using this or this, Landyn’s “Bling Wash” is something I do every few months with my rings. It really does make them sparkle!
Another tip is at the end of the week or a sports season, I have the kids clean out their backpacks/bags. Lots of empty wrappers, granola bars, broken pencils, and stinky socks accumulate quickly!
I did turn to my “mom gang” group chat to ask them for some of their best cleaning hacks/tips, and here’s what they had to say:
Tips from my friends:
Have your kids clean (definitely!)
Do one load of laundry everyday, so it doesn’t pile up.
Have dedicated days for cleaning certain areas: bathrooms on Monday, mop on Tuesday, change sheets on Wednesday, etc.
Have a basket in every room for storage and move things to the rooms miscellaneous items actually belong in
Use vinegar and baking soda for cleaning floors and bathrooms
Use vinegar water and microfiber cloth to clean kitchen counters and handles
Thieves cleaner is good for cleaning most anything
Put a cup of water in the microwave to steam before wiping down
Use cotton coils (found at Sally Beauty) to dip in bleach and put around grout of tub and it bleaches it white
Norwex cleaning cloths for windows and glass
Sprayway brand glass cleaner
After typing this list I thought of a pet peeve of mine…when you peel the price tag off of something and it doesn’t come off all the way (hello, TJ Maxx!)… Anyone know how to get sticker residue off? I have a couple of things that I’ve had that issue with recently.
Today, starts the downhill slide to summer. It’s usually a long haul, but I also know we’ll blink and it will be summer!
How was your weekend? Ours was pretty good…and not too busy which is just what we needed.
It’s our monthly Not Just a Mom link up with some of my favorite bloggers:
Before I get going with today’s post, I wanted to ask that you all please keep Lauren and her family in your thoughts prayers. She has shared a couple of updates on her health recently. Her positive outlook and strength are inspiring. The blogging community is an amazing one, and I want her to feel the love (and the prayers)!
This month, we are sharing about a “Day in the Life” weekend edition. Since I knew this topic was coming up, I was going to double down on weekend day in the life and document last Saturday which was supposed to be busy with a dance competition and other activities. Then, I was also going to document this weekend which had less going on.
Well, as I’ve shared, last weekend took a turn due to us not having electricity, so I’m just focusing on this past Saturday since last Saturday had even less activity than this one.
Anyway, here we go:
On Saturday morning, I woke up around 7:30, but I did decide to go back to bed. I usually have a hard time falling back to sleep if I wake up, but I did doze back off until 8:20.
I made some coffee, started some laundry and did my normal Saturday morning stuff like catching up on blogs, scrolling social media and chatting with Travis.
Since we finally got our internet back on Friday evening, I had some catching up on tv to do. We watched two episodes of the Murdaugh documentary on Netflix.
Around 10:30, I woke up the kids, made my bed, and did my morning skincare.
When I opened my closet, I remembered that I’d received a couple of packages this week, and needed to try some things on…including my new dress from Shop Style Your Senses. I love it. I can’t wait to be tan! haha
Then, I took a few minutes to purge my closet with my dresses. I love dresses, and since I was adding in a new one, I figured I could get rid of a few I didn’t wear this fall or winter.
Then, I headed to the basement to do a workout. I’ve missed working out. Honestly, I’ve been kind of in a rut which is so frustrating. I was soooo good March-November last year, and then just haven’t felt super motivated. Then, since we didn’t have power, I couldn’t do my workouts on the tv. I could have used the app on my phone I guess, but it’s not the same. I did go to the gym one day last week which got me moving in the right direction.
Anyway, I was happy to get back to my workout routine. There’s a lull in my kids’ sports right now…so I’m hoping to have more time after school and in the evening to get back into a solid workout routine until after spring break.
Then, I headed to Kroger for my Clicklist order. Y’all, since we lost everything in our fridge and freezer, I really thought I’d take my time replenishing things. But…since Wednesday morning, I’ve been to Kroger three times and Trader Joe’s once…and my kids still say we don’t have any food. Well, 80% of the food they eat comes from the pantry, and that food wasn’t lost…so they need to hush. haha
I went to Kroger Wednesday morning, for coffee creamer, lunch for me, donuts for the kids and a few other things. Then, Wednesday afternoon, I picked up a $100 Clicklist order that included stuff for dinner and other things I knew we’d need ASAP. Then, Thursday evening, I went to Trader Joe’s for apples (I love the bag of honey crisp apples because they are small apples and affordable)…but of course, I picked up other things that are my TJ “staples” that we’d lost. Then, I picked up my Saturday Clicklist that included dinner items for this week and other regular things I buy. By that time, I needed to also go inside Kroger because the app said they didn’t have milk, and I wanted to pick out grapes and blueberries. Also, Hayden requested a frozen pizza. haha
The silver lining was on my way out of Kroger a sweet little Girl Scout troop was selling cookies, so I stocked upon some faves.
