Monday, June 11, 2018

How was your weekend?  Mine was my first weekend of summer and it was very relaxing.  It was a good mix of productivity, relaxation,  and fun!  

Friday evening we got to hang out with one of our favorite couple friends, my teacher bff and her husband.  We taught together for 17 years.  She changed schools last year but I’m happy for her and we will remain friends.  

We met for an evening boat ride and it was still so hot!  We parked at a restaurant and enjoyed some apps while we ordered dinner.  

Are you tired of my Target Universal Thread top yet?  That was 17.99 well spent!  

It finally started cooling down and we had a nice breeze as the sun was setting.  I try not to be on my phone too much when I’m with people so I don’t always get a lot of good photos.  

Saturday morning I took a break from walking to ride my bike!  But, I had a goal in mind – the neighborhood yard sales!  This bike was an anniversary gift from my hub about 15 years ago?  He is a great gift giver.  

I found some brand new containers, 2 bracelets, and a unique pouch made out of wrappers.  All of this was $5.

I rode back to the house to get my car to buy this $5 chair for the boys.  I thought it was pretty cool.  

I have several movies I want to see, but Ocean’s 8 was the one hub and I agreed upon for Saturday afternoon.  It was really entertaining.  I can’t wait to see A Star is Born with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.  It looks so good from the previews.  My husband loves to go to the movies and must get buttered popcorn and a giant Coke.  I take my own water but steal some of his Coke!  

Saturday night we did dinner at home with the boys and watched The Grand Budapest Hotel with them.  They love to talk about films and they like the director of this film. 

I have been in a book rut, but I tried this book Sunday morning on the patio with my coffee.  I really like it so far.  

I found out Poldark season 3 is out on Amazon Instant Video finally!  I am afraid I’m going to go through it too quickly because I started on Friday afternoon and I can’t stop!  Seriously, watch Poldark if you haven’t.  It is set in 1700s England and it is about Ross Poldark who returns from fighting in The Revolutionary War in the U.S. to discover his love is to marry his cousin.  

Also, on Sunday, I did some serious cleaning and de-cluttering.  It feels so good to have less and be more organized!  I have a few donation bags to take care of this week.  I walked and listened to The Big Boo Podcast with Melanie Shankle and Sophie Hudson.  It’s one of my favorite podcasts.  

What’s up for you this week?  

Today, I’m the guest co-host on my friend’s podcast!  I will give you more information when it releases.  Tonight, I’m hoping the weather holds out for me to host happy hour on the patio for two neighborhood friends.  We met when our kids were in elementary school and we were part of the parents who had kids who walked home.  We would hang at the walkers’ door every day after school.  

I may have to move it to my dining room table, but I hope not!  Come back tomorrow when I talk about why you should entertain at home and ways to make it easier to do.

This week is my husband’s birthday, my niece’s birthday, and Father’s Day.  I have got to get busy!  

Amy 

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Do you buy Father’s Day gifts?  If so, it’s time to start thinking about gift ideas because it will be here Sunday, June 17!  I buy for my hub, my dad, and my FIL. 

I love to shop for gifts and it gives me great pleasure to pick things out for people.  I love to give other people suggestions, too.  

I try to include my boys with ideas for their Dad and we like to do a couple little funny gifts for him in addition to some things I know he wants.  My hub loves clothes and he likes expensive outdoor brands from locally owned shops in town or big box department stores.  I know that if I pick the wrong color or size he will have fun doing an exchange so I don’t over think it.  I have also done experiences – before he owned his own paddle board, I found a Groupon for a one hour paddle board experience and he really liked it!  We will usually do a special meal of his favorites, too.  Maybe this year I will do a scavenger hunt to find the gifts – maybe my teens will write the clues.  

My Dad is super easy to buy for.  He loves everything I get or at least he fakes it well!  No, really, he will tell me how much he uses or likes something a year later.  He loves to get running clothes (he still runs daily), shoes, a button down shirt or polo (In his 70’s he has started wearing Under Armour highlighter color polo shirts – what’s up with that, Dad?), cologne, an Amazon gift card to buy books for his Kindle, cooking or baking supplies, technology items, and the list goes on.  

