Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

I had both of these posts as separate beings, but then decided to combine them. 

I sometimes grocery shop at Target and am often amazed at the great prices as compared to Kroger. Also, they have items that Kroger doesn’t carry. 

On one of my E learning days last week, I needed to get out and had a specific purpose in mind to get a few things that are “Weight Watchers friendly”. Now, to be clear, I want to eat mostly real foods, but there are some things that I think can help me. 

I am trying the blacked chicken strips again. I didn’t like them before, but I plan to air fry/convection oven them and see if I like them better. 0 points

Velveeta slices (Tom’s favorite) are no longer sold in my Kroger. This is only the 100th item or so that we bought that they stopped carrying. 1 point

A lemon flavored tuna packet to top salads, a salmon tuna pack, a taco seasoning pack for my fat free refried bean, salsa mixture that can be a dip or put on a burrito. 0 points for all of them

Thin corn tortillas to make my own tortilla chips. 1 point each tortilla

Turkey for sub in a tub. 0 points

Banana peppers for sub in a tub. 0 points

Lettuce for sub in a tub. 0 points

Salsa for Tostitos queso mixture and bean dip. 0 points

Devil’s Food cake mix and Angel food cake mix for mug cake. You mix these two mixes together in a big baggie, spray a mug with Pam and put 3 tablespoons of the cake mixture in your mug with 2 tablespoon of water. Microwave a minute or a bit less. 3 points

Tostitos bite size for the salsa and queso mixture. 24 chips for 4 points – probably the best bang for your buck with chips, but I ended up giving those to my kids and enjoying the taste of my homemade chips more and you get a lot more!

This is the mixture I’m talking about. Do heat it up – so much better! Experiment with heating things and leaving things cold and cut things in smaller pieces are a couple of tips I have. 

“Sub in a Tub” - make a mixture of olive oil, red wine vinegar, and italian seasoning and pour over whatever you would have on your sub. This is a great summer lunch, but I was craving it!

My buffalo chicken dip with homemade chips: 

My egg casserole has been my breakfast lately, along wtih 3 Amylu chicken breakfast sausages: 

6 eggs or sub in some egg whites, a can of green chiles, a half cup to one full cup of fat free cottage cheese, spices of your liking – I do cajun, garlic powder, pepper. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. 

I love La Banderita low carb flour tortillas and buy the street taco and the burrito size. You can put anything in one. This dinner had chicken, lettuce, mustard, and pickles. I had a side of green beans and a twice baked potato where I used some bacon bits, shredded cheese, and laughing cow cheese! Look at my tiny potato! 

My carrots look weird and I should have grated them. This is a new salad to me and Tom and I both loved it. 

Just Google Weight Watchers cabbage soup and you will see this. I personally love cabbage. 

I know posts like this help me to get new ideas, so I hope this helped some of you, too! 

Amy

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Let’s talk about earrings! Who thought naked lobes were so ugly that they needed to be adorned? Are these also the thoughts that keep you awake at night? I can’t remember when I got my ears pierced but it was probably between the ages of 8 and 12? Did you know your lobes grow as you age? Just another wonderful part of the ageing process – you’re welcome. 

I recently did a winter closet clean out and I finally tackled the elephant in my closet – my jewelry! I had been avoiding this mess for quite some time. The before pictures are non-existent, but here are the afters. 

My necklaces are on the necklace tree with the exception of some in the top drawer: 

My earrings are in plastic containers in the top drawer. I’m not sure this is the best place, but these are the facts.

I pulled them out to show you what is in my earring wardrobe. 

But, first, I won’t wear heavy earrings anymore. My earrings are all light as a feather – for real – except for one that is too cute to not keep. 

I’m not showing you all of my collection, but I am showing you my most worn, for sure!

Let’s go left to right:

hot pink Gucci-esque bees, two different rose pairs, sparkly red, my initials on animal print, and then my St. Patrick’s beer, and my two Derby pairs

These are grouped together because I plan to wear the pinks and reds in February, the beer in March, and then start with the Derby!

Topo Chico orange and silver, Prosecco that went to the UK with me, mint julep, white champagne, black tassels, tequila, pineapple

Yes, I stlil get a crazy amount of joy from my beaded earrings! 

Now I am using a plastic divider for my metal based earrings: 

I have really embraced smaller earrings. I wear the top two a bunch – the starburst and the small gold hoops. I love the Pavoi brand on Amazon and have had great luck with the quality and have gifted some, too. The tiny gold diamonds (not real) are for my second hole. Do you have a second piercing? I got them my senior year of college instead of the tatoo that I kind of wanted. I am still tatoo-less – for now! There are two reasons why I will probably remain that way – I don’t like pain or wasting money when it could go toward shoes. I guess I wore two pairs of earrings for like a year and then just left the piercings alone and ignored them for almost 30 years. A couple of summers ago I decided to stick an earring in them, and they were still pierced. Now, I am enjoying wearing a small pair sometimes with another pair. 

