Monday, April 12, 2021

Hello dear readers! How was your weekend? I am happy to link up right here for Hello Monday and I will also do a reflection on Week 1 of In Person Instruction at the end because some of my readers asked (o.k., two readers asked – ha!).

Friday I came straight home from school and just sat. I wasn’t even that tired from the day and I couldn’t believe it. I had a good 2 hours to just chill and I watched t.v. and read blogs and messed around on my phone.

Then, I headed to Tom’s office for the first event in a really long time. His company is so good about providing activities for the employees and their families and the owner expressed how happy he was to be able to do this again. They had a Nashville recording artist that is from here play a two hour outdoor concert and had two food trucks.

This is the back of their building.

It overlooks a pond. It is really pretty. On Fridays in the summer Tom and his department do cookouts for lunch on the company provided grill.

We were supposed to be 6 feet apart; we talked to many people that were fully vaccinated so that was a positive. We wore masks to go to the restroom and to the food trucks.

His company is just so nice. It is owned by two brothers who inherited from their father and grew the company tremendously. It is a commercial construction company. We stayed until 9:00 and then went home and fell asleep not long after.

Saturday morning I was ready to go to Trader Joe’s! I went at 8:15 and there was no line. It was wonderful.

I came home and had another cup of coffee on the patio. It rained off and on all day long on Saturday.

There was a spring market at the nearby shopping center and they had to move it inside. I checked it out and went in several of the boutiques but I didn’t buy anything.

I found out that Mason was going to come home with Jack around 5:00 so it was a nice surprise. I made a teen charcuterie board and the boys loved it.

I ran to another boutique before they got home because I lost something that was supposed to go in Jack’s Easter basket. While I was there I saw this cool beer can candle. It looks so cool and it smells amazing.

Ignore our ugly not yet renovated kitchen, but Tom took this picture.

My mom had sent a bunch of letters I wrote in college – phone calls were expensive on landlines so I guess we didn’t call that much. The above photo is the three of us taking turns reading my letters in my 18 year old voice. That is Jack looking at Tom taking the picture because Jack was reading I think!

It was hilarious! They couldn’t believe all the minute details I gave about times my classes occurred, when they got cancelled, homework and tests, activities, dances, parties, and how many guys I talked about! There were many details I had forgotten. I talked about guys named Shane, Shawn, Fred, Rod, Rodney, John, Tony – who are all of these guys?

We read them in chronological order and it was really funny to hear the ones from April of the end of my freshman year since that is where Jack and Mason are right now. I talked about fall scheduling, my dorm selection, and needing to find my summer job.

Biased mom here, but my kids are so witty and quick. Their comments were making me cry laughing.

For dinner they wanted my burrito bowls, but I added the nearby Mexican restaurant’s chips and queso.

We ate and watched a couple of comedies that Tom and I are watching right now. Then, Tom and I sat on the back patio with the lights on and talked. The boys played games and hung out the rest of the night.

Sunday morning I was up and at ’em at 8:00 again, but this time it was Kroger. I just needed a few odds and ends that I can’t get or don’t like to get at Trader Joe’s. It had been a really long time since I had stepped foot inside and I kinda enjoyed it.

I cooked some things, prepped some things and then I walked in the still drizzling weather. Friday night was so nice, but the rest of the weekend – blah!

Reflections on Week 1: (Feel free to skip if you aren’t interested!)

The week went really well. We have the school divided into two groups by alphabet. One group goes Monday and Tuesday and the other goes Thursday and Friday. And, there are those that are remaining virtual. Class sizes are small. My smallest is 3 and my largest is 14. But, this means that we are teaching the same lesson many, many times. For example, I have to teach the same lesson 9 times each time I teach it because I have my virtual during my planning, my 4 Group A, and my 4 Group B. With my other class, I only have to teach the same lesson 5 times.

I absolutely hate the mask. I need them to see my lips and even my tongue for proper Spanish pronunciation. The silk Pomchie’s mask is the only one I can tolerate for 8 hours. The mesh coaches’ mask below started to irritate and the Athleta wasn’t as breathable. I cannot say enough about the Pomchie’s brand which you can find online. They even come in kids’ sizes.

