Friday Favorites ~ June 26, 2026

Happy Friday friends!

Here are some favorites to share from my week:

I worked Monday morning, and then met a friend for lunch. Sitting outside on the patio catching up and the weather, when I could have been wearing a sweatshirt, was definitely a favorite on a June day.

I cooked dinner for Brook and I Monday night.  This is only the 2nd time we have had a night at home together for me to cook.  I have lived here for 2 months now and actually used one of my pots for the first time, ha!  I made pasta bowls with pesto, cottage cheese, spinach and chicken.  It was a delicious, easy protein dinner.

I mixed 1/4 cup of pesto with 3/4 cup of cottage cheese to blend as sauce.  I then added a little bit of cooked spinach I had on hand, which could be optional.  I mixed the sauce over the cooked pasta.

Meanwhile, I seasoned some chicken with my new bourbon marinade and seasonings.  I cooked the chicken in my air fryer and loved the flavor.

I cut up the chicken and added it to my pasta and sauce.  I really enjoyed cooking and eating this meal.

Tuesday, after a difficult funeral for a baby in my church I attended, I was able to see an amazing rose garden that belongs to the great grandmother's property.  What a beautiful sight to behold in the midst of a sad morning.

Wednesday morning, I was able to take Brook and Wade to a famous breakfast spot in town where I had a gift card.  My breakfast was so good!  It was an open faced omelet with onions, peppers, avocadoes, salsa, cheese and turkey sausage...delicious!  It was served with potatoes and toast.

It filled me up for most of the day!  We ran a few errands then I worked from home in the afternoon and took a walk that evening.  It was so fun to see these deer!

This picture made me think of the song based on the verse, Psalm 42:1...

As the deer pants for water, so I long for you, O God. 

Another favorite this week was watching the new Ryan Hamilton show on Netflix.  If you need a good laugh with not a long time commitment, this 1 hour show is worth the watch! (side note, he has an older Netflix special called Happy Face, which is also funny).

Thursday was a 9 hour day at work for me, but my co-worker and I had fun enjoying a diet coke from McDonalds!

Today is work, pool time and trip planning, with probably a few episodes of Outlander.

Hope you enjoy your weekend!

 

 

Hodgepodge ~ 6/24/26

 Happy Hodgepodge Day!

1. Summer's here!  In the northern hemisphere anyway. If you're in the southern hemisphere substitute winter for the word summer. What do you love most about summer? What's your biggest summer pet peeve? 

I am enjoying the long daylight, time outdoors and vacations! My biggest pet peeve is for sure mosquitos and any other bugs.

2. What song always reminds you of summer? 

The Boys of Summer by Don Henley

A few other songs from my beach playlist:

Soak up the Sun by Sheryl Crow

Crusin' by Huey Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow

Under the Boardwalk by Bette Midler

Any song by Jimmy Buffet

3. What's something you remember about your childhood summers? Do you think kids today get to enjoy summer the way you did as a child? Elaborate. 

I would go with a friend or sibling to ride bikes through the neighborhood and we would ride to the neighborhood pool.  We picked honeysuckle from the plants, played outside a lot, spent time playing at my grandparents on their land.  We also went on vacations pulling the travel trailer or pop-up camper (we had both at different times). It was a wonderful childhood.  Clearly, summers have changed but I love watching my greats enjoy being outside playing and swimming with little technology.

4. We celebrate Fathers Day on June 21st. Do you favor your dad in looks or temperament? Tell us something about your dad. Or your husband as a dad. Or a son/son-in-law as a dad. Or your grandpa. 

Today is my dad's birthday!  My dad is the most giving person and loves it when his people have a good time.  He is there in the hard times too.  He gets all of this from his father, my grandfather.  My grandfather passed away when I was in college, but my Pop was the greatest man I've known.  I miss him so much. I love this picture of us!

Below is a picture of my sister, dad and me from 10 years or so ago.  We were standing on the top of the driveway at my grandparents former home. The inset picture is my grandfather with my sister and I in the same spot taken sometime in the early 70's.

5. Let's wrap up with a summer this or that-

• flip flops or sandals - Sandals
• beach or pool - Beach
• watermelon or peaches - Strawberries :)
• shorts or sundress - Depends on the occasion, but probably a dress
• iced coffee or ice cold lemonade - lemonade
• amusement park or water park - Amusement park
• 
  
• 6. Insert your own random thought here. 
• Super random, but with all the time I spend alone, I am thankful for modern technology of streaming shows.  I lose myself in watching Outlander and will probably be pretty sad once I finish watching the last season.  This is such a minor thing, but for someone who spends most nights to myself, I am so thankful for the little things of a TV show!

Hello Monday ~ June 22, 2026/SDF

 Hello Monday blog friends!  I had a little adventure but lots of pictures this weekend!  Here is a recap of the fun!

