It is Fashion Files Thursday! I am linking up with Kellyann and Jill; make sure you click on one of their names to see what the other bloggers are wearing.
My weather has been all over the place. You may be tired of hearing this, but it’s true! We had some beautiful, but windy days last week. In fact, Wednesday night was the night we had some tornadoes in our area with 80 mile an hour winds and then had school cancelled on Thursday. Yesterday it was 30 degrees in the morning!
First up, here is the jean skirt that I cut and frayed. For some reason this denim didn’t fray that well, but I really do like the result. Pardon the super windy look in the photo! I am eating my hair!
I think the above the knee length is more flattering for me (I’m 5’4) and the heel height of my gold clogs helps, too. I paired it with a plain white Chico’s tank and my new consignment kimono. Sadly, I discovered that the kimono has a rip that isn’t on the seam. I am going to take it to my tailor because I really do love it!
Friday night I wanted to try something new…
Tom’s company had their outdoor concert with food trucks. So, I did business on the top and party on the bottom. I am wearing my Walmart Scoop scuba blazer, my Anthropologie blouse, my Walmart Time and Tru black cut offs and my new clear low heeled bargain sandals.
How do you feel about the blazer with shorts look? Did you know it was a trend?
I was comfortable and felt good and I plan to try this with a few other things maybe!
And, for my last outfit this week, I wore my last purchase of Spring Break. I did a bit of shopping that week and then when school started up again April 11, I said I was not going to buy any clothes until summer. It’s now April 21 and I have lasted 10 days! Honestly, if I see a really good deal, I will probably cave, but I just want to make myself wear what I have and be content. I am also weeding out anything that didn’t get cut over Spring Break.
I picked up this cute little strawberry printed tee at Old Navy for like $10 when I was in the store looking at Easter basket things for my kids. I was happy to get to wear this green sweater that I bought at Target for St. Patrick’s Day. I paired it with Target dark jeans and my red clogs. I felt a bit like a garden gnome, but I liked it. I have wore this outfit once on the weekend and once at school so far. I think this little tee will be fun for summer.
Happy Hump Day! Do you want a super easy recipe that doesn’t require any source of cooking? Do you know who Damaris Phillips is? She is one of my favorite Food Network stars and lives here in Louisville! I love her! I was so excited when I realized she was at Jack’s Shakespeare in the Park this summer and had prepared a gourmet picnic with her friends in the lawn. She had oodles of quilts laid out and it was dreamy. Yes, I walked by a couple of times.
Give her a follow on Instagram. She is great!
Anyway, I saw her share this recipe on Instagram..her Aunt Julie’s recipe:
I decided to try it out but I halved the recipe because it was a lot. They are to die for. In fact, I ate most of them.
You need:
1 and a half cups of vegetable or olive oil
4 sleeves of saline crackers (an entire box)
1 and a half tablespoons of ranch seasoning powder
1 and a half tablespoons of chili lime seasoning
Like I said, I halved the recipe and next time I think I will add a bit more chili lime to make them a bit spicier.
Put the oil and the spices in a big bowl and whisk, add the crackers, gently stir to coat with a wooden spoon. Let them sit in the bowl for 2 hours but stir every 20-30 minutes or so.
So yummy!
The next day, I did the same recipe and method, but used pretzel sticks! OMG! So good, too!
I have been a member since ours opened. In fact, I joined before it even opened. I was excited! I have used Costco for glasses, contact, Christmas cards, Christmas gifts, tires, winter coats, furniture, dog food, and so much more. I have a love/hate relationship. I love not having to think about trashbags, toilet paper, papertowels, Kleenex, and dog food very often because we buy in bulk. I always buy the Costco brand which is called Kirkland, by the way. I hate that I feel like I can hardly leave without spending $300!
On this trip, we really didn’t need those paper product staples. We were after food items. And, specifically, I was looking to add healthy food items that we needed or that I was planning my meals around.
I am low key obsessed with frozen cauliflower rice. Do not buy fresh. I repeat, do not buy fresh. It tasts like ground up packing peanuts.
