AuburnChick's Adventures

Happy Monday, y’all!

How was your weekend?

Mine started off with a trip to the gas station at Kroger. My car was running on fumes . . .

I usually don’t let the gas get so low, but time had gotten away from me, which is why I nearly found myself in a situation.

The Mr. and I make the most of the fuel points we earn from the groceries we purchase by pulling up to the pump behind each other and filling up both of our cars at one time. There’s no rule that says you can’t do this. Ha!

Afterward, we went home, where we spent a delightful couple of hours on our front porch with Gambit. There was a lovely breeze blowing.

Once the sun went down, the we settled in front of the TV to watch a couple more episodes of Andor. I’m still a little lost, but I think the story is finally starting to come together for me. The cinematography is absolutely incredible in the last few episodes.

I slept in Saturday, and by slept in, I mean until 6:45. 🥱

This is what it looked like outside . . .

What a great excuse to stay in my pajamas!

But first, the matcha!

I love a quiet house, y’all. The Mr. doesn’t get up early, so I have the house to myself each morning, and I make the most of it.

I had seen a reel about making your own flavored syrup, and I knew that one of the student workers in my office makes her own strawberry syrup to put in her matcha, so I decided to give it a go.

This gal has a website where she posts more information about her recipes.

I chopped 16oz of strawberries and added the sugar. The bowl of strawberries is currently in the fridge doing its thing. I may be a little excited.

Next, I prepped some tomatoes and garlic for a sauce I needed for a recipe I was making for the week.

I’m using this cookbook . . .

To make this . . .

The tomato sauce recipe is in the book too. It looked simple, so I went for it.

My house smelled amazing after I pulled the roasting pan from the oven.

This recipe was a process, let me tell you. I ran to Kroger after I pulled the tomatoes out of the oven because the hubby wasn’t able to find the sunflower seeds I needed for the cream in this recipe. I wound up running to both Krogers in town before I found them.

I used it as a good cover for stopping at Ulta – my weekly obsession. 🤫 Don’t tell my hubby.

He called me TWICE and texted me while I was at Ulta.

I might have fudged the truth about where I was. 😉

He wanted me to grab ribs, which were on sale. I bought the two packages left so he could grill some for his parents.

I really had no business being in the store though. You know what they say about not going to the grocery store while you’re hungry?

Um, yeah, that. Hi Rebecca!

I saw this beautifully dressed girl walking her cart back to the return when I was getting ready to leave Kroger.

She made me look so bad in my black t-shirt and sweats.

When I got home, the hubby and I continued with our respective meal preparations.

My poor kitchen. It gets a workout every weekend.

It took a hot minute, but I finally finished my lasagna.

The pesto makes this picture look unappealing, but the flavor is so incredibly on point. Wow!

I’ll be eating good during lunch this week.

I went ahead and made a pitcher of almond milk. I’d soaked 5.5 ounces of almonds in two cups of water.

After draining and rinsing them, I added them to 40oz of water. I always blend them for one minute and then strain the milk through a milk bag.

Then, it was finally time for me to sit down. I have a hard time relaxing if I’ve got chores to do. I’d been looking forward to watching the Preakness.

Speaking of horse race, did you watch it? What a crazy finish!!!!

After the race, we tuned in to a couple more episodes of Andor. We are getting close to the end of the season.

Sunday morning started off with more rain, but it let up before we headed to church.

Then, I ran to Kroger to grab a few things. I saw a reel from The Little Seed Farm that explained how to make fermented sauerkraut.

It looked easy, and I know it’s healthy, so I bought red cabbage. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Then, I made a batch of Dill Pickle Tofu Nuggets using the recipe below:

It was simple to put together.

Oven-cooked tofu has a chewy texture that makes it great for a lot of recipes.

Honestly, they were okay. I think I’ll make these one more time, but I’ll marinate the tofu overnight to get more flavoring into it.

I did some baking . . .

Rooster showed up mid-afternoon to spend a few days here while he attends a camp for the online MBA program he’s in through the college. it sure was nice seeing our guest bedroom occupied.

While he was out attending a dinner for the program, The Mr. and I spent the rest of the day relaxing. We enjoyed a couple of hours of front porch sitting . . .

I was able to finish the seventh book in this series (so good) . . .

