Penny's Passion: November 2016

Friday, November 25, 2016

Friday Favorites - November 25, 2016

Happy Black Friday!  I'm out shopping with my mom and daughter-in-law.  Hope you're doing what makes you happy on this day after Thanksgiving!  Check out the great favorites from this week ~

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Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:
Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Christine at Light and Savvy - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!
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You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!
And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Five on Friday - November 18, 2016

Let's hear a big shout for Friday!!  I have friends coming to visit from out of town so to say I'm a bit excited for the weekend is an understatement!  So with no further ado ~ here's my five for this week.

1.  Loving
I happen to see a trailer of this movie and it's moved to the top of my "want to see" list.  It's not out in wide release yet, but there's a theater near us that's doing an advance screening on Tuesday.  I'm hoping my bottom will be in a seat!  Here's what Rotten Tomatoes is saying about it, "From acclaimed writer/director Jeff Nichols, Loving celebrates the real-life courage and commitment of an interracial couple, Richard and Mildred Loving (portrayed by Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga), who married and then spent the next nine years fighting for the right to live as a family in their hometown. Their civil rights case, Loving v. Virginia, went all the way to the Supreme Court, which in 1967 reaffirmed the very foundation of the right to marry - and their love story has become an inspiration to couples ever since."


Megyn Kelly's new book, Settle for More, hit the stands this week and I'm dying to get my hands on it!  I'm thinking this will be a good book to read over the holidays.  Amazon is saying this, "In Settle for More, the anchor of The Kelly File reflects on the enduring values and experiences that have shaped her—from growing up in a family that rejected the "trophies for everyone" mentality, to her father’s sudden, tragic death while she was in high school. She goes behind-the-scenes of her career, sharing the stories and struggles that landed her in the anchor chair of cable’s #1 news show. Speaking candidly about her decision to "settle for more"—a motto she credits as having dramatically transformed her life at home and at work—Megyn discusses how she abandoned a thriving legal career to follow her journalism dreams."  Want a copy?  Click HERE to purchase.

                              

Oh ~ how I wish I would have had one of these when Ian was little.  The number of times he dropped something while I was driving and then I would try to reach back, feeling around on the floor for the dropped item is countless!  This handy tray area would be fantastic.  The description says you can use it in a car, train, plane or bus.  If you're travelling with little ones this holiday season, you might want to pick one of these up.  If you order from Amazon Prime, there's still time to have it in your possession before Thanksgiving!  Click HERE to check it out.

               

4.  24K Magic
Bruno Mars releases his 24K Magic album today after making us wait four years.  The tracklist isn't long, but it's good!  Here's the nine songs you'll get:

"24K Magic"
"Chunky"
"Perm"
"That's What I Like"
"Versace on the Floor"
"Straight Up & Down"
"Calling All My Lovelies"
"Finesse"
"Too Good to Say Goodbye"

This could make a VERY good Christmas present (hint, hint)!  Click HERE to purchase.

24K Magic

5.  Did you see the Super Moon this week?

Have a wonderful weekend!  I'm hoping to get a jump start on my Christmas shopping with my friends who are visiting.  We are going to shop until we drop (or need to stop and get a drink)!  Hope to see you back next week.

Linking up with:
5 on Friday 
Why Girls Are Weird

This post contained affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.  Thanks!

Friday Favorites - November 18, 2016

Hey, hey -- it's Friday!  Can't wait for you to check out the links we are sharing today.  We also have a bonus for you today -- a giveaway!!

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Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:
Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Christine at Light and Savvy - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!
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You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!
And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!

Monday, November 14, 2016

Weekending - November 11, 2016

Well, it's back to work for me this Monday morning after a glorious week off.  Eric and I packed quite a bit into our week of vacation -- visiting Nashville (post about it HERE), Asheville and then taking a pit stop on our way home in Louisville to visit Churchill Downs.  It was a much needed break from our normal routine and we both came home on Thursday night feeling refreshed.  I'm excited to share the details of our trip, but for now I'll cover what went down over the weekend.

Friday morning I got up ready to conquer the day.  I love multitasking and Friday morning I was on top of my game!  The laundry was going, my Silhouette was cranking out a craft project and I was unpacking all at the same time.  Eric and I ran a few errands in the afternoon and then it was off to my girls night out.  Great day!

My friends Carol, Sherri and Tracy and I were getting together Friday night to celebrate Sherri and my birthdays.  We met up and drove together to Trattoria Marcella.  Gotta love a good Italian meal!


Upon sitting down, you are served warm rolls with hummus.  Yum!  We all chose the lobster risotto for dinner, but the highlight for me was the starter salad.  


The waiter heard we were celebrating birthdays and surprised us with tiramisu for dessert.  Happy birthday to us!


