Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Today is our 20th wedding anniversary! How is that possible? I remember this 28 year old young woman below thinking that her 20th anniversary would be in 2020 and wouldn’t that be cool? She hoped to take a trip and commemorate it in a special way and I am sure she had no imagination that it would occur during a global pandemic!

We had a traditional church wedding in the church that was a huge part of my life from the time I was 5 years old. I was not a bridezilla to my knowledge and as excited as I was for the wedding I was even more excited to be married! We had a really fun rehearsal dinner the night before and we were blessed with the most perfect 80 degree day in mid-July!

We did not see each other until I walked down the aisle so this photo was taken after the ceremony. I was adamant about not keeping guests waiting long so we didn’t take a lot in the church after and everyone was waiting for us outside by the church steps before we left for the reception.

We were the first to use the new town trolley. We rode on the back the whole way up a giant hill to our reception. The wedding party was inside. My two brothers-in-law decorated a cooler like a present to sneak beer on the trolley.

My favorite photo – this fountain is across from the church steps and this is before we boarded the trolley.

Our original cake person fell through so this was a last minute subsitute. I didn’t really care. It was fine. See, I wasn’t a bridezilla. Also, we did not smash cake in each other’s faces.

As I looked through my professional album, it made me sad to see how many people we have lost since this day. Both of our grandmothers (each of us only had one living at the time), Tom’s best man who died of brain cancer six years ago, and my Dad who died less than two years ago.

My Dad was notorious for starting congo lines at weddings. We went to so many family and close family friend weddings in my early twenties. This is my Dad at the head of the line with my high school best friend and cousins following. What a fun memory! The reception was so much fun and we stayed until the end. We left for Aruba at 3:00 a.m. and stayed up the whole night!

What can one say about a twenty year marriage? I know that you aren’t supposed to be prideful but I am proud of my 20 year marriage. We haven’t been without trials and tribulations. Right after we were married, Tom lost his job and struggled to find his next job with a good fit for him. We found out we were having twins after only being married about 1.5 years. Then, we had premature twins in the NICU for 6 weeks. We have been through struggles with our extended families that aren’t my stories to tell. We have been through deaths of our family members and friends. We have had a little more money than we need and a little less money than we needed. We have figured that out together even when it wasn’t easy. We have traveled together and stayed home together. We parented our twins together from birth until now – almost time for college. And now, I guess we can say we have been in a global pandemic together. I’m not perfect. Tom isn’t perfect. I would like to think that I have brought out the best in Tom and pushed him to take risks. I know that he has helped me and been a sounding board for some of my professional challenges and personal challenges. We are about to embark a new chapter as empty nesters and it seems like it happened so quickly!

Normally we don’t do a lot for our anniversary. We are usually on vacation so that feels special. Tonight we are simply getting fancier takeout than normal since it falls on a Wednesday and then on Friday we will go out to eat on a patio.

How long have you been married? I would love to know!

Here’s to 20 in 2020!

Amy

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Am I smiling under my mask? You’ll never know!

I hope that you find today’s post helpful. To me, masks are not a political issue. It is one easy thing we can do to protect others and ourselves. Masks have been commonplace in other countries for some time and I always thought it would never happen here. Alas, it has.

I probably hate the mask just as much as the next guy or more. It messes with my beloved earring game – I have found studs to be the best with a mask. It hides my treasured lipsticks. I feel claustrophobic and hot – I get super grumpy when I’m hot. Sometimes my breath is bad – like if I have just eaten red onion or garlic before putting on my mask.

So, what I have here is what my precious students have advised. Many of them have been working jobs that require masks. I have an Instagram account mainly just for my students – mostly former. My policy is that anyone can follow me but I don’t approach them. I have found it to be a helpful way to connect and stay connected. I miss them terribly! It brightens my day to see them on Instagram and I hope it brightens theirs when I make a comment or say “hi”.

Here is what they wrote when I asked for advice: (My thoughts will be in ( ) after theirs)

-Lowe’s sells a cooling type of neck gaiter by the brand Mission, I think. Many are wearing the gaiters that are kind of like a turtleneck that stays around your neck when not in use. Then, you simply pull it up. (This is what my hub wears everyday to work)

-If you twist the bands before putting them behind your ears your glasses are less likely to fog. (I have not tried this – interesting – I have tried the Dawn soap trick and it works – rub a bit of blue Dawn on the lenses and then wipe)

-Masks that have fabric as the ear loops are more comfortable than elastic.

-Love the Zazzle brand. They are lighter and more comfortable than others I’ve tried. Their elastic is fairly comfy, too.

