I try to do these posts every couple of weeks because I know how helpful they are to me! We all get in ruts!
I cook 5-6 nights a week and the other night(s) we get takeout or eat leftovers.
This is really good. I made it to eat just as is and I made it to serve on an entree salad.
Season chicken breasts or tenders on both sides generously with Trader Joe’s lemon pepper and everything but the bagel seasoning. Sear on both sides for 2 minutes and put in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Thank you to Carolina Charm for this recipe! She also just posted that she used this to make chicken salad (the cold version with mayo, etc.)!
I served this with shortcut twice baked potatoes. I did two potatoes in the microwave then after they cooled a bit, I split them in half and scooped out the innards. I added sour cream, cheese and spices and put back in the potato skin and added cheese and bacon and baked for about 15 minutes in the still hot oven.
I also wanted to make this corn from Boo Mama. It has cream cheese and sour cream. It would’ve been a better meal with a green vegetable instead, but we were low on supplies.
I made BLT wraps for the boys one day for lunch. I offer to make them something some days and some days they take care of their meals. They aren’t big on lunch meat sandwiches so they usually make themselves leftovers, grilled cheese, quesadillas, or Ramen.
I made Family Savvy blog’s baked ziti for a crowd but I didn’t make as big of a portion.
Our takeout rotation is: the Mexican place by our house called Mi Tierra, the Mediterranean place by our house, the Thai place by our house – those are our go-tos. We are so lucky to have really good restaurants close by. Not everything is good for takeout but these three can be reheated well if you are doing the 20-30 seconds to kill the virus thing in the microwave. Fried food is not good for takeout – we learned the hard way!
This is arroz con pollo that the boys love.
We have not ordered pizza since I discovered the skinny biz dough recipe. Isn’t that crazy? That’s what my reader who told me about it said, too! I do plan to order some pizza soon because we have really great pizza places here.
I skipped a few weeks of Dinnerly and got another box this Monday. Here are my recipes for this week.
I have only made the Pad See Ew so far but I called it Pad Thai and added chicken- see I just can’t follow directions well! My son called it “Sad Thai” so if that tells you anything – it was not a hit – I also chalk it up to the fact that we are spoiled by really good Pad Thai up the road. The owner is from Thailand so it is the real deal. I kind of think Chinese and Thai food are hard to make at home? We’ll go with that!
Dinnerly has several options each week that you can choose from. I hope the other two recipes go over better with my crew! Also, I can send 3 people Dinnerly boxes. Dinnerly has no idea that I have a blog, but it is their standard referral program. You would have to give your credit card information and then your first box is free. The first three people to leave their name and email address will get a box! I now have two friends doing Dinnerly and two blog readers have tried it. I’m not sure if they kept up with it. I find it to be the most affordable of the meal delivery kits I have seen. For a family of four, for three meals a week, it is around $60.
What have you been eating? I always need ideas! It’s also heating up around here so I want to keep my oven off!
My friend was mentioning her lack of “anything to look forward to” and how that is taking a toll on her mentally. I know that is the case for many of us, too. By putting a few small things on the calendar that can be done safely, we can reap some benefits of summer fun. In a way it doesn’t seem like summer has started yet, but I know that fall will be here before we know it and I want to be intentional and take advantage of some things I can do this season.
I realize that we all have different comfort levels given the current situation. Some of these ideas can be modified according to your comfort level.
Move your furniture a bit to make sure you have enough space to spread out. Or use folding chairs in the yard!
-Have one family over and each of you bring takeout of your choice to eat outside. We did this a lot at the beginning of the pandemic. The host just had to set up their tables 6 feet away and we kept each family at their own table. You can also order individual meals from a restaurant so there is no buffet style sharing.
-We have many neighborhoods that are inviting food trucks to come visit. Bring a couple of chairs, grab some food, eat in a common area of the neighborhood if you don’t live there or take the food to a nearby park. Invite friends and sit 6 feet away. There are some really great food trucks in my city.
-Look for outdoor music. We have had a few options for this and this is what we would do a lot of in a typical summer.
A local brewery had a food truck and a musical act. They had tables spaced out well and you had to wear a mask to order or to go in to use the restroom.
-This is prime time for Farmer’s Markets. I have listed different ones in my calendar in case I can go. It’s more than shopping; it’s entertainment and it’s supporting our local farms. There are all kinds of things – jams, bread, vegetables, meat and eggs, flowers, and more. We did the Sunday 1-4 that a nearby neighborhood has with another couple. We looked around a bit and then set out chairs under a shade tree and enjoyed some treats from the market and some wine we each brought for ourselves. We had a great couple of hours visiting.
