Friday - Pass the coffee...

I have tried to write this post like six times and every time I delete it.  Lord have mercy.  Let me link this post up with Katie, Momfessionals, and whoever else I need to hyperlink here.

So my week in a nutshell:

This was the day after the earring fiasco.  

1.  Kid (the girl one) comes home early due to an earring being embedded in her ear.  Totally disgusting.  If you are a SnapChat friend (abullnojoke) then you know all about it.  If you aren't a snapperoo then you're in the dark.  I just am not rehashing it!

2.  My little guy got a Terrific (Something) Award for filling up his sticker chart for good behavior!  Can Ms. Cindy just live in our house so that that is ALWAYS the case?

She was OUT after visiting Dr. Haas.  BTW we are so happy we made the switch the WFUBH Brenner's Pediatrics!

3.  The girl child comes home early on Wednesday...she's got a 103+ fever.  Turns out it is strep throat.  Lovely.

Life was good on Monday.  It's good every day but Monday was a gem!

4.  Monday started off great!  I had a cleared calendar and enjoyed being a real housewife...no a real one.  You know drop the kids off, drink coffee, work out, come home and do housework, catch up on RHONJ.  We were a happy little family too - the hubs worked normal person hours!  We all went to swim team together...oh man it was too perfect.  Of course it was just for a day.

First day of fall PSL.  Yeah I'm over them.  Too sweet.

5.  Fall started up this week in case you just woke up from that rock you were under.  I'm happy about it.  My decorations are up and I'm all about soup and wine and coffee.  Oh wait what's new?  Ha!

Saturday is not a typical blog posting day for me but my heart was full.  I shared this post with you all and the message was stop waiting.

It was my most popular post of the week.  So much feedback.  I appreciate it.  I think there may be more where that came from...in October.

Monday posts are either going to be random or a weekend recap.  This week was a weekend recap!  I need to read it because after this week I'm kind of in a blur as to what we did last weekend LOL!

Oh wait I remember now...it was capital A-wesome.

Are you bored with my Tuesday posts?  I kind of am.  HA!  I can admit it.  Yeah I did another three menu post and it was like bottom of the totem pole for this week's posts.  I hear you loud and clear.  Give me a little bit of time to work out some kinks and my new food posts will be much much better!  Would you like to see how I cannot be trusted around Krispy Kreme donuts?

What I Wore Wednesday.  I see bloggers doing these posts all the time.  I did one last week and holy grail of posts did that thing get a gazillion views (thanks Andrea!) plus it was super fun!  So this week I did another one except I gave my two cents on transition looks for NC early falls. 

I'm not a pro at this but I do love shopping and looking good so why the crap not do this?  Plus I can say shopping is part of my job now.  HA!

I also want to say thanks to The Blended Blog for featuring me on Wednesday.  They featured my post from last week on Fall Fashion!  Y'all are so awesome!

Yesterday seems so far away...but it wasn't.  So I posted a Welcome to Fall  pretty much.  I showed you my little decorations and our bucket list.

I'm ready for fall if it means good healthy kids.

***

So that's it.  That's this week and I am tired.  This weekend is busy as all get out and all I want is some wine, a blanket, and my fantasy football to suddenly erupt in points.  

How was your week beauties?  

Have big plans for the weekend?

Share it.

I totally forgot my kid had crap to sell for PTO.  Oops.

xoxoxoxo

Amanda

Sunday Starts - Spring!

Ooooh joy I am very excited!  So extremely excited!  Today is the official start to spring and my heart is dancing with elation.

Nevermind it is going to be very cold today and gross out.  The point is this...

Spring is really (like the poets say) a promise.

The promise that after months of cold and darkness; light and warmth will be back.

The promise that death will result in immaculate, abounding color.

The promise of new songs from budding tree branches.

Spring is a big promise that every year elates me like none other.

There are so many parallels to this time of year and who I am.  

I am a warm weather girl.  Tank tops and flip flops with hands in the dirt and jumping into water.

I am a lover of this life - and the promise made that after this one - the grave is nothing.  Easter is celebrated in the spring for a reason - the promise that though this life may be a hard journey and highly questionable at times if we keep that faith and hold His promise - there is beauty and new life awaiting.

Yes, I am celebrating this day on the equinox calendar.  Today I am reborn for multiple reasons.  Today I am excited about everything that lies ahead.  I feel lighter and relaxed.

It is spring.

