Friday, September 6, 2024

It’s Friday! Woohoo! This four day week didn’t feel longer (sometimes they trick you like that!) and for that I am very thankful. It’s time to link up with Andrea and Erika for Friday Favorites! I don’t have as much this week, though, but here we go!

I received the most thoughtful gift this week. My co-worker Sarah had asked for a photo of Ernie last spring after he passed and honestly, I was having a hard time looking through pictures. She asked again recently and I found one. Look what she did! She made a nightlight that automatically comes on and look at his sweet face. I put it in our bathroom for our nightly visits. It puts out a lot of light, too.

I guess I need to switch out my patio placemats – ha! But, this scent is really nice. Tip – if a candle is too strong/artificial/cloying take it outside. I actually don’t really burn any candles inside right now. I light this each morning and sometimes after school or after dinner, too.

On Sunday I treated myself to a little prosecco and potato chip snack. I felt very European. Ha! I am really enjoying my two new Target sweatshirts. The blue one is Florence, Italy (a scene from there).

Sometimes the most simple snacks are the best. I also made pan con tomate but with ham for a snack later in the week.

I have flown through this book but I am ready to say bye to summer themed books soon! Where are the fall themed books! Come on!

Tuesday morning gave me a taste of fall and I kinda liked it!

And, here is my other Target sweatshirt:

They are both so cozy on the inside. I want to put one or the other on in the mornings and evenings after my shower.

So, you might remember my former student Ali who came over this summer? She made it to the north of Spain for her one year teaching assignment!

This is Madeleine, another former student, who is getting ready to leave mid-month to teach in Madrid. I brought verb notes and we went over all the tenses and I made tinto de verano (Spanish Rioja with some Sprite), truffle popcorn, Spanish cheese and meat and pan con tomate. We spent a couple of hours chatting in English and Spanish and it was like no time had passed. I’ve kept in touch with her and seen her twice since graduation?

I am so proud of these girls!

Another Mirabelle Creations graphic that spoke to me:

This is something we really stink at as Americans. The Spaniards definitely do this better!

Then, my devotional was about rest! I guess I must do this!

I think I am doing better with my schedule this year because I just don’t expect to be productive from 3:45-bedtime. I hang with Eddie Otis and my family, cook or assemble dinner and that’s it. I don’t try to run errands anymore. I am happy to have people over after school sometimes or to meet someone if EO has a person home.

My struggle last year was mindset. I think our mindset counts for so much. If I frame something as “I get to do this” rather than “I have to do this” it really helps me. Now that we are grown adults we really don’t have to do anything we don’t want to do. Well, you know what I mean!

How was your week?

Did you have a good mindset this week?

Happy Friday!

Amy

Thursday, September 5, 2024

I am linking up with Kellyann and Jill to share what I have been putting on lately.

But, it’s my twins’ 22nd birthday! It’s hard to believe! I will let you know what we do in my Hello Monday post!

I now have three of these gauzy button ups from Old Navy – hot pink, black, and white. I am not sure they are the most flattering on me but they are so comfy! I paired the pink with my fun pants for school one day last week.

This outfit is so bad and I am donating the dress. But, I was told I would be proctoring in a non-air-conditioned small gym (it’s 2024 – seriously?) and I knew I would be standing for at least two hours and needed sleeveless. It was 98 plus degrees that day. Well, they changed my location to an AC space so I was fine, but this is what I wore for better or worse – worse!

Friday I wore jeans with my J.Crew blouse and J.Crew sweater.

Saturday wet hair errand fit. Saturday comes around and I throw on this skort!

Later for the whisky fest I changed tops and went with it.

Sunday boat outfit. I really did get my money’s worth from the above skort and the below swim cover up.

I got new Rachel Zoe pants at TJ Maxx. They are so comfy! This was my Tuesday after Labor Day fit. I have on my Manchester City t-shirt.

I bought Vejas!

Oh my gosh! They are so comfortable! Yes, they look very similar to my New Balances, but that’s ok. I think that the nylon is more breathable than the leather sneakers so I have been gravitating to nylon more lately.