My Kroger woes continued because I didn’t time this pick up right…Travis and the kids were all at track practice, so it was just me at home to unload everything. *sigh*
I was excited to make avocado toast with egg for lunch (+ a side of apples). I hadn’t made it in a while, and it hit the spot.
Then, I spent a few hours in the basement. I watched the MU game. They lost, but this has been such a fun team to watch. They hung in there. Then took a brief nap. You know I love a Saturday afternoon nap.
Then it was time to be productive. Hadley had pulled some things from her closet, and I told her there had to be more that she could get rid of. I helped her with that and reorganized her clothes. When her closet it in peak condition (which is never), she has her hanging clothes in order of dresses, tanks, t-shirts, lightweight sweatshirts, sweaters and sweatshirts. I helped her get everything back in order. I also told her she doesn’t need to buy another hooded sweatshirt for the next five years. #Iswear
Then, I put away my winter dishes, and changed out my seasonal garden flag and door hanger for something more “spring like.” (Even though it feels like winter again.)
Then, I went ahead and showered. On the weekends, when I can, I love being clean before the evening. (weird fact about me. haha)
Then, I read on my Kindle for a bit…
…before taking Hadley to Chipotle before she went to a friend’s house for the night.
I also took Hayden some dinner. He was out playing with friends, and since I didn’t know when he’d be home, I figured he’d probably want to eat.
With the kids at friends’ houses, Travis suggested we go out to dinner. It’s still so weird to me that he and I end up with unplanned free time without the kids.
Anyway, we tried new (to us) place called East End Tap and Table. When Travis suggested it, I joked that it sounded like a place I’d leave and still be hungry…since tapas are small portions.
Once we got there, we waited a bit for a table, but it was worth it, and we will definitely go back. We shared the spring rolls for an app, and then Travis had the salmon, and I got the Asian bowl that had rice, chicken, edamame, cucumbers, Thai peanut and Asian dressings. I only ate half, and saved the rest for lunch today. It was SO good.
We got home around 9:00, and Hayden was home too. I went ahead and changed our clocks forward an hour.
I put on my pjs and washed my face.
Travis and I watched a bit of tv – just a basketball game. I went to bed around 10:30…already annoyed at the loss of an hour of sleep.
So…that was my Saturday on a pretty lowkey weekend. It was nice to be home, be productive, but also have some downtime too.
Next month’s topic is cleaning hacks. I may need your all’s tips! I’m a great tidier, but I’m not a great cleaner…just ask my husband!
This month’s topic is house rules. For some reason, some of my favorite “mom memes” popped in my head:
I joke with my kids and say that they are a “full time job.” 😂but I guess that’s what parenting is…an around the clock, non-stop job. Of course, that sounds kind of negative…I guess I could say we are on a journey.
Anyway, of course we have rules. Well, I call them “rules,” and my kids seem to think they are suggestions. 😂
I’m a structured, type A person. There’s very little “go with the flow” for me. Even if I wanted to, it feels like we are so busy that it’s best to have some structure, so we can stay on top of things.
Here are some of our rules:
*It goes without saying that these rules are a *constant* work in progress. #teens #iykyk
Be respectful.
Make your bed. Have you seen this video? I show it to my students every year, and I always start my day by making the bed. Even if everything else seems to need picked up, at least our beds are made. Also, on the weekends, I usually make the kids’ beds. It’s kind of my compromise with them, and since we are home on the weekends, I like the bed to be tidied up and made correctly since I’m here to see it.
Pick up after yourself. When that doesn’t happen, I end up making piles and telling them to come get their stuff.
On Sunday, tidy up your room. I wish their rooms were always clean, but that’s probably not ever going to happen, so a Sunday “reset” seems to work (AKA appease me)
Put away your laundry. We do one load of laundry per person every week. I end up laying and folding their clean clothes on their bed, and then they hang and put them away.
Help unpack the groceries. Since they eat 80% of the foods, they definitely need to help put it away!
On that note, throw away empty food packages. There’s nothing worse than when I think I’m going to enjoy a cookie only to find that the package in the pantry is empty. haha
Keep up with your schoolwork. School is the priority.
Plug phones up in the kitchen…by 9:00 on a school night and 11:00 on the weekends (if not sooner).
Be honest. I’m always going to find out, so let’s save us all a bit of time and just be truthful.
