Click HERE to see the blog parties I will be linking up to.
Julie
Hello friends. Happy Halloween!
HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS:
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- What do you usually do for Halloween? I usually stay home and give out Halloween candy to the trick or treaters. I love looking at the kids Halloween costumes.
- Favorite fall traditions? I like making soups and comfort food during the fall. I like taking walks with Lucy and looking at the colorful trees.
- Milky Way or Snickers? Snickers. Starburst or Skittles? Starburst.
- Trick or treat or host a party? When my daughter was little I always took her out trick or treating.
- Hand out candy or go with trick or treaters? I like to hand out candy to the trick or treaters.
- Do you trick or treat on October 31st or a different day? Growing up and when my daughter was little we always went trick or treating on October 31st.
- Do you decorate for Halloween? I put out a few decorations on my front stoop. I used to do a lot more when my daughter was little.
- What do you do with leftover Halloween candy? I usually give it to my husband to give out at his job.
- What are your trick or treat hours? I will give out candy until 8:00 or 8:30 at the latest.
- What do you have for dinner on Halloween? I usually make a crock pot meal or something easy. I also like giving out candy to the trick or treaters.
STAY SAFE AND HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
HERE ARE THE TOPICS FOR EACH MONTH:
Hi friends. It's been a while since I've written a This or That blog post. Today I'm answering This or That Autumn questions.
- Cozy & Rainy or Cold & Sunny? Cold and sunny. I like a cold and sunny day better that a rainy day.
- Spooky Film or Autumn Film? Autumn film. I love watching Gilmore Girls, Hocus Pocus, and Hocus Pocus 2.
- Pumpkin Spice or Apple Cider? Pumpkin Spice. I love at least once a year a pumpkin spice latte and a pumpkin muffin or donut.
- Smores or Baked Cookies? Baked cookies. I love chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies.
- Candles or Fairy Lights? Candles. I love lighting candles during the fall and winter.
- Warm Bath or Hot Shower? Hot shower. I love taking a hot shower after a cold day.
- Read a Book or Listen to Podcasts? Read a book. Reading a book in the afternoon or evening is one of my favorite things.
- Bonfire or Fireplace? Fireplace. I love watching and listening to a fire crackle during the fall and winter.
- Pumpkin Patch or Corn Maze? Pumpkin patch. I love visiting a pumpkin patch and picking out different sized pumpkins.
- Cozy Sweaters or Cozy Blankets? Cozy sweaters. I love wearing a warm and cozy sweater during the winter.
- Harvest Festivals or Autumn Hikes? Harvest festivals. It would be fun to visit a harvest festival.
- Home Decorating or Baking? Home decorating. I love decorating my mantel for fall and decorating outside my house with mums and pumpkins.
- Cooler Weather or Colorful Leaves? Colorful leaves. I like seeing the leaves change color on my afternoon walks with Lucy.
- Pumpkin Bread or Cinnamon Rolls? Pumpkin bread. I love pumpkin bread and muffins this time of year.
- Dutch Apple Pie or Pumpkin Pie? Pumpkin pie. I love having pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.
You can play along and leave your answers in the comment section. What will you pick?
Click HERE to see the blog parties I will be linking up to.
Julie
Julie
Hello friends and happy October! I am joining Joanne from Slices of Life for the monthly link-up Share Our Lives.
This month they are discussing Sweet Tooth Cravings.
SWEET TOOTH CRAVINGS:
Most of my sweet tooth cravings are usually in the fall and winter. It usually starts around September when I crave a pumpkin spice latte and a pumpkin muffin or donut.
Sweet Tooth Cravings I Love:
- pumpkin bread and muffins
- zucchini bread
- brownies
- oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies
- apple pie and pumpkin pie
Summer Sweet Treats:
- ice cream
- gelato
Halloween Candy: I love the mini bars of chocolates. I usually buy a huge bag of candy to give to the trick-or-treaters. If any candy is left over, my family and I will pick on the chocolates. We sometimes have a lot candy left over and my husband will give it out at work.
- m&ms
- snickers
- Hersheys
- kit kat
- 3 musketeers
- milky way
What are some of your sweet tooth cravings?
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Click HERE to see the blog parties I will be linking up to.
Julie
Hello friends, it's been a while since I've done a Currently blog post.
I'm linking up with Jennifer from Overflowing with Thankfulness for her Currently link-up.
This month we will share what we are loving, looking forward to, wearing, reading, and cooking.
LOVING: I'm enjoying my afternoon walks with Lucy. It's so nice to be outside and enjoy the beautiful weather.
LOOKING FORWARD TO: My husband and I joined the Roundabout Theater Company. We will see several shows, including The Counter next week.
We recently saw Yellow Face starring Daniel Dae Kim which we both enjoyed.