Then, we watched the last Andor episode. Rooster got home, and we chit chatted until it was time for bed. It was a wonderful way to cap off the day.

Whew! Typing these recaps makes it seem like my weekends are busy. I almost need Monday through Friday to recover!

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The last few years, I’ve gotten keenly interested in having houseplants.

It all started when Chicky’s best friend brought her a lily plant way back when she was in high school and had torn her ACL playing soccer.

We kept that plant alive for years and years.

We currently have a lily plant in our home, but I don’t think it’s the same one. I think someone at the school I taught at in Florida gave it to me.

I made the Mr. bring it to our new house when he retired and came home for good (he went back and forth for a few months while so he could facilitate the rapid of our home post-Hurricane Michael).

He grumped about the plant too, let me tell you. Lillies are not his favorite because they only bloom once a year – right around Easter.

Here she is in all of her glory this year . . .

The natural lighting in our home has done wonders for my plants. We have a lot of windows – a requirement I have whenever we buy a new house. My plants are thriving!

We bought this little baby two or three years ago. It was a tiny thing that I kept in my kitchen window for a long time because for some reason, floundering plants make miraculous recoveries in that exact spot.

This is the evening light. The morning light is perfection.

Let how pretty she is now.

Once this little one gained some ground, I moved her to my dining room table. She’s not mad about it at all.

The plant you see below was on its last legs not too many months ago.

I moved her to my dining room and let the magical sunshine do its thing.

My aloe is doing very well, thank goodness because I am accident-prone and frequently in need of the medicinal balm hidden inside of its spiky arms.

I don’t know the name of the next plant, but I noticed that it’s not doing well, so I moved it from its location beside my fireplace and put it in the dining room. Maybe the other plants can whisper sweet nothings to help build her up.

I love spider plants. They are hardy and hardly ever require water. I separated the one plant I had into two pots. This one is loving life.

We have some outside plants that are doing well.

Here are my hostas, which we planted last year.

That flower bed is full of clay, so digging the holes was beastly. I had to supplement with a lot of garden soil.

We bought two varieties.

We thought they’d died a slow death late-summer/early Fall, but look how nicely they’ve come back!

A couple of them even have flowers! I am so excited!

This one is peeking through . . .

My front flower beds are awash in color.

This is the fourth year with our ice plants. They open up beautifully in the bright sun.

The next photo is a zinnia, I think. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.

It’s been a stubborn little thing. We originally planted a lot more of these, but this is the only one left. We look forward to seeing it bloom each year.

My knockout roses are beautiful. They’ve grown a lot since we planted them five years ago.

Our back yard doesn’t have much. I stuck my Earth boxes in my flower beds a couple of years ago because I had nowhere else to put them.

My strawberries came back this year and are doing well. This is the only edible plant I have this year because of the shoulder surgery I’m still recovering from. I knew I wouldn’t have the strength to plant my usual collection of tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash.

Do you have a green thumb? What are some of your favorite flowers to plant?

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Tell me Spring Semester just ended without telling me Spring Semester just ended . . .

I mean, the clues are kind of obvious . . .

Mustn’t leave any Dining Dollars on the table . . .

Every snack machine was cleaned out . . .

A college town without its students is so blah blah, but honestly, I’m heading into a very busy part of the year for what my job responsibilities entail, so I’m not mad about the quiet vibe.

It won’t be long before incoming Freshmen and their parents head our way for Camp War Eagle (orientation).

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It’s Wednesday, so you know what that means.

It’s time for Joyce’s Hodgepodge questions.

If you’re here visiting from her link, I thank you very much! If you found me randomly, I still thank you. 😊

Let’s get to the questions, shall we?

1. What’s something you’re curious about right now? 

The first thing that popped into my head when I saw this question is that I’m curious about what damage I’ve done to my right shoulder.

I’m still waiting for my insurance company to approve the MRI my orthopedic surgeon has requested. I know I tore something. I am praying it’s not the rotator cuff and the labrum, as was the case with my left shoulder. All I do know is that I’ve got similar pain but to a lesser degree.

So yeah, that’s a big question that’s still up in the air. I plan on getting surgery immediately to fix whatever it is so my life can return to some semblance of normal where icing my shoulder isn’t a daily occurrence, and PT isn’t a biweekly event.