-Have one friend over for cocktail hour. It’s easier to social distance with just one person. If they are comfortable you can provide the drink. Get individually packaged snacks or make a separate snack plate for each of you, if they are comfortable with that. I ask my friends what their comfort level is. Some are fine for me to prepare something and some are more at ease with packaged foods or BYO. Bonus: If it’s just one friend at a time you can really visit and talk. I have done this with 3 friends so far. I usually say to come around 2:00.
-Meet a friend on a patio at at restaurant for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. It will get too hot for patios here soon but it will be short lived hopefully. And, we have some unseasonably cooler days here and there in July and August. I try to meet earlier than the rush hour – like a 5:00 dinner or a 11:30 lunch.
-Get a baby pool and invite a friend to put their feet in with you and pretend you’re at a beach. You can make sure you are spaced out 6 feet. If you have a real pool, even better!
-Have a virtual cocktail party if friends are more comfortable with that. Zoom is great and user friendly or use Facetime. Each of you prepare your own drink while talking over video. I did this with high school friends, my cousins, work people. It’s not the same, but it helps.
-Invite a friend to walk with you.
-Invite a friend to take a bike ride with you.
-Go canoeing and keep family units in same canoe!
I find that if I have even just one social thing on the calendar per week it really helps me. Soon I hope to invite a couple of people on our boat. I am supposed to start work August 10, so I am about a month away. We still don’t know what that will look like. I decided I am going to enjoy some more “summer” and not stress about school until there is something to stress about.
What other ideas do you have for fun?
I still plan to:
-shop for college stuff with each boy – Waiting on sales and list from our college.
-plan a couple of family activities that the boys are comfortable doing
-host family for a small graduation gathering outside
-boat
-eat on patios
-enjoy more takeout from locally owned places
-learn to cook a few more things – want to try the Outback blooming onion
-declutter and deep clean many spaces in my house. Take things to donation sites.
-start next renovation project or get plans in place – next up is Master bath!
-Meet Tom for lunch one day while he is at work. There is a particular place that just opened with a large patio
-Go out to brunch on boat
-Meet my sister for boating
-Get my professional development hours done
-Schedule needed appointments for end of summer and early fall
-Read several more books
What about you? Do you have a list of things you want to do?
I checked my Amazon account and I haven’t made any July purchases there – YET, but I thought I would share what I have bought otherwise.
Typically in the summer I love to shop for clothing and accessories! I can usually wear my summer clothes into October here in Louisville, KY. I get excited to add things to my teacher wardrobe. I usually check into my two favorite consignment shops weekly and about this time all of the great summer sales are going on. I’m not doing that this year so far. I feel like I have plenty to wear to the few places I go. I do put on an outfit to run my few errands each week. I put on an outfit to go to listen to outdoor music (we’ve done this 4 times) or to eat on a patio (I’ve done this twice).
On Sunday I wasn’t getting into my one and only library fiction book. I took myself to Barnes and Noble and picked out these. I want travel and food books right now. My friend E said this, also. Put the character in an exotic place and describe the food and there is my ideal book right now.
A French Wedding looked promising – I will let you know.
And, I love Jenny Colgan books and this was one I wanted to pick up at some point.
I also stepped into Ulta. I wanted to look for lip oil. Have you heard all the rage about lip oil? It is supposed to be super mousturizing and not waxy like a balm.
I also wanted a light neutral for fingers and my friend B had this awesome grey/green color on her toes.
Here are the lip oils. I was only going to try one, but there was a free gift if I spent a little bit more money – o.k., Ulta, you got me!
I needed a new Beauty Blender and I don’t think the knock offs compare. I got a small bottle of witch hazel for each boy to help their skin.
This is the free bag. It is clear with this palm pouch. You know I love a palm print!
The cashier didn’t tell me there was a watermelon lip gloss and watermelon makeup remover inside – cool!
And, here is the rug that I ordered. I did an 8 x 10 for the Master bedroom and a runner for the hall between the closets and Master.
As I am writing this it hasn’t arrived but I will let you know what I think!
Also, I have not really used my Panera “free” coffee much. I think I got it twice – one hot and one iced. I tried to get another one at another Panera but they never came out to give it to me and I gave up and left after 20 minutes.
What have you purchased lately? Are your shopping habits drastically reduced or have they increased?
Hi guys! How does this Monday find you? I like summer Mondays. This is the day I use to lay pretty low, do my weekend laundry, make phone calls and get weekly tasks scheduled. I am linking up with Heather, Tanya and other so go right here.
