our life in a click

Easy & Inexpensive Outdoor Halloween Decoration

2026-10-23T06:21:31.127-04:00

I'm taking a little break from our Tennessee trip recap to bring you this Halloween decorating idea. I was inspired by TikTok and the 90's aesthetic trend of Halloween trees.

I had seen much larger examples of lit up branches and blow mold pumpkins flanking front porches and I did my little spin on it.

I even found some branches of my own when we did some yard clean up.

I purchased 4 mini jack-o'-lantern pails and one string of battery operated orange lights at Walmart.

I couldn't find our zipties so I used floral wire to secure the branches to the porch column. I wrapped the lights around the branches and hung the pumpkins on the branches (next time I have to remember to cut some drainage holes in the pumpkins). Easy peasy!

I wasn't sure if I'd more branches or pumpkins but I think this is just the right amount. The lights are on a timer and go on every night to light up the porch. Sweet and simple!

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{Travel} Tennessee Trip - Day 3 Dollywood, Smoky Mountain National Park & Cades Cove

2026-10-22T06:14:08.995-04:00

Here we are at Day 3 of our Tennessee trip. I loved waking up to the Smoky Mountains.

We were heading back to Dollywood that morning.

We wanted to hit all of the attractions we hadn't done the day before. First up was Dolly's tour bus.

They only allow groups of 6 at a time so it was a little bit of a wait.

This was Dolly's room in the back.

Some of her tour outfits.

The details were so pretty, down to her dishes.

Our tour guide was wonderful and got choked up talking about his interactions with Dolly Parton. He was a performer at the park and got to meet her a few times.

We toured a replica of her childhood home.

Another fun pumpkin display.

We were pretty amazed by this Tennessee Water Tree! We watched an outdoor show and then headed to the indoor show.

We didn't know what to expect from "Heidi Parton(Dolly's niece) Kin & Friends" but it was quite good.

They end with a song that Heidi wrote and Dolly had recorded with her.

We stopped at the Front Porch Cafe for some lunch. I tried the chicken club on a butterfly shaped pretzel roll.

On our way out of the park we stopped at the Spotlight Bakery to get a look at the famous 25 pound apple pie!

This is the size of slice should you get one! We bought a cookie for the road.

A sweet tribute.

We were looking for coffee and stopped in this cute area called The Old Mill. I had to go into the Smoky Mountain Cat House to say hi to the kitties.

We got our coffee at Lucky Brews. I tried the white chocolate pumpkin latte.

We wanted to check out the Cades Cove Loop in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and stopped in at the ranger station for directions once we got there. They showed us the map of the stops along the way.

It's an 11 mile, one way paved loop with scenic views, historic homesteads and possible wildlife sightings.

The views were spectacular.

We spotted some wildlife-- wild turkeys!

We didn't stop at every site but got out when we wanted a better look. The drive took us about an hour and a half. We headed back to the hotel.

We tried a restaurant near the hotel called Bullfish Grill. I got a chicken rice bowl.

We had passed The Inn At Christmas Place and were curious about it so we stopped in. Santa was doing a bedtime talk/show with some guests.

We peeked around the lobby.

It is Christmas there 24/7!

It is decorated quite festively and felt like a Hallmark movie.

to be continued...

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{Travel} Tennessee Trip Day 2/Part 2: The Island In Pigeon Forge, Downtown Gatlinburg & Dollywood Great Pumpkin LumiNights

2026-10-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

I'm back with part 2 of our second day in Tennessee. We had just gotten to the hotel in Pigeon Forge and checked in. We were ready to explor so we dropped our bags and went!

The hotel store in the lobby had a great selfie mirror!

First we went to The Island In Pigeon Forge. It was on the list of things we wanted to see. There are shops, restaurants, rides and other attractions spanning 23 acres.

We walked around and found a place for lunch. We picked the Timeberwood Grill. It was nice to sit down in a cool restaurant. I had the salmon & avocado salad.

We explored the Island and decided to ride SlyFly based on some recommendations.

It's similar to Disney's Soarin' but much longer.

We thought it was cool! We walked around some more. It was HOT!.

We watched the fountain dinosaur show and then we were ready to move on.

We drove to downtown Gatlinburg to check it out.

