Friday Favorites (October 13, 2017)

and all the Mamas said.....

As always, linking up with Erika, Narci and Andrea HERE

Here are some faves from this week.....

Festive Fun

On Monday, I recapped our weekend as always, and I just kept thinking about the great weekend we had and ALL of the festive fun involved- the activities, the tastes, the smells...yes please!

The "Fat Bath"

Oh this name just stuck and now that is all Pidge says every day, I need a "fat bath!" Hysterical!

Just Between Us Journal

Friends, I highly recommend this journal to help you navigate through the Mother/Daughter relationship.  Such a wonderful little tool.  Diana and I started using it this week and it is so enlightening already!

I found growing up and sometimes even now, it was/is always easier for me to share my feelings through writing.  Once I get started, I can't stop.  I guess you would also say that this blog is a continuation of that.  I love that Diana has also found a love of writing.  One of her favorite hobbies is writing creative stories.  Now she can write her feelings in this book especially when it may be too tough to talk about them.

 Fall Baubles

Thank goodness for my little trip to Home Goods last weekend.  I picked up some favorite baubles.

My new Halloween coffee mug which I adore....

and a favorite Fall and Winter Scent

Pure Sugar...smells like cotton candy...bliss

Fave Inspirations of the Week!

Fave MEMEs of the Week!

Hysterical!

and speaking of wine....

Laurel and I joined the 90+ wine club!  We joined this past weekend and the wine already came in!  We are so excited to try the different kinds and compare notes.  If you are not familiar with 90+ and you enjoy wine, you should give it a try.  Most of their wines are made from left over lots of famous vineyards/wineries.  Most of the time, you will not know what you are really drinking- 90+ just markets it AND sells it at REALLY reasonable prices.  We often snag bottles weekly at Market Basket for $9.99- no joke!  The wine club option we chose is the mixed batch- it will be reds, whites and an occasional bubbly.  This batch only has red but we are not complaining.  They also included one of the higher end wines (Ironside Cab) that we have tried before and it is incredible!  Yahoo!

Cooking This Week

Okay friends, I need to tell you that Robby B has brought his A Game this week.  We did the meal planning on Monday, he grabbed the groceries and he meant business.  He made incredible stuffed peppers for dinner on Monday night.  Although Diana and I had our special date night, I enjoyed one for lunch in the office on Tuesday.  My coworker and dear friend Janie was very impressed!  They came out so great AND he used his Mom's recipe which is very special to him.

Tuesday night, he helped me make the baked chicken tacos THEN while Diana and I were at cheer practice, he whipped up his first apple pie of the season.  He said Pidge helped too ;)
When we came home, we had an apple pie party.  Pidge had to go to bed before that, but she did ask if she could have a slice for breakfast since she helped- bless my heart this child gets me every time!
Anyway, we all indulged and it was amazing.  Zach took his to another level...

Zach's slice of heaven....

and then look what came in the mail this week!
FINALLY....

I poured through Shay's latest cookbook.  Although I follow her blog and pin her recipes, I never bought one of her cookbooks.  I felt this one, however, was a good investment as it is dedicated to all slow cooker meals.  This will keep my family fed all fall and winter.  I actually made the first recipe on Wednesday night- her Sweet and Tangy Meatballs and I served them with brown rice and broccoli and GUESS WHAT?  The girls ate everything on their plates- For The Win!!

It was a yummy and easy recipe- that is why I like her recipes- they are never complicated and they are pretty quick!

Favorite Outfits Of The Week

This was my favorite work one this week....a little Lilly for the season...

and my fave casual outfit of the week

and my favorite outfit that Diana wore because on Tuesday it was in the 70's again!  (Praise The Lord!)

Evening Fun

On Wednesday night, once we finished up our amazing dinner, we hunkered down and watched our fall favorite, Disney's Ichabod Crane and The Headless Horseman (The Legend of Sleepy Hollow).  I have talked about this before- it is a childhood favorite of mine and it has now become a fave of my girls and our little fam.  After that was over, we watched an episode of Glee and enjoyed the perfect little cozy night.

and last night, some of besties got together to celebrate our September and October bdays...I call it the "never-ending bday celebration"...we had so much fun!

