Monday, August 31, 2020

Weekending - August 28, 2020

Happy Monday!  It's hard to believe that summer is coming to an end.  This whole year has been so strange.  We are actually on vacation this week.  After much vacillating, we finally decided to do a vacation in the safest way we could.   Let me start by rewinding the weekend ~

Friday was a big day for us - we bought a new car!  Eric had been driving a Trailblazer for years and we had over 250,000 miles on that vehicle.  It was time for him to get something different.  We were able to get a preowned Acadia that only had 19,000 miles on it.  Even though buying a vehicle gives me high anxiety, the dealership we went through (George Weber Chevrolet) and our salesperson (Bill Emling) were great to deal with.  Here's hoping we get 250,000 miles out of this vehicle!


Saturday morning, bright and early, we packed up and headed south to the beach.  It's a 12-hour journey from our house to the water's edge, but worth every second of the drive!  We were on the road by 6:00 am, which was actually two hours later than we had hoped.  Driving in a car typically makes me sick, but thanks to Bonine I can now ride for hours with no problems.   If you or someone in your family suffers from motion sickness, give this stuff a try!



Throughout the day, we worked our way from Illinois to Missouri, through Arkansas and Tennessee and Mississippi, and finally to Alabama!





We've made this trip several times before and we know when we see the USS Alabama at Mobile that our journey is almost over!


A condo at Gulf Shores Plantation Resort is our home away from home this week.  I'll have a separate post on it later.  For now, let me just say that seeing sunsets from our baloney and drinking coffee there in the early mornings is going to make this week a much-needed break from the stress of COVID! 



Sunday brought us rain off and on all day, but we made the best of it.  We were able to stream our normal church service, get unpacked, take a stroll on the beach and do a lot of relaxing.  Relaxing is going to be the theme of the week!  We brought our Roku stick with us and it makes watching television just like as if we were at home.


There was another great sunset to finish the day and the moon over the ocean was also a sight to see.



Hope you have a great week and end August on a positive note.  Good luck to all the parents and kids out there who are trying to do school virtually! 
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Friday, August 28, 2020

Five on Friday - August 28, 2020

Happy Friday!  I am officially on vacation and it feels so good!  Tomorrow Eric and I will be driving to the beach for a few days and we are both so darn excited about getting out of town and relaxing.  I'm home today gathering all the stuff we will be packing and I'm giddy with excitement.  Before we head out, here's my five for today ~

1.  Pumpkin Spice Latte
Starbucks is helping to ease the sting of 2020 by bringing back their pumpkin spice latte earlier than normal.  It became available on Tuesday and will be here for a while.  If it's still a little too warm for you to enjoy a latte, don't forget that they could also blend you a refreshing frappuccino using the same flavoring.  They are also bringing back the pumpkin cream cold brew.  Looks like pumpkin season is definitely here!

Credit: Starbucks

2.  Apricot Sunrise Ahmad Tea
Speaking of drinks, my August Sips by box arrived this week and it was full of delicious new teas!  One of my favorites was Apricot Sunrise by Ahmad Tea.  The delicate aroma of apricots meets your nose before the rich flavor reaches your taste buds.   So good!  Ahmad Tea is a British family business that supplies tea for the Royal Collection, including Buckingham Palace.  The Queen and I could be drinking the same tea.  Pick some up HERE.

3.  Isla Jacobson Shoes

For some time, my go-to slip-on shoes have been my silver Isla Jacobsons.  They are so comfortable!  Even when walking miles at a time on vacation, they have never let me down.  Well, they are on sale right now during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale so I picked up a blue pair.  I'm counting the days until they arrive on my porch!  If you're looking for a comfortable, versatile shoe look no further.  These are winners!  Click HERE to see the available colors.


4.  Spray Can Handle
When I help with a wedding, there is always a lot of gluing to be done.  My go-to adhesive is Krylon Spray Adhensive in a can, but when there's a lot of gluing to be done my finger used to get really sore.  Eric came up with this nifty trigger that hooks on the can that makes spraying a snap!  No matter what you're spraying or painting, the flow is even.  Just wave your hand and the area is covered.  This thing is a must if you are using a can!



