Friday, August 16, 2024

Well, I knew this Friday – the first Friday of a five day week of school – would mean more! Ahhhhhh……I still don’t get paid until August 30th, but we are getting closer. I received five paychecks on June 18th and August 30th will be my first paycheck of this year. It’s a good thing I have a Sugar Daddy – I mean Tom. I also have half of that money saved. I had as frugal of a summer as I could.

It’s time to link up with Andrea and Erika for Friday Favorites.

Here are some things I want to share from my week…

New favorite book of the summer! I picked it up on a whim from the library shelf and yes, I did judge a book by its cover and I’m happy to say so! Cute cover, right? It reminded me a bit of the book Float Plan by Trish Doller which was a summer fave a few years ago. I will admit that I like a romance but with depth. The depth of this book surprised me and I have already recommended it to a couple of friends.

And, in the irony that is life…all of my anticipated summer reads came in the day school started! Ha! But, that’s ok. I will not give up everything I enjoy just because I am a full time employee again. There! I said it! And, it’s still technically summer until Labor Day and then we still have summer weather for quite a bit around here.

Have you read this? This was my next up book and so far I’m enjoying it.

Have you done anything for your future self this week? I made 6 Amy McMuffins and 8 breakfast burritos before school started and Present Amy really loves what Past Amy did. Lol!

Tell me that doesn’t look good! I eat it around 8:30 in my classroom. I don’t have any students until 9:30. Read about my schedule here and read about the Future Self theory here.

Hot pink nails are still going strong. I placed a big Impress press on nails order with a great 35% off discount code they sent me. I like petite or short length nails (still have to cut and file a bit) and this time I am trying the more oval shape that is popular.

We had spaghetti one night for dinner and then salmon, broccoli, and potatoes one night. Sheet pans are really easy, y’all. I love my two half sheets and my one quarter sheet and could really use more. All of this was done on the oven’s air fryer setting. Jack cut up all the taters and broccoli and helped me make this. I get home around 3:45 and start cooking at pretty much 5:00 on the dot.

I also made some chicken sausage, okra, and more taters on a sheet pan this week.

I ordered Tom a fun gift from Universal Yums. I picked Greece and it is a box of snacks and desserts from that country. Everyone has enjoyed tasting the items.

Stopped to take a selfie while walking to work… We’ve had some beautiful mornings.

Big boy watching mama blog…

I don’t set an alarm anymore! I have a puppy! So, I get up whenever puppy stirs and depending on where he has slept. Yesterday it was 5:00 and I do really enjoy watching the sun come up. It also feels nice to have more time at home before work. It’s all good. I cleaned out my candle collection this summer and saved this wonderful early fall scent.

A little more sun and my messy table with puppy stuff on it…

Well, tell me if you think this is bad or good…

I have not gone anywhere this week except to work and home and I’ve walked all but Tuesday. Is this good or boring? I think I will need to get out one day a week after work but for this first week, I think it was ok.

Tell me a favorite of yours this week?

Cheers to the weekend,

Amy

Thursday, August 15, 2024

Well, it’s Thursday and I am linking up with Kellyann and Jill to share the fashion in my files. I am getting dressed dressed everyday now!

First day of school and I wore my Walmart green dress with my new gold Stan Smiths. I was comfortable but ready to shed my dress clothes when I got home! Sneakers on day one is a really good call! Those of you out there who haven’t started school yet, take heed!

Day Two:

I wore my new consignment white Chico’s pants and my J.Crew blouse. I did change to my raffia sandals after walking to work because I didn’t love the “old school nurse look” that the white pants with white shoes gave off! Can you see me holding the sandals with my pink J.Crew cardigan? Tell me I don’t look like an 80s nurse if you cover up the top half of my outfit!

Sunday boat chic:

Ha! I wore my scarf headband with my fave coverup of this summer – from Amazon, of course! I got my money’s worth!