We did a wine tasting but didn't love the wine.

The area felt super touristy.

We wanted to sit for a bit and have a nice glass of wine so we stopped in Jason Aldean's Rooftop Bar. They didn't have much of a wine list but we found a white wine blend that was pretty good.

We watched the duo play for a bit and it reminded us of our Nashville trip.

Somehow we had the energy to go to Dollywood next. We had a 2 day pass and knew we wanted to get to the nighttime event-Great Pumpkin LumiNights.

We got there later in the afternoon and were greeted by some really incredible pumpkin displays.

We enjoyed just walking around the park.

We were also looking for this Grist Mill.

We had to try the famous Cinnamon Bread. It was amazing!

We took the train ride around the park and that was a lot of fun(and informative).

By then it was starting to get dark and we walked around to see the pumpkin displays.

What a hoot!

It was the first night of the event but not too crowded.

There were sounds and lights and fog. Oh my!

Spider friend.

There was some special entertainment and we watched the dance party for a bit.

We most enjoyed looking at all of the pumpkin displays.

Frog pumpkins!

Of course I had to get a photo of the cat pumpkins as we were leaving.

Phew! What a long day and we racked up over 20K steps! Back to the hotel for us and our tired feet.

to be continued...

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{Travel} Tennessee Trip -Day 2/Part 1: Knoxville, Sevierville & Pigeon Forge

2026-10-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

This was the view from our room in Knoxville.

We could also see The Sunsphere!

We were up bright and early and wanted to see a little more Knoxville before we drove to Pigeon Forge.

We took a morning walk around town to occupy ourselves until the stores opened at 10am.

There were Dolly Parton tributes everywhere.

Checking out this sculpture.

The streets were very quiet and empty.

I wanted to see a few stores and this one was amazing. Mast General Store had an incredible inventory. I could have spent hours in there.

They had everything from Birkenstocks to shelf stable ham and everything in between. They stocked my favorite Swan Creek candles too. We went in a really cool vintage store, Golden Threads and spent some time in Bliss. One thing we noticed was the abundance of Tennessee Volunteers merchandise, clothing and spirit gear. "Go Vols!"

❤️

We finished up our shopping and checked out of the hotel. I picked us up some coffee from the hotel's coffee shop K Brew and Mr. Click got the car from the valet. We were off and heading to Sevierville to see the Dolly Parton statue in her hometown.

We were distracted by the sign for Buc-ee's along the way and had to stop. Neither of us had ever been to Buc-ee's. It was an experience!! I didn't take any photos inside, it was too overwhelming. We bought some Buc-ee's snacks to try later. I mean Cinnamon Beaver Nuggets just sounded too interesting!

We made it to Sevierville and what a pretty town it is.

It is the official hometown of Dolly Parton and there's a statue of her in front of the Sevier County Court House

Of course there were more Dolly tributes.

We had this book, based on Dolly's song and it's always been special to me.

We made it to the Embassy Suites Pigeon Forge just as we got the text that our room was ready. Sweet! Look at that view of the Smoky Mountains.

to be continued....

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{Travel} Tennessee Trip: Downtown Knoxville - Day 1

2026-10-13T06:27:17.420-04:00

We took a late summer trip to Tennessee and our first stop was Knoxville.

We flew into to Knoxville and wanted to see the city.

It was a tiny plane but a short flight from Philly.

We picked up our rental car and drove to our hotel, Embassy Suites by Hilton Downtown. We picked it for its location and it was also very pretty.

Our room was ready-yay! We dropped off our bags and went out to explore. Our first stop was Market Square in search of some lunch.

Our rental car agent recommended Stock and Barrel and said they had the BEST onion rings. When we saw the restaurant, it was an easy choice. I had the Black Bean & Corn Salad and of course we tried the onion rings. yum!

After lunch we set out to explore more Knoxville. We walked to World's Fair Park and were drawn to the Sunsphere.

This structure was built for the 1982 World's Fair.

There's an admission fee to take the elevator to the Observation Deck for a 360-degree views of the city, the Smoky Mountains and the Tennessee River.

The Observation Deck is also a tiny museum about the 1982 World's Fair.

We loved checking out the artifacts.