Today I am excited because I have rugs arriving! I finally found an area rug and matching runner that I think will work for my Master bedroom. I bought it from Boutique Rugs online and I was able to pay through my Amazon account. It is really hard buying a rug without seeing and feeling it but I’m crossing my fingers. I also have a Dinnerly box arriving for the first time in a few weeks (I took a break to use up freezer supplies). I am going to try and follow their recipes instead of being a rebel.
Let’s go back to last Thursday as I do my Friday post a bit early.
Thursday morning and most mornings I did my morning routine outside as the sun was coming up. I cannot sleep in, you all. I just can’t! What is wrong with me? I was just reflecting with my husband that a year ago I couldn’t even enjoy the old lower patio because it was full of construction stuff. There was wood and supplies all over my driveway, I had no back door, and there was loud work every day last summer practically! So, even in the midst of what is going on or maybe moreso I am happy to have this space.
I met my friend B on a patio for brunch at a relatively new place called Biscuit Belly. We had to go in to order and we wore masks – most people did and there were only 4 others there. Then, they brought our food to the patio. I got a tequila sunrise. Is 10 a.m. too early to drink tequila? It has the word “sunrise” in the name, o.k.?
B got a Bloody Mary and it had tiny little biscuits on top! So cute! I wish I liked Bloody Marys but I do not!
We both got the “basic biscuit” with bacon, egg, and cheese, and a sauce that I got on the side. I guess we are basic! It was meh. The biscuit really wasn’t that good in my opinion. I think I like McDonald’s better. Now, you are really judging me for the morning tequila and that statement.
I went to my friend’s store last week and this is the tie-dye mask that I showed you. The fabric rather than elastic around the ears is much more comfortable.
Thursday night was homemade pizza night! I did two pizzas and did a combo bbq carnitas and cheese and the other was pepperoni. I needed more cheese! Don’t worry I added some of the shredded stuff. This was the good mozzarella! This is the “skinny biz pizza crust recipe” you can google if you are interested.
I made a red, white, and blue sangria-ish drink just for me. I used frozen strawberries and blueberries, pinot grigio, and 1/3 can of strawberry Fresca. It wasn’t sweet enough (and I do not like super sweet drinks at all) because the Fresca is simply a sparkling soda water so I added my favorite cocktail ingredient Crystal Light lemonade powder – only about 1/3 of a stick and this became sooooo good!
Friday Tom was off and he went paddleboarding on the river in the morning. He ended up having to help tow someone’s boat to shore. I went to Fresh Market for a couple of things and it was too crowded. I high-tailed it out of there. I had done my Kroger pick up on Thursday (this seems to be my normal day now?) and I guess people were crowding all the grocery stores for the holiday weekend. Someone posted a crazy line at Costco on Facebook. I was glad I shopped early.
It was so hot and was going to be all weekend, but I got motivated and Tom and I took the boat out around 2 and stayed out until 6ish. I was so relaxed. I haven’t felt the normal summer relaxation that kicks in mid-June. Maybe it’s because of all the anxiety around us. Anyone else?
The relaxation could’ve been in part due to the bourbon slush I brought on board. I stopped at the gas station by our house for an Ale 8 (like ginger ale) slush for Tom and I pilfered some to go with some bourbon. I do want you to know, though, that I have had many non-cocktail days lately. I have been having one drink maybe 3 days a week. My beverage of choice is water. I am really trying to drink more!
I must have my spray bottle. I went to the river with very wet hair which really helped me stay cool and then I used this to keep cool.
After several days cooking, we decided to get Mexican take out with the boys. We ate together at home and watched Scrubs. This is what we are currently watching as a family. I set out all of my 4th of July supplies for the next day even though I had no plans.
This is the boys’ fave arroz con pollo. I ordered two portions but they could’ve split one. Soo much food!
I did get my car washed in the morning. My car looked sooo bad. I used to be afraid to go in the car wash alone. I was afraid I would mess up the directions. I thought it would be much like the one and only time I tried a spray tanning booth. I couldn’t figure out or remember the directions and I got sprayed in the mouth. It was very similar to Ross’s experience on Friends except without the dark tan.
I also found all of my festive clothing. A girl can dream of a day with plans, right?
I made my traditional pretzel rolo things.
And, Saturday on the 4th Tom and I went back out in the heat again for a few hours.
I packed a portable charcuterie boat picnic.
We came home and I made a home charcuterie for appetizers.
and baked ziti for dinner. It was definitely not a traditional 4th. A friend invited us out on their boat for fireworks but I knew it would be a late night and we would be really close to other people so I turned it down.
Mason had a outside party to go to after dinner. Jack hung out with us and then I found one of my favorite movies The Holiday. I love the Jude Law and Cameron Diaz scenes in England the most.
Sunday seemed to be the hottest day of all. Tom did a 2 hour bike ride, then mowed and did yard work. I worked inside on some organizing and then re-read some magazines before recycling or giving away while my ceiling fan was going.
