hello, Monday

 

Happy Monday, friends! How was your weekend? Mine flew by! I'm linking up with Holly and Sarah for today's blog post. I'll back up to Thursday evening and will jump right in! 

Thursday was a very long day at work, since it was orientation day. My day started with me at work by 7:15; I worked until noon, then went back at three and stayed until six. I was exhausted when I got off work, so I met Chris for dinner at Lost Pizza. It was so good! I could hardly keep my eyes open when I got home from dinner and was in bed by eight thirty. I don't think it took me long at all to fall asleep! 

Fridays hit differently now! After work I came home; Chris met me here after work and we went to get Mexican food. It was so good! 

We came back to my house after dinner and watched A Man Called Otto. I've seen it before, but I'd forgotten what a great movie that is. 

Saturday found me up early and getting things cleaned up around my home; I started with cleaning out and reorganzing my refrigerator and then moved onto the pantry. This felt so good to be able to start the school year off right with things being clean! I placed a giant grocery order for family dinner and for my lunches this week, and then I moved onto dusting, laundry, then vacuuming. I got dressed that afternoon for a wedding that I'd been invited to (Chris was invited as well and my friend included his name on the invitation); this was a fun way to spend a Saturday night!

I thought this was funny! The disco light turned my dress green.

This is my friend Marcia's son Drew; he is now married with a son of his own! This was him with sweet little Beau.

Sweet Marcia and me.

This place was beautiful! It's called The Ravenshaw; they have domestic deer that were outside with us letting us pet them. I was in awe and decided that I'd love a pet deer someday.

I loved the detail they put into the wedding; there were drinks named after the bride (Hannah), the groom (Isaac), and their Golden Retriever (Daisy). I loved that during the ceremony, the two sets of parents went up to the couple and prayed over them as a new family; I loved that Brad (the father of the bride) gave a welcome of thanks with special instructions for us during the reception, and I loved watching the dances (father of the bride with Hannah and Isaac and his mom). There were times in the ceremony that both of us teared up. In the ceremony, my young friend Alayna sang the song The Blessing by Kari Jobe that I love; it's taken from the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy. 

I'm including the video from YouTube in case you would like to give it a listen; it's a beautiful song. 

The dinner was great, and it was fun to run into my old friends from the church I went to when the boys were young (Memphis First Assembly of God). Brad and Marcia were our very best couple friends; when we traveled on a mission trip to Iceland when the boys were little, we made them our "just in case" people and had a temporary will put into place for the time we were gone. I love this family dearly! Our kids all grew up together, and each weekend found us at one of our homes together for game night or eating Taco Bell after Sunday night church. We even camped with them the first time we ever camped together as a family! 

Did you ever think of your kids marrying someone specific when they were little? That was how it was with my Jonah and Noah with Hannah; I'd genuinely hoped one of them would marry her someday. This makes me laugh, because things like that don't usually go that way, right? Isaac and Hannah are the most adorable couple, and the whole evening from start to finish was beautiful. I was so glad to have Chris with me; he kept me laughing the whole night, and I love that he wanted to do the photo booth they had with me. 

I never got a picture of them at the wedding, but I snagged this off Marcia's Facebook; they're so precious. I love that his dad married them! 

Sunday morning found us at church; after that I went to Dollar Tree and Kroger for a few school supplies (it's tax free weekend) and something I forgot in my Walmart grocery order. After that I came home and unpacked it all, then got ready for the family to come over that night. I'll share more about that on Tuesday, so come back and check out that day's post! Here's a little sneak peak...

Tell me all about your weekend! I'd love to hear from you. Thanks for reading my blog today, friends. Love to all!

Jen 

Friday Favorites [7.31.2026]

 

Happy Friday, friends; this one hits different for me since I worked all week! I hope all of you had a great one; I want to hear about it at the end of this post, so stay tuned. Here are some favorite things and moments from this week...

Family dinner was a favorite this week because it happened at Drew's and Mallory's apartment. We swam and then ordered pizza for dinner; her parents were there as well as her twin sister. This was such a fun night, and I love that Mallory posted these pictures on social media, calling me one of her favorites. 

Being back at work was a favorite this week! It was so good to see my colleagues again, and to catch up. Our admin team is so fun and had us do fun little things like this card you see above, and even sending us out on a scavenger hunt. 

Leaving so early may not be a favorite, but sitting here was and talking on the phone. I talked to Chris on this day, since it was a day he stayed home from work because of his back.

Finding rain boots at school was a favorite; I was going to buy some this year, but now I don't have to since I found these. I walked around like this for a while to make sure they fit. 

This little eagle is my favorite!

Chick Fil A milkshakes are a favorite of mine; I got this after a dental procedure on Tuesday afternoon.

