Hey Gals!
Linking-up today with the big league: Mel from The Larson Lingo, Sheaffer from Pinterest Told Me To and Shay from Mix + Match Family. We are answering a list of questions about what’s up in different aspects of our lives. I am pretty sure I am not worthy to be in a link-up with such notable, veteran bloggers but totally going there anyway!
What we are eating this week: Nothing to much to write home about! I did grill brats and fresh corn on the cob for Memorial Day, but took the lazy way ‘round dinner on Tuesday night with Hamburger Helper, three-bean (canned…don’t get too excited) salad, and homemade (from a Krusteaz mix ) flatbread, which was very good. Wednesday’s dinner promises to be a little more impressive. Crockpot Korean short rib tacos with Asian slaw and possibly Teriyaki or Asian rice. Like that? PC sure did, the first time I made it. My trouble is I don’t measure when I cook…only sometimes the first time I make a recipe but never after that. So nothing ever comes out the same way twice! Stay tuned to find out if PC likes the Korean tacos, slaw and rice this second time around. You can check out the recipe here.
[source]
What I’m reminiscing about: Hmmm, tough one. I have been thinking about my Dad, who died three years ago on May 23, 2012. I didn’t really get to say goodbye. And that hurts my heart so much. But then how do you say goodbye to your father?
What I’m loving: I am loving our weather. While the rest of Texas is about to wash away, and I have friends and family all over east Texas that I worry for, we are having a lovely spring in El Paso. Cool evenings and mornings, warm, sunny afternoons and a surprise rain shower about once a week – unheard of this time of year. I feel terrible, truly, that we are having such a mild spring while the rest of the Lone Star state is having such struggles. Sending up prayers for those effected by the rains.
What we’ve been up to: PC and I enjoyed an overnight stay in Las Cruces, New Mexico for the Southern New Mexico wine fest last Saturday night. I wish I had taken a picture of my OOTD Sunday because I had some serious pattern mixing (borderline bag lady) going on. And we’ve been up to our knees in yard work: mowing, weeding, aerating, trimming hedges, transplanting bushes and cactuses/cacti?. Had our back porch and patio around the hot tub sanded and resealed. They look lovely. Pricing replacement cushions for our patio furniture. Ka-ching$!
What I’m dreading: I am mostly, almost exclusively a librarian substitute so I am not sure what got into me to accept a four-day, FOUR DAY assignment to sub in my friend’s second grade classroom. But I agreed to do it. Today was my first day. I felt so lost!! Didn’t sit down more than five minutes all day. Came home wiped out which explains why we had Hamburger Helper for dinner. I have three more days of subbing for 2A. To say I am dreading it would be an exaggeration but to say I am kinda nervous would be an understatement. The kids were really good, for the most part, but geez, what’s up with pencils these days? The lead breaks constantly and they have to be sharpened over, and OVER and OVER.
What I’m working on: I have too many projects in various stages of completion. None of them near being completed and most of them turning into life-long endeavors. I am working on a glass mosaic tabletop, an acrylic painting of the beach at Punta Cana, three different cross stitch projects (a dragon for PC’s study, a Tuscany landscape for the dining room, an elephant for Lauren’s room at our house). Once I finish subbing for the school year, I will be working on spring cleaning. That could also go under “what I’m dreading”. I am working on completing a 30 Day Beginner’s Running Challenge to prepare me for running a 5K this fall. I am stuck on Day 8, however. You can join me. Check it out here.
[source]
What I’m excited about: I am excited to have summer off from subbing so I can complete (ha!) some of what I am working on. See above. I am also hopeful that I am going to vacation with PC, my girls, brother and sister in the Hill Country of central Texas and at the beach at Galveston. Getting more toned this summer by running (ok, jogging), swimming, doing Fitness Blender, and going to the gym.
What I’m watching/reading: PC and I are really between TV series. We have seen all that’s available of House of Cards, Homeland and Game of Thrones. We just started watching Orange is the New Black and have been surprised (as are my daughters) that we like it. Watching Bachelorette on Mondays but don’t care a whole lot for Kaitlyn. I like to kiss but this girl has me beat hands down. Take a look.
[source]
I rest my case.
Just settled on my new read last night. Decided I needed to read something fun and light so I bought a book I first heard about from Sheaffer at Pinterest Told Me To. I usually read from my Nook and have discovered that I can download/upload? free samples of books that I have read reviews for to try them on before committing to buying them. I downloaded the sample for Nobody’s Cuter Than You by Melanie Shankle and it was like at first sight, love at first chapter. It is a book about friendship so I bought a copy for my BFF Sharon, and we are reading it together. Or she will start reading it as soon as her life settles down a little…her son and daughter-in-law just had twins! You can read more about the book here on Melanie’s blog at The Big Mama Blog.