I talked a lot on day 1 for both groups, because that’s kinda necessary on the first day – going over expectations, rules, procedures, etc. The second day I didn’t have to talk as much because I had them making posters for part of class. The less talking you do in the mask, the better, which stinks when you are teacher and have to talk for your job. I didn’t have trouble hearing them through their masks. They did pretty well.

I felt like a real teacher again. I felt myself get into my teaching groove at the front of the room and it was a good feeling.

You forget how much banter there is before class starts and at the end of the class and that’s all part of it. You can get to know them so much better in person.

I had a sweet girl tell me she felt bad for me virtually because she said I would say a joke and everyone would be muted. She thought it must have been hard. Awww! I told her I just heard imaginary laughter in my head.

Do you have any questions for me? I can’t think of anything else to tell you about week 1!

What was the highlight of your weekend? I hope you had more than one!

Amy

Friday, April 9, 2021

Linking up with Andrea, etc. right here!

What a week! Going from Spring Break to back to work in person (transitioning from virtual) made for quite a lot this week! It was so good to see my students in real life! They are distanced and wearing masks and classes are tiny, but it’s still good. I forgot how physically demanding the job is. Plus, we are teaching more without a break. But, it is the first week and it will get easier once we acclimate.

Here are some photos from my camera roll this week that I would like to call my favorites….

The PTA greeted us with a bag of plastic Starbuck’s cups, coupons for Starbuck’s, Chick Fil A, Wendy’s, and Heine Brothers local coffee, Kleenex, disinfecting wipes, snacks, and office supplies. They hand delivered them to our classrooms and it was really sweet. High school teachers usually don’t get all the swag that the elementary teachers get – just sayin’!

Tom is Ernie’s favorite person. I’m his second favorite. Tom always asks Ernie where his Kroger bag for his waste is when it’s time to walk him. So, I started putting his Kroger bag under his collar to bring to his Daddy and Tom thought it was funny. Hey, we don’t have kids at home to laugh about so our dog gets the attention now.

It makes me laugh to see Ernie like this when his bed is so close. Funny story – This is the dining room where his bed is. We bought him an identical bed and it is in our new master bedroom at the foot of our bed. He won’t use that one. We cannot figure out why! He will sleep on our bedroom rug but not on his bed. And, of course, he sleeps with us in our bed every night.

I started back at school on Monday while the boys were still on Easter break. They didn’t go back until Monday late afternoon. I got this sweet message from Mason around 9:00 am on my first day.

The buds on this tree have gotten even prettier this week.

I love being an aunt! This niece was inducted into Honor Society and she looks so grown up!

I loved Ruth’s comment; I talked about hoping that blogs were not becoming obsolete on my Tuesday post.

I have been carrying my credit cards and wallet stuff around in a little pouch because I didn’t have a wallet. I decided it was time to get one. But, I thought I would run back to my consignment shop Sassy Fox and check there first. Sure enough, they had this Fossil wallet for $8!

Wednesday is our day to work at home. I thought I would show you the beautiful flowering trees now.

Ernie and I had a lovely walk in 70 degree weather!

What were your favorites this week? I hope you had many!

Thanks for reading,

Amy

P.S. – On Tuesday it was my Blogiversary of 3 years and I posted about it here. Thank you for your kind comments that were also my favorites this week!

On Wednesday I posted in a “Currently” link up and did what I wore.

Yesterday, I talked about consignment shopping and gave tips.

Thursday, April 8, 2021

Hello! We are almost to Friday!

I had a fun Spring Break visit from my sister, as many of you know. One of the things we did was take a trip to two of my favorite consignment shops. I think she has been consignment shopping longer than I have? But, I remember our mom bringing us to the big city (Louisville, where I currently live) to go consignment shopping when we were teenagers. We grew up in a small town in Indiana about an hour from here. So, maybe she and I have been learning the tricks to consignment shopping for the same amount of time. We have always loved getting bags of hand-me-downs and finding garage sale treasures and enjoying second hand stuff. I know that is not everyone’s cup of tea and that’s o.k. But, remember that someone else probably tried on your new clothing in the store! Lol!