What have you been wearing?

Amy

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

And, just like that it’s already Wednesday! Since it’s the first of the month, I am linking up with Jennifer for Currently and at the end I am participating in another link up, too.

Things I’m Currently Loving…

This is going to sound super nerdy, but I am loving being more into a routine again. I just don’t like that awkward figuring out my life and my routine that I have to do from school year to summer and summer to school year. I had a great routine this summer but it’s always tough to switch back. I think I am in a good routine now. Who would have thought that the schedule I hated last year is working out great this year?

I woke up yesterday to this! Yes, I still sat outside on the patio. It was perfectly cool with my sweatshirt and fleece pants and my hot coffee!

Looking Forward To…

I saw this graphic and thought it was cute. I don’t want all of this to come too quickly but I really do love fall so much and look forward to it!

I think some of us use September as a time to start the year rather than January. I really liked this graphic and I think this serves me any time of the year! I am a work in progress and love reminders like this. I look forward to embracing all of these things!

Smelling…

Are there any better smells than fall smells? I haven’t seen Mrs. Meyer’s acorn spice in the store yet. I dug this out (it was one of the candles that I kept when I did my summer purge) and I am so happy I kept it!

Watching…

Ladies of London on Peacock. I already watched it but I was looking for something and started it again. It’s so good and London is absolutely my favorite character!

Admiring…

I am admiring the beauty on my way to work and thankful that I have the ability to walk. I loved carrying my new cup yesterday and walking in the crisp almost fall air! My walk home was almost as nice. It was still fairly cool out and very pleasant. I will say that I walk slower on the way home because ain’t no tired like teacher tired! Ok, I will stop saying that I guess!

And, now I am linking up with Joyce for Hodgepodge!

1. Something you’re working on currently? 

I booked flights and lodgings quite a while back and train tickets this past weekend but now I am having fun researching what exactly to do and when it makes sense to do it. I still need to book a couple of entrance tickets once I decide when the best time to do them would be. I like planning on a legal pad but I also have my Google doc. The two shall merge soon. I am saving things I see on Instagram and going back to those, too. I really enjoy this!

2. Tell us something about your first job? Was it a positive or negative experience for you? Did your parents insist you work while in school (either high school or college) or did you work because you wanted to? 

I guess my first job was babysitting and I absolutely loved it! My parents did not want me to work during the school year, but I got away with it a bit. I loved to work. I got a job designing ads at our local newspaper in town and I was a lifeguard. Those were my first official jobs. The ad job was problematic because my direct supervisor smelled like Spaghettios, but I wanted a job in journalism after college at that time. I loved being a lifeguard and did it for several years, then became a pool manager, and then I actually was a pool supervisor the summer I was pregnant with twins. I still love working and pride myself in being a good employee.

3. Have you ever had a job that required overnight travel? How did you feel about that? Have you ever had a job that required you to wear a uniform? Do you work better in the morning or at night? 

No! I am so glad that I didn’t, too. I have worn a uniform at the pool (lifeguard suit), a floating restaurant on the river (polo shirt), and at Pizza Hut. I think that’s it? I work better in the morning for sure! I should look for photos of my in my Pizza Hut ‘fit. I got the job in college with my friend Stacy and we had so much fun.

4. What’s something you bake or cook that is labor intensive? Is it worth it? 

I guess it’s probably lasagna or Mexican lasagna because of all the layering. I think it is! Other than that, I wouldn’t call my style of cooking labor intensive at all. If it has more than 8 ingredients I’m probably out!

5. One thing you’re looking forward to in the month of September? 

The start of fall!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I love wearing long sleeves with shorts! It’s always been my favorite. I can still remember fall bike riding as a kid in long sleeves and shorts. Isn’t that weird? I loved my bike and spent so much time on it. I lived in a neighborhood around a lake with lots of kids my age and we biked all over that ‘hood. Tom got me a bike for one of our first anniversaries and I rode it once this summer.