My husband usually does the gift for his Pop, but I help or give suggestions.  He is pretty easy to buy for, too.  He likes clothes, socks, and fishing equipment the most.  Because my husband and his sister call their Dad “Pop”, one year we did a funny basket of foods that all had the word “pop” in it.  We had popcorn, Corn pops, pop tarts – I couldn’t believe how many things in the grocery had that word in the name.  I will tell you it wasn’t a very health conscious basket!

Here are some ideas for you:

-If they have a hobby, get them something that works for that (Golf – a new pair of gloves, etc.)

-Check Groupon for an experience – we have done a bourbon tasting, but you could do a beer tasting, a museum, a city scavenger hunt, an Escape room – this could be really fun if you include siblings and grandchildren, too.

-A shirt

-A pair of shoes

-Cologne

-New shaving bag

-Grilling tools

-A cooking gadget (an as seen on tv item – some are really good!)

-Photo gifts – a mousepad, a coffee mug, a t-shirt with grandkids picture 

-A Tervis tumbler or a Yeti cup (I love mine so much!) They also make a short and squatty Yeti coffee cup that keeps my coffee hot for 3 hours or more!

-A variety of K cups if they have a Keurig

-A beer sampler – get several 6 packs of beer that you think they would like to try

-A gift card to their favorite store or restaurant

I hope I’ve given you some good ideas!  Leave me your best idea in the comments!  Oh, by the way – our budget is usually $25-50 per person.  Gift giving can really add up.  This is not a great deal of money to work with so I think the thought behind it and the message that you include is the most important.  

You can find a lot of great things at TJ Maxx, Costco, Target, and Amazon if you are on a budget.  And, please DO NOT pay more than $1 for your greeting card.  Go to your dollar store where they are 2 for $1 and really cute or Trader Joe’s has super cute cards for $1.  I recently discovered this myself.  

I don’t want to forget those for whom this is a hard day:

If you are missing someone in your life, it might be nice to do a tribute to them by cooking or eating a favorite food of theirs, taking flowers or that favorite food or item to the cemetary (Think Day of the Dead in the Hispanic tradition), watching an old video of them, or sitting around and telling stories about that person.  This can be a really hard day for some.  I try to text my friends (I’m not always good about this) that are missing their Dads just to say I’m thinking about them.  I always hope it doesn’t make them sadder, but I’ve decided ultimately that it is a nice gesture.  I’m going to go put this on my calendar now so I don’t forget.

Amy 

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Today’s post is going to be a little different from a typical Wednesday “What I Wore” post.  If you want to check out previous What I Wore you can go here, here, here, and here.  

I thought this would be fun to write and it was inspired by a co-worker (Hi E!) who didn’t know what to wear to a concert recently.  I tried to think of my typical summer activities and what I would ideally wear to each one.  I hope this helps you, too.  

What should I wear this summer to a…

concert that is indoors?  jeans – maybe distressed – and a cute black top – maybe sleeveless with some cool details, clutch purse or crossbody – depending on if you will have a seat.  For shoes, wedges if you will be on your feet or a flat sandal would be fine, too, I think.

outdoor concert?  a romper (just don’t have to go to the potty too much!), a knit swing dress, a sundress, denim shorts and a knit top, crossbody purse, flat sandals like Birkenstocks or Chaco’s if you are a Chaco type of person.

girls night out? white jeans, floral blouse, clutch purse, wedges

date night?  white jeans and a black top or regular jeans and a black top, clutch purse, wedges

farmer’s market?  graphic tee and denim shorts with a kimono if it’s not too hot (see my post on graphic tees here), crossbody purse and a reusable tote or a cute straw tote, Birkenstocks. If you have a straw tote, lose the crossbody and put a pouch with your essentials down in the tote.

running errands?  cute shorts (Old Navy linen), knit top with details – Universal Thread flutter sleeve from Target?, Birkenstocks, crossbody purse (hands free is so nice – even if just going to the grocery).

back to school open house, church meeting, doctor’s appoitment?  White linen pants, sleeveless top or a floral blouse, wedges

Look how few pieces you could actually get by with:  (and you could narrow it down further and still have options)

one pair white linen pants

one pair white jeans

one pair normal jeans

one knit swing dress

one sundress

one romper

one pair denim shorts

one pair linen shorts

one graphic tee

one kimono

one crossbody purse

one clutch

cute straw tote for market and beach

one pair of Birkenstocks

one pair of wedges

one pair of cute flat sandals

a few knit tops with cute details 

a floral blouse

What do you think?  What did I forget?  If you are building a wardrobe from scratch this summer due to pregnancy, weight gain or loss, etc.  do you think you could use this to create a summer wardrobe? 

