Happy Wednesday! It’s the last Wednesday of the month so I am linking up with Sheaffer and Shay to share what we’ve been up to. Let’s get to it!

WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK…

I have two menus to share with you this week. Last week, I was home for a few extra days so I decided to make three big dinners. Then we had choices, which is how I say leftovers when I don’t want my family to complain about them. It worked out really well. Everyone made their own dinner plates Wednesday – Saturday and heated them up. I added fresh fruits, veggies, and salad each night. I didn’t plan my lunches last week because I only went to work on Friday. It was easier to pick from something in the house. Some days I ate a big late breakfast and skipped dinner, too.

I’ve done something similar before where I make one huge batch of a protein (ground beef or shredded chicken) and use it to make different meals each night. I think I liked this way better.

This week I am trying to avoid a big grocery trip and eating from our freezer. It’s packed and we need to eat what’s in there. We are a few months away from picking up our cow portion so I am going to try to plan for that in the next few weeks.

WHAT I’M LOVING…

Cleaning out!! I started on a cleaning out whim over Christmas break. It started with my makeup drawer and ended with just about every single spot in our whole house! I have cleaned out so many bags of things. I’ve donated, consigned, handed down, and thrown away. It feels so great to know exactly what we have and to have it put away in a manner that makes sense and is easily accessible.

I tackled bathrooms and medicine cabinets Monday night. I found medicine that expired in 2011! That means I moved that medicine TWICE since it expired!

My hands have been a mess lately. I have been washing my hands constantly, using hand sanitizer, and it’s so dry! This nail strengthener is saving my nails right now. I’ve used it every night for about 10 days and I an see a difference. I swipe it on when I get in bed each night and it dries instantly.

I am also doing a decluttering challenge with my friend Kelly. I love it because it is one thing a day and it’s usually something quick and manageable, like one kitchen drawer or your sock drawer. As I participate, I am going back over some spots and removing even more. Now I just need to remember not to replace all that stuff or to take a minute before buying another pen/pencil/hand lotion.

WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO…

Well, we finally got hit by covid. Luckily, it was just one person. Thankfully, Luke had a mild case and was the only one. I am so grateful to science for our vaccines and boosters! Since Luke and I stayed home, we did a lot around the house. We decorated masks.

We did a puzzle.

We went on at least 2 walks every day. It was a nice maskless together time, it got him some fresh air, and it got Luke up and moving a few times each day.

Jack has been listening to music a bunch lately. I went into his room the other day and he had the LED lights and another light projector going while he was hanging out.

WHAT I’M DREADING…

The only thing I’m dreading right now is the possibility of another positive in our house. The actual sickness wasn’t so bad, but the disruption and the constant worry about a scratchy throat or a headache is wearing me down. Fortunately, I’ve been calmly hoarding/collecting home tests for months. We’ve been testing for my peace of mind and thankfully getting a bunch of negatives.

WHAT I’M WORKING ON…

Every year around this time, I print out blank full page calendars for June, July, August, and September. That is how I plan out our summer. I love to see the whole thing laid out in front of me. It is exciting and daunting at the same time! So far I have a camp week for both kids and Camp Gigi scheduled. I am working on a vacation with Jeff’s family, my family, just the four of us, the trip I take with the kids and my mom, and a trip to go visit my sister with the boys. Jeff just got a bunch of dates for Jack’s golf tournaments and we have swim team in there, too. Summer always looks so busy around now, but it’s all fun stuff.

WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT…

The boys are taking their first snowboarding lesson today. They are so excited and I am excited for them!

I have been doing workouts on my Faster Way to Fat Loss app and I love them. Lately, I’ve been feeling a pull to start running again. It’s been cold, dark, and icy so I hopped on the treadmill. I didn’t run fast, but it felt so good!! There are a bunch of Netflix shows that are coming soon that I love to watch on the treadmill so the timing is perfect. I’ll be running through Cheer, Bridgerton, Emily in Paris, Virgin River, Grace and Frankie, and Sweet Magnolias. I should probably train for a half marathon with all those shows.