Monday for work:

I was trying a thing. I wore my long faux silk slip skirt (Target last year or the year before) with my Old Navy tee and my consignment gauze button up and my Stan Smiths. I was comfortable but might be too old to pull this look off. Oh well! Are you also getting used to the higher socks that are in style?

Tuesday for work:

I was bothered all day because I didn’t feel like my pinks matched (pink of the pants with the top). Also, I immediately changed from these Clarks consignment sandals to my new Skechers Cleos Mary Janes and my dogs were barking by the end of the day. I guess I can only do sneakers now.

Let’s talk about the top – I bought a white gauze short sleeved from Old Navy this summer and wore it a ton. I then decided to see what other colors they had and ordered it in this pink and black. It’s a great shirt, y’all! I like that it’s not too long and I have so many printed pants and skirts that require a solid colored top. I just should have worn the black one with these very old palazzo pants from Steinmart, which is now closed in my town. I think they are still online, but maybe all of the stores closed. It’s sad because I used to find a lot of good stuff there.

The Skechers that I can’t wear for a whole day:

So, that’s what I’ve been wearing. Comfort is key!

What have you been wearing?

Amy

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

This may be interesting to absolutely no one! Ha!

So, I made a big deal/whined/was super annoying last year about our change in start and end times at my school. It had been 7:40-2:20 until last year. Heck, I was on that schedule for 23 years! I could run errands, meet a friend, and feel like I had a substantial amount of day left before dinner prep rolled around.

Last year we started at 8:40 and ended at 3:20. It continued to be shocking to me how only a simple (right?) one hour difference could actually feel so different. I think a lot of it had to do with traffic not only at my school but in the community. I couldn’t get anywhere until 4:00 and it feels like 4 o’clock traffic is like what 5 o’clock traffic used to be! Do you feel that way in your community?

But, I will say that I did love the slower mornings last year. In the past I usually left for work around 6:45 which is crazy early and dark but last year I could leave at 7:45 or even 8:00 (or even later!) and still have plenty of time to ease into my day.

So, I think I have a better attitude about the schedule continuing to be 8:40-3:20 this year. Teachers do have to be there by 8:30 and have to stay until 3:30, by the way.

Here is my schedule for this year:

All of our classes are 50 minutes long. Teachers have one 50 minute planning period and a 20ish minute lunch. We have a seven period day so we teach six classes.

8:40-9:31 – Planning period

9:35-10:25 – Spanish 3

10:30-11:19 – AP Spanish

11:23-12:38- Spanish 3 (We go to lunch from 11:45-12:13 so class is divided in two parts. The kids leave their stuff on their desks while they are gone)

12:42-1:32 – Study Hall (The students just have to sit quietly and work on things)

1:36-2:26-Spanish 3

2:30-3:20 Spanish 3

So, this year I teach four of the same class – four Spanish 3 classes and then I have one AP. I asked to have a study hall rather than a third lesson to prepare. I hope I don’t regret that because sometimes kids can’t handle the privilege of a study hall.

And, now for Joyce’s Hodgepodge…

1.What was the best (or one of the best) summers of your life? Tell us why. 

I really loved being a young 20 something out of college. I had a group of friends and we thought we were like “Friends”. We went to weddings together, King’s Island amusement park, out every weekend, and just had a really great time. This was from age 22-26. I also really loved the first summer I was married and cooking for Tom. I also really loved all the summers with my kids. Elementary age was a really sweet spot, but I loved it all. I planned activities and took them to the library, various parks, and arranged playdates.

2. When you have a trip coming up do you make a list and check it twice to ensure you don’t forget anything? Or are you a ‘throw whatever you can think of into the suitcase at the last minute’ kind of packer? When returning from a trip do you unpack immediately or leave the suitcase right where it lands? 

Yes! Lists on lists! I also make a Google doc to print and take with. I spend about a week laying things out to make sure I have what I need and I try to take a few things out because I am a natural over-packer. I unpack immediately!

