Wednesday, July 3, 2019

You guys, Steinmart is really becoming a favorite clothing store of mine lately.  While the prices are a bit higher than a TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, or a Ross, I think they have some fantastic sales and maybe a bit higher quality.  I have really become a better shopper and made more thoughtful purchases so for that reason, I didn’t need a lot for summer and I really am trying not to shop out of boredom or as a hobby.  So, I believe this was my only shopping spree of the summer thus far! 

First I picked up this basic hot pink tee.  I have a lot of patterned bottoms and wanted pink and yellow plain tops.  This brand is Cha Cha Vente which is a pretty trendy brand but with decent quality.  This was around $15.  The sleeve has a cute detail and the bottom is scooped.  

I just fell in love with this lemon and orange print below.  This was a bit pricier at $29 but I loved the style and the print so much!  I have already worn this several times.  I wore this with black linen shorts and black sandals to hear the band on Saturday night.  

This print on this linen skirt, you guys!  It has pockets and a cute undone hem. I like the fact that is has black in it because I have a couple of plain black summer tops.  This was $24.  I wore this to run to the mall Thursday. 

And finally, for only $15, I have worn these the most of all four items.  They don’t look like much but they are kind of a denim dupe, extremely light weight material with the cutest ties at the bottom that stay tied pretty well, by the way.  I just don’t wear jeans in the summer.  It’s too hot.  I sometimes wear white jeans if it is cooler than 90 degrees. This is a good way around that. I’m super happy with this purchase.  I actually thought about going back for another pair and I don’t do that very often.  

So, I don’t have links for you but they do have a website.  If you have a Steinmart, check it out!  They are having a July 4th sale, too, by the way!  

And guess what? I have zero outfit photos for you this week. Just picture me wearing the above items as I described and forgive me for being a lazy summer blogger!  

I do have my boating chic outfit on below.  When our plans got thwarted for boating on Sunday we detoured to Captain’s Quarters which is a restaurant/entertainment venue where boats can pull up and order or you can just go by car.  It’s on the river but a good distance from our downtown and it really has a bit of a resort feel to it.  I wore my last year’s Target cover up, my Crocs, old Ray Bans and my hair up.  

Hub doesn’t know how to smile for photos but I thought he looked kinda good and he agreed to a photo!  He loves his Keens, Freefly brand shorts, and his bucket hat!  

What have you been wearing this week? Any recent wardrobe additions?  The summer stuff is going to start going on major sale now!  I heard that one of my favorite consignment stores, Sassy Fox, is having their summer stuff on sale starting the day after Independence Day and they are accepting fall clothes very soon!  NO!!!!!

Thanks for reading!

Amy 

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Today is a super fun link up with my friend Tanya at The Other Side of the Road blog.  

We all love Amazon!  We all love Prime! How did we exist before Amazon?  I simply don’t remember.  While I love to shop locally, shop consignment, use the library, etc., I really do love me some Amazon.  It’s like magic.  It’s like Disney for adults.  It will never cease to amaze me what can be found on Amazon.  True story:  a few years ago I ordered Mexican jumping beans off of Amazon to show my students.  Isn’t that both weird and wonderful?

However, Amazon can be really overwhelming.  I love to take others’ recommendations and especially other bloggers’ I trust that I know are not just trying to earn a buck.  Not that there is anything wrong with affiliate links, but readers can tell when a recommendation is genuine, I think.  

I have a lot to show you this time around because there were just things I needed that I had been putting off on buying until the school year was over.  And, sometimes Amazon can save you money because time is money and because if you were to enter a store, you could make unnecessary impulse purchases.  

Here we go.

