Hello Monday - 9.8.2025

 

My picture game is DOWN.  I've worked so hard this year for Picture of the Day and have deliberately decided to take September off.  (1) because I'm way behind on my month posts and (2) because I just want a break.  My September is no longer as crazy and jam-packed as in the past (look at this post from 2018!) so it's a good time to take a rest, a refresh, before the holidays kick in.  Plus, we'll have a wedding this December too so that adds in a little extra for this family :)

I DO have a goal to write a little bit each day this month - I've missed two, and one day my "writing" was just responding to blog posts, but it's what I want - to be intentional (my word of the year) with my morning time and blog friends.

Here to join Holly and Sarah for their weekly link-up.  I have found so many of those above-mentioned "friends" through this :)

I did not take a single picture Friday!

It was a busy-ish day at work - I didn't even have time to go play pickleball in the morning.  Honestly I thought the courts would still be too wet at 8 a.m. and 9 was too late because of some deadlines I needed to meet at work.  I was online pretty solidly from home that day, with Tom coming home for lunch and me "piddling" around during breaks, getting my spring/summer stuff down, the football wreath out, stuff like that.  As you can see from the picture at the top, though, no fall decor out yet!  The ornaments up there are ones that have been given to me recently - figure I might as well display them until the tree goes up!  Speaking of, we got rid of ours last year and when I sent Tom this one to consider he had a bit of sticker shock.  We've got time but I know it's not a decision either of us wants to make - ha!

After work I went to a gathering I was invited to to say "goodbye" to a longtime employee from the bank.  I didn't know him long (I've only been there since November) but he made a HUGE impact on me as a leader and his banking knowledge is just what I needed to learn about this industry.  His leaving was hard for most of the retail folks. . .it was time for a change. I get it, but usually not easy.  It was nice to catch up with people I adjacently work with outside of work in a social environment.  I miss those days when I knew my coworkers outside of work - I appreciate that some of my former employers would try to make "out of office" gatherings happen once in awhile.  When I got home we probably watched some of America's Team on Netflix.  This has been a good one!  They peaked in the 90's and Tom keeps saying, "I just don't remember a lot of this" - ha!  Yea, because that was our 20's and we were finishing school, getting married, starting our family - that's where our kids are now - it's all a blur in the rearview mirror.  Fun to relieve through this documentary though.  

SATURDAY morning we were at Sam's club (again) at 8 a.m. for supplies for the birthday dinners Sunday 

and then headed to Costco for their 9 a.m. opening for things that Sam's didn't have - specifically I love their yogurt and fresh-baked bread.  I think we also picked up a couple other things and then headed home to get brunch ready, put Game Day on, and try and figure out how much rain gear to take with us to the game.  Tom's cousin couldn't use their tickets this weekend so offered them to us.  Robert, Ellie, and our friends showed up at the house about the same time (11-ish) and we had brunch - frittatas, fruit, yogurt - and then headed out.

The above screenshot was taken at 1230 when I was talking to other friends about whether or not they were going to chance the weather - it was all good 3 hours later at kickoff!!

We stopped at the bar at The Graduate to get out of the rain for a bit and a table had just opened up - a couple baskets of fries and a few drinks later (missing the Vol Walk and Pride of the Southland crossing the bridge - boo) we headed to the stadium.  

Stephen was at the game too - just off with his friends instead of us :/
When we got there we met friends of Tom's cousin and she photobombed our pic to say "hi" to Debbie :)

And look at this cute couple :)

We left about the middle of the third quarter - it was a blowout game, later we found out it's the most points the Vols have ever scored in a game - 72!  It's always more fun to see the game live-in-action, especially if you are dressed in orange and at Neyland!

One last parting shot and my terrible selfie skills. . .back home for pizza and to turn on the Michigan-Oklahoma game.  Poor MI.  Not the outcome they were hoping for - we actually went to bed before it was over.  We DID get home in time to see South Floria beat Florida - that was insane.  All in all, another good day in College Football. I can't believe we're already two weeks in!!

SUNDAY - Birthday celebration day!!

This is all I got. . .

That's o.k. - happy to celebrate with both of them :)

We went to church then home to get lunch ready for everyone - this cake was compliments of Barbara - Stephen's request.  

Stephen wants a Pickleball paddle but hasn't chosen one yet. . .the girls got him new towels (does anything say "22" better than that??) and Robert & Ellie got him the same thing as Nana and Grandpa - new workout shorts.  The kids got Tom a new battery-operated saw and I had his Father's Day picture made into a canvas to add to his collection in the hallway.

Everyone was gone by 4 and I was at the tennis courts by 4:30 for a USTA match - my partner and I didn't go out until 5:30 though!  We won along with the rest of our team - it was perfect weather and always really great ladies to play with.

'tis the season for the doggies to have on their lighted collars for their evening walk.  Boooooooo. . .

Stephen headed to Chattanooga with Robert & Ellie. Watched some more football, caught up on a little social media - I think I was in bed by 9:30???  

How was your weekend?  Any highlights to share in the comments or a blog post for me to read?

Love,

Jenni