2. If you could plan the perfect girl’s weekend getaway, where would you go and what would be on the agenda? Do you have anything like this on your calendar in the next few months? 

This is the EASIEST question this week because I’ve had this planned this out in my mind for years.

Oh, and by the way, did you know that I’ve never had a girls weekend getaway? Never. I’m old too, but back in the day, the ladies just didn’t do this.

With that said, I’d gather a couple of my best friends . . . Rebecca, you’re one of them . . . and head somewhere quiet like a mountain cabin. The cabin would be stocked with many books, lots of yarn, and a TV for us to watch some of our favorite reality TV shows in between the chapters we’ve read and the rows we’ve knit. We’d have a fire going, warm blankets, lots of yummy snacks, coffee (for the gals who drink it), and tea for me.

My hope is to meet, in real life, a few of the friends I’ve made online . . . maybe when I retire and have more time.

3. What’s the most unique item in your refrigerator right now? 

I keep a bottle of ginger-turmeric juice in my fridge.

I make a new batch every couple of weeks and drink 2oz each morning when I get up.

I have a Champion juicer (it’s over 30 years old and still going strong) and juice everything fresh – including the ginger and turmeric. I don’t strain anything because the juicer separates the pulp from the juice.

Here’s my recipe in case you’re interested.

4. In this season of your life, what do you find most challenging? 

With two grown children living in different directions from me, I am constantly fighting FOMO. I have been very purposeful about visiting them enough that my grand babies know me, but it’s hard to balance everything – especially while working full time.

I am very thankful that I’m not teaching any more. I never felt like I could get away, and even if I did, that job sucked the life out of me. I had nothing left in the tank when I was “off” of work.

My current job environment is much healthier; the leadership in my office appreciates and encourages work-life balance. There’s never a guilt trip about taking off, and everyone naturally fills in the gap when someone isn’t there.

5. Do you collect anything? If so why that? 

Lately, it seems like I’m collecting makeup (take a look at yesterday’s post). 🤣

In all seriousness, though, no, I don’t collect anything.

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

I’ve been a little sad since last Friday after finding out that a coworker accepted a job in a different department on campus.

I’m happy for her, don’t get me wrong, but I’m so sad for myself as well as the rest of our office.

She was the first person I met face-to-face when I started working there.

She’s less than a year older than me, we are both grandmothers, and our daughters played a collegiate sport. We have a lot in common.

So I’m being a little selfish and feeling a bit blue about the whole thing.

I guess that says a lot about where I work. It’s very rare when a group of women can perform their jobs without talking about each other behind their backs.

Ugh.

To add to that is the fact that I’ll be the oldest person in the office now. Age has never meant much to me, but y’all, that’s going to be strange too.

I’m not a person who does change well.

I pray that her new job is everything she hopes it will be, and that the students she serves will discover just how amazing of a person I already know she is.

Filed under: This-n-That | 13 Comments »

I’ve been trying out some new-to-me beauty products lately and thought I’d share!

I’ve always been keenly interested in clean products. Rooster’s missus has recently been on a mission to switch out toxic items in her household for healthier options.

She’s been using this website to check out the rating for beauty projects. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) does a lot of research on various products, and its website is very easy to navigate.

She found a company, Little Seed Farm, that has some neat offerings.

My latest order was waiting for me when I got home from Disney.

I quit using deodorant with aluminum years ago, but finding an alternative has been challenging.

This company’s deodorant is incredible!

You can order samples for only the cost of shipping. I had done this back in January and landed on an aroma I can tolerate. I tend to get migraines with strong smelling scents, so this is a must for me.

This is what a full jar looks like.

It comes with a small, wood applicator.

When I ordered my first jar, I bought the kit, which included a silicone cup/wrap thing and a larger applicator.

I love the little customizations.

I used up the first jar I purchased a couple of months ago and ordered a replacement, along with two more samples.

The vanilla honey is their newest scent, which I’ve been using since last week. I think it’s my new favorite. I ordered two jars of it after receiving an email that it was a limited edition scent and would soon be out of stock.

I also splurged and ordered a jar of Honey Lip Treatment.

I haven’t tried the rosemary patchouli yet. It’s probably going to be stronger, so we will see.

