Alabama + Graffiti

Last weekend, we decided to take a family weekend getaway to Helen.  We really love the town, and it’s definitely beautiful during fall in the mountains.  We rented a cabin in the woods, and we were completely surrounded by fall foliage.  Sitting in the hot tub Sunday morning listening to the little rain and looking at the leaves was my favorite memory from this trip.

We left out Friday after work.  We stopped just north of Atlanta for dinner at a place called Taqueria Tsunami.  It was pretty good – and Sheff got his cheese dip.  It was pretty late when we got to the cabin, so we poured a glass of wine and just chilled out.

Saturday morning we went and got breakfast at Dottie’s Kitchen.  They had enormous cat-head biscuits and were so good.  We were incredibly disappointed with the lack of mask wearing the whole trip.  It was honestly like a pandemic wasn’t happening.  Luckily, we protected ourselves the whole time and wore our masks walking around Helen.  We really wanted to watch the Auburn game, so we were incredibly lucky when we found a patio bar that wasn’t crowded.  They had wine slushies and some German beer, and we just sat there for pretty much the whole afternoon.  So glad we pulled out that win – AU desperately needed it.

After the game we went to Habersham Winery.  We had been before and loved it, so we went back to try some different wines.  We ended up buying two bottles that were both delicious!!  When we were driving back around town, we noticed there were so many more people and so many without masks or social distancing.  We didn’t really feel like being out in that, so we picked up a pizza and had a pizza party in the cabin.  Sheff had been super good that day, so he got to play video games while the adults went into the hot tub and watched football.

We woke up Sunday morning and went into the hot tub one last time. The rain made the scenery even more beautiful.  We got dressed and went back into town to shop around before everyone else got there.  They have a fun playground, so before we left, Sheff got out some energy.  He crossed the monkey bars for the very first time!  He was so proud of himself, and we were too!

It was a much needed weekend away, but was very disappointed in how Covid is being handled and perceived.  This shit is real, and I don’t understand how people can just be so nonchalant about it.  It really is disheartening.

This weekend it’s Halloween, and it’s my most favorite.  Plus we’re playing LSU, so B is going to make his gumbo.  We’ll dress up and pretend all is well – we’ll do our best to make sure Sheff has a good time.

 

I love these little coffee chat posts, and I love coffee.  So much coffee, so here we go:

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you…. yesterday was our last at-home school day.  Sheffield goes back to school full-time, five days a week next week.   If I’m being honest with myself, it’s pretty bittersweet.  I have actually enjoyed having this day in the middle of the week to be with him and see how much he’s learned.  I will miss our lunch picnics and dance parties.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you…. my creativity has been severely lacking.  My job has been sucking the soul out of me lately, and I just haven’t had anything left to give when the day is over.  Plus I feel like I am being pulled into so many different directions lately, that I’m pretty sure my brain shuts itself off after about 830 pm.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you…. we signed Sheffield up for basketball.  He had been doing gymnastics when Covid started, and we haven’t been back yet, even though they’re open.  Sheffield has been asking to do basketball for some time, so luckily our city’s rec center is doing youth basketball.  There will only be 24 kids in his league, so I’m hoping he makes some new friends.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you…. I’m still struggling mightily with my body image.  I stopped wearing my Apple Watch for a week, because I was becoming obsessed with the move/stand/exercise goals.  I am proud of myself for noticing it and putting a stop to it before I let it get to a bad point.  Recovery is a hard and long process, but I’m working on it.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you…. I bought eight thousand skeletons to decorate my house, because Halloween rules.  Also going all out for everything is key in 2020.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you…. how much I miss human decency and kindness.  How is it so hard lately just to be nice to people?  I get that we’ve all been cooped up like animals since March, but come on people.  Treat people how you want to be treated, mmk?

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you…. to start watching Ratched on Hulu.  Unless you don’t do well with some gore and creepiness.  But it’s October – everyone needs a good scare in October.

Thanks for having coffee with me – I hope to be able to do it with people in person soon!

(linking up with Steph and Jana – happy SUYB anniversary!)

Little Secrets – Jennifer Hillier // This book gave me massive anxiety, and probably would to any parent.  BUT it was so good and twisty, and everything is so intertwined, and you just have no idea what is about to happen.  I am becoming a huge fan of Hillier.

 Twice in a Blue Moon – Christina Lauren  // I love just sinking into a Lauren book – they can give me all those “first love” feels, and sometimes a girl just needs that.  If you just want a lovely feel-good love story, read this guy.

 The Whisper Man – Alex North  // Oh man, this book was creeeeepy!  But in a good way.  I will say that I probably should not have read it at night, but if scary, murdery stories are your jam, then read this one!  I can’t wait until the other one by him comes off wait list!

The Dilemma – BA Paris // Like with any of Paris’ books, I got into this one pretty fast, but all in all, I was waiting for a twist that just never came.  I think there was a lot left on the table for this one, and it could have gone a million different directions.  It was a quick read and passed the time just fine.