I almost feel like early fall is its own little season fashion wise. I love having warm weatherish stuff in fallish colors. I need to look and see what I still have that fits that bill and that I still like!

Let me know if you have anything to tell me Currently or that is part of the hodgepodge! I would love to hear!

Amy

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Well, it’s September! It’s hard to believe and also not hard to believe. We started school August 8th so we are looking at one month of being in school!

How was your long weekend? It was much needed for me and now we just have a four day week.

Let’s go back to Friday. Last week was the Tomatina (tomato fight) in Spain and I always make pan con tomate for the kids to try. Well, I demonstrate and they get to make it.

I went home and made myself a skinny marg.

That evening we started our weekend out with some fun. We met friends Beth and Bob at Mojito en Havana, a Cuban restaurant, and it never disappoints!

I slept great and Saturday morning I was hoping for cooler temps, but it was so humid!

I did my typical (what have now become typical) errands of library and Trader Joe’s and then was super lazy for a bit. Later that day we tried to go to a whisky festival. It was kind of a bust and was so, so hot and then started storming!

We had friends with us and pivoted for indoor chicken instead of outdoor whisky.

Sunday was really fun. We got to be the guests on a beautiful boat and the weather just couldn’t have been better. We drove around most of the time and the ride was so smooth.

Here is what party cove looked like. I stole this photo off a friend on IG:

I’d say some people had a real good time!

Monday morning dawned and I finally got the temps I craved. I even lit this puppy and it smelled so good!

It looks kinda funny sitting atop my summery palm placemats.

I put out the minimal fall decor…

I love these photos I took of my twins sampling apples at my hometown orchard.

I went to TJ Maxx and did a small Kroger pick up and then spent the rest of the day reading on my patio.

Ahhhh…

Tell me about your holiday weekend!

Amy

Saturday, August 31, 2024

Happy Saturday! I thought I would join in with Jennifer today for her Share Four Somethings link up!

ONE – This week I knew would be a long one, so I picked easy but crowd pleasing dinners – fish sticks, hot dogs, tacos, ziti bake, and salmon with broccoli and taters. My sheet pan makes the salmon, broccoli, taters meal so simple in both prep and clean up. I haven’t done the fish sticks yet, but I have that available for next week. Mason also wanted to do french dip sandwiches so we will do that, too!

I was happy with myself that I picked easy things for the week and I was one day ahead of the first two dinners of the week. On Sunday I made the ziti (ground beef, one jar of alfredo, one jar of marinara, cooked ziti noodles, and then parmesan and mozzarella) and I also made one for a co-worker. Then, on Monday I went ahead and made the taco meat for Tuesday when I would have my late night at school.

TWO – I didn’t let the heat stop me from getting outside after school. Eddie Otis is more and more like a grown up boy and is pretty independent outside. I may not get to read much, but reading a few pages is better than no pages. It is cooling off and we should have some days with highs only in the high 70s next week! Woohoo!

THREE – Pretty soon I will want to switch to more fall like beverages, but for now the white wines are still refreshing.

I bought these Trader Joe’s canned wines. Above is peach which was delicious and below are the rose and the white which are also really good. They were even approved by Loopersomm on IG!

Prosecco also has my heart right now.

Samanthasommelier on IG recommends this one from Trader Joe’s but I have yet to try it.

So, if you have a Trader Joe’s run in your future today, you might want to check those out. I follow two sommeliers on IG now and I have learned a lot!

Also, Erica gave me this cool gadget that really works! It keeps your prosecco bubbly!

What’s that? You never leave a bottle unfinished because you aren’t a quitter? Ha!

FOUR – I’m really thankful for my mornings. I really love to start my day this way. I love hearing all the mornings noises and the world waking up. I’m grateful for my space, my yard, my fence, and my companion Eddie Otis. I love having my coffee outside and it just feels really nice to take this time before work. I really love not having to leave the house until so late now! Who would have thought? My goal is to leave at 8:00 but I can leave as late as 8:20 and still be ok.

And, I will leave you with this…

This is freshman year when my kids started school at my school with me.