Cherry Coke and Petro's Chili Chips(the creator of walking tacos) were both introducted at that year's World's Fair.

The views were pretty spectacular and it was great way for us to get our bearings around the city.

Interesting highlights from 1982.

Back down on land. We walked around the park a little bit and then walked over to the Knoxville Museum of Art.

It was a cool break from the intense heat of the day (and free admission!).

Contemporary art isn't really our thing but we still enjoyed exploring the museum.

We had about an hour before it closed which was plenty of time for us this day.

We found our way to Strong Alley to see the Gallery of Murals.

They were really incredible works of art.

We made our way back to where our hotel was and stopped at Cruze Farm Dairy (another recommedation from our rental car agent!).

The store is so cute and their soft serve is delicious. I had a combo of snickerdoodle and pumpkin. Mr. Click got vanilla with cherry dip.

At this point we were ready to head back to the hotel for a bit.

Later we enjoyed a rooftop happy hour at the hotel.

That night we headed into Old City for dinner. Not a lot of things were open but we stopped at Stir to look at their menu. We weren't feeling anything on the menu so we grabbed a few things for dinner at a local market and went back to the hotel.
We were off to Pigeon Forge the next day.

to be continued...

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{Recipe} Peanut Butter "Ice Cream" Sandwiches

2026-10-08T09:23:07.054-04:00

I did my own spin on these Healthy Summer Treats that I found on Pinterest.

I didn't have all of the ingredients for the original and I wanted a peanut butter treat.

Recipe:

1 cup thawed whipped topping

1/2 cup non fat Greek yogurt

1-2 scoops protein powder (I used PB Fit)

Mix to combine and spread onto 8-9 graham crackers squares

I added some peanuts, mini chocolate chips and drizzled some peanut butter on top of the mixture.

Put the remaining graham crackers on top and freeze for at least 4 hours. Cut into squares.

I enjoyed mine with a cup of coffee.

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{Shopping} Trader Joe's, Aldi & Costco-Just the Seasonal Items!

2026-10-06T09:39:33.695-04:00

Instead of a typical haul with a lot of repeat items, I'm highlighting just the seasonal things I picked up.

[Trader Joe's]

Most of these are old favorites but this is the first time trying the soup. I bought it for a recipe, coming soon!

[Aldi]

I love that is savory and more versatile than a sweet pumpkin hummus.

A fun candle and this cute match holder.

[Costco]

I was so excited to finally see a fall/winter Mrs. Meyer's hand soap set.

This is a fall/winter staple in our house. We usually roast it right away for a delicious side dish.

Have you found any fun, seasonal items lately?

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{Thrifting} What I Thrifted in September

2026-10-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

I only did a little bit of thrifting in September.

I found one clothing item, this velvet Madewell t-shirt that I thought would make a good transition piece into fall.

I found this interesting shaped cutting board that I've displayed in my kitchen. On the same trip I picked up another melamine piece for outdoor entertaining. It's from Sur La Table so...ooh lala!

We went to a community market and found a few pieces for City Girl #2. I sent her this photo of a wooden whale.

We also spotted this whale house at the same vendor and she loved both of them.

I found a few things at Goodwill... a brand new bike helmet, Buddha statue for my garden, a hand towel and a new puzzle.

I didn't buy this but sent it my daughters for a laugh.

I made Buddha had a safe trip home.

Have you thrifted anything lately?

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Labor Day Weekend + a Sunday Funday

2026-09-29T09:08:51.254-04:00

This was the last Sunday Funday of summer and it was our biggest one.

I didn't take many photos but I snapped this quick one of some of the guests.

Also this one of the food. We served brunch this time and the menu was:

Quiche (4)

Croissants

Fruit salad

Sweet Kale Salad

Vegan Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Veggie Chili

Here was the mimosa bar area and someone brought bloody Mary mix..they were a hit.

Anniversary flowers delivered while Mr. Click was away. Gorgeous!

Kicking off Labor Day weekend at a vineyard.

Fox Hollow is such a pretty one!

Playing Exploding Kittens--it would be more fun with a group.

Going to another beach fireworks show.

Loved it!

Picked up City Girl #2 at the train station and took her out to dinner. We tried a new to us place, Mangia Toscano. We shared everything and it was delicious!