Shop smarter, not harder.  Do not go to the sale rack automatically and buy something just because it’s cheap.  (I’ve actually read a blogger who says NEVER shop the sale rack!)  Create a plan that fits your lifestyle and not some imaginary lifestyle or some aspirational lifestyle.  Actually write down the activities you participate in and what you would like to wear to help you feel comfortable and confident.  

Many of these items can be found on sale or at a consignment store, but I do caution you to make sure a sale is really a good fit for you.  

Also, have a limited color palette to help guide you.  My summer palette is navy, white, black, yellow, orange, pink, floral, and striped more or less.

I wrote about getting dressed with Pinterest recently and that is a big help to me.  Simply type in the event and you will be shocked by how many ideas you get.  Example:  “Girls night out outfit”.  Try it!

The reason I write about this is that there is nothing worse than feeling like you can’t attend something because you don’t know what to wear. Maybe worse is getting to an event and not enjoying it because you feel uncomfortable in what you wore.  I hope this helps!

Amy 

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Here in the southern midwest, we have four distinct seasons.  I love living where we get all four seasons! After a long winter of cold and snow we can’t wait for spring and summer and all of the outdoor events that come with these seasons.  This year, I think we skipped the wonderful May and June temperatures of 70-80 degrees, though.  We hit the 90s and humidity and we stayed here.  

I’m like the Goldilocks of weather.  It has to be just right for me.  I have a joke with my husband that he only wants to go camping on the hottest night of the year or the coldest night of the year.  He has taken me camping when the temperature was still 100 when I went to sleep with a cold washrag on my forehead.  He has taken me camping in late September when my nose was so cold it was numb by morning.  I used to think I liked camping but now I know that I just liked the sitting around the fire in the evening and the morning part.  I’d prefer my bed at night, thankyouverymuch!

Anyway, I digress… I think that modern AC has spoiled us and made us less able to tolerate the heat.  I have said no to outdoor events if it’s been too hot.  I hate that and I’m going to try my own strategies so I can say “yes” this summer!  If I can, I love to head to Michigan in the summer because that’s the perfect climate for this Goldilocks!  Andrea of Living on Cloud Nine is the Michigan guru and gave me some great tips for last summer!

If you want to enjoy an outdoor concert, festival, flea market, farmer’s market, or the like and can’t be in a bathing suit near a body of water, here are some tips I’ve tried and recommend.  I’m sure you know most of these already!

* Take a shower before going and keep your hair wet or damp.  Sometimes I will fix my hair but dampen the underside before leaving.  Wear your hair up if you can.  I also take a spray bottle of water sometimes.  It’s amazing how much this helps.  Also, while at the event, you can take an ice cube from your drink and put it at the nape of your neck.

* Do not wear black or jeans.  Wear light colored clothing that fits loosely and preferably is made of natural materials.  My friend wore a cute black top with jeans to the concert we went to on Memorial Day weekend and I joked that she was my example of what not to wear in 90 degree heat.  *  Wear shorts, a skirt, or a flowy dress.  Pants stick to your legs and make you hotter.

*  Drink lots of water before you go and while you are there.  Avoid drinking too much alcohol or any alcohol if you can. 

*  Bring a cute old fashioned fan.  I have a collection of cute fans from Spain that I use in my classroom.  They really work. 

* Do not wear much jewelry.  When you sweat it makes you feel hotter I think.

 *Bring wipes to rub on your forehead or face.  Wear minimal makeup or none at all or this will be a mess.

*Eat cold things like watermelon, popsicles, and ice cream.  Ooookkkay, twist my arm!

*Wear sandals or something where your feet are free to breathe.  No socks, please!  They make me hot just looking at them! 

*Wear a wide brimmed hat.

*Find some shade or provide your own with a chair that has a sunshade or use an umbrella. 

*I can’t speak to this quite yet, but I just purchased this product at Bath and Body.  It feels very cool and refreshing and smells nice.  