WEARING: This time of year I like to dress in layers. I usually wear joggers, a T-shirt, and a sweatshirt. On the days that I work out, I wear a workout shirt, black leggings, and a sweatshirt or workout jacket. I also love wearing jeans, and a light sweater, and fashion sneakers.
READING: I just started reading the first book in the Housemaid series The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. There are three books in this series and I hope to read them all.
“Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own…
Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.
I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.
I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.
But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.
They don’t know what I’m capable of…
Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.
I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.
I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.
But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.
They don’t know what I’m capable of…
COOKING: We just had steak and sausage on the grill the other night. I think this will be our last time using the grill and we will be putting the grill away this weekend. 😩 I will miss having grilled steak, chicken, hotdogs, and burgers for dinner.
Lately, I've been making soups and pasta. Below I made pasta e fagoli with kale in the crockpot for dinner one night. This is the perfect soup to eat for lunch or dinner.
I recently made for dinner thin pork chops in the air fryer and they came out so moist and delicious tasting. I found the recipe on Instagram at @mamacookslowcarb. It was a big hit with my family!
What have you been up to and is currently new with you?
Click HERE to see the blog parties I will be linking up to.
Julie
Julie
Hello friends and Happy October.
It's been a while since I've shared the books I'm reading. I read a few books that I enjoyed, some I didn't like, and some I couldn't finish reading.
Here are the books I've read lately.
Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum
None of them would claim to be a particularly good person. But who among them is actually capable of murder?
Jen Weinstein and Lauren Parker rule the town of Salcombe, Fire Island every summer. They hold sway on the beach and the tennis court, and are adept at manipulating people to get what they want. Their husbands, Sam and Jason, have summered together on the island since childhood, despite lifelong grudges and numerous secrets. Their one single friend, Rachel Woolf, is looking to meet her match, whether he’s the tennis pro—or someone else’s husband. But even with plenty to gossip about, this season starts out as quietly as any other.
Until a body is discovered, face down, off the side of the boardwalk.
Stylish, subversive, and darkly comedic, this is a story of what's lurking under the surface of picture-perfect lives in a place where everyone has something to hide.
Jen Weinstein and Lauren Parker rule the town of Salcombe, Fire Island every summer. They hold sway on the beach and the tennis court, and are adept at manipulating people to get what they want. Their husbands, Sam and Jason, have summered together on the island since childhood, despite lifelong grudges and numerous secrets. Their one single friend, Rachel Woolf, is looking to meet her match, whether he’s the tennis pro—or someone else’s husband. But even with plenty to gossip about, this season starts out as quietly as any other.
Until a body is discovered, face down, off the side of the boardwalk.
Stylish, subversive, and darkly comedic, this is a story of what's lurking under the surface of picture-perfect lives in a place where everyone has something to hide.
I thought this book was a fun read that I enjoyed and couldn't put down. It's the perfect beach read that takes place on Fire Island, Long Island.
Death on Windmill Way by Carrie Doyle
First book in the Hamptons Murder Mysteries cozy series! Antonia's looking for some peace and quiet… too bad she moved to the Hamptons!
Featuring the quirky chef and amateur sleuth Antonia Bingham, this new mystery book is:
- Perfect for Fans of Denise Swanson and Louise Penny
- For readers of classic murder mysteries and scenic town cozy mysteries
The Hamptons are known for beautiful beaches, luxurious living, millionaire mansions, and now…murder! Antonia Bingham, a renowned chef and the new owner of East Hampton's Windmill Inn, escaped to the Hamptons to get away from a harrowing past. Yet she finds herself in more danger than ever when she learns about a curse that haunts the inn—all previous owners have died suspiciously.
When she's not cooking sumptuous meals for her guests Antonia digs into the investigation to uncover who's behind the curse. Could the culprit be a guest at the inn, or is there a killer on the road? And the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she gets to being the next victim—will she solve the case in time to save herself.
I started this book but had to stop so that I could read, The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose, which I had on hold from the library. I will try to read this book again at some point in the future.
The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
Molly Gray is not like anyone else. With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, she has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J. D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead—very dead—on the hotel’s tearoom floor.
When Detective Stark, Molly’s old foe, investigates the author’s unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to know: Who killed J. D. Grimthorpe? Was it Lily, the new Maid-in-Training? Or was it Serena, the author’s secretary? Could Mr. Preston, the hotel’s beloved doorman, be hiding something? And is Molly really as innocent as she seems?
As the high-profile death threatens the hotel’s pristine reputation, Molly knows she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer’s identity. But that key is buried deep in her past, as long ago, she knew J. D. Grimthorpe. Molly begins to comb her memory for clues, revisiting her childhood and the mysterious Grimthorpe mansion where she and her dearly departed Gran once worked side by side. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery posthaste. Because if there’s one thing she knows for sure, it’s that secrets don’t stay buried forever.
