Friday, September 19, 2025
It’s Friday and link up day with Andrea and Erika – let’s share some favorites from the week.
I have stayed home a lot this week. The heat is back and I have just really tried to tend to the home fires with everything that happened last week. I have spent lots of time with Eddie Otis and lots of time reading. I have tried to stay off of social media.
First off, I was pretty happy to have a meal plan. I want to do Soup Sundays and did it this week.
Meal plan:
Sunday – spinach and artichoke stew – I changed it from chicken to mild italian sausage. I loved it but Tom and Mason did not. You win some, you lose some.
Monday – turkey sausage, roasted zucchini and potatoes on a sheet pan
Tuesday – spaghetti – I use Prego Chunky garden and add cooked ground beef and it must be angel hair (Tom’s rules – lol)
Wednesday – paprika chicken and potatoes with broccoli
Thursday – leftovers/on your own since Tom had a work thing called “Porktoberfest” they do every year after work. They have a locally owned butcher shop come and grill them up some stuff.
This is my creamer this week and I really like it, but Trader Joe’s is better. I just really like this brown sugar flavor! My friend Victoria told me to put regular brown sugar in my coffee a long time ago and I never listened – lol.
I took a break from the press ons this week and decided to do a nail strengthener followed by white, followed by a top coat.
Um, this is why press ons are better for me. Look how messy!
If you aren’t following mirabellecreations and you love the enneagram, follow her now!
Isn’t that good? Things to squash this fall!
On Netflix this week. I finished Love is Blind US and then I watched this and it’s surprisingly cute! I mean, it is definitely cheesy, but sometimes that is just want you need.
I remember trying to read Redeeming Love but not getting into it; this movie had me riveted even though it ended super abruptly in my opinion and it’s hard to watch for the content and things that happen. Be warned. You could watch The Wrong Paris with your teenage daughter, but I wouldn’t with Redeeming Love.
I was scared to start this book because I thought it would be sad and it is but it is making it hard for me to put down.
I loved this and recommend it! It was a fun read! I do try to go back and forth between a more difficult read and a more light-hearted read.
This is my new reusable produce bag. I forgot to include the photo in my Euro Style post this week!
Eddie Otis got an E.T. toy from Marshall’s and he loves it!
I think Tom and I enjoy his toys as much as he does! I could be making this up but I feel like Eddie Otis is more calm since I’ve become a stay at home dog mom.
Oh crap!
A neighbor has put up what appears to be a permanent lawn decoration – a chrome dragon. My kids found this hilarious.
I managed to get to The Fresh Market on Tuesday this week for their meat sale. I got my ground beef for spaghetti and my chicken for my paprika chicken and potatoes.
I had a strange Facebook memory pop up. Honestly, I could probably do a whole post on the crazy things that happened during my 31 years of teaching.
We had “open house” where the parents walked their kid’s schedule and we did a song and dance about our classes – not really – it’s just an expression – we told expectations and what the kids should learn. We had to go through a mock school day with bells and all and hold each class for like 8 minutes.
I was so distracted when this family came, brought their sugar glider (I didn’t even know what that was) and then proceeded to feed it a sugar glider danish (their words, not mine). I couldn’t look away from his tiny little hands. Look at his “fingers”! I literally forgot my presentation.
I did take a trip to Trader Joe’s this week and bought this Woodlands candle – it’s very masculine, not unlike Mahogany Teakwood.
And, this trio that Jen shared!
I also brought home two “snowball” pumpkins. I am a sucker for a white pumpkin.
I rarely go through a drive thru but I decided to try a doppio with cold foam in a venti cup and then I add my pumpkin spice. Yum! It was delish!
Grab one of these when you see one. I found this one in a shop in my hometown but I see them in boutiques and specialty markets.
There are some great recipes on the back or you can just mix it with red wine.
I’ve got my fall plates out!
I also made the easiest recipe of mini pumpkin muffins. You can add chocolate chips if you want.
Use a spice cake mix, a can of pumpkin can up with about 1/3 of water and mix all together. Don’t follow package directions on the cake mix.
I did 350 for about 12 minutes.
Love this! I am not into entertaining at my house recently but I like this idea!
I also bought some new silverware. Where do all the forks go?
I am very happy with the look and quality. Here it is!
And, last night I went back to press ons:
This shape is out of the norm for me. We shall see!
Tell me a favorite of yours this week! How are you doing?
Amy
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 
All the cute fall stuff- WHEN is the weather gonna get on board?! The sugar glider (never heard of it!)- oh my! I would have forgotten my presentation, too, with the sight of that in someone´s arm. Feeding it a danish? Do better, sugar glider owners, that does not sound healthy, lol. The chrome yard decor is a… choice. Your press on nails look good! Thank you for sharing snippets from your week. This was a fun way to start my day :). Have a great weekend!
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I think we have rain and cooler temps next week and I am actually ok with some rain. I know – feed your sugar glider a carrot! You know the types that have animals for attention? I think this was that.
