Penny's Passion

Sunday, November 10, 2024

What We Did in October 2024

We had a great October! Today I'm sharing the recap ~

The first weekend of the month, we traveled to Jefferson City, stopping in Fulton, Missouri, along the way. Our nephew had a football game on Saturday morning, and we were thrilled to see him on the field. Adding to the excitement, our niece was the cutest little cheerleader, making it so much fun to watch them both in action!

After the game, we took a short trip to Jefferson City, the capital of Missouri, to visit our friend Donna. I've seen the Capitol building countless times, but it never fails to look so striking!

Donna and I have been friends since college. It was so fun spending a few days with her and get caught up. After a little lunch, we were off to do some retail therapy. Jefferson City has some adorable shops downtown! A few of our favorites are Southbank Gift Company, Carrie's Hallmark Store, and Shaefer House.

Saturday night we had the perfect weather to sit outside and listen to the Shiloh Country Band at the Pierpoint General Store.

On Sunday we enjoyed more great weather and music at Porchfest. Eric and I had never been to a Porchfest event and it was so fun. In case you're not familiar with Porchfest, a street is shut down and entertainers sit on people's porches and yards to play their music. You wander up and down the street and stop whenever someone's music interests you. It was a great weekend!

The following week we celebrated our friend Jill's birthday. I love having a reason to celebrate friends and dine out at one of our favorite restaurants! Jill chose Eleven Eleven Mississippi. So good!

We had an opportunity to spy the northern lights mid-month. This was the second time we had luck seeing them through our phone cameras. Someday I'd still like to be in a location to see them with the naked eye.

The second weekend of the month, we visited my friend Sherri in Monticello, Illinois. Monticello is a charming city with a beautiful town square. On Friday night, we enjoyed an outdoor dinner at one of the restaurants on the square. Saturday, we explored Allerton Park and Recreation Center—a true hidden gem!

The grounds of Allerton are fascinating, with magnificent sculptures scattered throughout. I’d love to visit again in the spring when all the flowers are in bloom.

We attempted to catch a glimpse of the comet but couldn’t see it. Instead, we enjoyed a lovely sunset picnic with friends and took in a fantastic view as the sunset.

Our porch has been transformed with fall decor, and I shared all the details on my blog HERE.

Our son and daughter-in-law joined us for the Alzheimer's Walk. Thanks to all my friends who donated to this amazing cause. If you'd like to contribute to finding a cure, you can donate HERE.

Now that October is behind us, we are embracing November! The holiday season is quickly going to be upon us and I'm trying to get as organized as possible so we can truly enjoy the season. Keep your eyes out for some fun gift list ideas I'll be sharing on the blog soon.

Thursday, November 7, 2024

Five on Friday - November 8, 2024

Hi there! Thanks for popping in today for Five on Friday. Before we dig into my five for today, I have a disclosure about something I shared last week. I was so excited to see the movie Here with Tom Hanks. We went over the weekend and, as hard as I tried, I didn't like it at all. I'd love to hear from you if you saw it and liked it. Maybe I missed something. Now, to my five for today ~

1. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

We've seen the previews for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and it looks so cute! It seems like a heartwarming, fun story that really brings out the true spirit of the holiday season. I'm looking forward to seeing this one! Here's the summary ~

The Herdmans are absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, they steal, they bully…and now they’ve hijacked the town Christmas pageant. Directed by Dallas Jenkins (“The Chosen”) and based on the international bestseller by Barbara Robinson, THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER follows six siblings who sneak into church searching for snacks and walk away with the lead roles in the town pageant. Grace (Judy Greer) is directing the performance for the very first time; she and her daughter Beth (Molly Belle Wright) and husband Bob (Pete Holmes) are in over their heads, especially against a town that wants them to kick the Herdmans out. But the play’s mischievous stars might unwittingly teach a community the true meaning of Christmas. Featuring Lauren Graham. Screenplay by Ryan Swanson and Platte F. Clark & Darin McDaniel.

2. Food Warming Mat

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and many of us are mapping out our cooking game plans. Have you come across these warming mats? They’re perfect for easing the stress of keeping dishes warm. With three temperature settings, they not only keep your food at the ideal temperature but can also be handy for defrosting items too.

