Friday, July 8, 2022

It’s time for the Friday Favorites link up here!

This week was weird, right? 4th of July on Monday kinda threw everything off. Did you feel that way, too?

So, good news…Tom was negative and able to go back to work Tuesday, but he is still not 100%. I think he might be expecting too much of himself, but I also have heard people say it took them a few weeks to get back to “normal”. He got up at 4:30 and went to the gym Tuesday and Wednesday, but took a break yesterday morning and I think it was a good idea.

I never want to see another Covid test in my life after giving maybe ten (no one else thinks they can do their own in my house) over the last two weeks! Plus, I think I spent another $75 on tests!

Mason tested positive a couple of days after Tom and Jack had three negative tests but had all the same symptoms as Mason did. So, we just assumed that all three of them had it! Maybe we should have done an official drive through test site, but many of them have closed around here and honestly, it didn’t even cross my mind to find one until some time had passed.

Can I make a confession, though? I kinda like putting the drops in the test kit. I feel like a super serious lab worker.

And, thank you for all of your well wishes for my crew!

So, let’s talk about some favorites…

I guess my first has to be that everyone is on the mend and that the timing wasn’t worse. I’m glad the kids weren’t in school and in the middle of finals, you know?

My next favorite is that I have been texting back “STOP” to all of the sales texts I now get. I guess it’s my fault that I started getting so many. I would sign up to get a discount and then just continue to get so.many.texts from a company that I probably wasn’t going to order from again.

Try it if you are having the same problem!

I have been struggling to find a show to watch on my own besides the weekly Bravo and Peacock shows I’ve been watching.

I really enjoyed this one season, six episode show. Check it out! Also, I love the fun wardrobe of Katherine!

I started reading this and I’m really into it. I didn’t realize the main character was only 18 so it probably qualifies as “young adult”, but I’m still really enjoying it – about halfway through right now.

I cut some hydrangeas to put on my mantle!

I love these vines hanging over my fence, too.

This is my cleaner of summer from Target. It’s super cheap and it smells like the Capri Volcano candle. I have shared it before and I have purchased it a few times!

I made up a new lunch this week. I did cauliflower rice sauteed in a skillet with shredded carrots (pre-shredded in a bag from the grocery), broccoli, chicken and…

this sauce that looked interesting from Trader Joe’s. If you aren’t close to a TJ, I bet the regular grocery has something similar.

It was so good! If Erica agrees to do lunches again next year, this will definitely go in my rotation. Please, Erica!

I’m loving my little lemon dish; I learned the hard way to always bring this kind of stuff in and not leave it out in the elements. I also bring in the cushions every night.

and this little peach black tea candle from Trader Joe’s.

I made probably the best Rice Krispies treats ever for the non-existent 4th of July we had here. I had picked up the seasonal 4th of July box when I first saw it because they don’t last. We didn’t end up doing anything because of our sickies, but I still had to make them!

It was 6 tablespoons of salted butter melted, add to that 8 cups of mini marshmallows. When all melted (I just use the microwave) and stirred, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Then, add in 6 cups of cereal and one more cup of non-melted mini marshmallows. Put in a greased (Pam) 8×8 pan so they are thicker and then let sit. Yum! I’m usually a “chocolate for dessert” person, but if you give me one of these I am happy! The packaged Rice Krispies treats taste so bad to me, unless I’m going to dip them in a chocolate fountain! Ha!

Have you ever added Nutella or peanut butter to the melted marshmallow mixture? That’s amazing, too!

My favorite little specialty store – Paul’s Fruit Market – sells Fruity Pebbles treats! They sub out the Rice Krispies for Fruity Pebbles! Remember when I used Cap’n Crunch?

Sorry I talked about sweet treats for so long!

Tom’s parents sent a cute little Edible Arrangements fruit bouquet for the sickies in the house.

This next picture is a cry for help:

Any suggestions for these little wispies at the top of my head? I am having some breakage and I do not take any collagen or anything. Should I start taking Vital Proteins? I don’t even blow dry my hair and this summer I am only using a curling iron a couple of times a week. So, this is not a favorite, but it will be if I can get this under control.

So, I need a suggestion to improve this problem and a temporary fix to hold them down.

Also, I am wearing my re-ordered Seint makeup and my old lady Florida lip color in this photo.

I think “Things I Bought and Liked” on Instagram recommended this, but this 7 minute arm workout is a killer. I could only do half the first time I did it and now I am working my way up to not cheating at all through the whole thing. I’m trying to do it everyday!

I polished my nails this color this week:

And, I did another try on the freezer jam. Shay conviced me to try it, but my first two attempts were more like an ice cream or waffle topping. My sister Molly has been inspired, too, and she had more success using powdered pectin, so that is what I did this time.

It’s really fun and easy to make! I will let you know how my third attempt turns out.

What were your favorites this week?

Amy

Thursday, July 7, 2022

The name of my blog is “Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa” so I gotta earn my keep! I wanted to do a more comprehensive post about enjoying cocktails – but with a more calorie conscious frame of mind.

Now, click away if talking about alcohol is a trigger for you. I actually have several people in my life who abstain and I totally respect that. Some of these can be made into “mocktails”. I am not sure I love that term, but there it is.

I indulge in a cocktail more in the warm weather but honestly, my favorite drink is water! Then, coffee! And, I am weird in that I prefer a cocktail before my food or without any food. Is anyone else like that?

Maybe it’s a sign of getting old, but I can’t believe the cocktail prices! If it’s a good one or something special, I don’t mind to pay $12. The cocktails at the Omni rooftop pool were so bad at $12-$14 a pop!

My famous skinny margarita is seriously better than most restaurant ones I have had. You tired of hearing about it yet?

