Friday, January 26, 2024

It’s finally Friday! It’s time to link up here for Friday Favorites! 

We needed a 5-day week! The heart wanted more time at home, but the brain knew we needed the routine. Boy, the kids were whining about having to go to school for five consecutive days, too! 

If you are new around here, I am a high school Spanish teacher by day and a blogger by early morn’ – ha! 

I am really being hard on myself this week and doing what I am asking of the students. I am entering grades daily so they can see the impact of getting back on track (or not getting back on track). It’s a lot of work, but I think it’s so important as we start a new semester. The semester actually started on January 16, but last week was not normal for many of us in the blog world with all the winter weather we experienced. 

I’m tired, y’all!

But, despite being tired, I also had some favorites this week, so let’s get started…

One of friends is Victoria who I met at my current job. In fact, I met her on the day I interviewed. She was on her planning period and I got a tour of the school and she was available to meet me!

Victoria and I in October on our Fall Break when it was 80 degrees and we got a day pass to a boutique hotel pool: 

She left (transferred to another school) after we taught together for 17 years but of course, we remained very close friends! Victoria’s mom was teaching at an American school in Paris when she met Victoria’s dad who was a doctor at the American Hospital in Paris. I hope I got that correct! Victoria’s dad is Greek, and they proceeded to move to Greece where Victoria was raised until college. Her mom was from Kentucky which brought the whole family back to Kentucky when Victoria started college. Her mom is an amazing cook and cooks southern food, Greek food, French food, among other cuisines. 

Her mom published her very own cookbook of 700 pages! How cool is that accomplishment! I ordered my copy and I’m enjoying going through it. 

She loves cooking with lemons and thus the name of the cookbook. 

Vic told me to try New York Chicken and that is what you saw last weekend, so here it is: 

Here is what ours looked like. We halved the recipe, but got lucky because I had made too many frozen biscuits and put them in the freezer so we had that taken care of. I had never heard of using biscuit as your breading. 

We also made hasselback potatoes, which are Swedish! How cool! They were really not hard to make at all. Mason did the precise cutting and I was impressed. We put sage leaves in some of the slices and topped with a garlic butter during the cooking process. 

I also had a cooking project with Tom last weekend! We made homemade hummus! It turned out pretty well, but I forgot to take a photo. 

I did a fun bright blue mani this week! 

I stumbled upon Love is Blind – Sweden and I’ve watched a couple of episodes. I like it! The premise of Love is Blind is that they kind of speed date without being able to see what the other person looks like. They pick favorites and continue to “date” behind a wall and have to get to know the person without the distraction of physical appearance.  

Ernie has seemed to enjoy the grass that is now visible again! I was happy with the weather this week. I come home, walk Ernie, and then do a couple of chores before I make dinner. I walk him in snow, rain, whatever, but it makes it more pleasant when it’s not so cold!

One day, I even sat outside for a bit! 

I abandoned this book. I just couldn’t make myself keep reading and it was due back. I have not started 2024 in a good reading way. 

I can’t believe I forgot some of my faves! I had these in my more summerish earrings. I wore the black this week and thought I should show you. Did you catch my earrings post this week?

Mason made sourdough French toast while he was home last weekend, too. He said brioche is better for this! 

One of our favorite meals at home this week was Natalie Mason’s Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps and I did a side of fried rice, too. I did not do the peanut sauce and this meal came together quickly!

Erica did tuna poke bowls for one of our school lunches this week. I was a little scared of the “raw” tuna but I really liked it and how fancy is this for lunch? It had like 35 grams of protein when you put the edamame and the tuna together. 

I have upped my brow game and the senior girls have noticed. I am using the white Elf pencil first, then brushing with the spooly, then I end with the elf brow mascara. Be careful not to be too heavy handed. Brows really make a difference and neither of these products breaks the bank. 

I hate having a week that is just go to work, come home, go to work, come home. It’s what has happened more often than not during this school year. Last year I was really good about doing something for myself during the week, but this year I just can’t seem to make it happen. 

On Wednesday, though, Jack was home with Ernie in the afternoon, so I didn’t feel like I needed to rush home. I went to happy hour on a Wednesday with Erica on the spur of the moment. I had a really good sangria and…

some chips and queso. Keeping it real that I am still enjoying life but eating healthier 90% of the time! 

Did you catch my What I Ate Wednesday post? 

I went home and had salad, salmon, and half a baked potato for dinner, and a Dum Dum for dessert! Balance! 

My favorite outfit I wore this week didn’t make it to Fashion Files on time.

This is clog week! I have been wearing rain boots and then changing because we have had rain every day! I am wearing my TJ Maxx colorful blouse from fall, a fringey black vest also from there maybe 10 years ago, Target jeans, and my red Bjork clogs. 

I do think my jeans are a little loose! 

What were your faves this week?

Amy

29 thoughts on “Friday Faves”

  1. Great that you’re watching Love is blind Sweden! I’ve seen a couple of the American seasons and I really love that show! The Swedish version is very accurate I think, this is us! And it’s my hood, I move around in exactly the same spots almost every day!
    Brows are so important! I just fill in them a bit, but I feel really naked without! I love it that your senior girls noticed! Compliments from teenage girls are the best!

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    1. I thought of you the whole time! I find the way they express themselves to be very cultural and different than we do here. Wow! They haven’t left the building yet I don’t think in the first two episodes.
      Brows really are! They are so sweet and give me energy!

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  2. That cookbook looks fabulous! When my son was putting together his Greek menu, he used a lot of lemons and olive oil since those are two main ingredients in almost all Greek inspired dishes. I’m hoping to get out hiking today,,, but right now I can hear it pouring down rain so we shall see if it clears up in time.

