Friday Favorites, 2.13.2026.

 

Happy Friday (the 13th), friends! Are you superstitious? I'm not necessarily, but I do think Friday the 13th in a school on the day of Valentine's day class parties is a bit much. Think of me today when you're out doing adult things...I might be going crazy at that exact moment. I have lots of favorites from the week, though!

From the interwebs: 

I love each and every one of these images from Instagram this week! My favorite is the one that reminds us to look for the best in people. Nobody likes a mean girl, and nobody likes a Debbie Downer, either. I think smiles and kind words are life changing! This week at school, our focus has been on kindness. I adore our school counselors, and they've had some great things to say to the students on how they can carry this out each and everyday. 

Teacher treat days from our PTA are always a favorite! Please note the homemade cheddar sourdough bagel I enjoyed. They had coffee, soft drinks, energy drinks, sweet treats from Nothing Bundt Cakes and from scratch, several types of homemade bread, Babybel cheese, a tomato/cheese/basil salad, fruits and veggies, chips, granola bars, and more for us on this particular day. The offerings are always a lot and everything is delicious each month. We get these days once a month! I brought home an extra bagel when I saw there were some leftover at the end of Wednesday. 

Seeing the students again was a favorite this week. I've missed them so much! This sweet little one jumped into my arms when she saw me on Monday morning. I love getting to spend fifteen minutes with her each day, one on one. I'm so proud of her for how far she's come since August! I love getting to witness the spark in their little eyes as they learn to read and unscramble letters on a page. I would dare say it's one of the greatest joys I have in life! 

I love a themed week at school! I've worn all the Valentine's day things this week. These are the infamous earrings that Abbey gave me last year on Valentine's day that I've talked about here recently. 

It's a favorite seeing this banner displayed in our hallways at school! We were recently given this award of being one of the top ten schools in the state of Tennessee. Isn't that amazing?! 

Getting dressed for work is always a favorite! Here are my outfits from Sunday through Thursday; I didn't get a full outfit pic on Wednesday because I was running late, but I had on brown leggings, this blue and white striped button down, and the apricot colored vest from Amazon that I love. White sneakers have been my shoe of choice everyday so far this week! 

I was talking about this very thing with Chris recently; I often feel sleepy around him. Maybe this is why? I know he has said that he feels the same. 

Being busy at work is my favorite! I walked my rear end off at work Thursday morning and got this notification on my watch. I don't know how much I walked that day, but I ran for what felt like all day long.

Fifth graders can be my favorite sometimes. This was me waiting on them yesterday when I taught them.

Receiving this Eagle Award was my favorite part of the week! My friend and coworker said some incredibly nice things about me; the principal videoed me, and took pictures, and the third grade class that I was with at that moment erupted in cheers. It was the sweetest part of my week. 

What was a favorite of yours from the week? I'd love to hear from you! Thanks for reading my blog today, friends. Love to all!

Jenn 

the Wednesday hodgepodge

 

Happy Wednesday, friends! I'm here with Joyce again today for the weekly hodgepodge...this is a post that I dearly love; thank you, Joyce, for your inspiring and thought provoking questions each and every week! I'll jump right in! (And if this meme offends, I'm sorry, but I saw it on socials yesterday and about cracked up laughing. It's true!)

1. What's something recent that had you "tickled pink"? Besides my front door? Kidding, kidding. I would say something that had me ticked pink was when I went back to work on Monday. I got one of my favorite little first graders out of the car that morning in the car line and when she saw me her face lit up like fireworks. She literally jumped into my arms and told me how much she'd missed me, and wanted to know where I had been. I can't explain just what this does for my heart! `

I adore this kid. She has no idea what her words and hugs mean to me! I'm so proud of her and how far she's come since I've known her. She's reading like a little champ! 

2. A bed of roses, everything's coming up roses, every rose has its thorn, stop and smell the roses, rose-colored glasses, a rose among thorns...which rosy expression might currently be applied to your life in some way? I would say at this present moment, that everything is coming up roses in my life. I hesitate to say that, because I don't want to jinx anything. Yikes! 

3. What makes you feel loved and appreciated? I feel loved when someone hears me. An example of this would be a practical gesture or gift, like if I say something in passing, and my person or friend does just that. Two people came to mind as I wrote this: Chris and my friend and co-worker Karen. They're two of the most thoughtful people I've ever met! I feel appreciated when someone thanks me for something, or when they offer to help me. 

