What's Up Wednesday ~ September 2020

Hi!  I am linking up today with Sheaffer and Shay for What's Up Wednesday.  

What we're eating this week........

Monday - taco soup and cheese sticks

Tuesday - baked ziti

Wednesday - picnic date

Thursday - everyone on their own!

Friday - homemade pizza

What I'm reminiscing about........

26 years ago today I met my husband.  Oh my goodness.  We have been married for 22 years.  Tonight, we will do a small celebration with a picnic.  Typically, we don't celebrate this day, but we do acknowledge it, at least in passing.  I even still have the shirt I wore on this day, so I may wear it for our picnic tonight :).  I will post a picture of this later.

What I'm loving........

While I wish we didn't have to, I am use to wearing a mask in most public places and am so thankful for the freedom to go to places and be with people.  I am loving being a part of two new bible studies this month.  I am loving that I am available at home for my daughter and able to get some things done at home and help my husband too.

What we've been up to.........

I have been doing a few more organizing projects of things I have put off all summer, for example,  I have a stack of homeschool books I need to sell.  We have also had a little more progress on our bathroom renovation.  Hopefully, we will have these projects that have been in motion since the summer finished by November.

What I'm dreading..........

I will be working this week on filing for FASFA.   As a a mom of a college student, this is the new normal every October.  It has been a slow, frustrating process the past 2 years, but maybe it will get better this year?  

What I'm working on..........

I am working a little bit to help my husband with his new business as a remodeling contractor.  I am also just doing little things around the house mentioned above.

What I'm excited about..........

In a week and a half, we are going to visit our college girl!  It will be 2 months since I've seen her, so I am ready to spend some time with her.  This was right before I cried after leaving her.

What I'm watching/reading............

I am beginning to watch the fall Hallmark movies this month on the weekends.  I have also watched episodes of Challenger and Away on Netflix, both shows about space.  In downtime, I watch The Office or Hart of Dixie.  Those are my regular shows, along with some Parks and Rec.  We are sad it is leaving Netflix after today.  My husband and I watch the Signed, Sealed, and Delivered movies too.  I recorded some last month and it is taking us a while to get through watching them.

As far as reading, most of my read time is for my bible study. I am studying Hosea and the book Restless by Jennie Allen.  I am also still reading through The Red Sea Rules.  (I am a slow reader!).

What I'm listening to...........

My podcast list seems get longer each month.  This month, I have added Revive Our Heart, Focus on the Family Marriage Podcast and the Boundless Show.  Just a few of my other favorites are The Big Boo Cast, Office Ladies, The Open Door Sisterhood, Rhythms for Life and Daily Grace.  These are just a few, so I spend a lot of time listening to podcasts!

When I'm not listening to podcasts, I listen to some fun music from the 80's, country or Harry Styles with my daughter .

What I'm wearing.........

I am slowly beginning to transition my wardrobe to fall.  I kept thinking we were going to have some warmer days, but it has been unseasonably, but pleasantly cooler than normal these past few weeks.  I haven't fully made the switch yet, but I am happy to see some different clothes in my closet.  I am excited to pull out my boots next month!  Most days are jeans and a blouse, unless if I'm staying home all day and then it is sweats and a t-shirt :).

What I'm doing this weekend..........

I am hoping we can lay some flooring down in the house and get a few more small things accomplished this weekend.  I also have a wedding shower to attend for my nephew's upcoming wedding.  I will be glad to see my family there!

What I'm looking forward to next month..........

October is a great month.  It truly feels like fall and seems more like a holiday season feel.  The best part about October is celebrating my youngest daughter.  She turns 16 in October and I am praying she feels loved and celebrated even though it will look different from what we all thought.

What else is new...........

This isn't new, but it is a fun memory & a brush with fame.  In fall of 2016, I went to NYC and sat in the audience of Good Morning America.  I knew that Ben Affleck was going to be a guest that day.  However, I did not know that John Krasinski was going to be on that day too.  Being a fan of The Office, I was so excited.  Because this happened so quickly, when I watch The Office now, I sometimes forget I saw him.  Until I run across these pictures.  I found the episode online and got these photos of me in the audience.  I am the person you see in the middle of the screen in the black shirt wearing glasses.

I love seeing a celebrity, especially one of whom I am a fan!

Hope you are enjoying this fall weather on this last day of September!

