I never said I had my life together. Sometimes I can get my post up on a Monday morning, and sometimes I cannot. It was a little crazy yesterday. Add in the fact that my arms are sore as shit. I decided at 9pm on Saturday night that I was going to repaint our closet. Ran out of paint half way through and ended up finishing it last night at 11pm. Can I just count that as my weekly workout? I did the ceiling and everything!
Anyways, this weekend was pretty fun. Chris and I kicked it off with a date lunch on Friday. We went to Taco Morro Loco in Avondale. I promise you, you can’t find a better taco in Birmingham than this place right here! SOOOOOOOOO damn delicious! I got the ground beef, chorizo and Pastor (pork with pineapple salsa.) Freaking delicious. We also split some cheese stuffed jalapenos and chips and salsa. We then headed over to Bargain Hunt and it was back to work for me.
Saturday morning we had a little play time outside. We had scored some great deals on sidewalk chalk last weekend at Bargain Hunt and couldn’t wait to test them out. It was around 8-9am and was already unbearably hot. We came in, did some stuff around the house and Zoe went down for a quick nap. We headed over to Chris’s parents house to catch a little of the game and stopped by Papa Sals on the way home to get some pasta for dinner. After Zoe went down and I ate….is when I started painting.
Sunday we were up and out early to make a Home Depot run and knock out our grocery shopping. Target had 20% off their fall drinks at Starbucks, so I indulged in a caramel frap. Something I rarely do. It was so delicious!!!! Zoe wanted to rock Vamparina shirts all weekend. The kid actually went to bed with her blue shirt Saturday night after she had a fit when we changed her into pj’s. You choose your battles, and that was one I didn’t have the energy for.
After a failed nap attempt, Aunt Tracy came to get Zoe for a little while. She took her and my nephews to the park and out to dinner. Zoe had soooooooo much fun!!!!! Look at her burger face. That is the exact face I make too!
While they were out, Chris and I did a Facebook Marketplace deal and got a roomba, and then decided to spontaneously grab a beer at the new brewery in Trussville before getting more paint at Sherman Williams. Slagheap opened a few weeks ago, and it is a really nice spot!!! I didn’t particularly care for the beer I ordered, the one I really wanted to try was tapped out. But they always have events and food trucks there, and the place is nice and clean. Family friendly too. I know we will be back.
We also went to Best Buy, and what do we do when we are without child? Find things to get her, of course!!! Poppy and Buttons came home with us, haven’t seen them before! She already has Vamparina, of course. They joined her entourage of Pets characters that must come everywhere with us now.
When we got back, we played outside for a little bit, had a fun bathtime….and after she went down for bed…Chris and I enjoyed steaks and Blue Bloods.
And just like that, the weekend was over and it was back to reality!
Hey there, Friday! It is about time! I am not going to lie, this week was rough. I couldn’t be happier that it is finally Friday!I usually share little snippets from the week on Fridays, but I am having to dig deep this time. A co-worker that left last year has come back and we all went to lunch on Tuesday. It felt like nothing every changed. Zoe has finally started letting us watch/listen to something other than “pets”! It has mostly been Vamparina, which she calls “anana.” But I will take the win. She has also learned how to say “fruit,” which is her favorite part of dinner every night. She has been picking up a lot of words, it seems like each week she adds a few new ones! This is such a fun age.
Favorite Creamer: About 95% of the time, I have the naturals sweet cream creamer in my coffee. I had gotten away from a lot of the flavored ones. One of my favorite drinks to order from SB is the Coconutmilk Mocha Mochiatto though…so when I saw this creamer….I knew I had to try it! It is SO GOOD! Get you some.
Favorite Recipe: I could go for a comforting bowl of pasta right now. But you know, still want to keep it within my daily points. I saw this recipe on SkinnyDish and I cant wait to try it. Pasta and bacon in one dish??? Yes, please!
Also, how amazing does this WW Peanut Butter Pie look???? It uses whipped peanut butter to cut down on calories. Sign. Me. Up.
Favorite Purchase:Laura gifted me with an Athleta gift card for my birthday. I needed some retail therapy last Friday, and decided to stop in for a browse. I instantly fell in LOVE with this Coaster Luxe Sweatshirt. The color is GORGEOUS!!!! And the material. OMG! It is so so so buttery soft. This might be the coziest thing I have ever placed on my body. It fits true to size, and even has the little thumb holes on the sleeves for extra comfort. It is so flattering on, and you can basically expect to find me in this all fall/winter.
Favorite Funnies:
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Linking up with Amanda.
Time to share some more Amazon purchases! I have ordered a few really great things lately, and I want to shout it from the rooftops!