Saturday Coffee & Catch-Up

Good Saturday, friend!  I hope you had a fabulous week and a gorgeous weekend to enjoy.  This girl is so stoked that spring is visiting this weekend (highs in the 60's and sunshine!)  Also, I'm a bit stoked both my kids are out to breakfast this morning and I have some free time (go see my IG @abrownieworld).  I imagine I'll end up at the gym soon....

This week was great around here.  I had a post each day for you - some to help you out and some to make you smile.  Admitting:I just like to write to make whoever reads this blog smile.  You make me smile in return in your comments.  Unfortunately, I'm not blogger savvy and some of you comment and I never receive that comment in my Inbox.  Please note:  I try to email everyone who comments here so if you don't get an email response then do not feel bad.  I probably just came back to your comment and replied.  Maybe this year I'll learn to be more knowledgeable with all the ins and outs of commenting options and other stuff.

Alrighty here's a snapshot of the blog this week...

Sunday (whoa it feels like ages ago) was Valentine's Day and I really hope you had a great one.  If you didn't then I hope your National Single's Awareness Day rocked out too.  My blog didn't celebrate the holiday but I did give you some food love with the {menu}.  Just to let you know I didn't even use my menu plan this week!  LOL - we are having burgers tonight if that counts for anything but I did not make the enchiladas (we had tacos instead) and I didn't even touch the chili ingredients!  Instead I roasted lamb - I'm not a fan but my kids adored it.

Monday was post number three in the cleaning posts I started writing.  Selfless plug here:  I clean houses for scrilla and I love it.  This week was super busy with houses on my list.  I don't use tons of cleaners, I have a few go-to's that I adore.  Each one was shared with you on Monday oh and there are only {4 Cleaners I prefer}!

Tasty Tuesday brought a recipe that my daughter really likes - {Biscuits & Sausage Casserole}.  This is a very filling breakfast/brunch casserole best served with berries and yogurt on the side.  Make it for tomorrow!

Twice a month I bring you {What's Happening in North Carolina}.  This week just happened to be the week for that.  I feel like we're in a lull before all the fun things start kicking off again (generally in March!)  There are some pretty nifty events going on across the state though!

Thursdays are reserved for random posts.  I don't follow a theme or idea for my Thursday posts which I really like!  This week I shared a slight problem I live with I called it {The Fever}.  It was great to know I wasn't alone!

It is always a {High Five kinda Friday} around A Brownie World.  I generally get over to the link up quickly to put my link in but this week I didn't get it in until super late.  So while I eat my breakfast I'll go hop around the link up and read other's fun stuff.  Oh my five included mentionings of things like spring and Canada and chocolate....

There's my week in a nutshell.  I'm thinking after this weekend I may just post a Weekend Recap.  Why?  It is only Saturday and my daughter has had a HUGE weekend.  A lot of fun stuff happened yesterday and I don't want to blow any details here.  Plus, as I mentioned in the opening, this weekend is going to be amazing so I think we may get to do some fun stuff outside!

You have an excellent weekend, friend!

xoxoxox

Weekend Recap: Donuts, Camping, PJs, Prayer & Downton!

The second weekend of January is totally in the books.  It was a fast one <sniff, sniff> but it was a great one.  Here's a brief recap of this chick's sweet weekend!

Friday - 

One reason I adore our church is all the kid friendly activities they offer.  Seriously, that means the world to my husband and I.  Each month during the school year they offer a Parent's Night Out.  For three hours and a very small fee you can drop your kids off for dinner, crafts, games and a movie.  I l-o-v-e this.  It means a lot to me now that my husband has crazy hours and child rearing is mainly left to me.  The flip side is this - I get so lonely!  No one was available on Friday night to go to dinner so I was a bachelorette.  

My "free time" consisted of Taco Bell (I am in a mild state of depression that the Quesarito Big Box is gone), Target (I had to return some shoes for my daughter but also really scored some adorable Valentine's loot from the Dollar Spot), a Big Lots walk through (I swear that place is laced with crack, I'm addicted to walking around Big Lots.), and of course a Krispy Kreme stop.  You're thinking damn Gina on the calories.  However, I balanced them out and didnt go over!

Later in the evening, after the kids were asleep, the husband was home and watched Gold Rush.  He likes it....I think it is man's soap opera.  

Saturday -  

It is safe to say if you read or follow on FB you know I love to camp.  Clarification:  camp in a camper not in a tent.  I would do a tent for a night or two with no kids.  But that's it.  I like a mattress.  As you may also know we have a pop up camper.  Well, the hubs has had campers on the brain for a few weeks and he's ready to start considering upgrading and getting a new camper...in the next 12-13 months.  Saturday was his day off so he was ready to go look at campers around our area.  Little did either of us know there was a Camper & RV show going on in Greensboro.  After his step mom let that little secret out guess where we were headed?

It was the Little Man, hubs, and myself.  Our diva was left at her Pappaw's to help with the cows. I mean c'mon calves or campers when you are eight?  Exactly.

For a mild rip off of $20 we basically saw a gazillion of the same campers.  I will tell you this RV/Camper show was a bust and a racket.  Clarification:  For people like myself it was a waste and a racket.  If you're into seeing thirty-five of the same camper layout then go to the show in Charlotte or Raleigh.  If you're not into seeing thirty-five of the same camper or if you're not into seeing a trailer home on steroids that you can drive or pull around the country that you could never get a little dirt in because the thing is nicer than your regular home then stay away.  I was really hoping to see more booths on places to camp in and around the Southeast but um...yeah that was pathetic too.

At least we got some Mexican afterwards! 

PM- 

It was a rainy day and so by 5:45 I had on my pajamas, the kids were bathed, and we were vegged out in front of The Lion Guard on Disney Jr.  For us who remember the original Lion King this show sucks.

We watched some football (it sucked too, didn't it Texan fans?  Oh and Cincinnati, you are so ghetto.  I mean we knew Pittsburgh was but damn.)

Then we all crashed.

Sunday - Slept in and went to the late service at our church.  A great message about prayer and how it changes things.  I can attest to that wholeheartedly.  It has changed several situations for me for the better.  I signed up for a Women's Bible Study.  Can I just say that I have found it is really a great ingredient to forming a good year by going ahead and enrolling in a study or class.  Last year we did the Marriage Study in January and it really set our year up to be great.  After church we had a grocery run for things I failed to put on my list (oops!)  The hubs went to work and I worked on getting the house ready for another busy week and setting up Downton to record.  Yeah baby.

Simmer on this quote for the week ahead:

H54F #2

We are a week into this whole 2016 thing!  I hope you are having a great start to the new year.  Here's my five for the week.  Thanks for dropping in!

Mama went shopping and got three new work out items (Kohls)  Loving that bra!  I also adore some fitted yoga pants, I cannot stand the loose ones, yucko!

1.  Psssst - School started back on Monday!  I freakin' love when my kids go to school; especially after a two week break.  The one thing I did not like was getting up at 6:43.  I used to be such an early bird, now not so much.  To celebrate the kids going to get their learn on I went shopping.  I had to return an adorable sports bra thing that was too big and in it's place I got an awesome new one, those pants, and that shirt.  I'm so excited about it.  I also had to hit up Starbucks and use some of a giftcard...I tell you nothing can change your mood quite like a skinny caramel macchiato. #starbuckswin #kohlswin #gettingupearlynotawin

Bought this last summer at Walmart for $2.  I kinda go crazy with notebooks.

2.  I journal.  Food journal that is.  I actually am using that notebook (so cute, right?) for everything.  I put my food log in it, daily to do's, and other little this and that's.  The best part is the notebook was like $2.  #weirdhoarding101

Pom from Old Navy! Thanks, Santa.  Now um that mouth, what? Yeah, no makeup, baaaaad girl!

3.  Me, all week, in a pom and don't even care.  Wait a second what the crap do I do with my mouth now when I take a selfie.  That isn't duck but what the hell is it?  #cannotstopstaring #houstonwehaveaproblem

Let's be IG friends (this pic is from my IG) @abrownieworld

4.  Come join me on Fitbit.  Click here to connect.  We need motivation!!!  #movemovemovesoyoucaneateateat

5.  I may have had a slight myocardial infarction on Wednesday when I could not find my Costas.  This girl has bad eyes and I must have my good sunglasses when the sun is shining brightly.  I searched high and low for those babies all over our home.  Of course my husband finds them...in our closet...on top of his sneakers.  Um??? #momprobs

And my one extra....

What the h-e-double hockey sticks and I doing with my mouth?!?!?!