But, this restaurant skinny was pretty good, too. The problem is is that you just don’t know how “skinny” it is! Also, if it’s the size of your head, is it really “skinny” anymore?

My margarita:

one shot of tequila mixed with half of a Crystal Light lemonade powder stick (individual size), fresh lime juice to taste, ice, and then filled to the top with Fresca. Don’t skimp on the Fresca. Lemon lime soda isn’t as good. Trust me on this!

Here is the “Transfusion” cocktail:

Go here for full details!

This is my “Old Fashioned” given to me by my friend Victoria.

One shot of bourbon (you might like this even if you don’t think you are a bourbon drinker), a half shot of lemon juice, a full shot of the Modica cocktail mix (I found mine at Total Wine) and this is only 30 calories so no worries, mix all together and then add ice and fill to top with Diet Ginger Ale. Even if you aren’t counting calories, the diet version keeps it from being too sweet.

I am new to rum but I really like this brand called Saltwater Woody.

Then, I keep bourbon (this is Trader Joe’s), Tito’s vodka, and a light tequila (also Trader Joe’s) on hand.

If you are on WW, most of your hard liquors are going to be 3 points per shot.

The key is keeping your mixers at zero calories/points.

I start most of my cocktails with some Crystal Light powder. I then add the shot and mix well. Fresh lime or lemon juice is really great, but I just keep the bottles of juice on hand. Then, I always like a sparkling element. My favorite sparkling elements are Fresca, Diet Canada Dry, the Sparkling ICE beverage (not pictured but easy to find in grocery stores), and I am new to adding seltzers. The one pictured is Trader Joe’s pineapple and I really like it alone or with cocktails.

I just get such a kick out of being able to make a really good cocktail that is lower in calories and in cost than what I would get at a restaurant. Do you?

I do enjoy a hard seltzer and they are easier to take to the pool or on the boat. My favorite are Vizzy Mimosa, High Noon, and Truly lemonade and poolside. Jen says the margarita Trulys are really good so I am going to try those.

Examples of the Truly poolside flavors:

I just started adding electrolyte powder to a couple of my waters and it got me thinking that these would make great mixers. I did check with the dietician I follow on IG and she said they would be great, too.

I found this at Whole Foods and also picked up some individual sticks to try different flavors.

And, now I will leave you with a new cocktail recipe.

1 shot of rum mixed with half of a Crystal Light lemonade stick, a splash of lemon juice, and fill to the top with ice and a pineapple sparkling water. Yum! Sorry I don’t have a photo.

So, do you indulge in a cocktail or two? What is your drink of choice? You have any cocktail inspo for me?

Cheers!

Amy

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Let’s talk about money today! Do you enjoy this topic? I think summer can be really hard because you feel like you are just hemorrhaging money with all of the unstructured time, right?

Well, it is absolutely true that everything costs more these days! I totaled out my May 15th – June 15th grocery and gas purchases and it ain’t pretty. Our college kids came home May 9th so this is for a family of four. Also, we pay for gas for 3 vehicles.

Groceries: $1300

Gas: $600

I believe that is double or close to double from a year ago! What about you? Are you spending double? I am trying to lower that this month without sacrificing quality of life.

My recent fill up:

I believe this is the most I have ever spent. I should also say that I never let my car get below 1/4 of a tank. #anxiety!

I only have one credit card and one debit card. The credit card is a Kroger credit card. I use it for all of my gas and groceries (and other stuff that I charge) and I get rewards in the form of gift cards and money off of my gas. This time I chose to save the 45 cents off per gallon for Tom and I chose to just use the 3 cents off. His car is more expensive to fill up. It is super easy to track how much we spent on groceries and gas because of this card, too. We pay it in full every month because we are not comfortable with having debt other than our mortgage.

Here are my tips and how I make them work in my life. I am sure I’m not sharing anything mind blowing here, but I would love to hear your tips in the comments, too.

I would like to say I live a luxuriuosly frugal life. I save where I can and I spend out on the things that matter to me or that make my life feel luxurious.

I try not to be impulsive when I buy things. I add to cart and then leave it there for awhile until I decide if I really want to buy it.

Saving Money on Gas:

Now, I have always done this, but I am even more conscious about it this summer. I bundle all of my errands. I do these two things together because they are close to each other. I will go here while I am in the neighborhood – stuff like that.

Saving Money on Food:

And, what about the cost of restaurant and carry out pizza? Is it encrusted with gold flakes? I recently made this pizza in my air fryer at 450 degrees and bonus that it is “skinny”. Seriously, try making your own; it’s so good! Here is the recipe I use. I bought fresh mozzarella balls at Costco and it really tastes like something you would pay $20 for in a restaurant. I think this would be fun for your kids, too! If you don’t want to use this recipe, you can use a regular dough recipe.

Do not buy pre-cut fruit. It is nasty and you are paying way more for someone else to cut it. Sorry I said it was nasty, but it really isn’t as good. Fruit is expensive, so I try to stick with in-season fruit. It’s better anyway.

Do whatever it takes to enjoy coffee at home. For me, that means a nice creamer or a flavored syrup. My favorite syrups are brown sugar cinnamon and caramel cream. You can also find these at TJ Maxx for about half of the price. Get yourself a frother! It has changed my coffee life. Starbucks who?

And, you know I also love my protein cold brew coffee or “profee” as some call it.

You really do have to know your prices on groceries. I was in Target getting a couple of things recently and I went to the grocery section. I couldn’t believe how much better their prices were on a few things. Also, this Laura’s Lean Beef was priced the same as at my Kroger – about $8 a pound. But, it had a $5 off sticker. I bought two packs and got myself a bargain!