If you live in a small town, it might be worth researching the consignment stores in your nearest big city and making the trip. Many of our stores had to pivot (Friends!) and start websites during the pandemic. A popular internet consignment store is Thredup. For me, I want to see and touch my consignment goods, so I really don’t want to do online consignment shopping.

Let me debunk a misconception…

No one will ever know it is a consignment find. Consignment stores are very picky about what they take. I cannot tell you how many items I see that still have retailers’ tags on them. Plus, there are also many items without tags that look like they have never been worn or have only been worn once. We all make shopping mistakes and you can be the beneficiary of someone else’s mistake! Ha!

I actually like the fact that some of the clothes I find have already been washed. You know when you buy something, wear it once, and then it falls apart in the washer and dryer? Or, it just doesn’t look the same? That stinks! I try to avoid fast fashion now (or at least more than I used to) and that has helped. You may want to look at the next size up since the items may have been washed and can shrink a little. We all need to stop getting hung up on sizing tags. Sizing is crazy in the US!

I personally have had a lot of luck with shoes. I do not think it is gross because if I buy a pair of shoes they have hardly been worn. I do sometimes spray them with Lysol or clean them up a bit, but you would not believe the wonderful shoes I have found. Some of my best finds of all time are my three pairs of brand new Tieks flats that I found for $30 each. These retail for $200 and are some of Oprah’s favorite things. I also found Tory Burch Miller sandals for $70 and they retail at over $200.

Both of my favorite consignment stores allow returns on clothing, but not on shoes. I think it might be worth it to take something home and try it on with your own clothes and in your own mirror.

When you are consignment shopping, it’s good to be open-minded. You probably won’t find very specific things, but you might. If you live close to shops, their inventory changes very frequently so it may be worth it to stop in once every couple of weeks.

On my shopping trip with my sister I came away with these new or almost new shoes:

These Volatile cow/dalmatian? print sandals were $20. I was not in the market but I have heard many people say that this brand is amazingly comfortable. I thought I could throw these on with jeans and a black top or cut off jean shorts and a black top and have an easy put together outfit.

My sister found two pairs of Antelope sandals. She has really high arches. I don’t like this high of a heel for myself most of the time.

This shirt was another of my sister’s finds. It is a pale green mossy color and it looked very flattering on her. Lesson here is that it may not look like much on the hanger, but it might be really great if you try it on. I told her I thought she would reach for this a lot. Elevated t-shirts are what I call this type of thing and they are really great to have in your wardrobe.

If you remember the style spotlight I did on Kate, my sister, she talked about button down shirts and how she has quite a collection and uses them to layer in her outfits. We both thought this was an adorable print.

And, the day she left she put it together with a cardigan she brought and one of her new pairs of sandals. Isn’t this a cute and easy outfit?

And, finally, I was so jealous. This blouse screams “Amy!”, but alas, it was not in my size. It is kind of a flowy poncho fit but with some structure.

I spent around $20 for one pair of like new sandals and Kate spent around $80 for 3 tops and 2 pairs of sandals. She actually found several more things but narrowed it down with my help. We saw Cabi, Boden, Anthropologie, Tory Burch, Michael Kors, and many other great brands. All of these finds came from Sassy Fox in Louisville, Kentucky. They had so much spring and summer inventory!

We also went in to Clothes Mentor but walked out empty handed this time for us. Kate did find 4 items for her teen girls from American Eagle and Target. I feel that the quality has gone down at Clothes Mentor but there could still be a diamond in the rough.

What are your thoughts on consignment shopping? I won’t judge. It’s not for everyone!

Amy

P.S. – Maybe it would be a cool blog post for me to show every consignment item in my current closet?