First of all, I really wanted a white boho chic summer dress.  I ordered one but it just wasn’t what I wanted.  I knew I would need this slip to go under it.  So, I’m keeping the slip but still haven’t found the dress.  I’m thinking I can wear this under other dresses as well.  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CTUK4Y0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My next purchase was because of Kellyann.  I knew I needed a shot glass because one of my hobbies I guess you could say is coming up with cocktails at home.  I’m very happy with my new set of two, Kellyann!  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NVG92M4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My grocery store, Kroger, stopped carrying my all time favorite hairspray!  My bff and I swear that Kroger stops carrying our favorite products on purpose because we can both name several items that they took away from us!  I usually paid just over $5 for the hairspray at Kroger, so this price on a two pack was great.  For the price, you cannot beat the holding power, combability, and smell.  I have probably used 10 bottles now.  I have never been that faithful to a hair product. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CC6T22N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Again, Kroger took this away from me.  This is a little pricier at just under $10 and I’m now on my 3rd bottle in a bit over a year.  This stuff helps my highlights last longer.  I take my shower at night, spray some in, and don’t even heat treat my hair until the next day and it works.  I am impressed by all the John Frieda blonde products, actually, but this is all that I currently use.  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004DK7DVC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I still love these shoes!  They are more stable than a flip flop and so comfy for running errands.  At $17, you don’t have much to lose, unless you’re like my sister and think they look hideous!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0787LMXH9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I wanted a big mini muffin tin to make mini muffins (duh!) but also some apps like tarts with wonton wrappers, crescent roll dough, etc.  I only had a silicone 12 count and don’t like baking with that.  So, I have upgraded and I have already made some mini muffins for my boys!  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EBS16G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is how I decided to jump into the jumper trend and I think it will work into fall, to be honest.  I like the material, I like the tie, I like the sleeve length, and I like the price.  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07R488QW8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I guess I didn’t buy too much, but don’t tell my husband that I currently have 16 things in my cart.  Just window shopping…

Thank you to Tanya for this fun link up!  

Amy 

Monday, July 1, 2019

Happy Monday!  How was your weekend?  Guys, it is already July!  My friend posted a picture of school supplies out in the stores.  NO!!!!!  It used to be that they waited until well after the 4th of July to put this stuff out.  I’m just not ready to think about that yet…

So, today in addition to a brief weekend recap, I’m linking up with some bloggers to talk about the 4th of July!  Please visit The Queen in Between, This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Coast to Coast, The Horton Family, Living on Cloud Nine, and Granola and Grace.  Click here to go to the link up!  

So, let’s start with Friday morning!  

Hub has a couple of extra days vacation to use up in addition to our summer vacation week so he took one of them on Friday.  We did some tile shopping and I will tell you why very soon :).  I’m not very good at interior design.  I know what I like but it’s definitely not my forte.  

That evening we went as a family to a community theater musical of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.  I whipped up some quick street tacos and rice for our dinner before leaving.  

We all enjoyed the musical and couldn’t believe how professional the acting and singing were.  

Saturday morning I did one of my favorite things to do on a Saturday morning – hit up Trader Joe’s before the crowd.  I thought these 4th of July flowers were pretty but I resisted.  

I started my next library book and I had to hurry because it was due back today!  I abandoned my last book because I had already read it and didn’t realize it at first!  I really enjoyed the first third of the book, but then it fell off the rails and started developing a character that didn’t need to be developed in my opinion and there are just some off the wall things happening to some of the characters.  I would love to know if anyone agrees with me.  I’ve got about 50 more pages to go and let’s see if I can make it.  

After my Saturday morning TJ’s run (post coming this week on what I bought), my friend whose son is dog sitting/house sitting asked me to come over and sit by the pool for a couple of hours. What a nice spontaneous way to spend part of my day!  

Saturday evening, my boys really wanted our favorite Mediterranean take out, so one of my sons went with me to pick it up and then we ate together at home. After dinner, hub and I met some friends for some live music at a pizza place at a marina by the river.  It was about 90 something but it was fine.  They played 80s music and were pretty good, but loud!  

I thought our view was quite picturesque.  

I do want to mention that I considered just staying home, but I’m so glad we went.  We stayed from 7-9:30 and it was good to get out.  We haven’t gone out much so far this summer and this was a good reminder to just go when you have an opportunity.  My boys were happy to stay home as they have been super social lately and were out Wednesday night, Thursday night, and Friday night for the musical.  

Sunday we got a late start but wanted to go boating.  Hub determined the river was still running too fast and had too much debris from all of our June rains and storms so we headed down to Captain’s Quarters to get a drink and sit by the river.  

People we knew started showing up and we chatted for a couple of hours.  We were still glad we made the decision not to go out in those conditions but also because my sister’s family was stopping by on their way back up north from their vacation to Memphis, New Orleans, and Mississippi.  

So, after coming home we enjoyed a short and sweet visit from the five of them.  Then, it was time for dinner and a few little tasks but no “Sunday Scaries” for me because it’s summer!

