Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

It is the day where we link up with Jennifer and many more to share our “Currentlys” in our life. Some of this will be redundant, I am sure, but I will try to add some new information, too.

Loving

My new Soup Sunday! Kellyann recommended Leslie’s chili and it is good! Tom approved, too! It is a maple bourbon chili and you need to double the recipe. Tom asked for it and it was gone. I think next time (which is probably this Sunday) I will do a bit less maple syrup. Tom said not to, but you know…I’m the cook.

Then, this past Sunday, I did skinny lasagna soup. So good! I added spinach and zucchini.

What is your favorite soup recipe?

I am also enjoying my new clutch – it can be used year ’round, but I like the red and green for now, especially!

And, I love the sweater! I mentioned it in my Prime Purchases but hadn’t done the test run yet. I would say you could size down a size or two depending on how you want it to fit.

Funny Side Note: My Spanish 3 classes have to do demonstration speeches in Spanish this week. Examples are…how to drive, how to decorate a Christmas cookie, how to write an essay, etc. One girl is doing “How to Be Sra. Scott”. Some of her steps are: Buy a headband, Wear a sweater, Spend time with your college friends (Heather and Heather), Talk about Clothes Mentor (consignment shop), Sing songs, Make couples out of your students. Ouch! Now, remember we do get to know each other well by nature of learning a language. We talk about lots of different topics in Spanish! So, the above headband and sweater made me think maybe she’s right!

Gifting

Again, this is from Prime Purchases yesterday and these are some of my recent gift purchases. Click on the red type and it will take you to my post and the direct links to look at these items. I am not trying to sell you anything and I get nothing when you click! Remember that this is a very amateur blog, ok?

Wrapping

Nothing! My above gifts went into gift bags with tissue paper. Do you call that wrapping? I do really love wrapping gifts but I’m not that good. My sister the art teacher makes the pretty wrapped gifts and does creative things like putting buttons on top of the gift instead of ribbons. My other sister the elementary teacher is also really good at wrapping. We once had a friend come to my parents’ house and say “those basic wrapped presents must be Amy’s”. Wow! I do a good job with what’s inside, KAREN!

Also, I wrap everything – almost everything that goes in our stockings, too. I even wrap a Chapstick. I leave some candy unwrapped. I know some families don’t wrap anything. Like…Santa gifts are just out in the open with no wrapping! I would never. Everything always got wrapped. I stand by my wrapping decisions.

Hoping

For some snow! We had that crazy November 12th snow (photo below) that was so pretty but way too early. I would love a white Christmas.

Attending

Our Madrigal Dinner:

Jack’s guitar concert and Jack’s church choir affair.

What are you currently loving, gifting, hoping, wrapping, and attending?

Amy

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Well, it is time for another Prime Purchases as it is the first Tuesday of the month. Thank you, Tanya, for providing this fun link up.

I started out the month needing some skinny syrup and I chose gingerbread latte flavor. It’s good! I have been happy with all of the Jordan’s Skinny flavors. The best deal is at TJ Maxx or Homegoods, but sometimes you just need to order!

Next up, I ordered a gift for a friend. I chose this frasier fir scented candle in a dough bowl. I had seen some in a boutique but they didn’t have this scent so I took to Amazon and found it from a Etsy type seller that also uses Amazon.

Then, I also got this rechargeable lighter to go with it.

I mentioned my new black Dr. Scholl’s wedges are a bit loose so I bought these to stick in the back heel. I don’t see much difference, sadly.

I don’t think I like this, sadly. This brand of cinnamon sunset tea is seriously one of the best teas I have ever had. I was intrigued by the words “bourbon” and “smoky”. I need to play around with it and maybe add some lemon juice and honey.

My sister in law had these great super absorbent dishcloths/towels at Thanksgiving and I thought they would be great to help me break up with paper towels. I ordered the smaller size without meaning to, but I still like them. I put the neutral colors in the kitchen and the pastels in my bathroom.

I desperately needed a few more of my favorite hangers. I have black but I ordered these in cream. I hang almost everything and fold very little.

My hairstylist lost her husband and I ordered her this initial necklace with his initial. She wears silver and I hope she likes it. It’s just a small token, of course, and I just really like Kendra Scott pieces. Did you know you can get KS on Amazon?

And, finally, I am excited to see if this sweater works for me. I ordered a size down because it was in stock and ready to come quicker. Do you ever play around with sizes and colors and see the drastic difference in shipping dates?

If it works, I will show you in Fashion Files!

What have you been priming lately?