I am not really into this. I’m trying…
I got Disney + for a month for just me – no one else was interested – and watched half of Hamilton Sunday after lunch. It’s a commitment. I knew basically nothing other than the premise. It’s kind of weird watching a musical recorded as a movie. A friend gave me a tip to put the captions on and that has been helpful to not miss anything. Can you believe my actor/singer son is not interested?
For dinner, I made an entree salad with homemade bread. One of my goals was to eat more big salads for dinner and everyone loved this. I used iceberg, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, ham, hardboiled egg, bacon, cheese, the everything lemon pepper chicken recipe from Carolina Charm blog, homemade croutons from older bread, and homemade honey mustard dressing. Who am I?
After dinner, I filled up my bird feeders – they are eating us out of house and home! Immediately a cardinal came – Tom and I were wondering how they know to come check to see if was full again?
And, I have one hydrangea bloom – it’s way back there and you can barely see it!
How was your weekend? Did you socialize? Did you follow your annual traditions?
Happy Friday! Happy 4th of July! Friday is always a fun post. It’s a way to give recommendations or to talk about the little things that made us happy that week. I am linking up today with Andrea, etc. so go right here to see some more!
I know many of you are excited for Hamilton on Disney + tonight. I don’t have it. I would really like to watch it but maybe there will be another way to watch it later. I guess I could just get it for one month? Ideas? Recommendations regarding Disney +?
These hydrangeas from my friend made me so happy this week. My hydrangea bush is still not blooming. Fingers crossed that it does this year! It looks nice and green and healthy!
At the beginning of the week I washed all my masks. I wear each one a couple of times before washing. I also posted a photo of me in my mask in Instagram to show that I am wearing one. The top and bottom are cute but they are hot and don’t stay on the ears well. The middle two are my favorite and added bonus made by my former student.
I have been reading a lot lately. American Dirt, The Honey Don’t List, The Lie that Binds, and 28 Summers are all books I would recommend. When I have a good book it’s almost like I’m on a mission and when I finish it I am in mourning and kind of have a book hangover. Are you like that? I love reading on my patio with a beverage. This was a morning coffee reading session.
I have been using my big monogram tote lately.
Also, I placed a Land’s End order a week ago. I decided this black polo with monogram would come in handy. I thought it would look good with my white skort and maybe even a skirt? The quality is great and it was on sale so I was happy.
I finished 28 Summers! Some of it bothered me, but Elin’s books are great summer reads. Has anyone read it? I wish I could discuss!
This is a giant pump bottle of self-tanner and it doesn’t have much of a tanner smell. It is on sale on HSN again for $39 from $90. I think this would last years. It gives a really nice color and a bit of a shimmer. I wanted to let you know to catch the sale price. I would never pay $90 unless it promised instant weight loss or something like that! Look for it at HSN.com.
I gave myself a bit of a 4th of July mani/pedi. I did Alpine Snow on the toes (white makes you look tan, too!) and red on the fingers. The red is called Double Breasted Jacket.
Awkward photo below. One of my quarantine goals was to improve my flexibility so by doing my own pedicure I’m killing two birds with one stone.
Less awkward photo.
My next book is a library curbside pick up. I don’t think I’m going to read Big Summer because of the mixed reviews I’ve seen. I never read this and it was recommended somewhere. Anyone read it?
One day this week I never got my car out but I’ve decided I should get out in the car once a day. One day this week my outing was my friend’s local boutique called The Prickly Pear. I have been wanting an American flag kimono for years I tell you and she had it on sale for $16. It even has a silver sparkly thread running through it. I hope it isn’t disrespectful to wear a flag.
She also had these t-shirt material masks for $9 that are so soft and comfy. Also, you really need to wear studs with your mask so I needed some new studs. I thought these were unique and they were only $6.
I had one afternoon of rain on the patio this week. Love it! It is so relaxing!
I still don’t have firm plans this weekend but I am going to try to make someone eat some red, white, and blue charcuterie with me! Here is my inspiration:
So cute, right?
This will for sure be an odd 4th of July! It is supposed to be super hot here.
What were your faves this week? I would love to hear!
Hello friends! Everyone loves a Trader Joe’s post, right? Well, everyone who has a Trader Joe’s nearby? If you don’t, maybe you can still get some meal ideas? Some of you have some nice specialty grocery stores that might have some of these options. And, if you mostly go to Kroger like me or Wal-mart I think I have something for you!