I'm so thankful for friends like these girls!  They are fun, thoughtful and always there when you need them.  


As productive as Friday was, Saturday was just the opposite!  Eric and I had started watching a couple episodes of The Crown on vacation and did a little lot of binge watching on Saturday.  We watched six episodes on Saturday!  No multitasking -- just laying in bed watching television.  I got up just in time to get ready for the wedding we attended Saturday night.  Did anyone else watch it?  


It's a good thing I rested all day because we had a wonderful time dancing the night away at Alyssa and Brad's wedding!  They had a beautiful wedding and reception at a local winery.  Very fun times!


Alyssa is my daughter-in-law, Kayla's sister.  She made such a stunning bride!  We felt honored to be able to share her and Brad's big day with them.


Remember the craft project I said I worked on Friday morning ~ well, here's the result.  I got to make the table cards for the reception.  She cleverly named each table a type of wine.  


After church on Sunday, we drove to Eric's home town of Staunton, Illinois to celebrate his mom's birthday.  Her birthday was actually while we were gone on vacation, so we were a little late.  We had a wonderful afternoon eating at the local Mexican restaurant, visiting and working on a puzzle.  Happy belated birthday, Sue!



Sunday night we watch the remaining two episodes of The Crown.  We are officially through this season.  I'm in love with Claire Foy (who plays Queen Elizabeth).  And John Lithgow - oh my goodness.  I will be shocked if he doesn't get some award nods.  

Just like that it's Monday already.  Lots of work to catch up on, but vacation was definitely worth it.  How was your weekend?  Hope it was great!

Check out what others were up to this weekend.
The Quinntessential Mommy
How To Get Organized At Home
Over the Moon


This post contained affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.  Thanks!

Friday, November 11, 2016

Five on Friday - November 11, 2016

Happy Friday!  Oh my goodness -- what a week!  Eric and I were on vacation (yes, we voted early) and got home Thursday evening.  I like the fact we have a couple days at home before heading back to our normal work routines next week.

Check out my five for this week ~

1.  Veterans Day
Today is Veterans Day!  Let's all take a minute to honor those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces today.  November 11 was selected to observe Veterans Day because hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.  Thanks to all those who work so hard to protect the freedoms we get to enjoy.

Veterans Day November 11

I used to have one of these and it has disappeared when we moved a few years ago.  I truly miss it!  I'm not sure how this thing works, but it magically reseals plastic bags after they are opened.  No more stale chips because the bag is open!  And you don't have to worry about the contents of your bags spilling out.  It has a magnetic bottom so you can stick it to your frig.  Want one?  Click HERE to purchase.  It's so worth the $12.99!

Image result for dob plastic bag heat sealer

With the holidays approaching, you are going to need these!  With these wine glass markers you can just have your guests write their name on their glass for easy identification.  The set of four has a green, silver, gold and blue pen.  They write on glass, glazed stoneware and ceramics.  How cool are they?!?  Click HERE for more info.
Wine Glass Markers
4.  Super Moon 
It's coming on Monday -- the super moon!  Mark your calendar because you are not going to want to miss this one.  It will be the closest the moon comes to us in almost 69 years!  According to NASA, closest approach will occur at 6:21 am EST.  If you miss it on Monday, don't hold your breath for the next one.  You'll have to wait another 18 years before it happens again.

Image result for super moon\\

5.  Time to heal....

inspire-others-12

Hope you have some fun stuff in the works for your weekend.  I have girls night out tonight and then we're going to a wedding on Saturday (LOVE weddings!!!).  I'm also hoping to unpack and get caught up on the laundry.  I'm also hoping to have a change to put together a post about our vacation -- it was a good one!  

Linking up with:
5 on Friday 
Why Girls Are Weird

This post contained affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.  Thanks!

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Friday Favorites Linky Party - November 11, 2016

Hello Friday!  We've got some great highlights for you today.  My pick was Creative Thanksgiving Placecards by The Organized Dream.  Hoping I have a chance to whip some up before my Thanksgiving crew arrives!  Enjoy checking out all the other features and can't wait to see what you link up today!

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Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:
Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Christine at Light and Savvy - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!
 photo Friday Favorites Featured Button.jpg
You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!
And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!

Thinking Out Loud Thursday - Finding Beauty

Happy Thursday!  Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday! Thanks for popping in to join me and Vanessa from X-tremely V for our little linkup party.

What a week we have all been through.  Eric and I are on vacation and are spending a little bit of time just enjoying each other and relaxing.  We are currently in Asheville, North Carolina and today I'm thinking about the beauty around us.

