Most Likely to...

I have a cute cat round up today to tell you a little more about my cats!  We're a cat family through and through and it's been so fun to have an equal number of cats again.  We have had great luck matching cat BFFs when we have two boys (this combo has worked twice for us) and sisters.

Pumpkin //

Most likely to be the boss.

Most likely to be first to the food bowl.

Most likely to get ready with you every morning.

Mostly like to purr first, snuggle first and be in the middle of whatever you're doing.

He is nosey and we joke that his tail takes up its own zip code.

Mr. Mittens //

Most likely to look annoyed.

Most likely to want a sink drink.

Most likely to sleep with one eye open.

Most likely to do something naughty - hop in the washer, dryer, run a lap or two around the house, etc.

We joke that he's so fancy in his tuxedo that he can't be bothered with our antics.

Penny //

Most likely to snuggle you.

First to find Fletcher.

Most likely to be the easiest pet ever.

Most likely to welcome a new family member.  

Most likely to be sad when we travel.

Pearl //

Most likely to keep to herself.

Most likely to be grumpy with her siblings.

Most likely to howl and yowl.

Most likely to sleep with you at night.

Most likely to end up with a cut on her nose from fighting with the boys who have claws.

Pumpkin wants to be close.  Mr Mittens prefers to sleep in a basket nearby.

But set a pretty table and you've got his attention.

We bought new toys for the boys for Christmas and we keep finding Penny playing with them.

Thanks for humoring my cat loving post today :)

Easy Cheesy Potatoes

I tried a new recipe for cheesy potatoes over break and I loved them!  

My family doesn't love anything cheesey - boo.  So I enjoyed this casserole mostly by myself.  I reheated it for breakfast and lunch.  It was so good with a breakfast plate of bacon and eggs.  Leo loved helping me make it and Fletcher was the only kid I could convince to eat it with me.

Recipe:

1 bag shredded potatoes thawed

1 can cream of chicken

1 16oz block sharp cheddar cheese shredded

1 stick butter

1 c sour cream

Kinder seasoning to taste

Mix everything together.  Save shredded cheese for the topping.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until the cheese on top is bubbly brown.  This was a fun recipe for kids to help with.  It also reheats so well!

I hope you enjoy this cheesy potato comfort food side dish!

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday, friends!  I hope you had a great week.  It was a long one here and we are ready for the weekend.  The best parts of our week were:

1. Christmas clearance shopping with Olive!  We hit all the stores - Target, TJ, HomeGoods, Michaels, local shops, Marshalls and more with a holiday drink in hand thanks to gift cards from my students.  We bought gifts for next year and got lots of things ready for our elves to use in 2026.  It was so much fun!

Thesee giant velvet nutcrackers might have been my favorite find.  They're so pretty!

2. Surprise new van!  It was time.  My old van was being annoying so Kevin surprised me with a new one.  Thanks to some wheeling and dealing, he landed the perfect new ride.  We had talked about colors without settling on one and he said he found the perfect one for me.  It's the prettiest blue.  I love it already!  Leo told me it looks like a van for a queen.  

3. These 3 love to stroll the grocery store and pick up their favorite foods.  We grabbed everything from donuts to baking supplies to ice cream.

4. Do you like Hi-Chews?  I love all chewy, fruity candy.  I found a new flavor that's amazing.  I wish I had bought more.  Definitely hunt down the blue raspberry if you love Hi-Chews.

5. The big kids had plans with friends so Leo and I went out running some errands.  He insisted on wearing his new transformer hoodie and brought along his kid camera Christmas gift.  He LOVES taking pictures.

6. I took the kids to see David and it was wonderful.  Leo and I just wrapped up a Bible study unit on David so the timing was perfect.  The music is amazing, all the kids enjoyed the movie and the only downside was paying $10 for a large popcorn.

7. Double date night!  We got to meet up with some of our favorite friends for a double date night.  Both families had lots to catch each other up on.  More date nights in 2026!

8. Reading!  I read more than usual this past year thanks to my book club.  However, I would not recommenD this book.  I enjoy following Kate on social media, but found myself dreading reading each chapter of her book.  Sadly, Her fun personality on stories didn't translate to her book.  And iced coffee is always a favorite.

9. Sometimes my time hop photos stop my in my tracks.  Toddler Olive all decked out for a Notre Dame bowl game.  I remember being so so thrilled that she had enough hair for tiny pig tails.  Bun Bun has been her constant friend since she was born and she was always a serious little thing.

10. An unexpected perk of me joining a book club is that we are all reading more.  Now Leo claims to be in a book club that is reading a lot of books.  This week they are reading a book on the 50 states.  And I'm reading Hardy Boys at night to the boys thanks to my Dad gifting Fletcher the set for Christmas.

11. Indiana football!!  These past few years of Indiana football have been so much fun to watch.  We can't wait to cheer for them again tonight in the Peach Bowl.  I got Kevin and I matching IU gear for Christmas.