We only have one in my large city but lucky for me that it is only about a 7 minute drive. I set out this past Tuesday morning. My plan was to get there around 8:50 like I did last time and do the separate liqour store first. In Kentucky, you need a separate store front for alcohol sales as they cannot be in the actual grocery store – except for beer. I was a bit early and got there around 8:40. The parking lot was almost empty. That is rare!
I went in the liquor store and then got at the front of the line to wait untl 9:00 as the first hour is for seniors and vulnerable people. The employee said I could go on in because there weren’t many people. Wonderful!
It reminded me of the days of yesteryear when I could go early and look at new products and take my time. I ended up with 4 bags full. They are not allowing reusable bags right now but I really like to have these brown bags on hand at my house for certain things.
Excuse the forehead lines, but I tried the Dawn dishwashing soap on the glasses trick and it worked! I rubbed a bit on the lenses before I left home and then wiped with a paper towel. This keeps glasses from fogging up while wearing a mask. Every.single.person was wearing a mask. They even thanked me for wearing one after I checked out. This is my favorite mask made by my former student. Not all masks are created equal. This fabric seems to be more breathable than my others. The elastic is also more comfortable.
I got some meal stuff, some tried and true faves, and some new to me products.
First, I am never without this rice. It is sooooo good. An easy meal or a meal the boys can make if Tom and I go out is orange chicken and rice. I also like to keep their frozen fries on hand for a BLT or hot sub night.
For Taco Tuesday this week I decided to make fish tacos and carnitas tacos. I think these carnitas are really good. I microwave them and then crisp them up in a skillet.
These turkey corn dogs are really good. This is a lunch option for the boys usually.
I wanted to try to make the tacos really authentic with the slaw, salsa, lime, red onion, and cotija cheese.
Another purpose of my mission was to gather things for a red, white, and blue charcuterie board. We don’t have any plans yet. The boys have been invited to a party and I will say o.k. if outside and not too many people. I thought it would be fun even just for Tom and I to have this charcuterie board. My city has lots of charcuterie companies now that will deliver. I enjoy making it myself but I am curious to get a delivery. I might do that for our anniversary?
So, I found red beet crackers. They might be bad, but they will look good, right?
Now, I know for sure that these cheeses are the bomb. Blueberry goat cheese and wine soaked cheese are the things your charcuterie dreams are made of.
These gummy lobsters are so cute and preppy!
I love, love, love to simply put out a half of a block of cream cheese and pour red pepper jelly over it. Then, you spread on crackers.
I will have white water crackers and I will fill in with other items from my normal Kroger grocery run.
The pastas at TJ’s are only 99 cents. I might make a bow tie pasta salad with feta and tomatoes. I thought the spirals would be fun, too. I might use them for my turkey sausage and cream sauce pasta.
I always have a loaf of brioche in my freezer. I use this for French toast and the world’s most decadent grilled cheese.
I was out of my favorite seasonings – the pink salt and the Everything but the bagel seasoning and I wanted to try this lemon pepper.
The cashier told me that she was told by a doctor to put two pieces of this pink salt under your tongue for a headache and it will go away almost immediately. I almost want a headache so I can try this out! I love stuff like this.
These are sooooo good. My boys really like them when we don’t have a homemade treat. I don’t drink milk very much but sometimes I will get a small cup and dunk these puppies. Yum.
I don’t know what it is, but Trader’s makes grocery shopping fun.
I know many of us are sad that we can travel this summer.
What about planning a staycation and stocking up on fun foods from Trader’s that you wouldn’t normally buy and trying to do several picnics maybe even with themes? French, Red, White, and Blue, Childhood (treats from your childhood), etc. Wouldn’t that be fun? You could even plan a short road trip to the nearest store.
Where do you stand on Trader Joe’s? Do you have a favorite product? What would you like to try from my haul?
It is July! Come on, July, we have higher hopes for you!
This confession may show my age? I’m not sure these are really cutting edge fashion and I don’t care! I love a skort! I even like saying “skort”! If you are not familiar with this term – a “skort” is a morphing of the words “skirt” and “short”. It looks like a skirt but it has shorts underneath. I think I owned many a skort as a little girl and I remember a floral skort from the 90s that I wore out to the clubs to go dancing. Some women are not comfortable wearing shorts out to run errands or to an event. Remember what an “event” is? Or, you might think the event calls for something a bit nicer? That is the beauty of the skort. You may not be doing much these days, but I still think the skort is a nice addition to the summer wardrobe.
