Wednesday, August 30, 2023

2023 Fall Goals

Thanks for popping into Thinking Out Loud Thursday!  I'm going to share something on my mind and invite you to link up and share what you're thinking out loud about today.

Tomorrow is September!  What happened to summer?!?  Even though fall doesn't officially start until September 23, it seems like when we flip the calendar from August to September, fall is officially on the way.  (Queue all things pumpkin.)  Today I'm thinking about what some of my fall goals are and wanted to get them down on paper.  Here goes ~

Spend some time in the leaves
I love the changing of seasons.  When the leaves begin to transition to their wildly beautiful colors, I love being amongst them.  Hiking in the fall fills my cup.  This fall I'm hoping we can visit a few new hiking locations and revisit some of our favorites.


Clean out and purge my closet
A few years ago I spent quite a bit of time cleaning and reorganizing my closet.  For months it was in tip-top shape.  Now, it needs a little TLC.  It's time to do a purge to get rid of items I haven't worn in a while and throw away things that are beyond their best life.  In case you're at a point of organizing your closet, I'm linking a few of my favorite items I used in my closet.  That hanger organizer was a game-changer!


Research our next vacation
We are taking a cruise in a couple months and I want to familiarize myself with the places we are going.  I haven't been on a cruise for years and, to be honest, cruising wasn't one of my favorite things.  But my husband, son, and daughter-in-law have had wonderful experiences so I'm giving it another try!  

Plan a party at our house
Hosting events at our house is something I absolutely love!  I have this vision of a fall party outside and I'm going to work hard to make it happen!  

Make some notes about things I want to do next summer
This summer was a blur.  I had so many grandiose ideas and then my dad got sick.  Our summer vacation was cut short and many of the things I had hoped to do just simply did not happen.  To be better prepared for next summer, I want to make some notes on things we want to make sure happen next year.  Watch out summer of 2024 - I'm coming for you!

What's on your list of things you want to do this fall?  I would love to hear them!  

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

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Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - August 30, 2023

 

Welcome to another week of the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop!  We are so glad that you are here.

Here you will find inspiration from dozens of bloggers including recipes, home DIY, gardening, decor, family fun, traveling, fitness, and so much more.

A friendly reminder to our guests that as a courtesy to the hosts, we ask that you follow every host on at least one social media channel.

If you are a blogger, then be sure to link up below. You may be our next feature!

Before we get this party started, let’s meet the hosts and check out this week’s featured favorites.



MEET THE HOSTS
  1. Ahna – HAMMERS N HUGS | FB | IG | PINTEREST
  2. Bev – ECLECTIC RED BARN | FB | IG | PINTEREST
  3. Emily – LeCULTIVATEUR FB | IG | PINTEREST
  4. Penny – PENNY’S PASSION | FB | IG | PINTEREST
  5. Sinea – DUCKS ‘N A ROW | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
  6. Tammy – MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
  7. Tara – STILETTOS AND SHIPLAP | IG | PINTEREST
  8. Denise –THISISMYEVERYBODY | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER

TOP VIEWED
VERY POPULAR
EDITOR'S CHOICE

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!

Please follow all hosts on AT LEAST 1 of their social channels.

Add as many family-friendly posts as you would like to. NO Etsy shops, adult sites, or blog parties please.  Visit others. Caring is sharing. Like, comment, and pin posts.

Party entries appear in REVERSE. This way your entries will be seen no matter when you arrive. Please TWEET our party and invite others to join.

Let’s Party!


You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Thursday, August 24, 2023

Five on Friday - August 25,

Wow - it's Friday again already!   It's been a hot, hot week around here.  The weather is supposed to break today and the weekend should be a little cooler.  Hopefully, we can at least step outside without breaking into a sweat!  In the meantime, let's look at my five for this week ~

1.  National Banana Split Day
Take full advantage of celebrating the national day today - it's National Banana Split Day!  Three mounds of ice cream covered with chocolate, strawberry, and pineapple all sandwiched between a banana and topped with whipped cream and a cherry (or two).  Yum!  Sounds like the perfect Friday night treat!


