Category: This and That

Hello!

I love Joyce’s Wednesday link up, so I’m joining in again today.

Here are my answers to this week’s questions:

1. It’s National Splurge Day…What’s something you might splurge on today? What have you splurged on recently?

Well, I probably won’t splurge on anything today as yesterday was a pretty expensive day. I did treat myself to a pedicure, and I took Hadley and my niece with me. Hadley wanted a summer manicure, and my niece just had a birthday…so we brought her for a manicure as her birthday gift.

What’s more expensive than paying for a pedicure and two manicures? Getting a new a/c and furnace installed yesterday!

Our a/c and furnace are close to thirty years old, so it’s been on our radar that this might be the summer to get a new system. I wish we’d taken care of this earlier, but of course the week that we’ve finally hit the 90’s, we were on the list to have it installed. Our house has been in the 80’s the past five days, so we sought reprieve in the basement and in the sunroom (where we have an a/c unit) as much as possible. Homer won’t go down the stairs to the basement, but we’d find him on the cool sun room floor by the a/c unit. He’s a smart pup! haha

So, the nail day was a splurge and the a/c was a necessity.

2. Do you have a beach bag? What’s in it? Is a trip to the beach on your summer bucket list? Do you have a summer bucket list?

I do have a few beach bags, and I wrote all about them in my first Summer Sunday post.

We don’t have a typical beach trip planned this summer which is a first for us. We have a fun vacation planned though that we are all excited about.

We haven’t made a bucket list in a couple of years, but we’d make a “summer fun” list when the kids were little.

3. What’s a song that makes you think of summer past? What comes to mind when you hear it? What memories does it stir up for you?

The first song that popped into my head when I think of “summer past,” was Tracy Chapman’s “Give Me One Reason” in the summer of 1996. I swear that “Fast Car” was also being played a lot that summer too. Proof that things that were popular come back around again!

The summer of 1996 was a really carefree one. I had my license, and I remember hanging out with friends, going to the pool, working a little, and just really feeling like a high schooler.

I’m the worst when it comes to remembering song titles, so I checked out a list of “hits” from 1996. Here were a few more of my faves that I remember singing a long to on the radio:

• “Ironic”- Alanis Morissette
• “Follow You Down” -Gin Blossoms
• “Sittin Up in my Room”- Brandy
• “Insensitive” -Jann Arden
• “Name” -Goo Goo Dolls
• “Who Will Save Your Soul” -Jewel
• “Wonder”- Natalie Merchant
• “Breakfast at Tiffanys” -Deep Blue Something
• “1979” -Smashing Pumpkins
• “Only Wanna Be With You”- Hootie and the Blowfish

What’s a song that you think of when you think about summer?

4. Sushi – yay or nay? Have you actually tried it? What’s your “go to” order?

Definitely “yay.” I like sushi, and it’s one of the meals that Travis and I have in common when we think about a “date” night.

He’s probably a bit more adventurous than I am…I usually stick to shrimp, yellow tail, salmon, and crab.

5. I own a ridiculous amount of…

Pajamas! The ones I turn to the most this summer are the ones I got recently from Walmart as well as the guazy pajamas (I have three pairs!) that I got from Target last summer.

6. Insert your own random thought here:

This past weekend, I was placing an order for a cake for Trav for Father’s Day. When I asked him what flavor he wanted and showed him the options, he mentioned “Snickerdoodle.” Both kids thought it was an odd option, but it was so good. Let’s just say they both had more than one slice!

Don’t sleep on the “Snickerdoodle” cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes. (The key lime flavor is good too…we picked up a small one of those for Trav as well.)

Here’s to staying cool this summer…and letting cake solve all our problems!!

Hello!

My life kind of feels like a bit of a ‘hodgepode’ lately, so this post is timely. I’m linking up with Joyce for her weekly link up with responses to her “hodgepodge” of topics.

Here are my answers to this week’s questions:

1. It’s National Cheese Day (June 4)…Does anyone not like cheese? What’s your favorite? Last thing you ate or made with cheese?

I always joke that I’ve never met a cheese I don’t like!

For lunch, I often pack Babybel cheese or put pepper jack, turkey, lettuce and mustard on a wrap.

Every time I go to Trader Joe’s, I buy the Havarti Cheese with Dill. It’s one of my favorite things to add to my summer lunch plate.

The last thing I made with cheese was quesadillas for lunch yesterday using rotisserie chicken, shredded mozzarella and “Carb Savvy” tortillas from TJ.

2. Last time you were instructed to ‘say cheese!’? How does you feel about having your picture taken?

Well, for having a blog, it’s pretty ironic that I don’t love having my picture taken. Hadley doesn’t think twice…she will just stop and smile. Not that Travis loves having his picture taken, but he’s more like Hadley. I like to know that my hair and outfit are ok! haha

Hayden despises getting his photo taken. This picture after their 8th grade promotion ceremony was a miracle to get taken:

That being said, I like whatever my phone camera does for a selfie…apparently, “flipping the camera around” for a selfie provides my better angle…in my opinion.

3. What’s your travel packing strategy? Are you typically a light packer or do you throw in everything but the kitchen sink? When flying, do you check a bag or aim for carry on only?

I am definitely not a light packer. I think I mostly just want to feel at home wherever I am which means I pack “all the options.” I’ve gotten better through the years. Instead of a large suitcase, I can get by with my medium sized one. That being said, the other three in my family can pretty easily pack in a carry-on suitcase, so I know they wish I’d do the same. haha

I do swear by packing cubes. I’ve used these (we have lots of different colors) for years.

Three piece set // Five piece set

Not once, but twice last summer, I packed in a carry-on sized suitcase for a few days in Florida with Hadley and then a few days in California with Travis.

This was such a shock that I packed in a small suitcase, that I documented it in blog post.