I like this because it comes with four individual bags inside. I let one fully defrost on a towel or paper towels. Yes, I take it out of the package and let it sit naked. You have got to get that water out. Then, when it is fully defrosted, I put it in a skillet with some olive oil and add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and whatever else I want to add. I use this as a base for my burrito bowls, my buffalo chicken bowls – anywhere you would normally use rice.
I must have a stash of frozen veg. I like to roast these on a sheet pan. I also keep frozen corn, frozen peas and carrots (for fried cauliflower rice), frozen french fries, and tator tots sometimes.
This is amazing! They really taste roasted like they say. I like to have these with some turkey sausage or with some of my healthy noodles pasta. I have put them in an omelette, too.
I really like this turkey breast. I freeze half of it because I am really the only one eating it right now. Tom is a ham man. I like to make wraps with this in my low carb La Banderita flour tortillas. I usually just do pickles and mustard to save points, but you can also do Laughing Cow wedges or a light cream cheese or really whatever!
This is new to me. If I had to tell you one thing that really is wearing me down right now I would say cooking.so.much.chicken. I also cook chicken for Ernie. Don’t question it; it started during the pandemic when we all were doing questionable things.
This is good. It doesn’t taste weird or slimy like a lot of pre-cooked chicken I have tried.
Ah!!!! My beloved noodles. This comes in a box with 6 packages of noodles. All you do is rinse them with cold water in a colander and then they are ready to go. I have found that I don’t want to over cook them. I make a sauce on the stove and just toss right before I eat. Tom approves of these noodles, too! I know that the picture features a pad thai, but they work with italian style pasta, too. These are zero WW points for me.
There’s always gonna be an impulse purchase and this was mine:
You can often find this brand at TJ Maxx and I think the bottles are so pretty.
It is time to link up with Sarah and Holly for Hello Monday!
Friday night, Tom’s work generously hosted a fun night out for employees and their significant others. They had two food trucks and an up and coming country singer. You might remember that they did this last year, too? But, you probably don’t, because why would you remember what I did a year ago?
It was so nice! I really like the people Tom works with!
I made these to bring to share:
and the spicy saltines that I will share with you this week!
I also brought a portable charcuterie.
Tom being boujie:
I tried a new Starbuck’s drink this weekend and I plan to have it again. So good!
This is from emily_myfitnessgal on Instagram:
I did it with a grande because I didn’t want that much coffee!
I gave myself a pedi!
Still loving the blue shades of polish.
Tom and I set up the new trough situation:
His vision is to put some sort of lily pad water plants inside. Starting research now…
It was hair day!
I made a new drink! I used a shot of Pinnacle whipped vodka, about a teaspoon of Crystal Light lemonade powder, and then filled the rest with La Croix coconut! It’s really good!
I picked up the current issue of Southern Living to enjoy with my drink:
For dinner, we had grocery store sushi:
Don’t turn up your nose; it was from Fresh Market!
I did faux egg McMuffins for this week’s breakfasts:
I actually used a glass to make the egg and cheese the same size:
Then, you know how I am working on less food waste? I took the scraps and added some bacon bits and made a burrito!
It’s Good Friday, Passover, and Tax Day! How was your week? Mine went by quickly and it was a bit crazy!
I am linking up today with Andrea and Erika for Friday Favorites; here are some things that made me happy when looking back at my camera roll…
I don’t have a photo of this but we made the last college payment of sophomore year for our twins! Halfway through!
My car has been having some issues this year. I guess that is what happens when you drive a 10 year old car. There is a local coffee shop across the street from the mechanic and I enjoyed sitting outside and having an afternoon coffee.
Tom told me we were out of something and I said to write me a note because I am the kind of person that has to write everything down. This is the “note” he wrote me:
I am so proud that I have improved my food waste situation. I have worked really hard to use up what we have and to do a better job planning. I was happy to see the empty-ish fridge as a result of this!
I also learned how valuable my freezer is during the pandemic and it is an important part of not wasting food. I cleaned it out and restocked it during my break.
We love our rain chain, as you may know if you are a regular reader, but the barrell beneath is in bad shape.
We have always admired these when we see them at local patios and different establishments and finally got one!
We don’t know exactly what plants to use yet.
Wednesday night, tornado sirens starting going off around 8:00 and lasted until after 9:00. Ugh! It’s tornado season in this area and it’s very scary.