Figure out how to get the rewards from your store. It took some work, but I cashed in those points from my Kroger credit card and got $200 worth of groceries out of it.

Cook and eat at home and save going out for special ocassions. It really makes it feel like more of a treat.

Plan your meals. Get a cute little pad like this if you like to go old school.

Also, not everything has to be “cooked”. You can simply heat up and prepare things if you don’t have the energy to really cook. You will still save money and time.

Examples:

Ham, canned green beans, Bob Evans mashed potatoes, rolls

BBQ, Texas toast, baked beans

Fish sticks, Kraft mac and cheese, peas

KFC bowls – corn, frozen chicken nuggets, Bob Evans mashed potatoes, gravy, shredded cheese

Trader Joe’s frozen orange chicken, jasmine rice, broccoli

Soup and grilled cheese

Breakfast for dinner

Dedicated leftover night where everyone eats something different

Have a few of these types of things on hand.

I love my electric griddle. This is great for making pancakes or a bunch of grilled cheese sandwiches. This would be great to take on vacation if you have a house/condo and need to make meals for a larger group. My aunt did this for french toast when we were in Michigan once. These cost about $20.

You can never go wrong with the Krusteaz brand in the baking aisle. My kids have been requesting chocolate chip pancakes a lot this summer (well, a lot is like 3 times) and I will happily cook for them. It brings me joy! You can even make a big batch and freeze some for another day.

When you do go out, split meals. The portions are so big! Another tip is to go out for lunch when the prices are way less. If you are doing take out, you can get lunch prices until about 3:00 and just re-heat it later. I have not done this tip yet, but I plan to soon since my kids are on a weird eating schedule this summer with their jobs.

Re-create restaurant foods at home. I have been making some restaurant quality salads this summer! It’s not that hard. I love a hard boiled egg in my salads.

Bring your own food if it makes sense. I recently did this and it was so yummy for the boat. We can pull up to a river restaurant and spend at least $40 or we can bring our own food so I try to limit how often we buy food because it adds up.

These pretzel slider buns were new to me when I finally stepped foot into my Kroger instead of doing pick up!

You just put them right back in the bag and transport or if you are staying home you can heat them up.

The biggest tip to save money on food is to not waste it! This is why planning is so important. Only buy what you need and can reasonably use. Your freezer is your best friend. I freeze all of our bread, buns, bagels, so that we just take out what we need and it doesn’t grow mold. Tom has a special bread that only he eats and likes and he gets kind of annoyed that I keep it in the freezer, but he will have a sandwich once a week so it just makes sense.

Also, I try to do some meal prep in the morning when I have more energy. If I wait until the late afternoon I am not so motivated. There is also nothing wrong with cooking in the morning and heating it up at dinner time!

This summer I am keeping a list of breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas on my memo board. It is really helping me to reduce food waste!

Use your library! If you are like me and you don’t plan to re-read the books and don’t want the clutter, this only makes sense. I request all of the books I want to read on my library app and then go pick them up when they are ready. I can get brand new books really quickly. Our library lets you keep books for 3 weeks but they no longer have late fees.

Entertainment:

Pay attention to the free entertainment your city offers and then take photos and put it in your calendar. Also, check out this post if you have kids! Playdates are really fun for the kids and the moms if you are at the boredom stage of summer. I always invited the mom to stay and we chatted and had a drink or snack and then it was fun for me, too.

Other:

Get organized! I get so mad at myself when I buy a new something of a something I already owned but couldn’t find! Argh! Care for what you have and use what you have. I am constantly trying to do better with this.

Repair things instead of buying new. I had two kimonos mended (for $25) and one pair of eyeglasses fixed for free where I purchased them.

Sell or donate what you aren’t using. Yes, maybe it hurts to think of the money wasted, but with less stuff you will really know what you have and be able to use it. I have made almost $300 this summer selling clothing and shoes that were just taking up space in my closet.

So, give me your best tips and vent in the comments about the cost of living!

Amy

Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Are you ready to see what Amazon brought to my door this month? It’s time to link up with Tanya to find out…

And, stay tuned at the end, because I will about some other clothing purchases.

First up, I bought a pair of espadrilles. Amazon Essentials has not let me down yet. I really like the flattering v shape on the top of the foot and they stay on well. I think these will be a teacher shoe for me, but they will also look chic for other things, too! And, these never go out of style. Did you know the espadrille is from Spain? Fun fact from a Spanish teacher!

Then, on the recommendation of Melanie Shankle on The Big Boo Cast podcast, I bought the Goli Ashwagandha gummies. I take only one a day and usually take it between 4 in the afternoon and 9 at night. Melanie said she takes hers in the afternoon. You can take two at two different times during the day according to the bottle. I have slept very soundly, even when I was on the couch while Tom was Covid positive. Plus, it’s just a fun word to say. My kids are tired of me saying it, though.

Next up, we have the old lady Florida lip color that I really like for summer. It looks best with a gloss on top, in my opinion or else it does look too old lady Florida! But, no offense to anyone because I can assure you that they are having more fun than I did last week. This is my second purchase of it, by the way. I got this recommendation by Bev Cooks. It looks great on her.

I am using this lotion on my chin, upper lip, arm pits, and legs. I think it’s really helped my face, but I can’t tell or I haven’t used it enough yet on the other areas. It has a pleasant smell, though! I can’t remember where I read about it.

Don’t waste your money on the portable air conditioner. This was a temporary fix for my kids’ car. Their AC is now fixed. I am going to take it on the boat and see what I think.