Now, let’s talk about the 4th of July.  Last year we had our 17 year old German cousin here so we really wanted to show her a good time and how we celebrate the 4th despite the 100 degree heat that day!  We went out on a boat with AC and I brought some festive snacks.  This year, we don’t know exactly what the weather holds or what our plans are!  

Home decor:  I do some minimal decor on the mantel, the hall table, and I have a flag tablecloth for the dining room table.  I have also done a minimal tiered tray decorating job!

Outfits:  I prefer just choosing two of the three patriotic colors.  I would love a cute graphic tee and have seen some really cute ones, so I might still have time to do that.  Other than that, it depends on where you’re going and what you’re doing for the celebration. 

hall entry table

mantel

capti leggings from Walmart last year

A lighter and a darker blue with red earrings looks tasteful.

I’m only doing two colors here and this can be worn over and over again this summer.

This is a little dressier because it’s a skirt. Again, the 3rd color is just in the jewelry.

Here I am doing all 3 colors, but one is in my accessory, so it doesn’t look too overdone.

Food:  I love to get a bit festive with the food!  

-I have seen red, white, and blue Rice Krispies to make treats with

-red, white, and blue potato chips

-red, white, and blue tortilla chips

-you could serve red salsa with blue corn chips

-there are red, blue, and normal potato medleys in the produce section to grill or roast

-make the waffle pretzel, rolo, and M and M with only the red, white, and blue M and M’s

-set out a bowl of red, white, and blue M and M’s

-just pick 3 types of candies in red, white, and blue

Here is my post from last year for more ideas!  

Have a fabulous Monday!

Thanks for reading, 

Amy 

Friday, June 28, 2019

Happy Friday!  Friday posts are fun to write and read and I’m linking up with Andrea, etc. so go check it out!  

Are you excited/going to participate in Amazon Prime Days July 15 and 16?  I tend to get excited about stuff like this and forget to ask myself if I really need something!  I have done really well this summer about not ordering too many things and not shopping out of boredom.  I’m really trying to be content with what I have.  I have plenty and I can’t even find places to wear everything I have!  

I went back to Funny Bunny for a change from my bright colors.  Did you see my nail polish faves post here?  Trying to decide what to do for vacation?  Should I take polish remover and a couple of colors, should I go au natural, or should I treat myself to a dip/gel?  

I had a friend on Facebook who is quitting caffeine so as I was directing her to http://www.moneysavingmom.com ‘s post on what teas she drinks, I remembered my favorite caffeine free tea and bought a new box.  If you like a chai latte, you will love this tea.  It is so good.  Tip:  Pour your hot water over two tea bags instead of just one for a bit stronger flavor.  I add a couple of drops of Trader Joe’s stevia.

This is Whitney’s salad from Polka Dotty Place.  I gave the recipe here.  

A new drink I learned from One little momma who is the owner of Nickel and Suede:  a wild strawberry Crystal Light packet and a coconut La Croix.  Try it!  It’s really good and refreshing.  

Ugh – the dreaded take your car in to the shop that has to be done sometimes.  I liked my pants, toe nail, and flip flop combo on this day.  

So, at the dealership I was waiting on the shuttle to take me home when the service tech came and told me that the shuttle was too busy so they would give me a loaner.  

This was the loaner!  Um, o.k.!  It was fun for a day but I like my own better.  I had to change my outfit because I wasn’t dressed to drive a Jeep Wrangler – ha!  

I spruced up the front of my house with this old watermelon door mat.  

And, I purchased this sunglasses flag.  Our house number is turquoise and we have a turquoise pot of geraniums so I think it looks nice together.  

This week I used my salt cave gift card from a student.  Look how cool it looks – full post coming soon!  

I made bbq tostadas one night this week.  I crisped up corn tortillas in a skillet and then added prepared bbq, red onion, and mozz and put under broiler then topped with pickles.  

I really enjoyed creating my lip post this week!  I will be adding some reader recommendations soon!  Thank you!  

What were your favorites this week?  Can’t wait to hear!  Thanks for reading!  

Come back Monday for a 4th of July link up.  I plan to show my decor, outfit ideas, and some easy food ideas!

Amy 

Thursday, June 27, 2019

Today I’m going to talk about summer lip colors.  I like to change it up for fall and winter, so I’m strictly talking about summer lips!  Also, great minds think alike so please check out my friend Kellyann’s post from yesterday about her favorite lip brands and colors.  I swear I’m not copying off of you, Kellyann!  