And, surprise of all surprises…school got cancelled for our entire district yesterday because some schools had no power or bus routes were impassable.
So, I was already up and going my routine when I found out and decided to run to Kroger and Costco as those were things I was going to have to do on the weekend.
If you watch Summer House on Bravo…look what Kroger had!
And, Truly makes a flavored vodka now!
Costco is selling bags to make “walking tacos”!
I had a lot of fun just leisurely wandering the aisles.
When I got home I did some chores and then I made a lunch of cheese, little peppers, pickles, and chicken, buffalo dip, ranch, and celery. Yum! This would be too high maintenance to take to school!
I did put out a few Easter touches just in the nick of time:
I spent my afternoon enjoying the gorgeous sunshine!
This is really cute so far – if you like DIY shows and chick lit you might like it.
What were your favorites this week? I can’t wait to hear and to read about everyone elses’!
It is time to link up with Kellyann and Jill for Fashion Files. I really wasn’t feeling the gym yesterday morning, but since I had my gym post scheduled I had to go!
Over my Spring Break, one of my goals was to really clean out my spring and summer wardrobe. I ended up with a nice stack for the consignment shop that doesn’t accept stuff from Old Navy, Target, or other “cheaper” places, a stack for the consignment store that does accept from those places and pays cash on the spot (but not much!), and then a donation stack.
I never really know how to arrange my hanging clothes. Do I do sleeve length? Color? What do you do?
These are my blouses and tops that are both long and short sleeve but appropriate for spring and summer:
These are my tees and things to wear over tees like kimonos and sweaters:
These are my sleeveless:
I don’t feel comfortable wearing sleeveless without anything over, by the way.
Are you surprised at my relatively small collection of things for the top part of the body?
I am trying to wear each thing until the end of the school year and wait for it…
I am also trying to hold off on any more spring and summer clothing purchases until I get out of school. I am doing this (or trying to) for a couple of reasons – I have plenty, I am trying to save some money for our home renovations and a vacation, and I just want to be super thoughtful about what comes in my closet.
My plan is to write things I “need” in my phone memo.
It finally turned warm after I had worn joggers, leggings, and jeans most of Spring Break.
I wore my new clear sandals, my pink Walmart Time and Tru cut offs, and an old Target floral bouse:
For school, I wore my new Loft pink top for the first time but paired it with jeans and my new New Balance because I had to walk to and from school that day. My students couldn’t believe I got the shoes for $13 from my consignment shop! Also, my sweater is super old from a consignment shop.
I really liked this simple but chic outfit on Joanna from Cup of Jo blog.
My feet were so happy the day before that I wanted to wear the shoes again and it worked for me to “copy” her outfit. Well, it flopped. I did do a little half tuck after this picture and I decided to cut off my skirt when I got home to make it frayed like hers! I won’t be able to wear it to school anymore, but that’s ok. I think a little shorter will be more flattering. How about I fall down a rabbit hole of cut off jean skirts now? Ha!
Do you screenshot outfits you see, too? I think it’s a great way to add new life to your wardrobe. It doesn’t have to be exact, either. Don’t get too bogged down with having the exact components or that will defeat the purpose.
So…what have you been wearing lately?
Have you switched out seasonal clothes? Have you really taken a hard look to see what still works for you? Maybe go back to this post or this post if you need some help?
when you are middle aged and fluffy and don’t know what the hell you’re doing…
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
You all are so sweet and left me the kindest comments yesterday on my Getting Healthy post. I had tears in my eyes reading them. To think that I could help someone else who is just like me is really amazing to me.
I have wondered if I have anything new to say in this space. I feel like I talk about the same things so much. But, if I am able to help even one person, that feels pretty darn good. And, you know what…you all give me more encouragement and support than some of my IRL peeps. The world maybe is kinder than sometimes think…
You tired of seeing this photo yet? Ha!
I don’t even know if I’m qualified to write this post today! But, heck – was I even qualified to write any of my other posts? You do not need to respond to that!