The other item that was delivered was the elasticity serum.

I’d read great reviews about it, but it’s a little pricey. They were having some sort of sale, which is what prompted me to order a small bottle.

It is amazing! The smell is heavenly! I apply it on my face before bed and when I get up. My skin is super soft. I’m going to splurge and buy the larger bottle when this runs out. It beats, hands-down, the Revitalift serum I’d been using of late – a product I’d been “influenced” to purchase after watching lots of reels about it (it leaves a sticky after-touch before it dries completely).

Another company I’ve come to love is Attitude, which Rooster’s missus also discovered.

I’ve got eczema, so my skin needs a lot of extra moisture to keep things at bay.

I tried a couple of their shower gels before deciding I liked this one the best . . .

I’m also enjoying their shampoo. This is the combo that seems to be working well with my dry hair:

I recently ordered a refill for the shampoo to help reduce wasting so much plastic.

I finish up my hair washing routine with this Dove product, which is all the rage at the moment:

I get this from Amazon. A little goes a long way, so this little tub lasts awhile.

A few other things I’m loving (that aren’t necessarily “cleaner”) are these lip balms, which I found at Ulta.

My lips tend to get very dry. These balms are small enough to keep in my pocket so I can reapply frequently.

I also just purchased these . . .

I’m normally not one to use lip liner, but an influencer I follow on the Insta made a video about them and posted a color combo chart, so I couldn’t resist.

I’ve also been on the hunt for a pretty shade of pink to accompany days when my outfits are pink-toned in nature. The Yummy Gummy is beautiful and glides on smoothly. It’s going to be a favorite of mine, I can already tell.

Another thing I have been loving is actually a beauty tool.

This is Seint’s mascara applicator. The fanned edge is used to apply mascara to the bottom lashes, and it works wonderfully!

I clean it with a little bit of hand soap immediately after using it because the leftover mascara will dry, much like a paintbrush.

A product that came out recently is the Morphe Cheek Thrills.

I watched several influencers’ videos, and I finally caved and bought the color you see below.

The top rectangle is a cream. The middle one is a highlighter, and the bottom is a powder.

As the influencers said, this product line is very pigmented, so a little goes a long way.

I tried a fun thing and applied the cream and bottom powder as eye shadow. They are gorgeous on the eyes!

I went back and purchased what I thought would be a pink version.

I guess this is pink, right? It’s actually more of a brownish pink.

This one is stunning on the eyes!

I wanted something a little more pink because nothing says summer like pink, so I ran to Ulta Sunday after church and picked up this . . .

Y’all, I promise I will not walk out of the house looking like a clown. 🤣

I can’t wait to see what it looks like on my skin!

Another Instagram influencer/makeup gal I follow is Kate.

Last year, she raved about Jouer’s powder I finally tried it and wow, wow, wow!

This is the new compact I bought a few weeks ago but haven’t dug into yet.

I’m not quite sure why I purchased the light this time. I usually get the fair one because it has pink undertones, which is good for under eye circles.

You can compare the fair and light below.

This powder is super hydrating. I only use it under my eyes, and let me tell you, my skin stays soft all day long.

The last thing I’ll post today is this eyebrow pen.

It comes in different shades. I have been buying dark blonde.

It is really amazing! It has a soft, two-pronged applicator at the end, which is fantastic for filling in the brows, and it stays put all day.

Why is it that I’m in my mid-50’s and have developed a love of all things makeup? Maybe it’s because I have more time to put it on with fewer distractions. Maybe it’s because I need it more. 🤣

Life has so much that’s hard that it’s fun to play a little. That’s my motto, and I’m sticking to it.

What about you? Do you have anything new you’ve tried recently?

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Happy Monday (I think)!

I don’t know about you, but the weekend seems to fly by, and before you know it, it’s time to start all over again.

Friday evening was glorious. The Mr. and I sat on the back patio for awhile, while Gambit relaxed on his bed.

I finished up a book I’d started a couple of days ago.

This is the second in the series, and I’d waited for a month before it was my turn.

I gave it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

By the way, you can follow my reading journey via the sidebar on my blog or on Goodreads. I’m Auburnchick over there too!

The Mr. and I watched Dune Friday night. What a strange story.

