What's Up Wednesday (November 2019)

I can't believe Thanksgiving Week is here- yeah!

I also can't believe we are at the end of November...how did that happen?  The last Wednesday of the month means it is time for What's Up Wednesday...can't wait to see what you have been up to.  Linking up with the gals HERE

Here is what we have been up to....

What We're Eating This Week

So...this is the week that we "make do" and eat what is already in the house.  The BIG grocery shopping trip happened last weekend but that is for our party tonight, Thanksgiving on Thursday and a Nutcracker get together on Saturday night SO again we are making do

Monday- Fish Sticks and Fries for the Kiddos and Shrimp and Avocado Salads for Mama and Daddy

 Check out the recipe HERE

Tuesday- Tacos for the Kiddos and Taco Bowls for Mama and Daddy

Wednesday Our Party so we will be having pizza and all types of fun apps that our friends and family are bringing

Thursday The BIG Kahuna...you can check out our Thanksgiving Menu HERE

Friday Will probably be takeout of some sort OR leftovers

What I'm Reminiscing About

Thanksgivings Past...all of our traditions..Thanksgiving Eve...Breakfast and The Turkey Trot Thanksgiving Morning and then after all of the loud and fun...a quiet Thanksgiving Dinner with our parents and the littles.....

What I'm Loving

Starbucks Peppermint Mocha- Nuff Said

What We've Been Up To

We celebrated Halloween with a spooky dinner.....

Mama ran a successful Fun Run for the PTA

Mama and Daddy got all "vamped" for the annual Halloween Bash at the Castle

The kiddos finally got to Trick Or Treat the Saturday Night after Halloween

We enjoyed a Confirmation Sponsor's Dinner at St. Matt's

and we decorated for Christmas the earliest yet!

Auntie Cass and Mama enjoyed the Annual Risotto Night

Mama and Daddy had a blast with BA and Matt in Portland

There have been many Nutcracker rehearsals!

and Eva is back at hockey and loving it!

Diana loved surprising her friend Fran who was back from North Carolina for the weekend 

Mama has been loving time with her new Dance Mom friends

and we said goodbye to Cousin Donna- my heart is still hurting

There has been lots of Hallmark :)

and Mimi and Mama had a wonderful and festive night out at the Festival of Trees and Dinner at Tuscan Market

Nutcracker Dress Rehearsals were intense and productive

and we did our last of our Confirmation prep work before the big day in December!

and The Fab Four reunited for brunch and much needed conversation...

What I'm Dreading

I refuse to dread....#FollowTheJoy

What I'm Working On

My Goals for 2020....I fell short with my goals in 2019 and I have been bummed about it...I only met 1 out of 5 goals...I know the year is not over but I like to kill goals...crush them and I am trying not to be discouraged but it is hard...I am praying and hoping and having faith that I will crush 2020!

What I'm Excited About

All of the Thanksgiving Week Fun ESPECIALLY The Nutcracker next weekend

I am SO SO EXCITED to see my girls light up the stage 

What I'm Watching/Reading

In between all of the Hallmark you mean?

Due to squeezing in all The Hallmark...I have taken a break with Dance Moms...I will pick back up with Season 6 after the new year.

We enjoyed all of our faves especially during the Fall Finales

A Million Little Things

This Is Us

American Housewife

and Grey's of course

and did anyone watch The Affair?  The Finale?  I thought they ended this series in such a beautiful way....it all came together and true love did prevail....ahhhh...I'm such a hopeless romantic but after all of the scandal...I loved the way they tied this one up!

and I read, 

The Coincidence Of Coconut Cake by Amy Reichert

This was our next Book Club Read and it was picked by Shannon- it was fabulous- I loved it- I didn't expect to and it was a pleasant surprise- I love a good love story and set in a restaurant?  Even better!

I'm making my way through my 2nd book of the month which is Elin Hilderbrand's 

Winter In Paradise

I couldn't get through this one earlier this year but I am forcing myself to do so now and I seem to be enjoying it more this time.  I was supposed to meet her again on Monday night with my PTA pals but I knew I could not swing it with all of our upcoming hosting and had to bow out....feel really good that I did just that...I guess everyone is right...it is okay to say no!

What I'm Listening To

We have started the holiday "toonage" in the car too!

Right now it is Sirius XM Holly and Sirius XM Holiday Traditions as well as Magic 106.7 as they are playing all holiday all the time too!

What I'm Wearing

Fall tops that I mentioned last week include....

and the AE Skinny Jeans and Wedge Sneakers are on REPEAT in these parts ;)

Also...this old sweater....black with fur cuffs FTW

and a good ole Black Puffer to get warm and cozy in

and this week, I will start to bring out all the holiday tops

What I'm Doing This Weekend

Can you say NUTCRACKER?

Excited to see my girls dance and to celebrate with my family and besties after 

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month

All of the Christmas traditions and fun....My Annual Recipe Exchange Party....New York City....Jammie Christmas and extra time with family and friends

What Else Is New?