First of all, I really like buying lip colors and I really like having something on my lips, even if I’m going out on the boat.  

You have heard me talk about Lipsense before, but I will say it’s hard to get (you must purchase through Facebook or know a consultant) and it’s expensive, so because I’ve talked about it before a long, long time ago, I am strictly going to talk about grocery store, Ulta, and drug store brands today.  

I own six colors of Lipsense and have shown them below.  I like to replicate the same colors in my LS as I have in my “normal lipstick” arsenal.  The photo below represents – gulp – $150 of my hard earned cash.  I didn’t buy it all at once and I will say that it lasts forever and doesn’t come off on your glass.  But, it feels a bit weird and like rubbing alcohol going on your lips and you are supposed to do three applications followed by their gloss.  

Well, I said I wasn’t going to talk about it and then I did!  Oops!  

Here is my current summer collection of “normal” lipwear.  

In the summer I want:

a hot pink

a magenta/purple color

a coral

a soft pink

an orangey red

I like the coral and pink for day and the brighter colors for night unless I’m going somewhere out of the ordinary.

I also like to “match” my lip color to my outfit.  Is that wrong?  

Let’s start with NYX brand.  Their butter glosses are amazing.  They are only $5 and they smell wonderful and have the perfect consistency.  My skin tans pretty easily but also burns so I would say I have a light-medium skin tone.  I usually use these as a top coat but sometimes will wear them alone.

Starting from the top:

Sugar cookie – the tube is a magenta so this is a weird name.  I don’t regularly eat magenta sugar cookies, but whatever.  

Eclair – a medium pink

Creme Brulee – a pinky nude

Lingerie Shimmer gloss

O.k., our grandmothers probably swore by Revlon but I really think it’s a great product.  It has a nice consistency and lasts fairly long.  The top two and the bottom are all Revlon Superlustrous lipsticks and they sell for 5.99 people!  

Top:  Wink for Pink

Second one:  Blushed

The next two are Maybelline ColorScentational and they are about $6 each, too.  

Third one:  Brazen Berry

Fourth one:  5th Ave. Fuchsia

Last one:  Kiss me Coral

You’ll notice I didn’t mention my all time fave Revlon Goldpearl Plum.  I’ve put that up until fall.  I don’t necessarily think it’s too fallish, but I am focusing more on the above and below for now.  

Most of these are a few years old, but that’s how long they last and I don’t see a difference in them as they get older.  

In my photo on the cake stand, I also have an Ipsy pink gloss that I use as a top coat and a Revlon matte stick that I often put below the Kiss Me Coral.  I don’t know the brand of the gloss and I don’t even know if they make the Revlon matte stick anymore.  

I am really big on layering.  I usually can’t stick to just one color and I think it’s kind of fun to see what two colors look like together.  

As far as high end brands:

I have used MAC before and loved it.  I had a color called “Angel” and I know that Joanna Gaines uses “Fresh Brew” and everyone is crazy for it.  

I have heard Bare Minerals is great and I looked for a shade called “Hustler” and couldn’t find it.

What do you think?  Any favorites that you see here?  What should I try?  

Amy 

PS – I recently cleaned out all my lipcolors and it felt great to declutter and just keep what I love. Thanks, Marie Kondo!  

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

It’s already Wednesday again but because it’s the end of the month, I’m linking up with Shay, etc. for What’s Up Wednesday where we answer a few fun questions!

What we’re eating:  

Andrea of Momfessional’s Southwestern bowls twice, a variation of the bowl but with a Greek/Mediterranean theme, spaghetti, and mostly eating at home.  

It was super easy but looks kinda impressive if I do say so myself.  

For lunch Tuesday I made this awesome salad from Whitney of Polka Dotty Place blog.  

And, now I’m in a rut!  Any ideas?  

Reminiscing about?  Times with my Dad.  With every new season, new memories flood in.  One of my sisters has started a list of his quotes and the three of us have enjoyed a group text adding more as we think of them.  

What I’m loving?  Down time, no schedules, not being in a hurry, reading a lot, watching guilty pleasures t.v., not wearing makeup most days

What I’ve been up to?  This kinda goes with the one above.  It’s rained most days of summer so I’ve been staying in more than usual.  But, I’ve also checked several things off of my list.  

