Life Lately

 Guys. Guys. It has been so long since I've blogged! My last post was my October Reads and now we're into November and this girl has some THOUGHTS. I've got a Hallmark Christmas movie on (why is the hair on these leading ladies always so on point?!), Hank is upstairs napping, and I decided to do a photo dump here to catch up on life lately. Every few months I toy with the idea of moving my blog to "private" mode. I think I might someday, but I always return to it because I love documenting and then later, looking back and remembering. So here we are.....halfway into November---living life in a Pandemic (I know we're sick of it, I know it's stressful, but it's still happening and we need to try and be part of the solution), approaching the holidays, and we have a new president. I wish I kept a tally for how many times I refreshed CNN.com from November 3rd-November 8th. It was a lot. I'm thrilled with the results (not exactly the margins I was hoping for, but hey) and hope that our country can come together to build a better and brighter future for everyone. Ok, folks, Life Lately Photo drop.....

Halloween: Hank had a fun Halloween party at school and we had some friends over for a Halloween celebration the day before. We didn't trick or treat but Hank had a blast being Buzz!! He wanted to be Woody all summer long and then about a month before Halloween he declared, "It's Buzz, mom, I want to be Buzz!" 

My awesome mom made party bags for Hank's classmates and my MIL made party bags for my 1st graders. So sweet! 

Hank has been working hard on a "dinner manners chart" and after 35 evenings of good manners, he earned his prize: a wiggle bike! He LOVES this thing and it's awesome for zooming around our basement. 

I've been making all kinds of new recipes! AJ made a pulled pork on the Traeger, I made dehydrated strawberries (they cooked for 3 hours at 250 degrees and turned out so chewy and yummy), crustless pumpkin pie, slow cooker chicken marsala, tortellini soup, and tonight I'm trying a new recipe: Hamburger and fry pie! (Cheeseburgers are Hank's favorite food so I hope he enjoys this new twist on it). I love trying new recipes especially when we're home so much! 

Christmas has arrived at Starbucks! I had my first caramel brulee latte of the season today and waited in line for 30 minutes for my free reusable cup the day of the holiday roll out. It's so crazy but going on "opening day" is sort of a tradition now. Starbucks helped me get through conferences last week. They were held via Zoom. I missed the camaraderie of the whole school together and seeing former students and visiting the book fair, but overall, they went well this year despite the different format. 

These guys are my whole world. Hank is chatting up a storm and makes us laugh all the time. He does this new look we call "side eye" and it's hilarious. And don't worry, AJ slipped his annual autographed school picture into my lunchbox this week. I added it to my wall but strategically moved it so it wouldn't be in the frame of my zoom meetings because ummm, weird. Lol. 

I'm just over here trying to resist putting up all my holiday decos (I want to respect the turkey), but I can't help putting up a few things here and there.....the holly jolly will be on overload this year. We all need it. We've never celebrated Christmas in this house and I'm so excited to decorate.

 I have been listening to Leslie Odom Jr.'s Christmas album and it is perfection. (He's Burr if you didn't know!). I'll leave you with this jam I've had on repeat. Have a happy week and Savor Your Sparkle,

Leslie 

That Fall Feeling

Hello hello. 

   I haven't done a picture update in a while so I'm doing that today. I love keeping our memories in this little space on the internet. It's officially Fall (and no, not like that means pumpkin stuff is out, but it's like actually fall weather-wise) and I adore this season. I love the decorations, the crisp air, the seasonal events, and yes, I like that the fall is a sign post that holly jolly Christmas fun is just around the corner. But also, the Fall can feel hard. I hate it when the days get shorter and it feels like 10pm right around dinner time. I can start to feel that teacher fizzle from the high energy go-go-go of the first weeks of school catching up with me. And this year, man, this year it alllll just hits differently doesn't it??