-Try cutting a dri-fit shirt into a bandana type mask

-Buy the masks that loop around your head and neck, instead of your ears. It’s much better for long wear.

-The regular disposable surgical masks are the best in my opinion in comfort and in durability or at least for me and my job.

-I cut a thin t-shirt and put slits for my ears, but I have recently started using the cotton ones that come in a package from Target. They are t-shirt material and looser so that it’s breathable but effective.

-One sweet girl sent in this headband like hack. You put buttons on a piece of fabric that goes behind your head and then attach the mask straps to that. This is intriguing!

I was in The Dollar Tree for a couple of minutes this week and as I checked out, there was a bin of 2 for $1.00 disposable masks so I got a pack. This is the most comfortable and breathable I have worn now and it is double ply. See if yours has these, too!

Any mask recommendations for me? In my city of Louisville, KY at least in the places where I have gone since March – Kroger, Costco, Trader Joe’s, Home Depot, Target, The Dollar Tree, The Fresh Market, and a couple of other shops – 99% of all people, employees and customers, are wearing masks. Go Louisville, KY! On July 10 masks were made mandatory in the whole state of Ky. My friends have reported that the rest of the state has not been doing well and one of my friends even got made fun of for wearing a mask while in a gas station about an hour away! You know how some states have 10,000 new positive cases a day? Ours has around 300 something at the most. Is this because we aren’t testing as much? Is this because we aren’t a desirable place to visit like Florida? Ha! I really appreciate the bloggers and influencers that are posting photos wearing masks.

Stay healthy!

Amy

Monday, July 13, 2020

Well, that weekend went by quickly just like last week did! It’s surprising to me that this summer is still following the normal pattern of summers past – time speeds up like crazy after the 4th of July. Do you feel that way, too? I am linking up today with Heather and Tanya right here.

I was so happy Thursday night to find the rest of my Belgravia! Did you enjoy Downton Abbey? This is by the same creator and is from the channel Epix. There is only one season with 6 episodes. I watched the first two on demand but couldn’t find the rest. I finally figured out I could do a 7 day free trial of Epix and I quickly finished the last 4. I am seriously considering watching all of them again.

I got a call from my library that this was ready and I was so happy because the book I had been reading was a dud! I flew through this in a couple of days this weekend, so I do recommend it for a fun summer read.

I made a trip Friday to Bath and Body. Um, you can’t sniff things with a mask on so it wasn’t very fun.

Please don’t hate me – I got a one month subscription to Disney Plus and I’ve already cancelled it. I couldn’t watch all of Hamilton. I did put the captions on as my friend recommended. I’m sure I would have felt differently had I been in a theatre watching it live. I do think it is creative but for all of the hype I heard about ahead of time… I don’t know. Unpopular opinion here I am sure! I love live musicals normally – especially if my son is in it or students I know!

Saturday Tom, Ernie and I took our boat out. We anchored in what is known as “Party Cove”.

My sister towed her boat to our hometown upriver and they came by boat for the first time – about an hour and a half ride for them. She left her four kids and two dogs with my mom! Ha! They have quite the crew. This is their arrival to party cove.

Ernie immediately boat hopped which I thought was funny.

Of course, my sister brought her drink of Summer 2020.

The weather could not have been better and we all floated for awhile with drinks in our hands and then we had some snacks we brought.

Boats just kept coming in the cove.

Then, we put our boat up and all hopped on theirs and went to the river gas station and then showed them around. They had been on our section of the river before with us but it had been awhile.

We stopped at Captain’s Quarters and found a nice shady spot.

Molly and I had their signature frozen Miami Vice cocktail. It is pink and a rum based drink.

We ordered some hummus, pimento, and whipped feta

and some pulled pork nachos on homemade potato chips.

I wish every day were as perfect. I hadn’t seen my sister in person since Christmas and the day was sunny, 85 degrees, and not hot like it has been.

They dropped us off around 7 and started on their way back to our hometown. Unfortunately they got caught in some rain and storms but made it back safely. I would have freaked out! I was so tired from all of the sun that I went to bed around 10 after watching a few New Girl episodes with Jack.

Sunday morning I was up by 6 since I had gone to bed early. I am really good with 6-7 hours and find it hard to sleep longer than that. I went out to the patio in the light rain and lit my Glade Cashmere Woods candle because I am fancy. If you have not tried the Glade plug-ins and candles in this scent you must. I. am. in. love. with this smell. It may not be the most summery but I’m still using it. This mug is special because it was my Dad’s and it is from a place called Ernie’s that he went to on a trip. Molly has his other one like this. Our other sister doesn’t do coffee. It was nice to talk about our Dad and share fun memories Saturday, by the way. I wish our other sister had been with us, too.