When Detective Stark, Molly’s old foe, investigates the author’s unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to know: Who killed J. D. Grimthorpe? Was it Lily, the new Maid-in-Training? Or was it Serena, the author’s secretary? Could Mr. Preston, the hotel’s beloved doorman, be hiding something? And is Molly really as innocent as she seems?
As the high-profile death threatens the hotel’s pristine reputation, Molly knows she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer’s identity. But that key is buried deep in her past, as long ago, she knew J. D. Grimthorpe. Molly begins to comb her memory for clues, revisiting her childhood and the mysterious Grimthorpe mansion where she and her dearly departed Gran once worked side by side. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery posthaste. Because if there’s one thing she knows for sure, it’s that secrets don’t stay buried forever.
This is the second book in the series and I enjoyed it. I read the first book in the series The Maid and liked that too. These books are fast paced and a mystery that the maid of the hotel tries to solve.
The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary
What if the end of the road is just the beginning?
Four years ago, Dylan and Addie fell in love under the Provence sun. Wealthy Oxford student Dylan was staying at his friend Cherry’s enormous French villa; wild child Addie was spending her summer as the on-site caretaker. Two years ago, their relationship officially ended. They haven’t spoken since.
Today, Dylan’s and Addie’s lives collide again. It’s the day before Cherry’s wedding, and Addie and Dylan crash cars at the start of the journey there. The car Dylan was driving is wrecked, and the wedding is in rural Scotland—he’ll never get there on time by public transport.
So, along with Dylan’s best friend, Addie’s sister, and a random guy on Facebook who needed a ride, they squeeze into a space-challenged Mini and set off across Britain. Cramped into the same space, Dylan and Addie are forced to confront the choices they made that tore them apart—and ask themselves whether that final decision was the right one after all.
Four years ago, Dylan and Addie fell in love under the Provence sun. Wealthy Oxford student Dylan was staying at his friend Cherry’s enormous French villa; wild child Addie was spending her summer as the on-site caretaker. Two years ago, their relationship officially ended. They haven’t spoken since.
Today, Dylan’s and Addie’s lives collide again. It’s the day before Cherry’s wedding, and Addie and Dylan crash cars at the start of the journey there. The car Dylan was driving is wrecked, and the wedding is in rural Scotland—he’ll never get there on time by public transport.
So, along with Dylan’s best friend, Addie’s sister, and a random guy on Facebook who needed a ride, they squeeze into a space-challenged Mini and set off across Britain. Cramped into the same space, Dylan and Addie are forced to confront the choices they made that tore them apart—and ask themselves whether that final decision was the right one after all.
I thought this would have been a fun read but I was bored and I didn't finish the book. I'm disappointed because I bought this book in a romance book store in my neighborhood.
Hello Summer by Mary Kay Andrews
It’s a new season...
Conley Hawkins left her family’s small town newspaper, The Silver Bay Beacon, in the rearview mirror years ago. Now a star reporter for a big-city paper, Conley is exactly where she wants to be and is about to take a fancy new position in Washington, D.C. Or so she thinks.
For small town scandals...
When the new job goes up in smoke, Conley finds herself right back where she started, working for her sister, who is trying to keep The Silver Bay Beacon afloat—and she doesn’t exactly have warm feelings for Conley. Soon she is given the unenviable task of overseeing the local gossip column, “Hello, Summer.”
And big-time secrets.
Then Conley witnesses an accident that ends in the death of a local congressman—a beloved war hero with a shady past. The more she digs into the story, the more dangerous it gets. As an old heartbreaker causes trouble and a new flame ignites, it soon looks like their sleepy beach town is the most scandalous hotspot of the summer.
Conley Hawkins left her family’s small town newspaper, The Silver Bay Beacon, in the rearview mirror years ago. Now a star reporter for a big-city paper, Conley is exactly where she wants to be and is about to take a fancy new position in Washington, D.C. Or so she thinks.
For small town scandals...
When the new job goes up in smoke, Conley finds herself right back where she started, working for her sister, who is trying to keep The Silver Bay Beacon afloat—and she doesn’t exactly have warm feelings for Conley. Soon she is given the unenviable task of overseeing the local gossip column, “Hello, Summer.”
And big-time secrets.
Then Conley witnesses an accident that ends in the death of a local congressman—a beloved war hero with a shady past. The more she digs into the story, the more dangerous it gets. As an old heartbreaker causes trouble and a new flame ignites, it soon looks like their sleepy beach town is the most scandalous hotspot of the summer.
Have you read any good books lately?
I will share this post at the monthly book link-up party Share Your Shelf. It's held on the first Thursday of each month. It's run by these bloggers:
Click HERE to see the blog parties I will be linking up to.
Julie
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