I think I covered it all!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Thankful Thursday on a Tuesday and A Year Of Gratitude

Hello Friends....I am choosing today for my 2019 Gratitude post....Patty and I decided to make our "Thankful Thursday" this month...all week long....so please join us if you are blogging about gratitude at any time during this week...we would love to have you join us!  You can find our linkup HERE

I decided to follow a tradition we started last year and instead of just sharing my gratitude, I am sharing our family's gratitude...all four of us contributed to this list....here is what we are thankful for.....

Mama

This blogging community and especially my "Gratitude Partner" Patty who has been such an extension of my tribe...grateful for her friendship...no matter how far apart we are physically!

My family...everyone brings unique gifts to our family and I cherish even the ordinary days

 My friends...a.k.a my tribe....I am lucky as a 40 something to have found lifelong friends...they make life so much more fun!

Our community- blessed to be able to raise our kids here and be surrounded by great people, great education and a town that rallies 

My career and especially the firm I work for...I find that loving what you do is one of God's greatest gifts AND the bonus is having the flexibility to be present at home while working...this gift I never take for granted

Our health - to be able to have the energy to exercise and the ongoing effort to get healthier and healthier

Eva

Kyla

My Mommy and My Daddy

Diana

Zach

My Grandparents

Grammy in Heaven

Mrs. Mullen

My Teachers

Tori

Daddy

A happy marriage with my “person”, based on love, respect, and partnership

5 healthy and happy children 

My Dad

My in laws 

A small but tight circle of good friends

A solid job with room for growth

Windham

The freedom we enjoy

Diana

 My Family

My Friends

Dance

Mrs. Mullen

Ms. Katie

Food

Shelter

Clothes



Very thankful this year...it has been a challenging one but I find during the most challenging times, you find out who is truly there...who you are blessed to be surrounded by and just how beautiful life truly is!

Weekend Recap

Another wonderful weekend is in the books.  I am grateful for my family and friends and the downtime we shared this weekend...my tribe truly knows how to lift my spirits when I am down...such a gift...

Here is what our little weekend looked like....

Friday Night

 I set Diana's hair in curlers once again for a weekend full of Nutcracker rehearsals.  My mom got to observe the work that goes into making the curls perfect...and it is lots of work- ha!

Then,

my Mom and I attended the Festival of Trees in Methuen as we do every year.  Usually we take the girls but they have been wrapped up in Nutcracker rehearsals and we can't let them miss those so we went on our own and had a wonderful time.  Since Friday was the opening day, we really lucked out and when we got there that night, it wasn't crowded at all!  We told ourselves we need to remember this for next year...it was so much more enjoyable when you didn't have to fight the crowds! 

After the festival, we hit Tuscan Market for a lovely little dinner- wine, salads and the most amazing olive bread...my parents love it here...they feel it is very authentic and that they are sitting right in Europe in a little cafe...my mom treated me and spoiled me...we shared some laughs and just had the best night :)

Saturday

I started my day at the gym...daunting as I was going to do a class on my own but it was "C2S" which is a combo spin and resistance class and I did it...I sent this pic to my besties beforehand as I was the FIRST one at our gym...they don't open until 6 on the weekends so I had to wait a few minutes in the car and made them laugh because I am such an early bird ;)

 Then it was time to get through our last CCD chapter in preparation for confirmation...Exhibit A (still in curlers as you will notice)

Right after, we got hair and makeup prepped for Dress Rehearsal #1...I couldn't take the cuteness!  :)

While the girls were busy rehearsing, Daddy was busy with learning his role this year as part of the Tech Crew and Mama had her hair done and then got the big Thanksgiving shopping done...one of my favorite times of the year!

I am lucky to have some great Dance Mom friends who work behind the scenes AND snap some cute pics for me :)

and enjoy this one...Diana and her Dance Pals entertaining between rehearsals....

 

Saturday night meant NO PLANS- yeah!!!  We all crashed with takeout, Hallmark and maybe Mama had a glass of prosecco too :)

Sunday

This day meant our last CCD class before confirmation!  It was a rainy yucky day but my heart was warmed with the kids' participation.  I promised them if they worked hard during class, we would have some fun at the end and they chose "Holy Hangman" but as you may be able to tell here...it ended up being not so "holy"...This phrase reads "VSCO Girl Sksk"...oh middle schoolers

and a gift from one of my students made my day :)

Then it was time for the 2nd Nutcracker Dress Rehearsal....

and as my fam headed out for the day, Mama met up with the Fab Four for a much-overdo brunch and catch up...it was so good for my soul...love these ladies...

and thanks to Daddy and the crew for sharing and posting more behind-the-scenes photos of rehearsal :)

We wrapped up our weekend by decorating our last tree- the one in the girls' playroom :)

That's it...excited for a short week surrounded by our people...lots of QT to be had! 

Linking up for Hello Monday too HERE