We were stuffed and took a stroll around the cute town of Metuchen.

Mr. Click's band had a gig that Sunday. It was on the waterfront and such a fun venue. CG #2 and I had dinner at the show and I drove her to the ferry which was close by and convenient! We took it easy on actual Labor Day by doing some outlet shopping and going out to lunch.

What a way to wrap up our summer!

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{Travel} A Few Days in Boston

2026-09-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

We took a very last minute trip to Boston last month. It worked out that we had 3 days during the week to get out of town. We picked Boston because we haven't been there since City Girl #2 graduated from college and we've been wanting to make the trip back.

We left late morning and got to Boston in time for a late lunch/early dinner at Eva. I think my entree was an avocado salad.

After dinner we strolled around Newbury Street and stopped in some shops. We also hit up Trader Joe's for some snacks.

The next morning I enjoyed my hotel coffee in the room. We stayed at our old favorite, Hilton Back Bay for the nostalgia of it all (and we love the location!).

It was going to be a hot day and we planned to spend most of it outside so here was my OOTD.

We walked through town and the Public Garden.

It's still just as stunning!

We wanted to go to the Quincy Market area.

We like walking around and going in the shops.

I had to put my feet on The Freedom Trail. We didn't do the whole trail this trip but have in the past.

We took the subway back toward our hotel area to have lunch at Pressed Cafe.

The menu is still overwhelming and huge but everything sounds amazing.

After lunch we tooled around the Back Bay area.

and visited City Girl's college, hitting up the book store too. We needed some new merch.

The neighborhoods were looking so pretty.

We stopped in at Bukowski's Tavern for a beer before taking an uber to the North End for dinner.

We tried Little Sage and really liked it. Of course I had to get some pasta.

We walked around the North End and figured we should check out Bova's Bakery since we hadn't been there before. The line was out the door and as you made your way to the front, you had a little time to decide what to get.

Decisions, decisions!

A blurry shot of what we got but it was good! The next morning we checked out and started on our way home.

{rainy day}

We made a stop in Canterbury Connecticut to go to the Prudence Crandall Museum. It was always closed (or under reno)when CG2 was at school so we finally got to see it.

We had tickets for the 11am tour and we got a private tour.

It was fascinating to learn about Prudence Crandall. From the museum's website.

"What Happened Here in the 1830s?

In 1832, Crandall, the white principal of the Canterbury Female Boarding School, was approached by a young Black woman named Sarah Harris asking to attend the school. Encouraged by conversations with both Harris and Maria Davis, a Black woman who worked for Crandall and shared copies of the abolitionist newspaper The Liberator with her, Crandall agreed to admit Harris. When residents protested the school’s integration and parents threatened to withdraw their students, Crandall closed her school and reopened in 1833 for Black and Brown students. Students traveled from several states to attend the school. Connecticut responded by passing the “Black Law,” which prevented out-of-state Black and Brown people from attending school in Connecticut towns without local town approval. Crandall was arrested, spent one night in jail, and faced three court trials before the case was dismissed. In September 1834, a nighttime mob attack closed the school. These events made national and international news in the 1830s and galvanized the burgeoning abolitionist movement. Many of the students, such as Julia Williams, Mary Miles, and Mary Harris, went on to become educators, reformers, and leaders in their communities. Crandall v. Connecticut impacted two U.S. Supreme Court decisions: Dred Scott v. Sandford and Brown v. Board of Education, Topeka and laid the framework for the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution."

About the Museum

"Located in the Town of Canterbury, Connecticut, the Prudence Crandall Museum is an International Site of Conscience, a National Historic Landmark, and an Archaeological Preserve. The museum is part of The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor, in the northeast part of the state, known as the "Quiet Corner." Prudence Crandall is Connecticut’s Official State Heroine."

{Prudence Crandall}

About the Tour

"The Prudence Crandall Museum is not decorated as a traditional historic house museum or historic school. Teachers, students, and supporters left few primary sources on how rooms were used during the time the Canterbury Female Boarding School was in operation, and few artifacts connected to the school have survived.

The exhibit Canterbury Female Boarding School: Courage, Conscience, & Continuance shares the stories of the school's teachers and students and demonstrates expressions of support and opposition at the town, state, national, and global levels during the tumultuous seventeen months the school remained open.