2.  Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte
If you go to your local Starbucks today, you'll notice that the beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte is back!  That's a sure sign that summer is nearly over.  But for all you pumpkin spice lovers out there, your favorite time of year is here!  This marks the 20th year for the PSL.  Starbucks does have a newcomer, the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte.  Enjoy!


3.  Computer Monitor Light
I love having a light shine down on my computer screen!  It seems like with the light you have a lot less eye strain.  My job requires me to be looking at the screen for several hours a day, so I need all the help I can get reducing the strain on my eyes!  Love this!


4.  Slippers for the Car
With my new job came a longer commute to work.  I travel to the office at least 4 days every week.  To make my time in the car more enjoyable I've been really focusing on the things I don't love about it and trying to change them.  One of the things I didn't like was driving in my dress shoes.  I purchased an extra pair of my favorite slippers to have in the car and wear while I'm driving.  So far I've remembered each day to put on my dress shoes before entering the office.   Now when I arrive at work, my feet are feeling good!



5.  My kind of prescription...


Hope you have a fantastic weekend!  We have a guest for the weekend and will be enjoying their company.  See you back next week!

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Thinking of the College Kids

Hello and welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I share something I'm thinking about and invite you to link up and do the same.  Today I'm thinking about all those kids that headed to college recently!

We have a niece who's in her first year of college this year and a good friend's daughter in her second.  I wanted to let them know we were thinking about them, so I turned to Amazon to deliver a surprise to their new residence.  Selfishly, I absolutely loved hearing how they adored their gifts!  So much so that I'm thinking about dropping a little gift to them a few times over the course of their year!  Here are a few of the items on my list to have delivered ~


These magnetic bookmarks will be perfect for all those textbooks!  And the inspirational message is just icing on the cake.  


 

Snacks.  Need I say more.


Here's a little something sweet they can pop in their backpack.  There are 50 mini-packs here so maybe they can share some with their dorm mates and make some new friends.

Who doesn't need a place to jot down notes?!? 


Can anyone ever have too many markers?  I think not!


We know that college can be quite an adventure, but everyone loves getting some positive vibes sent their way.  Send some love and brighten up their day!

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


Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - August 23, 2023

 

Welcome to another week of the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop!  We are so glad that you are here.

Here you will find inspiration from dozens of bloggers including recipes, home DIY, gardening, decor, family fun, traveling, fitness, and so much more.

A friendly reminder to our guests that as a courtesy to the hosts, we ask that you follow every host on at least one social media channel.

If you are a blogger, then be sure to link up below. You may be our next feature!

Before we get this party started, let’s meet the hosts and check out this week’s featured favorites.


MEET THE HOSTS
  1. Ahna – HAMMERS N HUGS | FB | IG | PINTEREST
  2. Bev – ECLECTIC RED BARN | FB | IG | PINTEREST
  3. Emily – LeCULTIVATEUR FB | IG | PINTEREST
  4. Penny – PENNY’S PASSION | FB | IG | PINTEREST
  5. Sinea – DUCKS ‘N A ROW | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
  6. Tammy – MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
  7. Tara – STILETTOS AND SHIPLAP | IG | PINTEREST
  8. Denise –THISISMYEVERYBODY | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER

TOP VIEWED
VERY POPULAR


EDITOR'S CHOICE
LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!

Please follow all hosts on AT LEAST 1 of their social channels.

Add as many family-friendly posts as you would like to. NO Etsy shops, adult sites, or blog parties please.  Visit others. Caring is sharing. Like, comment, and pin posts.

Party entries appear in REVERSE. This way your entries will be seen no matter when you arrive. Please TWEET our party and invite others to join.

Let’s Party!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Monday, August 21, 2023

Weekending - August 18, 2023

It's Monday.  Who's ready for a new week?  This weekend was pretty quiet, so I'm going to share some of the things that made it nice ~

Friday night we had our church small group meeting.  It's so nice to sit with this group of people and share the word of God after a long week.  This week I bought Eric and me prayer journals to take to the gathering and have on Sundays in case we want to write something down from our church service.  Many Sundays I wish I had something to jot down something that was said in church.  Now I'm ready.  Here are the two I choose for us ~



All last week I was working on a group of wedding invitations I needed to have in the mail by the weekend.  I had purchased these tables for another event, but they came in so handy for my craft project!  We have the regular 6' folding tables, but they take up quite a bit of space.  This 4' table is perfect! The beauty is it raises up to a height that is so comfortable to stand and work.  As a bonus, it folds up for easy storage.  