Ruvalino Diaper Bag – Chris bought me a really nice over the shoulder Coach diaper bag when I was pregnant. I had picked it out and was super excited about it. I still love the way it works, but quickly learned once Zoe became mobile, that an over the shoulder bag is not the best thing to have! I poured over several backpack style bags online and in stores. I just couldn’t decide what was going to be the best bang for my buck. After much debate, I thought I had settled on this one. But I sent it to a mom friend and she was like oh did you see this one??? She made a comment that she liked some of the features better than her own. I decided to order it, and I am so glad that I did!!!! It looks even better in person than it does online. It feels high quality, and looks like it cost a lot more than it did. The two large pouches with double zippers fit everything I want it to and then some. I LOVE the mommy pouch, it is absolutely perfect for the few things I carry for myself. Zoe’s cup (and mine) fit in the side pouches perfectly. And since Zoe doesn’t need bottles anymore, I use the front pouch for apple sauce packets and other snack related things. I took it to work one day, and it fit all my purse items, laptop, ipad, notebook, lunchbox, power cords and everything else I needed for the day too! So you can definitely use it for other things than a diaper bag. In fact, it looks like a regular backpack, and not a diaper bag in the least bit. Which is appealing to me. I love the double handles on top, to give another way to carry or grab it. Seriously cannot be happier.
Also, the packaging was first class. It came in a wonderful protective drawstring, and even had a free gift inside. And it has a changing pad that is perfect for travel. The attention to detail is very evident. I am so tempted to order another to have for work.
Secret Life of Pets Toothbrush – A three pack for less than $5??? And they just happened to be the characters that Zoe is obsessed with right now! These are really cute and the handle is even a fun shape.
Glad Trash Bags – This might sound silly, but I love ordering these on Amazon. We can just tell Alexa to do it while we are standing in the kitchen realizing we are running low. They come in two days for free, and have a little scent to them that keeps them “Fresh” a little longer than a regular trash bag. Win. Win.
Polarspex Sunglasses – Steph and I each caused each other to go down the black hole of sunglasses on Amazon. I ended up seeing a pair she picked and cursed her for making me add them to my cart. But less than $15 and SUPER CUTE??? Sign me up!!!! I was impressed with the style/fit/quality in person. They are super comfy and I have reached for them several times.
Corsair Light Fans – This is Chris’s order, but I had to share. He rebuilt his computer recently, new tower and everything. These fans might be the coolest thing ever!!!!
Stole this from Chris….close up shot of the fans in action. There are more that run along the top.
So begins this exquisite novel about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee, and her parents are determined that she will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. But when Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, tumbling them into chaos.
I am not sure what I want to say about this book. It was so well written, and kept my attention the entire time. But, I thought it was going to be more of a mystery about what happened to Lydia. Instead it is more about the truth about her family. As a parent, it was heartbreaking and difficult to watch the parents pushing their kids to be what they wanted them to be. It was a great reminder that we can’t live vicariously through our children’s lives. They need to be their own people. Let them come up with their own ideas of what they want, and don’t put the guilt on them if it isn’t what you want. I appreciated that the side story of Marilyn’s disappearance and how it kept coming back around in the book. Another great reminder that our actions can have consequences and impact the rest of our lives. The characters can be very unlikable at times, but then you also feel sorry for them.
Bottom Line: Read it. While it can be difficult at times, the book is wonderfully written and tells a great, albeit, tragic story.
I absolutely LOVED 69 Million Reasons, the first book in this series. The second wasn’t quite as good but still enjoyable. I feel the same about this one. There were a lot of references to Outlander in this book. I don’t know what that is or anything about it, so I didn’t care for the “show not to be named” references all throughout the book. That being said, I loved Harrison’s quirky family and thought it was a fun and cute read. What I didn’t get was why they kept holding out on themselves over getting together. There wasn’t a strong enough reason in my mind.
Bottom Line: Fun, quick read.
**I received a copy of Scotland or Bust from Netgalley in Exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.**
Strange Brew by Kathy Trocheck AKA Mary Kay Andrews
When the body of a murdered microbrewer is discovered in the aftermath of a furious Halloween gale, suspicion falls on the aging “flower child” shopkeeper whom the victim put out of business. Callahan isn’t as quick to condemn a colorful local character as some law officers still on the force. But her investigative zeal is stirring up secrets that are forcing her to reassess old friendships and a one-time love—and is brewing up more lethal trouble than Callahan and her “mice” can safely swallow.
I have come to love Callahan Garrity and her House Mouse cleaning girls. I only have two more books in the series, and I am going to be so sad when I am done. I think I will be slowing my roll on these so I can come back to an old friend if I get in a rut any time soon. This one was fun, as it involved a brewery and some other places in the Little Five Points area that I remember and still exist today. I started to guess some of the mystery, but was still surprised at the very end. Just the way I like it.
