The View From Behind Home Plate: October 2020

Friday, October 30, 2020

5 Friday Favorites: October 30, 2020

It's time for my Friday link up with A Little Bit of Everything and Momfessionals.

On Fridays I share things that made me happy from the week - a photo, a song, a quote, a beauty product, a recipe, a pair of cute shoes, etc. If it's a product, sometimes it's something I actually own and sometimes something I just saw online that gave me a smile. Sometimes it's serious and sometimes it's silly. I suppose I believe that God is in the simple details of life and yes, I can even find Him in a tube of lipstick.

1. Limehouse Chicken

Allrecipes.com

I've mentioned this recipe before, but I made it again this week and it is always a homerun with my people.

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 lime, juiced and zested
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt (I cut this down to 3/4 tsp.)
1 Tablespoon Paprika
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
2 sprigs fresh mint, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place flour, salt and paprika in large ziploc bag. Sprinkle chicken thighs with lime juice. Place chicken in ziploc, seal and shake to coat.
Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until just browned on both sides. Transfer to baking dish.
Sprinkle brown sugar and lime zest over chicken. Pour wine and broth over top. Sprinkle with mint.
Bake 45 minutes.

2. Kleem Organics Retinol Moisturizer

I get most of my skincare advice from Melanie Shankle and Jamie B. Golden, who are not doctors, but who both seem to try every skincare product under the sun. I can't remember which one suggested this retinol moisturizer, but I saw that it was an Amazon Lightening Deal last week and I snatched it up for only $15.00. It's discounted today down from $35.00 to $26.97 which is still a decent price. I have only used it for a week now, but it has great reviews. I love the clean citrus scent and it has not caused too much redness or peeling so far.

3. Mix No 6 Ebele Sneaker

Since 2020 seems to be the year of leisurewear all day, all night, all the time, I haven't worn any shoes other than running shoes or sneakers (tennis shoes, if you're from Texas) all fall. I love the look of white sneakers with a slight platform and there are a bazillion options out there. I got these from DSW and I love them. They are super easy to clean, too. The all white ones are $49.99, but there's an option with a leopard print detail for $39.99 and one with a bright yellow detail for $34.99. So cute.

4. All Adults Here by Emma Staub

I can't honestly recommend this book quite yet because I literally just started reading it two days ago. Still, having a book to read every night other than watching the news is definitely worthy of a Friday Favorites list because Lord help us. This is a Today Show/Jenna Bush Hagar pick. I've really liked the other books she's picked that I've read, so I'm going to trust her on this one, too.

5. Caphalon Cookware Set

I've saved the best for last today. I haven't bought new cookware in an embarrassingly long time. This Caphalon Cookware Set is already on sale at Macy's and with the code FRIEND, you get an additional 30% off the sale price. I saved $200 on this set. Bring it on, Thanksgiving. I'm ready.

Bonus Favorite: Looking through pictures of my littlest ball player

I write a monthly blog post for the Northern Virginia Travel Baseball League and this month I wrote about trying not to miss a single moment of my last little baseball guy's games. I spent way more time looking at old pictures of him than writing the piece. Goodness gracious, the time flies by. It's so cliche and it is so brutally true. Gah, I love that little face.

Have a great weekend, Friends!

Disclosure: The View From Behind Home Plate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn small fees by linking to amazon.com. Post might contain other affiliate links as well

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Third Time's the Charm

Well, who woulda thunk it, baseball fans? As of this morning, we have a 2020 World Series Champion. In my own life, my son's fall baseball season is coming to a close, which is awesome because I wasn't sure it was going to come to an open. Since the pandemic forced the cancellation of the spring season and shortened the summer season, I am immensely grateful that we got it in at all.

Even with all the new rules and Covid protocols, our fall season actually went off without a hitch. After the longest and most boring spring of all time, it got really busy around here. My 15 year old son, Drew, had a few out of town tournaments, practice three days a week, and strength training four mornings a week. I had loads of laundry to wash, stand-still traffic on I-95 to sit in, and even a few stale-smelling hotel rooms to spray with Febreze.

Before I knew it, life seemed almost back to normal.

