Friday, December 13, 2024

It’s Friday and link up day with Andrea and Erika!

Here is an eclectic mix of things I loved this week!

Boy, do I need this reminder each day to live in the moment and not wish each part of the day, the week, the month, and the year away. I have really been into quotes this week. Did you see my Tuesday Inspo post?

But, yes, I live for that 3:20 bell and especially for that 3:20 bell on Friday! Ha!

I know, I know, but I am enjoying my holiday creamers in my coffee at home! Frosted Gingerbread and Peppermint Mocha are this week’s selections. Because I am crazy like that, I have one of each each morning! Do not forget about a frother as a Christmas gift option. It has made me so happy and I could probably use an upgrade!

I have also started using Vital Proteins in my coffee. Anyone else? Have you noticed any positive changes? I didn’t realize there was so much protein in a serving so I think it’s also helping me to up my protein.

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I placed a Target.com order for a couple of holiday sweaters – the green fuzzy Christmas tree looking one and the Merry & Bright one – and Mrs. Meyer’s. It amazes me how happy these make me. I have peppermint soap and cleaner for this month and snowdrop soap and cleaner for January. Remember that I am trying to embrace and love January?

I bought a box of Swiss Miss hot chocolate and mini marshmallows and have enjoyed it immensely in the afternoon a couple of times this week. I use my electric tea kettle to give me the hot water. That would be another great gift to give someone along with your favorite tea.

I was thrilled Sunday to be able to sit outside with it and my book and my blanket. I am asking for a new cozy blanket to help with my January hygge goals.

And someone staring at me…

Sunday night was a bust. I wanted to see the Christmas boat parade on the river but Tom wasn’t feeling great. We got to see some launch but didn’t go to the place with the best view.

I did see some Facebook photos the next day and would like to see more of this event next year, perhaps!

I was able to start my day on the patio Monday and Tuesday because of milder temps.

Does anyone else have the baby Solo Stove. We can only keep it going for about 5 minutes. I would say that would be a great gift, but I can’t keep it going. We do love our big boy sized Solo Stove and that works great.

My Spanish 3 had to make PSA posters for the hallways and some are so artistic!

Aren’t they cute? I smile when I walk down the hallways and see them. I let them pick where to hang them.

OK, the name is dorky, but this series on Netflix was good enough that I binged all the episodes in two nights.

I loved Anise and Suzane especially and they are great models for growing older with style and class. And, the dating coach Logan has the most incredible head of hair!

I can’t explain this but I love when my weather app uses the word “drizzle”.

And, then I woke up Wednesday to a dusting of snow!

Bedroom pencil tree – tacky but cute!

I am taking earlier showers and putting my Walmart jammies from last year on. I bought three pairs of Christmas pjs that are long sleeved tops and pants (with pockets!) They are too hot to sleep in so I just use them as lounge wear. I have my only pair of fuzzy socks for the holiday and my Christmas blanket in this photo, too!

Another meeting this week with a snack bribe. The Chex Mix in the cute snowman holder was nice, though. Yes, the meeting could have been an email!

My co-worker brought me an afternoon tea and it made my day! She keeps a kettle at school and I gave her these cups as a gift.

I have been trying to go out on Wednesdays to break up my weekly monotony of school, home, school, home – and I understand that some people would love to only have to go to work and then home! It’s been good for me to do something once a week, though. This week it was so, so, so cold on Wednesday so I merely went out to our favorite Mediterranean food place with Mason. He was home that day and we actually looked through some cookbooks together while sipping my cocktail testing for the holidays. Then, he went with me to pick out some food for dinner. We are trying to explore the menu and not just get our standby. We picked fried cauliflower – it seemed grilled, though, as there was no breading -and it came with two dipping sauces and it was fabulous! We also got stew, rice, salmon, and lavash rolls.

This is super random, but in a corner of the restaurant is a Cuban bakery and their stuff is literally works of art. We got a piece of opera cake and it was so good. Have you heard of opera cake? It’s a little like tiramisu which they also had. I should have taken a photo of their bakery case.

I told Mason about this and we decided we are going to incorporate it.

