Monday, December 14, 2020
Happy Monday and happy last week before the winter break! Who is excited? It has been a rough semester. Some of you have gone in person, virtual and back and forth several times. When I think back to August and how little I knew it blows my mind. I seriously thought we would only be virtual for 6 weeks – wow!
After teaching on Friday, I enjoyed the sun and my book – Beach Read by Emily Henry. I finished it this weekend and I highly recommend. It was a cute story.
Friday night we decided to get Chicago deep dish pizza. We could only eat one piece each! The four of us watched some t.v. together and it was nice.
Saturday morning I was up bright and early with a plan. I wanted to get to Trader Joes when it opened. There are only two days a week reserved for senior citizens now so I can go at 8:00 a.m. again.
This is one of my favorite purses. It is Fossil and I think it is rubber. I like the black and brown combo. Fossil is a really good brand with great quality and a good price point. I do not work for Fossil, but I am not sure I have ever talked about this bag.
Ahhh, grocery shopping bliss… it was nice and uncrowded.
I picked up Gingerbread liquer. I put it in my coffee when I got home and I plan to make a cocktail with it.
All the snack foods. Tom and the boys are big snackers and Tom likes spicy stuff.
This Wassail is yummy! I like to have the Blanc de Blanc champagne on hand at the holidays for a cider or regular mimosa and this is a red blend wine. I thought the bottle was so interesting! I will let you know when I try it.
And, then I got a Ceasar salad mix, a buffalo salad mix, brussels sprouts, cilantro, carrots, hot dogs, onion, brioche to keep in freezer for French toast and FT casserole, brioche hot dog buns (fancy!), and the everything bagels that I keep in the freezer. I also got my favorite jasmine rice for the freezer.
I started this and it seems cute so far.
Saturday night we went to eat in a heated tent at a new southern style restaurant with our friends. We got deviled eggs and grit fritters to start and they brought us pimento cheese cornbread.
fancy bourbon drink called an Aloha Felicia.
I got a BLT with a fried green tomato and pimento cheese.
It was fun to get out and we had lots of laughs.
Our restaurants open to indoor dining again today but I am not interested in that yet. I am happy for the restaurants, though! If I go out, it will be to a patio or tent most likely, and as it gets colder we will probably just do takeout. This is what we do most winters. January tends to be a month where we do not go out much. Hub, on the other hand, goes out to lunch. He has been mad about not having inside places; he goes at 11:30 and usually has the whole place to himself and one or two of his co-workers that go with him. It makes me nervous that he does this because what one family member does the whole family does, you know?
One of our friends is a dentist and he got an email saying that he would be in phase one of the vaccines and might be getting it next week! I am in phase two as a teacher. How do you feel about the vaccine? Will you get it when you are able? I think I will be willing to get it. I heard you get one dose and then a second three weeks later and then after another week you are protected. That is pretty amazing and how cool is it that a vaccine was developed so quickly?
I hope you have an awesome week!
Amy
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 
I would like to get to Trader Joe’s one of these days! Ran out of time when we were in Gainesville this weekend, which is a shame because I like theirs better and the parking is great. The one here has the tiniest parking lot.
Have a great week – Christmas break is on the horizon!
xo,
Kellyann
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That pizza looks amazing!
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It was filling! The sauce is on the top!
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What a great Trader Joe’s haul! I’m going today to make a charcuterie board gift for my aunt. I bought a wood tray at Target and will fill it. We try to eat outside when we go to restaurants, but don’t mind inside if it is not crowded. Hope you have a great week wrapping up this crazy semester!
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What a great gift! TJ is the best place for charcuterie board supplies. Same with me really – if a place has only one or two other tables far away I think it is safe. My one son does not like eating outside – ugh! I love it! Thank you! My boys finished finals last Wed, too. Grades come out tomorrow and I am a bit nervous! I hope your Jack does well!
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I think I used to have that exact purse in brown! Fossil is amazing (I don’t work there either). They also have great watches and jewelry.
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Oh I would love brown! Yes – their watches are amazing and I heard they are made by Michael Kors same company? I don’t have any of their jewelry but I should look.
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I need to do another TJ run this week to pick up some of our holiday faves. I’m reading 25 days too and am loving it. One more week of school! We can do it!
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I may need to also! Their stuff is so fun for the holidays! It’s a cute premise! I hope we can do it!
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I wish that the closest Trader Joe’s wasn’t 3 hours away! The last time I went (Feb 2020) I could only get a few things. We didn’t have freezer packs in our cooler to keep things frozen on the ride home. Next time I will be prepared!
You don’t even want to know my conspiracy theory about how fast the vaccine was developed. LOL
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I am sorry – that is so far! I do want to hear your conspiracy theory! scott_amy@bellsouth.net
I am a super curious person and I tend to be cynical. I like to hear different sides and then come up with my own theory. Ha!
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We have school right up until Christmas Eve (with just a 1/2 day on the 23rd). We’re still 1/2 in and 1/2 virtual but the schedule has been so screwy that my son hasn’t been in the building much at all. All the food looks so yummy and I am always on the look out for a fun Christmas story. Can’t wait to hear the thoughts on your book when you finish it up.
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That is crazy and I especially feel bad for the teachers who probably have so much to do. What a weird year, right? I am so sorry he did not have a normal start to school.
Thank you – I need to move to all salads soon!
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I read 25 Days last year and enjoyed it! I was at TJ’s today and got a few cans of the bar mix. I wish they still had jingle jangle left. I only got two containers last time. Eating outside has been so nice! Our restaurants have been open for inside dining for a while, but we haven’t eaten inside yet. Have a great week! I am looking forward to Christmas break, too!
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That is good to hear! I wish I had bought more than one can – I loved it. I was not impressed with the jingle jangle this year, so maybe you did not miss much! I love eating outside, too.
We are almost there!
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THAT pizza looks delish!!! Everything you got from TJ’s looks so yummy! I have one near me but not close which makes it difficult to get to in these crazy times.
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Thanks! It is different with the sauce on top but it works. TJs has so many temptations! I hear you. I don’t want to wait in line so I have to be strategic.
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We haven’t been to a restaurant since probably February! That has nothing to do with corona and everything to do with a toddler. We should probably start practicing again soon, actually. It’s more that he just doesn’t want to sit and wants to explore. While this was fine pre-covid, I don’t think people would like it now. I haven’t been to a TJ’s since last January? I remember reading about a TJ’s forcing a mom with a one year old away because the one year old (!) didn’t have a mask on and that just bothered me, so I haven’t been willing to try.
Scott will likely have to get the vaccine. I doubt I will, and Wells won’t.
What is the plan for school in January?
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As you know I’ve been dining outdoors at least once a week usually. We didn’t go out when our twins were Wells’ age – just got takeout a couple of times a week. This is a hard time to practice taking him out. When my twins were about that age I started telling them where we were going and what to expect – “We are going to Target and you will have to hold my hand in the parking lot and then we will get a cart.” Ha! It really helped I think.
Asking anyone below like 4 or 5 to wear a mask is stupid.
They are saying we may go back around spring break. Remember I’m in the largest district in state with a very strong union. I have my doubts we will go at all this year. We won’t be forced to take the vaccine but we are in phase 2. It scares me a bit but I will probably get it.
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