Monday, December 23, 2024

Hi everyone! How are we feeling? I have decided I am going to post today and Friday – or at least that is the plan for now!

Let’s go back to Wednesday of last week just to see the outfit for our “Let It Snow” – Dress in silver, blue, white and sparkle spirit day.

Thursday was holiday accessory day and I just had my headband and earrings with my Christmas tree button sweater.

I didn’t do pajama day because I don’t have any holiday pajamas but I wore the above jeans again because they are literally pajama jeans! Again, they are Halara and I love them! So, I guess I am wearing jeans a lot now!

Friday night we had a party to go to – my friend Beth of Host It Notes – created a tacky pop up bar in her basement and wait til you see the results! It was just as good as any bar or even better. She did such a good job!

Since it was a tacky party, I wore this again!

I think we can all safely say I have gotten a lot of wear out of my holiday capsule wardrobe.

The fun started at the door with a sign that said, “Come in, ya filthy animals”…

These were edible pretzel stick cigarettes!

It was so fun! I was soooo tired, though! Parties on Friday nights are hard for me!

Saturday morning I was up and at ’em and I started making puppy chow!

I had a goal of getting out of the house by 9:45 to be at the stores at 10 at the shopping center I wanted to go to. I channeled my Fiona Ferris and got my holiday flavored coffee, by bag with the red and green strap and I decided to go casual with my green ball cap and athleisure…

The crowds weren’t bad and I was successful with my list. The last thing on my list was to go in the new Fresh Market in the shopping center. It is beautiful and different from the one closer to my house.

And, yes, I spent too much money! Fresh Market will do that to you.

I went home and made Chex Mix! Now from my “Baking” List I have made white chocolate Chex Mix, Chex Mix, and Puppy Chow.

Then, I watched the entire movie of Love Actually at long last. I never really got it because I never had watched the whole thing. Please don’t shame me in the comments. It is so freaking good!

My second pair of Halaras came in! Merry Christmas to me! Don’t you love the holidays when you can shop for yourself and make it look like you are shopping for others? I ordered the light black/grey and I sized down this time. They didn’t have the weird gas smell and they arrived very quick compared to the last pair. I guess the gas smell takes longer to arrive? I decided that Tom and I needed a fancy dinner – fancy for us – out. Well, we left a bit too late and realized everyone and their brother was doing the same! We drove down our favorite street and it was packed.

I wore my black silk button up and my black fur vest. Monochromatic, I guess. I do have on my Prosecco red and green earrings and I carried my fun clutch with a bee and red and green.

So, Mexican never lets you down.

Tom is an enigma. He acted like he had never been to a Mexican restaurant before and he studied this menu from cover to cover.

I ordered something I have never had before called “Fiesta Bonita” and it was indeed a pretty party in my belly. I could only eat a third but it was rice, chicken, shrimp, and cheese and my leftover kid Mason is gonna love it.

And, Tom ordered tortilla soup after all that studying. It was the biggest bowl of soup either of us had ever seen and he brought most of it home, too!

When we got home, I said it’s time for Hallmark – see ya! I watched A Paris Christmas Waltz and enjoyed seeing my Glee actor in it. I really loved Glee for awhile. Did you watch it?

I went to bed at 9:30 after staying up too late on Friday night. Sunday morning I had my coffee with my devotional and then it was time to study the playbook again. See my notes sticking out? Lol.

And, that’s all I’ve got for you!

Check out the Mel Robbins “Let them” theory if you are struggling. It’s really empowering!

You do not have to sacrifice yourself to please other people. You cannot be all things to all people.

Simplify. Be true to yourself.

Your home is good enough. Your food is good enough. Your wrapping is good enough. YOU are good enough.

Merry Christmas!

Amy

25 thoughts on “Hello Monday”

    1. Right? She is pretty amazing! The puppy chow got eaten quickly – mainly by me! Oops! But, we did give a lot out as little gifts. yes! I actually am putting a lot of food items in stockings this year. That’s what happens when you are 22.

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  4. The pop-up bar in your friend’s home looked like so much fun! There are no pop-up bars in our local area… But I know over at the coast there are several in my daughter Kelsey’s city and she and her friend went to one on Friday night, and it was adorable! I am not doing any baking this year. People bring so much stuff to Tony at his office that there is no need. Our financial planner, gifted us with a huge Harry and David box and then another company that does business with my husband also gifted us with a huge Harry and David box. I mean there is only so much that the two of us can eat over the course of a few weeks. So we gave one of the boxes to our daughter, Taylor and her fiancé. They loved it Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !! We shall be ringing in the new year over at the beach!!

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    1. it was so well done! I think they are very trendy, now. We have hotel bars and regular bars really decorating, too. They are making temporary pop ups inside their normal venue.
      Very smart not to bake – I decided to just do the easy things that I enjoy making and you know what, I probably won’t even get to all of them and that’s ok. I would rather eat charcuterie! Those boxes are worth a ton of money and soo good!
      That sounds lovely!

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  5. Thank you for saying that about being good enough. I am really struggling this year. My dad had been sick for months and then passed away two weeks ago. I just returned from the funeral a few days ago. My gifts are not wrapped, no baking has been done, I have to go out again tonight to find the ingredients for Christmas dinner and I just want to crawl into bed and pull the covers over my head. Maybe I will think back on Christmas 2024 as the “good enough Christmas”.

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    1. Molly, my heart breaks for you. My dad passed on Dec 18 after 6 weeks in the hospital. The funeral was on Dec 21 and I remember how I needed to be simple that year. I somehow had ordered all the gifts and my friends dropped on some food and drink. Take care of you and I hope you have a village helping you this year.

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  6. That sounds like a wonderful weekend! I love all your festive outfits. It took me a couple of viewings of Love Actually to “get” it but now it’s my favorite.

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    1. It was a lot! It really is. I watched a short video of Mel talking about the let them theory with siblings. We have had some hurts this season with Tom’s family and it really resonated. you too!

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  9. That pop up looks like so much fun! Love Actually is a favorite in our house. It came out the year we moved to England and I know it gets criticized but still, we love it. I watched the Paris Waltz flick too and I especially loved her fabulous dance wardrobe which I felt like they never explained. Did she buy all that to go to Paris??? I needed to know. It was cute. Merry Christmas to you and your family!

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    1. it was really something to see! Aww, that is so cool. I loved it. I also finally watched all of The Family Stone. So good at capturing family dynamics. Ha – so true! I need to finish Paris – I fell asleep with about 20 minutes left.
      Same to you!

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  10. I really do look forward to your posts because they’re a little about this and a little about that. Your friend’s party looked like one I’d enjoy after I talked myself into going (extroverted introvert here). I really needed that last bit of your post, Amy. I still have a three gifts to wrap (my son asked if he could bring a friend over whose parents aren’t celebrating until later). But, I always feel like I don’t do enough. And, your words help, but I also know myself. I’ll be back to feeling like not enough on Wednesday.

    Have a wonderful Christmas with all of your boys!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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    1. You are so sweet to say that. That is kind of how my brain works, too. Yeah, I get that. I wish I had had more energy to make small talk, but I was so tired and it got so noisy and we did the old Irish exit. I send photos the next day and thank the host. But, I did tell her in advance we weren’t going to stay long.
      So nice to let your son bring a friend and then finding something for him.
      Don’t say that – you are enough – you are more than enough. you are one of my role models that you are blogging and doing all this tech stuff!
      Thank you and same to you!

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  11. We celebrated Christmas early this year when our oldest and her family were in town. So fun but I’m wiped! We’re going to enjoy a quiet Christmas with our youngest and we’ve never watched “Love Actually” so I think that this might be the year! I loved your monochromatic outfit, Amy, and your holiday capsule wardrobe has served you well! That “pop up” party looked like such fun (I enjoy your friend’s blog, too). Merry Christmas to you and your family! Savor it all!

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  13. Pingback: Friday Favorites/Christmas Recap – Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa

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