Available HERE

3. Mary Kay TimeWise Repair Volu-Firm Day Cream

I recently switched to a Mary Kay face cream, which is always a bit of a leap for me due to my very sensitive skin. This day cream, however, was recommended for sensitive skin, and I’m happy to say I've had no issues with it! The results are noticeable—it not only reduces the appearance of previous skin damage but also provides protection against UVA and UVB damage. If you're looking for a new day cream, this one is definitely worth looking at!

Available HERE

4. Advent - The Weary World Rejoices

Some friends and I are planning to do an advent Bible study this year and will be using this book. If you are looking for an advent study, this might be the book for you too. Here's the summary ~

Experience the Christmas season anew this year with this 5-session study on Advent, why we celebrate it, and how it fuels our worship of Jesus. Understand the anticipation and waiting the Old Testament world endured. And experience the joy of new life signaled by the coming of Christ, and the way Advent points to the glory of God still to come. First released in 2019, this study is expanded with tools for Scripture memory to help you savor this Advent season.

Features:  Beautiful, full-color designed pages to ready participants for the Christmas season
Personal study segments to complete between 5 weeks of group sessions
Weekly activities for adults, teens, and kids
Tips to guide discussion within small groups

Benefits: Fuel your worship of Christ with a deeper understanding of Advent
Grasp God’s character and His work on behalf of His people, in the past and present, as a catalyst to a more intimate relationship with Him
Learn how to practically extend joy, hope, peace, and love to others during the holiday season

Available HERE

5. Decluttering...

Enjoy your weekend! I'm hosting a dinner tonight before an event at our church. Looking forward to having so many friends in one place! Then the rest of the weekend we are wide open. The thought has crossed my mind to start bringing out our Christmas decorations. Too soon??

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

What I Read in October 2024

Hello! Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday, where I share what's on my mind and invite you to join in and do the same. Since it's the first Thursday of the month, I'll be talking about the books I read last month. October was a fantastic reading month! Here are the books I finished ~

When We Were Friends by Jane Green

Jane Green's short story was a thoughtful read. I'm starting to really like reading short stories. You can start and finish the entire book before you even roll out of bed! Here's the summary ~

By all accounts, Lucy’s handled her divorce well. She’s finally in the cozy, plant-filled house of her dreams. And although she doesn’t fit in with the other divorcées—all busy looking for their next ex—she’s excited to get down to earth and savor the small joys of life.

When Lucy meets Elle, a hip younger woman who shares her same passions, their connection is instant. Taking a chance on kismet, Lucy forges a friendship that fills her days with meaning. She and Elle are inseparable, from sunup to sundown, enjoying the immediate ease and familiarity of each other’s company.

But as Lucy introduces Elle to her circle, a new side of her friend appears. And try as she might, Lucy can’t ignore her misgivings. Who is Elle really? And can their all-consuming friendship survive closer inspection?

Available HERE

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

The entire premise of this book was incredibly intriguing to me. After hearing Jodi Picoult discuss it on a webcast, I immediately bumped it to the top of my TBR list. You'll need to settle in to read this one - it's 525 pages long! Here's the summary ~

Young playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. But seeing it performed is unlikely, in a theater world where the playing field isn’t level for women. As Melina wonders if she dares risk failure again, her best friend takes the decision out of her hands and submits the play to a festival under a male pseudonym.

In 1581, young Emilia Bassano is a ward of English aristocrats. Her lessons on languages, history, and writing have endowed her with a sharp wit and a gift for storytelling, but like most women of her day, she is allowed no voice of her own. Forced to become a mistress to the Lord Chamberlain, who oversees all theatre productions in England, Emilia sees firsthand how the words of playwrights can move an audience. She begins to form a plan to secretly bring a play of her own to the stage—by paying an actor named William Shakespeare to front her work.

Told in intertwining timelines, By Any Other Name, a sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire centers two women who are determined to create something beautiful despite the prejudices they face. Should a writer do whatever it takes to see her story live on . . . no matter the cost? This remarkable novel, rooted in primary historical sources, ensures the name Emilia Bassano will no longer be forgotten.

Available HERE

Friends with Secrets by Christine Gunderson

Friends with Secrets surprised me in a very good way. The more I read, the more I fell in love with this book. If you like a little humor with your suspense, this is the book for you.

What you see isn’t always what you get.

Take Ainsley. The gorgeous mother of two lives a picture-perfect life with her husband, Ben—aspiring politician and heir to a candy fortune—in suburban Washington, DC. But in reality, Ainsley has no idea what she’s doing and is terrified someone will figure out who she really is and where she came from.