I have only used these floats once and one of them ripped a bit in the mesh area, but it is still usable. It’s probably my fault because of the way I was getting on the float while already in the water. This style float is all the rage at the pool I go to, by the way. So, I don’t recommend this one, but I really like this style.

I needed a new sunshade for my car and I personally think this is genius. It folds up like an umbrella instead of you having to fold the standard kind all awkwardly because of the size of it. I really like this product!

Can’t live without my popcorn spray!

I love my new long coverup! And, I love my new straw bag. It does have a bit of a strong straw smell, but I think it will fade as I use it more.

So, I think I did ok this month on Amazon. I had a couple of misses but that’s alright.

I do try to not be impulsive on Amazon. I usually add to cart and then let it sit to see if I really need the item. I do not hesitate to make returns, either. I have a UPS store really close to my house and if it doesn’t work out (usually clothing), I return it.

It has been nice lately to not have to do any returns because I have limited my clothing purchases, I guess.

Now, for some other purchases…

This first one was kind of impulsive. Oops – but I do think I will wear them a lot in the fall, winter, and spring.

I live very close to a nice outdoor shopping center with locally owned boutiques and restaurants. I pop in to the shops there about once every couple of weeks. I like that they have unique things and I like to support my local businesses.

I thought these were so cute and I am really enjoying wearing sneakers to work more. There is nothing worse as a teacher than being in uncomfortable footwear all day. Well, there are some worse things, but I have learned that my feet need to be cared for because I almost never sit down and the floors are really hard concrete. Who designs schools anyway?

I am hoping to be able to wear these with dresses and skirts. I love that you don’t have to tie them!

I hope I don’t offend anyone, but I am not a fan of Kohl’s. I was near one the other day, though, and saw that they had opened a Sephora inside of it! Did you know that Sephoras are now in some Kohl’s? I was looking for a particular product that I knew was sold in Sephora so I went in. They didn’t have it; it’s like a mini Sephora, by the way.

I gravitated toward the clothing and reached out and touched this white button down shirt and it was so soft and it was not as long as a typical white button down shirt is, which is good for me. I’m in love. I got it a bit oversized and I am so happy to have this closet staple in a way that I think will work for me. And, yes, I have already worn it to run an errand. That is the true test for me – do I wear the item right away?

And, you know I love a blouse. This pattern stopped me in my tracks. It is a Lauren Conrad – Laguna Beach, the reality show, you know?

The material is super soft, too.

Very bad mirror selfie:

So, I am super happy with my two Kohl’s purchases. I’m sorry for what I said about you, Kohl’s!

Now, let’s talk about Coastal Grandmother chic. I have long been a fan of linen, which is one of the major tenents of CGC. I have a bunch of linen drawstring shorts from Old Navy and I have one pair of white linen pants. I heard about the Target A New Day version on a podcast and thought I might try to add some to my closet. I ordered them in white/tan stripe and black.

Some people have said to size down, but since I carry a lot of my weight in my stomach, that won’t work for me. So, here I am in my normal size:

I am 5’4 and even with a heel, I would have to get them hemmed (which would be about $20 at my tailor) making the pants now cost $45. I also felt that the legs were too voluminous for me. I’m sorry I didn’t get a better photo of the bottoms of the pants.

I tried on my Old Navy version that are really old and I think they are much more flattering and the length is perfect on me, even though I’m short. So, I am going to check out what their version looks like for this year. Maybe I can’t do the really trendy wide leg and these work because the legs aren’t so wide. Remember that for some reason, Old Navy’s online prices tend to be better than their in store prices.

Please remember that it’s not you, it’s the clothes. I have so many different sizes in my closet right now becauses sizes just aren’t standard and I’m trying to not get hung up on the number. Also, if you shop consignment like I do, you probably need to look in the next size up because the clothes have been washed multiple times. I actually like that because you can see how they have held up. Just a little PSA if you are frustrated about this.

So, what having you been buying on Amazon lately? Any thoughts on my purchases?

Thanks for reading,

Amy

Monday, July 4, 2022

Happy 4th of July! I wasn’t sure if I would re-cap my weekend today or tomorrow or if there would be a Hello Monday link up, but since my weekend was very light and tomorrow is Prime Purchases with Tanya, I decided to go ahead and post today. That was lots of words that you probably didn’t need to know…

So, last Monday night Covid reared its ugly head in our home. All of us are vaccinated and single boosted, but not double boosted. I was the only one that had had Covid (end of January of this year) as far as we know. Tom started having some symptoms last Saturday that we thought were allergies due to yard work. But, Monday night we tested him and he was positive. Mason started having symptoms on Wednesday and then we had another positive person. Jack started having symptoms on Friday and has had three negative tests, so who knows, but we are assuming he has it, too? Again lots of words, but it all boils down to lots of sick people in my house and I have been sleeping on the couch, “cooking” and making plates for people, chasing people around with my can of Lysol, and leaving the house to go get more supplies (while wearing a mask just in case), and repeat.

Friday we couldn’t ignore the fact that Ernie needed a bath. Ernie has been really confused as to why his favorite person has been living in the bedroom. Tom had enough energy to use our dog bath in our mudroom. This dog loves all bodies of water, except the bath! Very pitiful!

I made my super easy egg bake. I was almost out of eggs so I used 4 eggs, a half cup of fat free cottage cheese, and about 1/4 can of jalapenos. I baked it at 350 for about 30 minutes. Yum! This is zero WW points for me.

One of my trips out was to Whole Foods. I found and bought these and give them my stamp of approval. I can have 3 for 2 WW points!