It hurt my brain to concentrate so hard on the plot, and truth be told, I started dozing off with 30 minutes left. I typically go to bed between 9:00 and 9:30 since I’m an early riser, so staying up until almost 11 had me 😴.

Saturday morning started off rainy. In fact, that was the theme of the weekend.

I like to lounge around in my pajamas each Saturday since it’s the only day of the week when I don’t get going early.

I made an Earl Grey Sea Salt Matcha Latte after watching a reel Friday evening.

Doesn’t that look beautiful?

I love Earl Grey tea, so I thought, “Why not?”

The syrup was simple to make.

I already had homemade almond milk in the fridge. I make it every few days because I always start off my mornings with matcha.

A friend at work introduced me to matcha last year after she came back from a hiking trip with friends.

The taste took some getting used to, and finding a good quality matcha that didn’t cost an arm and a leg took awhile, but I landed on a brand sold by Amazon and have been hooked ever since.

One of our student workers in my office loves matcha and makes a strawberry puree to add to hers. I’m going to try that at some point in time.

With the matte made, Gambit and I settled into my recliner for a lot of doing nothing.

The shoulder recovery has given me permission to take things slowly on the weekends. I’ve learned not to overdo it because I pay for it for days of I am not careful.

There was also more tea drinking (English Breakfast tea with a spot of vegan coffee creamer) . . .

And book reading . . .

This is number six in the series; I just can’t get enough of Anne. 🩷

I made a batch of Crunch Caramelised Onion Chickpeas, which I saw on an Instagram account I follow. The guy has a YouTube channel that has longer and more specific instructions.

These are pretty good. I made another batch Sunday and left them in the oven for thirty minutes instead of the 15 originally intended in the video to make them more crunchy.

We watched Dune Part Two Saturday evening while the rain continued to come down.

Honestly, I’m not a fan of these movies. They are very strange, and they evoked a sense of creepiness with their strange ritualistic scenes. I also did not like the violence.

I think there’s a series that follows up with the movie. I may skip that and tell the Mr. to watch them on his own.

Gambit seemed content throughout though. This is how I found him when I returned from a potty break.

That’s my recliner, and yes, we both sit in it. After my shoulder surgery, we didn’t let him up there with me for weeks because there’s really not room for two, and he was miserable. It’s one of his favorite spots when I’m home in the evenings and on the weekends.

Sunday, we got up and went to church and then ate lunch with the fam jam. I don’t remember if I told you, but Super Sis and her husband moved to our town a few months before we did, and the Mr.’s parents followed them a couple of months later. We all live within three miles of one another and attend the same church.

Look at this car that pulled up beside us as we waited at a light.

Isn’t it fantastic? You never know what you’re going to see when you’re out on a Sunday drive.

After lunch, and even with the rain, I ran by Ulta (my weekly obsession) and then to the library to pick up the last two books in the Anne of Green Gables series.

I plan out my books almost as meticulously as I do my outfits for work.

When I got home, I changed into pajamas (y’all, it was rainy and in the 60’s in the morning – brrr). It was time to meal prep.

This is what my kitchen looks like every weekend.

I won’t show you the sink of dishes drying – which the Mr. is probably putting away even as you read this.

This week’s recipe of choice was something I found on Instagram.

I didn’t use the chives or chili oil.

This soup was very easy to make, and the flavor is top-notch. I’m going to be eating good this week! the link for the Instagram post is here.

We ended our day by watching three episodes of Andor (season 2).

It truly was a relaxing weekend; I am ready for a new week!

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Y’all, something I never thought I’d see in the news made the news last week . . .

Yep. That’s a kangaroo hopping down I85 not too far from where I live.

The news reported that this little one is someone’s fur baby. It took advantage of an opportunity and made for the hills.

In the process, two cars collided. I can only imagine the insurance representatives’ reactions when they get the reports for this fender bender.

I don’t know about you, but I have questions.

Who in the world has a pet kangaroo? Like, what kind of wildlife permit do you get for this?

How is this little one being housed?

How did the kangaroo get here to begin with?

Between this little escape artist and a gas leak that shut down quite a few streets near campus, last Tuesday was one hot mess of a day.

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Today marks 20 weeks since my shoulder surgery.

Dare I say that I think I’m turning another corner on this journey?

