Happy Wednesday, friends! I'm linking up with Sheaffer and Shay for this monthly blog post. I'll jump right in!
What we're eating this week:
We had leftovers on Monday night, but made into something new. It's the second time I've made a casserole from taco meat we had leftover. I layered the bottom of the baking dish with black beans and taco meat, then added rice, a can of Rotel tomatoes, a jar of white queso and crumbled tortilla chips on top. I baked it at 350 for 30 minutes, and it was delicious! Last night Drew requested French dip sandwiches with au jus, I'm going out for dinner tonight with some friends from church and tomorrow night we'll either have fish or chicken.
I'll also be enjoying my favorite brand of peanut butter once again! My Kroger had the small jars back on their shelves and I sure did snag two of them. I feel strongly that someone needs to know this.🤣
What I'm reminiscing about:
Oh, you know...
...just the beach, these views and being with my sweet friend! She's back here now, but I haven't seen her in way too long and I miss her. We've been texting a lot and have plans to go out soon so that we can catch up.
What I'm loving:
This fan that I haul all over the house with me.
It literally is saving me right now. It's. So. Hot!
What we've been up to:
Well, I always feel like I say the same thing here, but pretty much the same. One thing that is new for me is that I'm on an interview today! Well, it's not so much an interview as it is a morning of shadowing my friend at her place of business on our town square. I'm so excited about the possibility of this! I have no idea if it's going to work out, but if it does, I'll share more when I know more. Speaking of the town square, I loved being there last week for lunch with my friends.
What I'm dreading:
I don't mean to keep talking about the weather, but August is my least favorite month of the year. We often have our hottest temperatures during this coming month. My mom in love and I made a plan yesterday that we will keep swimming at least once a week during the month. Their pool stays open until Labor day, so we've got a while to enjoy it still.
What I'm working on:
Well, other than a possible new part time job, not much. I'm keeping busy somehow, though! I'm doing all the typical house-wife things like laundry, cleaning, straightening, purging/organizing, grocery shopping, cooking, watering flowers, taking care of our pups, writing here, volunteering at church and seeing our parents regularly at least once a week. It may not sound like much, but it's enough to keep my week filled up. I've not had a full day at home in two weeks!
What I'm excited about:
I'm excited about school starting back so traffic will go back to normal. Sorry moms and teacher friends. I'm excited about fall getting closer, because it's my favorite season of all. I'm excited about a trip I have planned with my sister Lisa and the prospect of a trip with my husband. We haven't been away together in way too long. I'm excited about choir starting back at church and Wednesday Bible study.
What I'm watching/reading:
I've not been watching tv and my reading life has picked back up again. I read so much more when I don't watch anything. I do have a show that I like to watch when I go to bed, but I've seen it a hundred times, so I don't count that one.
I've been reading THE BEST BOOKS. I'll share more about what I read on Friday, but the last book I read and loved was After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It's one of the best books I have ever read and it's such a true and poignant picture of marriage and how you have to keep at it, even when the fizzle and excitement dies down. I am still thinking and talking about this book!
What I'm listening to:
Right this moment I'm listening to our dogs play. They're fighting over an antler and Oakley won the fight. Music wise, my favorite Spotify playlist is Ben Rector Radio. I also love the Coastal Grandmother station and this week I've been playing Cozy Summer Jazz.
What I'm wearing:
A bathing suit and a cover-up as often as possible. I'm wearing shorts and flowy tops. Summery dresses that are the same. As light and flowy as possible, because again with the temperatures.
What I'm doing this weekend:
I really want to go to Trader Joe's. I haven't been in a long time! I'd also love to see my Mom and Trish, since it's been two weeks and because the weather is going to be in the lower eighties.
What I'm looking forward to next month:
I already said this, but I'll be glad when school starts back. I always am ready for things to return to normal, even if I no longer have kids in school. Everything at our church shuts down during the summer months and there's less that are in attendance. I'm excited for new things going on there and just the newness of a month in general. I love a fresh start, whether it's a day, a week, a month, a season or a year. It always feels ripe with possibility.