5.  Exercising...
Okay guys - have a great weekend! I'll be coming to you next week from vacation so make sure to pop in and see what's happening.

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Thursday, August 27, 2020

Friday Favorites Linky Party - August 28, 2020

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:
Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst
If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!
You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!
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Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Thinking Out Loud Thursday - August 27, 2020

Hello there!  Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I share some things on my mind and then invite you to link up and share what's on yours.

One week ago today I was knee-deep in wedding preparations.  My side hustle is being a wedding coordinator and it's a job I'm very passionate about.  I try to do two weddings a year, but thanks to COVID one of my weddings this year got moved to 2021.  The other one happened last weekend.

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, Lindsey and Jon tied the knot at Haue Valley which is located just outside of St. Louis.

Photo Credit:  Jessica D. Williams Photography
This was the first time I worked a wedding at this venue, but I hope it won't be my last!  The staff was great to work with and the venue itself was absolutely gorgeous.  They have an inventory closet full of wedding items you can use at no charge, which adds up to some major savings for the couple.  We were able to use items from the inventory closet to make all the centerpieces.


The couple tried their best to be sensitive to the fact we are in the middle of a pandemic.  Their favors were bottles of hand sanitizer.

Photo credit:  Jessica D. Williams Photography
Guests were also encouraged to wear masks and a basket full of them was available in case someone needed one.


Assigned seating helped family units set together and social distance from other guests.  


Even in the middle of these trying times, Lindsey and Jon pulled off a beautiful wedding.  I'll be sharing more photos as they become available from the photographer.  Speaking of the photographer - she was fabulous!  Check her out at Jessica D. Williams Photographer on Facebook.

Now it's your turn.  What are you thinking out loud about today?  Link up and share!
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Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - August 26, 2020

Welcome!

Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop where we enjoy linking up posts about recipes, crafts, DIY, everyday life & more every Tue at 7:00 pm EST #wwbloghop

Our hosts just want to say THANK YOU to all those who contributed to last week's party and WELCOME to all the new bloggers who have joined our weekly blog hop. Please invite your blog friends and social network to join us.
Don't forget to use this hashtag #wwbloghop when sharing our party!
Let's get this party started!!

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Editors Choice with Fall inspiration









Thanks to our co-hosts who share our party on their blogs every week ♥ Please follow them and share our party, too?
Be sure to grab our Specially Featured button if your post was featured this week to show off on your blog or sidebar!
Featured Button
Please TWEET our party ♥
  • Add as many of your family-friendly posts as you would like to. No Etsy shops, adult sites, or blog parties, please.
  • Visit others. Let them know you stopped by!
  • If you are NEW to Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop, let us know in the comments so that we can follow you back. ♥ Help us find your posts – tell us the title.
  • NOTE: party entries appear in REVERSE. i.e. the most recent entry goes to the top! That way all of our guests will have a really good chance to be seen no matter when they arrive.
  • Thanks! ♥
So, now, let’s get this party started!

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Friday, August 21, 2020

Five on Friday - August 21, 2020

Happy Friday!  This has been a whirlwind of a week over here and I'm happy to see the weekend arrive.  Excited to share my five with you today ~

1.  The Crown
We can all use a little something to look forward to and Netflix gave me something yesterday.  The fourth season of The Crown will be released on November 15.  The preview shows us a glimpse of the upcoming season which includes the courtship and wedding of Prince Charles and Diana.  Actress Emma Corrin will be playing Princess Diana during the early days.  Who else is excited?


2.  Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnadust
I'm so glad I'm a Sam's Club member because Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnadust is premiering there in September!  Can you imagine how good this stuff will be sprinkled on toast, cookies and ice cream!  Don't worry - if you don't have a Sam's membership, it will be showing up at other retailers in early 2021.


