Thursday, November 15, 2018

Hello! Thank you, thank you, thank you!  Unless you are a blogger or a blog reader, you cannot understand how supportive people in the blog community are.  Your messages this week have truly lifted my spirits.  My Dad is still in the hospital but he started his first round of chemo last night. 

Our Thanksgiving tradition is usually Thursday with my husband’s family here in town.  His sister lives here and she hosts our meal around 3 p.m.  We spend the morning trying to get some exercise, cooking, watching the parade, and usually cleaning and doing laundry. 

We are lucky to have off on Wednesday, too.  Last year I tried something different.  I went ahead and decorated for Christmas on Wednesday. 

On Friday, we usually travel just an hour to my parents’ house with my side of the family and we do it all again.  When I come home, my house is ready for Christmas.  That’s kind of how I am.  I am a Thanksgiving purist but as soon as it’s over, bring on Christmas! 

What are your traditions?  How do you feel about early Christmas decorations?  

So, let’s talk about Thanksgiving outfits.  I like to have two cute and comfortable outfits for my two days.  I also usually spend Saturday in my hometown starting my shopping for small business Saturday.  I love shopping locally in my city and in my hometown.  It’s a great way to buy your gifts, in my opinion.  

This year, I am planning my outfits mostly around my most comfy pair of jeans.  I don’t really like many of my pants now for fall.  I think I’m in desperate need for something other than  leggings.  

I like to wear what I call Thanksgiving colors.  We are pretty casual on both sides of the family.  

Here are my favorite Nordstrom Vigoss jeans, my clogs, and a cute cornflower blue peasant shirt that I bought at consignment.

Here is a leggings option.  I have this cocoa brown lace bottomed tunic and brown leggings.  

I think camo is a good option for Thanksgiving.  

I think I like the second pair of booties better for the camo.

I think camo would look good with burgundy.

This mustard yellow velvet top might be a contender.  

If it warms up I may wear this poncho thing.  I always get hot if I’m in the kitchen!

What do you plan to wear?  I look through my closet and pull out all the colors I like and then go from there!

Thanks for reading!

Amy 

Monday, November 12, 2018

Thank you to all the service men and women of our great country.  My favorite is my Dad, though.  He was a career military man, an Air Force fighter pilot. He then retired and enjoyed being a corporate pilot. He still works for the same company, in fact, but just a few hours a week.

We have had a rough week.  I don’t know if you could tell that I was phoning in my posts last week. They were short and not well edited. This week if I go quiet, it is because he is in the hospital with a new cancer diagnosis as we are await a treatment plan. I may feel that I need this creative outlet, though – we will see.

 I really don’t want to show outfits for wearing to the hospital and my clothes are the last thing on my mind.  I haven’t had any cocktails and I haven’t cooked.  I have kept the coffee coming, though.  

I really appreciate you being my faithful readers.

Amy

Friday, November 9, 2018

ADVdesigns earrings – aren’t they cute? Seriously, check out ADVdesigns on Etsy. Some of her earrings are only $4.80 right now. My sister is the model- I bought them for her for her last birthday. She says she wears this mustard pair all of the time.

I wore my black and white blanket scarf this week and another day I wore my blue flannel plaid with hot pink vest. I seem to get more preppy in the fall. Love me some plaid!

I read this book this week. It’s a cute easy read that gets you in the mood for colder weather!

If you have an Apple Watch, I’m loving this new band. It’s rose gold and it’s good quality for the price.

What are your favorites from the week?

Happy Friday!

Amy

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Monday night a fun co-worker agreed to go to a Thanksgiving big batch cocktail making class with me!  For $15 we learned how to make 5 cocktails and came home with print outs of the recipes.  It was held at a cute local whiskey and wine store.  We also got to drink the cocktails – duh!

I will be honest.  None of the cocktails could top my spiked apple cider.  Again, my recipe for a single serving is 1 oz. bourbon, 1 oz. Fireball, about 1/2 cup apple cider and shake really well.  Pour into glass with ice and top with ginger ale or sparkling apple Ice drink or sparkling apple cider or sprite.  I like a little fizz with my cocktails.  You can also put chunks of apples in the drink.

