Friday, December 30. 2022

This is my last post of the year! Wow! What a year! I did some looking back through my camera roll and so much changed in a year, but so much stayed the same, too. Do you feel that way, too?

I don’t think there is a link up, but I would do Friday Favorites forever and always without one. I think it’s a great way to have a gratitude practice for all things big and small and to recap favorite moments of the week.

How was your week? Do you love or hate that week between Christmas and New Year’s? I love it! Tom has been off and that gives him some down time at home to hang with us and to do some projects. I did my Christmas recap here and my Best of 2022 post here if you missed either one.

Monday we celebrated with my side of the family and I love my sisters so much and the fact that I have sisters. What a gift that parents give to us, right? I am the oldest and then Kate is on the left and she is the middle at three years younger than me. Molly is the baby and is three years younger than Kate. We laugh so much when we are together that it annoys my kids a little bit and they say I act differently around them; I’m sure we revert to family roles a bit, no? We are all teachers, too! Kate is an elementary art teacher and Molly is a first and second grade teacher. She has switched back and forth at various points in her career. My Dad was so happy and proud that we all became teachers.

Tuesday was our celebration with Tom’s parents in his hometown. Their dog, Watson, was so funny. He carried around his blankie for most of the visit. Ernie goes to both celebrations, by the way.

Wednesday we were ready for a break from celebrating! Ha! I love the quiet and low key mornings on non-work days. I still am not able to sleep in much past the 7 o’clock hour, but morning is my fave time of the day and I don’t want to miss it. The kids and I have always had simultaneous dental appointments. All three of us get worked on at the same time. So, we are on a good June and December routine. The dark side of teaching is that we have to do our adulting/nagging tasks during all of our breaks. Maybe this is true of other professions, too?

I took off my Impress nails that were matte navy and tried my new gel curing lamp (at home, not at the dentist office) that my mom gave me for Christmas. It made a world of difference with being able to fit an entire hand in at once and not just a few fingers. Boom! I am now a professional! He, he! I did a white with glitter for NYE baby!

We came home from the dentist – love these rare moments of being in the car with my kids, by the way. Jack went out with friends and Mason said he has been staying up too late with his nocturnal Jack and needed to stay home. Mason tries to get up at 8:00 a.m. on the dot whether on a break or not.

I told Tom I simply could not cook another meal. We called our friends and met at Waldo’s Chicken and Beer.

I had a salad and it was good. My body was confused about the vegetables and lack of cheese, bacon, pasta, and chocolate.

My mom gave Tom a tabletop Solo Stove and I am excited to try it out! The weather has changed; that darn snow and ice stuck around for 7 days. I am happy for 50-60s and rain for a bit of respite from Old Man Winter. Doesn’t he know that I only like a snow on a weekday when we are IN SCHOOL?

I asked for this non-fiction book from my Mom. I have been hearing reviews of it on Midlife Matters podcast. Has anyone read it?

I can’t remember who recommended this, but I burned it for the first time this week. This could go really wrong. It could help my cravings for a fresh baguette or it could make me ravenous for one. So far, it’s just a pleasing homey smell. I never would have even sniffed this if it weren’t for someone’s rec, though.

I am continuing the goal of little to no food waste. I was proud of myself for making some pasta sauce to use this week from some canned tomatoes that didn’t get used up all the way, some frozen ground beef, and some various marinara sauce jars in the fridge.

I chopped and sautéed some veg to have on hand and to make a farmer’s market skillet for breakfast.

I did some mushrooms and spinach. The spinach was leftover from something else so I used up another item lingering in my veg drawer.

Tom cooks once a year and it is his 15 bean soup. He always does this when we have had a bone in ham because he uses the bone and the ham to season it. He does the overnight soak and the whole bit.

I will let you know how his soup turns out!

My farmer’s market skillet:

Ah – I got to sit here and get that fresh air I have needed!

I got a new DryBar shower cap from my mom and boy have I missed it. I had one and it got worn out and I ordered a very mediocre replacement from Amazon. I believe in a shower cap.

My mom got me this star cardigan, too:

I took myself to my favorite consignment shop, Sassy Fox, where they are having their big winter sale. If you are local, you must go. It’s such a great shop! There is one in Lexington, too, if that is closer. Jen!

I got these Marc Fisher heels for $15:

This Cabi top for $11:

And these two wraps for $3 and $9:

I needed to borrow wraps from Erica for a Christmas party and I thought it would be good to have on hand for the future.

I got a Target.com delivery and this is a re-purchase:

And, for my last favorite of the week…

At my mom’s house I snapped a photo of this super cool photo of my Dad. There is a MIG-28 behind him getting ready to do a 4G dive. Oops, that was Top Gun; I got confused.