Last week I spent more time in the car than I did anywhere else. In addition to making a 14 hour round trip to Knoxville and back to Northern Virginia with my college sophomore, our baseball schedule was particularly packed. We had a Sunday round trip to Richmond and back for a double header. That added four hours to my road trip tally. We got home from that to receive the schedule for the next weekend's tournament.

We were scheduled for an 8:30 pm game on a Thursday night at a stadium two and a half hours away from home. That meant we wouldn't be home until after 1:00 am and Drew had school the next day. Then we had practice scheduled for Friday night an hour away from home. To top it off, we had a 7:00 am arrival time for two games on Saturday all the way back at the same stadium from Thursday night. If you're doing the math with me, we're talking somewhere around 7,432 hours in the car - give or take. (And perhaps, some questionable parenting.)

As I sat in the bleachers with some of my baseball mom friends telling them the nightmare schedule we had drawn for the weekend, one asked, "Are you going to all that?"

READ THE REST HERE

Friday, October 23, 2020

5 Friday Favorites: October 23, 2020

On Fridays I link up with alittlebitofeverythingblog.com and momfessionals.com to share things that made me happy from the week - a photo, a song, a quote or Bible verse, a beauty product, a recipe, a pair of cute shoes, etc. If it's a product, sometimes it's something I actually own and sometimes something I just saw online that gave me a smile. Sometimes it's serious and sometimes it's silly. I suppose I believe that God is in the simple details of life and yes, I can even find Him in a tube of lipstick.

Hello and Happy Friday! I am late with this today because we had baseball game on a Thursday night at 8:30 pm at a ballpark that is 2 and a half hours away from home. I ate a CookOut burger and fries for dinner for the 2nd time this week in the car. We got home at 1:30 am and I woke up Drew five minutes before school started this morning.

Please feel free to consult me for all your Health and Wellness and Parenting advice.

Here are some things from this week that I loved.

1. Justin Bieber and Chance the Rapper on SNL

Listen. I love the Biebs. I have no shame and zero chill about it. I went to see him in concert six years ago with my friend and two junior high girls and it was one of the most fun nights ever. (even if my ears were ringing from all the screaming for a few days after.) I love this song and this performance with Chance the Rapper from SNL this week. I might have watched it five or six times. I might watch it five or six more. The end.

2. Trader Joe's Everything But the Bagel Nut Duo

I cannot express to you how good these Everything But the Bagel almonds and cashews are. All I can say is that I ate the whole bag myself. (One of the people in my house is allergic to nuts, so I feel like that's an important data point.) I know lots of people don't have a Trader Joe's near them. Be assured that I will keep you in my prayers and hope that the Lord will see fit to bless you with one soon. You can get these nuts here at Amazon, but I can't promise they aren't charging you too much. I can't remember what I paid for them, but they are worth every single penny.

3. Whiskey River Soap Co. Hand Soap

I had a couple of quick trips to the University of Tennessee this week to bring Kyle home for a few days. I never go to Knoxville without stopping in my favorite shop downtown, Bliss. I picked up a candle, a new mask, and this funny soap by Whiskey River Soap Co. You have to zoom in to read the label. It's hilarious. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find an online option for Bliss's shop. Amazon has it here, along with some other fun options, but I must tell you that they are charging twice as much as I paid. These would make a fun gift for your girlfriend who needs a laugh. And trust me, your girlfriend does, in fact, need a laugh about now.

4. Long Cardigan Sweaters

We have had gorgeous weather here this week. It's warm during the day and cooling off at night, so you know what that means:

This chunky knit cardigan looks really comfortable and comes in lots of colors. Also, pockets!

I like the stripes and the fall colors in this one. I'm not sure I would wear it with those bikini denim shorts, but if that's how you roll, more power to you, sister.

This Long Boyfriend Cardigan from Loft looks to be lightweight, comes in three colors, and is 60% off today with the code FESTIVE.

5. A Tennessee Sunset

Driving to Knoxville can be a grind. It's a seven hour trip at best. I really do have fun on road trips with my boys. Kyle and I ate lot of crappy food and he introduced me to some new/weird music. We talked a lot. I tried to listen and laugh, more than I lectured, but there was a lot of both. I can usually hang pretty well until those last two hours when I start getting antsy. Last week, just as I was starting to grumble, God did this.

