What’s Up Wednesday {January 2022}

This is a fun monthly link-up for bloggers to "catch up" with one another or, if you are not a blogger, for you to catch up with us when you have a little time.  Sheaffer and Shay put this together each month (click on the links to go to their blogs) and you can find other people connect with too :)

This kind of takes place of "Life Lately" posts since I don't have much to report regularly on a day-to-day basis.  Those are fun to look back on though!

1: WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK

Margaret wanted meatloaf one night -- it's been a long time since I've made it!  Has anyone noticed how much the price of meat has gone up??  Needless to say, it isn't the "cheapest" dish to make anymore but this one turned out great:

And we also made potato soup (this is an image from the website) which was a hit

And Uncle Brian sent home some of his delicious pot roast dinner from last time I was in Ohio and we ate that right up too (sorry, no recipe here!)

Margaret has also requested stuffed peppers from Costco this week (so good) and then I'm heading back to Cincinnati so the family (well, I guess we are down to Tom and Margaret) are on their own for the rest of the week/weekend.  They have some leftover barbecue chicken to eat also.  Meals are super simple these days.

2. WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT

Well, since the blog has been resurrected (sort of) I've been enjoying looking back on "life".  Like when my girls were both playing soccer for HVA (2017)

When our first vehicle was wrecked by a teenager in 2015:

And this post from 2013 showing what an "engaged classroom" looked like to me. . .before personal smartphones and tablets got in the way. . .you could order the computer cart for the day and give students a different way of finding information (besides lecture or a book).  I don't know if I could have ever imagined where we would be now in regards to how students learn. . .I loved being at the forefront of it all!!

Yes, I do miss the classroom very, very much.  It has changed dramatically in the last 10 years, though.  Or the way students learn.  Or the family structure.  I just don't know. . .I do think it's harder now, although there are certainly more opportunities open now.  Another musing for another day ;)

And one of my most favorite posts ever:

3: WHAT I’M LOVING

Time.  I'm loving having time.  I love that our kiddos are on their way and that I get to watch them navigate this next part of life.  This is a fun season for me. . .and hard.  It's hard being "directionless" but a blessing to have the time to seek out/wait out whatever is "next"

4: WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO

Well, quite a bit actually.

Mom fell and broke her leg a couple of weeks ago.  After an early-morning run to Cincinnati, we got her situated for surgery the next day (my sister had to work so it was good that I was able to sit with her that day and the next) and then my brother came up from Florida to get her moved to a nursing home/rehabilitation center that weekend.  Here is a pic of him taking care of Mom's love, Sadie: 

and she and I right before I left Tuesday afternoon when she had just had her hair washed and blown out.  Just having your hair look good makes everything better, right?

We took a quick weekend trip with my sister and oldest niece to Louisville a couple weeks ago -- our only chance this year to get away with my niece -- she has a very busy year including graduation, time in Europe, and a new job August 1st.  Always thankful for time with those I love:

It was COLD and a lot of trails were closed because of ice.  Thomas brought a friend with him and our two youngest didn't have any desire to go on a "hiking weekend" -- ha!

And then there was this:

Both drivers were safe, the passengers (one a baby in the other vehicle) were uninjured, but both vehicles did need to be towed.  Tom was out of town and I was on the tennis court and didn't get Margaret's phone call. . .our wonderful framily member, Tommy, came to the rescue and even offered to have it towed to his house.  This happened over a week ago and the adjuster just came out yesterday. . .still waiting on word about whether it will be totaled out or not, but luckily we are getting a rental for my trip to Ohio tomorrow.  The UT kiddos are being good sports and sharing a vehicle on campus for the time being.  Onward and forward. . .

5: WHAT I’M DREADING:

"Dreading" isn't the right word, but I am heading back north tomorrow to spend time with my Mom -- it's GOOD that I get the time with her but BAD that it's under these circumstances, in a nursing home, unable to really do anything for the time being.  

And I AM dreading the cold weather.  I absolutely hate it.