6.  Pimples - It is hormonal but the week after Christmas I broke out like a 14 year old.  One New Year's Day I purchased some good old Neutrogena Acne Wash and cleansed my skin (four times over two days).  Well folks it isn't made for this girl's skin anymore because not only did it dry my skin out totally it also gave me a great chemical peel look!!!  Yes, I was inflamed for a few days and then I became a crusty, dried out, horrible looking mess!  Olive oil for the win along with straight zinc - I used it to rehydrate my skin.  I hope this culled the acne for a while!  #diychemicalpeeldonot

Have a great weekend!  Recap tomorrow. Come over to my Facebook Page and like it if you will!

Weekly Menu #1

Happy Monday!  Today we get back into our regular routines of school, homework, and all that non holiday stuff.  Personally, I like getting back into the regular routine but I do miss the fun of the holidays and the laid back feeling you have when they are around.

Part of the schedule around here is meal planning.  It can be a real struggle!  However, I was reading over at Cup of Tea a few days back and Katie shared her secret to successful meal planning.  Every week she publishes out what her family is having for dinner.  The coolest part is she puts together the menus along with the shopping list that goes with each one.  She files them under a winter or summer label and viola...her menus are ready to go year after year!

I loved that idea so much I stole it!  (Thanks, Katie!)

This year I'll be sharing with you our weekly menu along with any extras I plan to make for the week.  Maybe I can inspire you when you are in a dinner planning slump?

So guys, here's what we're eating!

Monday

My husband will be home for dinner tonight so I'm making one of his favorites!

Chicken Pie

Creamed Potatoes

Green Beans

Tuesday

I love my crock pot - in case you weren't aware!

Pinto Beans

Corn Bread

Wednesday

This is a recipe I will highlight next week.  If you're looking for a healthy option then this is a great recipe.

Chicken & White Bean Chili

Thursday

Left Overs

Friday

We have to celebrate making it through the first week back to school!

Out to eat!

Breakfast

This week I'm making one of my favorite recipes from my own kitchen.  

Baked Chocolate Oatmeal

We are increasing our water intake and keeping the sweets out of the house for the next few weeks.  Valentines will come with full force and chocolate!

See ya soon with a $$$ post!

High Five ~ List 1

Happy Monday (er, oxymoron?) everyone!  It is official, the holidays are over.  School started back today and so did winter, in a way!  North Carolina winters are anything but predictable but the 60 degree temps have gone MIA so I'll call this winter.

Every month I like to make a list, a bucket list if you will, to high light some things I want to accomplish for the month.  I do this in lieu of making New Years Resolutions.  You see, I am a typical human.  We typical humans cannot fathom making a list on January 1st and carrying it all the way to December 31st.  Maybe it is part of my adult onset ADD or my left brain side trying to take over...I'm not sure?  But no matter what it is I like making my lists, its fun and keeps me on task!

Do some of those need a little explaining?  Um probably!  1 & 2 you probably totally understand.  Number 3 - I love my Fitbit but let's be honest, I don't utilize it at full capacity.  I'm thinking that since it is January and everyone is on the lose weight and get healthy bandwagon it will be easier to learn more about my piece of fitness jewelry and use all the great resources that come with it.

Four, well that's a no brainer.

Five - Last year we spent Valentine's at the beach and it was FABULOUS!  This year, realistically, I doubt we go on a mini vacay but it would be nice.  Maybe I can get us a nice dinner out if we cannot escape!  I like to plan way in advance, as you can tell! Then again, maybe nothing.

Six - I think if you read this blog you know I live for those craft dates with my bestie.  We started them last October and missed November but picked right back up in December.  I realize we may not get a January date but fingers crossed we do.  I will be sharing some craft ideas here on the blog in the coming days!

Seven - Admitting I'm just a few chapters into Liane Moriarty's The Husband's Secret but I'm not feeling it.  I make myself finish books even if I don't like them.  Surely, I'll get more into this within the next few chapters?  Please?!?!

Eight - This one had you confused?!?!  This is a work thing.  I substitute teach and my goal this month is 8 days subbing.  By the way, I am working on making some changes to the whole work/job thing.  Let that be a teaser for later :)

Nine - If you read the blog you know my husband works a shift that takes a lot of patience and love and understanding to deal with.  Many times it means we are passing ships.  I hope to make better use of our time when we are together so we do not feel so distant.  This goes for the kids too!  Last month he started having a lunch date with our daughter once a week and it really paid off.

So there's my goal sheet/bucket list.  Now I want you to share yours or give me some feedback on something I've listed.  I love a good mini conversation!

xo Friends & happy January!!!!