Thursday, January 28, 2021

Monthly Musings: January 2021- All About Love

 



Hi Friends!  Patty and I are so happy that you stopped by!  We hope you will join us for our Monthly Musings linkup!  Grab our graphic above and see our questions below...can't wait to read all about LOVE!

 


 

 1. How do I show love?  What is my love language?

Well..it may sound silly to some but I am a 100% Italian and LOVE to cook and entertain...cooking for people is one of the biggest ways I show my love...it means I care...I appreciate you and I am putting lots of work into showing how much I do...so there's that!

 


 

2. Any fun Valentine traditions?

I love surprising the girls with candy/surprises at their seats at breakfast time...nothing big but something  carried on from childhood as my mom did the same for my brother and me :)

 


 

3. Favorite Valentine Memory/ies?

I loved how we used to exchange flowers in Middle School...it was always so fun to see who would give you a flower and what color it would be- you could choose from red, pink or white BUT one of the most entertaining and "scandalous" memories is from college.  Our college newspaper, The Scrimshaw, would let people pay to put in messages...both direct and cryptic to your loves or friends or whatever...and it got scandalous...I will have to look to see if I still have any of those papers....definitely a highlight each year!

 

 

4. Favorite Valentine Treat

CHOCOLATE of course!  It is a weakness and a passion and what better day to indulge?

 

5. Do I wear Valentine's Day Fashion?

 

Sometimes....last year, I went casual and wore this baseball tee....

 


 

This year, I am dialing it up and will wear this red lace top that I scored on Amazon...so much can be pulled from holiday fashion am I wrong?

 


6. Valentine's Day?  Love, Like or Hard Pass?

I like it...not going crazy...but I am a sucker for all things love ;)

 

7. What I think is the most romantic song?

 

Save the Best for Last...Vanessa Williams

 

8. Dine Out, Cook In or Take Out This Valentine's Day?

Last year we cooked in.  See our meal HERE

This year, we are going out for a romantic dinner which will also be my one cheat meal for the week...we are going romantic Italian...is there anything better? 

 


9. Pink or Red?

Pink...duh...Pink Lady and all ;)

 


10.  Flowers or Chocolate?

I LOVE LOVE flowers all year long but on Valentine's Day, chocolate takes the cake for me! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Wednesday, January 27, 2021

What's Up Wednesday- January 2021!


 

 

Hi friends!  Yeah!  it is the first WUW of 2021 and my favorite linkup so let's get started and answer the questions below....

 

Linking up with the lovely ladies HERE


 

 

What We're Eating This Week

 

Monday- Baked Salmon and Air Fryer Mushrooms for M&D and Fish Sticks and Sweet Potato Fries for the Kids

 

Tuesday- Chicken Burgers, Sweet Potato Tots and Steamed Broccoli

 

Wednesday- Egg Roll in a Bowl for M&D, Trader Joe's Chicken Fried Rice for the Kids

 


Thursday- Copycat PF Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Brown Rice

 


Friday- Sushi Takeout from Kumo

Saturday- Out

Sunday- Dinner at The Batson's

 

 

 What I'm Reminiscing About

 

 Past diets...bootcamps....detox's and thinking how different it is this time around....

 


 

What I'm Loving


How much I am exercising..it is the most and the hardest I have ever worked out and I am feeling great...some days I struggle through a workout but overall I am feeling stronger and more fit every day!

 

 

What We've Been Up To

 

We celebrated Christmas with our Families and New Year's with our Besties/Bubble

 



 

We have been loving on our new family member....Remi, our new Frenchie, has been the center of attention since we adopted him!



 

Diana won first place in the NH PTA Contest in Windham- in the category of Dance Choreography- she now competes at the state level


 

 We have enjoyed cozy weekends this month...lots of movies together...family karaoke and takeout at home!

 


 We did have a girls' night out at Copper Door to celebrate Ally's bday...

 


 Date Walks have continued!  I have invested in some warmer gloves and a face mask to battle the New England cold!

 


 We decorated for Valentine's Day...for the first time...ha!

 


 We watched the inauguration!

 


 Diana has been working hard for the YAGP Dance Competition...she is even going to do her routine en pointe- we are very excited!




and Pidge has been tearing up the ice!

 


 

 

 What I'm Dreading


Nothing!  #FollowTheJoy



 What I'm Working On


My Full Time Job- going to be a great year!

Keeping my family happy, healthy and on track and

My overall health- down 11 pounds in a month and 2% body fat- can I get a what what?  HA!

 

What I'm Excited About

 

It is election season in town...I just love it...always gets me through the winter and one of my best friends is running for re-election on the school board that gets me all pumped up too...she is amazing!

 


I am also excited for Diana and all of the dance exams she has coming up...she is working so hard and I want to her to see the results she is working so hard for.

 

 What I'm Watching/Reading


Two Binges Right now...Smash for the like the 6th time...ha!  #cantgetenough



and Rob and I are binging The Crown...we are up to Season 3...truth be told I really miss the actors from Season 1 and 2...it is weird trying to get used to new actors...




 and my two books for January....