I asked Chris this question and here's what he said: he feels loved when his person spends quality time with him, and he feels appreciated when someone tells him thank you. He was here one night recently for dinner, and right when we started cooking, I got sick to my stomach and had to go upstairs to my room. I ended up taking a quick cool shower, because I was literally about to be sick physically. I texted him to tell him sorry and that I would be back down as soon as possible. I came downstairs twenty minutes later, and dinner was finished, and he had hand washed the dishes. Dinner was amazing! When I thanked him and hugged him for this, I remember him getting a really funny look on his face, like he was gazing at me so lovingly. Now I know why. He said he fell a little more in love with me that night.

4. A box of chocolates or a bouquet of fresh flowers: what's your pleasure? Any special plans for Valentine's day? Can I say both, please? I would pick fresh flowers, probably, because they're beautiful to look at. I do have plans for both Galentine's day on Friday night the 13th, and for Valentine's day with Chris. On Friday night, Kendra and I are going to Marilyn's house for a fun, girls only party. On Saturday night, Chris and I will eat dinner at my house and then go listen to live music at a local hang out here in town, called Nashoba. I'm excited for both!  

5. Share a favorite quote, Scripture, or song lyric relating to love. There's a song that I recently came across by Sarah Bareilles called I Choose You; there's a line (stanza?) in it that I can't stop thinking about. I'll write it out below. 

We are not perfect

We'll learn from our mistakes

And as long as it takes

I will prove my love to you

I am not scared of the elements

I am under-prepared, but I am willing

And even better

I get to be the other half of you

Tell the world that we finally got it all right

I choose you, yeah, I choose you

6. Insert your own random thought here. Here are a few random things from life lately.

I'm so proud of my school! Not only are we a National Blue Ribbon school (Google it), we recently were given this award as well. 

I loved this from Instagram this week! 

Right? Life is short, friends.

I can't wait to read your answers to the prompts later today! Thanks for being here to read my blog, friends. Love to all!

Jenn 

ten things I hate to love

 

Happy Tuesday and bonus blog post day, friends! I'm linking up with Marsha for today's bonus post on ten things I hate to love. I'll jump right in!

10: Trashy TV shows. I don't mean things that are rated M or anything, but the more drama, the better! One example of this is The Bachelor/The Bachelorette, even though I've not watched either in a long time. 

9: Drama! I hate it for myself, but I seem to be drawn to it at work or in other circumstances. Here's something about me, though...if you ask me to not say anything to someone, I won't. I have issues with not being able to trust people that I'm close to with things I confide in with them. I've had my trust betrayed one too many times. That'll burn you for sure, so I've learned to keep it all inside or to only tell my best friend. 

8: Bread! I'm a bread girl; give me starch over something sweet any day. I am glad that I make sourdough; it's almost guilt free! It's the only bread you can eat that won't raise your blood sugar level.

7: Social media! I really do dislike it a lot of the time, but I sure do love to scroll! I hate that it causes me to play the comparison game; I never want to do that. 

On the flip side of things, I love it when it's used for good, which is what I try to use mine for. I follow plenty of people who are encouraging and uplifting; I hope I am that way as well.

6: Dogs! I love them, but they sure do make a mess. I'm officially over them; I'm writing this as I'm still dog sitting for Graham. His Jack is obnoxious. 

5: Blogging! I love it so much; but man it takes a lot of time and often feels like a part-time job. That being said, I'm so grateful to have been here for the last nineteen to twenty years and for all the friends I've met here who feel like I've known them for ages. 

These are my blog-turned real life- friends! I can't wait to see these ladies again in April when we take our third annual bloggers retreat together!

4: Snacking; I hate a love/hate relationship with this. I don't think there's anything wrong with snacking in general, but I just have to be careful. If I don't eat the right type of snack, I'll often want something else right after. I prefer to not snack unless I absolutely have to; if I eat enough protein, I won't get hungry to snack between meals. 

3: Books. I love them so much; I just hate buying them. I try to refrain from buying books these days, but I've been known to purchase the ones I think I'll read again. I really enjoy buying nonfiction books, because I think they're good to glance at a second time every now and then. Plus I use them to decorate my home with, so I can justify this, right? 