The reason why I say “I can have” is because the current WW plan is called Personal Points. There is a lot of negativity surrounding WW right now in my Instagram feed. Many have abandoned it in favor of My Fitness Pal or calorie counting or other programs because they don’t feel that it is a healthy eating plan anymore. They also feel that it is too restrictive. I get that, but I also think many plans are what you make of them. If you are in a bad cycle of eating like I was, I think it can be very helpful to teach you what you need or to get you out of that rut. So, anyway, do what works for you. I am still doing this but I am “cheating” a little bit this summer. What this means is that I am having more fruit, peanuts, pistachios, avocado, etc. that go over my points on my plan. I am also having more treats and not beating myself up over it. I don’t want to be food obsessed. It’s a fine line between planning/prepping and becoming all consumed by food. I want to only think about food when I’m hungry, but that also means you haven’t prepped. Still learning here…

And, here is evidence that I am indulging…

Have you heard of the Tik Tok Cinnamon Roll “recipe”? You just cover the can of cinnamon rolls with 1/2 cup of heavy cream and bake according to directions.

It was good, but it wasn’t the best cinnamon roll I’ve ever tried.

Friday night, Tom changed locations and we sat together on the porch.

I went to World Market and found this cute lemon tray on Friday, too!

I made “sub in a tub” for the first time. This is basically anything that you would put on a turkey sub. It was pretty good.

I was super tired of eating at home so Friday night we got Mexican take out and I paired my fajitas with cauliflower rice.

I worked on this most of the weekend. It isn’t as good as Beach Read in my opinion. I didn’t like her second book at all. So, I would say she is no longer a favorite author.

I am so happy this plant has been revived! I think it has liked the warmth outside. I was down to one green frond and then this started happening!

Saturday afternoon I made myself an “old fashioned”.

This is so yummy!

And, I read on my porch a bit before walking Ernie with Tom.

I made nachos with the leftover fajitas for Tom and I and the kids had soup.

I downloaded Tubi for free and found Real Housewives of Vancouver. There are lots of obscure housewives on that streaming service – I found Johannesburg, S. Africa, and Durban, S. Africa and I definitely had to Google the second one.

Sunday morning I made a Trader Joe’s run and found this candle and it came home with me. It smells really good even though I didn’t think it would!

Next up, I am deciding between these two:

Finally, Sunday afternoon I got out with my sister in law and it was so nice!

I picked up pizza for dinner at Tom’s request.

What about you?

Amy

Friday, July 1, 2022

It’s time to link up here for Friday Favorites!

It’s been a week! Tom has been home with Covid and the rest of us have been trying to avoid him and getting it. I’ve been sleeping on the couch. One of my sweet kids offered up their room but I turned it down. I will remember which one offered, though! I have not exercised because I didn’t want to take this to the gym or Jazzercise in case I was going to get it. So…it’s been a week. I’m so glad I had such a full weekend and a fun Monday before this hit!

Here are some of my favorites from the week so I am not too much of a Debbie Downer.

I got my Real Simple in the mail. I love looking at this magazine.

I picked up my two kimonos from the tailor. Good as new!

We had some cool mornings this week.

I still sat outside but I had to add my favorite Gap pajama pants. I love these pants! By the way, I am constantly reaching for my Target slides. I love these shoes so much. I really need to order a size down so that they fit better and I have them when they are discontinued. They are wonderful. I think they are my most comfortable summer sandals.

I am really enjoying this book!

Did you see my cocktail recipe yesterday?

I tried to make jam! It was super easy, but I think I messed up the ratio of fruit to pectin so I need to try it again because it was more runny like an ice cream or waffle topping. Maybe I will do raspberry? It’s really fun. My sister tried it, too!

I have now tried both of these kits and the watermelon is the clear winner for me. I didn’t think the strawberry had much flavor.

The watermelon vinagrette in this kit is to die for! And, isn’t the package so cute!

I have been mixing it up this week with my second favorite Premier flavor of caramel.

I tried to do regular instant coffee for my protein iced coffee and it was sub par. I went back to this from Trader Joe’s. It’s perfect!

I have taken over the dog walking duties and I snapped this early morning photo of Ernie through this pretty flowering bush.

I wear my short boots from Costco in the morning. These were $20 and I am so glad I bought them. The grass is so wet in the mornings so boots are the only way to go. These have faux fur inside them, too. I really like short boots. They are just so easy!

My ultimate favorite of the week was my Monday rooftop pool day.

I wore my new suit from Aerie for only $30 and I loved it!

We chose our chairs (they provided towels) and they promptly brought us a menu with drinks and food options.

I chose the cheeseburger and it was really good!

The weather could not have been better and we enjoyed almost 5 hours of relaxation in our lounge chairs, in the pool, in the hot tube, and on the shady side of the roof when we got too much sun. I should have taken more photos but I was in the moment.

What were your favorites this week? What are your long weekend/holiday weekend plans? One of my kids has to work all weekend and ours are up in the air for now.

Thanks for reading,

Amy

Thursday, June 30, 2022

This is the last day of June! Ay! I love June! It’s not usually too hot for us and summer is still so new and fresh. July is good, too, but it starts heating up and I get a little sad because it means summer is at the halfway point. No!

The first time I heard about the cocktail called the “Transfusion” it was on Bravo’s Below Deck. An annoying charter guest asked for it and explained what was in it and I took notes! It’s a horrible name for a cocktail – especially after Covid, no? And, no, you don’t prepare this in an IV bag or anything. Then, I repeatedly heard reality show people ask for this. I had all of the ingredients so I made it happen this week! Maybe I was a little tired of being Tom’s Covid nurse and I needed a transfusion! It’s a little bit like my Purple Rain cocktail, by the way!

I used a shot of vodka, a shot of grape juice, a half of a stick of Crystal Light grape (so I didn’t need as much of the caloric grape juice), and a splash of water. I mixed that up really well. Then, I added ice and filled to the top with Diet ginger ale.