The gold balls are from Loft – love.

The skinny hoops are from J.Crew Factory and the fat hoops are Pavoi from Amazon. I wear both all the time. The rectangular gold ones are from a local shop called Work the Metal and I love them and wear them out sometimes to be a little fancier. 

I definitely gravitate toward gold, but I like silver, too I wear these four pairs a lot – the white ones only in the summer. You also see here a silver and gold pair that I adore. I kept my Kendra Scotts because I really like the grey with gold. 

I keep my small earrings and more second-holers in this little dish: 

I have faux pearls in three sizes, cute little pearl half hoops, little pearl and gold, black and gold (I took these to the UK), little gold doodads, and these little bars in two sizes 

And, I have silver diamond studs, a crystal and gold, and a pink and gold – all usually second holers. 

Showing you the cute half moons here with some others you have seen:

I am super happy with my earring collection! But, there is always room for another pair! They always, always fit! 

Do you think I have a lot? 

They all get worn and they all feel like me! 

I let about 20 pairs go that I wasn’t wearing. 

I’m all ears if you want to chime in!

Amy

Monday, January 22, 2024

Last week was so crazy and I kinda loved it! I will tell you all about it and what I did this weekend as I link up with Sarah and Holly for Hello Monday!

So, we had off Monday for MLK day, Tuesday and Wednesday were E learning days (we call it “NTI” in Kentucky which stands for “non traditional learning” – no learning is traditional anymore, folks, amiright?), went to school in person Thursday, and were home again on Friday for another E learning day. What a week!

Thursday night Mason came home for the weekend with my commuter Jack. They share a car and Mason acts unbothered by the fact that the commuter uses it the most. I was thrilled Mason came home because this plan was not shared with me! 

I came home from school Thursday to my oven’s screen that looked like this: 

This oven sure is sweet! She will put up recipes for me every now and again on her screen. 

I really wanted to stay home Friday because my kids don’t have college classes on Fridays. I didn’t sleep well because I kept checking on Mother Nature. 

The district finally made the call at 4:48 a.m. 

I worked from about 7-9 am getting everything set up for the day. I took a break for this breakfast: 

leftover sweet potato, onion, Amylu sausage, and eggs. 

I worked some more and for my next break, Mason and I took Ernie out to his winter wonderland playground.

Ernie snow angels! 

Ernie is a snow dog! His birthday is January 25. 

Then, I made chocolate chip pancakes because I was pretending my college kids were still little, ok? Don’t judge! Snow days feel weird when they aren’t here, so I was just as happy as a clam even though I was tied to my computer. 

And, you have to have hot chocolate when you come in from the snow!

I got a funny IG message from two senior girls, and I taught them the papyrus font that Jen taught us! 

I made “sub in a tub” for lunch because this has been sounding really good to me. 

When we have E learning days, we have to provide an asynchronous assignment through Google Classroom, and I have 3 different levels of Spanish that I teach so that takes some time. We also had Semester One grades due, so I had to finalize those. We have to hold office hours during a certain time, too, so you have to set up a Google Meet for anyone to pop into or to stay the whole time. You have to field emails from students, too, or they can send you messages through Google Classroom. I explain this because some people might wonder what teachers do from home on these days. I love Google Classroom, Google Meet, Google docs, Google slides, etc. But, you cannot do the exact lessons you do in person, and it requires re-working how you do certain things. It was also an awkward time because we just finished a semester and hadn’t started new content yet. 

So, it is definitely not a day off or a traditional snow day because you need to be on your computer most of the day. 

Tom had been at work all day and he knows I need to get out sometimes so he came home, walked Ernie again, and we went to the Mexican place up the street with our friends. We were bringing arroz con pollo home for our kids who were hanging out and we stayed talking so long that they were worried about us and texted! Ha! 

This is supposedly skinny! I only drank about 1/3! 

I really love restaurant fajitas so I got these: 

We had a nice time and it was great to get out!

Saturday it was 1 degree! Our winters usually aren’t too bad and some years we don’t even get any snow to speak of. So, this is pretty cold for us. I still say I love having four distinct seasons, but this extreme cold is not my favorite. I do like a good snow, though! 

Reporting back – I do not like the snickers coffee. It tastes artificial (which it is) and it’s just not good in my opinion. 

I was totally out of eggs, but have lots of Costco egg whites so I made this:

Amylu, some egg whites and one piece of Dave’s Killer thin sliced turned into avocado toast with egg white.

I was complaining about how dirty the mudroom and Mason said, “that’s the point – it’s in the name!”

But, I love to mop it and keep it clean: 

Tom was already out with Ernie, so he picked up my Kroger order and brought it all in. I felt like a princess!

Do you clean out the fridge before putting the new stuff in? I usually do!

I organized and put the stuff away and mopped the kitchen floor, too. I took photos for a blog post coming this week, too. 