3. What’s your favorite food or beverage made with lemons? Is that a flavor you enjoy? 

I love a lemondrop martini or my new spritz. I really don’t like lemon in my cold drinking water or in my iced tea. I do, however, like lemon in my Coke or Diet Coke and that is what they did in Spain. Hmmmm, I should try that but I rarely drink Coke or Diet Coke. I like lemon in hot tea. This makes me realize I need to use more lemon! I love the smell of lemon and my Dad loved it, too.

4. When was the last time you had to make lemonade out of lemons, figuratively speaking I mean? 

I don’t know. I would say as a teacher I have to make lemonade out of lemons almost daily. Things don’t go as planned. You can’t get the supplies you would like to have because of money or logistics. You are constantly having to pivot. Tom had a great attitude about his Montana trip being cancelled and I tried to do some fun things with him while he was off.

5. Did you like school growing up? Why or why not? 

No, I LOVED school! I came home and taught my dolls and stuffed animals and little sisters what I had learned. I played school all the time. I hated to miss. I loved riding the bus, taking my lunch, playing Chinese jump rope at recess, and as I got older I loved junior high and high school, too.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I feel lucky to have enjoyed school. I guess you could say I loved it enough to stay in school all this time. For as much bad press as teaching gets, I don’t think I have any regrets. It’s been a career well suited to my talents and personality and it’s provided me the gift of time with my children in the summers and during holiday breaks. It’s so much like parenting. It’s such a hard job, but it’s rewarding, too.

I can’t believe I have lived my life on a school calendar for 47 years now, though, and I would love to have a fall to enjoy! I have romanticized this for years!

That was fun! Thank you, Joyce!

Amy

Tuesday, August 13, 2024

In last week’s Currently I teased something that I would be telling you about soon…

We didn’t take a trip this summer. I wanted to, but it wasn’t good timing to leave Eddie Otis. I wish we had taken him to Lake Michigan, but we didn’t have plans and then Tom’s summer vacation time was taken up by his Montana trip that didn’t happen. Anyway…it’s ok. We had lots of fun at home!

So…let’s go back a bit…

2020 was a much anticipated year for our family. Tom and I would be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary and our twins would be graduating from high school. We thought about this cool connection for years before 2020. We talked about doing something big – perhaps a trip to Spain. Our kids speak Spanish pretty well and both expressed desire to visit a Spanish-speaking locale and Spain was their top pick. Then, you know what happened in the spring of 2020. So, that didn’t work out.

We really didn’t travel much during the next years because kids were in college and all the money went to that and renovations. Also, I was not anxious to travel with a little virus still out there. Now, I feel differently, but then I was scared.

If you had known me pre-blog, you would know we traveled quite a bit and took lots of weekend trips, too. High school activities make travel a bit more challenging and then college came and you know the rest. Then, Mason studied in England senior fall semester of college and it made sense to “pick him up” and see a bit of the UK and it helped me to gain some confidence in trip planning again, too. Like anything, you get out of practice and things seem daunting.

So…we thought about a college graduation trip this summer and I think I checked ticket prices for almost a year. The summer tickets were super expensive and Mason had admitted he didn’t really want to be among the droves of summer tourists. I got to thinking that the school schedule (theirs) is no longer holding us back and I have a new fall break, so why not fall?

So, this summer I purchased tickets to Spain for the four of us!

It’s now a high school and college graduation trip for them and a 20th and 24th anniversary trip for us, I guess!

Amy

Monday, August 12, 2024

Hi! How was your weekend? I am linking up today with Holly and Sarah and the Share Our Lives gals, too. Their topic this month is least favorite activities.

Let’s go back to last Thursday, our first day of school with students. We lost bussing for lots of our kids so I anticipated really, really bad traffic. Oh, and also our enrollment increased and now we are the largest public high school in the city. We have 2200 students and change, I think.

So, your old gal Amy put on her new Jansport with her new Owala water bottle and her new gold Stan Smiths and her new Walmart green dress and hoofed it to school.

So, European, right?

We have assigned parking spots in the teacher lot this year. Here’s me “parking”. He he.

So, it was a lovely walk but my hair did go a little flat. Oh well.