I’m sure I’m missing a few, but really it’s best to keep it simple with: be kind, be honest, be respectful.
When all else fails, there’s this…right?
Next month:
Next month, we’re sharing a day in the life on the weekend!
We sure hope you will join our link up. We always look forward to it.
I’m hoping for a better week this week, but I’m starting the week battling a sinus infection. Hopefully, I will turn the corner soon!
Hello and Happy Monday! How was your weekend? While we were still busy, it was definitely less busy than the past couple of months. We didn’t have to wake up early either morning, and we were able to get some things accomplished around the house, run some errands, do some schoolwork, and still have some fun.
Did you catch my two Bloganuary posts this weekend?
Today is our first Not Just a Mom post of 2023. I’m excited to be back co-hosting with these ladies:
This month’s topic is Introduction.
I’m not sure why, but the first thing that popped into my mind was, “It’s me. Hi. I’m the problem…it’s me!” I guess not the “problem” part…just the “It’s me. Hi.” Anyway….#iykyk
…January seems like a great time for re-introduction.
I’ve shared a few posts about myself through the years…
Most recently, I shared an updated Intro with links to some previous posts…
so…those are good places to find out a bit about me, but…
Hi! I’m Jen.
I…
am a wife (18th anniversary this June)
am a mom (to 13 year old boy/girl twins)
am a high school English teacher (this is my 21st year)
am an introvert (who is forced to be an extrovert during the school day)
am an avid reader
am a homebody (but I do love an ocean or mountain view)
am a dog lover
am left handed (as are quite a few in my family including my kids)
am an Enneagram 5w6 (I don’t hold tons of stock in this, but I find it interesting)
grew up in Missouri, but have lived in Kentucky for 19 years
love to watch Wheel of Fortune
am a Chiefs/Royals fan (Go KC!), Tigers fan (MIZ!), and CATS fan (because everyone around here bleeds blue)
am a blogger (since 2019)
Next month’s topic is: house rules. This should be interesting. I have rules…it just seems like they don’t get followed very often! haha
Here are our topics this year. If you have a blog, we’d love for you to save the NJAM graphics and link up with us on the second Monday of the month. We love reading other bloggers’ posts!
For this post, I’m sharing the first 5 things that popped in my mind that I’m loving.
You can’t beat Antique Candle Co candles, and during this season, I’m loving the ones I bought on Black Friday.
Spiced Cranberry
Winter Woods
Christmas Day
I also have Tree Farm that I bought during a previous sale.
I think Christmas Day is my fave.
I often have the Food Network channel on but especially during the Christmas season. I love Christmas Cookie Challenge. A Lexington cookie decorator was on last night, and I can’t wait to watch that episode.
You know I love the Royal family, so of course I’m watching the Harry and Meghan special on Netflix. I’ve always loved Will and Kate, but I like Harry too! Travis even wanted to watch this with me, and we watched two episodes this weekend. We just need to watch the third one soon.
I have two new social media influencers that I follow on Instagram, and they both make me laugh out loud.
@educator_Andrea and @hayderz have some of my favorite stories to watch. Andrea is a high school English teacher in California, and she is so funny. She makes a lot of reels talking about the differences between teachers/students in elementary, middle, and high. So much of what she shares and creates is spot on with education in America.
Hayden has some hilarious reels too, and many of them are satirical and sarcastic. He always says, “Good night” or “Good morning to…” and it’s always something/someone funny.
Anyway, they are both bright spots on the ‘gram.
I’ve been loving the glow of the Christmas tree in the morning, evening, and dreary days we’ve been having lately. The sun finally came out yesterday afternoon, and I think that was the first time in a week I’ve seen the sun. I love the coziness of the Christmas lights…especially in the morning when the house is quiet, and I’m enjoying my coffee.
My dress arrived from Shop Style Your Senses, and I love it. I wore it to Trav’s work Christmas party on Saturday night with my favorite dressy wedges. (I got them years ago from Nordstrom Rack.) I believe that it’s sold out in black, but I’m kicking myself that I didn’t order it in the wine color. I got it in size large, and it fits just right.
I wore it to church yesterday with my leopard flats.
So those are a few things that I’m currently loving. What about you? What’s on your currently loving list?
One more things to love! I love that I’ll be back each month in 2023 with these ladies again.
If you have blog, we’d love for you to join us on the second Monday of each month starting with January’s topic: an introduction of yourself and your blog. I usually start the year off saying “hi” and getting reacquainted with reader, and I love (and appreciate) that I have new readers throughout the year.
Please save our graphics and join us!
Well, we have five days this week, and then it will officially be break! Can’t wait.
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