I tried a new recipe for lunch and Tom loved it, too. I can’t remember where I got this and that is my toxic trait: 

If you schedule your Kroger pick up after 11:00 am, you can get a rotisserie chicken. 

I had to use regular slaw because there was no tri-color available, so I added shredded carrots. 

I also made my own tortilla chips and the Tostitos queso + salsa that I shared on Friday. 

Jack teaches voice and guitar lessons on Saturday afternoons and when he left, Mason and I went to a new to us coffee shop. I just get drip coffee or tea these days. 

And, he picked this cookie and I tried some and it was really good! 

Shhh…don’t tell! 

Then, we stopped at Fresh Market to get a few ingredients for dinner. We made my friend’s mom’s recipe for New York Chicken: 

Hasselback potatoes:

roasted butternut squash:

and broccoli: 

Mason loves broccoli so much! I’ve told this story before, but he wanted to bring it to school for his birthday in 2nd grade. 

All four of us ate this delicious meal together! It was so fun, and it turned out great! 

I’ve been trying to put away this Christmas rug and replace it with a new tan rug from Target but first I need to vacuum it and Ernie is not having it. I have it off to the side and he keeps using it! 

Ernie questioning my tv viewing choices: 

Wrapping this up early Sunday morning! 

Are you over the cold and the snow? 

What was the highlight of your weekend?

Amy

Friday, January 19. 2024

It’s Friday and time to link up with the Friday Favorite girls here! 

What a crazy week! Was yours all topsy turvy? So, it was very, very cold here over the last week and I hardly left the house Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. We had Monday off for MLK Day and then Monday around dinner time we heard we would do E learning at home due to the extreme cold temps more than anything, but we did get some snow and ice. Same thing happened Tuesday, and we heard we would be out Wednesday, too. So, it made for what felt like a really long weekend and a really short week!

Let’s hear some favorites from the week…

First off, let’s talk about my most recent press on mani, since I NEVER talk about my nails! Ha! So, I use Impress brand press ons and they keep sending me coupons and I look at their website under the sale tab and can seriously get two manis out of a $4 set. You can’t beat that! You cannot tell these are press ons and if you can tell, please don’t tell me. 

So, I order “short” unless “medium” is on sale and I just plan to really cut them down and file them. These came in and I didn’t realize they were “petite” instead of “short”. I thought that meant for little nails, but it just meant shorter than “short” and it worked out great so I didn’t have to cut down the light blue French. I just slightly filed them. 

So, a favorite is this fun mani! I really like how it looks! Sorry for the blurry photo. 

If you saw my Back on Track post Tuesday, you will know that I am trying to get back on track. I made my low carb egg casserole and so did Andrea! I doubled the cottage cheese and it turned out so fluffy!

Here is how I did this one:

1 cup fat free cottage cheese

I can green chilies

3 whole eggs

1 carton of Costco Kirkland egg whites

garlic powder, salt, pepper, cajun seasoning

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. I had so many egg whites that it took this one a bit longer. You see it here on my plate with my stats on the post it along with some Amylu chicken breakfast sausage, zucchini, onion, and a tiny bit of potato. 

We were down to only one working lighter so I put one in my Kroger cart and just picked a random color. They were out of whatever color it was and subbed this gorgeous rose gold. Kroger loves me! I am happy! 

Snack: Chomps stick, laughing cow, rice cake

I cleaned out my jewelry during my closet clean out and it’s time to let my beloved white and turquoise Kendra Scott necklaces go. If I had a dollar for every time I wore these…

I just don’t see myself wearing them again. I did keep a couple that are slightly different styles. Did you love these as much as I did? My blog will be 6 years old in a couple of months and I think these are from my pre-blogging days!

Always a favorite for a teacher in the winter: 

I am trying to clean up two old cast iron skillets to cook with. Do you use a cast iron skillet? 

I talked about my dip this week and I had not made it for so long. This rivals the full fat versions you might make for parties and gatherings. The secretis to heat it up after mixing. This week I put it in a street taco low carb tortilla, used carrots, and made my own tortilla chips in the air fryer with corn tortillas. 

I have been tracking protein grams in my phone memo like this: 

After a day of working at home, I had a nice cozy happy hour by the fire and indulged in an old fashioned and a glass of wine. I told you I was going to have balance and treats in my life! You just didn’t think it would be so soon! Lol!

Work from home snack: 

Work from home snack: 

Make your own tortilla chips in the air fryer – cut into triangles and spray a bit of Pam and salt. I did 350 for about 10 minutes but it depends on how crispy you want your chips. 

I took one tablespoon of Tostitos queso and as much salsa as I wanted and microwaved it. This is is good! 

I wore my new Hey Nuts blue pocketed leggings for my second work from home day and after work, I took myself to TJ Maxx and snuck a photo: 

I came home with cute springy disposable coffee cups:

Snickers coffee? I will let you know what I think. I am now using a big girl coffee maker and not a Keurig so I have been making a half pot each day. I plan to froth up some fat free half and half to have with this. 