This was pre-blog so I am not sure I have ever shared it. I miss that blouse. I really liked it! It didn’t hold up well.

I hope you enjoyed my FOUR somethings today.

I will be back on Tuesday as I’m taking a break on Monday. There will be no Hello Monday, but I will do a Hello Tuesday!

Amy

Friday, August 30, 2024

Where do I start?

I made it through the week while being under the weather and having a 5 day week and our long day with Meet the Teacher night. Also, we had testing this week. It was a lot!

I am thankful that I started feeling better, though. I also am so thankful that I slept like a rock. Ain’t no tired like beginning of year teacher tired. I overslept a couple of mornings, too!

This graphic is a favorite and I know a lot of you feel that way, too!

Sunday we took the boat out and I just didn’t have the energy to enjoy it. This guy was really wild! Don’t let the sweet face fool you! He is becoming really daredevil about jumping into the water. He is swimming really well and wanting to be in the water more.

I continue to use this twice a day in the shower and I swear by it. I use it in all four seasons.

But, I swear this guy – my neti pot- cuts down congestion by half the time at least. I use the saline salt packets and distilled water (and heat the water slightly) and do this in the shower when I am sick.

I realized I forgot to wash my hair after being outside for hours and then I slept on the allergen filled hair and got sick. I always get sick in September and last week felt like September. This week it feels like August or the surface of the sun.

I loved my nail color this week:

I have a student running for student council with his mom’s cookies. Sugarbeam Cookies is their business and this lemon cookie was amazing.

Our best dinner this week was Wednesday night. I did sheet pan British roasted potatoes (boiled them first with some baking soda), broccoli, and salmon.

Our ECE kids get the opportunity to work a coffee cart that goes around the school twice a day. They sell coffee, chips, and soft drinks. I have the cart come to my room and try to buy something. The kids are so sweet and happy to get to say hi to me and my students. This Diet Dr. Pepper hit the spot one afternoon. I am only an occasional soft drink drinker.

Cup of Jo is one of my favorite blogs. This photo and caption hit me this week. It’s a father and daughter out on the water with a bottle of wine. I miss my Dad so much. You just never know when those feelings will hit you. This man looks nothing like my Dad, either. My Dad also did not have a boat. You just have those feelings hit sometimes and there really is no timeline. It’s a favorite that I have my good memories, though.

I will be looking for this!

I really loved this! I am still working on being more minimalist…

This also spoke to me this week…

I will never apologize for being excited for something!

I am going to take Monday off and do “Hello Tuesday” on Tuesday, September 3rd. But, I will be back here tomorrow for Share Four Somethings!

Did you have any favorites this week?

What are you excited about today? This weekend?

Amy

Thursday, August 29, 2024

It’s Thursday and time to link up with Kellyann and Jill for Fashion Files!

I mentioned last week that I am pretty much over my colorful summer clothing and yearning for neutrals. Well, it turned hot again and I have to wear the rest of my summer stuff. But, I will tell you that I am weeding out as I get dressed. If I didn’t wear something in the spring, summer, or I don’t want to wear it now, it’s going in the donation/resell bag. I have to understand that if I wore something for two to three seasons then I got my money’s worth! Do you struggle with that, too?

Here is what I wore on Tuesday of this week. I really love this dress. It keeps you cool in the heat and the colors and print are just really “me”.

Here is what I wore on Monday.

I wore this last Thursday and the red clogs didn’t last long. I switched to white sneakers. This dress is cut pretty much the same as the first pink dress. It is the same cool fabric. Both are Walmart Free Assembly! Both have pockets!

I wore this last Wednesday. It is a very thick material but the temps were really cool that day.

And, for Meet the Teacher Tuesday night I switched to this dress again.

I experimented with longer oval shaped nails and I could barely type. I was able to cut and file them down to “active length”. I love the periwinkle blue shade.

So, that’s what I’ve been wearing lately. How about you?

Amy

Wednesday, August 28. 2024

We’ve made it to Wednesday!