Jack wanted to do the bookstore so the boys and I went. We also got Blaze pizza right by the book store. It had been since way before March since we had gone there. Mason isn’t mad – he just didn’t know I was taking a photo here.

I moved on to this and am really liking it so far. I think the premise of the book will turn out to be interesting.

And, those were my highlights.

What about you? I hope you had a good one. I did try to social distance from my sister and brother-in-law as much as I could. We stayed 6 feet apart while in the water but we were probably 3 feet apart while eating and on the boat. It’s really hard with family, especially!

Hope you have a great Monday and leave me your weekend highlight in the comments!

Thanks for reading,

Amy

Friday, July 10, 2020

Happy Friday! This week went by quickly. How was yours? I am linking up today with Andrea, etc. right here.

One of the strategies I am using right now is getting out of the house once a day in the car. I may never even get out of the car – like a grocery pick up or a library curbside – but I think it helps me mentally to get out and see the world and when I return home I have a different perspective on these four walls! That’s not to say that I can’t stay home – just that I am choosing to spread errands out like this right now. What about you?

My first favorite this week is Ernie. He is not on his bed at all in this photo! He cracks me up. I love him so much and he is the perfect dog for us. He sleeps in if we do. He gets up early if we do. He never tries to run away. I attribute lots of this to my husband Tom, the dog whisperer. He trained him well as a puppy.

Another Facebook memory popped up this week. I miss this stage when we had a pool membership and went several times a week. It was always a special treat when the boys had their Daddy in the water on the weekends or after work. You wouldn’t know it now, but my boys got TAN!

Time really does speed up and it’s hard to believe this memory was 4 years ago. The summer between 8th grade and high school we took a 2 week trip to Germany to visit and travel with Tom’s German family. Here is the castle that is reportedly what they based Disney’s castle off of. We took a train to right here where I took this photo and then walked/climbed all the way up. Some people went up by horse and carriage and I can’t remember if there were other options.

This is my sister’s photo and both of my sisters recommended this. I bought my own during my last grocery pick up and it is really good! It’s light and refreshing. I bought it in the slim cans so I can use my rose gold Brumate koozie.

My Master rugs came in. I think I’m happy with them! Tom thinks it may be too big but this is the look I was going for. Anyone? I am so bad at design stuff! I am going for muted grey, light blue, and greenery in the room I guess you could say. We are looking for a giant armchair to put where the plant currently is with an ottoman that may or may not match. I like the idea of two different textures/designs. These rugs are from Boutiquerugs.com and the style is called “Orrick”.

The matching runner.

I have hardly ever gotten breakfast or lunch from a restaurant during these last few months – I just don’t think about it. We get one-two take out meals a week normally, but at dinner time. I have been part of a Facebook group that has 90,000 members! The purpose is to support local businesses during this time and some have even reported a boost in sales! I had been hearing about a little sandwich shop that I never knew about near me. It is called “Starving Artist” and all the sandwiches have names like The Bob Ross, The Janis Joplin, The Leonardo Da Vinci. Isn’t that cute? So, I got sandwiches this week for the boys and I and forgot to take a photo. But, for dessert, I stopped by a bakery called Najla’s and this cookie right here can hardly be called a cookie. It tasted more like cake and the frosting was so good. My glasses are here for size reference. It made me feel good to support two small businesses and it was a treat to have lunch already prepared.

I know my blog post “Pandemic Fun” sounded a bit crazy this week. I hope you didn’t take that the wrong way but so much of what we are going through is super scary. We face so much fear and uncertainty. So much of what we deal with in the day to day is mental and if I can help someone I want to do so. I listed some ideas to maintain connections so check it out here if you are interested.

So, I had a patio cocktail/doggy playdate with my friend of 20 years, S! I love spending time with S and rarely get to. We first met our first year of teaching at my current school. She is no longer there because she moved out west, then to North Carolina before settling back here in her hometown. She is a Latin teacher so we have a lot to talk about! She just got a German Short-Haired pointer named Duke and he and Ernie played hard! I made Kentucky lemonade and had a bit of charcuterie but it was hard to serve with a puppy! It was super hot but I had the fans going and we were in the shade. This was my “pandemic fun” for the week! S and puppy came inside to see renovation and we both wore masks inside.

Look at my car temperature! This is not a favorite but I am thankful for my AC!

I wanted to report back about my Ulta lip oil I talked about here. It just seems like a non-sticky gloss. I like it o.k. but I don’t get what it really is good for. I may use it to top a regular lipstick? I have been super curious about this below but it’s so pricey! Anyone have it? Sheaffer loves it!