And, I always think my hair gets brassy so I had wanted some purple shampoo to use occasionally: 

It was one of those TJ Maxx trips where I was just using it as an excuse to get out of the house after being home all day! Do you do that, too?

What were your favorites this week? 

Amy

Thursday, January 18, 2024

This week I am linking up with Kellyann and Jill for Fashion Files, but I am doing so reluctantly. I really feel blah about what I wore over the last week, with a couple of exceptions. Ha! 

And, let’s face it. I’m cold. I really don’t care about fashion right now!

But, did you catch my post yesterday? I did a massive closet clean out and I am challenging myself and you to wear it all or it must go! 

I think we need to think of our closets as fluid beings – things come in, things go out – and that’s ok. I try not to beat myself up too much about bad purchases. 

Did you catch my post on Tuesday? I am trying to get back on track with my healthier eating habits and some of that is due to wardrobe unhappiness. Things aren’t fitting great. I feel frumpy. I want to be able to wear the things I love well, you know? 

When, I went back to school on January 8th, I had a goal to wear jeans for accountability. I did that for 4 out of 5 of the school days. Some of my jeans are a little -ahem- snug right now and I thought it would be helpful for my body to be slightly in pain. 

I am also trying to wear all of the non-Christmas winter colors in my closet like black, wine, royal blue, etc. 

One day I wore very dark Old Navy straight leg jeans, a Target wine colored long sleeved tee, and a very old sweater. I think I would like it better with black underneath or creating a column of all black with black pants or jeans. The jeans are so dark, they look black, though. 

Meh. 

One day I switched to black pants from my jeans plan and wore this. I will keep the fringey sweater vest (it makes a nice third piece) and the black dress pants from Wit and Wisdom are great, but the blue Umgee top has really tight elastic on the arms and it bugged me all day. I think this will go to my consignment shop because it’s almost new. I hate that I made a mistake with this top. It’s a brand that I really like, but I just don’t think it’s working for me. 

This was my favorite outfit of last week. I love this star sweater. I struggle sometimes with having things to wear under things. The black tank below is perfect but it has those tiny pinholes and I need to retire it. I hate that!

Friday night I got to dress up for my husband’s work party. This dress is by Jodifl which is sold by many of our little local boutiques in Louisville. I got mine at Tunie’s. That’s also the brand of my hot pink animal blouse that I love. 

After working from home on Tuesday, I went out for happy hour in my “Sweater Weather” sweater. I want to get some platform sneakers because I feel like I need a little height when I wear something like this.

Ok, let’s talk about Chico’s. I really like them for their pants, especially. I also like them for some of their basics. I used to have a consignment shop with a Chico’s designated rack where I got several pairs of work pants for a steal. I like their sizing and the fact that they come in short length for me as I am 5’4. I also think their quality is really good. 

But I recently looked on their website and I am not a fan of most of their prints. 

I did see two things that I absolutely love. The first is not really practical because I will mainly wear it in February: 

It’s reversible! Isn’t that cute and great for someone who runs hot? What do you all think? Chico’s gives a teacher discount, too, which is awesome. 

And, this for spring really spoke to me: 

They are both really expensive for my bargain hunting ways, but I am trying to do quality over quantity and only choose things I really love to have a closet of 10/10 items. 

These fabulous raffia sandals are sold out! Wow! 

They are probably too high for me, but I think they are just so awesome for spring! I did put my email in for notifications if they come back in stock. 

I ordered these pocketed leggings in bright blue. I’ve been told this brand is a great dupe for Lulu. I have tried on Lululemons once and they were very flattering, but I just couldn’t pay that price. 

I will always get 7/8 when I can – it’s my favorite fraction in leggings and I will always get pockets. It’s a great time to be alive when you can have pockets in your leggings!

So, that’s it for my Fashion (or Lack of Fashion) Files this week!

What have you been wearing? 

What are your thoughts on fashion this month? 

Amy

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

My first January school outfit: 

Ok, you all said you were up for some challenges in 2024, so let’s get ready for our first one as January is halfway over. 

But first… clean out your closet or pull out the things you need to wear and put them in a designated spot. 

This past weekend, I was finally brutal in my closet. I do try to do a closet clean out each season. I had been hanging on to things I seriously had not worn for multiple winters. I had so.many.leggings…

We are going to do the following:

Go through every single piece of winter clothing.

You may not be able to do this in one sitting and if you are a paper person, maybe list the categories on a piece of paper and check off as you go. 

Get a trash bag and label it for donations and get a shopping bag and label it for re-sell or give away – whatever you like to do with your items that are in better shape. Do you have a friend who would love your cast offs? 

Here are some common categories: coats, sweaters, pants, skirts, blouses, knitwear, pajamas, exercise clothes, socks and tights, you get the idea. I even did my bracelets, my necklaces, and my earrings. It feels so good to be able to see what I have now! 