Tours are conversational. Dialogue between guides and visitors show how the legal expansion of education opportunities connects the Canterbury Female Boarding School to the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education, Topeka U.S. Supreme Court case. We hope visitors leave inspired to continue the mission of Sarah Harris and Prudence Crandall by addressing current barriers to education."

The museum has received a Bench By The Road from the Toni Morrison Society and this plaque sits on a rock beside the bench.

You can see the bench and rock with the plaque. I loved the sentiment on the pole.

After the tour, we stopped for brunch at this cute diner in town then got back on the road to HOME!

That was a quick few days but we packed a lot in!

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Summer Faves/Bucket List

2026-09-22T06:00:00.000-04:00

I didn't make an official summer bucket list but I always have things that I want to do/experience each summer. Here's how I did:

Make the pool area feel more "resort like". We added some lounge chairs and an umbrella to this section of the pool deck and it's my favorite spot right now. I also planted perennials in large pots and added a basket with faux stems as well as other decor around the pool.

Eat some fresh, local produce..it doesn't get fresher than right off of your neighbors' tree. They offered me some peaches as I was walking by. I love my neighborhood! We also enjoyed local tomatoes and white corn from our local farm store.

Go night swimming-we finally got one in!

We attended a local Summer Fun Wednesday Night. We were watching the band in this photo.

There was an outdoor bar and lots of activities for adults and kids as well. It was the most pleasant evening to just stroll along the closed road and enjoy the night.

Have a beach day with our little niece and nephews. We had some crafts and this was my favorite one (and easy!).

We celebrated our niece/cousin at her lovely bridal shower. It was book themed and her mom made that amazing backdrop. Remember her engagement photo shoot?

Enjoyed some outdoor concerts. This one happened to be Mr.Click's band back in our old hometown. We had so many friends and family that came out to see him. Pictured here are three of my friends (and bridesmaids...we go WAY back) and my very hip mother in law. We also attended two other concerts (JJ Grey & John Waite and we see Ringo this weekend!)

Added a proper bed to our guest room. Here's Mr. Click putting the new bed frame together. I wanted something very minimal with the smallest footprint I could get for a queen size bed.

Here's how the room looked before (at Christmas, obvi!). We had a tiny, full size sofa bed for guests and now we have a queen size bed.

We changed the layout of the room with the new bed and love how it looks.

We also got new window treatments that are so much lighter and easier to operate. I'm still looking for a slim side table for next to the chair and more artwork.

We had another summer project in this room, the Thrifted Gallery Wall is across from the bed.

We also hosted six Sunday Fundays, went to two beach fireworks shows, took four trips and kept very busy this summer!

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More Instant Pot Cooking & Food Prep/Storage

2026-09-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

I had a very productive day of food prepping and my Instant Pot got quite the work out.

1) Veggie Chili-I made this for a Sunday Funday and froze the leftovers in Souper Cubes, then popped them out into ziplock bags.

2)Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs-The easiest method for perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs. I used this recipe.

3) No Soak Instant Pot Black Beans. I used this recipe. I portioned out the cooked beans in the Souper Cubes and froze them

4 )I roasted up some carrots that needed to be used up.

5) I made a big batch of jasmine rice in the Instant Pot and froze it in zip lock bags.

We've used the Instant Pot quite a few times at our Sunday Fundays this summer making Instant Pot Mac & Cheese with this recipe.

and Instant Pot Pesto Cavatapi with Costco Pesto sauce.

The Instant Pot has become a real work horse in my kitchen.

Do you have an Instant Pot? What's your favorite thing to make in it?

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{Garden} Morning Glory Appreciation [And Everything I Planted From Seed]

2026-09-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

I've grown morning glories quite a few times but this year they are absolutely taking over and thriving.

This one in the back yard keeps trying to climb the fence over to our neighbors' house.

I'm greeted by these beautiful blooms when I go to yoga in the morning.

They've taken over our Japanese Maple and are climbing the railings of our front porch.

I'm loving all of the different colors we're seeing.

The white blooms are nice...

..deep pinks are eye catching...

...but I really love this deep purple.

The lighter periwinkle is pretty with their darker accents.

