Happy Friday, friends! I'm linking up with Andrea and Erika for today's favorites blog post. How has your week been, friends? I had a sneaking suspicion that my week was going to fly by and it did. I worked in our office for two days this week, but on Tuesday I worked from home and it was GLORIOUS. I did not get out of my pajamas until after lunch. I can't tell you when the last time was that my morning went like that. Actually, yes I can—it was before I started working. I'm not complaining! I still LOVE my job and am so grateful to have it. Also, having a little bit of extra money is both mine and Todd's favorites.
This was me about to get started with some work on Tuesday.
Speaking of Todd, last night was my favorite night. We went to dinner, then we ran by UPS so that I could return something, then we ended our fancy night out at Costco. It was fun and multi-purposeful. He had to exchange something and I wanted to shop with him for food for them all for dinner at night while I'm gone next week. I always like to leave home with plenty of things for everyone to eat. I hate the thought of them having to eat out and spend all that extra money, so I like to leave a well stocked pantry, fridge and freezer. I have to take care of my guys!
Favorite nights at home consist of us watching a show together, or even him watching something while I read a book. I would say it's the dogs' favorite as well, since they're always so happy to lounge around us while we sit. Todd and I are both such homebodies and we love evenings just like this. The only thing better would be if a fire was burning in the fireplace. We love wintry nights even more, because we love to have a fire going a lot. It's so cozy. We move the dog beds when we do that, though, because all of the crackling scares them.
It's my favorite thing in the world that my mom and I always text pictures to each other of our haircuts. I sent this to her after I had mine trimmed on Tuesday. I will say that getting a haircut is never my favorite. I always hate it immediately after, because even an inch makes a difference in the curls and this time was no different. It always takes some getting used to, but I'm already adjusting and I feel better about it now than I did on this day. I had to wash it last night so that I could have my own stuff in it to make it do right.
Can you even believe that it's almost October?! I cannot. I'm not sure where September went, but time should slow down now.
I've talked a lot this week about one of my favorite online activities—browsing and pinning on Pinterest. Did you know they have great screensavers for your phone? They do! I enlarge it a bit by zooming in a little, then I take a screenshot, then I edit the screenshot in my phone's gallery. From then I use it as my lock screen and my wallpaper. Isn't this one cute? I like to change it out from month to month, but I really love the neutral pumpkins on this one. Do you follow me on Pinterest? Here's a link to do that, if you want. I have some great pins and boards!
It's no secret that blogging is one of my favorite things. One thing I love about it is what you see here—the brainstorming and planning phase. I always start a draft and I always write a post at least 24 hours in advance. Having a blog notebook and schedule has changed how I write and the frequency in which I do so. I write out each month with the five days of each week and title the posts I know that happen each week. I almost always have Tuesdays and Wednesdays free, unless it's the beginning of a month and there are other link parties I want to join in. It's fun doing this! At least, for me it's fun. The other thing I do is that I try to comment back on each comment, even if the reader never sees it. When I see an odd number of comments, it makes me a little crazy, so I try to stay on top of that.
Monday night was also a favorite night this week. We had a family dinner for the first time in AGES. Even Drew came home. I made their favorite thing—gilbertini. I don't know if this is a real recipe or if it's something my sister Lisa made up. Either way, it's delicious. I brown a pound of breakfast sausage and cook some penne pasta at the same time. I drain most of the water from the pasta, add in the sausage, two jars of alfredo sauce, a pinch of salt and a dash of garlic, then top it all with parmesan and mozzarella and bake it at 350 for thirty minutes. I served it with garlic breadsticks and salad. I made two pans and by Wednesday night, all of it was gone.
All of the inspiration I am seeing on Pinterest is my favorite! I'm just a little extra happy seeing things like these above images. Isn't that outfit so cute? I am so ready for the fall weather and I'm excited to experience that in New England this coming weekend and next week. I mentioned already this week that when my plane lands in Boston on Saturday, it will be 63 degrees! I am so excited I can hardly wait. I will end on that note, along with the reminder of a couple of things. One is that I am taking a blog break all of next week while I'm away, so I will see you back here on Monday, October 3rd. I'll miss you!
Secondly, I'd also like to remind and invite you to participate with the upcoming "currently" link I have coming up on Wednesday, October 5th. In October, we'll be talking about what we're currently anticipating, admiring, spending/consuming, wanting, and purging/deleting. I appreciate my friend Jennifer for sharing some recommendations for topics! I know many of you write and plan out your posts weeks in advance, so I hope I've given you enough time to consider joining me next month. That is a fun little link party with lots of friends who link up. I love going and reading everyone's, so consider this your formal invitation to join in with us.