It was super easy and really yummy! You do have to enjoy grape flavors to like this cocktail because it is pretty grape-y! I loved the nice purple color, too! After doing a little bit of reading on this cocktail, I plan to add some lime juice next time as the recipes I have seen include this!

Now onto Monthly Musings – Summer Travel…

I am linking up with Holly and Patty!

Favorite Summer Destination:

Europe! But, it is so busy in the summer in certain places. I would love to go to Europe in the fall or I would love to see Christmas in Germany maybe? But, for many of the last several years, we would head north in the summer while everyone else heads south. Lake Michigan is just divine in July and August. There is no salt in the water (I once got salt in my contact lenses in Hilton Head and it was painful), no fear of sharks, and we can be there in less than 5 hours. What more could you want?

I prefer warm weather destinations usually!

This summer, sadly, we did not make any plans. I am so glad we traveled so much before our kids entered high school because travel became trickier. But, we still did make a few trips work after that. Now, one of them works an internship until I go back to school with really no opportunity to take off. We talked about going on just a couples trip, but we are probably just going to save our money for our college tuitions and home renovations. I keep reminding myself there are seasons in life.

We mainly drove on all of our family vacations because it was just more affordable and we needed lots of stuff and a car to get around.

I love oceans and lakes the most!

I love packing! I know that is weird, but it’s true. I start packing about a week before and I start with making sure everything is clean and not wearing anything I might want to take on the trip. I was lucky to have a guest room where I could lay out all of my stuff and my kids’ stuff. I would add and subtract during the week leading up. Tom was on his own and we seriously always waited on him to be done packing!

Another tip is to keep a list of possible places you want to travel to in your phone memo.

We are not the kind of people who wait until 7:00 to go eat and then wait two hours. No way! We like to be kinda different than everyone else – eating dinner really early or going out to lunch.

I was really good about researching free or discount days for activities in the area I was going to be traveling to. We packed breakfast foods and some condo/house necessities so we wouldn’t have to buy certain things when we got there.

I am probably an overpacker, but I do try to pick a color scheme and be as smart as I can. Shoes are always my downfall! I also am like a girl scout in that I want to be prepared for anything!

We would usually plan spring break in January and then start working on summer after Spring Break, so we didn’t plan too far in advance.

We went to Lake Michigan with my side of the family many times. Here we are in this photo with extended family:

We camped several times with Tom’s side of the family. Tom’s parents had an RV and we pitched a tent beside them. We camped with Tom’s German family when they visited, too.

Lake Michigan! Looks like the ocean, right?

So, our first dog Archie didn’t get to go many places, but he had some incredible dogsitters. Ernie is well traveled, though. He is a great car traveler. Here is Ernie in Lake Michigan and he has been there 3 times.

There are actually lots of dog-friendly rental houses on VRBO. I haven’t looked at other sites much. Ernie has also been to Dauphin Island, Alabama. We rented a great house there. He could go down the steps and be in the water in minutes. He is a big water boy. We love walking with him in the mornings and the evenings and he naps when we go do things.

We also love taking the train into Chicago when we go to Lake Michigan. I am obsessed with train travel and wish we had more available in this country. We went to the Shedd Aqaurium and the Chicago Art Institute and we, of course, ate Chicago style pizza. The train dropped us off right where we wanted to go and we didn’t have to pay for parking which is crazy in Chicago and all big cities, I think!

Last summer we did a short trip to Nashville. Let’s just say our kids are not into the Nashville vibe.

Our kids were great car travelers just like Ernie. I love Jack’s reading position here.

Mason on a tablet:

Our family’s favorite road trip was an epic one that happened over Spring Break. We drove to Universal Studios without telling them where we were going. They were big into Harry Potter and mainly focused on Harry Potter world. Then, we drove through central Florida and did a swamp boat ride. Finally, we drove to the keys, stopping along the way to see and do different things. We ended in Key West and stayed there for a few days. We hopped on a boat to go to the Dry Tortugas and Fort Jefferson where we toured the fort and snorkeled.

The sunset celebration nightly in Key West is so pretty:

Our kids’ first plane ride was at age 13, almost 14 – to Germany for two weeks! We wanted to get them there before they started high school.

We did the high speed train to travel throughout Germany and Tom is smiling!

We just renewed the kids’ passports – we got them back in about 7 weeks, so we are hopeful to do something exciting sooner rather than later? Jack has an opportunity to go to Italy with his college choir and Mason might do study abroad soon, so we had to get the passports prepared just in case.

I still was/am? worried about the flight delays and cancellations this summer and the amount of people cashing in on all of those cancelled Covid trips!

On my list:

Spain, Mexico, England, Ireland, Scotland, Maine, Boston, Nantucket, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Niagra Falls and Canada, and so much more!

What about you? Let me know if you try the Transfusion and what are your travel plans?

Amy

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

I thought I would join this fun link up today with Sheaffer and Shay! But, seriously, how is it the last week of June!

What we’re eating this week...

Monday we had a special treat because everyone was home! We had our favorite mediterranean restaurant food take out. We also tried Jen’s taco casserole this week – yum! I added some taco sauce on top when I served it.

I found these two salad mixes this week:

One of my kids and I tried the watermelon for lunch and it was really good. The dressing makes it!

Shay’s post on freezer jam inspired me. I had always wanted to make it but I was intimidated by the boiling of the mason jars. This is so easy! You just run your jars through the dishwasher for sterilizing and there is no boiling involved. You chop your fruit, mash your fruit, add sugar, let it sit, add liquid pectin, and then jar up and let sit on your counter for 24 hours before putting it in the freezer or fridge. It lasts for a year in the freezer and 3 weeks in the fridge.