Saturday afternoon we dropped in one of our favorite places - Boarding House Bistro.  We had a cocktail while sharing a flatbread and charcuterie board.  My favorite kind of lunch!


We followed up lunch with a movie.  Oppenheimer had been on our list to see for a while and we finally crossed it off the list.  It's long.  Like 3 hours long.  But good.  My prediction is it will get a Best Picture nomination and I'm betting some of the cast will also be nominated.  Very interesting story.  


Sunday we went to church and ran a few errands.  The rest of the day I spent reading as fast as I could to get our book club book read before our meeting this week.  The book was Lessons in Chemistry.  It was the second time reading it, but the first time had been some time ago and I wanted to refresh my memory so I read it again.  It was even better the second time around.


And just like that, the weekend was over.  Now it's time to get on with the week!  Hope your week is off to a wonderful start.

Friday, August 18, 2023

Five on Friday - August 18, 2023

How can it be Friday already?  It seems like I just blinked my eyes and here we are at the end of the week already.  Let’s hop right into my five for this week ~

 

1. National Fajita Day 

Today is National Fajita Day!  We’ve made sheet pan fajitas a couple of times and love them.  I use the recipe over at The Blond Cook.  You can whip up a delicious fajita meal with just a few ingredients.  It comes together so easily and quickly.  Grab some guacamole, sour cream, and black beans to top them off.  Perfect for dinner on a busy night. 



2.  The Invisible Hour
Alice Hoffman’s newest book was released this week and it sounds good!  I was hooked when they mentioned The Scarlet Letter.  Here’s the summary ~

One brilliant June day when Mia Jacob can no longer see a way to survive, the power of words saves her. The Scarlet Letter was written almost two hundred years earlier, but it seems to tell the story of Mia’s mother, Ivy, and their life inside the Community—an oppressive cult in western Massachusetts where contact with the outside world is forbidden, and books are considered evil. But how could this be? How could Nathaniel Hawthorne have so perfectly captured the pain and loss that Mia carries inside her?

 

Through a journey of heartbreak, love, and time, Mia must abandon the rules she was raised with at the Community. As she does, she realizes that reading can transport you to other worlds or bring them to you, and that readers and writers affect one another in mysterious ways. She learns that time is more fluid than she can imagine, and that love is stronger than any chains that bind you.

 

As a girl Mia fell in love with a book. Now as a young woman she falls in love with a brilliant writer as she makes her way back in time. But what if Nathaniel Hawthorne never wrote The Scarlet Letter? And what if Mia Jacob never found it on the day she planned to die?

 

Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote: “A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities.”

 

This is the story of one woman’s dream. For a little while it came true.

 

With my new job came new office equipment.  One of the items provided was an extra travel screen for my laptop.  How ingenious!  Where has this item been??  I might be the last person on earth to learn about this gadget, but just in case I’m not…  It’s lightweight and makes working from my laptop so much better!  There was a spark in my daughter-in-law’s eye when I showed it to her so I got her one for her birthday.  Whom do you know that needs one?


 

4.  Scratch Paper Art Sheets
Last weekend when we had four extra kiddos at our house, our kitchen table was transformed into a craft area.  I like to keep lots of extra things for the kids to do at the ready while I’m fixing meals or cleaning up.  One of the things that kept them busy this visit was these scratch pads.  They were a hit!  Many masterpieces were created – some using the stencils provided and others totally freehand.   They are going to be a staple in my craft supplies!


 5.  Let's all say this...


Have a fantastic weekend!  I’m wrapping up a wedding project and getting our guest rooms back in shape.  The weather is predicted to be nice and sunny, so I’m also hoping to soak up the last of the summer days before fall tumbles in.  See you back next week!   

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

It's Playtime with the Kids!