My mom let me borrow these “compression” packing cubes last summer.

They did “smoosh” everything down a bit more.

4. What is it about people’s cell phone habits that you find most annoying?

I think we’re all “guilty” of being on our phones a bit too much. Of course, it’s annoying when people talk so loud that we all have to hear their conversation.

One habit I noticed with students is that if there are even a few seconds of “downtime” between instruction or waiting their turn to talk to me, they think they have to be on their phone. I struggle with this with one of my own kids…who just can’t seem to realize I expect eye contact when talking to me…even briefly. I think kids are learning bad habits…and don’t even get me started with phones in school.

5. What will be your summer mantra/slogan?

Make the most of it? I want to find time to do a little bit of everything. I want to be productive, but relax. I want to read, go to the pool, travel, catch up on sleep, watch TV, eat ice cream, go to the movies, and more.

June is definitely our busier month, and I’m trying not to let it stress me out. Summer, for me, is eight weeks, which I know is a blessing, but it used to be 9-10 weeks of summer…I feel like summer is shrinking and I know with the kids being busy that makes summer fly by as well. While I have had a bit of downtime over the past few days, it still feels like every day has a “to do” list.

Hopefully, I will find my “summer groove” soon.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

The Kansas City Royals have been fun to watch. I grew up watching the Royals as a kid, and there were many bad years of baseball. The 2014 and 2015 teams were so fun to watch, and I’m glad my kids have memories of some good baseball.

Of course, living in Kentucky we don’t get their games very often. The past few years haven’t been great, but my brother and I have split the MLB app subscription, so we can stream on our TVs whenever we want. This year, thanks to my TMobile account, I get the MLB app for free for one year. Anyway, it’s been nice to turn on the games and see them winning.

(Unless you were watching last night…ugh!)

Well, this was a fun mid-week post that included a little bit of everything…cheese, selfies, packing cubes, baseball, and more!

Hello and happy Wednesday!

I enjoyed linking up with Joyce a couple of weeks ago, so I’m doing so again today for Wednesday Hodgepodge:

Let’s get started answering this week’s questions.

1. What impresses you?

Manners. Literally…that’s the first thing that popped in my mind. When I see someone hold the door for another person, when I hear a “yes, ma’am,” or when I hear a “please” or “thank you,” I really take notice. It’s not that I think that many don’t have manners these days, but sometimes it does feel that way.

I really hope I’m raising kids who will do the right thing and be polite and respectful.

2. Where are you in the family birth order? Do you fit the stereotype of that particular slot? In what way?

I think I’m the pretty typical first born. I very much have a “type A” personality and always wanted to do the right thing, please others, and make my parents proud.

My brother is 3.5 years younger than me, and we are close, but have different personalities. As a younger sibling, he’s more easy going than I am.

3. What motivates you more – a reward or a consequence?

Oh…this is a good question.

I never really had to have consequences as a kid. Not that I was perfect…I did get grounded occasionally, but I was always pretty intrinsically motivated, and I still am. Again, I always wanted to make others proud, and I think that turned into wanting to make myself proud…and now I want to make good choices so my kids are proud of me.

That being said, as an adult, you can reward yourself…and sometimes, I do go through McDonald’s for a Diet Coke after making it through a hard day or buying myself something if I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot. I used to buy myself something at the end of every school year as a reward for making it through the year. haha! It was usually a purse I wanted, a pair of sandals for the summer, or one year I bought my Kindle. Now, I usually treat myself to an end of school pedicure which feels like a reward.

4. May 14th is National Buttermilk Biscuit Day. Do you like biscuits? Make your own? Grab one for breakfast at a drive-thru now and then? Which drive-thru makes the one you like best? What do you like to put on a biscuit? What’s your favorite food or dish that calls for buttermilk?

I do like biscuits, but I don’t make them very often. The Bisquick “just add water” package is a life saver for making quick biscuits.

7 Up biscuits are easy and delish!

I think Chick-fil-A chicken minis are good, but it’s pretty rare for us to go to CFA for breakfast.

We do have a couple of biscuit places in Lexington, and they are good.

Biscuits and gravy are not one of my faves, but Trav’s mom is known for her biscuits and gravy. There is a restaurant here that we go to pretty often for breakfast, and Hadley always orders the biscuits and gravy…and eats the gravy with a spoon!

The only dish I make that calls for buttermilk is my Irish Soda Bread that I make at St. Patrick’s Day.

5. Are there any weddings on your summer calendar? What’s your favorite part of a wedding/wedding reception?

We don’t have any weddings on our summer calendar. It is crazy to think there was a time in our life when all we did was go to weddings. One year, when we’d first started dating, Travis was in six weddings in one year!

This spring, one of my best friends got married, and it was a lovely backyard wedding.

We have a niece and a nephew that have recently gotten engaged, so my answer might be different if I was answering this same question for summer 2025.

My favorite part of a reception is seeing the bride and groom’s first dance.

When we got married in June 2025, I let Travis pick out the song as a surprise for the first dance. He chose “Someone Like You,” and I joked it was because at that time, Ashley Judd was around a lot more as a Kentucky fan…attending the basketball games…and she was in a movie by the same name.

Anyway, it’s a sweet song, so I appreciated the sentiment.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Last week was Teacher Appreciation Week, and I saw memes like this floating around:

While it makes me chuckle, and honestly I don’t think much about the pay…I knew what I was signing up for…but, yes, if we need an appreciation week, it probably means we spend most of the year feeling underappreciated!

I did feel the love last week. Our PTSA, admin, and local businesses did spoil us. We got ice cream one day, and then two days I didn’t have to pack a lunch…that made me so happy…especially at the end of the school year when I’m over packing lunches.

This was a fun post to write; I love having topics where I can just write the first thing that comes to mind.