I am hoping to hear some live music on the lawn of the neighborhood where we like to go. They have a little cottage bar and a food truck. They didn’t have it last week because of the 4th holiday and the week before that I was very disappointed in people not wearing masks in the bar and food lines. Not good! So, I didn’t get anything. People were spaced out pretty well on the lawn. I can bring my own food and drink I guess. We may ask some friends to meet us.

We will probably do a boat ride. I do think we have a chance of storms, though. Also, our bedroom ceiling fan came in and I’m anxious for that. I have been a bit warm in my bedroom lately.

What’s on your agenda?

I hope you are staying well and that you have some favorites to share with me in the comments!

Amy

Thursday, July 9, 2020

I try to do these posts every couple of weeks because I know how helpful they are to me! We all get in ruts!

I cook 5-6 nights a week and the other night(s) we get takeout or eat leftovers.

This is really good. I made it to eat just as is and I made it to serve on an entree salad.

Season chicken breasts or tenders on both sides generously with Trader Joe’s lemon pepper and everything but the bagel seasoning. Sear on both sides for 2 minutes and put in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Thank you to Carolina Charm for this recipe! She also just posted that she used this to make chicken salad (the cold version with mayo, etc.)!

I served this with shortcut twice baked potatoes. I did two potatoes in the microwave then after they cooled a bit, I split them in half and scooped out the innards. I added sour cream, cheese and spices and put back in the potato skin and added cheese and bacon and baked for about 15 minutes in the still hot oven.

I also wanted to make this corn from Boo Mama. It has cream cheese and sour cream. It would’ve been a better meal with a green vegetable instead, but we were low on supplies.

I made BLT wraps for the boys one day for lunch. I offer to make them something some days and some days they take care of their meals. They aren’t big on lunch meat sandwiches so they usually make themselves leftovers, grilled cheese, quesadillas, or Ramen.

I made Family Savvy blog’s baked ziti for a crowd but I didn’t make as big of a portion.

Our takeout rotation is: the Mexican place by our house called Mi Tierra, the Mediterranean place by our house, the Thai place by our house – those are our go-tos. We are so lucky to have really good restaurants close by. Not everything is good for takeout but these three can be reheated well if you are doing the 20-30 seconds to kill the virus thing in the microwave. Fried food is not good for takeout – we learned the hard way!

This is arroz con pollo that the boys love.

We have not ordered pizza since I discovered the skinny biz dough recipe. Isn’t that crazy? That’s what my reader who told me about it said, too! I do plan to order some pizza soon because we have really great pizza places here.

I skipped a few weeks of Dinnerly and got another box this Monday. Here are my recipes for this week.

I have only made the Pad See Ew so far but I called it Pad Thai and added chicken- see I just can’t follow directions well! My son called it “Sad Thai” so if that tells you anything – it was not a hit – I also chalk it up to the fact that we are spoiled by really good Pad Thai up the road. The owner is from Thailand so it is the real deal. I kind of think Chinese and Thai food are hard to make at home? We’ll go with that!

Dinnerly has several options each week that you can choose from. I hope the other two recipes go over better with my crew! Also, I can send 3 people Dinnerly boxes. Dinnerly has no idea that I have a blog, but it is their standard referral program. You would have to give your credit card information and then your first box is free. The first three people to leave their name and email address will get a box! I now have two friends doing Dinnerly and two blog readers have tried it. I’m not sure if they kept up with it. I find it to be the most affordable of the meal delivery kits I have seen. For a family of four, for three meals a week, it is around $60.

What have you been eating? I always need ideas! It’s also heating up around here so I want to keep my oven off!

Amy

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

My friend was mentioning her lack of “anything to look forward to” and how that is taking a toll on her mentally. I know that is the case for many of us, too. By putting a few small things on the calendar that can be done safely, we can reap some benefits of summer fun. In a way it doesn’t seem like summer has started yet, but I know that fall will be here before we know it and I want to be intentional and take advantage of some things I can do this season.

I realize that we all have different comfort levels given the current situation. Some of these ideas can be modified according to your comfort level.

-Have one family over and each of you bring takeout of your choice to eat outside. We did this a lot at the beginning of the pandemic. The host just had to set up their tables 6 feet away and we kept each family at their own table. You can also order individual meals from a restaurant so there is no buffet style sharing.

-We have many neighborhoods that are inviting food trucks to come visit. Bring a couple of chairs, grab some food, eat in a common area of the neighborhood if you don’t live there or take the food to a nearby park. Invite friends and sit 6 feet away. There are some really great food trucks in my city.