One of the things I noticed in the days and weeks following my surgery was that my shoulder joint was very tight. It took weeks upon weeks for things to loosen up; progress couldn’t really be measured day by day, much to my dismay. I think a small part of me expected (and still expects) to wake up feeling like my old self again.

Range of motion still leaves something to be desired, and there’s discomfort when I stretch my left arm in front of me, but I’m getting there. Forget lifting it to the side. That’s still painful. Putting on deodorant each day is a challenge, and shaving that armpit is ridiculously difficult. I probably should get it waxed, but I can’t lift my arm high enough, so that wouldn’t work either. Sheesh.

The repair of my torn labrum has definitely compounded the recovery, but I believe I am finally seeing improvement in this area as well. I’ve noticed that the constant ache is easing up, praise the Lord!

When we were at Disney with our children and grandchildren, I was able to pick up and carry all three of the babies. I was careful to lift them using my right arm primarily, and I kept my elbows close to my body to prevent tearing my left rotator cuff again, but the strength is coming back!

My oldest granddaughter even exclaimed, with delight and surprise, “NatNat, your arm is all better” when I lifted her up to hug her at the airport.

Be still my heart.

Reaching behind my back is something I cannot do yet. A childhood friend told me that it took her a year before she regained this ability, so I’m not losing hope.

There are a myriad of other tasks that continue to frustrate me, but the older I get, the more go-with-the-flow I find myself.

It is what it is, and I’m at God’s mercy as to when He heals me.

I’m just grateful for the strength He provides each day. I could not do life without Him.

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Well hello fellow hodgepodgers. It’s been a few hot minutes since I’ve joined in with Joyce’s weekly question.

Hi Joyce!

Joyce started hosting weekly questions a hot minute or two ago. My apologies for my absence, but life has been busy. I am looking forward to reacquainting myself with my fellow bloggers!

If you want to join in, snag a copy of the questions, answer them on your favorite corner of the internet world, and go back and post your link on Joyce’s post. Easy peasy!

Now, on to this week’s questions!

1. Let’s compare this May to last May. What’s changed? What remains very much the same?

Last May, my little brood numbered eight. Last October, Little Miss made her appearance, so we now stand at nine!

Other changes include two bum shoulders – one of which is in recovery mode after surgery last December, and the other that’s in the process of being diagnosed and, most likely, being operated on. It’s crazy how quickly your body can rebel on you.

Despite the changes that inevitably come with time, many things have remained the same. We are, fortunately, still able to live on our sweet Gambit. 2024 was a little rough on him, but God has been so gracious and has healed his little body from one cancer and is impeding the spread of another that we’ve found.

We still live in our beloved college town and enjoy cheering on our Tigers. We bleed orange and blue.

I’m also still loving my job, which is at said college. I feel like the more time that passes, the closer I get with my coworkers. Our bonds are strong, and I am grateful for that.

2. What’s something you may do this month?

I may have surgery on my right shoulder. I’m waiting on insurance to approve the MRI my surgeon ordered, and if we see damage, we will most likely go in and repair it. I’ve been hurting since September, when I injured the left shoulder, so I’m ready to get the ball rolling before my job responsibilities amp up in July.

3. Mother’s Day is approaching (in the US of A)…in what way(s) are you like your mother?

Unfortunately, my mom and I haven’t spoken since 2016. Family stuff is tough, y’all. That’s why Mother’s Day is always difficult for me.

With that said, I am a hard worker, tenacious, and fiercely independent. These are all traits that I’m positive I got from her.

4. Did you have a favorite book as a child? What was it and why was it a favorite.

One book, Joyce? Oh my, but books were my escape as a child. I distinctly remember reading two books over and over again: A Wrinkle in Time and The Hiding Place. Perhaps A Wrinkle in Time was the start of my love of fantasy books. The Hiding Place made me fall in love with Corrie ten Boom. I want to meet her when I get to heaven – after I see Jesus.

5. Are you more of a tortoise or a hare? Explain.

I started answering this by saying hare because I tend to do things quickly – especially at work, but the Mr. would say I’m a tortoise because he’s forever waiting for me to leave the house. Beauty takes time, y’all!

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Tell me you’re a dog mom without telling me you’re a dog mom.