Traditional day one photo and I am sporting my new audio enhancement system. You can either use the lanyard mike or the hand held. I actually did use it in the afternoon both days when my voice was tired.

We had a surprise the Chicken Salad Chick donated lunch that first day to all 130 ish teachers! Wow! I show you this picture to talk about the kale salad. OMG! It is simply kale, fresh mango, and pumpkin seeds with some sort of light dressing and I can’t wait to order it now.

Where the magic happens:

Our district gives us $400 in Amazon money and I bought a new set of my favorite pens. Tul is the brand. They are amazing! I am pretty good with technology, but I do some things old school because they work for me.

Both Thursday and Friday went well and it was really nice only starting with two student days this year to ease the kids and the teachers back in. We usually start with a three day week.

I walked both days but on Friday, Erica drove me home and stayed for a drink on the patio with Eddie Otis. He was so happy to have company. Such a social dog! I really didn’t feel that wiped out, but there was no way I was cooking! For dinner, one of the kids wanted to order pad thai and it hit the spot.

While we waited for the pad thai, I got to take a walk down memory lane as my kids and I made chocolate chip cookies from scratch! How fun!

I fell asleep on the couch around 9, but didn’t go to bed until 10 something. I slept in until 6:30.

Saturday morning at home….ahhhhhhh

I originally had a hair appointment scheduled for 9 am on this day and realized that I wouldn’t want to get up and moving early to do that on my first Saturday. I rescheduled it for last Friday and I’m so glad I did!

I made my low carb egg casserole:

Of course all my summer reads came in at the library!

And then we went boating on the most glorious 79 degree day!

Sunday we did it again on another glorious 80 degree day!

We took a different couple friend each day and went to lunch at two different places. We had two really nice days!

I came home and read on the patio or in my yard here each day, too. I did boring house chores in the mornings, but no one wants to hear about those, right?

For dinner Sunday night, we picked up Blaze pizza.

This is my first 5 day week with students! I will be wiped out!

Least Favorite Activities:

Changing sheets and folding sheets! So, I would have clean sheets every night (is there any better feeling than taking a shower and getting into a bed with fresh sheets?), but only if I didn’t have to do them. Tom and I have a deal – we strip the sheets together, I wash and dry, and then he puts them back on. I try to do this Saturday mornings but sometimes it’s Sunday mornings. I try to avoid ever folding sheets. We do have a spare set, but we are using our favorite Costco ones so we just keep using them. Ha!

Shopping for furniture in the store, shopping for tile, shopping for flooring, anything related to home improvements really. I find it overwhelming with all of the choices and it’s so time consuming and boring. Tom is super, super picky and that makes this an even more tedious process. So, now I usually saw to give me two choices and I will pick. I am happy to look at his choices online to narrow it down. The good news is that Tom has very good taste (in my opinion) and ideas that I would not have thought of when it comes to home renovations. Or, maybe I should say we share the same taste usually?

Puzzles. What’s the mystery? You see the picture on the box.

Taking my car to get maintenance done. I thought that was why I was getting married.

Getting gas. Again, married. Just kidding!

Anything financial. Going to the bank, getting house refinanced. Wealth (or lack thereof) advisor appointments. I do love reading about personal finance and frugality, though.

Meetings. Any type really. They are never efficient. People ask dumb questions. I get bored. I want to be in charge, but I don’t really.

Tell me your best weekend highlight and your least favorite activity!

Amy

Friday, August 9.. 2024

It’s Friday and they are going to mean more to me now as this is my second day of school with kids. I am linking up with Andrea and Erika to share some things that were my faves this week!

I bought myself an Owala and so far I love it! I was looking for something that wouldn’t leak and would fit in my new backpack’s side pocket. I may also keep my Stanley on my desk at school and use this for transporting water.

My school got an audio enhancement system. It’s a mike that you can wear around your neck and a microphone that is like a pop star’s mike.

Basically all of my dreams just came true. You can hardly tell the teacher is using a mike. The sound is really clear and it might save some voice?