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

I am participating in two fun link ups today – Currently with Anne in Residence here and The Style Six with This Blonde’s Shopping bag and more here!

But, first, thank you soooooo much for the sweet comments yesterday on my blogiversary! I swear that I did not intend to go fishing for compliments. I merely thought my dear readers would put their name and email address in the comments. Because I am so professional (hashtag just joking), I forgot to put a deadline for my giveaway and I forgot to say when I would announce the winner. Guess what… it’s right now! I decided to cut off the giveaway entries at the end of my evening routine last night so I gave about 17 hours. Hope no one is mad at me!

The winner is……Ruth! Congratulations, Ruth! Please leave me your email address in today’s comments if you are reading!

Currently…

Arranging

my new work schedule! I have left the house at 6:45 both days so far! Today and most Wednesdays I am working from home, which is so nice. I have been trying to figure out when to get up (5:00 or 5:30?), how to do my morning coffee and quiet time and blog reading, and how much time I need to get ready.

I am also still arranging my palm patio and my

lemon deck. When the boys came home they said it looked “so citrus”. Let me know if you see any good lemon stuff at any retailers!

Craving

in person time with my Heathers, my college besties. We have talked on the phone and texted but we need to see each other and we are all fully vaccinated!

Discussing

with myself (and a few colleagues) if a fully vaccinated person needs to mask up. According to the CDC’s recent report, a fully vaccinated person cannot transmit or spread the virus. They were not sure at first and were trying to be cautious. I am not an anti-masker, but I also try not to be a sheep – baaaa! I thought the push for vaccines was so that we wouldn’t have to mask.

Enjoying

When hub turns these lights on in the mornings and evenings. I often forget!

and this! It is so good – I am not a big grapefruit person but this hits the spot. Give it a chance if you can find it; it is a mix of grapefruit juice and beer with carbonation. I found mine at Total Wine.

and this cider is really good!

Preparing

I prepared potato casserole and deviled eggs and bought Hawaiian rolls, Kroger ham, and Costco spinach salad. The salad was on another plate. We have enjoyed leftovers this wee from our Easter meal, too.

I also prepared this staging areas for work outfits. I will teach in person 32 days. Think I can avoid repeating outfits? I might try! These clothes have not gotten any action since spring 2019! So crazy!

And, now what I wore…

I put this entirely Chico’s (all on final clearance a month or so ago) outfit on Saturday. I have my new Coconuts by Matisse sandals on, too.

Back to school day one outfit:

I wore my Madewell tennies with this old Amazon floral dress and old jean vest.

I wore my favorite black pants, my patent black Birkenstocks, and my Pioneer Woman vibe Umgee kimono on day two.

And, that’s all that I documented! I do plan to take my school outfit pic each day.

What are you up to currently? What are you wearing lately?

Thanks for reading,

Amy

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

My first post went live on April 6, 2018 and here it is! You think I’m amateur now…when I started I was even more amateur!

I seriously cannot believe that I have published 764 posts in 3 years. I had no idea I had that much to say, but maybe my friends and family aren’t surprised! I have only had a few times where I just couldn’t think of a topic.

A little back story…

I have always loved a magazine! When I discovered these things called blogs, it felt like an online magazine to me. I was hooked! There was always a little nudge that I wanted to try it, too. But, I was always daunted by the photos and the technology behind the blog. And, I thought that I didn’t have much to offer that anyone would be interested in reading.

Finally I got up the courage to just jump in with both feet. I wanted to write a blog that I would want to read. My kids were 15 so I didn’t want to do a mommy blog, but I think I would’ve been all over that had I started when mine were little. I didn’t want to do a strictly cooking blog or a strictly fashion blog, but I wanted to incorporate all of the things I enjoy. I have kept pretty well to the structure of Hello Monday, Tuesday Tip (this may not always be my topic), What I Wore Wednesday, Thursday Thoughts, and Friday Favorites. Thank you to all of my blogging friends that host link ups because I think they are awesome and it took me a while to figure out how to participate! A link up is a topic that the host decides upon and then pays a service to let other blogs link to their blog. It is a great way to find new blogs you want to read and for new readers to find you.