My most recent foray into the world of skorts occured maybe 3-4 summers ago with this knit skort from Kohl’s. I love the look of white in the summer. I stopped being afraid of white and just went for it. My friends will never let me forget when I wore white denim cut off shorts to a bar in the 90s and slid down the exit ramp because it was slippery with beer I guess. My white shorts were no longer white, but they got a good laugh out of it! White jeans, white denim shorts, white linen shorts, white linen pants – I love them all. I just love the fresh look of white. So, when I was in Kohl’s on another mission a few years ago, I spotted this and thought it would be a great closet workhorse. It sure has been, you guys! I wear it all the time in the summer. Because it is knit and pull on, it is super comfortable. But, it looks nice enough to wear out to dinner or to somewhere a little nicer.
The skort that has been a great buy below:
There are also athletic skorts. I bought this one from Amazon and I don’t love the material so I am not going to link to it. But, this is good for walking or doing some other form of exercise. I sometimes wear this boating if I don’t plan to swim.
I also ordered these from Walmart.com upon seeing them on a blogger – I don’t love the fact that the material looks wrinkled and I can’t seem to fix that with my wrinkle spray. I have been wearing them, though, and they are just o.k. They are more in athletic skort category, too.
I have long loved the swim skort, too.
There are cute skorts intended for golf and tennis and you might find them in sporting goods stores or online. My Sister in Law wears a golf skort from Dick’s by the brand Lady Hagen. She really likes hers but I haven’t gotten to try it yet.
I plan to look for a couple more skorts to add to my summer wardrobe. Where do you stand on the skort?
I have done this before back in the winter if you are a long time reader – and I have talked about my love of Refinery 29’s Money Diaries and The Kitchn’s Grocery Diaries. I just find this stuff interesting! What about you? Anyway, check these out if you are interested and let me know what you think!
So, let’s do a quick recap. I haven’t left the house to work since March 13. I had a bit of a break for two weeks while my district got their plan together and then during our “spring break”. I worked from home from April 6-May 28. That took up a lot of time and the other time I had left was spent meal planning, prepping, and ordering groceries. I did do a bit of online shopping, but not much. Typically I spend more in the summer. I have the time, I really like summer sandals, you catch my drift.
Some other fun facts…
I have only filled up my gas tank 3 times since March 13!
I have continued to do Kroger pick up most weeks and Dinnerly meal service most weeks. This ensures I am not doing much impulse buying at the grocery and sticking to my plan.
I decided to do my week from Monday June 22-Sunday June 28. This is just food and extras. I’m not including any other bills.
Here we go!
Monday, June 22: Mason left for his lake trip. I spent the morning doing chores and helping when he needed help. I wanted to be home when he was picked up around 1:00.
I went out to look at Versona for fun around 2:00 p.m. It is at an outdoor mall so I only went in one place. It was almost empty and all wore masks.
Versona: $22 (4 pairs of earrings) I showed you these last week on the blog and I have worn 3 of the 4 already!
Raising Cane’s Chicken: $20 – Jack really likes this and I wanted to do some treats for him while Mason was gone. I went ahead and bought this early and then just warmed it up in the oven when it was dinner time.
Dairy Queen: $10 – Jack loves a Heath Blizzard and so does Tom!
We ate our chicken and then ended up in a very deep conversation with Jack about the state of our country, the virus, his future in college, and some other weighty topics. It was very emotional. I felt that the Blizzard was needed so he and I went to get them and I could tell he felt better after getting things off his chest. Teen parenting is hard, you all. Teen parenting during a pandemic is even harder.
Tuesday, June 23:
Panera $0: I went out and got my free coffee deal early in the morning. Check out their deal with free coffee until September. I signed up for it on Monday and was eager to try it out.
Jack and I did some shopping for new clothes for him. He even got up earlier than normal to do this. I did not get anything! I was really proud of how Jack looked at prices and kept his distance from other shoppers. He was really pleasant to shop with. We wore masks and dressing rooms were closed.
Steinmart: $102.94
Kohl’s: $41.74
He found 6 shirts, one pair of pants, and two pairs of socks for less than $150. Everything fit when he tried it on for us. Yes, he even agreed to try it on for Tom and I after dinner that night.
Wednesday, June 24:
I went by myself to another store (Von Maur) for pants for Jack. I found two pairs for $50 ($25 each on sale). I got one of them for Mason. They wear the same size but Mason is slightly shorter and skinnier than Jack. I’m talking probably a half an inch in height and 10 pounds maybe. So, not enough to wear different sizes.
Dinner from Thai Cafe: $40 (This is another meal Jack loves and Mason doesn’t really like much.) We always split two orders of chicken pad thai between the three of us and have enough for leftovers.
I could tell Jack was really missing Mason. He agreed to watch several episodes of New Girl with me after dinner. That was nice.
Thursday, June 25:
Free Panera coffee
Free library pick – I was giddy that my library started letting us call to make appointments to pick up books on hold.
I had a friend over for patio happy hour but didn’t buy anything. I had charcuterie board stuff and cocktail stuff already.