If the item is not being worn, why? Maybe create another bag for repairs if the item simply needs a button or a small repair and that is what is keeping you from wearing it.

Remember that you are a grown woman and do not have to wear clothing with holes or stains! 

Now, you must wear all of the winter items or they must be added to one of the bags. 

We have a couple of weeks left in January, so I plan to wear all the non-red and pink stuff now. In February, I like to wear my pinks and reds. I already wore all of my “Christmas colors” so now I am focusing on:

Blacks, wines, blues, greys, etc. I tend to set my fall colors aside, too, because I have worn those to death in September, October, and November. 

Starting to cycle through my winter clothes in January:

Love this star sweater and it’s a keeper and can be worn in multiple seasons: 

Wine color – I have had this sweater for many, many years and I think it looks old and tired but it’s my school color, so I’m on the fence: 

Blue: I love my vest and my Wit and Wisdom dress pants but the blue blouse underneath has a really thick elastic on the arms and it bothered me all day. I did wear shoes, by the way!

I prefer gold, but in the winter I try to wear some silver with my blacks, blues, and greys. 

I really don’t like winter clothing very much. It all just looks so blah hanging in my closet and in these photos! 

It’s important to do this process now, so others can enjoy and make use of your cast offs this winter. That is a good feeling and may help lessen the guilt of good money spent on things that didn’t work out. This is just my opinion, of course! 

Now, immediately put your donation bags in the car. Do not let the bags linger! 

Who is in this with me? 

Amy

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Ok, I am trying to get back on track. It’s no longer cute. I have given myself too much grace, too many passes, and too many treats for many different reasons. Ha! 

I’ve got all the excuses, you know? 

Here is how my brain worked starting last spring…

“It’s almost summer and I am so tired of meal prep and packing my foods, it IS summer and it’s time to party and celebrate, the school year has started and I have a new schedule to get used to, now I have German houseguests and need to show them a good time, Mason left for England and I’m sad, it’s Halloween!, it’s my birthday, I’m too busy getting ready for my trip, I’m on my trip!, it’s the holidays!”

Can you relate? Please say you can! 

I truly want to be a person who doesn’t obsess and that enjoys good food, good drink, and good company and those things can sometimes be at odds for me. 

With all that said, it was time to get back to tracking WW points because that worked for me. I hate it and I love it. 

I knew it would be easier to start January 8th when I got back into the school routine. 

I am packing breakfast, snack, and lunch for school (on my days). I get home later so I don’t always have time or need for a snack before dinner. I had already pretty much cut out the evening snack habit and stop eating after dinner – so that’s one point for Amy! Ha! I try to take my shower and brush my teeth immediately after dinner on school nights. 

My fellow Spanish teacher and friend Erica is still doing lunches with me and she says she is all in, too. It really helps to have someone doing it with you.

For inspiration, I went back to my very own blog posts. I typed in the search bar “healthy eating” and it reminded me of all the great food I have to pick from!

Last week for lunch, I made a lightened up shepherd’s pie: 

Erica made a farro bowl: 

I’m trying to eat more salads, but in the winter I like a cooked vegetable more, so I am roasting a lot of vegetables. 

I’m trying to up my protein and it really does keep you more full: 

Can you read my little post it notes? 

On my Saturday Costco trip with Tom, I knew that these items would really help me: 

I won’t eat anything I don’t like, to be honest. I like all of the things I purchased. 

These are a great morning or afternoon snack and I really like them! 

I am trying to do my protein iced coffee again. I’ve missed it! 

I roasted a can of chickpeas for the first time this weekend and they would add a nice crunch to a salad. I just snacked on them. Yum!

I love egg salad. I didn’t use all of the yolk, added a bit of mustard and dry mustard, and a tiny, tiny bit of mayo. I tried to add Greek non fat plain yogurt and couldn’t handle the taste. These are my favorite tortillas – so soft. This is great in place of a bun or bread for various things. 

I love Dave’s bread and Aldi has a dupe for it. It makes great avocado toast, which also makes a great snack or breakfast. I passed on this because I like the thin sliced better. I keep it in the freezer so it lasts a really long time. 

Popcorn is a favorite snack. I pop raw kernels and use some salt and popcorn spray. 

Yesterday I made the WW zero point cabbage soup. I love it and plan to add some sausage to it (the above apple gouda). 

This week I also plan to have a Boca burger, Montreal Chicken – chicken breast baked with Montreal steak seasoning, a buffalo dip stuffed sweet potato, and lots of vegetables and some fruit. The first week or two are not perfect as you are figuring out what keeps you full and satisfied. I am also trying to drink a ton of water, using Bubly when I need a break from plain water, and reducing alcohol. 

