What's Up Wednesday 1-25-17

I'm linking up with Shay at Mix and Match Mama for What's Up Wednesday today.

What We're Eating This Week

I've cooked a few Blue Apron meals. Last night I made Pork Chops and Garlic Picada with Brown Rice and Spinach. It wasn't our favorite. The most impressive to me was the Za'atar Chicken Souvlaki with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce and Roasted Potatoes which I made earlier this week. (I should point out that for me the "impressive factor" increases by the number of words in the recipe that I don't know how to spell on my own.)

What I'm Reminiscing About

We have been traveling in and around the county watching our middle man and his teammates play basketball at least three times a week for the high school team. I don't need to be at every single game and in fact, he tells me honestly that doesn't care if I miss one. Still, I do everything in my power not to miss a single second. I, in fact, wouldn't mind if we could start all over with the days when the jerseys swallowed him up and the ref had to stop the game numerous times to help kids tie their shoes. I am shamelessly in love with watching them play and no matter how many hours I spend on uncomfortable gym bleachers, I will never tire of watching #2.

What I'm Loving
I received this Sea Kelp Body Wash from Lather for my birthday and it is glorious. I also got a sample of this body creme and it is amazing as well. If you are a sucker for bath products and are in an area with a Lather shop, you should give it a visit. I think I could live there.

What We've Been Up To

Well, we watched a lot of playoff football in this house and in that regard I'd say we're up to a significant amount of dashed hopes and dreams. I have lured my two youngest into being Cowboys fans and despite the spectacular performance this season of our young hero, Dak Prescott, we are out. My husband's Steelers have more recently been booted out, so basically the Skinners are embracing this sentiment that my friend, Michelle, a 49ers fan, posted on Monday. #notmysuperbowl

What I'm Dreading

I spend much of the winter months dreading any possibility of snow. So far so good and it appears that I'm in the clear for at least the next 10 days. Last year at this time we were literally digging ourselves out of a mess of snow. #notmyideaoffun #notmywinter #nothankyou

What I'm Working On

My January Stitch Fix box arrived and I loved most of the items so I'm working on a post on that for next week. Here's a preview look at one of the cute tops I was sent.

What I'm Excited About

I am so excited that the Northern Virginia Travel Baseball League will be featuring my writing monthly on their new website. You can find it by clicking on the icon to the right of this post and looking under the "About" tab. For those of you who are baseball mamas the site has lots of great information and links for you.

What I'm Watching/Reading

I've not only been reading Falling Free: Rescued From the Life I Always Wanted by Shannan Martin but also marking it up - underlining, writing in the margins and dog ear-ing pages like mad. Shannan forces us to acknowledge that although we love to speak of how mysterious are the ways of the Lord, there are things He asks us to do that scripture makes very, very clear. I am smacked down, convicted and cringing at the truth I have found here. How 'bout this:

"God entrusted the poor to you and me, not to a ballot or a platform or a piece of whip-smart legislation." . . .'The poor need our intellectual and social capital. Not our used blue jeans and giant cans of Spaghettios.'. . . We send the poor our tired, worn out stuff while we stay home with our clean hands and closed eyes, judging the way our government addresses a problem that was meant to be ours."

OUCH.

What I'm Listening To/Watching

Podcasts have become my best exercising partner lately. Off Camera with Sam Jones is a podcast that features interviews with various celebrities. The hour long format allows the questions to surpass simply asking about what current project the actor might be promoting to go deeply into discussing their upbringing, their work ethic and in many cases how hardships informed their work. I really enjoyed the interviews of Dax Shepherd and also of Rob Lowe.

I finished all of Season One of The Crown which was really good and also has caused me to google all kinds of facts about the Royal Family. I am also so happy that This is Us is back!

What I'm Wearing

That Daniel Rainn top in the above picture from Stitch Fix, leggings, and boots.

What I'm Doing This Weekend

We have a teacher workday on Friday which will allow Kyle and me to do some volunteer work with our Young Men's Service League friends. We have a basketball game or two and on Sunday, I'm attending a Hub Dot event for the first time. I'll have no idea what I'm doing, but I'll be there.

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month

Kyle's Kamp's Casino Night is February 25th at Westwood Country Club in Vienna, Virginia. If you live in my area come out for a great night of fun, food and drinks and raising money to support pediatric cancer research. Early Bird Discounted tickets are on sale through January 31st. Here are my girls and me last year although we barely recognize ourselves since we aren't wearing baseball tshirts and flip flops. We cleaned up pretty good.

What Else Is New

We've been blessed to receive some college acceptances for Joe and are still waiting on a few more. Waiting is not easy for any of us. We're praying hard for his first choice to come through in the next few weeks and knowing that God will direct him wherever He wants him to be. We are feeling very blessed that he's got some great options.

Happy Wednesday!