Maybe a glass of wine tonight as my reward?

Well, I got over the Tuesday hump with my long day of school and then Meet the Teacher night. I hope the rest of the week is downhill. And, we have a 3 day Labor Day weekend to look forward to! My twins turn 22 next week so I really need to push them to tell me what they want to do, when they can celebrate, etc. Maybe we will celebrate early but I have to do something on the actual day, you know?

Thank you to Joyce for the fun questions and link up she provides!

What is one cliche you think is nonsense? What’s one you think holds truth? 

I hate “it is what it is” and I was surprised to find it on one list I consulted! It means nothing! I wouldn’t have thought it was a cliche, but just a dumb saying.

I personally love to use “a couple sandwiches short of a picnic”!

My Dad was a big fan of sayings and I find myself using his in my teaching and it makes me happy. I am a lot like him (I hope in all the best ways) and I feel like I am honoring him when I use his favorites. He also loved to “collect” funny names so when I hear a funny name at school it makes me chuckle.

2. What’s the last thing you broke and how did it happen? 

My heart when I went back to school?

I broke my paper towel holder in the kitchen. I put a new roll on and the thing that holds the loose part down just snapped right off. I am still using it. I hate replacing things like that and will use them until I can’t use them anymore. They just don’t make things like they used to. They want our money! I will show them!

3. Are you a fan of s’mores? Have you had a s’more this summer? Last thing you ate that you wanted to ask for ‘s’more of’? 

I love s’mores! I made an “indoor s’more” about a week ago. This is where you lay down two graham crackers with a marshmallow on one side and chocolate on the other and microwave it. Yum!

My cousin Kelly made s’mores bars out of Golden Grahams and OMG were they amazing. Golden Grahams were my favorite childhood cereal. For some reason I think that’s hilarious. My mom only bought those and Honey Nut Cheerios I think? It was so fun to go to other kids’ houses and sleep over so you could see what cereals they had. I remember I liked the type of baggies my neighbor friend’s mom bought more than the baggies my mom bought. I was a weird kid.

4. A mode of transportation you’ve never tried? Will you someday? 

I’ve never been on one of those things where someone bicycles you around. I’ve never been in a helicopter, either. Not too excited about either.

I love train travel! I wish the US had more trains. It’s so sad that we don’t.

5. Believe it or not, next week’s Hodgepodge lands in a brand new month. What’s your happiest memory from the month we’re bidding adieu? 

I guess I would just say normal dinners where all four of us were present and also when we were able to watch the last show we watched together Decameron. I don’t take those normal times for granted.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We are having a hot week this week! It really makes me appreciate last week even though the “fake fall” made my body give me fall allergy symptoms!

I drove (instead of walked to work) this week because I was still feeling under the weather and got in my car after school to 105 on the dashboard.

What would you say to one of the hodgepodge questions today?

Amy

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

I guess this blog topic is fitting for today because it’s a long day. I get home around 3:45 and will leave again around 5:45 for our Meet The Teacher night. We run through our schedule and parents sit in our room for 10 minutes and then a bell rings and they move on. So, it will last about 70 minutes (we have a 7 period day) with a 5 minute passing period. I am not a math teacher but it would be 70×35 minutes!

I am still figuring out my morning routine, to be honest. Every August I have a mini meltdown (Tom knows this and expects it. He has done this with me for 26 of my 31 years!) where I don’t feel like I am doing anything efficiently in my life. I think I can still keep doing all the chores that I did all summer, plus cook, plus all the new school responsibilities. Can anyone relate?

Add a puppy to the mix and it’s been a bit chaotic. But, just look at that face!

So, the puppy sleeps with us, but if he has trouble getting back to sleep anywhere from midnight until 3:00 am I guess, we take him out to the dining room corner where the crate is. He doesn’t resist his crate at all. Some nights Mason takes him around midnight. My theory is that Eddie Otis can’t handle his 50 something parents’ bathroom visits and thinks it’s time to get up. TMI, possibly.