First world problems, for sure

6: WHAT I’M WORKING ON

Getting a job.  It's time. I've been applying mainly for training positions because I like being in the corporate environment so much and, of course, love people and teaching and training and coaching and putting programs together, etc., etc.  I have had such a great
"run" at being home, though, so it's extremely difficult to think about a full-time job.  We'll see.  

I've also been painting the house little-by-little (my latest "room"): 

We are also redoing all of the hardware to oil-rubbed bronze.  Some we are purchasing, some we are spray painting.  

We also got that "boob" light traded out :)

Three rooms to go -- two on the main floor and the hallway upstairs. . .it's been years in the making.

7: WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT

This!

We brought her home this week -- I'm so, so excited for our boating season this year!!

When we were cleaning out the "old" boat I realized, this is our children's childhood.  They don't have that "grew up in that home" to come home to or a relative's house that they have holiday memories at. . .THIS is the one thing that was always the same.  

NO LONGER!

8: WHAT I’M WATCHING/READING

I'm still working through Call the MIdwife (Netflix).  I really, really like this show.  I do enjoy the time period and setting (London's East End) but mostly the social storylines.  There has been so much advancement in medicine as well as social rights in the last 60 years.

Tom's favorite show these days is The Repair Shop (Discovery+). Such great stories and talented artisans in this series that restores sentimental items for special families.

For someone who rarely watched TV pre-non-employment, I am enjoying exploring a few shows from our streaming services.  I devoured Selling Sunset (Netflix) almost as soon as the new season came out!

I recently finished The Paper Palace

and am not sure how I feel about it.  It was certainly well-written but I just didn't like the main character a whole lot.  I half-listened/half-read this book (my favorite way to plow through a book!) and thought the audio version was well-done.  

I loved John Grisham's Sooley

John Grisham is always a "win" for me.  I love the way he tells a story and this book does not disappoint.  I learned more than I every really cared about basketball but really, it is the world's refugee situation that I walk away with.  That, and how innocent and susceptible our young kiddos really are.

Lastly, I read through a third book - Julie Clark's The Last Flight.

It was a great book to the very last page.  Nothing relatable, but enjoyable.  

9: WHAT I’M LISTENING TO

The kids got me hooked on Spotify last year. . .I love making my own playlists and then it suggests other songs based on what I've already picked.  I also like that we can share lists -- I have one for "boating" that anyone can add/delete to and then Robert has a "country" playlist that he shares with me -- no choices on my part which I love :). The other great thing is that I can "hide" music from his playlist from my device if it's not a particular favorite.  

10: WHAT I’M WEARING

I never know what to write here.  I'm not a "shopper" and rarely have/wear anything that others would say, "hey, where did you get that?" -- ha!  The girls got me a new Lulu tennis skirt for Christmas and luckily I've gotten to wear it a couple times now already.  I did just buy these shoes this morning based on a recommendation from another What's Up Wednesday blogger :)

11: WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND

Ohio.  Not my favorite place to be (except for family and friends there, of course) this time of the year. Just really, really cold.  And usually grey.  And the rest of my people are in Tennessee.  Oh well. . .quality time with my mom and hopefully see some progress in her healing/mobility since her fall three weeks ago.  And football!  What about those Bengals??  Sad to see the Titans loose but happy for that Cincinnati team for sure.

12: WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH

Honestly, there isn't much in February to look forward to (still cold) except my birthday. . .but that's not usually a big deal.  I am planning a trip with my sister, so that will be fun -- it's on the coast so the weather could be great or awful. . .you just never know.  Fingers crossed some of my best friends will join us :)

13: WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Someone posted this on FaceBook last week and I just really liked it.  I think because this is how I'm coaching/encouraging my kids at this stage in their life. . .and they should enjoy the uncertainty, excitement, and opportunities to try new things right now.  That they have the chance to start, and then start again if they want, make their mark, lay the foundation for the rest of their lives.

That's it friends!  Let me know what I should work on next. . .

Love,

Jenni