-Look for outdoor music. We have had a few options for this and this is what we would do a lot of in a typical summer.

-This is prime time for Farmer’s Markets. I have listed different ones in my calendar in case I can go. It’s more than shopping; it’s entertainment and it’s supporting our local farms. There are all kinds of things – jams, bread, vegetables, meat and eggs, flowers, and more. We did the Sunday 1-4 that a nearby neighborhood has with another couple. We looked around a bit and then set out chairs under a shade tree and enjoyed some treats from the market and some wine we each brought for ourselves. We had a great couple of hours visiting.

-Have one friend over for cocktail hour. It’s easier to social distance with just one person. If they are comfortable you can provide the drink. Get individually packaged snacks or make a separate snack plate for each of you, if they are comfortable with that. I ask my friends what their comfort level is. Some are fine for me to prepare something and some are more at ease with packaged foods or BYO. Bonus: If it’s just one friend at a time you can really visit and talk. I have done this with 3 friends so far. I usually say to come around 2:00.

-Meet a friend on a patio at at restaurant for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. It will get too hot for patios here soon but it will be short lived hopefully. And, we have some unseasonably cooler days here and there in July and August. I try to meet earlier than the rush hour – like a 5:00 dinner or a 11:30 lunch.

-Get a baby pool and invite a friend to put their feet in with you and pretend you’re at a beach. You can make sure you are spaced out 6 feet. If you have a real pool, even better!

-Have a virtual cocktail party if friends are more comfortable with that. Zoom is great and user friendly or use Facetime. Each of you prepare your own drink while talking over video. I did this with high school friends, my cousins, work people. It’s not the same, but it helps.

-Invite a friend to walk with you.

-Invite a friend to take a bike ride with you.

-Go canoeing and keep family units in same canoe!

I find that if I have even just one social thing on the calendar per week it really helps me. Soon I hope to invite a couple of people on our boat. I am supposed to start work August 10, so I am about a month away. We still don’t know what that will look like. I decided I am going to enjoy some more “summer” and not stress about school until there is something to stress about.

What other ideas do you have for fun?

I still plan to:

-shop for college stuff with each boy – Waiting on sales and list from our college.

-plan a couple of family activities that the boys are comfortable doing

-host family for a small graduation gathering outside

-boat

-eat on patios

-enjoy more takeout from locally owned places

-learn to cook a few more things – want to try the Outback blooming onion

-declutter and deep clean many spaces in my house. Take things to donation sites.

-start next renovation project or get plans in place – next up is Master bath!

-Meet Tom for lunch one day while he is at work. There is a particular place that just opened with a large patio

-Go out to brunch on boat

-Meet my sister for boating

-Get my professional development hours done

-Schedule needed appointments for end of summer and early fall

-Read several more books

What about you? Do you have a list of things you want to do?

Amy

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

I checked my Amazon account and I haven’t made any July purchases there – YET, but I thought I would share what I have bought otherwise.

Typically in the summer I love to shop for clothing and accessories! I can usually wear my summer clothes into October here in Louisville, KY. I get excited to add things to my teacher wardrobe. I usually check into my two favorite consignment shops weekly and about this time all of the great summer sales are going on. I’m not doing that this year so far. I feel like I have plenty to wear to the few places I go. I do put on an outfit to run my few errands each week. I put on an outfit to go to listen to outdoor music (we’ve done this 4 times) or to eat on a patio (I’ve done this twice).

On Sunday I wasn’t getting into my one and only library fiction book. I took myself to Barnes and Noble and picked out these. I want travel and food books right now. My friend E said this, also. Put the character in an exotic place and describe the food and there is my ideal book right now.

A French Wedding looked promising – I will let you know.

And, I love Jenny Colgan books and this was one I wanted to pick up at some point.

I also stepped into Ulta. I wanted to look for lip oil. Have you heard all the rage about lip oil? It is supposed to be super mousturizing and not waxy like a balm.

I also wanted a light neutral for fingers and my friend B had this awesome grey/green color on her toes.

Here are the lip oils. I was only going to try one, but there was a free gift if I spent a little bit more money – o.k., Ulta, you got me!

I needed a new Beauty Blender and I don’t think the knock offs compare. I got a small bottle of witch hazel for each boy to help their skin.

This is the free bag. It is clear with this palm pouch. You know I love a palm print!

The cashier didn’t tell me there was a watermelon lip gloss and watermelon makeup remover inside – cool!

And, here is the rug that I ordered. I did an 8 x 10 for the Master bedroom and a runner for the hall between the closets and Master.

As I am writing this it hasn’t arrived but I will let you know what I think!

