Thursday, September 16, 2021
Here is a good old fashioned coffee talk post for you today. I think there are some things we need to catch up on. If I forget anything, leave it in the comments for me! Thanks!
Blue Apron – I did two weeks and it just isn’t for me. It is about $50 for two of us for two meals. So, that is $12.50 a meal. The recipes take way longer than 30 minutes. The Wellness/WW plan I was getting was very high in points. I get 16 points daily and the meals were 10-14 but the instructions said I could leave certain things out for less points – but then what is the point? Also, there were lots of green beans and potatoes in the recipes and I have those and make them all the time.
It may be right for many people but Tom and I both agreed it wasn’t for us.
Do you remember my Syllabus for Self Care? I thought I would let you know how I’m doing.
I am doing really well on most all of it. I am not doing well with this. I am checking email while doing my meal prep usually and I go ahead and bite the bullet with his weekly memo. Maybe it actually lets me relax the rest of the day because I know what is coming for the week?
Now that it is nicer out, I am doing better with this. I need to commit to more outside time, though!
And, I will have to work at this. I need to give myself rest from time to time.
Nails – You may have noticed that my nails have been naked. I just cannot keep polish on for more than a day or two. I need to let them heal because they have ridges from dip. I hate looking at them like this, though. I may put forth the effort to do my gel at home again.
I did my own pedicure. I used smokin’ hot by Essie. It is a nice grey/purple.
I am actually thinking about this for my fingernails. If anyone has any advice on this let me know!
Self Tanning – I stopped for awhile but now I am using a combo of my leftover Banana Boat and my Tanology. I ran out of Tan Luxe The Butter and am waiting to find it on sale. It is my favorite. Let me know if there is something else I should try. I want it to be fairly dark.
Hard Seltzers – I started liking a couple of White Claw flavors! I also really like High Noon. I still like Truly Punch and Lemonade. They all seem so summery, though and now I crave…..
red wine! I thought this bottle from Trader Joe’s was so cute!
But, I know nothing about wine. I like pinot noir and red blends. Leave me a comment on a red I should try. I don’t like sweet but I don’t like too terribly dry. And, I like the $10-$20 price range.
Cake – Remember my first cake where I used a Funfetti mix? I have now tried chocolate fudge, red velvet, strawberry, and spice. Below I did some sauteed apples to serve over the spice.
Am I eating too much cake? Maybe. I do share it at school and it is within my WW points!
School – is an emotional roller coaster. I have had shining moments where I was so happy for normal. I felt like a normal teacher again. My students were happy and normal. Going outside has been refreshing, but I can’t do it that much.
I have some students who I have known for over two years and they know me and that helps in this environment. I have some students who I have only known for 5 weeks who don’t seem to want to open up and who are seriously addicted to their phones. A girl raised her hand and I went back to help her and she was in the middle of a Netflix show. I told her she should probably pause it because she might miss something while I helped her.
I asked a journal question in Spanish about lessons learned during the pandemic and two kids were on their phones and I asked if they learned the importance of an unlimited data plan.
Our school allows cell phones but my policy is they are not to be seen nor heard unless I invite them to get them out.
Also, airpods…. Are babies going to be born with airpods already in their ears?
Sorry to end on this note, it makes me kinda sad.
What did I forget? I hope you were able to enjoy your coffee!
Amy
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 
Watching a Netflix show during school? What the heck! How rude and disrespectful. I feel the same way about Airpods- I live in a college town and rarely see any young person without them in their ears. I can’t imagine that’s good for their hearing. Anyway, now I sound like a cranky old lady – sorry!
I never tried Blue Apron but don’t think it would be for us either.
I have heard about that nail treatment but haven’t used it myself.
Happy Thursday – it’s almost the weekend!
xo,
Kellyann
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Right!!! I was floored. The AirPod thing is crazy. Now I have to tell them to put phones away and request an “ear check”. They are sneaky!
I am a cranky old lady, too!
I have heard the Dior is amazing.
You too! What a long week!
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I’m not shocked about the airpods thing. Ugh. I had that issue with a few kids last year in the older grades but not in my current school.
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I know. I feel like every kid has them. It’s hard for me to take the attitude that it’s on them. If they don’t listen, it’s not my problem. I can’t really do that. And, we know that it will be my problem when they fail. Right? Ugh!
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Battling the tech addiction can be truly exhausting. Just drink more wine. 🙂 My favorite red wine, btw, is Bonterra pinot noir. Very smooth…not too dry…not too sweet…
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Yup! See why I need the wine recs? I will look for that because I know I have heard of it. Maybe we can drink it together!
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I haven’t tried a meal service, but I think i would feel the same way about it. At my son’s school, a lot of teachers make the kids put their phones in some kind of cubby during class. Loved your coffee talk.
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Yes, I think you might. Yes, we used to do the cubby thing/shoe holder but since the pandemic I think most have stopped. That causes problems in and of itself making sure no one takes another kids’ phone.