I am meeting some girlfriends for dinner tomorrow night and I am excited about that, too! We’ve been trying to pick a date since mid-December and our schedules are finally lined up!

I am hosting my annual Declare It Day celebration next month. I am so excited for this! I love to get my girlfriends together and set some big goals for the coming year. These girls are amazing and inspire me to be the best version of me!

I discovered these trivets at Trader Joe’s in the fall and got one with great fall colors. Then, at Christmas they had them in green, red, and white. I found them on Monday in these great bright colors and got a few. I love them with my dishes and they go with a bunch of my placemats. They are so bright and cheerful – just my style! And they’re only $5!

WHAT I’M WATCHING/READING…

I’m still watching Hallmark movies and Golden Girls – xoxo Betty! I’m watching And Just Like That. I love those Sex and the City girls and can’t quit them.

By the time the next What’s Up Wednesday comes around I will have taken a 2 week hiatus from all tv to focus all of my attention on the Olympics. They are always my favorite! I shared my Olympics love a few years ago. You better believe that it’s only grown stronger over time.

I’ve read two books this year and I loved them both. I read Eight Perfect Hours by Lia Louis and The Girls in the Stilt House by Kelly Mustian.

I am finishing the third book in the Little School by the Sea series by Jenny Colgan. Her books are so cozy and feel like a hug. I would love to go on a Jenny Colgan tour of the UK and visit all the places that inspired her series. I wonder if that exists.

WHAT I’M LISTENING TO…

I have really surprised myself in the past few months. I had no idea I would love listening to audiobooks, because I am such a visual learner. I am enjoying listening to memoirs and nonfiction books that are narrated by the author. I recently finished Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe. I am going to listen to Atomic Habits by James Clear next. Then, I think I’ll listen to another Rob Lowe book or Jessica Simpson’s book.

WHAT I’M WEARING…

I wore a lot of leggings and comfy shirts last week at home, but I am doing a great job of wearing the clothes in my closet. I got this quilted sweatshirt for Christmas. It has a little sparkle in it and is so comfortable.

I wore this super comfy dress from Loft. It’s a few years old, but always a favorite.

I’ve been wearing cardigans that haven’t been in my rotation much. Librarians LOVE cardigans!

This cowl neck tunic was so cozy in my chilly library.

I wore a turtleneck that I bought on super sale at LLBean at the end of winter last year.

This old Lilly sweater is a comfy classic.

I wore the same thing as Kourtni last weekend. 😉

I started wearing my Valentine’s Day clothes yesterday.

I’ve been wearing a bunch of Cora’s Den. Cora’s Deals have been very good to me. 😉 I also love the new Valentine’s Day jewelry she has. Don’t forget to use code SUNSHINEANDBOOKS10 for 10% off.

I found these bracelets at Francesca’s and I love them. They make some noise, which I think is fun, and match everything.

WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND…

On Saturday, Jack has two basketball games and Luke has one. On Sunday, I don’t think we have anything to do. I should spend the day relaxing and getting ready for the week, but I’ll probably end up cleaning out something. I am setting two goals for the weekend. I want to run and I want to read for at least one hour during the day.

WHAT ELSE IS NEW…

I mentioned this on Monday, but I am on the search for the perfect earbuds. I am not sure they exist, but I do think I am getting closer to finding them. I’ve found three that passed the initial try on test and I am trying them out. I don’t love any of the AirPods or AirPod Pro versions. Thanks to everyone who made suggestions on my Hello Monday post. If you didn’t and have some you’d recommend, I’d love to hear it.

I love these What’s Up Wednesday posts. They cover just about everything and I get so many great ideas from other bloggers. I’d love to hear what books you’ve listened to and loved AND if you have any amazing earbud recommendations. I’ll be back tomorrow for Monthly Musings. Have a great day full of sunshine and books!

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