In other flowers planted from seeds news--the cosmos have gone crazy as well. I love cutting them for bouquets.

They've toppled over but are still going strong.

They come in some pretty shades too!

They make me happy!

The naturtiums are just ok, I love their foliage but the flowers don't give much "wow".

I guess I could put them in a salad.

I pruned all of my flowering zinnias last month and they are all about to (hopefully) start blooming again. I see lots of buds! I think it was a pretty successful seed sowing year!

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{Shopping} Trader Joe's-Favorites and Some Vacation Buys

2026-09-08T06:00:00.000-04:00

We had a few trips to Trader Joe's in the recent months with a few hauls.

Here are some typical staples that I buy.

We had a surprise trip to TJ's when we were in Boston for a few days and picked up some snacks.

Some more staples and a seasonal candle.

Even though we were on vacation, we picked up some recommended products to try when we got home. The mustard is really good. I haven't tried the Spicy Honey Sauce yet.

We also picked this up on our vacation haul. I've been using it at home and it's a good transition from summer scents before getting into the heavier fall scents.

I can't wait to check out all of the fall things on my next TJ's trip!

{Thrifting} What I Thrifted in August

2026-09-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

It was another pretty good month of thrifting.

I found this cover up romper that is easy to just throw over my swimsuit.

This was a splurge but a deal on Poshmark. It's a new-with-tags washable silk dress from Quince that I plan on wearing to an upcoming wedding. I think I can dress it up or down.

dress

I've been into puzzles since I thrifted one last month and found these from one seller on Facebook Marketplace.

I've already finished two of them.

I think I'm getting better at them (and faster!). I might be addicted.

We went to a local estate sale and I found a few holiday decorations. The Halloween candles have timers and still work.

The Christmas tree stand wasn't working when I put in the new batteries but I took the bottom off to investigate the wires and I must have triggered the right connection because it turned on. Yay!

The candleholders are Lenox and will look nice for Christmas decorating. The candles were included and look kind of vintage 80's to me.

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A Full & Fun Summer Weekend

2026-09-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

This was a really good weekend when both girls were home and it was full of good stuff, like...

...walking to breakfast in town.

...family pool time

...trying some new seltzer flavors

...poolside summer fruit

...charcuterie box and beer at a local brewery

...Bananagrams too!

...dinner and spritzes with the girls at a waterfront restaurant

...a Sunday night concert (this was the theatre, not the performer)

...the theatre had a rooftop bar for before show drinks and views

...our first time at this intimate theatre

...seeing John Waite! He did most of his hits from the 80's and his voice is still amazing!

This is the kind of weekend I want to remember from this summer!

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Risen Keira High Rise Raw Hem Shorts

Fashion Finds - Summer

2026-08-25T07:22:15.797-04:00

You know I love a good thrift find but I've actually bought all of these items brand new and love them.

I've been living in these shorts from Social Threads. They were a little pricey for shorts but when I break it down by cost per wear, they are a bargain!

Pointell Rib-Knit Cover-Up

I got this cover up from Old Navy.

Crinkle Gauze Tank Top

This top is also from Old Navy.

Bubble Hem Top

This one is from Old Navy too. They were all on clearance which was nice.

Tankini

I added a new swim suit to the collection. I like the look of a one piece with the convenience of two pieces.

Two piece wide leg pant set

I've been wearing this two piece set together but have also worn the pants with a black top.

It feels dressy but comfortable and is a nice thin material.

Smocked high waist shorts

These are so light weight and flattering. I want to get them in another pattern.

Tube Top

I'm not much of a tube top wearer but apparently I am now. This one stays up and is nice and thick material. I usually wear it under something else.

Joyce Semi Precious Beaded Necklace

I wanted to hop on the beaded necklace trend this summer but a lot of them were too big. I found this one at Baublebar and I haven't taken it off. The blue agate goes with pretty much everything I wear.

Sketchers Slip-Ins Contour Foam Cozy Fit Luxe Comfort

I've been on the hunt for a pair of white, comfortable, washable, slip-in sneakers and finally found this pair. So far they have been comfortable from the start and I love the slip-in style. I haven't washed them yet but my daughter has a similar pair and washes them often so I'm pretty confident they will clean up nicely.

What's your favorite fashion find of the summer?