 I was trying to express to AJ the other night what this season feels like and the word I landed on was heavy. The Pandemic feels heavy. On one hand I am so totally over it and ready to move on, but on the other hand, I know that numbers don't lie and the higher than ever case counts are alarming. It's scary. Also politics. Very heavy. (Insert the wide mouth emoji here). The world (our country in particular) feels broken. Damaged. I know better than to think that we will be this divided forever but DANG. So yeah, heavy feels about right. But when things feel too heavy, I have to remind myself that maybe I'm not meant to carry it all. In fact, I know I'm not. But sometimes feeling a bit of that weight can be a good thing. It creates awareness that what we do and say matters and that while I know who holds this whole thing up (God, in case you were wondering), we can all do our part to carry some of that heavy for each other too. That is a long and winding way of saying, I see your heavy too and sis, it's totally possible to live with "The fall brings out my happy/basic/extra self/give me all the pumpkin spice everything and how freaking cute are baby pumpkins" and also "Yikes. Dayyyyyummm. 2020, what else you think you're gonna pull?" at the very same time. (But keep in mind, despite the despair that creeps in my heart when I watch the news or the *literal* lack of actual light in our days, Fall also means the return of Reeses pumpkins, the return of some of my TV faves,  crunchy leaves, and infinity scarves ..anything really to lighten the load, I'll take it!). I was meaning to write two separate posts this week, a photo update and my little musings on how life feels uncertain and unknown but this is my dang blog and I'm just doing 1 post this week. See: "heavy." 

Remember that country song, "These are My People?" I always think about that when I see a pic of my little crew. These ARE my people and they are my everything. We've been going on lots of walks and adventures. 

I visited Hadley. I just love spending time with her. 

To say our Traeger has been getting a workout lately is an understatement. We've done flank steak, meatloaf, chicken kabobs, apple cobbler, burgers, and this weekend, a giant brisket. We've got pork belly and chicken wings on the docket next! 

We visited the Zoo! 

We ordered some photos on canvas for our front hallway. I think they look so good! We also took off the front of Hank's crib. He loves his "big boy bed." He is getting so grown up! 

School is going well. Someone please remind me how exhausted I will be the first month or so of school. Every single year I forget how those first few weeks are (Like I want to be in bed at 8 pm sort of tired). My class is cute and I pray we can stay healthy and together all year. I got a Donor's Choose funded this month with all sort of holiday teaching goodies including all these gingerbread themed books! So fun! Also, how amazing is technology?? My kids had a zoom call this week with the Ogden Nature Center and we got to see some cool animals and get questions answered live! I need to remember how awesome technology can be because we watched The Social Dilemma last week and I was about ready to throw my phone in a river. (I highly recommend the movie. We already know what technology is doing to us but I believe it pays to hear it over and over). 

Speaking of Neflix....GUYS. GUYS. This was just a little half hour thing on Netflix's social media platforms (I thought it was on actual Netflix and kept refreshing like an idiot), but we watched this Friday and it was so perfectly adorable. I love revisiting the Banks Family! 

I've also been doing plenty of this.....

Check out my September Reads HERE

Well that post got super duper long. That's for reading along. May we all find some light and let down some of our heavy. 

Savor Your Sparkle,

Leslie

Life Lately

Hello! 

    I'm coming to you from the other side....the other side of school starting! Here is a very brief rundown of my thoughts 5 days in: 1. My class is awesome and I hope and pray we can be together all year. 2. I really missed in person teaching. 3. Teaching/being in a mask alllll day is hard. 4. I definitely miss aspects of pre-covid school. 5. I'm exhausted but good exhausted. It's been a whirlwind but in a world that feels so crazy, it's nice that my little classroom corner of the world feels sort of "normal." I can feel that fall crisp-ness in the air and I've been enjoying my fair share of Starbucks pumpkin cream cold brews and burning my fall candle. I just love it! (And no, I haven't had my PSL Hadley/Mommy traditional day yet, but I have it on my calendar). 