Thank you! I hope you have improved as the week has gone on. I meant to text you yesterday!
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So much fall goodness! That spinach artichoke stew sounds delish 🙂
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Thank you! It turned out thick and was good with tortilla chips!
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My husband prefers angel hair pasta too but he’s the only one so he’s almost always outvoted! I was just about to start The Wrong Paris yesterday when I realized I was supposed to go pick up my farm box but it’s on my list for today. It looked cute.
My younger two boys LOVE sugar gliders! One of our local museums has a tiny animal section and they have a sugar glider. We used to sit and watch it for so long– that and the fennec fox.
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Now I don’t even think anything of it! Aww, poor guy! Lol
It’s cute and the guy is easy on the eyes!
That’s so funny – I would like it more in the wild than in a desk in my classroom!
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You do press ons so well! They really look great.
I am going to look for that cider starter – how yummy that would be with red wine!
Right now I am burning my Bath & Body Works Leaves candle, I love it so much for fall.
Have the very best weekend!
xo,
Kellyann
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Thank you – this shape is making typing hard!
Yes – I hope you can find it but it is also on Amazon, I think.
Ahhhh- love that. I love my new ones.
You too! I think you will enjoy being home after being gone!
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That sugar glider thing looks a lot like a bat! How creepy is that…I would have forgotten my presentation as well! I’m sure you could write a book on teaching for 31 years. I love that you’ve stayed home a lot this week; it makes sense that EO is calmer with you home now. I always said that about ours when we had a house full; they liked me at home, and enjoyed the music I always had playing. That makes me sad to think about, so I’m going to move on quickly from that! I love that nail color and shape! They look so pretty on your hands. Happy Friday! xoxo
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Ha! It does! Everytime I put something on the blog I make a fool of myself. He was a brat yesterday afternoon and he is being a brat right now! Jack came home to do laundry and he was itching to leave again yesterday. I get that. I am sad that stage is over too.
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What a lovely week. I love the sound of your soup Sundays and your meal plan!
I watched The Wrong Paris this week too. It was so, so cheesy but just what I needed.
Oh wow! That was crazy, a sugar glider in your class, how cute!
Your fall plates are so pretty and yum to the pumpkin muffins!
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I love those white pumpkins. I saw some that seemed to cost a lot for just some white pumpkins so I will look around. I do want to go to Trader Joe’s…it’s not unreasonably far but I can’t face that on a Saturday lol. I really thought I would do that during the week but we have a busier schedule than I thought.
We used to have cake at my grandma’s house all the time. I miss that.
I really enjoy Love is Blind US, but I can’t get past the dubbing on the international versions.
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I thought it was a great price!
I hope you get to go!
Cake seems like such a sweet grandma thing.
I am watching with subtitles rather than dubbing. I think? Can that be selected? I’m also used to dubbing I guess!
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My husband loves angel hair pasta like Tom. I rarely make any other kind of pasta! My daughter had a friend on her club volleyball team who had a sugar glider. They would bring it to volleyball tournaments and it would stay in her shirt until she had to play!!
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Happy Friday!! That dragon though?? Just no! People are weird. Love the pumpkin cold foam with doppio. It’s now my go to once a week treat at Starbucks. It is rainy here today- weird for rain in Sept in Central Valley of California but i think Tony and i will go watch a matinee movie. Retired is the best life! Have a great weekend!
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White pumpkins, fall plates, soup Sundays and good candles….perfect fall items! Happy Weekend!
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I gasped at the sugar gliders “fingers”, blech. Should people be allowed to bring rodents in the classroom?! Bizarre.Your week sounds lovely and I’m inspired by the way you’ve leaned into fall. I need to be intentional about finding the joy too, as it seems in short supply these days. Enjoy your weekend.
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That is so funny about the sugar glider. And the chrome dragon…what? I bet EO is getting more mental stimulation with you being home and it helps calm him down. I didn’t know Redeeming Love was a movie. The shape of the new press on’s seems to be the style lately. Hope you have a good weekend.
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I finally decorated for fall today…but haven’t purchased any pumpkins yet. Can’t wait to spruce up my porch though. Your pumpkin muffins look delish. I only make the TJ box ones. I made my first batch this week. Your open house memory…hilarious!
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It’s still early for pumpkins, I think. Your porch always looks great!
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This was a busy Friday Favorites! I cannot paint my fingernails to save myself. My left hand is even bad, but my right hand is just plain laughable! We watched aka Charlie Sheen. I knew he had problems, but boy howdy! The man was a mess. It’s riveting. We’re now watching The Pitt. Love the white pumpkins, too. I may have to get some this year to make my porch a little prettier. I am late commenting because I was on a retreat this weekend. I was the presenter so I’m a little pooped right now!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
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Oh how wonderful that you presented at a retreat! I don’t really like CS so I don’t know if I will watch. I don’t like Denise Richards, either from Real Housewives knowledge of her.
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