 

Weekend Wrap-Up ~ September 28, 2020

 Happy Monday!  Linking up today with Tanya for a quick review of the weekend.

Friday night was spent pretty low key at home.  Actually, this summed up my whole weekend!

After a week of random events at night, I had not cooked much, so it was nice to be home and cook a good dinner Friday night.  We had sliced sirloin steak, potatoes, and roasted carrots and onions.  We watched the first episode of Challenger, The Final Flight.  I am a space fan and am curious to watch the next episode.  That may determine if I finish it, although it is a very short series.  I also watched Father of The Bride, part 3 ish :)

My husband was gone all day Saturday and Sunday, so Brook and I ran some errands on Saturday.  Sunday, we went to church and I caught up on some house stuff and watched a Hallmark movie.  

While out running errands I noticed a section of cards for Veterans Day, November 11th.  This is my birthday and while I have always known my birthday is on Veterans Day every year, I had never noticed a section of cards for this holiday.

Speaking of birthdays, even though mine is 6 weeks away, my dear friend who lives in South America but is currently in the USA, sent me an early birthday gift since this year will be a milestone birthday for me.  I have a collection of Willow Tree, so I was excited to get a new piece to add to the collection.

While out on Saturday, I bought a mum to add to the front porch.  They aren't in bloom yet, so we will see if that happens.  I think we are in the clear to plant a mum in September without thinking it will wilt away due to lingering summer heat.  

Lastly, I found an old, small DVD player the girls would use when they were younger on road trips...pre-cell phone time.  I plugged it up and watched an old Huey Lewis concert while making dinner this weekend. 

Now off to a busy, rainy Monday here.  Hope yours is a good one!

Monthly Musings ~ September 2020

 So thankful it is finally fall and seems like fall temperatures are here for everyone!

Today I am linking up for Monthly Musings with Good, Better Best and Holly Pink Lady to discuss Fall and Halloween.

1.  Favorite Fall tradition?

My favorite fall tradition is just the simplicity of decorating for fall and fall smelling candles and hand soaps.  You can see this years fall decorations here.

When the girls were younger, we always enjoyed going to a pumpkin patch and painting pumpkins too.  One year, we went to a corn maze and that was fun too.

2.  Favorite Halloween tradition?

Our favorite tradition is the one that has been around for years....trick-or-treating.  The past few years we have gone to a friends house beforehand for snacks.  I always make chili and cornbread on Halloween.  It is usually my kick-off to making chili for the season!

Below is a picture of my girls (in princess costumes) with a neighbor.  This picture is probably now 11-12 years ago.  

2 years ago, as the girls were teenagers, the costumes were much simpler with a Unicorn onesie and a celebrity.

Last year, my teenager got creative and dressed up as her mannequin head doll!  She got this a few years ago for a birthday so she could practice doing hairstyles.

3.  What will Halloween look like this year?

I am not sure yet.  It does fall on a Saturday, so maybe we will get together with some friends, but not sure yet.

4.  Share your favorite fall recipe.

This pumpkin bread with chocolate chips has been a favorite of mine for the last few years.  I love any kind of pumpkin bread or cookie though!

5.  Favorite Fall fashion staples?

I love the cooler weather so I can pull out my favorite UGG cardi boots.  I also love a good cardigan layered over a top and leggings.

6.  Favorite Halloween Costume?

Here is a picture of my husband and I from a costume party back in either 1998 or 1999...can't remember, but it was a fun night!

7.  Favorite Halloween candy?

Candy corn!  That being said, I don't plan on buying any this year or else it is just me eating basically a bag of flavored sugar.  The rest of my family doesn't care for it.

8.  Favorite Family Halloween movie?

Does Charlie Brown It's the Great Pumpkin count?

9.  Scary movies?

No thank you.  I prefer the Hallmark fall kind :).

10.  Favorite fall beverage?

A hot chocolate with skim milk or a basic hot tea is my go-to warm beverage for fall.

I will post again next week.  Until then, thanks for reading and enjoy your day and weekend!

Tuesday Talk ~ Theater

 For today's Tuesday Talk, I am talking about theater and Broadway plays.  As a young child, my parents took me to see Broadway plays at our local theater.  I remember my first play was Annie & I wanted to be on stage someday.  Clearly, that dream didn't work out for me :).  However, I was able to participate as a chorus girl in some local theater and my high school plays when I was a teenager.  Since that time, I have still enjoyed going to see touring Broadway plays at our theater, seeing local theater productions, including high school plays, and also going to see plays in New York City as well.  Our daughters now have been to many plays and I am thankful they share in some love of Broadway plays and music.