I got a pedicure after work on Wednesday. It was such a nice thing to do the day before school started!

I did an eye mask a couple of nights this week as a treat, too!

When we were doing our rotations to get information on Monday, they had us in a nursing classroom and there were no seats left. We had to be in the back with the “patients”.

This teacher had been sick the week before so he felt that he belonged in the back!

I made some good enchiladas this week!

And, I went to lunch one day when we had a long long break – Mexican, of course!

I laughed when I saw Bridgerton creamer in the store this week!

And, don’t hate me, but look what I bought over the weekend:

On Sunday, Tom and I checked out our new Publix. It opened last year and is nowhere near our house. I’m not that impressed; don’t hate me! The order of the aisles was weird and the prices were so high on a few things that I compared with my Kroger.

I did a hot pink press on for the first day of school:

Here’s the pedicure color I went with – white/pink one more time:

It’s OPI Suzy speaks Portuguese or something like that?

And, here is what Loving Tan self-tanner looks like. Above is before and below is after. I’m impressed!

I put on rubber gloves to apply. I don’t have time to go to get a spray tan, so I’m doing this on just legs and arms.

My cute nieces started senior and freshmen year and I love their style!

It was hot this week! My car said 100 when I get in after work, but then it went down quickly:

But, we have some nice temps – very rare for August – coming our way it seems – unless they are wrong and it changes! Ha!

Ok, well that’s it for me this week!

Tell me a fave of yours! I hope you had many!

Cheers to the weekend,

Amy

Thursday, August 8, 2024

Today is the first day of school!

I had the realization that this is my first year only sending myself back to school after 17 years of sending my twins to school. You guys, it hit me! My kids are taking a year to work and decide on graduate school but for now it’s only me. Hold on while I grab a tissue.

Anyway, it’s Thursday and Kellyann and Jill host Fashion Files. Here we go…

Do this count as fashion?

I have been wanting my very own backpack for a long time. I ordered this one:

When I say my “very own backpack” I’m referring to the fact that 22 years ago, Tom and I bought a black North Face backpack to serve as our twin babies’ diaper bag. That thing has been to Germany, Scotland, and England as well as all over the US. It’s still in great condition, but I wanted something smaller. It’s so old that it has the tiniest little pocket on the strap for the old flip cell phone. Call me, North Face.

I have been having such a sneaker dilemma. I finally settled on these. Now wait while I overthink if I have the right size. I am in the process of trying to wear them with different thicknesses of socks.

They are gold Stan Smiths. Thank you to my reader Kim for the classic suggestion. She worked in the fashion industry and reminded me of this option!

I really want the black Rothy’s Mary Janes, but I saw these while browsing at DSW.

They are Skechers Cleos.

I wore this to go out to eat on Saturday:

I wore this to go to Trader Joe’s this weekend:

I wore this to go to dinner Friday night:

I got a new tennis skirt. While I was shopping for birthday gifts, there was a sale going on for $20 for these cute ruffly spf skorts.

I wore this to set up my room and run an errand:

I wore this to work Monday for our meetings:

I am so excited about this! I found this on Old Navy’s website. This is a vintage Olympics shirt and the reason I wanted it is that I was in Barcelona in 1989 (lived with a family an hour away) when they were setting up for the ’92 Olympics and got to see the construction happening. I wore this to school for meetings on Tuesday with my above new black skort.

And, that’s it for my fashion this week.

I am kind of over summer clothes. Are you?

What have you been wearing lately?

Amy

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Happy Hump Day! Today I am participating in two fun link ups!

This month’s Currently with Jenn:

Loving:

Having a puppy in the house again! We are in love and our little Eddie Otis is getting more mature by the day.

Profile Pic:

He can be so serious. When we open his crate he just sits like a statue for a few minutes before coming out. He does this pose many times a day.

Having the kids living at home this year! The house is full! It’s a little messy! We can’t keep food in the house!

Looking Forward To:

Something this fall that I will tell you about soon!