Mason returned home and I made spaghetti for dinner and it was so nice to eat all together.
Friday, June 28: Tom was off. He decided to take off most Fridays in June and part of July instead of taking a week off. He went paddleboarding on the river in the morning and then we did a boat lunch later and took Ernie. That night we just went to hear outdoor music and then I made us a late light dinner after with the boys.
Saturday, June 29:
Home Depot trip for patio rug, a plant, new lightbulb, mouse traps, and maybe one other thing $170
Cane’s for dinner for boys $11 – not normal to do this twice in a week but it was close.
Sunday, June 28: We were going to have a couple over for a socially distanced patio happy hour so I needed a few items for that and to fill in the meals for the following week. My gas tank was also empty.
Kroger Gas: $49
Kroger Groceries: 74.11
Take Out for Dinner from Shiraz Mediterranean Grill $50 (The boys wanted this on Friday but it was already closed when they told us – We had gone to listen to music and said we would bring food home – so we promised it for the next night we were all home for dinner) It is expensive take-out but we always have leftovers and I tipped $10.
Thoughts on the week: I spent way more on take out but I had planned for this with Mason gone. Also, I skipped Dinnerly this week and had a lower grocery bill, too. Jack needed new clothes for college and this was a good time for us to have one on one time. I already did a little bit of shopping with Mason the week before but I plan to take him one on one, too. Then, Tom and I will do another college dorm room trip with them after the 4th or whenever the stock is out.
Have you ever recorded spending for a week? It’s very eye opening!
How was your weekend? Mine was good but I’m scared. I have now heard of four families from my city that have come back from Florida positive for the virus. I don’t blame Florida; I feel bad for Florida. Look at everyone flocking there because it’s a nice place to flock to. These people are probably bringing stuff with them and then coming home and they aren’t necessarily self-isolating. One of my best friends went, too, and she doesn’t think she needs to get her family tested. I want to be normal, too, believe me. I’m back to March levels of anxiety around here. I just don’t know if we can do in person school and it pains me.
Sorry to start off like that but I can’t fake it. How are you feeling?
My books are helping me right now. I gave up on my last book which was Always the Last to Know by Kristin Higgins. I like her normally but this book – nothing was happening. It was pages and pages of character description and only two things had happened 3/4 of the way through. Anyone else?
Never fear, my library came through. I picked up Emily Giffin’s The Lies that Bind and could not put it down. But, I also felt like I had already read it. It came out June 1, 2020, though. Anybody read it?
Now I will show you photos with captions from my weekend…
We took Ernie for his first boat ride of 2020!
Ernie’s doggie ramp to get back on boat.Friday night music outsideMy fun bargain pants from two years ago from Versona.Our friends happened to be there. I thought Tom was too close and I stayed further away. Ernie wondering why Tom’s bike clothes are so weird. Tom did 29 miles Saturday.Date at Home Depot in our masks. All but one person we saw had masks on. My city is doing really well with masks – or at least the few places I have been. I did OPI Bubblebath. This is really cute. We watched it Saturday night.I finished Emily Griffin so fast and moved on to 28 Summers by Elin Hildebrand. I’m reading this so fast and loving it but it frustrates me. If you read it you may agree. Sunday we put down our new rug from Home Depot! We cleaned off the patio. We did a socially distant patio happy hour with one couple and I bought adult lunchables for safety. They had their own and we had our own. I made my Kentucky lemonade. They brought me my fave hydrangeas from their yard and a beautiful bottle of rosé.
What were your highlights? Are you ready for July? Whatcha got for us, July?
The weeks are flying! I know I keep saying that but I think we all feel that we are in some strange time and space continuum, right? I am happy to link up today with Andrea, etc. so go right here!
In addition to my favorites this week I will walk you through my week…
Monday my son Mason left for a few days at a cabin at a lake about 1.5 hours away. Tom and I decided to let him go as he was going to be with the mom, and aunt and uncle of his best friend along with three other boys. It’s a little scary because you can’t really control the other people they have been around but we knew this would be good for Mason and he really wanted to go. These days at the cabin were a graduation gift for his best friend from the aunt and uncle who own the cabin.
He did his laundry a couple of days before he left and he made a list of what he should pack and then he packed everything. I started having my boys pack their own stuff around 5th grade. I always gave them a list and then they had to lay everything out to be checked by me. I taught them to roll their stuff and always pack a trash bag for their dirty clothes. He went to Europe last fall and had to re-pack multiple times at all of the different hotels so I think he learned a thing or two about packing. Organization does not come naturally for either of my boys, unfortunately! But, he is super low maintenance and he did a good job.