Thursday after work, Jenn and I headed to SDF, better known as Louisville.  SDF is the airport code, coming from a former travel agent. We had been talking for a while we would like to visit Amy since it had been over a year since we had seen her, so I booked a hotel and we made it happen!

We met at an outdoor shopping center that night where live music was playing, which made for a fun background.  The next day, we met Amy for brunch at her house and shopping.  Above is a picture from our first 24 hours.  Amy and I are sorority sisters (we went to different schools though). Any other KD's out there? Amy cooked a fabulous meal and had the cutest little gifts for us. I enjoyed some hot tea out of her Kentucky mug.

After resting a little bit after shopping, we met for our progressive dinner!  We enjoyed the bread and butter candle and an appetizer at our first stop.  I had always wanted to try this!  The dress I am wearing I bought at a boutique earlier in the day. After the bread and appetizer, we went to a speakeasy restaurant!  I enjoyed a pineapple margarita and a side kale salad.  I was trying to balance all my carbs, ha! Afterwards, we went to a fabulous and beautiful Italian restaurant.  I had some homemade pasta, which was so good!  It is rare that I eat homemade pasta. It was a fun food tour!

The next day, we enjoyed a boat ride on the Ohio River!  This was my favorite of the weekend! The weather was perfect and it was so fun being out on the boat!  I love a boat ride and it had been years since I had done that and it was so fun to experience that with Amy, Tom and Jenn. Below is a view of downtown Louisville.

We stopped at the famous Captain's Quarters for lunch.  I had mahi mahi along with grilled veggies, which was delicious! The whole day was was so fun!

After the boat day, we met up with Amy and her best friend, who was a delight, for a great Mexican dinner.  Afterwards, we sat outside to hear some music, one of my favorite things to do this summer. This restaurant was also stunning! It reminded me of a lounge on a cruise ship. Amy, you were a great cruise director for the weekend!  A perfect hostess!

I am not a bourbon drinker, but the displays and bottles are so pretty at each restaurant.  I did buy some marinade and seasoning to use when cooking though.

I got home early afternoon Sunday, spent a little time at home, and then drove to see my dad.  There wasn't any family gathering, but I wanted to go see him for a little bit.  Honestly, Mother's Day and Father's Day are such hard holidays overall.  While I am thankful for my parents and thankful to be a mother, I hope I can show appreciation and love for them year round and not just have one day.  I will always be appreciative and thankful with love for them on either side of heaven.

I spent the rest of the evening alone at home unpacking, a little exercise, and watching Outlander.  Before going to sleep, my daughter came in and I was glad to see her for a minute before bed. 

I am so thankful for the friendships made through this blog world!  

Hope it is a great start to your week!

Friday Favorites ~ June 19, 2026

 Woo hoo, Happy Friday friends!  June has been a busy month with a lot of fun things.  Now to a few simple favorites from the week to share with you.

I have been enjoying flowers I brought home from last week's wedding we attended.  

Monday afternoon, I had about 20-30 minutes to sit out by the pool with my daughter.  I love these quick opportunities to sit with her and enjoy our new home!

Tuesday evening, I went to listen to live music for the 3rd time already this month!  This is a favorite of mine and I love being outside with live music vs. inside watching TV.  I went by myself, but Brook and Wade came and joined me for a little bit. Then another friend came for a little bit too and she and I were able to visit.  They were grilling burgers and hot dogs so I was able to buy 2 combos for $8.  What a deal!

Wednesday, a not so favorite thing, was replacing my phone screen for the 2nd time in 3 weeks.  Ugh...

Afterwards, I walked down to the nail place by me to get a pedicure.  This is something I rarely do, so it always feels like a treat.  Guess who walked in while I was there? Jenn!  It was funny because I had no idea she would be there and she didn't know I was going either.

A little later, Brook and I walked to the 2nd pool in our complex for a community pool party/cookout.  We didn't swim, but we did enjoy a free dinner!

I packed and watched Colombia play in the World Cup Wednesday night. They won, 3-1! 🇨🇴

Thursday, was work and then onto a favorite for the weekend....a road trip!

Hope you all enjoy your weekend & thanks for reading!

Hodgepodge ~ June 17, 2026

 Good morning friends!  I hope all is well.  Happy to join with Joyce for this week's Hodgepodge!

1. June 17th, 1994 was the day of the infamous O.J. Simpson car chase. What were you doing in 1994? I'm guessing somebody is going to tell me they weren't born yet but that's part of the fun of the Hodgepodge. Lots of generations are represented here. 

I was working as a travel agent at this time and earned free tickets for my mom and I to travel to Hong Kong and Singapore.  We had a cousin who lived in Singapore at the time, so we spent a week with her there (after spending a weekend in Hong Kong on our way).  I specifically remember my mom and I being on the plane and hearing about this event and then seeing it on TV monitors in the airport.  This is still such a wild story to me.