If I can do it, anyone can!

What I’m reminiscing about…

Just enjoying all of the Facebook memories of my kids popping up. I really and truly loved the summers with my kids. I blinked and they are now halfway through college. This hammock picture makes me laugh. They had these short sleeved button downs that they called “Grandpa shirts” because if my Dad wasn’t wearing a polo type shirt, he was wearing one of these.

What I’m loving…

Gosh, so much. I love summer mornings on my patio, my coffee combo right now – fat free half and half with Jordan’s skinny syrup in caramel creme flavor (frothed together), slow mornings, more time with friends…

Monday was really fun. One of my summer bucket list items was to go to the rooftop pool at the Omni hotel; they sell day passes for Sunday-Thursday. My friend Beth helped me accomplish this!

We had such a fun day!

What we’ve been up to…

We have been doing summer activities. We have been boating and I have been to two different pools in the last week, one of them was the rooftop pool from above.

And, then this happened…

Tom had not had Covid yet as far as we knew. He started having some coughing and congestion on Saturday night but he always has a bit of this with allergies and he had been outside a ton and done a lot of yard work. Monday when I got home from the pool day he had started feeling worse so we tested him and he was positive.

Me at the store getting sick supplies for him:

I was hoping not to need this patriotic mask again!

I got him Gatorade and some magazines. We decided he would hole up in our room.

What I’m dreading…

I am dreading the soul-sucking professional developments that I have to attend before school starts. In addition, we have to watch like 15,000 training videos. They add more and more each year. I am dreading seeing school supplies in the stores too early, too! Lol! Triggering!

What I’m working on…

It’s a constant, but I am working on decluttering different spaces. I have done my spices and my medicines so far. I have worked on my kitchen towel drawer, too. I am also working on a cleaning routine – when to do what. I’m working on keeping my new bathroom really clean. And, I am currently carrying around Lysol for Tom!

I am also deciding what to make for 4th of July. I wanted to make some rice krispie treats for Tom’s work peeps, but that is probably not going to happen now.

What I’m excited about…

I am excited to go to the Van Gogh Exhibit next week with my whole family!

What I’m watching…

I am watching Southern Charm and Real Houseweives of Dubai on Bravo and Ex-Housewives Ultimate Girl’s Trip Season 2 on Peacock alone and as a family we are watching The Riches on Hulu (this only happens a couple of nights a week when everyone is home).

With just my kids, we are enjoying Abbott Elementary on Hulu. You should check it out!

What I’m reading…

I just finished this book. It was cute, but predictable. It was also very, very R rated.

And, now I am on to this and I am so excited!

What I’m listening to…

My favorite podcast Watch What Crappens and The Lazy Genius. I have also started listening to the Simple Sophisticate that Shay recommended.

What I’m wearing…

Well, I am wearing a bathing suit and a cover up quite a bit lately.

What I’m doing this weekend…

I really don’t know yet!

What I’m looking forward to next month…

Our anniversary (need to make plans!) and the Van Gogh exhibit and trying to squeeze the most out of summer.

What else is new…

I can’t think of anything else!

Thanks for reading,

Amy

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

It’s time for another edition of “Eating Lately”. You all seem to really enjoy these posts and I get a lot of comments. I think we are all constantly struggling with what to make and eat, no?

I’m not doing great in the eating department – let’s just get that out there. We have had more treats in the house with Tom’s birthday, Father’s Day, the college kids at home, and the list goes on. Also, I am staying up later and that makes me more snack-y!

I am waking up the next day and just telling myself it’s a new day and a new chance to eat well and feed my body well. I am trying not to over-obsess. I do want to lose more weight, but I am also ok with maintaining for now.

I am really learning to plan, prep, and cook before I get to the point of “starving” because that’s when I make the not so good choices.

Because I’m not meal prepping like I do in the school year, I feel like I’m cooking a lot.

Here is a common breakfast for me. This is a Spanish omelette. They don’t flip their omelettes, but rather, they keep it more like a pizza. The potato or potato and onion omelette is their most popular. I make a smaller version and use two eggs and two egg whites and some water. I usually will slice up an already cooked baked potato and only use about half.

This is Shay’s Spicy Asian beef bowl, which I highly recommend – except use oyster sauce instead of the chili paste. I felt that tasted really harsh and way too spicy. I have made this three times now. I tried it once with ground turkey and didn’t like it nearly as much. I am now sticking with Laura’s lean ground beef.

Can’t stop and won’t stop on the Greek bowl. I usually have this for a lunch because my family is not as excited about this.

Buffalo Chicken with cauliflower rice, homemade light ranch, celery, and a steak roll from Walmart:

Tip on the cauliflower rice. Some people think they don’t like it, but I have cracked the code and I’m obsessed. Always use frozen. Let it thaw on paper towels for quite awhile and then really cook it – let it get brownish. Add a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. It really makes a difference.

Another omelette but with mushrooms and onions:

Boca burger and one of those side salad mixes from Kroger:

Trying to choose proteins and salads at restaurants, but I try to always get to share some fries, too!

I almost always choose fajitas at Mexican restaurants now.

I usually leave the rice and beans alone.

I made a couple of new things for lunch this week. I used English muffins and on the left is a buffalo chicken open faced sandwich with a little bit of cheese on top. On the right is chicken, roasted tomatoes, mozzarella, and balsamic.

I’m still loving this grilled chicken from Costco in the refrigerated section. It is the best I have tried. Many of the already grilled chicken products I have tried are slimy. I don’t do slimy chicken.