That’s what my dog sitter walks in to whenever she keeps Gambit.

He takes almost as many supplements as we do.

Old age, y’all. What can I say?

Filed under: This-n-That | 12 Comments »

Yesterday, I wrote about the first three days of our mini-vacation with our kiddos.

Today’s post is all about our fourth day together.

The babes woke up “roaring” to go to Animal Kingdom.

I was psyched about this park because it’s always been one of my favorites.

Chicky, who’d planned most of the trip with the Mr., had snagged our first three Lightening Passes. Being up early as the mama of a six month old has its advantages! Those passes open up at 7am each day, and you have to be quick on the draw to secure the ones you want.

Our first ride was the Safari.

It’s a must-do when you’re at Disney. This ride is best experienced earlier in the day before it gets too hot and the animals start snoozing.

We saw all the things.

The morning could not have been more perfect.

The giraffes were stunning!

The baby giraffe was so precious.

These were some sort of wild dogs that our guide said had the highest success rate for hunts. They must have partied all night because they were still asleep when we drove by.

I have no clue what the next group of animals was. I remember the guide saying that the horns are like honeycomb and, thus, very light.

The elephants were huge.

Is this a leopard or cougar? I think it’s a cougar. They only have short spurts of fast speed to be able to catch up to their prey. They cannot maintain top speed for long though. They also don’t roar!

I spy a sleeping lion . . .

As we rounded the bend, I couldn’t help thinking about The Lion King.

There was much more to see. I was in the moment, though, and didn’t take pictures of everything.

Suffice it to say that this was one of my favorite attractions.

We missed our next Lightening Pass – a show, I think. Our timing was a little off even with the hour window that you get with each pass.

We wandered, explored food options, and meandered more.

There were lots of potty breaks because old people with small bladders and tiny people with small bladders need to make lots of pit stops.

At some point, we popped in to watch the Finding Nemo show. It was interesting. The cast members carried puppets with long handles. The music was good, and the show captured E and J’s attention. Baby E (our two girls are both Es) worked on her nap.

We used our last Lightening Pass on the Mt. Everest rollercoaster. Chicky and her hubby rode together while we babysat. Then, it was time for the Mr. and me.

I was a tad nervous because of my left shoulder, but honestly, the safety bar, which went across my lap, was nice and snug, which helped me stay in place without shaking my torso too badly.

We called it a day a little earlier than we’d planned because we didn’t want to overtire the babes. Both mamas had gone with the flow, and the kids hung on like champs.

We made our way back to the rental house and enjoyed a last evening together.

E and J ran their little hearts out as they chased each other around the house and “traded” beloved stuffed animals – souvenirs from the trip.

There’s a lot of fun in store for them as they get older!

We packed, said our goodbyes to the oldest babies, Rooster, and his missus. We had an early flight and would be leaving the house shortly after sunrise.

I was able to spend time the next morning with Baby E and Chicky. E had woken up early raving hungry. It was a sweet hour.

Chicky’s mister drove me and my Mr. to the Orlando airport. B is a sweet young man with a heart that earnestly seeks to serve the Lord. I enjoy every single conversation with him. I’m so thankful for the way he loves God, my Chicky, and those sweet babies of theirs. The hug I gave him was heartfelt, and the sadness in leaving was palpable.

The Orlando airport is huge, by the way. I’m used to the one in Atlanta, but wow – the Orlando one is something else. Tell me you’re a small town girl without telling me you’re a small town girl.

I have gotten to where I enjoy flying. I especially love getting to know the person sitting next to me at the gate or on the plane. I noticed a young lady doing math (eek) problems, and we started chatting. She’s a student at my college and was prepping for a physics final. More eeeks. Sheesh Louise. She was precious and just the sweetest thing.

I also got to know the lady I sat beside on the plane. She had a bit of a sad story, and my heart just felt all of the things.

Kudos to Southwest for the extra legroom they are starting to equip their planes with. I’d gotten lucky and snagged Zone A boarding passes the day before, which meant we were able to get seats five rows back from the front. That gave us the new legroom, which the flight attendant said she and the pilot hadn’t seen until that flight.

We made it home safe and sound, as did the rest of our crew to their respective houses.

My cup is full, and I’m already looking forward to the next time we can all be together.

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