I used to be a gym person. I was not full on rat status, but I went very regularly from maybe age 24-29ish? Then from age 29-49, I dabbled from time to time, but it was not great. So, I kinda knew some exercises to do, but I was still intimidated. I could have started a gym routine last summer but I didn’t. Lazy! Last month, I finally asked Tom to give me some suggestions and show me the ropes (of the gym membership I had already been paying for) and we went together on a Sunday morning. I didn’t want his help after that, though. I want to be on my own program!
Tom has been a gym person for a long, long time. In fact, at the beginning of our relationship I was already a dedicated gym person and we started working out together once I moved to the same city. We had so much fun making up names for the gym regulars and did some amazing people watching. One guy clapped for himself after every set and we named him “The Clapper”. But, I digress…
I started on my own the next day, which was a Monday. Some say to “never miss a Monday”. I didn’t start on the first of the month or on any special day. I just knew it was time. I knew that muscle would give me more bang for my buck (in my weight loss journey) and that I was at the age where I am losing muscle quickly.
My Tips:
-To thine self be true. I knew that I wasn’t motivated to work out at home and that I physically needed to GO somewhere.
-Don’t compare yourself with others. Do you. Know that I am in a place in my life that I can do this, so it is much easier now. It is really hard to do this while juggling childcare and morning school responsibilities. But, I have gone in the mornings in the past while my kids were sleeping and my husband was still at home, so it can be done.
-Some people like the accoutability of meeting a friend at the gym, so that might work for you. I don’t want to work around anyone else’s schedule or rely on anyone else and want to just hold myself accountable. I see two ladies in their 60s arrive every morning together at 5:15 and walk on side by side treadmills. I think that is sweet and that works for them.
-I knew I had to do it first thing in the morning. I can’t even let myself look at the coffee pot or my list of tasks to be done or I might derail myself. I set my alarm for 4:45 and only brush my teeth and put my clothes on and then leave.
-I told myself I only needed to do 30 minutes. That seemed do-able.
-I decided it would be better to go everyday as I was getting started instead of choosing an every other day plan. That could lead to my stopping the routine.
-I started with just using the machines and not the free weights. I looked at the pictures on the machines to make sure I was doing it correctly.
-I alternate upper and lower body exercises on alternate days. If I do legs on Monday, I do upper body on Tuesday.
-I think I have decided to go Monday through Thursday, taking Friday off. I will go one of the two weekend days, too, I think.
-If you are super intimidated and are afraid of people watching you or judging you, 5:00 a.m. is a good time to go because it’s not very crowded. But, remember that everyone else is just focused on themselves and they are not watching you!
-Save a favorite podcast for working out. Or, make a playlist. Tell yourself you can only listen while at the gym.
-Working out in the morning really sets up your day for success. It feels great to get it out of the way and you just feel so proud of yourself.
-I wear the same shoes everyday and the same leggings multiple days in a row. I have them in an easy to access place for the morning.
-I am still walking. Walking is one of the best exercises out there, in my opinion. I am still walking with Erica twice a week and then with Ernie or Ernie and Tom. I plan to add more cardio soon, too. I really like exercising outdoors and know that this is so good for me, so I really want to have a good walking routine, too.
-Decide once. This is a Lazy Genius principle. Don’t wake up wondering if you will go to the gym. Just go. You already decided. You are always tired anyway, so you may as well be tired at the gym. That’s what I tell myself!
-My Dad was an avid, avid exerciser. He started running in his 30s and kept running until his cancer diagnosis, really, at age 76. He used to say that the hardest part of exercising was stepping out the door to go do it. This is so true!
My Story:
I started going to the gym at 5:00 a.m. five weeks ago. (I can’t believe it’s already been that long!) I let myself go later on a non-school day, but then I always think it would have been better earlier when it was less crowded.
I can’t believe how much stronger I have already gotten. I have been able to lift heavier weights with each passing week, I think.
I feel really good. I am mad at myself for waiting so long, but that is not a productive mindset, so I am just trying to move on.
What tips do you have for someone starting out? As always, my hope is to help someone who is just like me and I never want to come off as preachy! I really do not have all the answers or any of the answers, but I do have a blog! Lolololol!
It was actually last week, but I’m always a day late and a dollar short around these blog parts, you know?