For breakfast, I made my low carb egg casserole using 6 eggs (this time I did 3 eggs and a carton of the egg whites from Costco), a cup of cottage cheese, and a can of green chilies, and my favorite spices. I baked it at 350 for 45 ish minutes until set. I will portion it out and and the Amylu chicken sausages. 

I am thinking of adding LMNT to my Amazon cart. Any thoughts on that? 

Anyone else cleaning up their act? Let’s help each other! 

Send me any favorite foods, websites, etc. I am all ears! 

I do plan to use my weeklies for some treats! 

Amy

Monday, January 15, 2024

Well, today is still the weekend, but even if the gals Sarah and Holly don’t do the link up, I still wanted to post, mkay? 

All anyone can talk about around here is the COLD. It kinda annoys me because it’s January. This is the way January is, people! She is a cold beep! 

Let’s go back to Friday. Friday was the end of the first semester and it was a decent day at school. I came home and did a few things and then got ready for Tom’s work Christmas party that is now a start of the new year party, I guess. 

I had a chance to wear this dress that I love! It was between these, black pumps, black dressy suede booties, and I wished I had a gold pump, but alas I do not. 

I didn’t take many photos, but there is a cocktail hour in the lobby, then a short video presentation, then a buffet dinner, dessert, and some dancing and games on the dance floor. 

We were some of the last to leave and got the chance to take a beautiful winter centerpiece home. Isn’t that pretty? 

When school is in session, I get really behind on responding to blog comments, so that was priority one on Saturday morning along with my devotional and coffee. 

No matter how late I go to bed (Friday night was midnight and Saturday was 11:00 – who am I?), I never can sleep much past 7:00. I love it and I hate it! 

We had gotten a dusting of snow overnight: 

Tom and I bit the bullet and went to Costco right as it was opening. He needed protein shakes and we needed tp, paper towels, dog food, and I wanted to stock up on some healthy stuff that I can only find there or that is a much better price there. 

I saw something really cute for V Day, but resisted: 

And, we were looking for a difference protein bar and saw these protein balls and someone had clearly had a tough choice to make. They had put back their amazing looking cinnamon rolls in favor of the balls, I guess. Stuff like this cracks me up on the internet and in real life!

After spending as much as my first car cost at the check out – seriously – the prices have gone up so much – I went in the wine store to see what I could see and I was happy to find a recent recommendation by a new sommelier I am following. I took it home and chilled it and I am happy to say it is a new favorite. I am following loopersomm and samanthasommelier on Instagram and trying to learn some wine stuff. This is also sold at Trader Joe’s. 

I roasted a can of garbanzo beans/ chickpeas and yum! I have wanted to try this! 

I boiled some eggs and made egg salad for lunch. It’s really good on one of these La Banderita street taco tortillas: 

I also made Erica’s farro bowl from the week and hers is better, but mine was still good! Mason also liked it. By the way, I had both kids home this weekend! They don’t have classes today, either. Do you spy my one little prune with a smear of peanut butter in it? I am trying this for cholesterol and Andrea says it works! The peanut butter definitely made it more palatable. 

I did a massive closet clean out while listening to podcasts. I decided life is too short for leggings without pockets and I had soooo many pairs, you guys. And, I wasn’t wearing a single pair of them anymore. I let myself order a new pocketed pair, too! I got the Hey Nuts brand in a bright blue from Amazon! I am excited for them to arrive. Can I tell you that I only have two pairs with pockets? I have my black ones and my fun pink and orange tropical ones that are too sheer for winter, but that I love. 

Mason had a ton of homework that he needed to do and Jack had plans with a couple of friends, so Tom and I went to eat at Waldo’s Chicken and Beer. I told Tom I just needed to get out one more time. Are you like that? Tom gets a down home country meal – forgot a photo – for like $10. He gets a quarter chicken, collard greens, pinto beans, and a little corn muffin. He loves that meal and is so happy!

I almost always get this salad. It’s really good!

We brought chicken tacos from there home for Mason and he and I watched a couple of Gilmore Girls. He loves that show and he missed it while in England. I don’t know if he could but he didn’t try. 

We woke up to another little dusting! I hate missing it and love watching it snow, so I hope for at least one of those this winter!

Mason and I went to buy donuts at a new little donut shop we have been meaning to try, but they didn’t have a very conducive work environment so we left the donuts in the car for later and…

got tea and set to work in Heine Brothers. I worked on blog stuff and he worked on homework. We went to coffee shops a lot last winter when we could and it was so nice! 

And, the donuts were amazing! I love to support local places and share on social media. If you are local, it is called Bamboo Lou. And, they shared my IG post on their page, too! 

I made myself lunch and it hit the spot. I am trying to track and up my protein. I made the good old buffalo dip, skinny egg salad, and made chips out of La Banderita street taco tortillas. 

I indulged in an afternoon movie and feel asleep!

And that’s where I will leave you!

What was the highlight of your weekend? 