3.  Royal
Danielle Steel's newest book was released this week and is titled Royal.  I just love her novels!  Here's the summary from Amazon ~
As the war rages on in the summer of 1943, causing massive destruction and widespread fear, the King and Queen choose to quietly send their youngest daughter, Princess Charlotte, to live with a trusted noble family in the country. Despite her fiery, headstrong nature, the princess's fragile health poses far too great a risk for her to remain in war-torn London.
Third in line for the throne, seventeen year-old Charlotte reluctantly uses an alias upon her arrival in Yorkshire, her two guardians the only keepers of her true identity. In time, she settles comfortably into a life out of the spotlight, befriending a young evacuee and training with her cherished horse. But no one predicts that in the coming months she will fall deeply in love with her protectors' son.
She longs for a normal life. Far from her parents, a tragic turn of events leaves an infant orphaned. Alone in the world, that child will be raised in the most humble circumstances by a modest stable manager and his wife. No one, not even she, knows of her lineage. But when a stack of hidden letters comes to light, a secret kept for nearly two decades finally surfaces, and a long lost princess emerges.
A fascinating story of family and royalty, and an unforgettable portrait of an extraordinary young woman and the man who brings her home, Royal is an exhilarating work from America's most beloved storyteller.

4.  Here's Something Good
Have you tuned in to this podcast before?  I listen to it each morning and it's a great way to start the day!  In their short episodes (under 10 minutes), you get a dose of good news.  Monday through Friday you can hear inspiring stories, helpful hints and shared stories.  It's a great way to start your day on the positive side of things!

HeresSomethingGood-Logo-FINAL.jpg

5.  Looking ahead...

Image may contain: text that says 'I'M NOT BUYING A 2021 PLANNER UNTIL I SEE A TRAILER.'

Now let's get this weekend started!  I'm helping with a wedding on Saturday so the last few days have been busy getting ready.  So many couples have had to push their wedding dates off this year.  We're lucky that this one can happen outside and they kept the guest count low enough so social distancing won't be a problem.  Hope you have something fun going on.  See you next week!

Linking up with:

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Thursday, August 20, 2020

Friday Favorites Linky Party - August 21, 2020

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:
Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst
If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!
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!
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Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Thinking Out Loud Thursday - August 20, 2020

Hello there!  Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday.  Hope you link up below and share what you're thinking out loud about today.

I am knee-deep in wedding preparations over here so today's post is going to be short and sweet.  The adorable couple that's getting married this weekend has been planning their big day for well over a year.  Who would have ever dreamed we'd be in the middle of a pandemic!  We're trying to make the wedding as safe as possible and, hopefully, the day will be meaningful and special. 

This week on one of my favorite podcasts, The Gratitude Diaries, the theme has been how gratitude can improve your health.  So in the interest of improving your health, I'd like to share a few of my favorite quotes about gratitude ~

Intentionally focus on your blessings with these 11 gratitude quotes. Click through to get inspired and receive free printables of all 11 quotes now! #gratitude #gratitudequotes #curiousbutterfly

Free Printable growth mindset quotes -gratitude



I testify.

I'm very grateful to each of you for stopping by the blog and supporting my little space on the internet!  Hope you have a wonderful day and find some reasons to be grateful.  

Now it's your turn.  What are you thinking out loud about today?  Link up and share!


You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter
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Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - August 19, 2020

Welcome!

Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop where we enjoy linking up posts about recipes, crafts, DIY, everyday life & more every Tue at 7:00 pm EST #wwbloghop

Our hosts just want to say THANK YOU to all those who contributed to last week's party and WELCOME to all the new bloggers who have joined our weekly blog hop. Please invite your blog friends and social network to join us.
Don't forget to use this hashtag #wwbloghop when sharing our party!
Let's get this party started!!

Top Viewed


Very Popular









Editors Choice with Fall inspiration








Thanks to our co-hosts who share our party on their blogs every week ♥ Please follow them and share our party, too?
Be sure to grab our Specially Featured button if your post was featured this week to show off on your blog or sidebar!
Featured Button
Please TWEET our party ♥
  • Add as many of your family-friendly posts as you would like to. No Etsy shops, adult sites, or blog parties, please.
  • Visit others. Let them know you stopped by!
  • If you are NEW to Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop, let us know in the comments so that we can follow you back. ♥ Help us find your posts – tell us the title.
  • NOTE: party entries appear in REVERSE. i.e. the most recent entry goes to the top! That way all of our guests will have a really good chance to be seen no matter when they arrive.
  • Thanks! ♥
So, now, let’s get this party started!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter

at 2 comments: