Friday, August 29. 2025

Happy Friday to all! Not only is it Friday, but it’s Labor Day weekend Friday. Do you get a little sad when Labor Day rolls around? I do. I love fall but I have always dreaded winter. I am trying to work on that.

Let’s share some favorites from the week, ok? I am linking up with Andrea and Erika for their fun Friday link up!

I love my new glasses! I am anxiously awaiting the prescription sunglasses and reading glasses. They said they would take 2 weeks to come in – boo!

I bought this elderflower sparkling wine a few weeks ago at Trader Joe’s and finally tried it Sunday afternoon and it is good. It’s like a lazy man’s Hugo Spritz. I thought the bottle was beautiful.

I ordered pumpkin flavored Premier Protein last fall and didn’t use it all and it’s still not expired. I have several bottles left. It made a fun iced coffee this week. I added a splash of vanilla to it, too. Again, this Nescafe Gold is really good with a cold brew or made into a hot coffee.

I had a spur of the moment fun patio lunch Monday with my friend Beth. Sunday afternoon she texted and said she was free Monday or Thursday and I picked Monday. I love having the time in my schedule to be spontaneous.

I ordered a salmon taco and a chicken taco and they were so good for the price. I need to go here more. You order at the counter and they bring it out to you but the food is really good. I was super impressed.

I had more patio time this week. I love looking up at this tree.

I love when Tom turns the patio lights on in the dark. I rarely think to turn them on so it makes me happy when he does it.

I also had my first PSL on the first day of PSL at Starbuck’s. I got a tall and it was $6! I really do like my coffee better now, but this was a fun treat to celebrate the first day they had it on offering.

Then, I went to look at the fall stuff at Hobby Lobby and I was not impressed. Everything seemed really cheap looking and/or not my style. I left empty handed.

I was not prepared for how much Christmas stuff they had out.

I haven’t been this season, but I have been impressed with Michael’s holiday decor offerings lately. They used to be just a craft store but have gotten more decor. That is where my pencil trees came from, too. I still love them.

You might remember my coffee shop time a couple of weeks ago with my former student Madeleine. She taught in Madrid last year, is going back to Madrid in September for another year, and I met up with her when I was in Madrid last fall. Well, we had a goal to speak only Spanish the next time we met up and we made it happen this week.

We have a little tapas place called Mojito and we sat in this little area that tends to be quieter for dinner. We spoke only Spanish for two hours and it was wonderful! She is so good! We made the rule that we would correct each other if needed. There were a couple of vocabulary words that she didn’t know and I reviewed her on a couple of verb tenses but her accent is better than mine and she is just soooooo good! It was so fun!

When you are a Spanish teacher, you have to speak Spanish teacher Spanish to some degree – as clear as possible, verb tenses and constructions that they know, and vocabulary that they know. I was able to just speak as I would to a native speaker and it was really good practice for me. She is a doll and I am so proud of her! Also, Spanish is a hobby for me and I always want to try to improve and be better.

We had one margarita and it was good!

I let her pick the tapas since I can go anytime.

We had guac and plantain chips:

queso fundido with chorizo:

and not pictured and the star of the meal – dates stuffed with goat cheese wrapped in bacon.

I am pretty excited about football shaped chocolate chips:

It’s not because I love football, but I think the shape will be interesting in chocolate chip cookies! Also, maybe they will be bigger? I plan to look for them!

I like these salad kids and use them as a base for my lunch salads sometimes.

I caught a cute photo of Eddie Otis sleeping on his big lambie or as Tom named him “Lambie Gigante”. He also has a normal sized lambchop stuffie.

I love listening to Tom talk to Eddie Otis. It’s really cute.

What were your favorites this week?

Amy

20 thoughts on “Friday Favorites”

  2. How cool that you and your former student got together and spoke only Spanish! That is just so awesome and what a great way to connect, the food looked good too.

    I hope you do more lunches during the week with friends, great way to embrace your free time!

    xo,

    Kellyann

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  3. I think it’s great that you got to speak Spanish as you would if you were there this week; it makes sense having to speaking teacher Spanish in a room full of students learning. That guac and chips looks amazing! A highlight for me this week was getting out for dinner and/or drinks and apps after work. I love doing that; it breaks up my day from the first part to the evening, and I enjoyed being at home early on the nights that happened. I’m excited about fall, but I’m always a little sad to see summer go with its longer daylight hours. I’ve noticed the sun setting earlier the last couple of weeks. I love fall, though. I’m planning on getting some new fall decor this weekend!

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    1. Thank you or should I say gracias. Those plantain chips are soooo good! I love that, too. You will have to make a list of who has happy hour specials. It can get pricey. Same – it’s bittersweet!

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  4. Oh I guess I need to immediately try that Elderflower Sparkling Wine- thanks for sharing. I showed the chocolate footballs to my daughter and she says “football football football…where are the cheer ones?” Hysterical! 🙂

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  5. It looks like it was a good week! Yah for having spontaneous and planned fun as well :). All the food and drinks look good. I hope you have a great long weekend- well every weekend is long now but hopefully your hubby has Monday off, too!

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  6. Isn’t it so nice to have time to have lunch with a friend midweek? I love you were able to practice Spanish and the plantains and guac looks delicioso! The football chocolate chips look fun too. Happy weekend friend!

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  7. How fun to just meet up with a friend for nibbles! I can be spontaneous, but my friends aren’t. I don’t know that I’ve ever met up with one of my students for a meal…I mean, what would we talk about? Indiana History? Haha! I wish I was fluent in a language other than English. Football chocolate chips? Do you suppose they’ll do Christmas trees, then Valentine hearts? I mean, once you bake them, wouldn’t they just be blobs? Have a wonderful weekend!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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  8. EO is so cute with his lammie. It made me laugh because Jack’s favorite stuffed animal was named lammie and he slept with him for years. It sounds like you had a good week How fun to just speak Spanish! I rarely buy coffee out anymore, unless I’m meeting a friend. So $$$$. I love that instant espresso! I haven’t found much in HL lately since I am trying to get more “subtle” / neutral with my decor. Hope you have a good weekend.

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  9. Ok now you’re really showing off having lunch dates on school days 🤣🤣so nice that you got together with your friend & then meeting up with your former student…priceless! EO and Lambie gigante – too cute!

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  10. Your new glasses look fab and that bottle is really pretty. The iced coffee does sound like fun and I love that you can be spontaneous and go for lunch with a friend. Yum to the tacos!

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