Wednesday, July 26, 2017

What's Up Wednesday!

Well, it's Wednesday, friends!


I haven't looked forward to a weekend as much as I am this one in a really long time!  This weekend starts the beginning of my vacation time from work and then we leave a little later in the week for the beach!!  I need a break in the worst way so I am super pumped.

But today is the monthly linkup with MelSheaffer and Shay where we share what we've been up to lately!  So here we go!



What we're eating this week:

Honestly?  Whatever we can find.  Fish sticks, sandwiches, mac n cheese, strawberries, salads, tacos, grilled chicken...  My kids and their neighbor friends play until almost dark every night during the summer, Craig always has sessions with his quarterbacks in the late afternoon through the evening and this week, I've been working on orders until 8 or 9 every night.  We pretty much remember to eat when our tummies start rumbling.  ;)

What I'm reminiscing about:

This popped up in my "On This Day" on Facebook yesterday...

Matthew and Mason in their little floaties!  This was 2012.


And this one was one of my favorite little memories!! I put this sleeveless shirt on 3-year-old Matthew and he was NOT having it!  His exact words were "No Mommy!  This shirt is BROKEN!!" as he started to try to take it off.  No sleeves = broken.  So stinkin' precious.


What I'm loving...

This is pretty much what Matthew is loving right now.



He has been a little obsessed with spiking up his hair lately and he loved how it looked right before he got in the shower last night.  He wanted a picture of it before it got all messed up. 

What I'm working on...

Finishing these orders!  39 left to go!  I think I sent out 8 or 9 of the water tracker bottles yesterday plus a ton of other bottles, tumblers and signs.  Weeding out all of the negative space is the most tedious part.


I've also been working on lots of glitter tumblers...



And finished up some cute signs!



My Etsy shop will reopen in early August, but you can go here to "Favorite" it and get a notification when it reopens!  You can also follow me on Instagram @thatinspiredchick and @amandanall.  

What I'm excited about...

Basically, the same thing I've been excited about all summer.  VACATION!  We always have to wait until the end of summer to take a real vacation because Craig works so many football camps all over the nation that it's just impossible to go any earlier.  But it's finally here!!  Unfortunately, that also means summer is almost over which is a huge bummer.  The next month is going to fly by.

This week I've been trying to do everything I can to get us prepared.  We go to the beach every year and every year I think of stuff I should get or do for the next year that would make things easier/better.  So this year, I've ordered The Beachcomber to help haul all the beach junk in and out from the beach every day.


 I also ordered a bigger canopy for our loooonnnnggg beach days.



And if y'all's families are anything like mine on a long car trip, you will appreciate my desire to keep things a little less chaotic in the backseat this time around.  There are always water bottles, tissues, chargers, ipads, books, coloring books, shoes, socks, snack wrappers all over the backseat...  It drives me CRAZY every time we stop and I have to open their doors.

So this year, I ordered these.  They were cheap (as in 2 for $13.99) so I'm not expecting them to last forever but I AM hoping they'll keep us a tad more organized during our 11-12 hour drive to Alabama and back again.  


You can find them here if you think they might work for you too!

What I'm watching/reading...

Right now, I'm reading The Luckiest Girl Alive as my "real" book and I am deciding on my next audiobook.  Since I am a Kristan Higgins fanatic now, I'm trying to figure out which one I should read next.  (It will be my 4th KH novel.) In case you missed my mid-summer book review, check it out here!  It has 14 books that you should definitely add to your list!!


My last audiobook was The Light We Lost and man, that is a hard book to review.  On one hand, it was well written and was a fantastic love story for the hopeless romantics.  On the other, it had me feeling completely...unsettled?  I think maybe that's the word I'm looking for.  

In the book, a couple meets on 9/11 and are bonded from then on.  The story goes on to talk about their relationship, their break up and their lives after the breakup.  They can't seem to get over each other even after a decade..plus marriage.  And kids.  The end made me cry.  But at times I just wanted to scream at Lucy to get OVER it...he's just not that into you!!  But your sweet husband IS!  The other guy left you.  He chose WORK over you.  And then he comes back when it's convenient for him and all the drama starts.

I don't know how I felt about it all. The reviews are mixed (with mostly 4 and 5 stars though but the 1 and 2 reviews are passionate!)   It's clearly a good book.  But I just felt Lucy and Gabe were a little selfish.

But moving on to something fun and light-hearted...

I just finished re-watching the entire series of Parks and Recreation on Netflix and now I've moved on to The Mindy Project on Hulu.  When people ask what is so awesome about Parks and Rec, here's what I say.  It makes me happy.  It puts me in a good mood.  It takes away any stressors in my life and I just laugh.  I adore the characters and Leslie Knope is the funniest, coolest chick.  If you haven't tried to binge watch it, you should.  I'm so sad that it ended.  :(

I also love The Mindy Project in very similar ways.  Mindy's humor is very similar to Leslie Knope and both are similar to mine.  Or at least the humor that I find funny.  (I don't know if I'm funny in the slightest but I do know that I find these two chicks hilarious.)

I'm also watching The Real Housewives of New York which is bringing the drama this season!  


