Wednesday Hodgepodge on Thursday!

 

 

 

Hi Friends!  I am joining Joyce for her fun weekly linkup...as always, she has some fun questions to answer...so let's go...

 

 

1. What most recently gave you goose bumps? 

 

 

Some bad dreams I had the other night...woke up scared with goosebumps...eek! 

 

2. What does Halloween look like in your home and/or neighborhood these days? Do you participate?

 

 I decorated as always...spooky...scary...skeletons..anyway I digress...I wasn't going to..I wasn't feeling it but Eva forced me to and I am glad I did...these days are numbered and if she gets joy from these things then I will keep doing them!

 

 

 

3. Pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, poppy, chia...your favorite seed on the list? What's something you like to make/eat that calls for one of these seeds in the recipe? 

 

 I guess sunflower...not a big seed person but enjoy from time to time. I make a yummy harvest salad that calls for sunflower seeds.

 

4. What's the most (or one of the most) 'fall photos' you've ever taken? Share it here. Just one. 

 I can't  just pull one...here are a few...

 

 

5. Somehow we're rolling in to November next week. If your October were a chapter in a book, what would the title of this chapter be? 

 

 Fall Wedding Festivities and Football Fun

 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 

 How many of you watched "John and Kate Plus 8?" Oh friends...we were diehards in the Breton house...I have so many thoughts...I don't know what to believe...it is so very sad if everything Colin wrote about is true...being in a mental institution with no visit from family?  Was that true? When the show first came on, I was so inspired by them and how easy they made it look to raise several children at the same time...over the years I have heard so much noise surrounding this family...what once was so positive-reading about anonymous donations of diapers on their porch...formula...etc...to help them get by...to the flip side...the greed....all the money they got...to be famous...I don't know what to believe...was John faithful?  Was Kate that mean and controlling?  I hope they all can find some peace but what are your thoughts? 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

 Hi Friends!  I am joining Joyce for her weekly hodgepodge of questions...shall we get to them?

 

1. This week's Hodgepodge lands on 'Back To The Future Day'. October 21, 2015 was the date the movie characters (Marty McFly, Doc, and Jennifer Parker) traveled to in the future in the 1989 film Back To The Future Part 2. 

 Did you see the movie? Tell us a something about what was happening in your life in the fall of 2015. 

 

 

 I haven't seen the sequels which is strange because the first one is in my Top 5 of Favorite Movies of all time...go figure!

 

In the Fall of 2015, I had a 7 year old and a 1 year old-  WOW...

 

 

 

Professionally, I had started at Willmott this year...and I am still there almost 12 years later!

 

2. Which -ber month is your favorite? (September, October, November, December). Explain why. 

 

 September...it's my birthday month...it is typically Back To School and the weather is still beautiful enough for beach and pool time and more time outside here in New England

 

3. Red, yellow, orange, bronze...your favorite fall color to wear? To eat? To see in nature? 

 

 

 Favorite to wear- bronze

Favorite to eat- orange

Favorite to see in nature- orange 

 

 

4. What do you miss most about being 20? 

 

 

Being in college...always surrounded by people...always something to do...such happy times

 

 

5. We're roughly three quarters of the way through the year. What's one goal, habit, or mindset you want to purposely carry into the final weeks of the year? Elaborate. 

I want to continue on my weight loss journey and keep losing weight...not stopping...for me it's about balance...allowing myself the things I love just smaller portions and more moderation with regular exercise  

 

Some Before Pics

 and...Some After Pics!

 

 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 

 

 

Love you Joyce and love this linkup...but...most of the time, when I get to this question/prompt I go blank!  So much pressure- ha ha!  So I am turning this one around on all of YOU.   Share a random thought please.  Make me laugh.  Talk about anything...I am here for it! ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

 

Hi Friends!  I am here to join Joyce for her weekly Hodgepodge of questions....let's get started...

 

1. Do you think you're driven more by curiosity or comfort? Explain. 

 

 Curiosity...I am always learning...always striving to grow and be better...and I am curious about our world...always want to explore new places too...Haven't been able to travel recently but hope that changes sooner than later!

 

 

2. What non-food item is in your refrigerator or freezer? 

 

 

 A roller device for de-puffing my face/under eyes...not even sure what it is called...ha!

 

 

3. Are you comfortable with silence? If you're home alone, do you like silence or do you need regular background noise? Do you seek out times and places to be silent? What's your favorite place to find silence/be silent? 