Scheduling:

Something in the fall that I will tell you about soon!

Buying:

Amy got some back to school stuff!

Does my new backpack make me look young?

Solid gold, baby! Why didn’t I think of gold Stan Smiths? You all know of my deep love for a golden shoe.

Skechers Cleo Mary Janes. Sometimes a gal needs a flat. I saw these at DSW and couldn’t believe it was a Skecher.

Gearing up for:

A loss of freedom! A loss of unstructured time! A loss of down time!

But, hopefully gearing up to meet a great new group of kids. Most of my students this year will be new to me. Some years I have many I have already taught. This year I only have 10 maybe?

I got to meet a transfer student named Wren – isn’t that a pretty name? She and her mom were walking her schedule while I was working in my room. The mom was very nervous about her daughter starting at a large public school as she was coming from a small school. I told her that our school seems much smaller than it is. She was worried about the metal detectors and safety and I was trying to reassure her. Just as I finished talking about this, my colleague popped her head in and said, “have you been able to find that active shooter video training yet?” I was like, oh man, your timing is not great! Ha!

This week’s Hodgepodge with Joyce:

1. What’s a task you do on a regular (or semi-regular basis) that feels like it should be an Olympic event? 

Unloading the dishwasher? I have timed myself before because I’m a nerd. This used to be a dreaded task but now I realize how quickly I can do it. Also, I got rid of a lot of the stuff in the cabinet that made it so hard to put things away. I had a really good system when twins were in high school. We would eat, they would unload together and then re-load together. That habit went away and now I’m an unload first thing in the morning while coffee brews kind of person.

2. What’s in the trunk of your car right now? 

I like an uncluttered car. I currently have a quilt and a birthday gift for a friend. Remember how Tom had his truck contents stolen? That man keeps so much stuff in his vehicle and it drives me crazy and always has. Emergency camping trip? He’s got his gear! It’s a Suburban and there’s hardly a place for a human.

3. Summer foods vs. fall foods…which do you prefer? 

I think my answer would be different in March, but fall foods? I have become a real soup person. I love roasted vegetables. My kids get very animated with me and say that foods don’t have seasons.

Would you rather-watermelon or caramel apple? iced coffee or pumpkin spiced latte? potato salad or sweet potato casserole? barbecued ribs or roast turkey? ice cream sandwich or apple pie? corn on the cob or candy corn? 

caramel apple (caramel is one of the best things on the planet)

pumpkin spiced latte

sweet potato casserole (no nuts!)

roast turkey (what am I – a cave woman? I do not enjoy holding a messy bone in my hands and eating like a savage)

apple pie – with ice cream on top

corn on the cob but I do like candy corn. It’s quite controversial!

4. August 7th is National Lighthouse Day. Have you visited any lighthouses? Do you have a favorite? Is a lighthouse something you seek out if you’re visiting an area known for theirs? 

I know I have but none really stand out. I really don’t, but maybe I should.

5. Light at the end of the tunnel, out like a light, give the green light, a lightbulb moment, in a new light, in the limelight…of the ‘light’ idioms listed which applies in some way to your life lately? Explain. 

Wow – tough question! I’m stumped. I am transitioning from stay at home puppy mom to full time high school teacher so a lightbulb moment that I had years ago was to make choices on how to balance my home/work life. The pandemic really blurred lines. I don’t check work email after school anymore. I keep up with email throughout the day but then I do one final check and leave it until the next morning. It seems so little, but this has helped immensely. My department knows this, so they text me if something comes up. I plan to do something for myself every day and that might just be reading for 10 minutes, reading blogs in the morning, having a favorite snack, having a cup of tea after school.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Women have such a productivity mindset! I hear friends and my sisters say they “didn’t do much but rest” but then they list all these things they did. Maybe resting was the most productive thing for you that day, by the way. Why are we like this? Me included! We also think we have to put everything on our shoulders. I also see women choose productivity over fun – me included. Or, they cut out the one thing they look forward to each week. Stepping off of soapbox now.

