What’s Up Wednesday – Jan 2019
What’s up Wednesday! I’m linking up with Shay& Sheaffer and you can find the questions in pink so check it out and join the fun. You can also find me joining Welcome Wednesday and sharing some looks with The Blended Blog. along with all my favorite weekly fashion linkups.
What We’re Eating this Week
Please tell me I’m not alone here! I really love being in the kitchen and don’t mind cooking but what I hate is coming up with the meal plan. I’m so loving the new meal planner I picked up from Erin at Simple Purposeful Living as it allows me to easily plan the meals and make our shopping list at one time.
This week I made a batch of this tomato soup which is dairy free but full of flavor! It was a super easy fix in the instant pot. I’ve been enjoying for my lunch all week with a piece of Ezekiel bread and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
Also on the menu were these pork chops which I adapted to the instant pot and, y’all, they cook in 15 short minutes! Steak and noodles are a family favorite and also made the cut this week along with my mom’s meatloaf. I plan on making instant pot carnitas to carry us through the rest of the week.
What I’m Reminiscing About
I shared this picture in my stories recently after also sharing a new jacket I recently snagged on clearance at White House Black Market. The last time I owned a black houndstooth jacket was with this suit I wore when I was in homecoming court my senior year of high school. What in the world?!!
What We’ve Been Up To
We have been making up for lost time with our framily! We have actually gotten together this month for 2 lunches after church, 1 birthday dinner and one National Championship game! After months of running in opposite directions being together was our favorite!
The girls even had the chance to head to see Mary Poppins Returns one Saturday and another week had a craft day!
We also had a quick visit with some of our little cousins who think Dillon is just about the best thing EVER!
And my freezer is official closed for the winter! Goodness did these boys hunt this fall and winter. I love, love, love to see how much they have bonded over both hunting and baseball.
We celebrated Dillon turning 17! So stinkin’ proud of him this year.
Of course they really, really love when their moms make them recreate a picture from years ago! Man a lot can change in 4 years!
What I’m Dreading
Not a thing!
What I’m Working On
Celebrating all the things! In case you didn’t catch my word of the year post, this year I am wanting to celebrate every little thing! I’m the queen of giving myself an unattainable to do list over the weekend and then beating myself up about what didn’t get done. I’ve been working hard to notice what I did get done and feeling contentment.
What I’m Excited About
Last month I shared that Riley has a new opportunity taking him one step closer to living his dream! He was drafted in December as part of the rule 5 draft and is now part of the Miami Marlins organization. The Marlins must keep him on their big league roster for a complete year or offer him back to the Astros. I have to admit the first time I looked up the Marlins roster and saw my kids face it was surreal. This is a huge shot for him and while it means he will be further away from home it’s not hard for me to be super excited for him! So, yeah, I’m officially a Marlins fan.
What I’m Watching/Reading
I finished 2018 with a real page turner in Verity. So many friends have concurred it was a great read and we have all shared our two cents on what we think really happened. You can read the full December book review here.
Yesterday I shared my January book review of two recent reads I found on Kindle Unlimited. My current reading list is so long and constantly growing after seeing what everyone else is loving. It looks like The Last Mrs. Parrish is next on my list!
Carly Jo and I watched Dumplin on Netflix and absolutely loved it!
After several recommendations from friends I began watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and I have to admit I’m quite smitten. I just want all her clothes!! The language is a bit heavy but if you can get past the crudeness it is cute.
What I’m Listening To
As I mentioned in my January book review, I’m following a Chronological Bible in a Year plan and using The Bible Recap daily which follows along and gives additional information and perspective.
I listened to two Happy Hour interviews recently which really touched me. The interview with Lysa Terkeurst was really interesting and timely as her new book had just arrived on my doorstep. I’m glad I heard her speak about the book before reading to fully understand she wrote this book while in the midst of a hard season not after all was embraced and resolved.
The second interview was with Rachel Joy. She is the organize of Sparrow Conference and her mission is all about racial harmony.
What I’m Wearing
All my winter clothes! It’s been fairly chilly for Texas lately so you can bet I’m bundling up in soft cozy sweaters and tall boots.
Earlier this month I shared two other ways to wear this pink sweater. I have to say I think I’ve gotten my money out of this one. While it is out of stock in this pink there is a lovely coral and a mocha color still available. And I’m absolutely loving the new necklace Jordan gifted me from my wish list. It is all sold out in the Tiger Eye but so many other colors to choose from and I’m loving it is adjustable to various lengths. I’m also loving the new styles and I’m kind of thinking these earrings might be next on my list!
I have to say, this cardigan has also been worth the splurge. I rarely pay full price for anything and figure if I’m meant to have it I will find it marked down. Well, after borrowing this cardigan from a friend one weekend, I knew it was a keeper. I have worn it like crazy! This was a first time pairing with the camo but I’ve already worn it two more times! If you are looking for a quality pair of OTK boots these are so good!
Let’s just say this may officially be the oldest item in my closet. I really think I purchased for a trip to Vegas in 2008 y’all. 2008! The brand is Ivy Jane which was always a boutique favorite for me and I just still love it so much. I paired with my fave Frye boots and topped with a denim jacket.
Also from my wish list and gifted to myself by myself (yes, yes I did) is this leather bag. I know it was a splurge but I do not splurge on purses super often but really needed a new bag that could work as a crossbody. So far I love this bag!
What I’m Doing this Weekend
It’s that time of year again as we kick off dance competition season! Carly Jo and I are heading to Houston for her first dance convention/competition. I can’t wait to see their routines for the first time!
What I’m Looking Forward to Next Month
February is shaping up to be quite the month to celebrate! Baseball season begins on the 4th and Riley leaves for spring training on the 8th. My sister-in law will have a birthday on the 10th and my sweet friend Katy is turning the big 4-0 on February 28th! I’m also hoping to celebrate my friend Cindy’s 5 year anniversary of being cancer free on the 11th. As if all of that is not enough, February 9th is National Pizza Day!
What Else is New
If you are any sort of blog reader then you already know the precious Cassie of Hi Sugarplum launched her second line with Gibson X clothing at Nordstrom. Did you know this time they created the pieces in regular, petite and plus size? Did you also know Gibson is an ethical company? I seriously ordered way too many pieces to try and hope it’s not too tough making a final decision once I see them in person. Cassie is adorable, humble and authentic and I loved the pieces.
Valentines Day Celebration
Keith and I typically pick a day near Valentines but not the actual day to head out for a nice dinner date. I think it would be super fun to host a Galentines Day party but I have never actually pulled it off! How cute would this charcuterie board be for a brunch? You can see all the details by visiting Sugar and Charm!