On Tuesday I posted my home tour and you guys are so sweet. I realized I left out a photo of the front of my house so here it is.
Facebook has been showing me some Father’s Day photos. I love this picture of Tom and the boys at the zoo from when they were 10 years old. Jack is on the left and Mason is on the right. Both Tom and I are feeling so nostalgic about our little boys.
And, this one from a Reds game when they were 9 years old was bittersweet. We had to put our first chocolate lab Archie to sleep the day before. He was 12 years old and was in pain. Mason is on the left and Jack is on the right and you can see that all three of my boys have sad faces.
I heard about something cool that Panera is doing and I have a Panera really close so I signed up. Normally they have a 8.99 a month unlimited coffee, iced coffee, or tea plan. That would pay for itself with just a few coffees a month, right? Until September it is totally free. I had recently said that I don’t even think about going out for coffee anymore, but I thought this would be a nice treat for the summer. It isn’t really unlimited but you can get a new coffee every two hours. Come on now, you wouldn’t want unlimited – you would be up all night! So, I thought I would share this in case anyone is interested.
I got a hot hazelnut in the morning.
And an iced coffee in the afternoon on Tuesday.
I had extra dough so I made homemade pizza for Jack for lunch on Tuesday. I’m getting better at it!
I also made peanut butter chocolate chip cookies – actually I only made a half of the recipe so we wouldn’t be tempted by too many.
One night we had a taco salad.
Jack was interested in shopping for new clothes for college while Mason was gone. He and I masked up and went to Steinmart and Kohl’s and he found some great bargains. He wanted button down shirts and pants mainly. I told Jack he was getting all of my attention while Mason was gone. He looked at me like that was a threat!
Almost everyone is wearing a mask. I think there were only 2 people without them and they looked silly. We have to normalize mask wearing in my opinion! What about in your area?
He also watched New Girl with me and we both just think it’s the best. If you have never watched it, give it a try. It’s just what I need right now.
So, I haven’t made any official announcements with college details on this space. I only told you that Mason made his decision at the beginning of quarantine and Jack made his a couple of weeks later.
They both made their decision independently without telling the other and Tom and I also didn’t say anything. We wanted them both to make the right decision for themselves without worrying about the other. It’s a very unique situation to be an identical twin. Tom and I will never understand it.
When we started the college search junior year we said they had to go somewhere they could use their state money (they get 2,500 a year for good grades and high ACT score) unless they got an amazing scholarship. So, they both applied to a big state school, two small liberal arts schools, and Jack also applied to one other school that Mason didn’t apply to. This may seem limiting but I am a firm believer that kids need guidelines or else it is overwhelming. Also, we don’t believe in letting our kids end up in major debt. We think that they need to have some skin in the game and pay for some of it themselves. I am not judging if you feel differently – just explaining how we feel as parents.
Tom and I were thrilled when they picked the same college – one of the small liberal arts schools that is only 30 minutes from home. Both boys were given super generous scholarships to make this education affordable. On top of that, they have a four year guarantee. If you don’t graduate in four years, they pay for the extra year or years.They are going to live on campus and they applied to be in different dorms with different roommates – but we don’t have dorm assignments yet.
We were so happy because it was our favorite as parents (we kept this quiet) and because we just felt it was the right fit for each of our sons (again we didn’t say this). We also knew that they may not know it now but they might like having the support of their brother if needed. We split them up K-5, never called them “twin”, and treated them very much as their own people, by the way. In middle school and high school it was rare that they had a class together, too. So, we really tried to help them have their own identity. They adore each other. They think the other one is so funny and they truly enjoy each other’s company and it’s a joy to listen to them having fun together. I honestly can’t remember a fight between them.
So, this is a weird time to be getting ready for college. This college, though, has jumped through hoops to make the kids and the parents feel connected. They have had all kinds of online programs, including online orientation. Wednesday night was a parent happy hour with incoming students’ parents and faculty. You were supposed to fix yourself a drink and log on. Tom and I participated on the patio complete with charcuterie.
We continue to be impressed by this school! They also sent socks to the boys with the school’s mascot this week with a card that said “one step closer”. Last month they sent them a bandana. They will also be sending face masks with the school logo. Even though I am so impressed, I hate that they have to start college this way. But, with it being close and having smaller class size, I think that will give them an advantage and make us feel more comfortable. Like many colleges, they are sending them home at Thanksgiving and there will be no breaks from August-then.
Our state published guidelines this week for K-12, also, and we can go back to school! I am waiting to see how my district, the largest in the state, interprets these, though. It’s going to be crazy but I really want to go back and I know our kids desperately NEED to be back in the classroom if we can do it safely.
Well, this week’s favorites turned out to be pretty serious!
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 