Thank you to Joyce and Jenn!

Amy

Tuesday, August 6, 2024

I can’t remember where I first hear the concept of doing things for “your future self” but it really stuck with me and it’s been a huge motivator.

Future does not have to be that distant. It can be your 5:00 p.m. future self. It can be your tomorrow morning future self.

Give your future self the gift of making something easier or taking something off of your plate.

Often in the summer I prep for dinner in the morning. Know yourself. To thine own self be true. I lose energy as the day goes on, so making some of the dinner components in the morning while I’m piddling around makes sense.

I knocked out all 12 hours of professional development last week. Was it painful to give up two valuable summer days? Yes. But, I knew that it would also be really stressful for my future self to have to stay after school for an hour PD and potentially have to do that 12 times! I won’t even mention the brain space deciding which ones I can attend would have taken up. Gotta save this brain for better things, you know?

Was it a bit boring and painful? Yes.

Anything that can be done in 5 minutes or less I go ahead and do. Nagging phone call? Stamp on a letter? Look up information? I am struggling to teach my recent college grads this productivity tip. They put things off like you wouldn’t believe.

I stand over the trashcan/recycling when going through the mail – again that is a 5 minute or less task.

I don’t want to spend my weekends doing chores so I pick a weekday to do my laundry and the towels that are piling up in the mudroom/laundry room.

I run any errands/order anything during the week to help out my weekend self.

I make a batch of Amy McMuffins (English muffin, egg, cheese, Canadian bacon) and freeze along with a batch of breakfast burritos to freeze.

One thing that is really hard for me for some reason is buying in bulk for things other than toilet paper, paper towels, and stuff like that. I realize it is worth it to go ahead and spend out so that I have things on hand.

Do you think of your future self often?

What’s a tip you have in regards to this?

Amy

Monday, August 5, 2024 – The day I am a full time employee again!

Not to start out on a morose note, but this weekend it hit me that this is my first year not sending anyone “back to school” except for myself. I had realized this before, of course, but it really hit me. I was joking and saying that I was getting myself a new backpack (have wanted to for about 10 years and never did it) and new sneakers because I am the only one “needing supplies”.

Last week I worked 3 full days so I guess I eased myself back in?

Mason helped me set up my room and then his reward was any food he wanted. He picked First Watch and I took mine back to my room to keep working on the smaller things while he went home.

Friday I tried to live it up for my last summer weekday off and that included a very rare Starbucks skinny vanilla latte that I took to…

my hair appointment!

After that I shopped and ran a few errands – just enjoying the freedom!

That night my besties and hubs and Tom and I pulled a dinner together last minute at Mojito.

Of course I had a mojito!

Saturday morning was my favorite kind of Saturday morning. It was lightly raining and I loved it!

Little boy is so chill for me when I want him to be.

I finished this book this weekend and really liked it. Warning that the intimacy is quite explicit and also that these books are probably for someone much younger than me.

I started this. I just saw it on a library shelf and it looked good so we shall see!

We didn’t really have firm plans for Saturday but it was hot. Something freakish happened and my street lost power. I headed outside to read under the covered patio and realized it felt quite nice. So, I spent the powerless time reading!

Around 4:00 Tom and I had the most stereotypical American suburban date. We went to Costo and then to a steakhouse! Our reservation was for 5:00! We left at 5:40. Ha! He had a gift card left from Christmas to Stoney River.

I ordered the cutest little steak and biscuit things but really only ate the steak. It was so good and I am not a big steak person.

The next morning/yesterday look what I did:

Do you take leftovers home? We do and we try not to waste. Lately Mason has been eating all of our leftovers – usually late at night. He eats small portions but then gets hungry later. Both kids have always been kind of grazers.

I also went ahead and did some Greek bowl stuff for this week.

I enjoyed my Nespresso coffee on the patio and read some more.

What was the highlight of your weekend? Sometimes I wish I did something more exciting, but there’s a lot to be said for down time when you know you are heading into a busy season.

Amy