Back in the summer, we made plans for our yearly fall trip to the beach. In years past, we’ve alternated between the Florida pan-handle area of Cape San Blas and with Hilton Head, SC. We chose Cape San Blas again because it’s very secluded and very pet-friendly. But those plans changed. The aftermath of Hurricane …
Posts from: 2018
I’m not sure when I blinked and November was staring me in the face. But the calendar on my phone reads Nov 1st, so here it is! We are deep into the holiday season around here. For an elementary teacher, the holidays officially begin Oct. 1st. Unofficially, I start seasonal fun in mid-September with our …
We did this at school today! A few years ago, I decided to carve a pumpkin with kindergarteners and I look forward to it every year. I teach at a school with kids who live in poverty, are transient, and have few early childhood experiences. Some of my kids had carved a pumpkin before today. …
This year at our school, we have been challenged to do more things together as a faculty. These social events are meant to bring us together outside of the school walls and be real people with each other. Often, we get boxed into these little categories of teacher-hood and we decided to try to branch …
When people begin experimenting with a keto eating plan, one of the most mourned dishes on the “don’t” list is mashed potatoes. Especially around the holidays when traditional family recipes are on the horizon, telling Grandma that you want mashed cauliflower is just plain sad. I’m sure the responses have been less than enthusiastic. In …
Last week, I mentioned that we needed new bedding. It’s here! L.L.Bean’s ultra soft flannel sheets are the best I’ve found. No pilling, no fading, and they last forever. I needed a new fitted sheet in King to fit the super tall new Queen mattress we got when we moved in last year. The king …
When I was working on my post for a Fun, not Frazzled Fall, I mentioned nutrient-dense foods like salmon. I had that on my mind for a few days and finally went by the store to get a couple of filets for us. I have a few tried-and-true recipes that we both love with baked …
For some people, fall is a time for excitement. Those of us in the South, fall means bearable weather. It means air that doesn’t smother us on a daily basis. Breathing clearer is a reason for excitement. Fall means comfy clothes, hot drinks, shorter days and not complaining at all about quiet nights at home. …
Let me just start with these words from this book. “If you’re unhappy, that’s on you” And with those smacking in your face words, Rachel Hollis really takes empathy and self-pity by the proverbial throat and doesn’t let go. I will have a full book review later since I did receive this book for review …
Several years ago, I managed to drag Stephen to the beach in the fall. He has always loved the mountains and never wanted anything to do with the beach. His visions of the beach included sitting outside in scratchy sand in the middle of the hottest part of an Alabama summer. But then we went …
With the shorter days upon us, I find myself craving the sheet pan dinners that work best on busy weeknights. I love the simplicity of the vegetables and bacon. And I love experimenting with various flavors for the dressing to coat before roasting. This is very easy but packed with flavor. I loved freshly shaved …
A day off from work calls for cake for breakfast. I made this last night for our church group and it was even better today. This is my regular baby food spice cake with a caramel frosting and praline pecans. Since I had the morning to myself, I stayed in pajamas, made coffee, and sat …
The previous two years, I sort of missed out on “fall”. We were living in an RV while building this house. We moved in Nov 5th, 2017 and I immediately started decorating for Christmas. I think I had a naked Christmas tree standing up on the day we signed the papers and hauled in a …
Atlas was so excited about game day, he fell asleep during SEC Nation. The Alabama-Arkansas game was at 11:00 am and let’s just say I was still in pajamas at 11am on a hot muggy day. I didn’t get out this morning due to the broken finger I’m now dealing with. Leash incident with Atlas. …
October favorites!! I view October as my gateway drug to Christmas. All the fun stuff gets geared up in October. It’s a time to focus on the fun ahead and yet prepare myself for the chaos of the next 3 months. I’m talking about cleaning out stuff, taking vitamins for Black Friday training, writing down …
Let’s be perfectly honest. I’m a teacher. I work with little (ie…messy) kids all day. I work in a very old musty building which explains a LOT about my allergies/sinus infections but that’s a whine for another day. I’m not exactly the best candidate for fashion advice. I’m likely to steer you wrong. Like…totally wrong. …
I always have lofty goals for October. This year is no different. Every year, I sit down in the week between Christmas and New Year and put in some time on long-term blog planning. I never seem to remember just how life-draining August and most of September is for a teacher. Literally, all other parts …
Before the holi-crazy takes off, I’m building a list of easy-and-keto meals to use during the week so I can limit the nights of aimless snacking on party foods. I had a dish similar to this in Estes Park, Colorado this summer. It has been on my mind since June and I finally made it …
I LOVED this book by Donna Grant. After reading this one, I went back to read the first book in the Heart of Texas series. This had a great balance of mystery and romance without being too over-the-top in either category. You do not have to read the first book, The Christmas Cowboy Hero, to …
What’s this about? Dagger’s Edge is the second book in the Brute Force series by Lora Leigh. The first one is Collision Point and I highly recommend reading that one first. Ivan Resnova is a former mob boss and one bad dude. He’s tired of his brutal ways and is ready to make some …