Amy

Monday, December 5

How was your weekend? And, just like that we are already almost a week into December. Eek! I am linking up today for Hello Monday with Holly and Sarah.

Friday night I had plans to meet up with Erica for a drink before we went to our school’s Madrigal Dinner. We were going to be dressed up so we picked a really pretty bar area of a restaurant called Mesh. It was also really close to the venue we were going to. I have not had cocktails this good in a bar or restaurant in a long time. I am willing to pay if they are good, you know? I got an espresso martini…

and a cocktail called a Leafblower (bourbon, maple syrup, lemon juice, and apple cider), which is ironic because my neighbor has the loudest leaf blower on the market and chooses to blow leaves all year round with it and especially every time I go to sit outside. I am serious – he goes to Home Depot and says “Give me the loudest you’ve got”. Also, he continues blowing while Tom and I are eating dinner and we can hear it as clear as day in our house. You want to hear something even more strange? He doesn’t even live there. It is his ex-wife’s house. Anyway, the drink was really good but it could use a name change.

We also ordered grilled Blue Dog Bakery bread.

It came with whipped butter and oil and balsamic.

We stayed for a bit over an hour and then headed to the dinner.

We had broccoli cheddar soup in a bread bowl, wassail, salad, chicken, rice and carrots, and bread pudding.

It was really nice and is quite the professional show! The kids are always so happy that you come and I got to see a couple of former students. I was beat, though, when it was over. Five day weeks and two evening outings – whew!

Saturday morning was hair day! I had had to cancel the day before Thanksgiving because I was sick and didn’t want to give it to anyone at the salon.

I got a spontaneous call to eat Mexican/Cuban breakfast from one of my Heathers and my default is now YES instead of NO!

I went home and did my nails and watched the telly and then also did some chores and got a head start on Soup Sunday. I made skinny lasagna soup but added spinach and zucchini. This is also one of my two lunches for Erica and I in addition to being our Sunday dinner.

At 4:45, we headed to our friends’ house and then to walk around for Bardstown Road Aglow. Bardstown Road is a happening street with tons of shops and restaurants. It was hopping. Our friends live right off of this street.

We stopped to eat at a bbq place called Mark’s Feed Store.

We shared onion straws:

I had pulled chicken, slaw, and fries.

Then, we walked a bunch more. I saw this interesting Coca Cola car with a skeleton in it:

Most places had a warm drink and cookies outside:

A Christmas tree made of cigar boxes in front of a cigar shop:

We saw a few people we knew while we were walking. It was nice to see so many people out and about.

We headed home around 9:00. I watched a bit of tv but couldn’t keep my eyes open.

Sunday morning I slept in a bit and then I did some reading, quiet time, and my breakfast meal prep for the week. I did trash emptying, cleaning, and laundry, too. I also had to work on the blog and run to the store for a few extra items I didn’t get in my grocery pick up Friday. I was kind of lazy until we left for another church concert of Jack’s.

And, that was a wrap on the weekend!

What was the highlight of yours?

Amy

Friday, December 2, 2022

Whew! It’s Friday! I am linking up with the gals here for Friday Favorites.

It’s been a good week, though. I have been tired at the end of each day, but that is my normal.

So, here are some of my faves from the week. I hope you had many, too!

I sent my kids back to college with a Trader Joe’s 99cent chocolate advent calendar. They chuckled. I don’t think I had gotten them one the last two years of college. I always get them for all my nieces and nephews and give them to them at Thanksgiving. I got the guitar version especially for Jack who plays guitar.

We actually had a Tuesday night outing. Tom and I got to hear the jazz ensemble that Jack is a part of. He is playing electric guitar for this group. Mason was able to slip away and join us, as well. He was in the middle of writing a paper, but came anyway. Again, it’s nice to be able to do something like watch a Tuesday concert. Jack is on the far left with the guitar. His professor is next to him on stage and played with the group and seems really enthusiastic. We noticed one of Jack’s other music professors in the audience supporting this group. Small colleges, you all. Don’t discount them. My kids are going for cheaper than a state school and I know without a shadow of a doubt that their professors know them. Small was the way to go for us. I also attended a small liberal arts college so I guess I have a bias.

I need some new black tights! Anyone got a recommendation? Actually, I haven’t even looked to see what state mine are in, but I thought I would check. How cute is this outfit?

I picked up a $10 blanket for my couch at Target. I am enjoying it!

Who is ready for Emily in Paris? We only have to wait until December 21st!

Jennifer recommended this brand and I am really loving it. You cannot be the price and it doesn’t have any of the yucky stuff in it.