Bottom Line: Such a fun cozy mystery series!!! Read it if that is your thing.
An unhappily married matron named Nora Fenway hears that her one-time clandestine lover, Christopher, is severely ill; she risks her reputation by going to visit him, but is turned away by his sanctimonious sister.
This was a quick, heartbreaking read about social duty and etiquette. Nora wants to see her lover one last time, and you can practically feel her desperation.
Bottom Line: This was a quick read, around 30 minutes. I wouldn’t go out of my way to track it down…but if you happen to come across it in the library, would be worth it.
On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day.
The premise of this book was so interesting. I am not sure if I am for or against Death-Cast to be honest? Can you imagine getting a call at 1:30am that you are going to die within 24 hours? How would you live your last day??? It really made me think a lot throughout the book. And the forging relationship between Rufus and Mateo, two different kids becoming friends over their one common thread – dying that day.
Bottom Line: Read it! This book was tragic and inspirng all at once.
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.
This has been on my TBR forever. While the book is about high school students, it touches on the deep subject of death, suicide, depression and mental illness. It shows how powerful true friendship can be. It was beautiful, tragic, heart-wrenching, and even whimsical at times. I really liked the idea of completing a school project to see the wonders of their state. I actually want to create my own list of places to locally wonder. This book, it really hits all the feels.
Bottom Line: This was such a beautiful, tragic book. Definitely has some triggers though, as it deals with mental illness and suicide. I highly recommend it.
Current Reading:
I squealed when I saw that Netgalley approved me for the newest TJR!!! I really wanted to have it finished before this link up, but that didn’t happen. I am about half way through and can tell you I am loving it! Reminds me of watching a VH1 behind the music episode.
This morning was a real shit show. Today is picture day at school, and I had an outfit for Zoe in mind this entire time so I wasn’t worried about it. I put the dress on her this morning and it was way too short!!!! Like seeing her entire bloomers too short. WTF? She just wore the dress a few weeks ago. Cue the panic! She was a real trooper as I tried on about 10 different things in her closet. I don’t buy her a lot of “nice” clothes because they get destroyed at daycare. There are only a handful of outfits that I keep for weekends/occasions. Anyways they don’t get their pictures taken until midday so I am not sure why I tried so hard. She will probably be a mess by then anyways. Toddlers, right?
Listening: Zoe’s Secret Life of Pets obsession is still going strong. The last few days she has allowed me to mix in a few other songs (of her choosing of course!!!!) to our mix. So when Taylor Swift isn’t welcoming us to New York….we are learning our ABCs and singing Wheels on the Bus. Instead of “pets pettttttts mommy” I hear “Bus! Bus! BUS!!!!!”
Working: On my fitness! But really, I have been trying to track all my food (at least during the week) in to the WW app and get my work out in every morning. Some mornings are more of a struggle than others. If I can’t seem to get it together for a good, long work out. I at least do one or two 10 or 15 minute PopSugar Workouts or work on my arms and abs. Anything is better than nothing. I am still sitting at a 10 pound loss right now, but I keep gaining and losing the same two pounds the last two weeks. My fault, of course. I YOLO’d hard this weekend and finished a bottle of wine by myself.
Excited: For fall!!! I am so ready for some cooler temps! Zoe and I grabbed a few Halloween crafts at Michael’s last weekend, and I want to hit up Hobby Lobby for some general fall ones. They are doing a lot of apple crafts and studies at school this month so maybe I can find something to tie that in. I am happy that football is back! And that the mornings are so unbearably hot anymore. Maybe we can get in a few trips to the park.
Reflecting:
And in true shit show fashion, I had the TBB post ready to add to my weekend shenanigans and totally forgot about it. So for fun, here are my answers!
Slippers: YES or NO? No, not really. I don’t like for my feet to be hot.
What is your favorite Blanket? I have a Kate Spade blanket that I got from TJ Maxx last year that I tend to use more than others.
Thin or Thick Pillow? More thin than thick. I tend to sleep on my side and a thick pillow makes my neck feel stiff.
Favorite Warm Beverage? Hot chocolate or the caramel brulee latte from SB
Robe: YES or NO? Not really. Again, I am hot natured and live in a mild climate. I have one robe that is a thin cotton material and only comes down to above my knees. I wear it when it is really really cold. But that is about three weeks a year here.
Favorite Comfort Snack Food(s)? All the dips and football finger foods!
Movies or TV Series Binge? TV Binges!!! There is nothing more satisfying!
Actual PJ’s or Leggings? I don’t own any actual PJs. I wear shorts and tshirts in the summer, and leggings in the winter and sometimes cozy sweaters.
Do you cozy up on the couch or a chair? Couch
Hoodie, T-shirt or Sweater? All of the above depending on the season!