It was hard to come up with a blog name, but once I thought of mine I was satisfied. I love coffee and I love cocktails and I love making my own at home. I am a homebody at heart so the word “casa” resonated because it means “house” in Spanish. I also love the Spanish language and I have since I was 14 years old and now I am a high school Spanish teacher.

I wanted to be consistent for my readers by posting Monday through Friday at 4:00 a.m. I write my blog posts the day before and set the timer to release the post at 4:00 a.m. I do this for my early risers. I rarely do blog posts much in advance. I almost always write the entire post the day before. Some bloggers spend hours upon hours on each post when you consider the photos they have to take, the editing, the adding of the links, etc. I can’t spend that kind of time so I would say each of my posts takes an hour give or take a few minutes. Some of my time is devoted to responding to my readers’ comments, which I love receiving.

Sometimes when I am writing, I think to myself, “do I think that I’m so interesting that people care about the details of my life? Like really, who am I and why does anyone care?” But, then I get the sweetest comments where my readers share that they made an effort to make a fun plan with a friend. They say I inspired them to see the good in the daily routine or in the current season they are experiencing. They tried a tip of mine or a recipe and they loved it. Wow! I am so flattered that I could inspire even just one person and I am so touched that a reader took the time to type that positive feedback for me. Thank you!

Blogging does not feel like work to me. I am almost always excited to put posts together. I cannot believe how much I have learned in three years but I also feel like the more I learn, the more I learn how much more I have to learn! Ha!

Finally, I feel that I have made genuine friends in my readers. It is so weird, but so cool. There is a lot of good and positivity in the blogging world and the people I have met have helped me stay optimistic. During the pandemic, this was even more evident. Again, thank you!

If you have made it this far, here is your reward….

If you leave me a comment with your name and email address, your name will be put in a drawing for a Nordstrom e-gift card of $25. Nordstrom is one of my favorite places for online shopping. Their sales are amazing!

I just want to say thank you for continuing to visit me! You all are truly the best! I hope you enjoy a coffee or a cocktail at your casa today!

Amy

P.S. – Some say blogs are obsolete, or becoming obsolete, but I hope that is not the case. If you have ever wanted to start one, just do it! I use WordPress and it is very user friendly.

Monday, April 5, 2021

As you are reading this, I am on my way to school to teach for the first time since March 13, 2020! EEEEEEK! I am linking up today with Heather, Tanya, and more here.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend and a happy Easter if you celebrate!

Let’s go back to Friday…Tom was off and he and I went our separate ways to do some errands in the morning. Tom was off Thursday, too, and he got so much done. He did a vet visit (for Ernie, not for him!), went to the DMV to renew registration, and a couple of other things. I did an Amazon return to our UPS store, a Kroger pick up, and an oil change. Then, after I got ready for the day, we went to a movie for the first time in over a year! There isn’t much to see, but we picked Nobody. It was ok, but it was so fun to be back in our theater!

We have been going to this same theater together for 22 years; we started going here when we were dating! We love the movies!

Tom agreed to do a selfie and he took it! This is his excited to be at the movies face!

Then, we went to a nice restaurant called Mesh. Tom had a gift card someone gave him that we have been wanting to use. Movies and dinner felt so 2019!

Their sangria is really good!

I ordered eggplant parmesan and Tom ordered salmon. We had enough leftover to have that for another meal! I can’t remember the last time we had really good restaurant food!

Saturday morning I made a red velvet cake from scratch! It was for Mason being in the play (he loves red velvet) and for Easter. I hadn’t planned on making it from scratch; I had ordered a mix from Kroger but they dissed me. So, I used a Southern Living recipe that called for one cup of buttermilk which I had from making Irish soda bread. I think the buttermilk made it so moist! As Bob Ross would say, it was a “happy accident” because now I know I can make it from scratch! I made a cream cheese frosting from scratch, too.