The Night Swim – Megan Goldin // This was picked for Lindsay’s virtual book club, and once I started it, I couldn’t put it down.  Pretty relevant to the times, as a girl was raped by a star swimmer, and a true crime podcaster is there to report on the trial, but gets involved in another case while she is there.  SO.  Good.  I’m such a fan of true crime podcasts, so it was fun to kind of go behind the scenes.

Ahhh, our triumphant return to New Orleans.  It has been eight months since we last visited – to say we were excited would be an understatement.  We were so happy to be returning to our city.

We left Friday after work/school.  We had reservations at Grand Isle – we had to make reservations pretty much everywhere we went due to Covid capacity restrictions, but were lucky enough to snag one each place we wanted to go.  Grand Isle was a little touristy, but a quick ten minute walk from the hotel when we were all pretty exhausted, made it a great place to start the trip.  We shared a dozen oysters, and I got a delicious roast beef po’boy.  Sheffield was happy enough getting a coloring sheet and being able to color on the paper tablecloth.

Our Saturday was jam-packed, so we all woke up early to get ready for the day.  We started out at Willa Jean– one of our favorite breakfast/bakery spots in New Orleans.  Sheffield got a delicious chocolate croissant, and I had their spicy fried chicken biscuit.  We got some pecan brownies to-go, and headed out to catch the street car.  We rode the St. Charles streetcar almost to the end of the line to get to a pumpkin from St. Andrew’s pumpkin patch.  We rode the street car back to the hotel to drop off our pumpkins.  We then went to pick up lunch from from Picnic Provisions & Whiskey – a fun little place that makes its way by offering picnic portions of fried chicken and supplies.  We got mild and hot tenders, and the hot pimento cheese dip and crab dip.  We then got to meet up with my girl Lindsay and her family at the Fly for a picnic lunch and play date!  The kids played together, and it was so so so good to see her. After lunch, we went back to the hotel and got ready for a quick walk through the Quarter.  I was so excited to see how many people were wearing masks and staying distant from each other.  We got Sheffield his annual Christmas ornament – shocker that he picked Mario, and went back to the hotel so Sheffield could nap.  After naps, we headed over to Central City BBQ where the AU alum meet up to watch the game.  It was an awful game, but the way Sheff’s eyes lit up when he tried brisket is something I will remember forever.   We went back to the hotel at half-time, got into pajamas and watched TV.

Sunday morning, we woke up and just sort of lounged around the room, watching cartoons, eating leftover brownies for a breakfast snack – all the normal things one does while on vacation, of course.  We had a reservation for brunch at Atchafalaya.  We got a table outside, and the weather was beautiful.  Sheffield got a giant waffle with whipped cream and fruit, and I got the most delicious shrimp po’boy I have ever had in my life.  After brunch, we walked around Magazine Street – my most favorite NOLA street.  Sheffield even found a new kitty friend.

It was a much needed trip back, and we were so lucky to get such gorgeous weather.  I’m not sure when our next time back will be – but you know we’ll be missing it in the mean time.

Wow, a weekend post on Wednesday.  To be truly forthcoming, I have been zero percent motivated to do much this week.  And when I say zero, I mean like -50%.  It just hasn’t been there this week, and there isn’t enough coffee in the world to perk me up.  Plus I have been sleeping like garbage and having some wild dreams.  Not even my sleep help pills have been working.  Anyway, enough with that.

Last Thursday, B went out with some work friends, so Sheff and I broke the rules and ordered a ton of pizza and watched The Willoughby’s, and it was a good night.

It was such a good night, and we had so much leftover pizza, that we did a repeat on Friday night – except we watched The Greatest Showman.  I was the only one into it, but oh well.  We ate so much pizza – it was wonderful.

Saturday morning, it was so nice that Sheff and I decided to take a walk.  He brought a bag and was collecting acorns and pinecones and all of nature.  His teacher told him that the squirrels don’t come out in the winter, so he was trying to gather everything he could for the squirrels so they wouldn’t go hungry.   After our walk, we went and got some Chick-Fil-A for breakfast as is our tradition for AUBURN games!!!  We were all so excited for SEC football to start – and the Tigers pulled out a win!

Sunday morning, I got up and did an hour walk on the treadmill.  It’s more like a walk/dance, as I’m learning what I enjoy doing to work out, instead of punishing myself for eating what I did.

After that, Sheff and I made some cinnamon apples, and we got the house cleaned up a little, got the Rotel dip warmed up and B made cornbread, because we finally had Robyn and her crew over to watch some NFL, and they brought chili!    We watched the Patriots game while the kiddos played.  They left when the game was over, and Sheff went down for his nap while B and I watched some more NFL.

The Packers had the late game vs the Saints, so B went and picked up some wings and fries and we watched the game down in the basement on the projector.  They pulled out a win, so it was a good football weekend in this household.  Add in the fact that I dominated in fantasy, and it was a pretty great weekend.

This weekend is supposed to be absolutely gorgeous, and we plan on spending a ton of time outside.  I hope y’all have had a good start to the week!