What have I forgotten?  I’m sure the ladies in Texas like Shelly,  Melanie, and Shan, Louisiana like Laura, and Florida like Kellyann are laughing at me right now since I’m so far north in Kentucky!

Stay cool!

Amy 

Monday,  June 4, 2018

Hello Monday!  I’m linking up with My Glittery Heart, Lindsay’s Sweet World, and The Sirois Family today.  

Today is our last teacher work day and at the end of the day, one of my sons gets his braces off!  The other has had them off since January so this has been a long time coming!

We kind of started the weekend on Thursday, because that was the last day of school for students.  We ended the day with a big storm which knocked our power out until 10:45 that night as I said on my Friday Favorites post.  My Friday post got out of order with my Wednesday and Thursday post so go here to read if you want to.  This is above my blogging skills so I’m sorry!  I couldn’t cook, so we went to the Japanese restaurant up the street.  

I had to work Friday but my husband took off.  He had to get the boat trailer worked on so that meant putting the boat in the water temporarily at a slip at a nearby marina.  After work, we had a day date on the boat and celebrated me being almost finished.  I told him we should take advantage of having the boat in the water this week and try to do a weeknight.  Usually we keep the boat in a storage barn and have to hook the boat on the trailer to hub’s car and back it down the ramp (sometimes waiting on lots of people) and then do it all in reverse when finished.  I told him I could get used to having it in the water.  

None of these big boats is ours but it’s fun to look at them.

I think sailboats are so pretty.  I can’t wait to see the movie Adrift but I’m also a little nervous!

This is one of the restaurants where you can park your boat and eat. 

I’m all about the boat snacks.  If you can find this, it is fabulous with pretzel sticks.  

After our day date we ordered pizza and ate dinner with our boys who were enjoying a lazy day at home after final exams.  They declined the invitation to come on the boat, by the way.  

I was exhausted and went to bed at 9!  That meant I woke up very early Saturday morning ready to run my errands.  I did Trader’s, Kroger, Target, the library and got a Starbuck’s tall skinny vanilla latte.  

One of the things I got at Kroger was this dressing.  I use it for my strawberry salad that you will see below.  

I prepped some strawberries by chopping them and adding sugar.  This is for the salad and my husband loves these on vanilla ice cream.

We decided to go on another boat ride after lunch and I brought my Purple Rain drink which can also be a mocktail.  The recipe is coming soon.  

I finally wore my new coverup from my recent post.  

These are the books I had on order from the library.  The first is because of Joanne whose family loves Parks and Rec. 

This is my SIL’s strawberry salad.  It has romaine, strawberries, feta, sunflower seeds, and the dressing.  It’s so good!

After the boat ride I was ready to get in from the heat so I made the salad and this easy sheet pan supper.   I chopped up the potatoes first and mixed with EVOO, salt, pepper, and cajun seasoning.  I started those in the oven at 400 while I chopped up the rest because I knew the taters would take longer.  I used turkey sausage, zucchini, green pepper, onion and some more cajun, EVOO, salt and pepper and then added this for about 20 more minutes, broiling for the last 3 minutes. 

I watched the first episode of Breaking Bad with one son after dinner.  He wants to watch it with me and I’m curious to see what it’s all about.  

Finally on Sunday we had plans to take friends out on the boat and this time we did stop at one of the restaurants to order drinks, pork nachos, and spinach queso dip to supplement a few things I packed.  I was too busy to take food pictures (or any pictures) but it was fun to have a waiter bring menus and take our order and then just sit on the water and enjoy.  

It really felt like summer this weekend!  I can’t wait to read about your weekends!

Amy 

Thursday, May 31, 2018

This is the much anticipated day!  It is our last day of school with students!  Teachers still have to work Friday and Monday but the 2017-2018 and my 24th year of teaching are OVER!  I had a great year over all.  I will definitely miss my students over the summer.  I tried some new things and got some positive feedback.  You’ve got to love a job where you get a do over every year, right?  

I thought today would be perfect for sharing my summer bucket list.  I had never heard of this before other bloggers started sharing theirs a few years ago.  I liked this and started making my own each summer.  

Why have a bucket list?  I think it’s hard to remember what you want to accomplish and experience without a list to keep you on track.  This list makes things more intentional.  I actually try to do a bucket list for each season.  I do one for fall, one for winter, and usually by spring I forget about it, but I do one for summer.  I tend to have things that I want to do as a family, as a couple, and by myself.  I try to include decluttering projects, self – improvement items, learning about something, and just plain summer fun so that I feel that I get the most out of the season.  