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Costco Finds & Favorites

2026-08-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

Another Costco post for late summer.

I like to pick up the roses every other week or so. They are a great deal and last awhile.

I loved the feel of this 3 piece pj set and it's been so cool and comfy this summer.

Did you score one of the viral ESPRIT sweatshirts? I'm glad I found them in person.

I liked the blue version best and can't wait for some cooler days to wear it.

I've learned to always buy any outdoor plants that I have my eye because they are usually gone the following week.

I love the name of this hydrangea. I also bought an Endless Summer hydrangea.

They both took a hit during the heat wave but I'm seeing new growth and hope they will thrive next year.

My mother in law had this vegetable tray at her 4th of July party and everyone was going crazy for the everything bagel ranch dip. I bought one for my book club and it was a hit again.

City Girl #2 and I tried the MorningStar Chipotle Black Bean Burgers and we're big fans. They have just the right amount of heat.

Another cat pillow? I didn't get it but it is so cute.

So is this neutral pumpkin pillow.

The haunted house pillow is also adorbs.

I purchased these back in June and was hoping the fall scents would be out but they didn't have them yet.

Here's what we actually purchased. The peppers and sourdough bread are staples. This is our second bag of the Biena Crispy Roasted Edamame. They are great to put out at Sunday Fundays and also for snacking anytime. One serving has 13 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.

Mr. Click likes the whipped cream and enjoys the fried rice for an easy lunch. The aged cheddar sticks and egg whites have become staples for us.

I'm liking the Mary Ruth's liquid multivitamin so I bought another batch. The Harry's razors and Liquid IV are staples.

This Kirkland Italian Sparkling Mineral Water is a favorite and we keep it stocked in our fridge.

What have you been finding at Costco lately?

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Early Halloween Shopping at IKEA

2026-08-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

I know, I know...it's too early to think about Halloween! It was even earlier when I placed this Ikea order for some Halloween decor.

I just couldn't resist and I was pretty sure it would sell out early. I also didn't know when I would be getting to an Ikea.

I love this little lantern with a kitty on one side....

...and a ghost on the other.

I'm a sucker for anything cat related! I thought the pillow was a cover...oops!! but that's ok. It's not too big and I'm using it now since it only screams cat lady.

I needed a few other practical items so that was my excuse *cough cough* for ordering some whimsical decor. I love these shelves and those fold down hooks will come in handy. I am getting excited about fall decorating and of course, Halloween but these new decorations will have to wait.

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4th of July Weekend '26

2026-08-14T10:23:21.392-04:00

I started my 4th of July weekend by picking up City Girl #2 at the ferry.

It's always a beautiful view while we're waiting.

We got to go to local fireworks on the beach for the first time.

We didn't know what to expect but the town put on a great show.

So fun!

This little cutie (Toki) was visiting as well.

Summer bucket list item: S'mores by the pool!

We hadn't been to our old hometown's parade in a few years and it was so fun to experience it again.

My mother in law always puts out a nice spread and we all contribute something too. It's early-ish morning so coffee and breakfast are first.

Waiting for the parade.

It was a HOT one this year so many of the participants welcomed a spray of water.

Hanging with some cuties. He loved the parade!

We ended the day with a barbecue before heading back to the beach.

We got in lots of pool time and some beach walks.

I made my 2 Ingredient Cobbler (smaller version) with frozen mango and Trader Joe's sugar cookies.

We also had a pool day with this cutie and her parents.

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Roasted Zucchini Orzo with Chickpeas & Feta

Loving Lately

2026-08-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

Here's what I've been loving lately.

my bubble braids

visiting mourning dove

Willow likes watching her too

bouquets made from my garden

more garden treats

bike rides

new recipe

(I made half with feta, half with mozzarella)

my lipstick plant is blooming

more bouquets from the garden

surprise hydrangea blooming

zinnias from seed

morning glories using the cosmos as a trellis (both from seed)

fresh hair cut

Lego flowers

and pool days!

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Talking About it Tuesdays

Talking About it Tuesdays

{Travel} Upstate New York: Work, Family, Music & Sightseeing

2026-08-07T09:59:37.105-04:00

Mr. Click had a work event in Troy, New York which also happened to be the day before a concert we had booked in Bethel, New York.