2. What's your favorite summer salad that isn't the traditional tossed green lettuce kind of salad? Do you like fresh fruit in a salad (other than in a fruit salad of course)?

My favorite salad is mixed greens, chopped pecans, chopped strawberries, feta cheese and I also like a little grilled chicken added into the salad.  

3. Is chivalry dead? Should it be? 

I hope it isn't dead, but I rarely experience it personally.

4. Would you rather spend a week of your summer vacation in Hawaii or Alaska? Have you ever been to either? Are they two places you really would like to see? How do you feel about 'Hawaiian pizza' aka pineapple on a pizza? Have you ever eaten Baked Alaska? 

This question does apply to me & I am excited!  I have been to Hawaii back in the early 90's when I worked for Delta Air Lines.  Those pictures are way back in a scrapbook that I don't have on my computer.  I would love to go back and see other islands though.  I would love to go on a cruise through the Hawaiian islands, like this one

Regarding Alaska, well it is on my summer bucket list!  

I like Hawaiian pizza, but it isn't my go-to and I have never tried Baked Alaska.

5. World Cup play is happening now...are you interested? Watching any matches? Did you or your children play soccer/futbol? There are eleven US cities hosting matches-

-Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York with the stadium in NJ, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle

along with  three cities in Mexico (Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey)

and two in Canada (Toronto and Vancouver)-

You get free tickets to one of these matches. Which city do you choose? Tell us why. 

This is a full question, so here goes...

I have interest in Colombia, since I lived there 3 years. Within a few months of moving there, the World Cup was happening and the city went crazy.  We had a World Cup party.  Every time Colombia scored a goal, you could literally open your door and hear voices all around the city screaming "GOAL"!  It was such a cultural thing to experience.  We all went to the mall to watch another game and it was packed, like shoulder to shoulder everyone watching the games on big TV's there.

There were celebrations in the streets if Colombia won a game.

My girls in their Colombian jerseys with another MK (missionary kid).

My girls would play soccer/futbol a little with other Colombian kids and at their school in Colombia, but it was more of a cultural event vs. really playing it as a sport.

Regarding what city would I visit, I would be up for any of these cities and will actually be in two of them this summer, Vancouver and Seattle.  I am planning specifically not to be there during World Cup time though due to crowds.  I would avoid Atlanta because I have been there and driven through there so many times and no offense Tanya, but I don't think I would visit Texas during the summer months because of the heat.  I would go visit any of the other cities though!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

My sweet co-worker and friend gave me this beautiful print for a housewarming gift.  I finally hung it on the wall last week and love the pops of color it brings.

Have a fabulous day!

Amazon Prime/Bath & Bedroom Edition ~ June 16, 2026

Good morning!  Last week, I mentioned some Prime household items and today that continues, but with a focus on the bath and bedroom.  These are all items I have purchased for my new place and really like.

First, is the curtain rod, which is the same I used in my den, however, this one is black. I love the simple, but nice look of these.  They accommodate any type of curtains!  

Curtain rod

These are the curtains I have on on the curtain rod.  They are black out and work beautifully!  The look and feel of these are so nice.

Curtains

Have you heard of ceiling fan filters? I bought a package and put them on the ceiling fans in my bedroom and my daughter's bedroom.  They stick to the top of the blades and work like an air purifier.

Ceiling Fan filters

I had so many throw pillows when downsizing, so I was able to purchase some new pillow covers to use for my bed.  I love doing this for any pillows and it is especially nice to purchase pillow covers for the holidays too. I love that the two larger ones and the smaller ones have different textures, which is a design element for choosing pillow.

Pillow Covers

Small pillow cover

Have you seen these waffle bath mats?  They surpass any bath mat I have had!  They are soft, absorbent, and they don't move on the floor!  The quality is so good if you are in need of a bath mat refresh.  They come in different colors and sizes.  I have 2 in my bathroom...one in front of the mirror cabinet and one in front of the tub/shower.

Bath mat

I ordered this makeup organizer and love it!  Mine sits inside my bathroom cabinet, but it would also be a nice display on your bathroom counter as well.  It has 2 drawers and then the other open compartments that can be arranged in different ways.  This is the easiest way for me to access my makeup each day and it has a sleek look to it.

Makeup Organizer

This is a basic item I ordered to use under my new bed so I could store a few things underneath.  These risers can be used on furniture or appliances too.

Bed Risers

Last but not least, is this air mattress.  I once considered upgrading my new sofa to a pull out sofa, since they have greatly improved since the 70's design!  However, to add this feature to my sofa would have cost close to the price of the actual sofa.  I decided to invest in a new air mattress instead to have for extra sleeping space.  This one has a headboard and a cup holder, ha!  

Air Mattress

As a reminder, Amazon Prime Days are next week so some of these items may even be on sale then!

Have a great day!