So…last year on April 8th, 2021 I finally knew it was time. I was unhappy, uncomfortable, I had just eaten my weight in Easter honeybaked ham, Sister Schubert’s rolls, potato casserole, and red velvet cake, and I had been having horrible back spasms. Also, I was returning to in-person teaching for the first time in over a year. I was scared. My main motivation was really not vanity, but health. I swear!
I knew that packing my lunches again was going to be on my side. I had had full reign of the food in the house for over a year while I was virtual teaching. I also baked a lot of bread – and then ate it. And, I was also depressed. I was more isolated than I had ever been as a new empty nester and a virtual teacher. There was no reason to put on real pants. Leggings were my friends – until they weren’t.
There are two types of people:
Those who got in the best shape of their lives during the pandemic.
Those who drank and ate their feelings during the pandemic.
I will let you guess which one I was.
So, I finally told my blog readers about this new health journey in July here. I waited for a long time because I was afraid of failure. I mean, it wouldn’t have been the first time I told the blogosphere that I was getting healthy. Hang head.
Since then, I have updated you about once a month on my progress and the foods that have kept me satisfied.
Are you ready to hear my one year stats? I wish I had taken measurements, but I didn’t.
I have lost 60 pounds!
I have gone down at least 3 pant sizes and 3 blouse sizes, too.
I have not really sacrificed fun, etiher. As you have seen from my posts, I still enjoy treats quite often. In fact, I probably could have lost a lot quicker, but I knew that I wanted a balanced and sustainable lifestyle.
I have done this primarily through diet. I really do believe that it is 80% diet and 20% exercise or something like that. I love and standby WW and think it is the most sustainable plan out there. It teaches you to plan your meals around foods that are better for you and to use the other things more sparingly.
I do not do intermittent fasting. I do try to end my eating around 7 at night, but I eat my breakfast around 8 a.m.
I have learned that I love ground turkey, ground chicken, spaghetti squash, sweet potatoes, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and so much more!
I really don’t miss all of the cheese, bread, and chips I used to eat. But, if I am craving something I do have it.
I am learning to listen to my hunger cues more.
There are no good or bad foods. There is just food.
I don’t like the term “cheat” day. I’m not cheating by giving my body a treat that it may need.
I am trying to prioritize protein. I aim for 30 grams per meal. I have learned that this is important for making me feel full.
I really try to not do too many processed foods. No, I’m not perfect in this regard, but I am trying.
I try not to do too many artificial sweeteners, but I do use some.
If you are thinking of starting your own journey, you can do this! Seriously, if I can do this, anyone can. If you are wondering about the cost to do WW, they are always running specials. I am paying about $20 a month for the app (which I think is really worth it) and Ilook at it like this – it is less than $1 a day. I used to spend at least $20 a month on drive through coffee drinks or treats. You are worth it.
Today is a sad, sad day – Spring Break is over! Lol! I am happy to link up with Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday and the ladies at Not Just a Mom for their What’s for Lunch link up!
Let’s start the weekend recap with Thursday. I ran some errands and had the opportunity finally to sit in the sun and read on my porch!
Then, Tom and I went to try a new NY style pizza place called Goodfellas. Great bar and amazing cocktails and…
look how pretty my drink is!
You can either pick a slice of NY style pizza from the case (like Sbarro!) or order your own. We ordered our own because Tom is the kind of person that needs at least 6 pizza toppings. It was extremely mediocre pizza and I was wishing I had gotten the thinner slices in the case.
There is a “secret” speakeasy room that is really cool looking. The prices on both the pizza and the cocktails were very reasonable so I plan to go back maybe with some of my friends.
Then, we got to hear Jack’s spring choral concert. He only told us two days before and this is the advantage of being so close. We could go!
It was held in a church near the campus:
It was really nice to get to see this!
Friday I ran to Whole Foods because I’ve been curious. I was super impressed with my experience. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve been there. I feel that the prices are more in line with regular grocery prices now and there were several healthier products I’ve been wanting to try.
Here is my errand fit:
Then, Tom wanted to see this movie Everything Everywhere All at Once. It was probably the weirdest movie I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen Salvador Dali’s video works of art.
I made it through 2 hours of the movie and left to go to Kohl’s while Tom finished the last 30 minutes. He almost left, too, but he has more discipline than I do.