The boys came home Saturday around noon! I ran to Total Wine to get a few beers I had wanted to try and look what I wore. How did I do this again? Mortified! I didn’t realize it until I put my feet up at home. They are both by the same brand, Reef. Does that make it better? So, yes I am that lady in the liquor store with mismatched shoes.

Sunday morning the Easter bunny came! The Peeps are to share but I forgot to put them between the baskets.

Our weather this weekend was super sunny. It was 60 on Saturday and 70 on Sunday. I spent a lot of time reading this outside. I am pretty into it! It was described as Bridgerton meets Fight Club – lol!

I accidentally got burned sitting outside last Monday, so I am remembering some light sunscreen now. I love this formula.

Easter morning called for a mimosa!

And, I made an egg casserole with Trader Joe’s hashbrown patties on the bottom. It turned out great!

We ate, did Easter baskets, Tom took a bike ride and mowed. Our yard looks so green and nice right now!

I had wanted to attend an outdoor service but I let boys sleep too long.

I made a staging area for school outfits.

Tom hung these canvases in our bedroom. I love seeing them there! They are maybe 11 in the first photo and 14 in the second.

And, that’s a wrap! What was the highlight of your weekend?

I am feeling a bit sad for the end of an era – my WFH (Work From Home) life is over. Well, we will be working from home on Wednesdays for the rest of the year, which is wonderful and generous of my district. They will use that day for deep cleaning. We will use it to tutor, grade, plan, and meet via Zoom. I have said this before, but I really enjoyed/made the best of my virtual teaching experience. I learned so much about myself and teaching during this time, believe it or not. I know it’s time for something different, though.

I am also sad for the boys to go back to school, but they end their final semester of freshman year very, very soon. How did that go by so quickly? The last day of classes is April 17, then they have study days and finals. I am not sure exactly when they are moving home for the summer, but it will be around the end of April. I know I won’t see much of them before then. They will need to focus and I will need to focus.

Thanks so much for reading! I may be slower on my replies to your comments this week and I may not post every day – we will see how things go. Thanks for understanding!

Amy

Friday, April 2, 2021

Happy Friday! How has this week gone by so quickly? I am linking up today with Andrea, etc. here.

Here are some of my favorite things from the week! I hope you had many things that could be your favorites, too!

It was a favorite to get to see Mason as Torvald in A Doll’s House. I wish there weren’t masks and we didn’t have to watch it live streamed, but I guess it’s all o.k.

Jack played some guitar on the deck last weekend. He looks like he is in the zone!

I decided to do the deck in lemon decor and then got to enjoy it on two gorgeous weather days Monday and Tuesday!

I didn’t go too overboard. I would like to add a faux lemon tree where the palm tree-ish plant is. Then, I can move that down to the patio. I also have faux lemons that I need to find.

I kept the patio palm leaf decor from last year.

The only things new this year are the pillows on either side of the palm print.

I finished up Easter baskets. I have had these cute metal buckets since the boys were maybe 8? Do you buy new baskets every year? I think my kids have only been through a couple of baskets. One year I did sand pails because we were at the beach.

Because it was Spring Break, I treated myself to my first dip manicure in over a year. I had gotten a pedicure a couple of weeks ago so I didn’t need that. I found a pretty exact match to my toe color. I have been so tired of my manicures that I do at home only lasting for 2-3 days with all the dish washing I do. So, it was fun to get this done!

I had a fun lunch one day with my friend Elizabeth and discovered a delicious new beer – Rhinegeist Slamgria. It really tastes like sangria! It is from a brewery in Cincinnati and Elizabeth said you can buy it in the can at Total Wine. I need to do that and get some of the wonderful Grand MImosa by Ciderboys. Oh, and Stiegl Radler. I guess I need to put this errand on my list for today. Grand Mimosa really tastes like a mimosa and Stiegl Radler was the grapefruit beer I was introduced to in Germany. I was telling my friend about Slamgria and she asked why I don’t just have a sangria. Sometimes you just want a beer, right?