Also, I have not really used my Panera “free” coffee much. I think I got it twice – one hot and one iced. I tried to get another one at another Panera but they never came out to give it to me and I gave up and left after 20 minutes.

What have you purchased lately? Are your shopping habits drastically reduced or have they increased?

Amy

Monday, July 5, 2020

Hi guys! How does this Monday find you? I like summer Mondays. This is the day I use to lay pretty low, do my weekend laundry, make phone calls and get weekly tasks scheduled. I am linking up with Heather, Tanya and other so go right here.

Today I am excited because I have rugs arriving! I finally found an area rug and matching runner that I think will work for my Master bedroom. I bought it from Boutique Rugs online and I was able to pay through my Amazon account. It is really hard buying a rug without seeing and feeling it but I’m crossing my fingers. I also have a Dinnerly box arriving for the first time in a few weeks (I took a break to use up freezer supplies). I am going to try and follow their recipes instead of being a rebel.

Let’s go back to last Thursday as I do my Friday post a bit early.

Thursday morning and most mornings I did my morning routine outside as the sun was coming up. I cannot sleep in, you all. I just can’t! What is wrong with me? I was just reflecting with my husband that a year ago I couldn’t even enjoy the old lower patio because it was full of construction stuff. There was wood and supplies all over my driveway, I had no back door, and there was loud work every day last summer practically! So, even in the midst of what is going on or maybe moreso I am happy to have this space.

I met my friend B on a patio for brunch at a relatively new place called Biscuit Belly. We had to go in to order and we wore masks – most people did and there were only 4 others there. Then, they brought our food to the patio. I got a tequila sunrise. Is 10 a.m. too early to drink tequila? It has the word “sunrise” in the name, o.k.?

B got a Bloody Mary and it had tiny little biscuits on top! So cute! I wish I liked Bloody Marys but I do not!

We both got the “basic biscuit” with bacon, egg, and cheese, and a sauce that I got on the side. I guess we are basic! It was meh. The biscuit really wasn’t that good in my opinion. I think I like McDonald’s better. Now, you are really judging me for the morning tequila and that statement.

I went to my friend’s store last week and this is the tie-dye mask that I showed you. The fabric rather than elastic around the ears is much more comfortable.

Thursday night was homemade pizza night! I did two pizzas and did a combo bbq carnitas and cheese and the other was pepperoni. I needed more cheese! Don’t worry I added some of the shredded stuff. This was the good mozzarella! This is the “skinny biz pizza crust recipe” you can google if you are interested.

I made a red, white, and blue sangria-ish drink just for me. I used frozen strawberries and blueberries, pinot grigio, and 1/3 can of strawberry Fresca. It wasn’t sweet enough (and I do not like super sweet drinks at all) because the Fresca is simply a sparkling soda water so I added my favorite cocktail ingredient Crystal Light lemonade powder – only about 1/3 of a stick and this became sooooo good!

Friday Tom was off and he went paddleboarding on the river in the morning. He ended up having to help tow someone’s boat to shore. I went to Fresh Market for a couple of things and it was too crowded. I high-tailed it out of there. I had done my Kroger pick up on Thursday (this seems to be my normal day now?) and I guess people were crowding all the grocery stores for the holiday weekend. Someone posted a crazy line at Costco on Facebook. I was glad I shopped early.

It was so hot and was going to be all weekend, but I got motivated and Tom and I took the boat out around 2 and stayed out until 6ish. I was so relaxed. I haven’t felt the normal summer relaxation that kicks in mid-June. Maybe it’s because of all the anxiety around us. Anyone else?

The relaxation could’ve been in part due to the bourbon slush I brought on board. I stopped at the gas station by our house for an Ale 8 (like ginger ale) slush for Tom and I pilfered some to go with some bourbon. I do want you to know, though, that I have had many non-cocktail days lately. I have been having one drink maybe 3 days a week. My beverage of choice is water. I am really trying to drink more!

I must have my spray bottle. I went to the river with very wet hair which really helped me stay cool and then I used this to keep cool.

After several days cooking, we decided to get Mexican take out with the boys. We ate together at home and watched Scrubs. This is what we are currently watching as a family. I set out all of my 4th of July supplies for the next day even though I had no plans.

I did get my car washed in the morning. My car looked sooo bad. I used to be afraid to go in the car wash alone. I was afraid I would mess up the directions. I thought it would be much like the one and only time I tried a spray tanning booth. I couldn’t figure out or remember the directions and I got sprayed in the mouth. It was very similar to Ross’s experience on Friends except without the dark tan.

I also found all of my festive clothing. A girl can dream of a day with plans, right?