Nikki’s fighting to keep afloat as a stay-at-home mother of four, subsisting on chicken nuggets and very little sleep. She’s a mess on the outside, and inside yearns for the validation—and the paycheck—of the television news career she left behind.

When a dangerous figure from Ainsley’s past becomes a coach at her kids’ school, she fears the worst and confides in Nikki, spilling every detail of her former life.

Together, they devise a plan to expose the coach and safeguard their kids. But can they protect their own lives—and their new friendship—in the process?

Available HERE

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

At the start, this book reminded me a lot of The Measure. While it did diverge as it went on, the similarities remained strong enough that I was disappointed; it felt like the author had reused an idea that was already done. By the end, I did end up liking it, but it took most of the book to get there.

Life is full of twists and turns you never see coming. But what if you did?

The plane is jam-packed. Every seat is taken. So of course the flight is delayed! Flight attendant Allegra Patel likes her job—she’s generally happy with her life, even if she can’t figure out why she hooks up with a man she barely speaks to—but today is her twenty-eighth birthday. She can think of plenty of things she’d rather be doing than placating a bunch of grumpy passengers.

There’s the well-dressed man in seat 4C who is compulsively checking his watch, desperate not to miss his eleven-year-old daughter’s musical. Further back, a mother of two is frantically trying to keep her toddler entertained and her infant son quiet. How did she ever think being a stay-at-home mom would be easier than being a lawyer? Ethan is lost in thought; he’s flying back from his first funeral. A young couple has just gotten married; she’s still wearing her wedding dress. An emergency room nurse is looking forward to traveling the world once she retires in a few years, it’s going to be so much fun! If they ever get off the tarmac. . . .

Suddenly a woman none of them know stands up. She makes predictions about how and when everyone on board will die. Some dismiss her. Others will do everything they can to make sure her prophecies do not come to pass. All of them will be forever changed.

How would you live your life if you thought you knew how it would end? Would you love who you love or try to love someone else? Would you stay married? Would you stop drinking? Would you call up your ex-best friend you haven’t spoken to in years? Would you quit your job?

Available HERE

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

I love Abby Jimenez's books, and Yours Truly was no exception! Her stories are always fun, easy reads with characters you can’t help but fall in love with. Here's the summary ~

Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin’-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass” scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter.

And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,” and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor . . . especially when he calls in a favor she can’t refuse.

Available HERE

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

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - November 6, 2024

Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop! We are so glad that you stopped by.

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

Bev – ECLECTIC RED BARN | FB | IG | PINTEREST
Penny – PENNY’S PASSION | FB | IG | PINTEREST
Sinea – DUCKS ‘N A ROW | FB | IG | PINTEREST | X
Tammy – MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST | X | YOUTUBE
Denise – THIS IS MY EVERYBODY | FB | IG | PINTEREST | X | YOUTUBE

TOP VIEWED

Tablescape Thrifting

VERY POPULAR

Making Life Easier With New Christmas Decor

Are You Ready for Some Thanksgiving Inspiration?

EDITOR'S CHOICE

10 Best Recipes to Use Leftover Halloween Candy

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Five on Friday - November 1, 2024

It's November! Holy smokes - how did that happen so fast?!? Glad you're here to welcome in the month and to read my Five on Friday post. Let's get right to it ~

1. Time Change Weekend

Who's ready for an extra hour this weekend? I'm all for it! Remember, this is the weekend to set your clocks back by one hour. Technically, clocks should be set back at 2:00 a.m. early Sunday morning, but we usually adjust them on Saturday night before heading to bed. What are you going to do with your extra hour? Whether it’s sleeping in, reading a book, or pampering yourself, make the most of your time!

2. Here

Tom Hanks and Robin Wright reunite in the new movie Here, and I couldn’t be more excited! First off, it’s Tom Hanks—does he ever make a bad movie? And then there’s Robin Wright. I loved her in Forrest Gump, so I can’t wait to see her in this role. Here’s a quick summary ~

Reuniting the director, writer and stars of Forrest Gump, Here is an original film about multiple families and a special place they inhabit. The story travels through generations, capturing the most relatable of human experiences. Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Castaway, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Contact, Back to the Future) directs from a screenplay by Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, Killers of the Flower Moon, Dune, A Star is Born) and him. Told much in the style of the acclaimed graphic novel by Richard McGuire on which it is based, Tom Hanks and Robin Wright star in a tale of love, loss, laughter and life, all of which happen right Here.