If I want some bread, a great option are these cute little frozen Trader Joe’s baguette breadsticks.

Whole wheat bowtie pasta with jarred Prego and Laura’s lean ground beef. I really like whole wheat pasta now! The secret is to cook it a bit longer.

Burrito bowls are usually a once a week thing for us. This was Tom’s with regular rice and mine is the same but with cauliflower rice.

My skinny margarita, too!

I love having this frozen vegetable mixture on hand from Costco. Sometimes these can be bad, but this one is excelllent. I sometimes will have this with some eggs for breakfast.

I have also been eating a lot of my veggie sandwich – vegetable cream cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, pickles, lettuce, or whatever you want. In addition, I have had a few deli turkey sandwiches. My goal this week is to eat at least one salad a day. I have been slacking on my salads lately!

What have you been eating?

Amy

Friday, June 24, 2022

It’s Friday and that means it’s time to share the favorites from the week along with many others here!

Here are mine from the week!

Have I ever told you we use cloth napkins? I bought a nice pack or two at World Market a long time ago and I keep them in a wooden bowl. We fancy! Just kidding – we are most definitely not, but I really don’t like paper napkins and I really do like cloth. We used cloth napkins in Spain when I was an exchange student and you had to use the same napkin for a week. You knew which yours was by which napkin ring it had on it. We don’t use ours for a week! I have about 20 of them in all different fun, bright colors. I am very picky about the feel of the material and these from World Market are perfect. Which makes me think…I need to go there! I love that store! Do you have one?

I’m really enjoying my new plant head I got last weekend and I think she looks great right here. One of my three flowers from Trader Joe’s already died, so this replaced it.

And, I finally filled my pot for this season. I wanted yellow because of my loose lemon theme on my back patio.

Summer Reading!

I finished this and I was so sad! This may very well be my favorite book of the summer. It is summer chick-lit at its finest. Now, I did have a few problems with some parenting decisions made – like you wouldn’t really do that…

And, I started this. This was on the shelf at my library and I picked it up on a whim. I think it’s going to be really cute, but a little far-fetched. A major league baseball player is being sent down to a lesser team and a girl buys him a coffee in the airport… you get the drift!

Ok – this was recommended by Jennifer and by a sweet man in the Target wine aisle a few months ago and I had forgotten to go back and get it. I actually found this bottle at Total Wine. It has a bit of a sparkling quality to it and it is pineapple! So good! And, it would be great with a wedge of fresh pineapple in it, too!

I personally love a screw top. It just makes life easier! What, you say? You never need this because you never have leftover wine? Ha!

I did my own pedi with…

OPI Gelato on my Mind:

I just put $40 into my clothing budget by doing my own pedicure! By the way, I almost always do it outside and then I read while it’s drying.

I may have mentioned this before, but it really works:

Poo-Pourri! If you are staying in someone’s home, it might be nice to have and I think I picked it up in the Target travel size bins. I keep it in our upstairs bathroom because we only have one bathroom upstairs right now.

I bought this amazing and only 30 calories a serving cocktail mixed for a bourbon old fashioned. It is so good. My friend Victoria made us drinks with it. She added a bit of lemon juice and diet gingerale so I did the same.

I added a $5 bag of birdseed to my last Kroger pick up order and this gives me so much enjoyment.

I have two bird feeders and the squirrels also get into them.

What did you do on the longest day of the year on Tuesday? It was a hot day for us, but in the shade there was a nice breeze and it felt great after dinner. I took my shoes off and put a chair in the grass and read my book. It made me think that I need to sit in different parts of my yard for different perspectives. Deep thoughts!

This is how Ernie spent the longest day of the year:

I got more than I bargained for at my dentist visit this week. My dentist is my college roommate’s husband, by the way. My kids and I have always had 3 cleanings at the same time with 3 different hygienists, by the way. It’s super efficient and I love it! So, this was the first time they drove separately because one of them had plans afterwards. About mid-way through our cleanings, we had to evacuate because there was a fire right outside the office building and right by our cars! We had to move our cars quickly and wait until it was safe to go back in the building.

I have the perfect summer lip color. It is kinda old lady in Florida, but I love it. You might, too, and the price is right. This is my second stick because I lost my first one that I bought last year. It is Katy Perry lipstick, by the way! Ha!

On my old looking hand:

On my lips – awkward!

And, I like to pair it with my second NYX “This is Milky” gloss. This gloss has a weird name, but it is seriously good. I am very picky about glosses.

This is “Milk and Hunny” and I have the pink, too.

Here is an awkward photo of what that combo looks like:

Those are not great photos, but I hope you get the idea!

I started eating one of these in the late afternoon and I really think I’m sleeping so well! Of course, I also might be sleeping so well because I’m out of school! Lol! You can actually take up to four a day, but I am just doing one. This was recommended by Melanie Shankle on The Big Boo podcast. They taste yummy, too! What the heck is Ashwagandha? I just enjoy saying it! My kids are tired of me saying it!

I bought a whole watermelon last week and it was the best one. I keep it cut up in this really old Tupperware container.

I had a fun late lunch this week with my friend Beth. She gets off of work at 1:30 on Wednesdays and agreed to try this new place. It is kind of Hawaiian/Mexican? I think.

We had a Painkiller cocktail.

Cauliflower tacos!

And some chips and queso.

We agreed we would definitely go back. We really liked it!

A couple of Facebook memories popped up this week!

First, this was my morning strategy for the summers of my kids’ childhood. I would find a forgotten toy from the playroom toy closet and bring it to the family room. This day was the good ol’ set of Lincoln Logs.

And, a sweet reading at the pool photo!

So, what were your favorites this week? I hope you had many!

Amy