I had been curious about the Draper James for Kohl’s stuff. Meh. The materials are not very soft but there are some cute designs. It’s just not my style, really. I think I would like the real Draper James better.
I bought a clearance paper planner that is blank so that you can put your own dates in it. It was $3. It was less than the horrible movie!
Even though we were experiencing Second Winter, I read outside for a bit until it started raining. I am in deep with my book Wish you Were Here by Jodi Piccoult.
Then, the college kids came home and we didn’t know they were going to. We had already eaten dinner but I had enough for them leftover. We watched an episode of The Great and then later they watched a Marvelous Mrs. Maisel with me.
Saturday I was super lazy but finished up odds and ends of cleaning and projects. I ran to Target to get a couple of necessities. Mason went to a Comic Con and Jack hung out with me for a bit. Then, we got Mexican for dinner. We watched another episode of The Great and then the kids and I watched another Mrs. Maisel.
Sunday morning and back to meal prep! I took a week off and it was good for me, but I was also ready to get back on it.
The kids left early to head back to campus because they are in the busy homestretch.
The last few Sundays, I have wanted to do one more fun thing to end my weekend. Tom and I went to Captain’s Quarters because it was finally warmer and sunny! I had a spiked lemonade and we shared some…
spinach queso dip!
We stopped at Kroger and got a few things and then I read before dinner.
Ahhh – where was this weather all week? Ha!
What’s For Lunch:
As you may know, Erica, my fellow Spanish teacher, and I do meal prep lunches together. This is my week to make three lunches. We are both on WW.
Erica and I have been on a big buffalo kick. We love all things buffalo sauce!
Lunch 1) Buffalo chicken bowl: I will have a bed of cauliflower rice, grilled chicken, buffalo sauce, celery sticks on the side, and homemade ranch on the side. I am using Primal kitchens buffalo sauce, but buffalo is low in WW points.
Homemade ranch:
I cup Greek non-fat yogurt
1/2 cup lite mayo (I think I used a bit less to save on calories)
1 cup skim milk (I used less and added water)
I ranch seasoning packet
1/2 tsp. each of onion powder, salt, and pepper
Add some sriracha if you want a spicy ranch (not needed with buffalo but you could do this for veggies)
Lunch 2) Greek bowls here – I use the same cauliflower rice that I used for the buffalo bowls. I am obsessed with caulflower rice. If you don’t think you like it – here is my tip for making it better. Do not use fresh. I hate fresh! Use the frozen and let it completely thaw on your countertop. When thawed, spray some Pam into a skillet, add a bit of olive oil, then add the cauli rice. Add seasonings. I add garlic, salt, peppr, and cajun sometimes.
Lunch 3) Skinny Chicken Enchiladas – I will use cut up grilled chicken and add salsa and a laughing cow wedge for the inside. I will use La Banderita low carb wraps and wrap mixture up burrito style and place in a baking dish. I am using this enchilada sauce recipe, but leaving out some of the flour I think. I will put a bit of sauce on the bottom and on the tops of the enchiladas and then top with some lite Mexican shredded cheese. I will serve some Mexican corn (frozen) on side and some fat free sour cream.
We both prefer a hot lunch and I feel sometimes that salads are too high maintenance and take longer to eat and we only have 20 minutes. We both try to get 30 grams of protein in our meal prep lunches.
Happy Friday to all! I know many of you are on the struggle bus with the last 6-8 weeks of school. Also, this tends to be such a busy time for moms with all.the.things. If I could offer any piece of advice it would be to keep it simple these last weeks – simple meals – rely on some freezer products, outsource as much as possible – ask hub for more help, do grocery pick up, delegate more tasks to your kids (they have probably grown a lot in what they are capable of doing since August!) – heck this is probably a blog post in and of itself. I wasn’t always the best at any of this advice!
Please, please know that I am now an empty nester so many things are easier for me now. And, still, I struggle. Maybe stay off of Instagram these last weeks of school because you may get the idea that everyone else has a perfectly curated life! Not true! Lol!
It is time to link up with Andrea and Erika to share the things that were our favorites this week.
My ultimate favorite was that I had some time to recharge my batteries during this more than a week off from work. I didn’t travel anywhere, but I really enjoyed the down time.