So, Tom’s alarm goes off at 4:30 am and I usually hear it. He goes to the gym at 5 am. I have been getting up anywhere between 5 and 6 depending on how my night went.

I want to go to the gym, too, but for now, I am walking to school and Eddie Otis is my first priority.

I go open the crate for EO or we get out of bed together and then he is so hungry! We bought a slow feeder mat to slow him down because he was inhaling his food.

He eats anywhere between 5 and 6 and on weekends he can wait a bit later. While he eats I start coffee, piddle around the kitchen, and just start to wake up.

He takes almost 15 minutes to eat now, which is great.

5:30-6:15 – We head out to the patio. I light a candle, do my devotional, and EO sniffs around the yard. We are lucky to have a fence and a driveway gate.

I learned many years ago that I am a happier person if I have a couple of hours to myself before work. So, that means getting up early!

6:15 – Tom returns from the gym and he and Eddie take a walk around the elementary playground behind our house.

6:15 – 7:15 – Amy continues reading blogs and often does household orders, grocery orders, stuff like that, too. EO is ready to just chill on the patio with me while Tom gets ready.

7:15 – Tom is done-ish (what on Earth takes men so long?) I go in and pack some stuff for Tom to take to work and I gather up my food stuffs I am taking that day.

7:30- Tom leaves for work and I start getting ready. EO is now able to sit quietly outside the bedroom hallway/bathroom area and wait for me.

8:00- Amy leaves for work. I crate EO if Mason isn’t up. Mason sets his alarm for this time everyday but somedays sleeps a bit later. He lets EO back out as soon as he can.

8:15 – Amy arrives at work. Why did I switch to the third person? Amy is me. I am Amy. Some days I leave a note for things I need kids to do that day.

8:15-9:31 – Amy (I have to continue now) talked to co-workers, eats breakfast, makes sure all plans are good to go for the day, gets ready for the next day, grades papers, reads emails, etc.

9:31-11:45 – Teach 2.5 classes

11:45 – lunch

12:09-3:20 – has 3.5 more classes.

This was only meant to be a morning routine post, but I just kept going!

Are you still working to adjust your morning routine? What do you find helpful?

Amy

Monday, August 26, 2024

How was your weekend? Mine had a theme which you will find out in a minute. Can you believe it’s the last week of August? I really think August is my least favorite month – it’s hard, it’s stressful, and usually the weather is my least favorite.

I am dreading this week, to be honest. I have a 5 day week plus a long day with our Meet the Teacher night on Tuesday. On top of that, we are already doing state testing so classes will be all out of whack. Yup, let’s test the kids constantly! When I have a week like this I try to take it one day at a time.

So, our weather last week was amazing! We had a taste of…

fall! Sweatshirts and even pants a couple of days in the morning were required. I spent more time outside and I guess I sort of forgot that I get sick every September with allergy symptoms. So, I woke up Friday morning not feeling great and that theme continues.

Eye patches really feel good on your sinuses, by the way. Maybe the good thing is that I will come out looking so much younger for the eye patch treatment?

Friday night I wanted soup and we ordered Panera for Tom and I cause the kids were off working or playing. Meh. We really aren’t fans. I got French onion soup and a half of a grain/greens thing.

I didn’t sleep well Thursday night and again didn’t sleep well Friday night.

I woke up Saturday and felt better, but just really tired. I picked up this from the library. I like being able to simply check things out that I don’t want to buy. I did a Target return and a Trader Joe’s run.

A couple of Target books that looked good so I can request them…

I felt up to keeping my plan to meet my friend Elizabeth for breakfast. We had a nice time catching up and I need to do this more!

The rest of the day I napped and watched Hotel Portofino in the basement and then read outside. It was just what I needed.

Tom took me to Harry’s for dinner where he got his favorite salmon spinach salad and I got…

salmon and potato croquettes. I hadn’t eaten anything else all day so I was hungry.

I went to bed after a shower and slept really well and late. I didn’t get up until 7 on Sunday!

Sorry for my Debbie Downer Hello Monday post!

I hope you had a good one!

Amy