And this:

And I thought about this:

"Then God saw everything that He had made. And indeed, it was very good."

-Genesis 1:31

If you're getting a little grumbly this weekend. Look up. Indeed, it's still very good. Have a great weekend, Friends!

Friday, October 16, 2020

5 Friday Favorites: October 16, 2020

Good morning, Friends.

It was a very big week around here. There was a momentous occasion. It was both exciting and terribly frightening as most of life's challenges are.

I put on a pair of jeans for the first time since March 13th.

It wasn't pretty and I'm not sure when the next time I will attempt this feat will happen, but as some old guy once said, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Here's a look at some other things I found out about this week besides the fact that somewhere in the recesses of my mind there is the vague memory of how a zipper and a button work.

1. Happy Endings on Hulu

I think I found a new (old) show this week. I finished The Mindy Project and wanted to find another sit-com that makes me forget about real life. Happy Endings only lasted three seasons so it's possible it's going to go downhill fast, but so far I love the characters and it's making me laugh. Bonus - if you're a Mindy Project fan, we've got Peter in this one and he's a joy and a delight, as usual.

2. OPI Suzi Talks with her Hands Nail Color

My favorite nail color for Fall is OPI's I Have a Herring Problem, but sadly it is so hard to find now. I got a manicure this week and was happy to see that OPI has a new color called Suzi Talks with Her Hands. It's pretty close to Herring Problem. It's about the same color grey, but without the little specks of sparkle. It's a great color for Fall - not too dark and not too light.

3. Conair Steamer

This Friday Favorite is a household item and in a crazy turn of events which only 2020 could provide, I will have you know that it was not recommended to me by my mom or a girlfriend, but by my 19 year old college boy. I've never had a steamer before, but Kyle's roommate had one last year and he told me it was awesome and he used it all the time to steam his dress shirts. Maybe this is something most people already knew, but I was not aware. Kyle came home this week and I asked him to bring his steamer, so I could try it out and it is a joy. Right now this one is only $30.00 - $14.00 off - at Amazon. For more household tips, please consult your local frat house.

4. NeedToBreathe: Who Am I?

I have heard that the entire new NeedToBreathe album is amazing and I'm not at all surprised. This band is one of my favorite of all time. I played their new song "Who Am I" about six times in a row on my run yesterday. Gosh, I love this song so much.

5. Democracy Absolution Jeans

I'm going to need to talk about the jeans situation again because it's a big deal, okay? These Democracy Absolution Cropped Jeans are the jeans that I squeezed myself into this week. I think we could potentially label them as the "Fall 2020 Starter Jean" to ease us back into our denim-wearing for the year. Normally, I think that it is worth it to spend more on denim because quality jeans are a gift of the Lord. These jeans are very comfortable and stretchy AND not that expensive and that's some good news for your Friday, Friends.

Y'all have a great weekend. I know I will because Texas has the week off, thereby allowing my heart to repair itself after it was ripped out of my body last week when we lost after 124 overtimes. Hook 'Em Horns. I still love you. Forever.

Friday, October 9, 2020

5 Friday Favorites: October 9, 2020

Happy 1st Full Week of October, Friends.

We have had beautiful weather here in Northern Virginia. There was a lot of baseball, a quick trip to Lake Anna, a little basketball, a birthday, and a football game that shall not be named. There's another football game this weekend that I'm not sure I want to talk about either. I'm usually super-pumped about this one. I get all my Longhorn gear on, get all my snacks ready, and don't miss a single down. Ask me how I feel about it this year.

Which is basically how I feel about everything in the whole ding-dang world lately.

Here are some things that I felt slightly better about this week.

1. In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

I picked up this book at Target last week and so far it is really good. If you're like me and need a good fiction read to escape reality, I recommend it. It is about a woman who plans out every detail of her life. She is meticulously checking off the boxes of her plan and then falls asleep one night and finds herself five years in the future, realizing that things don't look like she thought they would. Also, it is apparently a Good Morning America, Marie Claire, and FabFitFun Book Club pick, so that seems promising . . .unless you consider that I'm not sure there's anyone who doesn't have a Book Club these days.