I plan to go to a locally owned book store but I’m not sure where to get really good chocolate. World Market? Our locally owned candy shop? Let me know if you have a favorite brand recommendation.

What was the highlight of your week? 3:20 Friday, baby!

Amy

26 thoughts on “Friday Favorites”

  1. The only chocolates I really enjoy eating that we can find around here are the Lindt Truffles but I do agree it’s hard to find really GOOD chocolate. The Later Daters looks cute; I binged The Man on the Inside because I thought that was adorable and I kept thinking I wanted to be just like them when I grew up.

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  2. What a great week. Love your Mason time. That’s awesome that you still had some outside time in the morning. December is always weird like that. I went to my favorite bookstore this week and had time to just wander around. My school is out at 3:15 😂can’t wait!

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  4. That first quote resonates with me as I often wish a lot of time away. I will have to look up Later Daters to watch sometime. I may save that for January watching when I am inside even more. I am trying to plan a weekend trip for January to help break up the month for me. The Spanish art work is creative! Enjoy your weekend!

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  5. I’ve been watching Maria on Netflix and it’s very good. What a great tradition-books and chocolate! We might have to try that. Have a great week!

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  6. I like opera cake but rarely see it in the US. We had a boat parade on the lake last week but we won’t take our boat out again until March and didn’t have a good place to view it that wasn’t freezing cold so I just enjoyed the post event pics too. Books and chocolate are always a good idea! Have a nice weekend!

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  8. I use the collagen peptides in my coffee every day. I think it helps my hair and nails grow faster. My mom is 81 and she says she is getting lots of new hair around her face. We will both keep using it! I love the books and chocolate tradition!

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    1. Wow – maybe I should get some for my mom. She would be stubborn and not know what to put them in and doesn’t drink coffee. lol. I have not been using it long enough to see anything yet, but I am excited.

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  9. Those creamers look sound so good. I think I would go for the peppermint one. I have been treating msyelf to a hot chocolate each afternoon.
    The Christmas boat parade looks like fun. I hope Tom is feeling better now.
    I love that Icelandic tradition, it does sound like a lovely way to spend Christmas eve!

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    1. They really are! Surprisingly , they don’t have too much sugar. So decadent to have hot chocolate in your jammies as it’s getting dark. he is – thank you. I think it will be fun!

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  10. I love a boat parade at Christmas but now that I live in the desert I rarely get a chance to see one. EO has the sweetest looks, dogs are the best companions! Any winter day I can be in my lounge PJs before dinner is a win for me, it just feels decadent! I worked for 2 different chocolate companies and I still love chocolates! I like to gift See’s Candies chocolate assortments and if they’re not available by you, I would go to a local chocolatier for a Christmas splurge. Have a great weekend!

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    1. I did not know my area had one! yeah, that is probably true! Thank you! That really does feel decadent! Oh, cool! I have been introduced to See’s from my friend with family in San Diego. yes, i think you are right!

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  11. I really like Tony’s Chocolonely chocolate bars and I love that their mission is to work to end exploitation in the cocoa industry. I also want to recommend a book to you Amy, which might help you get through January. It’s called How To Winter by Kari Leibowitz.

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  12. I need to try the vital proteins. I tried them once, but felt like I could “taste” them. Maybe if I add flavored syrup/creamer to my coffee I wouldn’t. (Usually I just add a splash of milk.) I know there is another blogger (Sunshine and books?) who celebrates the book idea. Hope you have a good weekend.

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  13. Oh, DeBrand Chocolates are amazing! They starting in Fort Wayne which was only about 15 minutes from where I lived. The hot fudge sundaes came in an edible chocolate bowl. Scrumptious! I try to get in 100 grams of protein a day and usually hit that. I don’t add anything to my coffee since I don’t drink it! I don’t know if I feel better because of the protein or the weight I’ve lost. But, I do feel better! And, yes, I recognize that longing for the 3:45 pm bell! There is nothing like it unless it’s a Wednesday 3:45 bell right before a break (those were few and far between)!

    Have a fabulous weekend!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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