We miss him so much, but now we are laughing and quoting him more than crying. He never missed a moment to tell us how much he loved us and how awesome we are. Thinking of all of you out there who also had a bittersweet holiday thinking of loved ones no longer here.

So, I hope to see you in 2023! What were your favorites this week?

Amy

25 thoughts on “Friday Favorites and a Happy New Year!”

  1. I agree, Friday favorites is a must!
    And I agree: much have changed but much is the same… I love that quote from Gretchen Rubin: the days are long but the years are short!
    That book seems interesting, but my library doesn’t have it…
    Omg, that picture of your dad! So cool!
    My favorites were walking around in my new cool christmas boots! After sneakers and Dr Marten’s you feel so feminine with that click-clack sound from the heels! 😀 And another favorite is of course the chill mornings surfing the internet and drinking coffee! And… for those days when you’re not on top: I found a free app called Woebot, it’s you personal therapist when you need one… Cute and comforting!

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    1. Love them! Yes – that is a great quote and I really like her.
      Shoot!
      Isn’t it? If I do say so myself, I think it’s so cool.
      Oh, fancy! I love a dressy boot and think it’s a winter wardrobe must.
      That’s cool. Is it a real person or a robot/woebot?

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      3. Try it, it’s really cute and educational! But I think it’s developed for people with a negative mindset, and that’s not how I picture you! 😀 Not me either, but you know, sometimes life takes it toll…

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  3. Great consignment finds! At this point, do green M&M’s count as a vegetable?? It has been a while for me, it seems. I am still going in between snacking on candy and then have a carrot every once in a while. I’m not sure how I’ve tricked myself into thinking January 1st is going to be a turning point day of eating, but I guess I need a target date to get back on track with eating!

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    1. Thank you! Sure! I found a recipe for an orange avocado salad with a citrus vinaigrette that sounds really good for New Year’s Day. It’s hard for me to pick a date before back to school. We go back on the 3rd!

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  4. You had a great week! I agree- what a gift it is in life to have sisters. My sisters and I text back in a group me text all week long…sometimes we’ll go for days without one, but usually it’s multiple times in a day that we talk. I love that Ernie gets to celebrate with you! My in-laws are like that…we like to take our dogs sometimes as well. I LOVE your heels and wraps from the consignment shop! I need to try our local consignment shop…I just passed it the other day. I always forget about it because of where it’s located. I never drive that way!

    So, I did something last night and applied to be a substitute teacher/teacher’s assistant/SPED paraprofessional to our local school district! Stay tuned! My favorite of this week was our date on Wednesday. We had pho for the first time at a Vietnamese restaurant and then walked around this really cool place in our midtown area near Memphis. I’ll share about it next week, but it was the most fun night. xoxo

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    1. It has been super lazy! Sister relationships are so fun and special. Tom feels like Ernie should be welcome everywhere! Thank you – you really should just make a special trip to your consignment and see what you think.
      OH – I am so excited! You would be wonderful! I think it would fill your cup, too. You would also enjoy the schedule, I think. Please keep us posted. I love that you are putting yourself out there and taking a risk at trying something new. I think that is so important for us women to do at this stage!

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  5. I love the week between Christmas and NYE – so much calmer and I feel like we just get to enjoy ourselves. I have been doing a whole lot of nothing and I loving it!
    That body wash is heavenly, I really love it and need to get some for my boys. Maybe for Valentine’s Day! That picture of your dad is so cool – I would have that framed and hung in my home!
    xo,
    Kellyann

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    1. Right! And, we are done with all the Christmas errands and tasks! Same – I have been super lazy and I am ok with it.
      I really love the body wash, too. It makes me happy in the shower, you know? It’s a touch masculine, but not too much so. I think that would be a great idea for them!
      I wish I had a copy of it, but maybe my phone picture would turn out well, too?
      Happy New Year!

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      1. I think I’d try to get a copy made pf the actual photo at a photo center? There’s gotta be a better way then getting a copy made from your phone pic but if not, I’d do that. It’s too good not to!

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  6. I love that Ernie gets to celebrate with you all too! That candle sounds amazing. I need to hold off buying more candles 😂but where did you get that one? I love your consignment store finds…especially the heels! That pic of your dad is amazing and I love reading about you and your sisters. *sigh* I have to set my alarm on Monday. This break went by too quickly

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  8. I love that week between Christmas and New Year’s! This year was even more fun since my husband and oldest son had it off too (though my husband chose to work most days anyway). Your nails look fabulous!

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