2. Mask Inserts

I recently heard about these mask inserts which are supposed to be helpful for not messing up your lipstick and keeping make-up off your mask. They also are supposed to make it easier to breathe because they keep the fabric off of your mouth. The jury is still out for me on these because I just received them, but I'm willing to try anything to not feel like I'm suffocating on Aisle 4 at the grocery store.

3. Cinnamon Whisk from Trader Joe's

A sweet friend of mine came over for lunch last week and brought me this little Cinnamon Whisk from Trader Joe's. I put it in my car and it smells amazing and makes me so happy - especially when I'm driving three to four baseball players and their cleats around a few times a week.

4. Lumene Color Correcting Cream

A friend told me that she really likes this Lumene CC Color Correcting Cream and I'm very interested. She said it evens out her skin tone more than anything else she's tried. I've been using Rodan and Fields Radiant Defense which I really like, but it's pretty pricey. This one is only $14.99, so I think it worth a shot.

5. Joe Charles Skinner

My oldest boy turned 22 years old this week. What I never knew all the years that I was raising and teaching and worrying and praying for this boy is that he would turn out to be - at only 22 years old - a man I admire as much as just about anyone I know in the world. He is focused and passionate. He is determined and hard-working. He is hilarious and kind and responsible and braver than his mama has ever dreamed of being. Even better, he does not miss a chance to text me every funny Twitter post he comes across. We aren't supposed to brag about our children, so I won't. I'll just brag on the God who made him. Because I know that it is He who is creating a good work in my son. And I'll never stop thanking Him for that. So far He's done darn good work. I'm enormously grateful.

Have a blessed weekend, Friends.

Also, Go Horns. I guess. Whatever.

Friday, October 2, 2020

5 Friday Favorites: October 2, 2020

Hello, America! How y'all feeling about the last week of September in the year of our Lord 2020?

Same.

Here's the good news. College football still appears to be happening. Oklahoma lost to Kansas State early on Saturday. I took an unreasonable and likely sinful amount of joy in that little bit of news.

Then I was faced with the consequences of these my misdoings and I had to hold my head in my hands during the entire fourth quarter of the Texas game as my Horns were down two touchdowns with three minutes left.

Our God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love because we came back to force overtime and win the game.

And here we are. We made it to October. I'm sure it'll be great. No worries. Here are some of the things that stood out as reasonably positive in the crapshow of this week. Just remember that I've found that the key to this whole year is where we keep our expectations, 'kay?

Here we go!

1. Fever Pitch

This movie was on some random cable channel this week. It was certainly not an Oscar winner, but I love this movie. Also, one of my friends from college plays a real jerk in it which makes it even more fun to watch. Remember when we had movies that were sweet and romantic and didn't involve superheroes and blowing stuff up? And also, there were fans at baseball games? Good times.

2. Leopard Print Knotted Headband

I have never been a big fan of animal prints, but I do like them in small doses - a belt, a shoe, or this adorable knotted headband. I mentioned this set of headbands that my sister-in-law gave me awhile ago and I seem to be wearing one every day lately. I think this one is a subtle way to wear an animal print while avoiding a Carole Baskin situation.

3. There Was Jesus

This song is beautiful and it features Dolly Parton. What more could we need? Gosh, I love it.

4. Plaid Tops

It's Fall and that means I will go way overboard with buying all the plaid tops. I think this one with plaid sleeves is so cute. There are a bunch of different color combinations. I'm not exactly sure how I feel about the bows on the wrist though. That seems like a chips and queso disaster waiting to happen.

I bought this Plaid Tunic Popover top from Target last week and it is the perfect length to wear with leggings. I guess you could also wear it with jeans, but due to the quarantine feast I've had for the past six months, I've determined that I'm neither physically prepared, nor mentally strong enough to cross that bridge yet. As my friend Christine recently said, "I put on pair of jeans for the first time in months today and it felt like prison." No thank you.

5. Apple Cider Pork Tenderloin

I made this Apple Cider Pork Tenderloin this week. It was easy. It was pretty good. It was kind of Autumn-ish. My people ate it. Remember, we are keeping the expectations pretty low. Mix and Match Mama has lots of easy recipes that your people will probably eat. She's one of my go-tos during busy seasons.

Have a good weekend, friends!