I sent Tom to work one day with a little snack charcuterie container:
Darn, he’s spoiled. Lol! I always get a sweet text saying he is enjoying it during the workday. I really enjoy doing little things like this when I think of it.
I also sent him to work with some special K peanut butter cookies to try to make him more likeable at work – just kidding! I also ate a few too many of these. They are delicious!
Tom thinks he is hilarious. He asked me if I had just made “no bake cookies” Monday night and when I said yes, he told me that was just lazy and laughed and laughed at his extremely low bar joke.
My coffee this week has made me happy! I have frothed together this cinnamon dolce syrup with my half and half (just like my mini moos but in a carton) and I have felt like I’m at a fancy coffee joint. I think I found this syrup at TJ Maxx?
I am still obsessed with cake batter delight flavor. I use the Trader Joe’s instant cold brew coffee crystals with a little water. I froth it up, add ice, and pour this in. Sometimes I only have half of the container.
This weekend Tom became a hipster. I made him his first avocado toast. He had resisted it up until now. The first time I just made it with bread, avocado, everything seasoning (do not skip this step!), and a soft yolk fried egg. The second time I made it I added smoked bourbon pepper and hot sauce and he is in love!
Are you on the avocado toast bandwagon yet?
I met my friend Victoria for lunch at the cutest little cafe that I hadn’t been to in years. It’s called Cheddar Box Too and they also have a carry out place called Cheddar Box. You can order things or pick up meals. Many people get boxed lunches for The Derby.
Look at their cool Louisville mural:
We both ordered the spinach salad with chicken and it was delicious!
I always enjoy my time with Victoria and we had lots of laughs.
I like to treat myself to a magazine when I see one!
I enjoyed reading Garden & Gun on my porch and it had two Louisville mentions. My former student started Clayton & Crume leather goods with his friend while in college and it also mentioned Logan Street Market’sLa Pana Bakery’s cinnamon rolls. Stay tuned, because I visited the bakery!
I tried this the other day when I saw it at Fresh Market. It is really good! Also, let’s talk about Fresh Market. Do you have one? It is so pleasant to shop there! Tom is obsessed with their corn chowder and Waldorf chicken salad so I popped in to get that for him.
I went to Erica’s for a lovely happy hour and her sweet dog Bella gave me the grand tour of her new house.
We had aperol spritzes!
I finished this and it was deeper than I first thought it would be. This would make a great summer read!
Ok – major consignment score this week:
Brand new New Balances for $38. I had a $25 off coupon and brought these home for $13. It was destiny as I have wanted some white-ish more running style sneakers.
Another score from this week:
I popped into a little boutique called Monkee’s and these were in the sale room. They must have been last year’s model and were originally $100, but I brought them home for $25. Now I have a clear heel and a clear flat.
They are super comfortable!
I really loved this mani this week:
I used Essie’s Day Drift Away and an OPI glitter top coat, follwed by a normal top coat.
The secret to removing glitter is patience. I soak a cotton ball and let it rest on each nail for about a minute before trying to wipe.
Our grass is getting so green and Tom did the first mow of the season this week.
So, the weather this week has been less than desirable, but it was mild one afternoon and I read while listening to my rain chain.
Tom took a few days off to do fun things with me like…
go to Costco! Just kidding! But, we did have to go to get a few things we needed.
After Costco Tom was willing to do whatever I wanted to do.
So, we went to the bakery mentioned in the magazine.
This is the famous cinnamon roll:
We walked around Logan Street Market and…
I got a mimosa and…
we split chilaquiles from a Mexican stall inside the market:
It was raining and raining but we drove around a bit and checked out some new to us sights. Then, we went home and watched Deep Water. We couldn’t stop watching to find out what would happen. Anyone else watch it?
New favorite La Croix flavor:
The sun finally came out on Thursday and I could do some reading on my porch:
Oh my gosh – I am really getting into my next book, but it may be triggering for you. It starts on March 13, 2020 and a couple was supposed to take a trip to the Galapagos Islands but only the woman can go because the man is a hospital resident and COVID…
I am really enjoying the Spanish language peppered throughout and the cultural references and it is interesting to read about the beginning of the pandemic in NYC. It is hard to read, though, too. Beware of this if you are thinking about reading it.
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 