We made it into a little getaway weekend. We stayed on the waterfront in Troy.

When we got to the hotel, we walked around a little and along the Hudson River. We walked around River Street Market that had quite a few restaurants. We also checked out the area around the hotel.

I thought this was an interesting use of space in our room. That night was Mr. Click's work event so I ordered dinner at the Bistro in the hotel (delicious Mediterranean bowl!). When he got back, we hung out at the bar in the hotel with some of the other event attendees. We also met two make up artists from the show The Gilded Age! That was pretty exciting. The show films in Troy for some of the scenes. I love that show!

The next morning we headed into what I think is the downtown Troy area. We had coffee at a cute coffee shop Alias Coffee before heading to our next destination.

The scenery was so beautiful on our drive.

In another serendipitous turn of events, we were able to visit our niece and her husband at their lovely home on our way to Bethel.

We got to meet their kitties (one was too shy for a photo).

They gave us a tour of their amazing home and property. It was our first time visiting them so it was quite exciting. We went out to lunch with them in their super cute hometown. It was a great meal and a beautiful day.

Then we were back on the road to Bethel...more gorgeous scenery along the way. We stopped once for a call and got some really good cappuccinos at a Greek restaurant. We made it to our next hotel in the afternoon.

We stayed in the town of Monticello, outside of Bethel. This was my look for the concert.

It was about a 15 minute drive to the venue.

It is on the site of Woodstock and a historical landmark.

We didn't know what to expect and we were blown away by how beautiful (how many times can I say beautiful?!) views and grounds.

Everyone working there was so friendly and helpful. There were so many food and drink vendors and zero lines.

We had some great seats!

We were there to see J J Grey and The Mofros and he was the second act on the bill. Mr. Click is a big fan of his music which can be described as swamp rock,Southern soul blues and funk. He put on an amazing show and left us wanting more!

The venue is pretty incredible and looked even more magical at night.

The headliner was Joe Bonamossa and we stayed for a few of his songs before heading back to our hotel.

The next morning we headed out to Beacon, New York.

City Girl #1 had told us about this quaint town and it sounded like a good place to visit.

We had a delicious brunch at Beacon Bread Company. The lemonade was top tier as well.

The rest of the morning we walked around town, stopping in shops and window shopping at others. This cat cafe was tempting but I just said hi to the kitties.

It started raining and we figured that was our cue to start our drive home. It was an easy drive and we were happy to be home after a wonderful getaway.

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Talking About it Tuesdays

{Thrifting} July Thrifting

2026-08-04T06:54:38.594-04:00

July was a really good month for thrifting! I didn't realize how much I had gotten until I pulled the photos from my phone.

This haul was from one Saturday morning at one or more places - I can't remember if it was all from more than one shop but I know I went to a few.

The Nestle tin has a a different season on each side. It's charming. I'm using the vase out by the pool and the mug is from Anthropologie. Willow checked out her new toy. The birthday card was an additional one for Mr. Click. It played "Rhinestone Cowboy" when opened.

I always need a new plain white t-shirt for summer and this LOFT one is super soft.

This light green bubble hem blouse is also from LOFT.

We went to our first estate sales this month. We checked out two in our area. The jacket was free, as the sellers offered it to me after I purchased the recipe box for $1. I thought City Girl #2 would like the jacket and she does.

The recipe box is stuffed full of recipes and I'm enjoying looking through them.

We found these items at a another estate sale in the garage. The wicker rolling cart is a perfect addition out by the pool as a side table with storage. I cleaned it up and I may repaint it one day. The flameless candles no longer worked but I replaced them with new ones and they are also now out by the pool.

I scored three tops at the consignment shop and love them all.

[From my dressing room try-ons]

The tank is Free People and the other two shirts are LOFT and Ann Taylor.

I went to a community yard sale sponsored by a local ladies auxiliary group.

I almost picked this up for CG#2 for her junk journaling but I couldn't get it to work. I love the look of it though.

There were two huge areas for shopping and you had to hand the seller the ticket and they would write down the cost and you paid for it all at the end. I came home with a cute kitty puzzle, some silver spreaders and a small glass vase.

The spreaders polished up nicely.

in progress...

and done (I had help)!

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