Lastly, in case you missed out on any of my blog posts this week, here they are for you below.
Tell me something good about your week, friends—I'd love to hear from you! As always, thank you for reading my blog, for always being so sweet to encourage me with your kind words and for being my friend. I consider all of you just that and I always hope you know I mean it and that I pray for all of you often. Love to all! I'll see you back here the week after next. 😘
I will miss your blog next week, but breaks are good and I can't wait to hear about the trip! The Gilbertini sounds great! I make a Ziti with ground beef, penne, and one jar of marinmara and one jar of alfredo. It's really good, too. Pasta bakes are so nice for a crowd or to take to a friend who needs a meal. My friend's son raved and still talks about this dish that I made them once.
ReplyDeleteNice that you got to go to Costco together to stock up, too!
63 will feel like a dream!
I hope the forecast stays great and that Boston does not disappoint though I'm not too worried about the latter ;). Looking forward to hearing about it. Will miss you and posts in the blogosphere! That is cool that you can work from home sometimes. There is something fun and different about being able to work in PJ's, eat a snack or lunch by going to your pantry instead of relying on whatever you brought in, etc. Speaking of food, when I leave town by myself or just one other member, I always try to leave with plenty of meals already prepared for those who will be at home. Have a great day getting ready to go and a wonderful trip!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy! I will enjoy every second. My sister and I were planning even until late last night and have changed some things up. Your dish sounds delicious too! I'll have to try that. I bet they were raving about that! Their friends always love this dish as well and I almost always make two, because it's even better as leftovers. I hope you have a good day, my friend!
ReplyDeleteMaria, I'm like you- I don't think Boston will disappoint. There is something so nice about working at home, you're right, for all of those reasons. I know the dogs liked me being here as well, because they kept coming in to check on me. Ha! Thanks, friend! I hope you have a great day and weekend!
ReplyDeleteHave the BEST time away, friend!!! One of my favorites from the week was walking into my 14yo's room yesterday and accidentally noticing her "to-do" list. It was all things for her to do for ME to make my birthday special. It melted my heart.
ReplyDeleteLove your pumpkin photo. My daughter just painted a picture very similar to that. When you have time you should check her out on Instagram at klsg.art. She's been invited to participate in an art show in the Tampa area in early October. Anyway, I like you photo and her painting. lol
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a wonderful trip and also that you'll share with us a lot of photos as I've never been in New England. Take care and "see" you when you come back.
I'm so glad you had some down time at home in preparation for your trip. That recipe looks so delicious and easy too! You will be missed next week, but look forward to hearing about the trip. Enjoy!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy your trip! It was downright chilly today in CT with temps never getting above 55 and oh so windy. But we still went on a nice long hike anyway and the sun was shining so it was all good. Leaves are just starting to change over too so you might see some pretty leaves on the trees!
ReplyDeleteWell hello friend! I am finally at this computer and catching up with my friends! Your haircut looks super cute. Love those curls!!:) I hope you have a great time on your trip. It sounds like so much fun! Glad you were able to get in a family dinner night before you left. Which sounds delicious by the way. Will be interesting to see how much of that stocked food is gone when you return. I used to do that all the time - often I even cooked/baked/etc before leaving - and would come to over half of it still there. I quickly learned....
ReplyDeleteGoing to read the rest of this week's posts. You might see some comments from moi!!:)
I hope you have a wonderful time in New England. I think that your hair looks lovely but I know what you mean about hating it immediately after. Every time I get mine cut I hate the way that it gets blow-dried. I'm not sure if I don't communicate what I want very well but I always walk out of the hairdresser with my sunglasses on and hope that I don't bump into anyone I know. I usually end up washing it and styling it myself the very next day.
ReplyDeleteYour living room looks so cozy and that pasta dish looks so good! I follow you on Pinterest now :) I use paper /pencil calendar to plan out my blog posts...I like to see the whole month on a page at a time. I hope you have a great week.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bri! Awww! That is awesome. How sweet of her! I know your heart melted over that.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cathy! I'll have to check her out!
ReplyDeleteMarilyn- thanks, friend! You should try it sometime. It's a crowd pleaser!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joanne! That sounds amazing. I am such a cold weather gal!
ReplyDeleteHello, Jennifer! I've missed you around here. Thanks for that! It was interesting to come home to...they'd actually eaten most of what we bought. I ended up making a dinner for everyone on Thursday night, since I was home early and they were all super appreciative. I hope your week has been good!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ruth! Isn't that funny? I usually also leave with wet hair and hurry out the door and jump into my car.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jen! I love to plan that way as well, with good old pen and paper. My little notebook is half full now! I will definitely keep it up, scheduling the posts ahead of time. I don't think I could ever go back.
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