What is something you're looking forward to in August? Another thing for me to look forward to is my mom's birthday! She's an August baby. I'd love to hear from you! Thanks for reading my blog, friends! Love to all. ❤
Good luck at your interview/ shadowing today! I know what you mean about your days filling up even without a time consuming daily activity like a job. Just the every day little things add up time wise and the days seem to fly by. I hope you're experiencing a little cool down and/ or rain. I am back in town after a few days out and was thrilled to see our forecast shows rain and cooler temps. I hope there's some of that in your forecast ;). Have a great day, friend!
ReplyDeleteYes, good luck at your shadow/interview! I am not offended that you are ready for the "normal" routine of school and fall that comes with it. I love a new school year, too. It is really exciting and I try not to forget that these kids only get each year once. They deserve for me and their teachers to be excited, too!
ReplyDeleteAgreed...I love a new month and new beginning. I hope today goes well and I'm sure hoping August doesn't get any hotter than what we've already had. Fall will be here soon!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Maria! I can't wait to hear about your trip and yay for cooler temps and rain! I do believe we have some of that in our near future. I can't wait!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy! I get that and I love the mentality that your students deserve to have excited teachers. It's so true that they only get that one year once. ❤
ReplyDeleteThanks, Marilyn! And I will second that. Here's to hoping!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to hearing about the part time job. We're actually getting some rain here this morning and a little cooler temps too and that makes me very happy. Those beach photos are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the new opportunity! I also look forward to a new school year since my life has revolved around that since I started kindergarten!
ReplyDeleteA part-time job? That sounds interesting...will look forward to hearing about that! And I really like those white shorts you have on in your photo. Remember where you got them? It's so interesting how many non-heat lovers end up in the south....I wonder if the northern states are filled with non-cold lovers (like myself)?? LOL I have leftover taco meat in my fridge and I think I see a dinner inspiration forming in my brain just now!! I wanted to thank you for all the great suggestions in Branson! I looked them all up and bookmarked them so I can share them with our friends:) That lodge looks so beautiful!! Stay cool, friend. Keep that fan close by. I keep my cardigan close by. My day consists of "put cardigan on" and "take cardigan off." Yes, it gets tiresome!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cathy! We got some rain today- I heard thunder and was startled, it's been so long. 🤣
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tanya! Gosh, it'll be a lot of change for you. Hopefully you'll quickly find your new groove and get the hang of being an empty nester!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jennifer! I got the shorts from Walmart last summer. I love them! They're pull-on and have a bit of spandex or something in them, because they're fitted without being tight. I love the length of them as well! That's funny, but you're so right. I guess maybe it's what we get tired of because we have so much of it during each season. I would bet that you're right, though!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I could help you out! We used to go there every other summer, so we're pretty familiar with the place. You'll have a great time! I love how wholesome it is there.
We were pretty lucky that we had just snagged a few of the big jars of Jiff before their recall (and that our jars didn't have any of the lot numbers they recalled); that's our favorite brand too. Those beach and pool photos look so inviting! It's been pretty hot here but I don't enjoy swimming in the lake.. our lake is pretty weedy and I'm much too nervous about any little thing that brushes up against me in the water. I hope the shadowing/ job works out!
ReplyDeleteJoanne- that is awesome that you had some to have on hand! I don't blame you on the lake thing- the only way I'll swim in one is from a boat in very deep water in the very middle of a huge one. We used to go to Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Ar when I was young...and I'd never let my dad drive us into a cove! I made him drop anchor in the middle, where he was terrified someone would run over me. 🤣
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Do you have a part time job that is in the works?! I am going to miss you if you start working!! I hope you will be able to blog the same amount!!
ReplyDeleteBri, I do! I hope it works out. I haven't heard from them yet! I will keep writing here, because it's such a hobby for me. I really do love this little community! I won't go anywhere, I promise!
ReplyDelete