What I’m dreading?  Starting back to school before we know it; mostly because my boys will be seniors and there will be so much to savor, so many deadlines to meet, so many decisions to make, etc.  

What I’m working on?  Tackling my to do list, decluttering, house stuff, making and going to lots of appointments (Teachers tend to put so much off until summer and then summer can be stressful trying to get it all done sometimes)

What I’m excited about?  Heading to Lake Michigan in July with extended family

What I’ve been watching/reading?  Bachelorette (Don’t judge!  It’s getting good!), Bravo shows, That 70s shows as a family, and reading the books:  Where the Crawdads Sing, The Accidental Beauty Queen, Beneath the Wandering Stars

What I’ve been listening to?  Watch What Crappens podcast that makes fun of Bravo shows, and country music (I really only listen to country in summer!) and yacht rock on Spotify. If you are around my age, you will love yacht rock and know all the words to every song! Check it out!

What I’ve been wearing?

Here’s what I wore to go to school to help interview new teacher candidates.  I’m on the committee.  This is my Costco blouse from the spring, my Versona clearance rack pants from last fall that were about $8, and my OTBT consignment wedges for $18.  

Here is what I wore to take boys to wisdom teeth stitch removal and shopping at Kohl’s and Old Navy.  Old Navy blouse from a few years ago, new Steinmart pants, and my Crocs Sexi.  My middle sister told me she thinks they are horribly ugly.  Let’s just say we have different styles!  This outfit is blah, but I love these pants!  I need some more tops to throw on I think.  My bottoms selection is great, but the tops seems lacking.  And, this is my J.Crew summer purse that I adore.  I have actually had two of these.  But, this one was $18 at a consignment store maybe 5 years ago.  The first one was ruined by an unfortunate German potato salad incident.  The red wine vinegar spilled all over the tote and wouldn’t come out.  So, when I saw the identical bag at a consignment it was a no brainer!  

This is what I wore to go out on Thursday night.  My denim TJ Maxx wide legs, Old Navy blouse, and MIA Susan clogs.  

This was my Friday outfit to take hub lunch and his dog to work for a bit.  It was bring your dog to work day and I offered to bring him food, too.  His office has a pond behind it and a nice patio so he sat outside and let Ernie swim. It was a nice treat for hub and Ernie!  These are my Soda wedges, my Universal thread cut offs, and a new Steinmart blouse with oranges and lemons! on it.  And, my ADVdesigns earrings are my accessory.  

I don’t have weekend outfits because I wore these cut offs all weekend.  I just can’t get enough!  And, I didn’t really go anywhere other than a couple of stores.  

What I’m doing this weekend?  It all depends on the weather!  

What I’m looking forward to next month? Our trip to Lake Michigan

What else is new?  Not much else!  

Whew, that was long!  

Thanks for reading!  

Amy 

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

How about a random post for you today?  I had a bunch of things to tell you but none of them are very lengthy, so I thought I would do a stream of consciousness/camera roll type post for you!  

-First off, let’s talk about sunglasses.  I’m a little obsessed and love my sunglasses.  I wear them all year long and have pretty sensitive eyes.  Plus, girls, it’s another way to accessorize!  

TJ Maxx is a great place to get pretty decent quality sunglasses for $10-$12. They hold up better than a Target pair IMO and they probably cost less. Is it just me or has Target upped their prices on clothing, shoes, and accessories?  I love Target, but I’ve had to limit myself because you can seriously drop some $ there.  

My college roomie got these below at The Dollar Tree and is quite happy with them! If she hadn’t told me, I never would’ve known.  

I also know women who stock up on readers at The Dollar Tree.  They are cheap, cheap, cheap so I don’t like mine from there very much.  I am obsessed with my readers from Whole Foods that I got more than 6 months ago for $20.  They are clear in the front with wood sides and I love them and have kept them safe.  Sometimes it pays to spend a bit more if you really love something and therefore only see a need for one of an item?  

-My hydrangea has become this beautiful periwinkle color! There are currently about 10 blooms!  I showed you a photo a couple of weeks ago when it was barely turning from a white to a light blue.  I am so happy!  

-I am the oldest of three girls.   All three of us are teachers and all of us are also Moms.  I absolutely adore my sisters and even though we don’t live in the same cities we talk often and share ideas.  My middle sister came up with this great tip for kids using too many cups in the summer. She bought cork coasters and put their names on them and each kid places their cup for the day on these.  It looks like my poor niece Nora may be dehydrated on this day – just kidding!  