I made my traditional pretzel rolo things.

And, Saturday on the 4th Tom and I went back out in the heat again for a few hours.

I packed a portable charcuterie boat picnic.

We came home and I made a home charcuterie for appetizers.

and baked ziti for dinner. It was definitely not a traditional 4th. A friend invited us out on their boat for fireworks but I knew it would be a late night and we would be really close to other people so I turned it down.

Mason had a outside party to go to after dinner. Jack hung out with us and then I found one of my favorite movies The Holiday. I love the Jude Law and Cameron Diaz scenes in England the most.

Sunday seemed to be the hottest day of all. Tom did a 2 hour bike ride, then mowed and did yard work. I worked inside on some organizing and then re-read some magazines before recycling or giving away while my ceiling fan was going.

I am not really into this. I’m trying…

I got Disney + for a month for just me – no one else was interested – and watched half of Hamilton Sunday after lunch. It’s a commitment. I knew basically nothing other than the premise. It’s kind of weird watching a musical recorded as a movie. A friend gave me a tip to put the captions on and that has been helpful to not miss anything. Can you believe my actor/singer son is not interested?

For dinner, I made an entree salad with homemade bread. One of my goals was to eat more big salads for dinner and everyone loved this. I used iceberg, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, ham, hardboiled egg, bacon, cheese, the everything lemon pepper chicken recipe from Carolina Charm blog, homemade croutons from older bread, and homemade honey mustard dressing. Who am I?

After dinner, I filled up my bird feeders – they are eating us out of house and home! Immediately a cardinal came – Tom and I were wondering how they know to come check to see if was full again?

And, I have one hydrangea bloom – it’s way back there and you can barely see it!

How was your weekend? Did you socialize? Did you follow your annual traditions?

I hope you have a wonderful Monday!

Amy

Friday, July 3, 2020

Happy Friday! Happy 4th of July! Friday is always a fun post. It’s a way to give recommendations or to talk about the little things that made us happy that week. I am linking up today with Andrea, etc. so go right here to see some more!

I know many of you are excited for Hamilton on Disney + tonight. I don’t have it. I would really like to watch it but maybe there will be another way to watch it later. I guess I could just get it for one month? Ideas? Recommendations regarding Disney +?

These hydrangeas from my friend made me so happy this week. My hydrangea bush is still not blooming. Fingers crossed that it does this year! It looks nice and green and healthy!

At the beginning of the week I washed all my masks. I wear each one a couple of times before washing. I also posted a photo of me in my mask in Instagram to show that I am wearing one. The top and bottom are cute but they are hot and don’t stay on the ears well. The middle two are my favorite and added bonus made by my former student.

I have been reading a lot lately. American Dirt, The Honey Don’t List, The Lie that Binds, and 28 Summers are all books I would recommend. When I have a good book it’s almost like I’m on a mission and when I finish it I am in mourning and kind of have a book hangover. Are you like that? I love reading on my patio with a beverage. This was a morning coffee reading session.

I have been using my big monogram tote lately.

Also, I placed a Land’s End order a week ago. I decided this black polo with monogram would come in handy. I thought it would look good with my white skort and maybe even a skirt? The quality is great and it was on sale so I was happy.

I finished 28 Summers! Some of it bothered me, but Elin’s books are great summer reads. Has anyone read it? I wish I could discuss!

This is a giant pump bottle of self-tanner and it doesn’t have much of a tanner smell. It is on sale on HSN again for $39 from $90. I think this would last years. It gives a really nice color and a bit of a shimmer. I wanted to let you know to catch the sale price. I would never pay $90 unless it promised instant weight loss or something like that! Look for it at HSN.com.

I gave myself a bit of a 4th of July mani/pedi. I did Alpine Snow on the toes (white makes you look tan, too!) and red on the fingers. The red is called Double Breasted Jacket.

Awkward photo below. One of my quarantine goals was to improve my flexibility so by doing my own pedicure I’m killing two birds with one stone.

Less awkward photo.

My next book is a library curbside pick up. I don’t think I’m going to read Big Summer because of the mixed reviews I’ve seen. I never read this and it was recommended somewhere. Anyone read it?

One day this week I never got my car out but I’ve decided I should get out in the car once a day. One day this week my outing was my friend’s local boutique called The Prickly Pear. I have been wanting an American flag kimono for years I tell you and she had it on sale for $16. It even has a silver sparkly thread running through it. I hope it isn’t disrespectful to wear a flag.

She also had these t-shirt material masks for $9 that are so soft and comfy. Also, you really need to wear studs with your mask so I needed some new studs. I thought these were unique and they were only $6.