I've got some super random Life Lately pics for you today but first I just had to share this adorable one. We had a family photo shoot recently and this picture makes me melt. We are always cheering on our little man!

 Have you tried these Mediterranean Bowls?! I posted this recipe last week and these babies are so versatile and delish! I have them on the menu again next week! 

I found these delicious and convenient mini pancake packs on my last visit to Costco. There are 25 pouches with 2 little pancakes in each. The perfect easy breakfast for Hank! I told him since they're made in France that Ratatouille made them. He thinks that's hilarious. 

We are soaking up the sunshine and LOVING our backyard so so so much! On Sunday we were out there for hours while dinner cooked on the Traeger. Pure bliss. 

Two internet faves from this week.... This meme made me laugh. First, it's got Leo. Second, I LOVE a Starbucks tumbler. I almost always have one with ice water in it by my side. 

Second, I've gotten really into the podcast, The Bible Binge, from the same creators of my most fave podcast, The Popcast. They are doing a new series called "Faith Adjacent" where they tie pop culture to concepts of faith. The premier episode in this series was about Hamilton and this Hamilton Benediction is absolute perfection. 

That's it for this Wednesday! 

Savor Your Sparkle,

Leslie 

This & That

 Guys. It's been a minute (like a lot of weeks) since I've blogged! Why? It's Back to School, baby! I've stewed all summer about school starting. I have thoughts, lots of 'em, but I'll keep them to myself on this blog. I will say, it's nice being back with colleagues and back in my classroom happy place. This year will be different. There is zero doubt about that. I've really missed teaching, though. And I've said this over and over: I will never take a "normal" back to school experience for granted ever again. 

Oh, and pro tip: I follow a social media account, Love, Teach and she recommended putting a drop or two of essential oil in your mask and it's delightful. A friend sent me a "pumpkin patch" oil and my mask now smells like a crisp fall morning, a dash of cinnamon, and a PSL and it makes wearing a mask for 8 hours a day semi-tolerable. Anyway, Hank is back to childcare 3 days a week and he has Grandma and Grandpa days 2 days a week. It's been an adjustment for all of us having been all together chilling for 3 months. Pandemic life is weird. Especially for those of us who have young children and work with young children.  

Love a teacher out there! I've gotten a few care packages (including these awesome disinfecting wipes and mask set) and notes of well wishes from friends and family as we jump into "Pandemic School"  and it means SO much to me and warms my heart. 

First Day of school excitement!! 

Hank loves long walks! 

Some exciting things in the midst of returning back to real life: We got a new car and our yard is complete! So the lease on our current car was up this fall and we decided we wanted to turn it in and switch to a purchase. AJ and I spent the morning at the dealership last week and while we intended to purchase the car we currently have, it ended up being the same cost to purchase a year newer one. Done and done!  

Our yard has been a step by step process. To the left it what it looked like before we moved in and below is what it looks like now (from the same vantage point!).  We expanded our patio in March (a week before the world closed!) and then our neighbor behind us finished their retaining wall in June, then our fence was put in during July. The last step was sprinklers, sod, and landscaping. Finally on Thursday we came home from work to find it finished! Woohoo! I am thrilled to have all major house projects done for 2020! I am so thankful we found our home and moved this year. It's been so great for us. 

I was going to save this find for a "What I'm Loving Lately" post but decided to share it now instead! My parents bought Hank this cute giant cloth coloring mat from The Modern Cloth Co. You need to use washable Crayolas on it but when you're done, just pop it in the washing machine and it's all clean again. Hank loves this cute ocean scene. 

I really miss my 2 guys during the week after spending so much time with them for the past 5 months!. Luckily, waking up early, packing lunches (3 a day! Lord help me), actually doing my makeup (!), and returning to my classroom again sort of feels normal in a world that feels anything but! Keeping this quote in mind as we dive into the unknown....

Have a great week ahead! 

Savor Your Sparkle,

Leslie