I don’t usually check everything off.  In fact, by August I don’t care any more and I just want to meditate in the AC.  Ha!

-Go to lake with my sister’s family

-Have different people on our boat

-Learn to make a new recipe

-Read 20 books – some fiction and some non-fiction

-Go to the pool by myself once

-Walk up to eat dinner at nearby restaurant

-Do a boat brunch

-Eat lunch poolside

-Drink coffee on the patio

-Go for at least one bike ride, but hopefully more

-Go to outdoor concerts

-Go to farmer’s market

-Have a few dates with hub

-Celebrate hub’s birthday

-Celebrate Father’s Day

-Shop locally

-Sit in an independently owned coffee shop and drink from a real mug

-Call people I haven’t talked to in awhile

-Invite friends to take walks in diffrerent city parks

My list is not complete yet, but this is a good start!  Do you make a summer bucket list?  What did I forget?

Amy 

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

O.k. guys!  One more day of school for us after today!

My work/school outfits have just been about comfort lately, I think.  I haven’t put much thought into it and I tend to go with black and white when I just need to get dressed quickly.  

On Friday I wore these black patterned pants and my black tee with lace up detail that you can’t see along with my new shiny black Birkenstocks that were my Mother’s Day gift.

On Thursday I wore my other pair of black patterned pants with my new black Universal Thread flutter sleeve top (much more flattering than the black shirt in first photo I think) and my new shiny black Birkenstocks.  

Saturday night’s outdoor concert outfit. 

What’s Up Wednesday Link Up

What I’m eating:  I’m eating a few of Joanna Gaines Magnolia Table cookbook recipes and starting to enjoy more summery recipes and we grilled out Monday.

What I’m reminiscing:  I’m doing a lot of reflecting on this school year and thinking what I will do differently and the same for next year. 

What I’m loving:  I’m loving getting so much closer to summer break.

What I’m up to:  I’m finishing up grades for the year, cleaning, organizing, and packing up my classroom

What I’m dreading:  How quickly the summer will go by as I already have a two day workshop August 1 and 2 on my calendar.  Once I start getting back into things August 1 summer is OVER.

What I’m working on:  I need to start working on June birthday gifts and Father’s Day gifts soon.  

What I’m excited about: Summer!  I need to create my summer bucket list.

What I’m watching:  The Bachelorette, Bravo’s Below Deck and Southern Charm, and I need suggestions on what to start on Netflix and Amazon Instant Video now that I will have more time.

What I’m reading:  I’m still reading The Weekenders but I’m also starting my new stack of library books soon.

What I’m listening to:  Spotify 90s country

What I’m wearing:  On the weekends I’m wearing lots of shorts.  I need to improve the athleisure section of my closet for summer.  Any suggestions on stores or brands?  I don’t like tank tops so I need short sleeve lightweight material and athletic shorts.

What I’m looking forward to:  We just found out 2 weeks ago that our 17 year old German cousin is coming for a visit!  My husband was born in Germany and has 3 first cousins that live there.  This is the youngest daughter of one of his cousins.  We had a family vacay in Germany in 2016 (I need to do a blog post about it) and really got to know her then!  

Friday, June 1, 2018

My boys get to sleep in today!  I will start the summer chores list on Monday but today is their day. They are hoping to be called for jobs they applied for soon.  Then, each of them have a different camp to attend in about a month.  They have worked so hard and had a great sophomore year.  They have both grown so much and matured so much.  They are such good boys.  I don’t write much about them here because I want to respect their privacy, but I’m so utterly proud of them, which leads me to my first favorite.  

#1)  First and last day of school pictures.  My boys don’t smile big for photos in this stage of life.  They smile a lot when no one is taking a photo, though.  They are smart and funny!

#2)  These timehop photos are both a favorite and a least favorite.  This was last day of 4th grade.

#3)  I finished my 24th year of teaching and wore the same outfit on the first and last day.  The only difference – the bags under my eyes are bigger and I’m much more tired!  How have I been at this for 24 years?  I have a good friend retiring this year and she just doesn’t seem old enough!