Glad you stopped by Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I talk about something on my mind and invite you to link up and do the same.  Today I'm reflecting on recent weekend guests!

Our summer has been a bit topsy-turvy this year, but one thing I knew I didn't want to let slip was a visit from our niece and nephews.  When we host these little ones, three are seven and one is four, we try to pack as much fun into our time as we can.  Here's how their visit came together ~


As soon as work was finished on Thursday, I drove to pick up the kiddos.  It was a toss-up on who was more excited, me or the kids!  


On the way back to our house, we talked about what our plans were for the next few days.  Everyone had their ideas of what they hoped we would do.  A goal to visit at least five different playgrounds was set.

Friday morning we were up bright and early.  After a breakfast of Dunkin Doughnuts, we were off to our first playground!  Truth be told, we got such an early start that our first destination wasn't open yet so I filled in the time with a stop at a playground.  Moody Park in Fairview Heights has a fantastic play area and the kids loved it!



Our next stop was Sky Zone.  The kids had been there during a previous visit and it was high on their list to return.  They ran around jumping on the trampolines, going down the slides, and trying all the other obstacles provided.  



When their two-hour ticket was up, we headed home for lunch and on to the water park.  Slight problem - when we arrived at the water park, it had already reached its capacity for the day so we couldn't get in.  My son, Ian, to the rescue!  He let us come over to their house and swim in their pool.  Honestly, I think that was a lot more fun for the kids and definitely a lot less stressful for me!


On our way home from the pool, we stopped at the splash pad (which we counted as another playground) to run through a little more water before heading home.  We were all exhausted and were in bed by 8:00 pm.  Saturday was going to be another big day and we didn't want to be tired!

Saturday morning we took the kids on a train trip!  In St. Louis, you can get on the Amtrak downtown and ride it to its first stop heading west in Kirkwood.  The trip is about 30 minutes and the perfect distance for little ones.  Eric dropped us off at the downtown station and drove the 14 miles to Kirkwood to pick us up.  Three of the four kids wanted to go, so one rode with Eric and met us at our destination.  It was the first "train trip" for them and it was a hit!



After we departed the train, everyone was hungry for breakfast.  Pancakes from Denny's fueled us and we were ready for our next stop - The Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House!  The Butterfly House is located in Faust Park.  There was a really cool playground next to the Butterfly House so we paused to play and took our playground count to three.

Inside the Butterfly House, the kids got to pet beetles and release a newly born butterfly.  Over 1,000 butterflies are floating around!





Also located in Faust Park is the historic St. Louis Carousel, built in 1921.  You can choose between the 60 horses, 4 deer, and 2 sleighs to ride on.   The kids loved it!


Our next stop was the Missouri Botanical Gardens.  I remembered that there was a pretty awesome playground inside the Gardens and this would bring our playground count to four!  Currently, the Missouri Botanical Gardens is hosting a Chihuly exhibit so selfishly I wanted to see some of the glass.  It was a win for everyone!



After the Botanical Gardens, we headed home to take a little rest.  We turned on a movie and two of the four kids fell asleep pretty quick.  One or two adults might have closed their eyes also!  When rest time was over, it was on to our next adventure - Chucky Cheese!

None of the kids had ever been to Chucky Cheese before and we might have created a monster here.  They LOVED it!  They will probably be wanting to go there every time they visit now.  We purchased an unlimited hour-long play card and the kids went wild, playing the games as fast as they could.  We paused our play after about a half hour to get something to drink and a snack, then they were right back at it.


We topped off the night by stopping at another local playground.  If you're counting, that made five and we reached our goal! It had been a full day and everyone was more than ready for baths and bed when we got home.  That is, they were ready after we topped off the day with some ice cream!


Sunday came way too fast.  The parents were coming over to take the kids back home, but before they arrived we went to another playground and revisited the splash pad.  Another thing we did every day the kids were here was go through the car wash.  We have a membership and definitely got our money's worth this week!  The kids thought it was hilarious how the suds changed colors and the smell came through the vents.  

Ian and Kayla graciously invited everyone over on Sunday for one last swim before the kids went home.  They were not even out of the driveway before we were missing their contagious laughter and their crazy energy.  

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