Here are the girls in New York City on Isabella's 2nd trip and Brook's 1st trip back in 2013.

We went during the time of the Tony Awards and my girls were able to pose in front of one of their backdrops.

When we were in London in 2014, we surprised the girls with tickets to see Les Mis.

On another trip to NYC with my sister, we went to see Aladdin and stood out by the stage door to meet Aladdin and Jasmine. These were the original actor/actress in this role on Broadway.  If you ever get the chance to see this play on stage, I highly recommend it.

Brook and I went back to NYC in 2016.  On this trip we saw The Lion King.  Oh, I love the opening act of this play.

We went as a family to see Wicked a few years ago.  The music is so good.

In 2019, we went to see Hamilton.  We were so impressed and since watching it on Netflix this summer, we have all enjoyed the music even more.

Since our local theater is not open for productions, it is currently offering guests to come on stage and play putt-putt with Broadway music playing in the background.  My daughter and I went a few weeks ago with some friends and it was so fun.  It was just a thrill to be on-stage and see a glimpse of backstage. 

In the backstage area, every production that has come through has a painted sign with the cast autographs.  42nd Street is one of my favorite musicals.  I have 4 binders full of programs from all the plays I have seen over the years. 

What are your favorite plays?  This is a fun way to support the local arts and it will be so good when Broadway is back in NYC.

Weekend Wrap-Up ~ September 21, 2020

 I am thankful for a new week and fresh starts!  So thankful for new mercies every morning.  Linking up today with Tanya from The Other Side of the Road.

I have a few pictures to share from our weekend.  We had a low-key Friday night (like most of our nights) of eating in and we watched a movie from the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series on Hallmark.  

Saturday was my husband's birthday and it was a great day for him.  I made breakfast for him, which consisted of waffles, scrambled eggs and cantelope.  A friend of ours who went to Montana this summer brought us some huckleberry syrup.  We are such fans of huckleberry anything.  I wish I could find it around here, so anytime a friend goes to Montana, I ask for them to bring back anything of huckleberry to me.  We had some huckleberry syrup with the waffles and it was delicious.

I mowed the yard and did a little yard work, made a dessert, and cleaned up a little around the house while my husband worked outside on our back porch.  He had 4 friends come over Saturday evening to eat and they hung out on the back porch.  I am so thankful for some good, guy friends in his life.  It was good to hear these guys just hanging out laughing and enjoying themselves.

 Both of our daughters and myself posted a tribute on Instagram for him.  

Sunday was church, lunch with my parents, and then my husband spent time with another friend at the shooting range.  He had a great, memorable birthday weekend and we are thankful for him.

Saturday, I went through some old clothes from high school & other memorable events in life.  Sunday night, my daughter had a church event and she wore a sweatshirt I had when I was in high school!  She laughed at the fact that it has my name on the back, but that was our fancy monogram back in the late 80's!

Have a great day!

Friday Favorites ~ September 18, 2020

 Happy Friday!  This week seemed really long, so I am glad to see the weekend come. I am sharing a few favorites from the week.

ONE

Seeing candy corn and the pumpkin candy in the store just brought a smile to my face as it is the official candy of fall!

TWO

I shared this week some great recipes I have tried lately.

THREE

I missed attending bible study in person this week, but I was able to watch online.  I also began my other bible study with a different group of women from a different church and am thankful for both of these.

FOUR

I stayed home more this week because we had a little more progress done on our bathroom renovation.  Here are the 3 pictures of progression of our new shower...

Sheetrock was added

Ceiling was smoothed

This picture below is where our old shower was. We will use half of it as a closet and the other half will be a storage area accessible from the other side of our room. Below is after demo of the original shower.

Below, it is framed with sheetrock. The next step will be to have all of this painted,

 hopefully next week.                               

FIVE

A glimpse into another home project.....We plan to lay down new flooring upstairs next month.  Because the old, stained carpet was looking rough, we pulled it up and began to lay down an underlayer of cork.  This is temporary and we will lay the new floor on top of this.  

Tomorrow is my husband's birthday, so looking forward to celebrating him this weekend! And, it is suppose to be cooler temperatures! Enjoy your weekend!