4 glorious days off!

Did you all have an amazing Thanksgiving?!?

We did!

Thursday we got up and had an asiago cheese breakfast bake (soo good!) before lacing up our hiking boots and checking out the trails at Don Robinson State Park. This park has been on my radar for awhile so I was glad we got to go explore. After that, we had a zoom call with my family before diving into our meal courtesy of White Box Catering. We used them for Easter so when Turkey was the same situation I jumped on board. It was perfect!

Friday was decorate for Christmas day and things around the house. Done & done! I can't believe I got it all done in one day. Later that evening we helped my Dad at our church's tree lot. It was fun, got lots of steps in, easily stayed socially distanced and sold 30 trees in 3 hrs. Pretty good for the 1st day!

Saturday we kicked booty early with friends at camp before tackling our biggest project of the weekend...painting our kitchen cabinets. When we moved in 4 years ago we could tell they needed touching up but it wasn't something we needed to do immediately as other projects came to light first. So we found paint, cleaned, primed and oh my got it done in the course of 12 hrs and it looks like a whole new kitchen now - I love it!

We were exhausted after it all but it looks so much better!

Sunday my body finally let me sleep in as it was a day of nothing. Got groceries and meal prep done, addressed Christmas cards and just odds n ends. We dropped a meal off for a friend who is battling covid and that gave us a chance to drive around downtown and see all the new stuff up and about. We also drove through the Anheuser Busch Brewery lights. Its only drivable this year so its short but still neat to see all lit up:

Pretty good 4 days in my book!

I do not want to go back to work!! Keith was told to work from home the next 3 days so I wish I have that luxury but I do not.

I got a lot of criticism from certain people in my life about our decision on how to celebrate the holiday and it stung but you know what? I know what we did was safe for us, safe for my immediate family and thats what matters. I don't care about quantity, especially when it was advised not to have a large quantity and some care about that over quality. It is what it is but know that you made the best decision for yourself.

Unfortunately Christmas might be the same way and thats just going to have to be okay this year.

Hope everyone gobbled til they wobbled!

Happy Gobble Gobble Day!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Celebrating may look different this year, it may not be with your normal bunch & may not be what you normally do but guess what...that's ok!

I have a breakfast bake in the oven.

Parade watching while eating.

We plan to go take a walk somewhere (since the Turkey Trot didn't happen).

I have homemade chex mix ready to bake for snacking.

Dinner later today.

Family zoom call.

Relaxing!

 I'm thankful for Keith, grateful for friends who support me, and blessed to have a family that loves  me no matter what.

 Gobble gobble! 🦃

 

What's Up Wednesday - gobble gobble!

 

Happy Gobble Gobble day tomorrow!

How are you celebrating?  Its just the 2 of us this year, with a zoom call with our family.  Different yes but its the safe thing to do with everything going on.  Fingers crossed that Christmas is different but I kinda don't think it will be.

~*~

1) What we're eating this week:
Sun - fish & brussel sprouts

Mon - leftovers/quesadillas

Tues - chicken sausage & veggies

Wed - not sure yet!

Thurs - Turkey day food!

Fri - not sure yet!

Sat - out

2) What I'm reminiscing about:

Our Gatlinburg trip last year, mainly because my sister is there with her family for Thanksgiving.  I'm extremely jealous:

3)  What I'm loving:

Our Burn friends becoming real life friends.  Its hard to make friends as an adult and the Burn community has helped us find our place.

4)  What we've been up to:

We had a barn party at my sisters for Halloween.

We explored a new restaurant (Coal Fire) and their new general store in Labadie.

We explored a new park (Route 66 State Park) with Burn buddies who have become outside friends.

We spent a few hours with the twins - they make my heart happy!

We've celebrated my niece turning 12

...all while social distancing!

5)  What I'm dreading:

The holidays - kinda!  I'm ok with us not doing anything for Turkey Day.  Christmas might be harder as it was the last holiday with my mom so its always been hard for me but knowing I am keeping myself and others safe is what counts.  We may do something with our family circle if they are in town but otherwise its just us!

6)  What I'm working on:

I home-edited my closet - all colors together!

I'm halfway through my 2019 scrapbook

Getting deck bids

7)  What I'm excited about:

A home project during our Turkey Break - its much needed!

8) What I'm watching/reading:

I just finished the book "Undercover Bromance" - totally recommend it!

Finishing "Dynasty" on Netflix

9) What I'm listening to:

Bobby Bones in the AM - really only time I'm in the car

10) What I'm wearing:

Sweater dresses with leggings are up my alley at the moment!

11) What I'm doing this weekend:

Turkey Day Thursday

Tree Lot Friday

House projects all the other time

12)  What I'm looking forward to next month:

13) What else is new?

Not much.

I hope this last month of December is a great one!

What's new with you?

Friday Five!

 

Happy Friday friends!

How is next week Turkey day already?  Are you ready?

1) Happy birthday to my niece Lainey!  She made me an aunt for the first time 12 years ago.  She's making me feel OLD!  They are having a bonfire/taco night to celebrate with the family.  I'm a little weary about it due to her inviting 4 friends but we will be outside, masks on, and I need to make an appearance for a little bit.  It'll be good!