#4)  Eating lunch at home and not packing my lunch for awhile!  I need good lunch suggestions that are healthy but delicious!  

#5)  Book club!  We had book club Wednesday night and we all agreed this was our least favorite Liane Moriarty,  Next book is “A Man Called Ove”.

#6) Electricity! This post is late because a storm hit yesterday right as we got out of school.  The wind was so bad that a light pole hit a girl’s car as she was leaving school.  I have heard she is o.k. and it only hit the car and not her.  Our power was out from 2:30-10:45.  I’m finishing this post this morning and I overslept until 6:55 and I’m supposed to be at work at 7:30.  This is not like me!  We have to work today and Monday tying up loose ends and meeting.  

#7) Greekfest – Hoping to eat dinner and watch some dancing at our local Greekfest tonight.  I love the Greek culture!  I have a very good friend who is Greek that will be there, too.  

#8) Hub off every Friday in June!  He just informed me that he has days he has to use before the end of June so he’s taking off each June Friday.  

Happy, happy weekend!

Amy 

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Today I’m going to talk about swimsuit cover ups and I will also recap my Monday.  If you want to see Friday through Sunday you can read here. 

O.k. I have a theory… as a woman of a certain age, more people will see your swim cover up than your swimsuit.  

The only year that I really thought I looked o.k. in a swimsuit was the summer I was pregnant with my twins.  I had a maternity tankini and I had an excuse – I was pregnant!  With twins! 

I know now that I was wrong and I looked just fine in a bathing suit before getting pregnant at age 30.  Now I try to remember that everyone is worried about their own body more than they are critiquing yours.  Please don’t let worry ruin the fun of summer for you.  

I’m partial to a black bathing suit. I have a couple of tankini tops and skirted bottoms that I mix and match.  I have seen some cute one piece suits out this year, but I’m not sure I can rock one.  I look for cover ups with black in them so they match my black suits.

This is my current favorite cover up below.  I bought it at Old Navy last year and the jungle print and small black pom pom trim spoke to me.  It’s made of a gauzy material.

This next one is around 6 years old from Kohl’s.  I loved the peacock looking print.  This is the same style as the first but it’s made of more of a silky material. 

Next is the one I purchased this season from Target.com.  This Target Merona was recommended by Sheaffer.  The jungle flowers and the vertical slimming line down the front were what I liked most.  This is also a silky material.  Problem:  It is not black – it is navy.  I broke my rule!  It will still be fine with my black suits, I think.

A current trend is to wear a kimono over your suit.  I bought this from Nordstrom.com back in February and have worn it a lot with a black knit dress.  I plan to try it as a cover up this season.  

I don’t love to run in a store in my cover up.  If I know I have to go in a store I will usually choose my black knit tank dress or another color that I have.  

For affordable choices, I suggest a look at Kohl’s, Old Navy, and Target.  You should be able to find one for $20 or under.  The big department stores have cute ones but the price point will be higher right now.  Don’t delay too long – remember that after the 4th of July the back to school stuff will be out and the summer wear will be picked over, especially swimwear and accessories. 

Monday we did some much needed house cleaning and my hub mowed and we both cleaned up the patio.  The boys chipped in but then had to start studying for finals.  We let them take a break to go to a friend’s house for a couple of hours and hub and I ran to the mall for an exchange for him – not me!  I checked out Macy’s Reef flip flop selection and added the black pair that I needed.  I loved these brown and gold  ones but I held back because I already have brown.  These are seriously the most comfortable and durable flip flops I’ve ever owned.  

These are the ones I picked.  They are pretty basic and now I’m wondering if I should have gotten the black ones with shiny straps. 

After all of the cleaning, I enjoyed my patio for a bit and read.  

Because we are still in school and this was a week night for us, we didn’t socialize Monday evening.  I made oven roasted potatoes with cajun seasoning.  

I cooked the Mojito Lime Chicken I marinated and used my grill pan for zucchini, mushrooms, onions, and green peppers.  So, just the four of us enjoyed a nice meal.  

This is the beloved marinade packet recommended by my sister.  

This is our forecast for the week.  It looks like we will get some of tropical storm Alberto.  We will be in school until Thursday at 2:20 and I will still have to work Friday and Monday.  

Let me know your thoughts on swim cover ups!  Any suggestions for me?  I hope you had a great long weekend!

Amy