We have had the opportunity to see so many beautiful things in nature this week. It makes me wonder if the people who live in the middle of all this beauty stop to enjoy it.  Or are they so wrapped up in their day-to-day it all just blends into the background?

DuPont Forest

DuPont Forest

It also makes me wonder how many beautiful things in my everyday surroundings I don't stop to appreciate.  I know they are there, but am I seeing them?



What's beautiful around you?  Do you stop occasionally to breath it in?  In our busy, fast-paced lives we need to remember to linger on awe-inspiring things.


hikes near Asheville

I hope as we arrive home after vacation and become submersed in our day-to-day, I can still remember to stop and enjoy the beauty of life around me.


What beautiful things are in the area you live in?  Do you stop to appreciate them?  My hope today is that we all do a better job at noticing the beauty in our lives and taking the time to let it sink in.

North Carolina, Smoky Mountains

That's what I'm thinking about today.  What's on your mind?  Link up below and let us know.




Enjoy more Thoughts for Thursday at:

This post contained affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.  Thanks!

Monday, November 7, 2016

Weekending -- We Were In Nashville!

Happy Monday!  Eric and I are on vacation this week and I'm so looking forward to spending some extra time relaxing.  Here's our relaxed faces ~


Friday was Eric's birthday and we celebrated over dinner that evening with Ian and Kayla.  We choose a place close to home since we had to pack for our trip after we finished.  Peel Brewing Company is one of our favorites so that's where we headed.  Just can't go wrong with their signature wings and brick oven pizza.  Eric added a flight of beer since it was his birthday and all.



We got on the road early Saturday morning to head to Nashville.  Neither of us had spent any time in the Music City, so we were pumped to explore the city.  To get to Nashville, we drove past Metropolis, Illinois - home of Superman!  We couldn't resist the urge to check it out, so we drove the 3 miles off the highway to get some pictures with Superman himself.




If you are ever driving by, the little jaunt off the highway is worth it.  Plus there's a Dairy Queen in town, so after your visit with Superman and the Superman museum you can top off the visit with an ice cream treat.  Definite win!

We arrived in Nashville by early afternoon and checked into our hotel.  I had made the decision to find a hotel that wasn't going to cost us an arm and a leg.  The Sheraton Music City Hotel won.  The entry from the rode made me extremely hopeful - it was beautiful.  The lobby kept my hopes high.

Sheraton Music City Lobby

Then came the rooms.  Yep, we were getting what we were paying for.  They are fine - clean and spacious.  But definitely could use a little updating.  We had to search for outlets and bathrooms were old school.  Overall though, I'd still make the decision to save money on the room.  One great thing was there's a shuttle that picks up at the hotel and takes you downtown.  It leaves the hotel every hour and costs $10.  It leaves downtown every hour on the half hour.  We hopped on the shuttle soon after arriving and headed to Broadway.

Lunch was first on our list to get accomplished.  We had heard great things about Puckett's so that's where we went.  We started with fried green tomatoes - YUM!  My dinner was the Piggy Mac - a layer of pulled pork topped with mac and cheese.  It was good!



Next we headed to Broadway to check out the honky tonks.  Many of them had roof top bars so were able to work off our meal by climbing all the stairs to reach the top floor.  The views from up top were worth it.  



After getting an extra hour of sleep from the time change on Saturday night, we were well rested and ready for some adventure.  Eric loves history and we thought a tour of Belle Meade Plantation would interesting.  

Upon arriving, we went to the Harvest House for a late breakfast first thing.  I had the salmon eggs Benedict.  They were delicious!


After breakfast, it was on to the plantation and grounds tour.  This site has quite the history to it and a tour of the plantation house was a great way to hear the story of the family and the horses that made this location famous.  


Then after the tour, we did a wine tasting from the winery right on the property. 


When we finished at the plantation, our next stop was the one and only Grand Ole Opry.  You can't come to Nashville and not visit the Grand Ole Opry!


From there we went to the 12 South district to check out another restaurant that was highly recommended - Burger Up.  They serve local beef from farmers who treat their cattle humanely.  Cool atmosphere and great food.  


The whole 12 South area is fabulous.  Tons of eateries and unique shopping.  It was fun walking around and checking out the establishments.  We even found a cupcake ATM!  It was too tempting not to try, so we got a couple cupcakes to bring back to the hotel for a late night snack.


What did you do over the weekend?  So glad I'm not heading into work today, but instead heading to the mountains!  We are going to drive over to Asheville, North Carolina to finish out the week.  Have any suggestions on things we should do there?  We are planning to visit the Biltmore and hopefully do a couple hikes.  Let me know if there is something else you would suggest.  

Check out what others were up to this weekend.
The Quinntessential Mommy
How To Get Organized At Home
Over the Moon


This post contained affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.  Thanks!