Tools Of Engagement by Tessa Bailey



In Tessa Bailey’s latest rom-com, two enemies team up to flip a house... and the sparks between them might burn the place down or ignite a passion that neither can ignore! 

Hair, makeup, clothing, decor... everything in Bethany Castle's world is organized, planned, and styled to perfection. Which is why the homes she designs for her family's real estate business are the most coveted in town. The only thing not perfect? Her track record with men. She's on a dating hiatus and after helping her friends achieve their dreams, Bethany finally has time to focus on her own: flip a house, from framework to furnishings, all by herself. Except her older brother runs the company and refuses to take her seriously.

When a television producer gets wind of the Castle sibling rivalry, they’re invited on Flip Off, a competition to see who can do the best renovation. Bethany wants bragging rights, but she needs a crew and the only member of her brother's construction team willing to jump ship is Wes Daniels, the new guy in town. His Texas drawl and handsome face got under Bethany's skin on day one, and the last thing she needs is some cocky young cowboy in her way.

As the race to renovate heats up, Wes and Bethany are forced into close quarters, trading barbs and biting banter as they remodel the ugliest house on the block. It's a labor of love, hate, and everything in between, and soon sparks are flying. But Bethany's perfectly structured life is one kiss away from going up in smoke and she knows falling for a guy like Wes would be a flipping disaster.

 

 Friends?  I thought I would fly through this one- light- passionate- romance- right?  It dragged.....sorry I can't recommend


and I am working my way through The Other Mrs. now and it has me on the edge of my seat- nice change of pace!

 

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica


 

Sadie and Will Foust have only just moved their family from bustling Chicago to small-town Maine when their neighbor Morgan Baines is found dead in her home. The murder rocks their tiny coastal island, but no one is more shaken than Sadie.

But it’s not just Morgan’s death that has Sadie on edge. And as the eyes of suspicion turn toward the new family in town, Sadie is drawn deeper into the mystery of what really happened that dark and deadly night. But Sadie must be careful, for the more she discovers about Mrs. Baines, the more she begins to realize just how much she has to lose if the truth ever comes to light.

 

What I'm Listening To

 

Diana has been "DJ'ing" to and from dance and is on an Ariana Grande kick...so lots of Ariana right now and I do like her music..when at the gym, I love how some of the young instructors play 90's music...my fave and they probably consider them oldies...ha!!


 

What I'm Wearing


Very consistent this month- business casual attire 1-2 times per week during my work day and workout clothes the other hours of the entire week!  Pretty boring right now but I will take it!  One month closer to spring!


I did dress up on Saturday for the theater with Diana..snapped a self...can't see much but you get the idea...



 

What I'm Doing This Weekend


Carting kids to and from Field Hockey, Dance, The Gym and Hockey....going out with the fam for dinner and going to the Batson's to celebrate Mike's bday on Sunday....low key...cozy and things that make me happy!


What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month


The School District Deliberative Session...it is democracy at its finest...a few of my friends and I always go to listen and sometimes participate and help to decide what warrant articles will be on the ballot this March!  So fascinating...may sound boring but we always have a blast!  We grab dinner before and then head to the high school and get right in on all of the action!


What Else Is New?


I think I covered it!  What's new with you?

Monday, January 25, 2021

Hello Monday and Monthly Musings 2021 Teaser!

 


Hi Friends and Happy Monday!  Sharing a few scenes from our weekend and preparing you for Monthly Musings in 2021!  Yeah!

 

 

Another cozy, quiet January weekend was on tap...here is what it looked like...

 

Diana took 1st place in Windham for the PTA Reflections Contest in the Category of Dance Choreography!  Next stop is the State Level contest- fingers crossed!


 

 

Eva shared some of her artwork..supposed to be Rob and the Dog...warms my heart :)

 


 

Have you jumped on the Bernie bandwagon?  Well I can't get enough...here are some faves...

 







 and then when my friend Tina learned how to make these memes...she went crazy this weekend....and sent us these...

 







 Hysterical!

 

Wine Group was extra fun this month...Cass hosted and did a blind tasting...and she made us our very own personalized wine glasses with chalk paint..they came out amazing...it was a blast of a night and worth a cheat meal for me!

 



 

My Cozy Girls



Hot Yoga....




Fave Takeout



Diana working on her turns


Supporting Diana's Nutcracker Pal in Sleeping Beauty- so surreal to be in a theater and watch a live production- first time in 10 months- such a gift!




Someone can't get enough snuggles with Papa!


and then she goes from sweet and demure to rough and aggressive and scored two goals in her hockey game!



Some little Frenchie was very excited that Zach stayed this weekend....he got plenty of extra attention, snuggles and wrestling time!




and we wrapped up the weekend with the Batsons...we did takeout and caught up and Robby B got to be very jealous of Mike's new car...reminds him of Cobra Kai ;)




Now Friends.....you have been asking and we are excited to say that Monthly Musings will continue in 2021- yeah!!!

 

Here is our new graphic...grab it for the link up!


Here is our planned schedule...

 




 

 

and here are the first set of questions for Thursday....

 


 


Patty and I hope to see you back here !  Hope you will share ALL ABOUT LOVE!

 

 

Linking up for Hello Monday HERE