Friday, June 17, 2022
Happy Friday to all! I am linking up here where we share some favorites for the week. I have a quite a hodge podge for you this week.
First. let’s start with summer reading! I would recommend all of the books that I have finished so far this summer!
Emily Giffin books are always good summer reads. This one was inspired by JFK, Jr. and the Kennedy family and I really liked it!
This was a great read. I didn’t want to put it down.
I probably liked this one a little bit more because of the character named Fern.
Now I am reading this one and I am really enjoying it so far. I am so sorry Sally, for not picking up your books sooner.
I have a nice list of books requested at my library so this was totally free entertainment for me. I love having the time to read in the summer! I read year ’round, but I love reading outside, as you probably know!
Monday we celebrated Tom and his official senior citizen status. Yes, he turned 55! We are 4 and a half years apart in age. I always asks what he wants to do – dinner at home, dinner at a restaurant, an activity…
This year he chose for us to meet him at a restaurant after work. Luckily both kids were off work, so that was really nice. We went to Harry’s/Malone’s. Harry’s is the more casual part of the restaurant, but you can still order from the Malone’s menu.
I know his eyes are closed, but there is a smile, so I will take it!
I got a grapefruit sangria!
Their bread and butter are to die for!
We shared some edamame.
I got an amazing Thai salmon bowl. I could only eat half so I enjoyed the other half for lunch the next day. I will definitely get this again.
I think Tom chose this restaurant for their salmon salad.
Mason got chili? Ha – he said mine is way better so I put that on the menu for next week. My kids feel strongly that food should not be seasonal, so we will go with it. Chili sounds good to me, too, actually!
Jack has the palate of a kids’ menu so he got the cheeseburger and fries.
And, we took home their amazing chocolate cake.
We had a really nice evening, but we couldn’t believe how crowded and loud the restaurant was on a Monday night at 5:30!
I was happy to receive these this week, especially because groceries are so expensive and I have been buying way more than usual. Kroger no longer sends me the checks so I had to figure out how to redeem the points. I got $200 worth of gift cards from doing this. I am sure I will not remember how to do this again.
One day for lunch I had the dill pickle salad again – with added grilled chicken and cut up dill pickles! Yum!
One way to help me save money is to use what I have, know what I have, and communicate what we have. I keep this list (and add to it or change it) on our memo board so that J and M know what to make for their meals.
How are you dealing with higher grocery prices?
I finally got smart and am keeping all the little membership cards in my car so I don’t have to dig for them in my wallet.
It’s been super hot this week. June is usually super mild for us with temps in the low to mid 80s. This is August weather for us. Jack is working at a dry cleaners without air conditioning and Mason is working outside. This will build character, right?
This was kind of an impulse buy:
I had been wanting to try it. It has a cult following and often sells out. I saw it at Ulta about a month ago and I really like it. It costs $30, but hear me out – this can double as a light summer fragrance. I really like the scent.
My aloe vera plant and my
jade plant…
were given to me by my friend Beth because she has a kitten that was getting into them and they are not good for her. I am really enjoying my new plants!
My niece turned 21! I gave her money, but also my margarita recipe! I did the same for her sister.
Ernie has to stand watch over the yard to protect it from all of the squirrels, bunnies, and chipmunks and he takes this job very seriously.
Good boy! Ernie hates the heat. He was born in January and I always tell Tom that the cold weather energizes him. He is super dramatic about getting hot.
I am working on some wall decor for my bathroom. I don’t know if I did a good job with one of the photos but I really like how the other turned out. It was so cheap to enlarge these at Walgreen’s that I may re-do the one I don’t like.
So, what were your favorites this week? I hope you had many and thanks for reading!
Amy
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 
Happy Birthday to Tom! Your salmon salad looks delish and the grapefruit sangria sounds refreshing! Poor Jack and Mason in the heat, ugh. It definitely builds character – ha!!! I love the photos you enlarged, great idea Amy! Have the best weekend my friend!
xo,
Kellyann
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Thank you! I will definitely order both again! Lots of character building this summer with their jobs- I think they will be ready to be students again! You too!!!
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Sounds like a wonderful birthday celebration out; that cake looks amazing as does your salmon salad. Our spring has been very mild and even a bit chilly some days which I am just fine with! Those 90 degree days can wait until the end of July or even August to appear. I have been thinking of enlarging a photo for our downstairs bathroom; I’m culling through my pictures trying to find one with lots of gray and reds.
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Thank you! I enjoyed eating out at a nicer place. It had been a long time. That sounds nice for your weather! These photos were only like $18 so you should totally do it . You can also do them on a canvas and my sister in law likes canvas.com I think it is. You can do it from your home!
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Its hard for senior citizens to keep their eyes open. I feel you Tom! HAHA! Our beach house remodel is ALMOST done and we are here to put things back away and finish a few last things. That is the best favorite that I could ever hope for! The master bedroom carpet goes in Saturday and our ceiling fan and towel rings will go up today. Still waiting for glass shower doors for both bathrooms but they say that could be this next week! I have missed our happy place. Let me tell you. But its been worth every single day of being away!!
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It really is! Yay! That is so great and I know you appreciate it even more!
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I love that you all were able to have family dinner! We used to have Harry’s but not anymore. Now, Drakes is next to Malones. We eat at drakes too often 😅 the margarita recipe is such a sweet idea! Groceries and gas…ugh! I actually held off placing an order for a few extra days to make us eat what we had. Finally, even Travis wondered when I’d place a Clicklist order 🤣🤣 I hope you have a great weekend. Also, ernie is literally my spirit animal. I was born in January too and dislike the heat!
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Thank you! That is so weird! And, one of our Drake’s is across the parking lot from the Harry’s/Malone’s! They all stay super busy! Thank you – I think this margarita is excellent! I should plan eat from the freezer nights more. Our freezer is stuffed. Awww- you and Ernie – the January babies!
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All the BHG are together here in Lex – drakes, Malones, OBC. I guess they know what they are doing 😂
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I’ve read three of those books and thought they were great. I still need to read the Midwives one. That is a fun 21st birthday present idea! I’m going to file that away for when we have 21st birthdays. Happy birthday to Tom! Ok, so how do you get $200 in grocery gift cards? Are they from Kroger points? That’s pretty amazing! I am going to start the list of foods for breakfast in our house. That’s a great idea and takes away the “what’s for breakfast” question. Have a great weekend!
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I really liked Midwives! Thank you! We have a Kroger Mastercard and we primarily use it for gas and groceries and we just get these rewards based on how much we spend. It’s been really good for us. I hope the list works for you. I think it helps tremendously with food waste. We can’t be wasting with these high prices!
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The good sister is now in my book stack! But first I have to finish Lucy Jewell’s The night she disappeared. She’s my new favorite author! I normally don’t like thrillers, but hers are great!
I’ve had a perfect week with graduation on Tuesday and chill teacher conference days for the rest of the week. Monday is my last day!!!
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Let me know what you think of it. I don’t read anything dark so no Jewell for me.
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