 

 I like silence but only occasionally...I even need to sleep with noise...noise calms me...I know I am weird.  I do like the silence in church sometimes but also prefer to hear Catholic music while I am there.

 

 

4. Carpentry, electrical, plumbing, landscaping...which skill would you most like to possess and how would you put that skill to use today?

 

 

Landscaping...I would love to plant lush gardens on our property and know how to make my plants and flowers thrive...I can dream right? 

 

 

5. Do you lean more towards being too needy or too independent? Which do you find harder to deal with in others? 

I used to be too needy but I have learned to be strong and independent especially in recent years.  I find needy very hard to deal with.  I am way too impatient unfortunately.

 

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

 

 Ok I am ready to decorate and get into the Halloween spirit..Eva is forcing me to do so and I promised her we could host a few of her besties for some festive snacks and fun before they all head off to the Middle School Halloween Dance (which is a very popular event)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

 

 Hi Friends!  I am joining Joyce for Hodgepodge...as always, she has some fun questions to answer so let's get to it...

 

1. What's something you recently forgot to do? Is your memory these days more like a sieve or an elephant? 

 

I do pride myself on being like an elephant...in my line of work, I need to be able to trust my memory when evaluating candidates...anyway, we have been so so busy lately that some things slip between the cracks on the weekends...unfortunately...anyway...I forgot about the dog as far as this coming wedding weekend...we need to make trips home to feed him and take him out...thank goodness the wedding is not too far! Thank God I remembered in time to strategize!

 

 

 

2. Share a trick/strategy you have to help you remember things you need to remember. 

 

 

 I plug things into my outlook calendar- I have a personal one, a work one and our family one.  It is my bible!

 

 

 

3. What's your favorite fall vegetable to cook with? Do you prefer your fall veggies roasted, blended into a warm soup, or fresh in a crisp autumn salad? 

 

I like veggies all year long and in all forms listed above.  In the fall, I particularly like roasted squash and zucchini especially in my autumn risotto! Find my recipe HERE

 

 

4. October 5th is/was National Do Something Nice Day. Did you? If so tell us about it. Or maybe someone did something nice for you, and if that's the case please share. 

 

 

 My husband took my Jeep to get gas...it is the little things...the glimmers of  kindness that give me hope in this world

 

5.  Nathaniel Hawthorne is credited with the quote "I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house."  

Do you tend to spend more time outside this time of year? 

Do you actively pause to soak in fleeting moments of beauty in your daily routine? Elaborate. 

 

 

 I should spend more time outside...I don't really unless I am going for a walk OR attending a football game...I think I need to try to get outside every day!

 

 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 

 

 

 Let's talk HRT?  Are you a participant?  How do you feel about it?  How do you feel in general? Are you ever worried that you are prone to cancer because you are taking them?  Give me the good, the bad and the ugly.  I know how I feel but I want to start the conversation with my blogging peeps.  

 

 

Wednesday Hodgepodge (on Thursday!)

 

 

 

 Hi Friends!  I wanted to join Joyce for her Weekly Hodgepodge...just joining a day late due to WUW yesterday...let's answer her fun questions...

 

 

 

1. When you think of autumn what sounds come to mind? 

 

Hear Them HERE

The crunch of leaves under feet... football announcers...whistles blowing...cheers from the cheerleaders

 

 

2.  Is a trip to the mountains something you enjoy? What's your favorite mountain? 

 

 

 Not my favorite but I would enjoy that from time to time...I guess going to the White Mountains here in NH is really nice...there are ski slopes around and lots of things to do in the middle of all of the beautiful nature.

 

3. What's something that once felt like a mountain, but is now just a molehill? 

 

 

 Hind sight is 20 20 right?  Anyway...I guess moving Diana into college...because she is a student athlete, she got to move in early and it was pretty empty so we had the room and time to do what we needed to do and as a result, we were done in two hours!  It went so much more smoothly than we  had anticipated.

 

 

4. Let's play this or that-fall foods edition. Yes you have to choose. 

 

 

• pumpkin spice latte or chai latte  PSL but a lowfat version
• apple cider or hot chocolate  WARM apple cider
• stew or chili Chili!
• sweet potato casserole or green bean casserole Sweet Potato Casserole
• butternut squash soup or creamy mushroom soup Butternut Squash Soup 
• cranberry sauce or gravy Cranberry Sauce

 

 

 

5. Sum up your September in a sentence or two.

 

 

 It was a beautiful month filled with football and Blackout work and time spent with my favorite people, including some fun visits with Diana.