I had one afternoon of rain on the patio this week. Love it! It is so relaxing!

I still don’t have firm plans this weekend but I am going to try to make someone eat some red, white, and blue charcuterie with me! Here is my inspiration:

So cute, right?

This will for sure be an odd 4th of July! It is supposed to be super hot here.

What were your faves this week? I would love to hear!

Did you catch my Trader Joe’s haul yesterday?

Did you read my skort report Wednesday?

Thanks for reading!

Amy

Thursday, July 2, 2020

Hello friends! Everyone loves a Trader Joe’s post, right? Well, everyone who has a Trader Joe’s nearby? If you don’t, maybe you can still get some meal ideas? Some of you have some nice specialty grocery stores that might have some of these options. And, if you mostly go to Kroger like me or Wal-mart I think I have something for you!

We only have one in my large city but lucky for me that it is only about a 7 minute drive. I set out this past Tuesday morning. My plan was to get there around 8:50 like I did last time and do the separate liqour store first. In Kentucky, you need a separate store front for alcohol sales as they cannot be in the actual grocery store – except for beer. I was a bit early and got there around 8:40. The parking lot was almost empty. That is rare!

I went in the liquor store and then got at the front of the line to wait untl 9:00 as the first hour is for seniors and vulnerable people. The employee said I could go on in because there weren’t many people. Wonderful!

It reminded me of the days of yesteryear when I could go early and look at new products and take my time. I ended up with 4 bags full. They are not allowing reusable bags right now but I really like to have these brown bags on hand at my house for certain things.

Excuse the forehead lines, but I tried the Dawn dishwashing soap on the glasses trick and it worked! I rubbed a bit on the lenses before I left home and then wiped with a paper towel. This keeps glasses from fogging up while wearing a mask. Every.single.person was wearing a mask. They even thanked me for wearing one after I checked out. This is my favorite mask made by my former student. Not all masks are created equal. This fabric seems to be more breathable than my others. The elastic is also more comfortable.

I got some meal stuff, some tried and true faves, and some new to me products.

First, I am never without this rice. It is sooooo good. An easy meal or a meal the boys can make if Tom and I go out is orange chicken and rice. I also like to keep their frozen fries on hand for a BLT or hot sub night.

For Taco Tuesday this week I decided to make fish tacos and carnitas tacos. I think these carnitas are really good. I microwave them and then crisp them up in a skillet.

These turkey corn dogs are really good. This is a lunch option for the boys usually.

I wanted to try to make the tacos really authentic with the slaw, salsa, lime, red onion, and cotija cheese.

Another purpose of my mission was to gather things for a red, white, and blue charcuterie board. We don’t have any plans yet. The boys have been invited to a party and I will say o.k. if outside and not too many people. I thought it would be fun even just for Tom and I to have this charcuterie board. My city has lots of charcuterie companies now that will deliver. I enjoy making it myself but I am curious to get a delivery. I might do that for our anniversary?

So, I found red beet crackers. They might be bad, but they will look good, right?

Now, I know for sure that these cheeses are the bomb. Blueberry goat cheese and wine soaked cheese are the things your charcuterie dreams are made of.

These gummy lobsters are so cute and preppy!

I love, love, love to simply put out a half of a block of cream cheese and pour red pepper jelly over it. Then, you spread on crackers.

I will have white water crackers and I will fill in with other items from my normal Kroger grocery run.

The pastas at TJ’s are only 99 cents. I might make a bow tie pasta salad with feta and tomatoes. I thought the spirals would be fun, too. I might use them for my turkey sausage and cream sauce pasta.

I always have a loaf of brioche in my freezer. I use this for French toast and the world’s most decadent grilled cheese.

I was out of my favorite seasonings – the pink salt and the Everything but the bagel seasoning and I wanted to try this lemon pepper.

The cashier told me that she was told by a doctor to put two pieces of this pink salt under your tongue for a headache and it will go away almost immediately. I almost want a headache so I can try this out! I love stuff like this.

These are sooooo good. My boys really like them when we don’t have a homemade treat. I don’t drink milk very much but sometimes I will get a small cup and dunk these puppies. Yum.

I don’t know what it is, but Trader’s makes grocery shopping fun.

I know many of us are sad that we can travel this summer.

What about planning a staycation and stocking up on fun foods from Trader’s that you wouldn’t normally buy and trying to do several picnics maybe even with themes? French, Red, White, and Blue, Childhood (treats from your childhood), etc. Wouldn’t that be fun? You could even plan a short road trip to the nearest store.

Where do you stand on Trader Joe’s? Do you have a favorite product? What would you like to try from my haul?

Amy