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    1. It’s so thick! There’s something to lemons and olive oil – love the flavors. Oh nice! I am so nature deprived right now! So happy I have two classroom windows.

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  3. I love that blue mani – so pretty! I also agree that routine is good as much as I love unexpected days off, there is a lot to be said about a normal schedule.
    I am working hard to do things during the week too, I don’t wanna live for the weekends – such a waste of so many days in between!
    Hope you have a great weekend!
    xo,
    Kellyann

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  4. That is so sweet that the senior girls have noticed your brow game! I bet they love your manicures, too, that blue is so pretty. Oh my gosh I used to make hasselback potatoes all the time going to have to bring them back. I am with you I abandoned Books, if I’m not loving them, life is too short to read mediocre books, lol! Have a great weekend!

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    1. They notice everything! They are sweet to compliment their poor middle aged Spanish teacher. Aren’t they so fun and fancy looking? Thinking of doing a V Day dinner with them, steak, and brussels sprouts for hub and I?
      Exactly! I haven’t had any good books this year yet!

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  5. That was a super fancy lunch that Erika made this week! I’m like you and the look of tuna scares me, but I always like it. I’ve never had a poke bowl, but I’ve heard of them. I love the look of that cookbook, and your New York chicken meal looked fabulous! I love that you and Mason do this kind of thing together. I bet Ernie loved seeing the grass again! I had to skim through the book you quit. I was able to read most of it, but blah, blah, blah. I was disappointed when I realized it wasn’t going to be as good as I’d thought. I hate it when one book is great by an author, and the next one isn’t. I hope your weekend is fun! I hope mine is too. I’m looking forward to it!

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  6. my favorites this week was being in 80 degree weather in Cabo and playing some good golf with our besties. Eating homemade tortillas and tamales and playing card games by the ocean! Now we are back to reality and it’s in the 50’s but I Also enjoy routine. Happy weekend!

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  8. It’s good to be back in a routine, we always feel a bit off if we have a short week. It sounds like you have been busy at work, no wonder you are tired.
    Well done to your friends mom! My partners friend published a cookbook years ago and we of course bought one and it felt so special going through the recipes. The meal you made looks so good.
    My eldest daughter loves Love is Blind.

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    1. Yes it is! It’s a good busy – I have purpose and structure and all in all, I am happy and blessed to be doing what I am doing. I agree – it’s a huge accomplishment to do a cookbook!
      It’s kind of a sweet show that reminds you about getting to know a person for what’s inside!

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  9. I remember those days when you felt like you were fighting with the weather to just get the days in! It has been so foggy here but no fog delays. I’m glad you shared the chicken recipe. Now, I’m going to have to bake some biscuits. I never thought to freeze them because Mike and I would just eat all of them in one or two days…OK, I would eat them!

    If I had any eyebrows, I would give these a try. I’ve been seriously thinking about having them microbladed because I’m so bad at drawing them on so that they’re even remotely cousins! Isn’t it funny how kids always notice things?

    Good job on the loose jeans. I’ve been doing the intermittent fasting and finally having some success. 

    Have a wonderful weekend!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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    1. Yup – we really need to build in some weather days. I think our calendar committee sucks. We had the same – extreme fog but no delays. Did I tell you my sister and brother in law teach in Plainfield, Indiana? They moved to Martinsville but still drive. They also have 4 kids in Plainfield schools. So, I hear a lot about the differences between KY and IN education.
      Ok – must ask – who is Mike and who is Nigel? Are they the same?
      I have always had bushy eyebrows and I’m glad I never did overpluck. You should go in a Sephora or an Ulta and just ask them to show you a product and how to do it before you give up! But, I have never noticed your eyebrows looking bad.
      I don’t know if they are really that loose. Maybe they were just stretched out – it’s a struggle.
      I am trying to stop eating early and start eating no earlier than 8 am but I am hungry!
      You too!

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      1. I don’t know if Brownsburg builds in snow days or not. We always had 2-3 built in days where I taught, but that was in NE Indiana. As for Nigel/Mike…they are one and the same. In the early days of my blog, I referred to him as my Nigel Barker (from ANTM), and it just became a running joke. You’re not the only one to be confused!

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    1. I think it could grow on me! I loved the sauce she made and the edamame! Well, aren’t you sweet! I was so happy to be off work, in the sun, and with a drink in hand, I think!

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  11. I love the blue mani! I know you’ve shared those potatoes before but now I’ve opened how to make them…they look so good. French toast is one of my faves. Sourdough French toast sounds amazing too. I hope you all have a great weekend…our four day week was enough for me to come home and take a nap after school today haha

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    1. Thank you! UK blue! Maybe Hadley would enjoy the hasselback recipe? Mason and I would probably skip the sage leaves but definitely keep the garlic butter we made. We also spread it on the sourdough bread we had for dinner and that was leftover for the french toast. We agreed that our sourdough had a really strong taste that worked better for savory than the sweet french toast. We love Trader Joe’s brioche for it, though! It’s the perfect width!
      Oh, I hear you – plus you were displaced!
      You know, since I don’t do anything after school anymore I get to rest every day so I think that makes it easier. When teachers have a full time job after school – whoa! It takes some stamina!

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      1. I will definitely add the potatoes to our list to try. I agree- I don’t know how teachers do other jobs. Even in the summer I just want to rest (& I don’t even do a good job of doing that haha)

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  12. I haven’t watched Love in Blind for other countries but the new US season comes out 2/14. I’m obsessed with that show and I hate that lol. Also, the new Bachelor seems promising.

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    1. I may try to watch the US – so much tv on right now that I am enjoying. I am also planning to get into Bachelor this weekend. I am failing at reading books! I always forget that Winter Amy does tv better and Summer Amy does reading better.

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