Dorinda in the little Italian restaurant a few weeks ago might have been my favorite episode of Real Housewives of anything EVER.  (The "Bronx Tale" episode.)  Girls!!  When she starts the whole "Clip! Clip! Clip!" thing...I was literally rolling around laughing.  


I love you, Dorinda.

I loved her even more when she forgot all of her luggage when they went skiing in Vermont.  And she said she needed to send an Uber to pick up her luggage and bring it to her. In Vermont.  From NEW YORK.  She made my day when we saw that she DID remember her mini disco ball though but forgot her panties.  I seriously love her.

And now they are all in Mexico in a giant house and watching Ramona and Sonja act like children fighting over who gets the best room just makes for the best television after a long day.  I am pretty pumped for tonight's episode.  These women are completely insane and I love them.

I'm also watching Big Brother.  In short, I think Josh needs to GO.  He has rubbed me the wrong way since Day 1.  More so than even Cody and Jessica.  (They are a very close second though although they have really grown on me this week while I've watched some of the live feeds.)

What I'm wearing...

Click here and here to check out all my favorite finds from the Nordstrom sale!  A lot of my goodies are for fall so I'm going to have to wait awhile before I can wear them.  But for now, I'm wearing these earrings on repeat!


I've got them in Jet and Clear/Silver.  Take advantage of the $13 off while you can!!





What I'm doing this weekend...

Once I finish these orders, I have plans to organize my work stuff in the garage.  (It's a mess of sawdust, random wood pieces, and power tools plus all the boys' stuff.)  It's time for a little garage makeover.

Basically, I am completely focused on finishing these orders so I can do #allthethings.  I have so much stuff on my to-do list.  I want to paint my pantry door and my back door.  Maybe black?  Maybe navy?  Maybe a light blue?  I don't know.  I do know that they are both white now (technically) with nothing but dirty handprints covering that white paint.  I'd also love to paint my island.  And finish our DIY built-ins.  I don't do well without a to-do list.  ;)

So that's it for Wednesday!  Hope you all have a great week!  See you back here (possibly) tomorrow but definitely for Friday Favorites.  I'm planning a jewelry DIY post but these orders are taking top priority right now so we'll see when I get that posted.  :)

Happy Hump Day, ladies!







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18 comments

  1. I love Dorinda too and was rolling during that whole Clip ordeal!!

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    1. I've re-watched that episode 4 TIMES now! When she says "Hostest with the...MOSTEST!" I almost died! hahahaha. She is the best!

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  2. I found your blog through Shay's "What's Up Wednesday" and so glad I did! We have so much in common that I can't wait to read more of your blog (and get my blog up and running again!). Great post!

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    1. Thank you so much!! Let me know when you get it up and running!!

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  3. Love those earrings!!
    I know you are SO ready for vacation! You deserve it girl!!
    I'm working on several Fall designs for my shop!! They are so fun!
    Happy Wednesday! Hope you gets lots marked off your to-do list!

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    1. Thanks, Heather!! Can't wait to see your new fall stuff!

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  4. a girl after my own heart: I adore any Housewives show but wow these NYC take the cake right now! LOL (well I don't care for the potomac Housewives. YAWN) I was literally dying over Dorinda. She is my spirit animal and Sonja and Ramona re just hot messes! Have a fabulous vacation. We have a beach house on the Central coast in California and I ADORE THE BEACH. ENJOY! Cant wait to see what DIY you end up doing. Happy almost vacation!

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    1. Same here! I've never watched a single episode of Potomac. Even the previews don't get me interested! But I'm totally on board with all the others! The OC Housewives are a hot mess right now too. Yikes! And I am so jealous you have a beach house! I would never want to leave! (I'm sure you don't ever want to either!)

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  5. I love Dorinda too! I love all the Housewives. WOOOHOOO for vacation! I hope you enjoy every second. You deserve it!

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  6. Yay! Vacation time is always the best time, isn't it?! Have you found an easy way to weed out small and intricate lettering? I have tried reverse weeding, but, it just doesn't seem to work for me :(

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    1. Unfortunately, no. :( I just use the pick tool in the picture for everything and try not to slam my head into a wall with frustration. ;) I don't like reverse weeding either.

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    2. Haha!! I feel ya!! I have to be doing something totally mindless while I weed.

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  8. Love the Blue Heron series by Kristan Higgins (I've read all of her books). You should check out Susan Elizabeth Phillips. If you want to try a stand alone, go with "Ain't She Sweet" - but my fave is her Chicago Stars series.

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    1. I ADORE Susan Elizabeth Phillips!!! I've read 16 of her books!! The Chicago Stars series was my favorite too! I think I found her shortly after my husband retired from the NFL so it was fun reading about another QB and NFL team. And then I was hooked. I was obsessed! I can't believe I've never mentioned her. But yes, love love love her! I'll have to bring her up on my next book post. Thanks, Christie!!

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    2. I assume you know that she has a new release in the The Chicago Stars Series? The title is "First Star I See Tonight".

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    3. I had no idea!!! I haven't read any of them in so long, I need to go back and re-read first! I'm so excited! Thank you!!

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