-I really want to like Bloody Marys. I love tomatoes but I just can’t like these! Are you a fan? There is a new biscuit restaurant opening up and they posted this picture.  It’s like a meal in a glass.  My mom and youngest sister like them.  What’s up with biscuit places?  This must be the trend for 2019!  

I do, however, love a mimosa! I love a bit of carbonation in my drinks. To make your own, just pour about half oj and fill rest of glass with champagne. I have also added pineapple juice and that is awesome! The line of “Simply” at the grocery has some interesting flavors you could experiment with.  You know “Simply Orange”, “Simply Lemonade”, etc.  

Below are the giant $5 mimosas from the drag brunch I went to in the spring with my SIL.

Another great morning beverage – is it wrong to drink alcohol so early in the day?- is a Tequila Sunrise.

Pour in clear glass: (so you can see the colors!)

3/4 of the way full of oj

One shot glass of tequila

Half shot glass of grenadine

Don’t stir

It stays in layers and is beautiful and yummy!  I think it has something to do with sugar content.  I used a lite orange juice this time and that may have affected the colors.  

I guess you can drink this any time of day!

Look, Kellyann!  Amazon delivered me a shot glass.  My blogging friend was quite appalled that I didn’t own a shot glass for my measurements of my cocktail recipes.  She was right; I really had been needing one.  

It looks really cute in this mason jar with my 4th of July reusable straw, doesn’t it?  

-I follow a blog called Frugalwoods and I’m doing a July money challenge. I feel like I spend so much more in the summer – more on food, clothing, entertainment – do you agree?

-I am super excited (more than I should be) about my second new library this year! This one is even closer to my house and it will have a coffee shop!

I might have gone to the grand opening yesterday!

-I canceled my Ipsy subscription a few months ago. The little products that weren’t quite right were bugging me and I couldn’t use them fast enough. I did find many products that I wouldn’t have found otherwise, but it just felt wasteful. This past weekend I did a major toss of all of my lip colors and only kept what I love and what suits me.

–The Dreaded Dishwasher

I think I’ve figured this out. I start each day with an almost empty dishwasher (only has the dinner dishes from night before). All day we load the breakfast and lunch and cups and snack stuff and I run it as I’m cooking dinner that night. After dinner, the boys unload and reload. They don’t complain anymore and most of the time I catch them laughing and joking while doing it. They would kill me for this photo but I love it.

They are sharing headphones to listen to something while doing dishes. This photo is about a year old.

Did you enjoy this stream of consciousness/random post?

It was fun but now you might think I’m crazy to see how my brain works!

What are your random thoughts for today?  Any tips that you want to share?  

Thanks for reading and if you’re new here, welcome!

Amy 

Monday, June 24, 2019

How was your weekend?  I hope it was good!  I’m linking up with Heather, etc. so go here to see other posts.  

Thursday evening I started my weekend by going to an outdoor shopping center that has music every Thursday.  It was a beautiful evening.  

We ordered sangria which was delicious and a blackberry pomegranate something which was really salty and just bad.  Because it was $12, we told our server and he got us a different drink, which honestly wasn’t really an improvement.  Maybe I’m a tough critic, but my drinks are so much better!  

We sat on the patio at Mitchell’s Fish Market, which is a chain.  Do you have one?  

We tried the crab, spinach, artichoke dip.  It was just o.k.

This was a strawberry mule. It tasted like an air freshener smells.  

Friday night we just stayed in and I made a Greek version of the Southwestern bowl I told you about here on Friday in my Favorites.  I did Mediterranean beans from Trader’s, hummus, corn, cucumbers, tomato, feta, chicken and shrimp, and I didn’t have tzatziki sauce so I made a little dill mayo sauce.  It was really good.  

I finished this book below and really liked it.  I think you can consider it a Young Adult book because the main character is 18.  It involves Spain so I loved it.  However, there were several Spanish mistakes and I really wanted to get out my red pen!  

Now, I’m reading this cute book.  I may have already read it years ago but I can’t remember!  Oops!  Do you ever do that?  

Saturday we woke to more rain.  Our river is too high to go boating now, too.  I treated myself to a local coffee, Heine Brothers.  

My boys had a friend over and I made what I call “Teen Charcuterie”.  