I love my holiday plates from Target many years ago. I have the Santa,

the tree,

and the reindeer and I think I have 10 plates total.

Let’s talk food from the week. I made a shepherd’s pie that is Erica’s recipe. I used double beef broth because I don’t have any beer and I added some tomato paste to make it more tomatoey. You all, this is so good! Tom approved, too!

Erica made my favorite meal of the week – beef bulgogi bowls. Wow!

I am enjoying watching the squirrels eating my pumpkin!

Fashion Files was yesterday, but here is my Thursday outfit. I love this bright sweater.

I really love this Gucci stripe sweater look and I ordered a similar one from Amazon.

We will see if it fits. I went down a size to get it quicker. One size would have been here January 14 and another size on Monday!

I am re-instating Soup Sundays! I am really excited to make skinny lasagna soup this Sunday. I’m going to add spinach and zucchini to boost the vegetables.

So, what were your favorites this week? I would love to know!

Amy

Thursday, December 1, 2022

Happy December to all! Did you catch my December goals post yesterday? I urge you to make a list, too – even if it’s just in your phone memo. I know I forgot some things and I will also be adding to mine as things come up.

It’s time to link up with Jill and Kellyann for our weekly Fashion Files. My hope is that I give you an idea from your own closet. I don’t think you have to run out and buy something new, but maybe you will say, “I think I have something I haven’t thought to wear that way”. I know that happens for me when I look at fashion posts or Pinterest.

What have you been wearing lately? I try to wear all of my “fall colored” stuff by the end of November so that I can get excited about my blacks, plaids, sparkly, and velvet stuff. It just makes me feel like I have more to choose from when I look at the seasons that way, you know?

I did a Turkey ‘Fits post here, but our weather turned out super warm on both of my Thanksgiving celebration days – Thursday and Friday.

Thursday I wore a Target Knox Rose dress from last spring with my Target suede boots from last winter and a Target sweater from last winter.

Friday I wore a Loft clearance dress from last year that happened to be in a petite length – score for me! I think this dress looks like a tablecloth in the very best way.

The most important thing was that I was comfortable and felt like myself.

Back to life, back to reality on Monday had me wanting to rebel. I wore my new Deff Leppard t-shirt from my crazy Target delivery – I had ordered this back in July and it finally showed up on my doorstep in late November. I wore my Amazon silk leopard skirt (leppard/leopard – too much?) with my Walmart Scoop blazer – both from last year. I wore my Lucky booties.

On Tuesday I wore my TJ Maxx chambray tunic with black leggings and my new black wedges for part of the day and then changed to sneakers. I also wore my new velvet/faux leather headband that was a bday gift from Elizabeth.

I was so happy to find some new Dr. Scholl’s wedges at DSW. One problem. The 8s seemed snug in the toe box and the 8.5s slip a bit when I walk. Ugh!

They also rubbed a bit at the top of my foot. I think they would be fine for a few hour event, but they didn’t serve me well for an 8 hour work day on my feet. Other than that, they are just what I was looking for. Unfortunately, it is sometimes hard to know this until you actually wear them.

Then, I wore this yesterday with my new Hush Puppies Sofie pumps. So comfortable! I was shocked when I saw they carried a pump like this.

My mission with both the above pumps and the black wedges was to find more shoes to wear with my leather pants. I will not consider these school shoes because they would be destroyed and they aren’t quite comfortable enough for 8 hours.

What have you been wearing lately? Any favorites from above? I do take lots of risks with my teacher outfits and I got lots of compliments from students on the brown leather pants and the Def Leppard t-shirt. Ha!

Amy

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Look at me posting this before December – woohoo! Can you even believe it’s the last day of November, though? What a whirlwind of a month, no?

Who is ready to eek out all of the December goodness? I am also going to really be focusing on how to make my January something to treasure and not dread. It’s the hardest month of the year for me.

This year I thought I would do a December-specific Bucket List. I did well with my summer and fall lists and I think the whole point of these lists is to be intentional and joyous in a particular season of life.

-Attend a holiday concert for Jack’s music group at his college.

-Attend my school’s annual madrigal dinner – it is a great way to get into the holiday spirit and support one of my students in the group. I have plans to attend with Erica.

-Attend Tom’s work party and wear one of my new sparkly pieces.

-Attend my work party – it is a very casual affair after school on the last day before break but last year it was a hoot.

-Wear all the plaid, sparkly, velvet garb that I own.

-Go to a Christmas pop up bar downtown. I have got to make this happen. It is like Christmas threw up and they have seasonal drinks in fun holiday cups and a few snacks on the menu, too.

