Friday, June 16, 2023

Now, in the summer I do not want Fridays to come quickly! Eeek! I’m ok. I’m ok. Really, I’m ok. I am linking up today with both Andrea and Erika to share some favorites that I encountered.

First up, is that my mom is doing really well and just took a little trip with her college friends. They only went to Lexington, Kentucky for two nights, but she had a big time! Isn’t that amazing?

My next favorite…

Thank you for your responses to my Walmart + post and my Literal Coffee talk post. If you missed them, click on the red font. I learn so much from you all! I did not know there was a Kroger Boost option. I did my fourth Walmart + delivery after that posted, by the way. And, I am super happy with the produce they pick. I only had one substitution and it was just a slightly different flavor of my multivitamin gummies. As for coffee, you all are my people! We love our coffee! I now have lots of coffee makers to research and keep on my list. I am really bad about spending money when something still works, you know? So, I don’t think it will be an immediate purchase. You all have also made me think it’s ok to have multiple coffee makers and just keep one or two in storage for when company comes or for when you want something different.

Continuing on with favorites from the week…

Summer reading is just the best. So far I have read The Party Crasher by Sophie Kinsella and this:

Sarah Adams is a relatively new author to me, but I really like everything I have read. This was cute – a little cheesy – but cute and a quick read for me.

I got my bootie back to the gym on Monday and it felt good.

These are really good! One is 3 WW points or 100 calories and just the right amount of sweet after a meal. A couple of bloggers recommended them and they are correct. The homemade ones are definitely better, but these are really good.

Sunday Tom and I did a Costco re-stock without going crazy. We got out of there for under $200 and got Tom’s protein shakes and just food items. These are the best chicken strips I have found. There is no degree of slimy-ness and you can put them in so many things. I have used them for my Greek bowls, my burrito bowls, on top of a salad, in a hot sub for my kids, and more!

I absolutely love these Amylu breakfast chicken sausages but I wouldn’t limit them to just breakfast.

I decided to buy the giant pre-cooked bacon package and it is really good. You still have to heat it in the air fryer or microwave but it saves most of the bacon mess.

So, those are some of our Costco buys that will help me with my meals. I have already spent a lot on groceries this month, but I am cooking a lot so far.

It was so cool at the start of the week. Look at that temp!

I will take it with a sweatshirt and enjoy it! I know that the hot, you feel like you are in an armpit, days of summer are coming.

Love seeing the green around me. I have been eating as many meals as possible outside, too. What a pleasure!

This is our first baby Archie. He lived until he was 12 and our kids were 9. Look how gray he became in the face. I thought this was funny because the kids were building Legos and gave him the directions to “read”. Archie was the best big brother and let the babies crawl all over him. He was also super cuddly and protective when I was pregnant.

Our boy Ernie is 10 and still doing well. We think he has a growth on his toe that makes him limp a bit on pavement. He seems much more agile on grass. Ernie has never been a cuddler, but he stays by your side. We can leave our gate and fence open and he won’t run away. He wants to always see his people. Another very good boy. Tom is partial to chocolate labs as I guess you can see. He is the dog whisperer in our family and I let him make that decision. His family had a chocolate lab, too.

I’ve been trying some of my flavored seltzer concoctions. Cherry limeade with lemon lime seltzer is really good.

We have been eating the Costco spinach salad and I topped it with salmon for lunch one day. I believe in making myself a real lunch, but I have learned I need to start making it before I get too hungry or I will turn to snacks.

Summer is the time for white wine, but I enjoyed a Spanish Syrah on the patio before dinner one evening. I am trying to use up the wine I already have before buying new stuff. My friend brunette Heather says to look for the wines at Costco rated 90 or above. They are really good prices, too. I need to do more of that.

Tom had a birthday on Tuesday and got a few sprinkles in his yogurt and a banana with a birthday message.

Ernie and I have been taking some leisurely walks this week.

Photo shoot:

Tom’s birthday set up:

We got him a new plant for the bathrooom because he mentioned it, fly fans from Amazon because he thought those were cool at a restaurant, and some of his favorite treats.

Our family has definitely gone to smaller gifts and it’s made us happier, I think. We let Tom pick his restaurant of choice or a home cooked dinner. He chose Kingfish.

It was really windy so we didn’t sit outside with a view of the river, but we had a nice view from our table.

Complimentary hush puppies:

I had a very sad piece of cold baked cod:

It was not supposed to be cold.

Tom just got fish and chips:

Mason got popcorn shrimp:

And, Jack got a chicken po’ boy:

Ha! Jack loves fish so much (the live version) that he cannot really eat them. We once were on vacation and ate at a seafood restaurant and they sat us next to an aquarium. Mason said, “this is just wrong – sitting next to them and eating their brethren”.

I have been doing my Kur Londontown illuminating nail concealer:

Sorry, for the blurry photo. Yes, it is very pricey, but it looks so good and lasts a long time. I will use the entire bottle. I think I would rather have one nice polish than 5 cheap ones. I just don’t like cheap polish and always regret buying it. Plus, it ain’t that cheap anymore.

A new place opened up and I went on opening day! It’s called Haymarket and it is like a permanent farm to table, farmer’s market store. They have fresh bread, baked goods, jams, specialty sauces, fresh produce, prepared foods, and a counter where you can order food along with a coffee bar.

It’s super cute and it’s on River Road right by where we keep our boat. Bougie boat food?

I mistakenly got this from Walmart (my fault – not theirs) and it is delicious. It has aspartame, though. I was going to add the cherry limeade powder to a cherry limeade seltzer, but this needs nothing. It’s really delicious!

I bought myself a new watch because my old one broke and I really still love an old fashioned watch. My old one was also Anne Klein and I really liked it.

And, I bought myself a couple of pairs of retro sunglasses that I have been seeing on some people.

They are decent quality and I have been wearing them mostly at home to read outside.

So many random favorites this week, no? What have been yours? I hope you had many!

Amy

P.S. – Happy Father’s Day Sunday and I am thinking about anyone else who is sad and struggles with this holiday. I think not going in stores has helped me. I really don’t like seeing the Father’s Day card displays. I know some of you are in the same boat.