2: Clothes/shoes shopping. I really try to only purchase things when I need them; I have so many clothes in my closet that I haven't worn in a long time. I discovered this when I cleaned out my closet last month! I try to not re-wear things too often, excluding pants. I always have more tops/dresses than pants. I love getting new things, but I hate having to buy something. 

This is one of the last tops I bought from Amazon, and my favorite jeans are from Halara. 

1: Having a boyfriend...I have missed having a man in my life for companionship. While I mention him here, I'm also extremely grateful that Chris is in my life, and I don't want to take that for granted. I just hate that I love it so much, you know? I'm all tied up in him and his life, and he's all up in mine as well. I get scared thinking of that sometimes, how attached and invested we both are. What if something happens? What if things change? What if the newness wears off and we find out we're not meant to be? It's a conundrum. I'm trying to just take things one day at a time and enjoying having him in my life for however long he'll be in my life. I'm trying to not overthink anything! We are definitely making future plans, though, which is so much fun.

I can't wait to read your prompts! This is my bonus blog post today, so if you want to read more, check out the next post about ways we can love ourselves. Thanks for reading here today! Love to all. 

Jenn 

inspired writing Tuesday--ways we can love ourselves

 

Happy Tuesday, friends! Once again, I'm talking about something here today that I was inspired to share based on a book I'm reading. Have you read Midlife Battle Cry by Dawn Barton? The subtitle is: Redefining the Second Half. 

Here's her Instagram account if you're interested; she's about to release another book soon.

This is a great book! I loved this one particular chapter that inspired today's post, one titled "The I Love Me Challenge". She uses this challenge every year on Valentine's day, so it's fitting to be talking about that this week. Before I start, I have always struggled with the thought or act of "self care" or "self love"...but then I got divorced. While I definitely think we should not focus too much on ourselves, I do think that if we don't love or care for our own selves, than nobody will. Nobody knows what we need like we do, right? So keep this in mind as you read. She challenges to read the prompts and think about them as you move about your day. Here are the prompts to think about: 

• What colors make you happy?
• What music stirs your soul and makes you feel alive as you listen?
• What  fragrance makes you stop, close your eyes, and breathe it in?
• What is a favorite spot, whether in your home or out in town (a coffee shop, bookstore, etc.)
• What songs make you want to dance?
• What is your favorite facial feature?
• What is your favorite feature on your body? We should thank God for the bodies He gave us.
• What books take you away?
• What is your favorite or best time of day?
• Who needs to hear that you're thinking of them?
• How can you up your hair and makeup regimen today?
• What would an ideal day look like to you?
• Think about purchasing new under things.
• What is your favorite way to move your body?
• What's your go to outfit to make you feel fabulous?
• Who fills your cup?
• What's your favorite meal?
• Where would you like to travel?
• Do you know what makes you feel loved?
• What are your gift? (Consider searching spiritual gifts for this one.) 

Here are a few of my answers to these:

Color makes me happy! I used to love to have color painted on my walls at home, but not anymore. I love for everything to be neutral, as far as paint, and then I add pops of color around my house.

I love to dress in color as well! Once January comes, I'm ready to be bright and colorful everyday that I can. 

I don't dress to impress others; it's taken me 49 years to get to the point of having my own, unique style, and I love it so much. I dress in things that I feel confident in; one reason I wear leggings a lot is because I love my legs and consider them my best body feature. I also dress for comfort while also wanting to look put together and cute. I wear jewelry all the time, I always have on at least a little bit of makeup, and I consider shoes part of the package. I usually reach for platform sandals in the summer or sneakers when it's cold.

Regarding fragrance, do you have one that you love or that's a 'signature' scent? 

I have two signature scents: one smells like summer and gets worn in the warmer months; the other is vanilla/sandalwood/pistachio based and gets worn in the fall and winter. I have one expensive perfume, and it's the small bottle above with the gold filigree on the front, by Dolce & Gabbana. Sometimes when I don't want to wear perfume, I'll wear the hair perfume by Kitsch. I love this stuff, and get complimented on it a lot. I also get complimented on the other perfumes I mentioned; the STTS ones pictured above are from Amazon and are very inexpensive but yummy smelling. Here's a link.

The things I talked about today are things that make me happy, making them ways I can love myself. I think this is something that's important for all of us...especially as our lives change with age and an empty nest.

Of the questions listed above, how do you love yourself using those prompts? I'd love to hear from you! Thanks for reading my blog today, friends! Love to all. 

Jenn