We split this pretzel – well we didn’t make it very far into it…

Elizabeth got a burger and mac and cheese

and I got chicken sliders with truffle fries.

We went to World of Beer. It is a chain, I think.

Both of my kids got their first vaccine! I was so grateful that their college held a vaccination clinic. And, Tom got his second this week, too! I told them to send me a photo and I got one!

I forgot to mention that my new deck and patio decor came from World Market and Hobby Lobby. While in Hobby Lobby, I saw these rubber faux Birkenstock sandals for $5 and got my sister and I both a pair.

Tom got to take off work yesterday and today! We went to lunch at Gracious Plenty.

Tom got a meatloaf sandwich that he loves and a salad and I got

benedictine – a Kentucky cucumber cream cheese spread that is dyed green. It often comes with bacon and lettuce.

And, a crazy thing happened on April Fool’s Day this week – it snowed! You can’t really see the snow in this photo so you will just have to believe me!

I also had a fun happy hour with my friend Beth at a new Irish pub called The Raven. We chose to sit in this cute little area. I took this photo off of the website because mine wasn’t good.

We both ordered Irish whiskey cocktails.

and we had some curry fries.

And, my last favorite was my sister’s visit!

What was the highlight of your week?

Thanks for reading!

Amy

Thursday, April 1, 2021

How is it April? Or, how is it not April already? I am not sure how I feel? I am on Spring Break this week!

One of the things I was most looking forward to on my first empty nester break was a visit from my sister. We don’t often have the same break (she is a teacher, too!) and I invited her to come for a couple of days. It is rare when husbands and kids aren’t around, so this was something different. She arrived around 4:00 on Monday afternoon and I had a small charcuterie plate and lemondrop martinis ready to go.

We sat outside on the deck in the awesome weather and chatted. We talk on the phone maybe 5 times a week but we hadn’t talked in a few days so there were lots of things to get caught up on.

Tom came home from work and the three of us had dinner at the dining room table inside. I made spinach salad, hasselback potatoes, and chicken.

Then, Kate tried on this jumpsuit that was our great aunt’s. I guess she would have worn it in the 60s or 70s? She was super fashionable and glamorous and she and her husband never had children. This was given to me by my third cousin last Saturday. She had several pieces of clothing that she had inherited and showed them to my mom, aunt, and I. She offered a piece and I picked this for Kate.

We watched some t.v. and talked some more after dinner. I had not had an overnight guest for over a year so it was new and different. Kate is fully vaccinated, too.

Tuesday morning I made mimosas, everything breakfast potatoes (potatoes with everything but the bagel seasoning), sausage squares, and low carb egg casserole with green chilies. And, we also had some Trader Joe’s raspberry kringle. Breakfast dessert, you know?

Outfit of the day for me.

Outfit of the day for Kate. Check out her fashion here if you didn’t see it before.

She splurged on these booties this winter. They are a sister brand of Birkenstock she thinks, called Papillio. She absolutely loves them. She has really high arches and needs a bit of a heel for comfort. I think my best heel height is slightly lower. I think this is important to keep in mind when finding your perfect comfort level – arches.

We went to Dollar Tree to get some Easter basket stuff mainly for her and then to two consignment stores. I have a post planned to show you what we found. Kate majorly scored and I found one thing!

I offered to sit on a patio somewhere because it was another beautiful and perfect spring day, but Kate is happy with my patio and my cooking, which is nice.

I made caprese sandwiches and we had goat cheese spread, guacamole and plantain chips (remember I got all of this for my friends the weekend before, too?), and Kate said it was just as good as if not better than a restaurant. That compliment will get you anything, friends! Lol!

We rested on the patio for a bit because the shopping took it out of us. Then, around 4:00, we went to take a tour of Jack and Mason’s college. Mason has class until 5:45, so only Jack was available. The sun was really bright here.

Kate enjoyed seeing it because she had never been there before.

Then, we met Tom for Cuban food! I only got a photo of some of the food, but I had shrimp and

some yucca.

We came home, sat on the patio again for a bit, and then went in to watch some tv. I think I got Kate hooked on New Girl. She had never seen it before.