Scripture writing plans are a favorite of mine! I play on doing this one in August.

Lastly, our town hall is my favorite. I went here Tuesday night for a library board meeting after the dental appointment. It was a LONG day! And so was yesterday, on that note. It was orientation day, and I helped my friend Heather unpack/decorate her room (after doing the same thing on Monday and Tuesday for Karen), and I was beat when I got home. I'm sitting at work today and doing online training for the entire day; I leave at 2:30 for a meeting at the middle school, and then it's my weekend!

How was your week? What was a favorite for you? I'd love to hear from you! Thanks for reading my blog today, friends; love to all.

Jen

 

my 2026/2027 school year syllabus

 

Happy Thursday, friends! I thought I'd talk about something a little different today instead of doing the usual weekly happies post I've been doing on Thursdays. This post idea was inspired by the one and only Amy, also known as my personal stylist, dear friend and confidante, color specialist, and blog influencer. Here is my "syllabus" for the new school year...I hope you enjoy reading this and that you're inspired in your own life to make this own kind of list or plan for your year. (August really is like a second new year!) 

I will set my alarm to go off at my favorite time of day: five a.m. and I will try to be out of bed promptly, but when that doesn't always happen, I will give myself grace to sleep in a bit longer.

I will go about my normal morning routine each morning of the week; I will drink my favorite and only cup of hot coffee first thing and I will make the time to do something I love to do each morning, which having a devotional time of reading and prayer, and reading blogs. I need to have enough time to leave my kitchen and home clean before I leave. 

I will dress in outfits that I love and feel confident in; I will only wear things that I know are comfortable enough for me to move around all day, and I will wear only the shoes that never hurt my feet. I will do my best to look put together and cute, while not sacrificing the comfort that is important to me.

I will remember to have ibuprofen in my lunch bag for the times when I am aching from all the walking.

I will be better at food this school year! I will be better about packing healthy lunches and for having a plan for dinner each night of the week by Sunday afternoon. My current Sunday schedule will help me with this: it's church, grocery shopping for anything I forgot to order, meal prep for both dinner that night and for the nights to follow, family dinner at five p.m. each week, then packing up for Monday as I clean the kitchen when my sons leave.  

I will keep saying "yes" to after work events with my work family!

I will have plenty of things to do for the times when I am bored as my student does her independent work. I will keep notebook paper, pens, blank copy paper, a journal, and a book with me at all times. I will keep extras in my work bag and I will keep a few things in the bag that I take with me everywhere she goes. 

I will do my best to assist her teacher in fourth grade this year! I've gotten to see her teacher Robyn this week at work; one day when I got home, I went to Facebook to see how old Robyn is, and y'all. She is a year older than Jonah and Noah; she will literally be like one of my kids, not that I expect to mother her at all. I look forward to getting to know her better and I will try to develop a sweet friendship with her since we'll be together nonstop. I love younger people, and I consider her that. I am really excited about this part of the job! She's precious and I already love her. 

I will communicate with my student's mom by sending her pictures from time to time. I wondered how I would feel if it were my child at school for most of the day, knowing of her illness...and I had the thought to just start communicating with her. I know if it were me in her shoes, I would love an occasional update and maybe a picture of her smiling and having fun. That being said, I will not let this get the better of me, and I will give myself grace for when I'm busy or forget. My focus is the student herself, after all. 

I will try my best to display all the fruits of the Spirit each day as I work and go about the day: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I will remind myself of this constantly as I'm with some students who have annoying tendencies. 

I will be prompt each day, and I will not succumb to the complaining that I hear a lot.

I will not speak of students in a way that is anything less than respectful and loving to them.

I will enjoy my thirty minute break each day to the very best of my ability; I will find a quiet place to unwind or I will see if a friend is available for me to eat with. If a friend isn't available, I'll find somewhere to hide that is quiet and I'll read my book while I eat. 

I will use my free early leaves this school year! This is something I didn't know about last year until late in the year, but essentially I can leave by three one afternoon every month (or every other month) and get paid for the full day.

I will use my personal days as mental health days! This just takes planning beforehand. Mine are already reserved for the days when I'll be traveling. 

I will do my best at everything I do, working as if for the Lord and not for men; I will also have fun and laugh a lot when I mess up, which will be all the time. I will be excited to see my kiddos each and everyday and I will happily hug them when they run up to me and I will encourage them. I will have a smile on my face and I will thoroughly enjoy being back in fourth grade with M for the school year. I won't judge anyone, and I will try to put myself in their shoes when it's something I don't quite understand.

These are the things I want to accomplish for the 2026/2027 school year. (I'm sure I'll add to this at some point as the days progress, so stay tuned for more of this kind of thing.) 

Thanks for reading my blog today, friends! I'll see you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites. Love to all!

Jen 🖤🖤