We stayed in again Saturday night because of the boys’ friend.  They ate dinner and then went to an ice cream parlor.  They walked because it turned out to be nice out.  We don’t leave when our kids have friends over.  We trust our boys, but feel like it’s our responsibility to stick around.  Are you like that?  

I have no good pictures from Sunday!  I did a Costco run, took the boys’ friend home after I made them lunch, and just did a few little things around the house.  And, then around 4, it rained and stormed again!  And, we had the tornado sirens going off.  

I hope you have a great Monday and thanks for reading!

Amy 

Friday, June 21, 2019

How was your week?  It’s hard to believe it’s Friday! I’ve accomplished a lot this week but summer needs to slow down!  

I have been enjoying time to read. 

Highly recommend:  

Recommend for a cute, fun, summer read.  Identical twins trade places in a pageant.  

I’m currently reading this.  Two young people do the Camino de Santiago in the north of Spain in honor of an injured military service person.  I really like it but it’s taking me a bit longer to read.  

I love to throw in a bit of non-fiction and this caught my eye on the shelf at the library.  The author made a conscious decision to slow the pace of her life.  She doesn’t have to sell me on that notion.  This was good reinforcement for my beliefs and had some good ideas and thoughts.  The cover is just gorgeous.  Highly recommend.  

Do you have a pop socket for your phone?  I don’t think I’ve mentioned this on the blog before, but this is my favorite part of the pop socket.  You can buy a pop socket car attachment to hold your phone on your car’s dashboard.  I can’t/don’t want to live without this baby!  

You may remember me talking about trying to buy a Bogg bag online for a boat, pool, beach bag?  They were all sold out in every color, but I looked up boutiques that carry them.  A local boutique (the only one here that sells them) near was listed.  I called and they said they were out but they would put me on their list.  Well, they called this week and I chose orange.  I think it will be a great and durable bag!  

If you are local, this is the cute shop that also has lots of gift possibilities!  

I got a pedicure at a new (to me) place this week.  They massaged your legs with hot stones.  That was a new experience and very relaxing.  

I chose a bright salmon pink. 

I took my boys clothes shopping after they got their wisdom teeth stitches out.  They wanted to be on their own and then we met back up.  

Did you see my summer nails post yesterday?  I used the yellow I can’t Copa Cabana on my fingers this week.  

My husband loved this meal this week and said it’s 100% better than Qdoba.  That was a nice compliment and thanks to Andrea for the recipe.  

Remember this week when I talked about summer shoes?  I cannot take these Croc Sexis off.  I want to wear them all the time and I don’t even take them off in the house!  For just $17 on Amazon I’m seriously considering getting them in black, too.  

What have been your favorites of the week?  Any fun weekend plans?  We have rain in the forecast again and our river is up because of all the rain this year.  I’m hoping to hear some music, though, if the weather cooperates!

Amy 

Thursday, June 20, 2019

Do you enjoy a manicure?  I do!  I don’t like my nails bare.  I actually enjoy doing my nails myself and I usually like bright fun colors – especially in the summer.  I do my nails in the evenings usually while watching a tv program and I can often make a mani last a full week.  

Here are my tips:  

-Use the better brand polishes.  They really do last longer and have a nice consistency.  If I buy a better brand, I am more satisfied and usually use the bottle until it’s gone.  If I buy the cheaper brands, I usually end up going out and buying the better brand after all! 

-I prefer OPI because of the brush.  Essie’s colors are maybe better, but I hate the dinky brush.  Some people like it.  I think it’s just personal preference.  

-I think shorter squared off nails look better with bright color polishes.  Again, this is personal preference.  I also think shorter nails help you keep the mani longer.  

-Do a super light coat first.  Go back and do another light coat.  The lighter coat makes it last longer – I swear!  

-If your polish is gummy and/or old, add a few drops of nail polish remover and shake and “roll” the bottle really well like you’ve probably seen the nail techs do.

-End with a top coat.  Right now I’m using OPI, but Seche Vite is really good, too.  

From left to right:  OPI top coat, Suzi without a paddle, I just can’t Copa Cabana, Strawberry margarita, Essie  For the Twill of it and Bikini so teeny.

Example of Essie’s Bikini So Teeny.  

Do you have any brands or colors to recommend to me?  

Where do you stand on gel, dip, home manicures, or au natural?  

Amy