Are you a person who loves January or a person who just tries to “get through” January? I am trying to be a person who sees the beauty in the quiet and hibernation aspects of January, but it’s hard! 

Amy

Friday, January 12, 2024

Friday just hits differently when I am in school! Also, a five day week after winter break – Doozy! Ha! I am happy to link up with Andrea and Erika today for everyones’ favorite post of the week!

Here are some faves, though, that brightened my week!

First, fresh flowers! When I took down my minimal Christmas decor a few days after New Year’s Day, I also made a trip to Trader Joe’s for a few things and thought flowers would brighten up the regular home decor. I have really enjoyed seeing this bouquet each day. Fresh flowers are always worth it and this beautiful bouquet was only $10! Don’t discount Kroger or your regular grocery, though, because they also have decent bouquets for this price and sometimes you can find them at a reduced price, too!

I did a fun, snow themed mani for back to school. Well, I think it looks like snow. When I think January, I think blue, silver, and snow for some reason! And, you know that teachers live for snow days! It’s what gets us through January and February – ha! Still loving my Impress press-ons and no nail damage is happening. I keep them on about 7 days, remove them gently with dental floss and wait at least 24 hours before applying a new set. I have found this routine works for me. 

Tom wanted to fix a couple of his clothing items and we went to Joann Fabrics on Sunday as our Sunday date, I guess? Tom is way better at sewing than I am, by the way! He buys quality clothing and keeps it forever and then either repairs it himself or takes it to the tailor. 

I visited my fave consignment store last week and finally took photos. Everything for winter was 25-75% off. I picked up two handbags/totes: 

I thought this looked so nice for spring. I don’t have much navy, but I loved the little stripe detail and the shape of the bag. The brand is Alfani, which I think is a Macy’s brand. This consignment shop doesn’t take any fast fashion like Target or Old Navy. If you are local, I absolutely love Sassy Fox and have gotten so much there over the years. I also take my own cast offs there. 

And, this is a great work tote. I don’t take much to work anymore because I have a home laptop and a work laptop, so this is the perfect size for my planner and my normal purse contents. It looks like the Madewell tote and the leather is really soft. I think the brand is Elliot Luca. 

A pair of pull on Jag black jeans that were new with tags: 

And a black sweater vest with fun side zippers: 

I had $20 credit and brought all of this home for just $30. I love shopping consignment! 

My friend Elizabeth and her husband were in a new restaurant’s ad and I saw it on Instagram! So cute!

Apparently there is a brown lipgloss trend afoot. I do remember wearing a light brown shade in the mid to late 90s, do you? I think I was influenced by Jennifer Aniston on Friends! 

Bethany Frankel likes what she tried and it prompted me to pursue more lip products. I really have a problem and love to buy lip products!

I bought the brown NYX Fat Oil in Status Update and I really like it – over something else, especially. I also picked up a new NYX butter gloss in Applecrisp. It’s a light red. Have you used NYX? I really like their products. 

Erica and I are really trying to get back to our healthy eating. Her favorite that I made this week is a lightened up shepherd’s pie. You make a lean ground beef and onion mixture, add tomato sauce, paste, and broth and a bag of frozen vegetables. You make mashed potatoes (I did make homemade and only added a scant amount of butter and skim milk) and then layer the meat mixture and the potato mixture on top and top with some shredded cheese. You don’t need to make rich mashed potatoes since you have the bottom meat layer and the cheese on top. 

And, cue the music…

Amy has a new love! Where has farro been all my life? Erica made a meatless meal with farro, arugula, sweet potatoes, pepitas, and parmesan cheese. 

Have you tried farro? It has a slightly nutty flavor and a nice little crunch. Guess what is in my Kroger pick up order this week? 

Mason has become such a tea drinker and I think he will be home at some point this weekend. He loves the taste of coffee, but he says it affects his stomach negatively. I have suggested trying to find something that he can handle, but he loves English breakfast tea and got used to the kettles in England. I have this ready for him because we were just boiling water on the stove. 

I have a former student in Spain for study abroad and I am following along on IG! This is why I do love social media. Also, my best friend’s daughter just arrived in Spain for study abroad and I am hoping she posts a lot of photos, too. 

I show these photos to my current students and hopefully it inspires them to pursue study abroad, too!

Sunday night Mason was still home and we tried a new recipe. Ours doesn’t look pretty, but we all really liked it!

Did you hear the news? One final Nantucket novel? Her books are just such good beach or summer reads, no?

I am already looking ahead to my spring clothing wishlist. I saw these Aerosoles and gasped. Love them! They also have another pair that I really want and have wanted to some time. When did Aerosoles get so pricey and on trend? 

I think the beautiful tile floor is also influencing me! 

I am keeping a wishlist and trying to be smart for now regarding clothing purchases. I am participating again in Frugalwoods January Frugal challenge and one of the prompts this week was:

“Frugality brings you freedom” 

I know that when I am frugal about things that I can be frugal about that it frees up money for things I want that are a little more on the splurge/luxury side. 

