What's Up Wednesday 2-22-17

I'm linking up with Sheaffer Told Me To The Larson Lingo and Mix and Match Mama for What's Up Wednesday today.

What We're Eating This Week:

Our high school basketball team had been tearing it up in post season play last week, so we have been eating concession stand food a couple of times a week lately. Unfortunately we lost a heart breaker Monday night, so our Fake Cheese Nachos and Swedish Fish days are over for awhile. That will mean I'm back to the kitchen this week and thanks to my Blue Apron subscription service we will be eating Chicken Milanese with Lemon Potato Salad & Fig Jam one night and Roasted Pork with Apple, Walnut & Farro Salad one night. I still don't know what Farro is, but I think we had it in one of our earlier deliveries and I think I liked it. Blue Apron has been such fun, but I will likely need to cancel it soon as we are moving into baseball season which means I'll be dusting off the crockpot. And you know what that means, Mamas:

What I'm Reminiscing About:

Baseball Seasons of the past. Tryouts started this week at the high school and the Little League draft is done. The 2017 season has begun and this one will be special. One of my boys will start his last high school season. His last baseball season ever, to be more specific. One of mine will begin his last season in Little League. My husband will have his last season as a Little League coach after hitting more fungoes than I could ever count. And one of mine has chosen to put his entire focus on basketball and won't be playing baseball this year. And while I find his decision to follow his heart to be courageous and wise, at the same time I find  my heart to be breaking just a bit since I have watched most of his baseball buddies and him from the bleachers since they were five. :-/ So, I've been reminiscing and remembering that growing up and being true to their own dreams and goals is what our children are supposed to do and what we are blessed to watch them do. But, oh how I miss double knotting those little bitty cleats of my boys of summer.

What I'm Loving:

A bargain. I saw this dress by Joie  pop up on the internet recently and I thought to myself, "Well lookie there! That dress is very, very similar to one I bought a couple of weeks ago and have worn at least three times since."

EXCEPT. This dress is $328.

This Mixed Diamond Shirt Dress is 40% off at Loft right now. 

I suppose it's probably true that the first dress has some amazing material crafted by cherubs or perhaps there are dollar bills sewn into the fabric, but I think the Loft dress is pretty similar and you can buy a few of them for your friends for the price of the one up there. SCORE.

What We've Been Up To:

A whole lot of basketball. Except on Valentine's Day when my husband sought out a realtor and rented out our very first home for the night and set it up with candles and flowers to surprise me. But, hey, I don't want to make anyone feel bad about her relationship or anything.

Oh wait.  That was Jack and Rebecca from This is Us who are singlehandedly causing unrealistic, extreme expectations for couples all over the U S of A. Take it down a notch, Screenwriters, PU-LEEZE

We actually spent Valentine's Day in the high school gym for a basketball game. But we mixed it up because it was a different high school gym than where we spent our anniversary. Feel better?

What I'm Dreading:

Nothing, I don't think. I was dreading snow, but it looks like there won't be any in the forecast, so no dread. Just visions of baseball diamonds and sun and flip flops.

What I'm Working On:

Our kitchen is basically finished. I just need lighting and a rug. As I've mentioned I hate making decorating decisions so I took a break from that for awhile, but I'm finally thinking it's time to finish what we started. I was searching online yesterday and I found this one. It's one of only about 724 options for lighting above my table that I like. This is so fun. :-/

What I'm Excited About:

Although I don't like having a sick boy, I don't mind hanging with this kid for awhile. Yesterday he watched all three of the Back to the Future movies. We might need to find some more productive activities today though.

What I'm Watching:

I spent a good majority of my President's Day weekend in my pjs catching up on Scandal and Grey's Anatomy which is exactly how I think George and Abe intended us to celebrate them. I also watched the first episode Big, Little Lies on HBO. Do not watch it until you read the book by Liane Moriarty.

What I'm Reading:

I'm finally on a roll with reading. I've almost finished All the Light We Cannot See. I'm going to say that it is good, but I am not as blown over by it as I thought I would be. I think that is likely based on the fact that I was told how great it was eleventy million times so it is suffering from very high expectations.

What I'm Listening To:

 Sally Clarkson on The Happy Hour with Jamie

As a very young mom, I read Sally Clarkson's The Ministry of Motherhood and was so blessed by it. I have listened to Jamie Ivey interview Sally Clarkson twice already. Her voice is so calming and her words are so encouraging for mamas in the trenches of staying home with their children. And I feel like no matter how many kids we have at home, no matter what their ages, we are all still in the trenches. I jotted down at least seven quotes from the interview including:

"It was profoundly important for me to really look at my children as the story I was writing. No matter what I did in the world, no matter how many people I impressed the best story I would ever write would be that which was hidden in my home." 

Clarkson has a new book out called Different: The Story of an Outside-the-Box Kid and The Mom Who Loved Him . And I would contend that we ought to look at each one of our children is "outside- the-box". I think this book is a must read for me.

What I'm Wearing:

I am wearing Old Navy pjs and I might not get out of them as I have a sick boy at home today. If I do change, I wish I had this tshirt because "okayest" is the best we can do most days. Amen?

What I'm Doing This Weekend:
We'll be continuing the basketball season for the littlest man and raising some money for Pediatric Cancer Research at Kyle's Kamp's Annual Casino Night. Register here to join us.

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month:

Baseball Season and maybe a new tshirt or two.

What Else is New

The oldest boy finally made a college decision and his new Penn State swag matches my kitchen. Bonus. :-) We are blessed and grateful and I am trying not to do the superfreak yet.

Bonus Question This Month:
What is your favorite "can't live without" beauty product?

This is so boring and I clearly need to up my beauty product game, but I've been using Almay's Eye Makeup Remover Pads FOR.EV.ER. They're the best.

Have a great Wednesday!!