-Make my family’s pink merengue cookies! I love making these for my sisters because they hold special memories for us.

-take my time wrapping and watching a Christmas movie

-go to as many little events around town that I can – many of our little shopping areas have festive events.

-make a new Christmas cocktail. I am thinking about making it Lindsay’s White Cranberry Cosmo! Also, I bought a bag of cranberries to sugar and freeze.

-enjoy J and M at home from college on December 15.

-go ice skating – hopefully at our little pop up Christmas village but if not at the normal skating rink. I grew up ice skating on the lake that we lived on. I love ice skating but haven’t done it in years.

-celebrate Christmas as a family of four – I need to decide on our meals.

-celebrate with my side of the family – we decided to have a pasta party and have several types of pasta and pasta bakes, salad, and garlic bread so that will be fun.

-celebrate with Tom’s side of the family and decide on the food.

I know I am forgetting a few things. What’s on your December bucket list?

Amy

–

Tuesday, November 29. 2022

The new WW plan rolled out in mid-November -ust in time for all of the holiday eating! If you remember the color plans – purple, blue, and green – it is pretty much the blue plan. Erica (my meal prep partner and co-worker) choose blue in 2021 and I was on purple. There was an assessment that you took that told you what would be best for your habits and tastes. Basically, the criticism of the Personal Points plan (which came between the color plans and the newest one) was that is was too loosey goosey and allowed too much freedom.

In my humble opinion, they can all work for you because they all teach you to track and to look at your portion sizes. And, that is another criticism – that people can live and die by the food tracking. I get that, too.

Anyway, I am still paying the monthly membership and trying to get back to better tracking and I have been doing pretty well. I found out there is a teacher monthly rate for only $10 a month. I might have to quit and re-join to get that, but I plan to call customer service. For me, the app is absolutely worth the cost.

I used to get potatoes as a zero point food, but now I have to count a plain baked potato as 4 points. I made this Spanish omelette over the Thanksgiving break and ate about half of it and saved the rest. Having to control my potatoes is probably a good thing.

I made this “Big Mac” salad Saturday after my body needed something other than heavy Thanksgiving food.

On this new plan, I get all the non-starchy vegetables and fruits for zero points. I get beans, chicken, fish, eggs, fat free cottage cheese, non-fat Greek yogurt for zero points. You are supposed to build your meals around the zero points foods and add in whatever else you want that keeps you within your daily points range. I get 23 points a day. Also, you get 28 extra points a week that I usually use on Saturday night.

My goal is to get back into tracking from now until Christmas. I just want to maintain and continue my habits I have acquired. Erica and I will continue sharing the meal prep duties for our last 3 weeks of school until break. We are using WW or Slender Kitchen recipes for the most part.

I also want to try to be conscious about getting the protein I need at each meal to fill me up.

I am excited to get fruit now and plan to eat more apples and clementines and to especially use these as my after dinner dessert.

I plan to use some of the same strategies I used last winter break. The holiday is only one day (or two or three if you count Eve and NYE), wear jeans for some part of everyday as accountability, continue to meal prep to have healthy foods on hand, and walk and work out as many days as possible.

Are you on the new WW plan? Thoughts?

Amy

Monday, November 28, 2022

It seems like so long since we’ve talked! How are you? How was your holiday? I am linking up with Sarah and Holly for the Hello Monday link up.

Can you believe it will be December in just a couple of days? I cannot! We have 15 school days until Winter Break but it is 3 five day weeks. We’ve gotten spoiled and don’t have too many five day weeks anymore. It will be a busy time with all of the school stuff on top of some evening holiday activities. I am grateful we start our break on December 16, though. One of my sisters has to go until the 23rd! What?

Ok – let’s go back to Monday. This is not a holiday drink. It’s not a cute peppermint mocha or a gingerbread latte. It’s a freaking medicine ball tea!

By the way, they are amazing and I think they really do help. So, Tom was under the weather from Friday morning on. Guess who felt a bit of a twinge in her throat Sunday morning but then was ok, but then felt it again on Monday morning but went to school in a mask? This girl! I asked permission to leave after my last class (I have last period planning) and my principal said yes and to go ahead and put in for a sub for Tuesday. I didn’t think I would need it. But, I will say that I was not fit for teaching Monday. If I could have just sat at my desk and not talked then maybe, but…

Also, these eye patches feel good for sinus pain and pressure:

I did stay home Tuesday and I stayed home Wednesday (we didn’t have school but I didn’t leave the house). I had to cancel a fun thing and a hair appointment. Jack and Mason came home Tuesday night at 7:00 and I had my mask on. Tom stayed home from work Monday and Tuesday. We were negative for Covid so I think it was just this virus going around. The weather turned warm and sunny and I took my eye patches outside in the afternoons. Tom was well enough to return to work Wednesday, thankfully.