Kate left early Wednesday morning because she needed to be home to pick up her daughter.

It was a great visit! I had a long list of places to go, but we ran out of time!

Thanks for reading,

Amy

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Linking up today with Erika and many more here for What’s Up Wednesday!

What We’re eating

I am on Spring Break this week, but I have been doing some cooking!

I made this small charcuterie platter before dinner.

Dinner was this wonderful salad of spinach, red onion, cheddar, green apple, and homemade dressing and grilled chicken and hasselback potatoes.

Another night was copycat Alice Springs chicken from Outback and the same-ish potatoes.

Caprese sandwiches have been a recent thing I have tried and they are delish. I added chicken for Tom’s.

I am ready to have someone else cook for me soon!

What I’m reminiscing about

I’m always loving the memories that pop up on Facebook.

This was when my boys academic team won big. It was so fun to watch them do this together. They are on the right. They used to look so, so identical, and as the years go on they look more and more different.

What I’m loving

The trees started blooming and they are so pretty! It seemed to happen all of a sudden.

We have had some gorgeous days. We do have some cold snaps but I feel like those make me appreciate the warmer days even more!

What I’ve been up to

I have been finishing up Easter baskets and shopping to refresh my patio and deck. I have decided to call my upper one my deck and my lower one my patio. I know you were all on the edge of your seats about that decision.

I went in World Market. It is such a cool store. I also have gone to Hobby Lobby, Home Goods, and TJ Maxx. I love having the time to leisurely peruse these stores on a weekday.

What I’m dreading

I am dreading trying to teach in a mask. I hate the mask. I know it’s necessary, but I talk a lot to teach Spanish. I am going to have to figure this out. My favorite masks are Pomchies brand, so I do plan to wear those.

What I’m working on

In addition to doing some spring cleaning and sprucing of my outdoor spaces, I am working on a few more things to be ready to return to school April 5.

What I’m watching

I can’t find much I want to watch on any of the streaming services. I am watching Bravo shows and that’s about it.

What I’m reading

I just finished this and it is cute but a bit cheesy. It makes a good summer read!

I just started this and I am only about 60 pages in but I like it so far. I am interested to see what will happen.

What I’m listening to

I may like this podcast that makes fun of my Bravo shows even more than the shows themselves!

What I’m wearing

I wore these fun pants to work last week.I have several pairs of printed palazzo pants that I wear with solid color tops.

I am also trying to wear my long sleeve spring tops before it gets too hot to wear long sleeves. I love this old tie-dye that is Chaps brand from Kohl’s.

What I’m doing this weekend

My kids are coming home from college! They have a four day weekend and I am sure they will have homework, but I am hoping they have time to do a couple of things in addition to celebrating Easter. I need to plan my menu and order the food before it’s too late.

Also, I’m sure I won’t sleep great Sunday night with back to school jitters! In April! Crazy, but exciting, too!

What’s up with you this Wednesday?

Amy

March 30, 2021

I’m on Spring Break, so I am bringing back a yummy recipe that I posted last year!

You need:

ice cream sandwiches – I did the mini this time but I really think the big work better. You need a very soft crust on the sandwiches so that this dessert all melds together.

Cool Whip

Heath pieces

Using an 8×8 (I highly recommend using the aluminum disposable if you are going to take this somewhere – and this would be a great dessert to take to a bbq – with a very small number of people, of course), spread a bit of Cool Whip on the bottom of the pan.

Now do one layer of your ice cream sandwiches.

Now do another thicker layer of Cool Whip and half of the Heath bag.

Repeat and this is what it will look like.

Put in freezer for several hours so that it will re-freeze together well. Cut in slices and serve.

Disclaimer: One son was mad that I “ruined” the ice cream sandwiches and said “So you mean you took something great on its own and did this to it?” Husband does not like Cool Whip so I said I would do vanilla ice cream instead of Cool Whip next time.

You can’t please everyone, right?

Let me know if you make it!

Amy