I love buying clothes, shoes, and accessories so that has always been my weakness. I am doing my yearly cycle through all winter clothes thing to help me feel content and realize I have so much stuff already. 

In about a month or so, I will go through my spring stuff and take what no longer fits my vibe to the consignment store I mentioned. Can you believe they will start putting out spring stuff at the end of the month? 

Especially when I think about the trip I just took – I would much rather save my money for travel! How many clothes do I really need? I am a work in progress, for sure. I would rather have less clothing that I really, truly love than a closet full of mediocre pieces. 

My ultimate favorite of the week, though, is below. I share this for you mamas in the trenches out there wondering if things will ever get better. I guess this is why you send your kids to study abroad – ha! 

I got a totally unprompted text from Mason asking how my day was (they stop being such little narcissists, mamas – don’t worry!) and then this: 

I thought maybe it meant he was having trouble re-acclimating to campus life, but I think he is just so sweet. Jack is sweet to me, too, but he lives at home and sees me more frequently now. 

We mess up daily and we say the wrong things, but our work does pay off. My sister is struggling a bit with her teen and I gave her a pep talk this week and said, “Stay strong. Keep it simple. Straight and to the point. Don’t show any weakness. Don’t have verbal diarrhea. You’re the parent.” Ha! Can anyone relate? 

Happy, happy Friday to you! What was a fave for you this week? 

Amy

Thursday, January 11, 2024

Today is Fashion Files with Kellyann and Jill!

It’s been a really long time since I have shared outfits and most of today’s will be from my Christmas trip to the UK. I did Carry On Only! But, I still took too much. I did wear everything once, though, so maybe it wasn’t too bad. Why do we do this? I will forever try to be a light packer and I probably will never get there! 

I picked a color scheme: black, white, camel, red, and green. I really believe in this! 

I wanted to take only clothes I loved. I tested all of them out at school in the days and weeks leading up. During the trip, I wanted to be festive before Christmas and after Christmas wear more of the black, white, and camel. I do think I did well with this goal!

I took photos of most of my outfits during the trip, but I did miss a few. 

Here is my travel ‘fit: 

I wore my athletic pocketed leggings, a black short sleeve tee, a striped long sleeve over that, my camel coatigan, a blanket scarf, and my Chelsea boots. I ended up in just the short sleeved tee for most of the travel to and from on the plane because I tend to run hot. 

When we arrived and I got freshened up, I changed into just the striped top and jeans. It felt great to put on sneakers after wearing the Chelsea boots and it was drizzling so the raincoat came out:  

The next day I wore this: 

Same jeans, same sneakers, plain black sweater and a headband because I didn’t have a curling iron. I think headbands are great for travel. I also loved my purse and it was the only one I brought. I know belt bags are the thing, but this works better for me! I love my faux Gucci strap when it isn’t Christmas and with it being close to Christmas, it worked out great. 

That night I changed into this: 

I only wore the pleather pants once and could have left them at home. I wore the black long sleeve tee as a layering piece a lot and the cream/white sweater was also worn maybe 3 times? 

They love a Christmas jumper in the UK and my sweater with Christmas tree buttons received lots of compliments!

Maybe I should have brought dark jeans, but I picked my pair that were the most comfortable. 

Train travel day: 

I wore the athletic leggings again, long sleeved black tee, scarf, coatigan, and sneakers. We had a 2.5 hour train ride ahead of us. 

Christmas Day:

I was really glad I bought this $15 Aldi turtleneck sweater dress! It was the perfect weight under my rain jacket and the neck kept me quite warm. 

Later in the day I was more casual: 

I traded the turtleneck sweater for Prosecc Ho Ho Ho!

The next day I wore the cream/white sweater with my black vest over it. 

I also had on my little neck scarf. Kellyann, the scarf and the shoes are a copy off of you!

So, those are the trip outfits I remembered to snap! I think I did pretty well. If you want to see exactly what I packed, click here for the post I did before I left!

I do have one regret…I wished I had brought this beautiful evergreen color that I had recently acquired at Walmart in both this pullover and a side button sweater. I wore both of them as soon as I got home!

Here is the pullover for a grocery trip. I was excited to curl my hair for the first time, too! 

For NYE, I wore my total TJ Maxx ‘fit! I bought the silver sequin pants last year and the fun black top this year. The sleeves are sheer and adorned. The black suede booties I am wearing were $5 at Goodwill this year! Brand new! 

To go to breakfast with Erica, I wore my “Sweater Weather” sweater, old Old Navy jeans, and old booties. 

And, for Monday back to school I wore this: new Nikes, Wit and Wisdom jeans, striped top, and vest. 

Tuesday for school I wore this – the green side button sweater from Walmart with jeans and Reeboks: 

So, that’s just a little of what I have been wearing lately! What have you been wearing? Any colors you are gravitating towards this month? 

Amy