I used my neti pot a bunch and drank so much water and by Thanksgiving I felt almost 100%. I was so grateful.

Tom’s sister hosted Thanksgiving and always makes a beautiful charcuterie board.

Tom trying to smile. I ended up going with a short sleeve dress because the weather was so mild.

My plate – yes, I indulged!

My niece Brooke making the macaroni and cheese – her specialty!

J and M watching tv and chatting:

Tom, the dog whisperer:

Brooke and her friend who came to celebrate with us:

My niece Morgan and her boyfriend:

Friday, we traveled an hour to my mom’s house and I wore my other dress option:

Cute cookie:

We did ham for this meal since some of us had turkey the day before:

We sat in the sun and drank some wine. This was really good – from Trader Joe’s.

The two youngest nephews played with the two dogs – Ernie and my sister’s German Shephard Felix.

I led the kids in the pumpkin pie crackers and they were not super impressed nor did it work out that well.

My sister Kate, Jack, Mason, and I went downtown to the coffee shop, bookshop, music store, and popped in a couple of other places. No one else wanted to come but we did invite everyone.

I peeped J and M at the top of the steps perusing books:

Then, we played some games.

Sweet niece Samira. I never got a good picture of all the kids together.

We got home around 9:00. So we had two nice days of celebrating with both sides of the family. It was so fun to have my college kids here. I love waking up and finding this note from Jack. He left me lots of notes throughout the middle and high school years. I had told him how much cheaper the Kroger brand was and this was his response:

I responded at the bottom. He makes me laugh.

Our weather was really nice – in my opinion. That cold snap we had a couple of weeks ago was too soon for me.

Saturday I felt great because all of the cooking and celebrating was done and I could run a few errands and I got motivated to decorate. I decided to go with a kind of woodsy theme this year. I have bulb lights that weren’t turned on.

I bought these pine cones for my dough bowl and a new candle. I added my tablecloth in the dining room.

Everything is done excpet the tree and I was waiting on Tom’s help. I also have my Christmas card table set up. I have all of our past cards framed.

Our kids went to a gaming tournament with high school friends and then out to dinner and I told Tom I needed to sit at a restaurant because it had been at least 2 weeks but probably closer to 3 since we had gone out.

Oh yeah! We hit up the Mexican place close to our house. It is now $58 for two of us to eat Mexican. I can remember just a couple of years ago when it was $28. I sound so old.

It was nice to have a good book to turn to this long weekend. I am almost done and have enjoyed it. I don’t necessarily agree with the reactions of everyone in the book and there are a few things that annoyed me, but I did enjoy it.

Sunday was super lazy but with some back to life, back to reality tasks and meal prep thrown in. I had done my meal planning and grocery pick up on Saturday so it was really nice to have that done.

Alright, let’s try to keep our sanity in the next few weeks!

I can’t wait to hear about your holiday if you blog or leave me a comment if you don’t!

Amy

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

I am doing Fashion Files a day early. Happy Thanksgiving to all my US readers!

Let’s go back to last Thursday:

You can find this sweater here and it comes in tons of colors. It is part of my Birthday Swag, too!

On Friday I wore my new Target Universal Thread charcoal jeans, my old Madewell sneakers (I cut the laces to make them slip on), and my new Loft royal blue sweater.

I placed a birthday order from Loft and ended up keeping all but one item. I took it back in the store and imagine my surprise when I saw an entire rack of tops for $3! You can’t get that at Goodwill!

I have only worn the plaid so far.

I dressed up a bit for a college play. They look black, but I am wearing my dark high rise jeans, a black sweater, and a black blazer.

Also, I have a funny story. I was supposed to get this t-shirt in July. I gave up hope in ever getting it. It arrived Monday! So weird!

They even lied and said it was out for delivery. I don’t love Target’s shipping situation. The app constantly lies to me.

Do you have a favorite?

Amy

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

I realized I was long overdue in showing you my birthday gifts! I got this amazing clutch from Heather and Heather. I had seen it this summer and they went back and got it for me!

I received some Amazon gift cards and some money. I bought this sweater with one of the gift cards:

I ordered this black silk blouse from Chico’s. It is amazing! I picked up these sequin pants at TJ Maxx last month but I had not shown them on the blog.

I also placed a Loft order:

this sequin top:

This black plaid top:

And, the blue sweater I had my eye on!

Do you have a favorite?

Amy