We both agreed that our favorite of the night was the ginger snap cocktail.  Here is just a single serving:

1 oz. apple vodka

1 oz. ginger liqueur

1 oz. lemon juice

a squirt of agave syrup

peeled and grated fresh ginger

dash of cinnamon

dash of grated nutmeg

lemon peel for garnish

dash of bitters

Shake all together and pour into cocktail glass.

Now, my problem with the recipes we learned is that they are too complicated and require specialty ingredients.  I bet I could recreate this with easier ingredients.  Also, the ginger was a bit strong, so I think I would reduce that a bit.  It really did taste like a ginger snap cookie, though.

He did tell us that you do not want to make these too far in advance because the flavors will meld together in a bad way.

Do you have a signature Thanksgiving cocktail or do you just open a bottle of wine?  I am definitely more of a bourbon cocktail girl at this time of year.

Thanks for reading!

Amy

Monday, November 5, 2018

I’m not really minding you today, Monday!  We have a teacher work day from 7:30-2:30 and then we are off Tuesday for election day.  I have a packed day, but it’s mostly good stuff.  Tonight I’m taking a Thanksgiving big batch cocktail class!  I can’t wait!

Friday was my birthday and my personal day!  

So, I took advantage of the red cup deal on Friday.  You got this cup for free with a holiday beverage so I got a creme brulee latte.  Then, you take this cup back for 50cents off drinks after 2 until January, I think.  

I know this is kinda gross, but I love biscuits and gravy a handful of times a year and McDonald’s are really good in my opinion.  I watched tv and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast.  

I put out a few Thanksgiving decorations.

I got my hair cut and colored for the first time since April.  

This was a last minute deal, but it was so fun!  My two college besties who both live in my city were able to meet me for lunch.  Afterwards I did a little shopping, including my 50% Kendra Scott store birthday treat.  You all, what a deal.  You can pick one item in your birth month and there’s even a grace period of 3 days into the next month.  I love Kendra even more now.  I will show you what I picked Wednesday.  

Saturday was dinner and a comedy improv show.  I had an old fashioned.  

I enjoyed some patio reading both Saturday and Sunday.  Sunday was our family photo shoot.  We got lucky and had sun before it got cloudy.  

I got out my favorite tea.  

I started this book and couldn’t put it down.  Go get it now!  

So, those are the highlights!  

Have a great Monday!

Amy 

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Happy November!  

I compiled some random stuff/thoughts on a Thursday just for fun.

Tomorrow we get to see Jennifer Welch and hopefully her friends again from Sweet Home Alabama.  I love most Bravo shows and I found these friends to be super endearing.  This sounds like more of a design show this time.

I had some of my Spanish students do a childhood presentation.  I like to model things for them so I did my own before they did theirs.  Here is a picture of me, my Dad, and my Mom.  Look at the hairstyle on my mom!  This was before my sisters entered the picture.  

I also shared that I collected bottle caps as a child.  How weird, right?  I had friends and cousins that did this, too, and we would trade with each other.  Look at these old glass bottle caps and look at the Tab!  

I ordered Papa Murphy’s take and bake for Halloween.  It’s a jack o’lantern!

During my almost weekly TJ’s stop this week I found something that goes under the category of “bad ideas”… Turkey Stuffing flavored kettle chips.  No, I did not buy these!  

A friend and I signed up for this class below at a locally owned liquor store.  I’m super excited.  For the last several years, I have been making my apple cider sangria or spiked cider for Thanksgiving, but I’m anxious to learn some new fall cocktails.  I don’t host a Thanksgiving dinner, thankfully, but I’m known to bring a portable bar.  The class is on Monday night and we don’t have school on Tuesday due to election day, so I’m excited to go out on a Monday!  The time changes Sunday so it will be pitch dark when this class starts!  I will be sure to share what I learn on the blog.

Thanks for reading my random round up!

Amy