12. Hair Day!  Is there anything better than having your hair washed, cut, dried and styled??  I wish someone would do my hair for me every single day.  It never looks better than on salon day.  This was a fun Christmas break treat.  I scheduled an appointment right when they opened and then enjoyed doing some fun things with the kids afterwards.

13. Deep Blue!  We headed back to this fun indoor play place with the boys.

14. Leo is very into being Dr. Leo these days.  Who knows - maybe he'll be a doctor one day like his Grandpa?  Although he isn't sure he wants to go to school "forever" :)

15. Pumpkin loves nothing more than to find you working on a project and nap on it.

16. The kids and I made cream puffs for our last friend Christmas gathering.  We made a veggie tray, two desserts and ordered pizza for dinner.  I love doing a mix of easy things and homemade things when we host.

17. Friends gave the kids Five Below gift cards for Christmas and they got Christmas cash.  You would have thought they won the lottery picking out favorite things to buy.  It was cute to see them shop and budget.  You just never know what you'll walk away with here.  We came home with candy, a new rug, Christmas wrapping paper, jets, beauty supplies and fidgets.

18. This was a yummy new discovery this week.

19. Love you beary much! school lunch.  Leo calls Teddy Grahams - Honey bears.  It's the cutest.  So I made a lunch with his favorite - gummy bears, honey bears and berries.

20. We made it to the weekend!  I love hanging out with this guy at recess and talking to his friends.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!  Go IU!

See you back here on Monday.

Linking up with Momfessionals

Happy New Year!

We had a quiet NYE at home this year!  Well mostly quiet.  We were all in bed early and only I woke up to our giant neighborhood fireworks display at midnight.

I made sure to pick up festive things for my family and stuck with our traditional menu of appetizers & crepes.  The kids love it!  You don't have to host a big party or have tons of guests to go all out for your family.  My crew was so excited about our festive set up.

Mr. Mittens always matches the NYE party decor so well.

Leo help me set the fancy table and was so excited for his fancy mocktail - cherry lemonade.

All the appetizers!

Homemade crepes with all the toppings for dessert.  The kids love to make the crepes and add their favorite toppings.  This was my favorite combo.

Did you stay in or go out for NYE?

Top 9 of 2025

Happy New Year!  I hope you had a great holiday season.  Ours was lovely.  Busy around Christmas and then lots of slow days at home.  Christmas break went a little too fast and we're all dragging a bit today.

I always love to see my Top 9 posts of the year on instagram.  They aren't always the top 9 moments of the year, but they usually capture the highlights.

1. Wrapping up my first year of teaching kindergarten felt like a big milestone!  I learned a new grade, jumped back into teaching after 11 years away and we adjusted to life at a new school.

2 & 4 Birthdays!  We had fun parties for the kids in the Spring.  March, April, May kid birthdays means that Spring is filled with birthday fun every year.

3. Our first family cruise!  Kevin surprised me with a balcony - I thought we walked into the wrong room haha - and we had a blast.  We can't wait for our next cruise in June.

5. Spring break in TN!  We had a blast.

6. Easter family pic.

7. An epic group costume for Olive and her besties at Halloween.

8. Merry Christmas Eve!  Also our engagement anniversary.

9. We had so much snow and ice last winter.  We survived 3+ days without power at home thanks to Kevin's cool camping and survival gear.  We stayed warm at home with the cats.  It was a wild few days.

I'd agree with all of those moments + Pumpkin!  Adding him to the family was definitely a highlight of the year.  He's the sweetest and helped Mr. Mittens mellow out.  They are the best brothers playing nonstop and snuggling when they get worn out.  Cats really are best in pairs!

Cheers to a happy, healthy new year!

Merry Christmas!

We had a wonderful Christmas!  

Fletcher said it best - It was weirdly warm, but I think this was my best Christmas ever!

It was in the 60s and humid for Christmas which was very odd.  Check out the steamy windows on Christmas morning.  That was weird, but the rest was great.

Kevin's parents hosted Christmas Eve.

Candlelight Christmas service at church is our favorite.  We got to sit near several friends.

Christmas morning!  No one woke up crazy early.  And no one was up crazy late buildling Christmas gifts.  We wrapped after the kids went to bed.  We even had time to watch a Christmas movie.

Leo was so excited for Christmas!

Pumpkin's first Christmas.

Nana (in red) hosted Christmas lunch.  These two are my favorite.  They are both in their upper 80s and two of my very favorite people.

A table full of desserts at Nanas.

Christmas dinner at my parent's house.  Everything was decorated so pretty.

My brother made the yummiest Mexican meal.

We all got really fun gifts!  Olive was thrilled with the beauty product snackle box she got from her cousin.

And my parents surprised us with a crafty Christmas gift.  They had all of our Christmas cards shrunk down and framed as ornaments.  It was so fun to see our yearly Christmas cards framed!  The kids had never seen some of our early cards without kids.  It was such a fun surprise.  I can't wait to decorate a tree with these photo ornaments next year.

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

I hope your Christmas was wonderful, too.