Thank you!
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I love this update. That spice cake sounds delish! I’m great about my me time in the morning and working on getting a bit more of it in the evening. I went and got a pedicure yesterday in between kids’ practices. I almost went home but decided I deserved a pedicure 😆I chose a fall (brownish) color for my toes. I know what you mean about the phones…ugh!
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Thank you, Jen! I love a spice cake! I’m the same – the morning has always been easy since I naturally rise before everyone else. Nice to get a pedicure during the week – go you! I like the brownish for now!
The phones are an addiction, and I realize I have an addiction, too.
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Alexander Valley Vineyards cabernet sauvignon. I think I found it at Costco. The richness of a red without the heavy tannins and dryness that make people hate a lot of reds. My preferences are more semi-sweet, but I do enjoy a cab sav with dinner.
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I am not sure I like cab sav? I should try it bc I do have a Costco membership. I like what you’re saying bc I don’t want to have a headache. I do like some semi sweets and It depends on my mood. How are you doing with half an empty nest?
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I can’t believe your school allows phones! Our high school students can have their phone in the building but they are only allowed to have them out of their lockers at lunch or the end of the day or unless a teacher asks them to use them during class. Glad to hear your honest review about Blue Apron; I was thinking of giving them a try but those meals are much too high in points for me. Tonight’s dinner is just 2 points when made with whole wheat pasta and that allowed me to add a salad for another 2 points.
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We used to be exactly like you describe in your high schools, but that kinda opens Pandora’s Box to more usage. Also, so many teachers are techy and use them in class. Yes, the points are just way too high. That is an awesome dinner! I try to save about 7-9 for dinner.
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Ugh on the I pods and constant phones. So glad we didn’t have that distraction. Good pinots aren’t cheap and cheap pinots aren’t good. A lot of truth to that. We are wine snobs. My husband gets shipments from CA vineyards. Yum. I like an Emmolo Merlot, but hard to find. We have used Home Chef and like them the best. We keep the recipes and try to recreate the ones we really like. I am trying Color Street and other nail polish strips as think they last longer. I use Sally Hansen Gel on my toe nails. Hang in there!
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Yup! It stinks. It’s like we opened Pandora’s Box and can’t shut it now.
Good to know about pinots, but I know my taste is not as discriminating! Ha!
I am learning to love merlots more.
That’s good to know about Home Chef. I tried Jamberry and could not do it!
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Girl, I would have lost my S%@& on that kid watching Netflix!!! SO RUDE! She would have a big fat zero for that day.
You definitely need to try Meiomi Pinot Noir. It is so good! My husband and I are in 2 different wine clubs. We know nothing about wine so it’s fun trying all of the different ones that are sent to us. It has really helped us narrow down the types of wine that we like.
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Yeah, I was pretty mad. The thing is that we don’t have a leg to stand on because our admin/district has gotten so soft. So, you have to pick your battles and it is really early in the year to “lose” a student – meaning that I have to try to get through to all my kids or it’s on me. It sucks, but that is the way education is now.
I love that you are in wine clubs! That is so fun. My hub isn’t a drinker so that isn’t something we share.
We went to a winery once and he got in trouble for eating too many of the palate cleansing crackers.
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Your poor nails! I only go with regular nail polish, it doesn’t hold well, but I guess it’s good for the nails. I’ve heard somewhere that you should never let your nails be bare? Sally Hansen has this “Nailgrowth miracle”, have you tried it?
So, for school… I feel sorry for these kids, they are brainwashed and totally addicted, I really think they can’t help themselves. In my school the kids have to hand in their phones in the morning, they can use them during lunch or if a teacher need them to during class – perfect system! We introduced it a couple of years ago, and it’s super.
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They are getting healthier. I have tried that. I want them kind of short.
I am glad I did not grow up in the smart phone generation! That is a good system. We have already opened Pandora’s box!
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My daughter is in seventh grade and the phones are out of control!! We have decided she is not ready for one and her and only 2 other classmates do not have them. Most of the drama in the class stem from phones and our school has a policy of no phones in class, so should I be mad at the students or the adults in class that are not enforcing the policy. As I told her yesterday, all of your classmates are encouraging your parents that we have made the right decision not allowing a phone at this age!
I feel for you, the things you must deal with as a teacher! And apparently this struck a nerve with me also 🙂
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Oh man! That is a hard age. Stay strong, mama! Girl drama with phones is crazy. Body image issues because of social media – don’t even get me started. So, basically my admin forgot how bad phones were pre-pandemic and we didn’t have the rules in place when we came back full time this year. We have opened Pandora’s box and can’t close it.
When your daughter is ready… the phone belongs to the family and it is for her to use, she should turn it in at a certain time (sleep is a huge problem for my students), she should sign a contract about acceptable use in regards to your familys’ morals,etc.
You are doing it the right way. She will respect and appreciate it later!
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