2) Turkey for me...turkey for you...and that's it!  It was a hard decision but it'll just be Keith & I for our celebration this year.  The Turkey Trot is virtual so we didn't sign up but we might do a walk at some point. We are picking up catering from the same company that we did for Easter.  I'll make some snacks for the day, breakfast, and we'll just hang around.  I'm off the rest of the weekend so I'm hoping to paint our kitchen cabinets while off so fingers crossed.  We will Zoom with everyone at some point as well.  What are your plans?

3) I'm on a scrapbooking kick - I'm almost done with 2019.  I love that I'm almost caught up.  One day I hope to be able to be fully caught up where I can make a page once the activity happens.  2020 won't have many pages, haha!

4) We explored a new to us park last weekend with new friends - Route 66 park in Eureka.  If you're looking for an easy walk, check it out.

5) Some of my favorite TV shows have reappeared the past few weeks...and just like that they are gone until January.  Why television, why?  I've heard some Netflix shows are coming back (hello Virgin River) so fingers crossed.

Have a great weekend friends!

October book review!

 

I swear, at the beginning of each month I tell that I have plenty of time to do this post then it sneaks up on me.

Guess what, we blinked and its November!

I read 6 books for October and I enjoyed them all but 1.

~*~

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads says:

Caitlyn, a daughter of Hollywood royalty, was already a star at 10, but still loved to play hide-and-seek with her cousins at the family home in Big Sur.  It was during one of those games that she disappeared and her life was forever changed.  It takes a village to get her through the trauma of that one particular night.

I say:

This was a long but very good book.  It had me hooked and I don't usually get that way with a lot of Nora books.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads says:

A year ago, Irene had the shock of her life - her loving husband, father to their grown songs and successful businessman was killed in a helicopter crash.  That wasn't the only shattering news Irene received - he'd also been leading a double life on the island of St. John, where another woman loved him too.  Now Irene is back on St John, determined to learn the truth about the mysterious life of a man she thought she knew.

I say:

Book #2 is good.  You do need to read #1 first and there is a #3 I believe.  I love Elin's writing and I couldn't put this one down.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads says:

Tommy Baxter thinks he has everything figured out.  He wants to be a police officer, he's in love for the first time and he decides he wants to know more about some secrets that have come to life.  

I say:

It's been a really long time since I've read this author and I forgot how much I enjoy her stories.  I vaguely remember the Baxter family from growing up.  It says in the author notes you don't have to read the stories leading up to this book but I feel like I'd be more in sync had I read them all - and there are a lot.  I enjoyed it despite all that.  Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads says:

There isn't anything posted on Goodreads as it hasn't been released yet.

I say:

I could not put this book down!  Coco is an only child who navigates life pretty easily.  She has Sam, her best friend, who drops everything whenever she needs him.  Tragedy strikes and Coco's world is turned upside down.  She goes through many trials, trying to find her place in the world after everything and it makes her so much stronger in the end.  The ending is what one is hoping for as they make their way through the book.  I wanted to be Coco's friend the entire time to clue her in but eventually she sees the light.  Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy.

⭐

Goodreads says:

A wife, mother, and aspiring filmmaker clings to the pursuit of perfection only to have fate play with every plan she’s made in this quirky, contemplative, and empowering novel.  Holly Banks is on a desperate mission to have it all, but nothing in life goes according to plan. She’s quickly learning that keeping up with the Joneses is a full-time job, especially when the women of Primm, her new neighborhood, seem to have it together all the time.

I say:

I really wanted to enjoy this book.  I enjoyed the first one and wanted to continue on with the 2nd but unfortunately I wasn't a fan.  I gave it a few good shots but I feel like it just jumps all over the place and it was starting to not make sense.  It was like all jumbled up with nowhere to go.  Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads says:

There isn't anything posted on Goodreads as it hasn't been released yet.

I say:

Neighbors is a book that unites different walks of life as they become friends and family.  Life happened and strangers all gather for comfort and solace at Meredith's house, which wasn't affected.  They help each other get out of their current situations while realizing what life is truly about...and to think its all because of an earthquake!  Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy.

What are you reading?

Let's be friends on Goodreads!

Happy reading!

Oh hey...its November!

 

We blinked and November arrived last week!

Just to keep caught up:

~*~ we waited in a 3 hour line on a Saturday to vote

~*~ while that seems like a long time (I finished a kindle book, ha) I was super glad I didn't have to fight the crowds on Tuesday

~*~ we have a new President

~*~ we do not have a new Governor for Missouri (boo) so we will have to rely on our new President and our STL County rep to do what's best for us for the pandemic.  Unfortunately I do think that means a shut down again.

~*~ Missouri gave us great weather this past weekend randomly

~*~ we got our bikes out again and rode a new 13 mile loop and we hiked a new state park with friends

~*~ going to work and then working out is our norm.  Its almost all we do as we stay in otherwise.

~*~ I went to the grocery store last night and it was out of so much.  I struck a convo with the clerk checking me out and she mentioned people have started stocking up again.  I'm kinda doing that myself already as well.

~*~ If we do lock down again, I'll still have to go to work.  As will Keith.  We are both essential.  However Keith's would just switch to home.  I can't do mine from home.

~*~ its starting to hit closer to home.  Not my family persay but friends.  I was in shock when the one told me the other day.

~*~ we decided we are doing our own thing for Turkey Day.  I don't want to risk anything with family I haven't seen through all this.

and finally...

How are you doing?

Seriously, how are you really doing?