 

 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 

 

I really need to decorate for fall...just haven't had a moment...perhaps this weekend...we shall see. 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

 

 Hi Friends!  I am here with Joyce for her weekly Hodgepodge linkup.  I always love her questions...let's get this week's answered shall we?

 

 

1. Fall arrives this week in the northern hemisphere. Does it look/feel like fall where you live?What's something you love to do this time of year that makes you feel its officially fall? 

*If you're answering today from the southern hemisphere feel free to sub spring for the word fall. 

 

 

It is starting to feel like fall with temps in the 60's during the day...I prefer summer weather....70's...80's...even sometimes 90's...not a fan of the humidity but love the sun and heat.  Anyway, I digress...back to fall...seeing pumpkins everywhere lets me know it is fall! 

 

 

 

2. What's a small daily task or chore that always seems to fall through the cracks when your schedule gets busy?

 

Me in my dream closet thanks to Poppy ;) ha ha!!

 

 Putting clothes away...when I get busy, I end up letting them pile up on a chair in our bedroom...even though that annoys me...sometimes I just crawl into bed when I have been super busy and am wiped out

 

 

3. What's something you're falling for lately?

 

 

 Tik Tok I guess....my favorite videos surround Frenchies...College Life...Working Mamas...Cooking Mamas and such...and Diana calls me a "microinfluencer" now that I have surpassed 1,000 followers and have been receiving endorsement deals

 

 

 

4.  Pumpkin is a popular flavor this time of year.  Are you a fan? What's your favorite pumpkin flavored food or beverage?  

 

 

 Yes I enjoy pumpkin in both sweet and savory dishes.  My favorite pumpkin flavored foods include my friend Beth Ann's Pumpkin Bars and I also enjoy Pumpkin Chili, Pumpkin Hummus and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins/Cookies

 

 

5.What's something you wish would never change? Explain. 

 

 

 The seasons here in New England...I know many will disagree...I like three out of the four seasons so that's not bad but I wish we didn't have winter...I wish summer weather would last all year long here 

 

 

 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 

 My friend Misty got me a collection of "Affirmation Cards For A Badass" and I am reading one a day...I LOVE them...perfect for me...here is one example ;)  and so very true! Along with these, she gifted me the ingredients to make my fave cocktail- an Aperol Spritz- love when my friends just know me!

 

 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

 

 

 

Hi Friends!  I am joining Joyce for her weekly Hodgepodge of fun questions...let's get to it...

 

 

1. How do you define beauty? 

 

A radiance that shines from the inside- a JOY- a glow- someone with faith and good in their heart- when the beauty is in the inside, it shines brightly on the outside

 

 

 

2. Have you ever taken a trip by train? If so where did you go and what did you think of the experience? If not do you have any desire to do so? Where would you like to go? (You might find inspiration here-The Best Train Trips in The World)

 I have only taken trains on short trips like in and out of Boston or around different areas in NH.  I would love to take the train to NYC one of these days.  I have only driven and flown there.  I think the train would be a fun alternative.

 

 

 

3. Shell shocked, bombshell, bandshell, shellacking, in a nutshell, walking on eggshells...choose one and tell us why you chose it, or how it relates to your life in some way currently.

 

Bombshell...the name of one of our favorite musicals...Diana still asks me to play the soundtrack when we are in the car together...a no brainer for us 

 

 

 

4. Tacos, pistachios, oysters, clams, eggs...your favorite food on the list that comes in/with a shell? 

 

Oysters and Tacos...because duh ;) 

 

 

 

5. Are birthdays a big deal in your house? Is your own birthday a big deal in some way? Elaborate. 

 

 Yes!  I learned to celebrate birthdays BIG as I was growing up- my parents always made a big deal of them and my mom made every celebration special with little traditions and extras...I tried to do the same for my girls...and now they are obsessed with their birthdays...ha!  I love celebrating with my friends and family each year...and my birthday always falls around Labor Day Weekend so still my favorite time of year

 

 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 

Speaking of shells, thought I would share one of our favorite taco recipes with you!

 Baked Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

Find My Recipe HERE