[source]
What I’m listening to: I just uploaded/downloaded (never know which is correct and when – same with affect/effect) a couple of new songs on my iPod…Dear Future Husband by Meghan Trainor, Automatic by Miranda Lambert, and two Taylor Swift’s Blank Space and Style. The lyrics to Dear Future Husband provide such sound advice to any current or prospective husbands. I am partial to the lines “You gotta know how to treat me like a lady, even when I’m acting crazy, tell me everything’s alright.” PC knows that I am a little sensitive when it comes to that C word. Not to say that I can’t get a an itsy-bitsy bit cray-cray now and then, just don’t call me that. You can listen to and read the lyrics for Dear Future Husband here:
[source]
What I’m wearing: Now? Oh, gosh, thank goodness you can’t see me. Actually, I could lie here but I won’t. I am wearing some really hideous open weave mesh, blue basketball-looking shorts (the shorts don’t look like basketballs but they look like shorts one would play basketball in…an activity I know nothing about), a blue tank top, black New Balance tennis. I won’t mention the unmentionables. I have purchased some new workout clothing but it was in the laundry today. Xersion activewear at JCPenney. You can get some here, too, and then we can be workout twinsies.
[source]
Oh, and that’s not me with half a head modeling the Xersion Activewear, sillies. I have a whole head. But let’s not get into the size of my brain.
What I’m doing this weekend: Let me ask PC. He says, “Well, we have baseball.” (He plays on a 50 and Older baseball team) Since it is an early game, I hope we can do Saturday night church, dinner before or after church and a quick stop at DSW. Sunday we might walk up McKelligon Canyon Road, do some yardwork, throw something on the grill.
What I’m looking forward to next month: No more subbing, no more subbing. For a gal who was so sad several months ago about being retired, I am sure looking forward to not working again for a couple of months. I look forward to just being home. I love my home, sweet home. And PC says we can take a weekend, overnight trip up to Ruidoso in the next couple of weeks.
What else is new: I had a colonscopy. That was fun.
[source]
And, I have a new quilt for our bed but waiting until spring cleaning is done to use it. Guess that’s about it.
Be sure to stop by the blogs of the link-up hostesses, Mel, Sheaffer and Shay to see what’s up in their world. And please leave me a comment below to let me know what’s up in yours!
Hugs and kisses,
Sharon
Love the picture with you and your parents!
I know how hard it is to lose a dad and mom. Cherish the time you have with your mom friend. Miss Nira has always been a fav of mine. I’ll never forget the story she told us in KY about driving off without your dad. Priceless! XO
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you! I love that picture, too. More dad rarely smiled in the last years. I need to get back up to Kentucky to see my mama, you are right. Wasn’t she a crazy one for driving off and leaving my dad at the gas station in the middle of no where? She makes us all laugh! And remembers EVERYTHING! XO
Sharon
Maybe we could meet in KY. Don’t think it’s flooding there. We will talk about that soon! XO
Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom
Goodness! You sound busy for being retired (except for the subbing!)… I have a million projects going on at one time, too. I have only been to New Mexico once, but I would love to go back someday. My kids just got out for summer break today! Yay! And, yeah, I have NO idea what is going on with Texas and all of the rain. Just CRAZY! Glad I am in the Midwest!!!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Leslie Roberts Clingan
This has just been a crazy spring everywhere, I think. We are just now getting into the 90s which is very odd. And the Midwest had snow for so late in some states. I have almost been too busy for my tastes lately but summer is just about here!!!
Mel @ The Larson Lingo
You are so brave to sub for a 2nd grade class! I teach 7th grade math but elementary scares me, ha!
Love Big Mama’s books, you will have to read her other 2.
Thanks for linking up with us 🙂
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Yay, YOU, for stopping by my blog. Thank you so mucho!! I tell ya, this second grade class is making me earn my money. Whew. But this is my third day with them today and they are trying very hard to follow the rules. I know their teacher and I am sure she keeps them in line better than I do. So funny that you would scared by 2nd and seventh grade MATH? MATH???? sounds super scary to me. Heck, I am struggling with second grade math. No hope for me with numbers. Hope to link up again next time. Please stop by again.
Wendy B
Wow! Leslie you have been busy! I’m looking forward to summer, enjoying the lazy days after a busy spring for me and my family! Enjoy your last day with the 2nd graders! (My youngest is in 3rd grade, only a few days of school left for her.)
Sarah C
wow, subbing a second grade class, yikes! and the pencil sharpening, I used to love sharpening my pencil, nothing like a sharp pencil. We just started watching The Wire, have you seen it? It’s 5 seasons, so it will give you something to watch. I wasn’t so sure about it after the first episode, but husband liked it so I kept watching and now I’m totally liking it, you should check it out too!
Sheila @ Sheila's Potpourri
I love reading about what you are up to! If you do this link up again send a shout out to the SMBs! I’ll join in! ( oh and uploading is when you have something to share. Like you upload a blog post. You wrote it. You share it. Download is when you take. Someone else is sharing their thing with you. A song. A podcast. Make sense?)
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you for helping me to clarify upload and download. That makes sense. I will let you know when the next What’s Up Wednesday is approaching but it is the last Wednesday of the month. I have it on my blog calendar as June 24. Pencil that in!