3. MXY Arbor House Gel Remover

It doesn't matter how hard I try, we still end up with mildew in the corners of our shower. I usually have Eric strip away all the caulk and start over. But now I've found a new solution! After seeing several ads for this MXY Arbor House gel, I purchased a tube from Amazon. I was amazed at what a great job it did! The label says to leave it on for 10-15 hours, so I put it on after we showered in the morning. By the afternoon, my shower was completely mildew free! This product is definitely becoming a household staple!

Available HERE

4. The Grey Wolf

Are you a reader of the Chief Inspector Gamache series? Well, book number 19 was released this week! Here's the summary ~

Relentless phone calls interrupt the peace of a warm August morning in Three Pines. Though the tiny Québec village is impossible to find on any map, someone has managed to track down Armand Gamache, head of homicide at the Sûreté, as he sits with his wife in their back garden. Reine-Marie watches with increasing unease as her husband refuses to pick up, though he clearly knows who is on the other end. When he finally answers, his rage shatters the calm of their quiet Sunday morning.

That's only the first in a sequence of strange events that begin THE GREY WOLF, the nineteenth novel in Louise Penny's #1 New York Times-bestselling series. A missing coat, an intruder alarm, a note for Gamache reading "this might interest you", a puzzling scrap of paper with a mysterious list—and then a murder. All propel Chief Inspector Gamache and his team toward a terrible realization. Something much more sinister than any one murder or any one case is fast approaching.

Armand Gamache, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, his son-in-law and second in command, and Inspector Isabelle Lacoste can only trust each other, as old friends begin to act like enemies, and long-time enemies appear to be friends. Determined to track down the threat before it becomes a reality, their pursuit takes them across Québec and across borders. Their hunt grows increasingly desperate, even frantic, as the enormity of the creature they’re chasing becomes clear. If they fail the devastating consequences would reach into the largest of cities and the smallest of villages.

Including Three Pines.

Available HERE

5. Think about it...

Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy your extra hour! The weather here on Saturday looks perfect for hiking so I'm hoping we can make that happen. It's supposed to rain here on Sunday so I'll save our inside chores for then. See you next week!

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Switch Witch!

Hello! Thanks for stopping by Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I share something on my mind and invite you to link up and do the same. Today is Halloween! That's what I'm thinking out loud about today.

Have your kids been to one too many Trunk or Treats, leaving your house overflowing with candy? There's a Halloween idea that's been circulating that I wish I'd known about when my son was younger. Have you heard of the Switch Witch? If not, here’s how it works: let your kids keep a small stash of candy, then invite the "Switch Witch" to come by and take the rest. In exchange, the Switch Witch leaves a little non-candy treat behind. Genius, right?

If this is a new concept at your house, there is The Switch Witch book that can explain the whole thing. Here's the book summary ~

Mrs. Switch is no ordinary witch. She has the power to create a healthier Halloween that boys and girls look forward to each year. Come and read how a little boy named Gavin learned about this special magic--the magic of the Switch Witch. Read the legend/myth and create a Halloween tradition in your home. Your kids will love to see it in print and read the story over and over. The Switch Witch fosters creativity and healthier living.

Available HERE

The Switch Witch is a clever idea for several reasons:

Reduces Sugar Intake: It helps limit the amount of candy kids consume after Halloween, making it easier to avoid sugar overload while still letting them enjoy a bit of their haul.
Encourages Healthy Choices: By swapping out candy for a fun, non-sugary treat, the Switch Witch can help reinforce the idea that treats don’t always have to be sweets.
Makes a Fun Tradition: Kids get excited about the magic of the Switch Witch, turning the post-Halloween cleanup into a special event instead of a candy war.
Promotes Sharing and Giving: The act of giving up some candy can help kids learn about generosity, especially if the extra candy goes to a local charity, community center, or even troops overseas.
Reduces Clutter: For parents, it's a simple way to keep candy overflow under control, making the post-Halloween season feel more manageable.

It’s a win-win that helps families enjoy Halloween without the excess sugar and adds a fun tradition to look forward to each year!

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

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - October 30, 2024

Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop! We are so glad that you stopped by.

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