LOVE Sugar Skulls!

Cass's Cauliflower Casserole was to die for!

and BA got the cake from my favorite bakery, Sugar and Spice- it was unreal as usual!

Hope you all have an amazing weekend!

SkinnyPop!

Oh friends, we are such fans of SkinnyPop in our house so I was THRILLED when they reached out to me and asked if I would talk about their products.

Umm seriously?  How much fun!

In our house, the basic Original SkinnyPop has been a fave for the last few years- the bag looks like this...

 and then we got more creative and started buying the big bag of the snack packs and putting them in Diana's lunch...For The Win!

We love this popcorn because there are no artificial ingredients or yucky stuff...it is a healthy, low calorie treat and the perfect snack when we are catching up on our DVR!

Then, since we enjoyed the Original flavor, we started venturing out and trying some of their other flavors too...we also found that we enjoy the Sea Salt and Pepper as well as the Naturally Sweet (tastes like Kettle Corn)...both delish!

They have even more flavors though, check it out:

• Original
• Aged White Cheddar
• Pepper Jack
• Sea Salt & Pepper
• White Cheddar (Dairy Free)
• Naturally Sweet
• Jalapeño

You can see their flavors HERE too!  
SkinnyPop is produced by Amplified Brands and they have taken this goodness to the next level.  They sent me some Fall cocktail and popcorn pairing suggestions and friends?  OMG yum!

 My favorite combination so far is the Cranberry Cinnamon Whiskey Sour with the White Cheddar Popcorn- OMG delish!  Below you will find the recipes they shared with me along with the popcorn pairing suggestions and why they work.  My choice pairs well because the fresh fruit in the drink compliments the cheddar flavor while the whiskey helps bring out some of the cheese's natural, quirky notes!  Brilliance!

Check them out....

You can find SkinnyPop at almost any grocery store.  Please try one of the pairings and let me know what you think!  I am a big fan in case you couldn't tell ;)

Show and Tell Tuesday: A Day In the Life Edition

It is time for another Show and Tell Tuesday!

Linking up with the Andreas today!  Linking with Andrea at Momfessionals  HERE 

and linking up with Andrea at Living On Cloud Nine HERE

Although yesterday was a little out of the ordinary as it was Columbus Day, many things throughout the day were routine but it was one of those days that I felt truly "balanced."  Not overworked- not running around- just got it all done because I did not stress.  It was not technically a holiday at our firm but everyone and their brother was out of the office.  That can be frustrating but I got so much done AND was able to get to the gym AND spend lots of time with the fam.  One of those days when I go to bed and feel accomplished!  Here is what it looked like....

 Early morning prayers, devotionals and blogging.....

and then got some work in!

 While everyone was still sleeping, I snuck out to the gym!  It was a great class because three of my besties were there so we could be "tortured" together ;)

Back home, it was time to refresh my coffee and get into more work- everyone was still sleeping!

It was a Rainy Columbus Day so I made sure I took a few shots to share with you- when I take a moment to look out at the yard or the kitchen window...this is what I see...don't you love our scary window peeper?  :)

Once the littles were up, Robby B got them some breakfast while I was working...then it was time for coziness...it was just one of those days

I snuck meal planning in for the week and Rob did the groceries on his lunch. Then I fed the girls lunch and did the dishes.

A part of my Halloween costume came in for the Gala at the Castle...bet you can't guess who I am going to be.....

I pulled out this journal to share with Diana.  I bought it when she was two I think.  I feel it is time.  She asked me if we could go grab sushi together and talk.  She was really challenging this weekend and she knew it so she apologized and then she just wanted to talk about some choices she is struggling with associated with her extracurricular activities.  I was nervous but so happy that she came to me.  The journal got us off to a great start.....

and then we enjoyed sushi and lots of talking....so good for the soul...

When we came home, we all watched an episode of Glee together and called it a day....and it was a GREAT one!